This is a story that takes place from a time where a girl was not yet born.

When a father
and a mother were not yet parents. This is their story.

Standing in the blistering heat, waiting at least eight to nine hours. Waiting
for the outcome, waiting for the results. Dripping in sweat my mind was in a buzz.
Feeling tired and exhausted I looked up, imaging when will it come. Standing
there changed my whole life. But before I explain why I was standing there I
should probably explain what has happened thus far.

“About six years ago, the earth was whole, beautiful and fresh to its knees.
If only someone could have predicted IT. If only but no one…..no one could” - by
M. John

My name is Lather Magnus and I worked at a global bank company that

owned all the currency in the world. I had been working there for 2 years since
that terrible day.

Slowly opening my eyes, feeling a bit tired, I yawned and looked at the
clocked. A bolt of energy shot through me as I realized I was going to be late for
the interview. Getting dressed as fast as I could, I made toast for the trip. Slipping
on my shoes as I ran out the door. Running past the security doors, I realized I
didn't have my car keys. Before I realized it, the door locks behind me. Knowing
that I was in a hurry I ran to the to the sidewalk. Trying to catch a cab. Five
minutes passed without getting one. I was now getting anxious as I ran down
three blocks. Panting and sweating I knew I had to get a cab, as people began to
stare at me. I started to try again.

Finally, when I got a cab, I hopped in and told him 53 2nd St. He started to
drive, 10 minutes left till the interview and I was about 15 minutes from there. I
told the cab driver that day to get me there in five minutes and 50 dollars for
every red light he runs. With interest, he drove faster, you could hear him
pressing on the pedal as the engine growled. He swerved side to side to avoid
cars to get me there. The taxi slowly stopping I looked up at the city within. When
the taxi finally stopped, I stared in disbelief at the humongous building upon me.
Little bit more nervousness spread throughout my entire body. I paid the taxi
driver as I exited the cab. Feeling the breeze of the wind, hearing the crowd of
people, and noises of the cars passing by. For that one instance, I felt like I was
normal. Time clicking down as I only had two minutes to spare. Glass doors
stood before, reflecting myself, looking at myself gave me an urge to turn back.
Fearing for the new life. But I knew I needed a change in my life from everything
that happened.

So, I continued forward as I walked to the front desk. I looked at the young
beautiful woman as she studied some papers. As I got closer to the desk, step by
step the tension grew and grew. When I got to the desk I was getting ready to
clear my throat as I waited for her to notice me. It seemed like forever before she
did.

I cleared my throat and said, “My name is Lather Magnus and I’m here to see Mr.
C.”

When she looked up at me you could tell she was busy, she forced a smile
and said, “Please go ahead and have a seat to the right, I’ll call you when he’s
ready.”

Moving to the lounge for a brief second I thought of why she forced that
smile. Listening to my own thoughts as time seemed to pass by quickly. The
young woman called my name in a faintly amused tone. As she did the thought
cleared from my mind. I walked up to the desk and she said in a better-delighted
mood,

“To the right, take the elevator to the eighty-sixth floor. Have a nice day, sir!”

Passing her by, I noticed a slight sadness aura around her. Wondering
why I saw that, I kept walking, I cleared my throat. Seeing my tie a mess I fixed it
as I got into the elevator. Pressing the button as the elevator doors start to close.
Thoughts run through my head as I hear the elevator passing by each floor.

I thought to myself as I went up, A normal desk job, a normal life, it’s all within
my grasp.

As the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened, I straightened my suit and
started to walk into the white hallway that looked endless.

Hearing nothing but my own footsteps made me more anxious than I’d
been in a while. Reaching the only door in the hallway, my hands became all
sweaty and my breathing started to become unsteady as fear crept closer and
closer to me. Before I opened the door ringing came through my ears as
everything became as quiet as darkness. Reaching up with my hand I move my
hair back, laughter came out suddenly. Before I knew I opened the door.

Looking around, seeing the room, my view focuses on the only person in
the room as he sat in the chair. I was expecting three people to interview me for
this position. Stepping forward I cleared my throat. I went up to shake his hand
and greet him when I realized that it was an old friend I knew. He gave it away
with how he looked, I immediately knew something was up. I became more
focused and observant, examining every detail in the room, wondering what he
was doing here. Serious with a little bit of spitefulness I asked him,

“What are you doing here!!”.

That was my first day on the job, I started to work there every day till That
Incident. Getting up every morning at eight wasn’t bad at all. Going to work was
always fun, speeding through traffic as the morning began. When I pulled into the
parking lot only one person was there each day. Each day I tried to get there a bit
faster but it seemed that we always arrived at the same time.

