Prologue: The devil with red eyes
"Jack Marwood, please help me save this world," the man with red eyes said to me.
I had been waiting for this. I knew he'd eventually make a demand, and I had spent the entire conversation preparing for it. I was ready to refuse as a thoughtless reflex, which was the only way I could think of saving myself. But when the words finally came, I hesitated. It was simply because he asked it like a request instead of a command.
It caught me off guard. The man before me, whose powers can grant him the world with just a few words, used such humble vocabulary with me. It was so out of character that it automatically raised my vigilance as I suspected foul play. If he said it like that deliberately, then I never stood a chance, because by letting me suspect, by letting me think, he had brilliantly led me to fall into his trap.
Time stopped. Colors drained from the world. Under the gaze of his red eyes, my thoughts, my will, my soul all started bending under his power, making my acceptance of his plea inevitable. My fate was at that moment sealed.
In this timeless and colorless world, where a moment is forever and forever was a moment, I started to consider his request. For what I had seen and experienced thus far, the world was indeed heading toward destruction. Ever since the Whiteout, the event that gave everyone supernatural powers, chaos had erupted. Atrocities were commonplace now, and I even suspected that some countries were already on the edge of collapse. Even this nation was now balancing on the edge, with the man before me being the main contributor to its current state. Like this, it was only a matter of time before the entire world fell into anarchy.
I also could imagine how he planned to 'save' the world. With his manipulative powers, he would rise to the top of this country and take control himself. He would bring this nation to its heel. Then he would expand his influence, subjugate other nations still in chaos, and unite the world under his rule. And when the world hailed him as a messiah, he could manipulate humanity into never using their powers again. Peace would return, but only with him as a god pulling the strings.
But, did he really need my help? With his ability, he could control anyone, no one could oppose him. Why would he want me still by his side?
Only one disturbing possibility came upon me, keeping me close to control me. He knew me. He knew I would oppose him if he left me to my own machinations. Maybe his definition of 'help' was twisted enough to mean keeping his enemies near, puppeteering them against their own free will to work for him, never being able to go against him anymore.
If that was his reasoning, he would be correct. My hatred for this man was absolute. He was a monster, devoid of morals and empathy, obsessed with power and control. I couldn't let him twist the world to his liking.
And yet… who else could save it?
That cold realization rooted me to the spot. As much as I despised him, I couldn't deny his ability to restore order. No one else had a power suited for saving the world so bloodlessly. Without him, everything would collapse. Humanity would eradicate themselves by their own hands.
I tried to convince myself that I didn't need to help him. He'd execute his plan with or without me. But what if his plan involved even greater atrocities? I knew his disregard for human life. Perhaps he would start bloody wars and chaos, do things like he has already done to this country, if it will make control easier after the ashes have settled.
Staying close meant I could maybe influence his decisions. I could minimize the bloodshed. So, was helping him the right choice? The idea repulsed me, but it seemed logical. Staying by his side kept my options open. Maybe I could interfere if things went too far. And maybe I could even steer him toward a more merciful path.
Despite my hatred, the conclusion was clear. To save this world, I had to stand with this monster. Rationality over emotion. But it left me feeling hollow and cold, barely human. It was the same feeling as when I got lost in my own power.
Her warmth couldn't save me now like back then. I wished I could feel her again, that she could save me from this fate like back then. But, despite my wishes, my very being remained cold.
I could only think about her. Her face, demeanor, personality, and of how good a person she really was.
I had recently thought that her goodness was naive. If she knew what I knew, grew up like I've grown up, experienced the things that I've experienced, she would have no hope left for this world, just like me.
Or… maybe even if that were the case, she could still keep faith.
But one person, even a handful like her, who can use their power for good, who want to do good to the world, can never compare to the other majority who are only in it for themself, who use their power for harm and destruction to satiate their own gains.
The notion was the peak of naivety. It was nothing more than seeing the world with rose colored glasses.
And yet, to look at it like that, to have faith for the better even if fate itself strives for the worst, perhaps that might be the right attitude to have in the hopeless world we find ourselves in now.
Maybe she has rubbed off on me more than I realised. Maybe I was becoming a naive fool myself, but I thought that was undoubtedly better than selling my soul.
Between the cold rationality in helping this man control a world heading towards destruction, or having the warmth of faith that a few good people will prevent that forgone conclusion, I had found my own answer. And with that newfound faith, warmth filled my being once again.
