Chapter 1: The Day Everything Ended
Class had already started, and there I was—rushing through the hallways, my footsteps echoing against the polished floor.
I finally reached the classroom door and pushed it open.
Every head turned toward me.
And the teacher? Well… let's just say he wasn't happy.
He frowned, adjusting his glasses before speaking.
"Aiden. Come to my office after class. And you better give me a good reason as to why you're late. Again."
His voice was firm. Sharp.
I sighed quietly and walked to my seat.
The lesson continued as if nothing had happened. I tried to listen, but the words felt distant. Meaningless.
When the bell rang, I stood and followed him to his office, already knowing what was coming.
Another lecture.
Another reminder about responsibility.
As he reprimanded me, I nodded occasionally, pretending to listen carefully. But I had already memorized this speech. The disappointment. The warnings. The expectations.
I left school that day feeling… nothing.
When I arrived home, I immediately noticed something strange.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
My mom was usually home by this time.
Weird. She should've finished shopping by now.
I shrugged it off and headed upstairs. Maybe I was overthinking.
I dropped into my gaming chair and spent the entire evening playing, trying to distract myself.
Then my phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered.
"Is this Aiden?"
"Yes?"
"This is the hospital. Your mother has been involved in a car accident."
For a moment, my heart stopped.
My body went cold.
They continued speaking, but the only words I clearly understood were: serious condition… your father is already here… please come immediately.
I didn't remember how I got there.
I just remember running.
When I arrived at the hospital, I saw my father.
Crying.
I had never seen him cry before.
His usually stern face was shattered, replaced with pure sorrow as he stood beside my mother's bed.
Then I saw it.
The monitor.
A straight line.
My mind froze.
No.
No, no, no.
She's gone.
My mom is gone.
I never even said goodbye.
Days passed.
The world felt dull and colorless.
My father buried himself in work, as if drowning in it could numb the pain. And I… I lost the will to care about anything.
School didn't matter.
Time didn't matter.
Nothing did.
Until one day, while cleaning my room, I found a book.
The Selia Academy.
It was about a girl born into poverty, struggling through life after losing her parents. She faced cruelty, loneliness, hunger… and yet she never stopped fighting.
She studied relentlessly.
She endured.
She rose.
I saw myself in her.
Or maybe… I saw the person I wanted to become.
I followed the story as new chapters were released, watching her overcome every obstacle through sheer determination.
She inspired me.
Because of her, I started studying seriously.
I pushed myself.
I became one of the top students in school.
But when the final chapter was released…
It ended in tragedy.
Every main character died.
Including her.
I felt betrayed.
Devastated.
I cursed the author in the comments section before throwing my phone onto my bed.
I needed air.
I walked to the nearest store to buy a bottle of cola, hoping the cold drink would calm me down.
That's when I heard it.
A voice.
I turned the corner into a narrow alley.
A girl was being cornered by a group of thugs.
She looked terrified.
My heart pounded.
I hesitated.
There were too many of them.
But then I saw her trembling.
"Hey!" I shouted. "Either you stop what you're doing, or I'm calling the police."
I raised my phone, trying to look braver than I felt.
They laughed.
Their leader stepped forward, flashing a crooked grin.
"Kid. Mind your own business… unless you want trouble."
I don't know what came over me.
Maybe anger.
Maybe grief.
Maybe I just didn't want to be useless anymore.
"Well," I said, forcing a smirk, "bring it on, bald man."
Why did I say that?
I took a fighting stance, knowing full well I would probably lose. But maybe… just maybe… I could stall long enough for someone to notice.
One of them charged at me.
He threw a punch.
I dodged.
My body moved on instinct. I countered with a punch of my own, knocking him down.
The others rushed me.
I fought as hard as I could, adrenaline pushing me forward.
For a moment…
I thought I might actually survive.
Then I got careless.
A sudden sharp pain exploded in my stomach.
I looked down.
A knife.
Blood began to soak through my shirt.
The world tilted.
The thugs cursed and ran as distant voices began to shout.
The girl knelt beside me, frantically calling for help.
But I knew.
It was pointless.
As I lay there, my vision blurred.
The sky above me darkened.
So this is what it feels like… to die.
My memories replayed one by one.
My mother's smile.
My father's silence.
The straight line on the monitor.
The girl who never stopped fighting.
I guess… I tried too.
My eyes slowly closed.
And I let the darkness take me