She had always worn a suit like clothing. Every day we had a small talk as
we walked to the front door. Each day the topic was different with her, but I
always tried to talk as little as possible. Observing her more and more, I noticed
she was more relaxed as we talked. It completely changed as we got to the
doors though. I always wondered why her personality would change as we
entered the building. It had always seemed delightful and outgoing with a hint of
sadness as we entered. Although when we talked outside the building it would
seem more relaxed and peaceful. We entered the building and the days begin.

The building begins to open for the public, I head to the ninety-eighth-floor.
I started to notice as I went up, my days become longer and longer. Slowly the
doors open with no one here, I step off walking by the small desk. There were at
least thirty of them all lined perfectly next to each other. When I got to my office I
opened the glass door that was as clear as a crystal. My day always had the
same routine, turning on the coffee maker and turning on the gray shade to my
glass frames. As my office filled with the smell of coffee, I looked out the window
looking at the sunrise. While 10 minutes passed, I watched the sun come up. I
thought of how many days it had been since I had a normal life.

Time passed as I watched other people walk around, getting friendly with
others, laughing and joking around. Working there wasn’t too bad. Not having to
talk to anyone and being able to loosen up a bit as I did paperwork felt great.
Feeling the urge to smoke, I got ready to go. It was about noon every day that I
took one. The workers didn't seem to care what I did, till I stepped out of my
office.

The roof was always my special spot. When I got to the stairs I always felt
someone watching me from behind the scenes. Feeling their presence wasn’t
hard at all, it was not knowing why they kept an eye on me. When I got to the top
of the stairs I grabbed the cold doorknob and opened it. Knowing they were
watching me closely I closed the door behind me. While standing there feeling
the wind against my face I leaned against the door as I slowly slid down it. Sitting
there was the best part about going to work. I got to feel the warm sun hitting my
skin as the wind blew softly through my hair. While I sat there, I pulled out my
cigarette for that day and lit it. As I smoked I watched everything from clouds
moving, to watching birds fly around in the air. Just as I finished my smoke I sat
there for a bit longer before heading back to my office.

Each day I’m there made me wonder if I should go back to my old life.
Which tugged at me as I drank my coffee the next morning. I was there 2 years
until That Incident.

At the end of that day, I looked out through the glasses and stared at the
sunset that covered this earth. I always looked for that missing piece that I could
never find. As the sun set, I turned off my computer and lamp. I headed to the
elevator when I caught movement in the corner of my eye that day. I stopped to
look around for the slightest movement, catching nothing. After a while, I
continued to the elevator thinking nothing of it and headed home.

Tuesday, October 23 one year before everything became real again, that
day was the worst day there. It started off with me waking up at five. I decided to
go for coffee when a weird incident happened at the coffee shop. Someone
pushed me forward and I almost made someone spill their coffee. I turned
around but all I saw was a black car door shutting and a white-suited man getting
in. It was the most abnormal day since I started the job. The daily small talk
never happened that day with the young women. She was gone for some reason,
which she had never been late and never missed a day since I had been there. I
wondered if she was alright, as I sat in my chair. That day the workers kept
looking at me as if something was out of place. I continued my day as normal
after thinking about it for about an hour. I ignored them as usual for the rest of the
work.

Finishing today's work I headed out for my normal daily exercise. Heading
down the elevator was always slow, while people come and go as the elevator
heads down. The elevator stopped at the bottom, exiting the elevator with being
the only one in it. Usually, I would say goodbye every day to the young lady but
today I couldn’t. Exiting the building I wondered again where she was. Not being
able to decide whether to dwell on it or not, I moved on. I headed to my car
stopping for a brief second as I inhaled in. Speeding home feeling ready for my
run. Seeing the sun as I drove, I thought Is this really what I want, do I really want
a normal life. Coming into the parking lot I dispelled the thought. I entered my
apartment, unlocking the door. I looked at the clock on the wall. 6:59 the clock
revealed, as I head to my room to change for a workout. Running was never a
goal of mine it was just something to pass the time. I don’t know how long I ran
that night but I ran until the end of my thoughts. Usually, it took 2 hours for my
run but today was different. An urge of sadness came across me and made me
want to run till I dropped. 11:00 was when I got home that night. I felt extremely
tired as I looked at the clock.

Skipping going to the bar that night I headed to the bathroom to take a
shower. The shower part of the day was always the best, feeling nothing but
warm water on my face as I imagined my happiest memory, worrying about
nothing. Just as the shower ends everything comes back at once usually, but
today was different. That feeling I always got was never there, as I stood in the
shower. Feeling empty inside, I stared into nothingness as the water came over
me. Feeling like someone else was in such great pain I turned off the
shower. Feeling tired and weak I headed off to bed.