I will reject him. I will prove fate wrong. I will show him that the goodness in me will forever reject his evil world. I will show him that the goodness in people will save this world.
That was my conclusion. I would later find out if this would lead the world to heaven or hell. But, for now, I had faith.
My vision regained color, the timeless moment passed, and I uttered my response.
"I refuse," I said to the devil in front of me.
Chapter 1: White flash, black shadow
"I mean, if that teacher could explain things well I might begin to understand it, but he is so boring."
"Yeah, having that teacher on Friday afternoon really makes me almost fall asleep."
In the backseat of my car, Elise and Ken were discussing the Advanced Placement math lesson we just had while I was driving us back to the town we live in.
Since I recently got my driver's license and bought a car, they started carpooling with me while paying the gasoline for the trip.
Taking the car sure beats taking that overfull bus from town to school, and our trip home is way more fun since we're able to talk more comfortably with each other.
"But, Jack really fell asleep during the lesson, you know! And he still understands everything! It's so unfair!"
Did Elise just slander me? I somehow couldn't bear that coming from her.
"I already know everything, you know. I look up and study everything online beforehand. So unlike you, I can afford to take a nice and rejuvenating nap during boring lectures.
"Why even come to school then, huh, if you already know everything?" Ken asked me.
"Because you guys are fun? Besides, it's been a while since I studied all that stuff."
"Been a while? Wait, did you already study that far ahead while you were still homeschooled?"
"…"
A tense silence fell in the car as I didn't respond to him.
"Ah…, sorry," Ken said in realization.
"…Don't worry, it's alright."
"Anyway, I've heard enough about school. Let's talk about something else," Elise said, trying to save the mood.
We continued making some small talk until we arrived back at New Freedom, the town we live in. Nearing Ken's house, Elise asked us about our weekend plans.
"Being forced to study as always. Perhaps we can all study together if you two have time." Ken asked us.
"Sorry, I can't spare the time right now." I responded.
"Same with me, sorry." Elise added.
"I see. Don't sweat it, I know you two are always busy," Ken said nonchalantly.
After I dropped Ken off and Elise and I said our goodbyes to him, my next destination was Elise's house in the middle of town. After I started driving again, Elise struck up a conversation with me.
"I feel kinda bad that we never have time to hang out with each other outside of school."
"He knows our circumstances. He's a considerate guy. You haven't heard him complain once, right."
"I know, but I wish things were different and we could have some more fun together."
"Well, soon we'll have vacation, so you can already think about what fun things we three can do together."
"Yeah, you're right. I'll definitely put some thought into it."
While we were nearing Elise's house, the conversation steered off to the thing that was the most relevant to all three of us, our parents. Elise was the first one to touch the subject.
"Hey Jack, if I might ask, how is your mother?"
She knows it is a touchy subject, so we tend to avoid talking about it casually. But since it is related to a previous conversation of us two being always busy, I guess she decided to bring it up carefully.
I don't mind talking about it with her, but I always had to give her saddening answers, so it always was a mood dampener. Although this time, luckily I'm able to give a more positive response.
"Well, she still drinks a lot, but gradually she does more stuff than just getting drunk. She also smiles and laughs more, so I think it is going in the right direction."
"That's good to hear. I'm glad. I'm sure she's doing better because she has such a wonderful son who always takes care of her." She said with a kind smile.
"Says the daughter of the year, always taking care of her workaholic father."
"Oh, stop it. Actually, recently I have started wondering who the parent and who the child is."
"Same for me. Maybe Ken needs to start being a parent too, then he'll truly understand how busy we two are every day."
"Haha, can you imagine? I think his parents would lock him up in handcuffs if he ever dared talking back to them."
Elise and I started laughing as she arrived at her house.
"Have a nice weekend and see you next week". Elise said giddily as she stepped out of the car.
"Well, I sure don't hope to see you this weekend. I'm a little bit too busy for a doctor's visit."
"Haha, well in case of the worst, my father and I are always available to look after you and quickly cure whatever ails." Elise said happily while sounding like a saleswoman.
After Elise and I waved goodbye to each other, I started driving back with a smile, and started reminiscing. As I looked at the buildings in town, I thought that not much has changed in this town after moving here with my mother about 2 years ago. Maybe that's just the case with old historical small towns compared to Washington. Or, maybe I just don't notice the changes since I finally am somewhat at peace with how things are going now.