Laying there in the dark I started to notice a faint white light on the ceiling.
Staring at it somehow made me pass out. Dreaming was something that never
happened. But tonight it happened, it was the most realistic dream. The first part
was about a group of kids trying to get into a building’s elevator as a white light
came down on them. Each one getting vaporized as they tried to get inside the
elevator. Feeling stuck where I was only able to watch. Watching 12 kids perish
into nothing. The elevator dinged and my attention got set towards it. As the
doors opened I noticed an average man with a half-masked on. Just as I saw him
my dream changed, it was about a woman I couldn’t see but could feel her
anguish. I could feel how tired and hungry she was, how her spirit was getting
shattered. I wanted to stop this pain she was in, suddenly I heard a small whisper
of forgotten-ness. I tried to turn around to see who it was but couldn’t. As I heard
my name being called I could feel tightness wrapping around my soul as if it was
being dragged to hell.

I woke up with a knock on my door. Sweating from head to toe I threw off
the covers and got up. Heading to the door as the knocking did stop. Carefully
walking to the door. I looked at the clock that presented 1:00 being as quiet as
possible I looked through the peephole. To my surprise, it was John. I opened
the door and asked,

“What are you doing here?”

He seemed so flustered and in a hurry. I could tell it wasn’t good, I

motioned him inside as I looked behind him side to side. He didn’t say anything
but one word the 30 seconds he was there. Looking serious and scared at the
same time. He took a deep breath and held out his hand, he knew I felt it too.
Putting my hand out, he dropped a pill into my hand. As he said,

“Divide.”
 Knowing what he meant I reached my hand out for a handshake when he
went in for a hug. Brief as it was he left as soon as he gave me that hug.
Knowing him it meant that death has arrived. Feeling the depth of the pill my
friend gave me, I stuck it in the back of my tooth where my cap was. Preparing
myself for the upcoming I sat in a constant motionless state for 1 hour. When I
open my eyes in readiness I felt it was the time. I went to the bar to have one last
drink before death came. As I got there I noticed a change in the atmosphere as I
walked in. Feeling like it was going to happen soon I sat in the back waiting,
drinking the last beer I thought I would have. When I finished, a young woman
came up to me.

She wore a hat that covered her face with a blue button striped shirt, and
black pants that look like they been torn. She asked in a softly smoothed voice
that sounded scared,

“Have we met before somewhere.”

I was very puzzled because her voice seemed so familiar but I couldn’t put my
finger on it. As I gently tell her,

“No, we haven’t, sorry for the confusion. My name is Lather, how can I help you.”.

When I start to see her lips, I saw a teardrop down from her cheek. Then came
the clank on the head and I was out like a lightbulb.

When I woke up all I knew is that my head hurt and something was running
down my left eye. Barely opening it I saw red, I kept it closed after that. When I
opened my right eye all I saw was a brown light and realized that there was a
brown cotton bag on me. As I felt more drop down my face I knew I was in
trouble. I tried to listen all around me to see if anyone was near me, but I didn’t
hear anything. Hearing faint water crashing against the side of something, I knew
that I was near a harbor.

After a while, I heard footsteps echo through the building, then rattling
sounds like chains. As the echo and rattling stops, someone behind me took off
the bag, I quickly looked behind me but no one was there. I looked around but
could only see darkness. The only visible light was the one above me. Seeing
nothing but the pitch darkness I yelled out to see how far my voice echoed.
Turned out very far, as I tried to lift my hands I noticed they were tied to a metal
chair. I tried moving but I couldn’t, my legs felt gone as I looked at them. Seeing
lifeless, a at that time I knew my body was shutting down and I had to do
something about it. Before I couldn’t move my entire body. Tasting an unusual
taste I could tell I had been drugged and it was killing me from the inside.
 Blood running down my face as if I was standing in the hot sun for hours. I
tried to focus my thoughts but to the drug was interrupting my concentration.
Slowly a guy steps out from the darkness showing only half his body. He drags
along a woman with chains around her hands and feet. Shoving her forward into
the light. He stepped more into the light and I noticed that he was wearing a
complete black armor suit. He was also wearing a halved-masked that covered
his face. Something dawned on me, I remembered my dreams with a man in it as
well. I felt that this was connected. Feeling like he was more dangerous than
before, I tried to focus on a way out. But all I could do was think about the woman
I could barely see as my vision started to go out as well. One thought came
through my head as darkness started to fill my sight.

Is she ok?

Feeling like I was connected to her somehow I tried focusing more. When he
completely came into the light everything went quiet even the wind. It was as if
he was a god silencing everything around him. I asked him in a delighted tone,

“What do you want?”

As he stands there waiting saying nothing, I focused harder and harder.

Controlling my breathing and slowing down my body, I looked up smiled and with
a faint laugh asked,

“Who are you?!”

He stood there looking faceless, then out of nowhere, I got hit in the face. It
was like death just took a part of my soul right out. The power of that punch could
break a boulder. It came so fast and out of nowhere, I could barely catch my
breath after that. Coughing out some blood and I said in a deep low voice,

“You’ll regret that!”