Although, I still hope to be at peace after I find out what state my mother is in today.
I arrived at my house, and my heart started beating slightly faster. I got out of the car, grabbed my backpack from the backseat, and locked it up. I then moved to the front door. I used my house key to open it and stepped inside. I took off my shoes and jacket, dumped my backpack in the hall, and walked to the living room to see what state my mother was in today.
I entered the living room and saw my mother sitting on the couch reading a book. There was only one, still almost full, beer bottle on the parlor table, together with a clean ashtray, untouched cigarette and a matchbox. I felt relieved, it seems that what I had just told Elise still holds true.
"Hey", I greeted my mother.
"Hey", responded my mother back without looking up from her book.
"Another romance novel, I see".
"Maybe if you started reading some too, you'd finally learn how to get further with Elise."
"We're friends."
"Sure you are. Next time I see her, maybe I'll ask her. How good of friends you two really are."
Ugh. She had hit me in a sore spot. But nevertheless, a small smile appeared on my face. It was a good sign that Ruby Sporo regained her sharp tongue from the past.
She was often called a rose with thorns while she was still acting, and I always found that description very fitting. Her deep black hair that contrasted with still young looking and fair skin. The hypnotizingly striking green eyes that drew everyone in unconditionally. It all really sold her image as being as beautiful as a flower in bloom. Combining that all with her sharp tongue, with which she endeared people and sold herself with, had earned the world's most famous actress that nickname.
There was no winning a verbal argument with her while she was in this sort of mood, so I'd best not give lib back to her right now.
"I'll grab some fruit, you want some to?" I asked her.
"Yes, an apple without peel, please".
With my mother finishing the conversation without looking up from her book even once, I moved to the kitchen to prepare the fruit. The house my mother and I live in is small, so a few seconds walking in a straight line from my mother was all it took for me to be in the kitchen.
I moved to the kitchen counter and stood next to the sink. It is a small kitchen, but that just means that everything is in handreach. Because it was so open and small, it had no privacy whatsoever.
If I looked to the right in a straight line. I could see the couch with my mother reading. She, of course, could also stare at me from the living room, which was quite nerve wrecking when I first started fumbling around with cooking when we moved here.
Luckily, after 2 years I have improved to a point where I don't feel judged anymore. I now even have a part-time job as a cook at a restaurant in town, so you might even consider me a semi-professional at the moment.
Anyway, to start I grabbed two small bowls from the cabinet and a small knife from the knife block. I grabbed an apple from the fruit basket. I first washed it under the faucet, then peeled it with the knife over the trashcan under the sink. I quartered the apple and peeled off the core still present in each quarter over the trashcan. After putting my mothers peeled apple pieces in her bowl, I grabbed another apple for myself. As I was not as spoiled as my mother, I had no misgivings in leaving the peel on.
As I held the apple in my hand and moved it under the faucet to wash it, my vision suddenly flashed white. It lasted however for but an instant, like intentionally blinking and briefly seeing black. Only, I didn't blink, and my vision didn't turn black, but white.
What was that? I was stunned. I stood there now for a few seconds with the apple under the faucet, but I was still not washing it. I looked to the right at my mother, but she was still reading her book. No wait, was she frowning a bit? It was hard to tell by looking at the side of her face. Her expression could also be caused by what she was reading.
Should I say something? I was contemplating it right after my mother started to shift. She leaned forward, grabbed her beer bottle and took a small sip of her drink. She then held the bottle with a somewhat confused expression, but put it back again after a second and looked at her book again.
Something was wrong. Her behaviour was too unnatural, my intuition screamed at me.
"Hey, is everything alright?"
"Mmh, yeah it's nothing," she responded a bit dismissively.
So, there was something. My concern was growing. I felt like I should not ignore this.
"My vision flicked white just now, did that also happen to you?"
"Huh? Uuh, actually yes now that you mention it, but I was not sure before."
She had now even looked away from her book and was staring at me. The alarm bells in my head were now also really turning into sirens.
"Anything else, how do you feel," I tried asking calmly and clinically. I felt fine, it was not time to panic yet, although I was not sure about what expression I was making now.
"I feel fine, but my beer just suddenly tasted very strong."
Something was definitely wrong. I looked back at the sink and thought for a few seconds. What can affect both the vision of two people and the taste of one, although I don't know if my taste has been affected too. Nothing came to mind quickly. Then, consciousness and taste? Something instantly clicked in my mind. Gas leak. Shit, maybe we should…
"AAAAAH!!!" I swiveled my head immediately to the sound of my mothers scream, and I immediately saw the terrifying cause.
I saw the back of a black shadow standing there and looking at my mother. It was an entirely three dimensional black colored silhouette of a man that stared at my mother. It stood diagonally to the right from my mother, right next to the parlor table, staring at her. My mother also stared at the thing. Her face was flushed red and she looked with wide open and terror filled eyes to the black shadow. The book she held has dropped next to her on the couch.
For a second time today I was stunned and could not move. I felt like a deer in headlights, that was the feeling I got when I looked at that thing. That shadow felt unnaturally threatening, like I unexpectedly saw something like a wild predator instantly appearing in front of me. I was instantly on edge, perhaps the sudden surge of adrenaline I was experiencing started kicking in my flight or fight response.
About 3 seconds had passed since I heard my mothers scream. My mother and I kept dumbfoundedly staring at the shadow, and the shadow didn't move and just kept staring at my mother. I could not move and I'm sure my mother couldn't either. We were at the mercy of that shadow, who stood between us. I did not know how or why it appeared here or what its intentions were. But I didn't have to know, I could instinctively feel and sense what that thing's purpose was. It kept staring at my mother like she was its prey. A predator and prey, every living being instinctually knows how that situation concludes itself.
Was I going to let that situation play itself out? No between flight or fight, to protect my mother, I'll choose to fight.
As I resolved myself, the shadow started taking a step with his right leg towards my mother. I had to be fast to intervene. I dropped everything and swiped the peeling knife with my right hand as I started sprinting towards the shadow.
I ran so fast that I was already in a near lunging distance in front of the shadow when it had just finished its step. I held my hand in front of me to plunge the blade into its back while lunging at the thing.
The shadow instantly turned on the balls on its feet and moved its arms and hands in front of itself. The front looked as humanlike as the back, but I didn't care. It was now facing towards me in what looked like a martial arts stance. It had its left leg forward, its knees were slightly bent and both its hands in front of its chest. His right hand was just in front of its chest and its left hand was farther out. Both his hands were open with all its fingers pointing straight towards the ceiling.
I took another step and was now within lunging distance. With all the momentum carrying me I could only go forward. I lunged and extended my right arm to stab the knife into its chest, the largest target that was lethal. My blade went now in a straight line between its arms toward the middle of its chest.
At the start of my lunge the shadow's left hand started to move, straight across my stabbing line. Then, as my knife passed the back of his hand, it moved its hand back to its original position. Its left arm, at the place just below its wrist, touched the same place on my right arm. And then, while putting his left arm back in its original position it moved my arm to the side, now redirecting the knife that just traveled in a straight line towards its chest to the side away from it, neutralizing the threat.
The moment the shadow started redirecting my knife with its left hand, it moved its right hand forward. I couldn't react at all. When my knife was off to the side, it punched me with an open palm straight into my diaphragm.
"Kugh". All the air escaped my lungs as I made that gasp. I had a lot of momentum, but that thing stopped me dead in my tracks in a single punch. The strength left my body and I flew away and fell over backwards while its arm extended fully.
I still held the knife while I was falling, but the punch left me incapable of doing anything with it. As the knife went past the shadow again as I was falling, it grabbed the blade with its left hand. I did not have any strength left in my grip, and the knife slipped away from me. The shadow now held the knife by the blade, and now moved its right hand to grab the handle while I hit the ground.
I lay with my back on the floor, still incapable of drawing air. My right arm lay limply at my side and my left arm lay bent with my hand by my head. The shadow quickly came to me and dropped to its knees to straddle me by my hips. When its position was secure, it immediately moved the knife down towards my face. It did it all so fast that I was only capable of a reaction when the knife started moving down. My arms started moving to protect my face and chest, but the knife already left my vision just as my movement started.
"Aaaarrrrrrggggg". A breathless and almost soundless scream came grasping out of my airless throat as I felt an unimaginable pain in my left hand. When my scream ended, I twisted my head to see the source of my agony. I saw the ghastly sight of my left hand. The whole knife blade had gone straight through the palm of my hand and was embedded in the wooden floor. The knife had literally nailed my hand to the floor.
The moment I saw the state of my left hand, the shadow stood up again. My body, its movement now unhindered, instinctively moved to remove the source of my agony. Not moving my left arm, my body shifted to lay on my left side. Whilst my body was shifting I grabbed the handle of my knife with my right hand to yank it out.
"aaah". I gasped as a sharp pain shot through my hand again. I reflectively let go of the knife handle, letting my right hand hover next to it. My movement ceased as my instincts were in deadlock. I couldn't remove the source of the pain because grabbing the knife caused me even more pain. I laid there in agony, not moving a muscle, letting my instincts formulate an approach as to how to relieve me of my suffering.
"Jack", I heard my mother say in an astonished voice after laying still for a second or two. I moved my head towards the direction my name was called from. I looked straight in my mother's green eyes, which looked at me with shock, sadness and dread. Her face was even more flushed red, and she stood bent forward, leaning on the couch with her right arm.
My mother wasn't the only thing in my field of view. If my mother filled the left half of my vision, the shadow filled my right, as it now stood right in front of her. It walked another few steps and grabbed my mothers neck with its right hand.
"Snap". I briefly heard the sound of a twig snapping as you stepped on it. The shadow had twisted its hand clockwise so quickly and with such force that my mothers left ear now touched her left shoulder. Immediately after the sound, the shadow let go and my mother dropped like a puppet with cut strings face first on the floor in front of me.
I was in shock the moment I heard my mothers neck break. I could not move or think, and I could not even notice the pain in my left hand anymore.
The shadow kept moving all the while, turning around and taking a few steps away but it barely registered for me, as I only stared at my mother.
That was until the thing moved towards me again and stopped next towards my mother. I then looked up.
The shadow was facing towards me and stared straight at me. It now had my mothers beer bottle in one hand and the matchbox in the other. Once I saw that, the thing faced towards my mother again, and poured the remaining beer over her body.
It took a few seconds until the bottle was empty and my mother was doused. Then, the shadow took a step back, lit a match and threw it at my mother.
Her body ignited instantly with a fierce bluish white flame, and I felt the great heat the fire produced. The thing then dropped the empty bottle next to him, whereafter it shattered on the floor.
My mind was completely blank. While lying pinned to the floor by the knife that went through my hand, I hadn't managed to formulate a coherent thought as the events had unfolded in front of me. I hadn't even registered when the shadow started moving again, as it now stood by my feet again, where it stopped and stood still.
The shadow stood perfectly still and stared at me, it contrasted from the fire in the background, and I could do nothing but look back at it in defeat. The shadow has the silhouette of a fairly muscled tallish man, judging by its proportions. Looking closer at its face, I noticed its features were sharp and manly, evoking a sense of authority and domination. That thing and I just kept staring at each other as I burned its silhouette into my retinas.
Suddenly, as I took in the shadow, my eyes shot wide open. A sudden realization made me instantly process everything that happened, and why it had happened. My shocked, shattered, and scattered mind was able to manage this, because it came to me that I know who the shadow in front of me is. The features of its face were the same as the face of someone I knew all too well.
"YOU BASTAAAARD!!!"
Years of animosity, hatred, anger, wrath, all screamed out of me. I could not forgive the atrocities the man in front of me had committed. I looked and grabbed the knife handle again, pain be damned, and yanked the blade out of my floor. My vision flashed and grew faint, but my murderous focus on the man let me ignore the pain.
The blade was out of the floor, but still stuck in my hand. I sat up and took the man in my sights, as I was ready to pull the knife free out of my hand and try to stab the shadow again.
Only, the moment I laid eyes again on the man, the shadow disappeared into thin air as the flames simmered out.
I froze and stared blankly in front of me. After a few seconds I got my wits about me and frantically looked around, but the shadow was nowhere to be seen. After some seconds of looking around, I realized I was now alone in this house. Tension left my body, and my vision grew hazy and unfocused from the pain, anger, befuddlement, loss and sadness I felt. The only things I could still clearly see was all the blood that came from my left hand, and the black burn marks and ashes on the wooden floor that once was my mother.
Author note:
Dear reader. Thank you for reading the first chapter of my webnovel Outwhite. If you want to read ahead and support the story, you can find early access chapters are available via my twitter @rickyochet or my Royal Road profile. Free chapters will always continue here with an upload rate of 1 chapter (2000-4000 words) every week. Kind regards, Rickyochet.