The mixture of anxiety and fear made Nathan nausea. A big and warm hand rubbed his small back as if trying to reassure him. He looked up and saw his father with its messy hair which is usually perfectly styled.
"It will be okay, your mother is strong."
They both wanted to believed that as their eyes remained on the white door that's completely shut infront of them. It left Nathan in wonder what were they doing inside that suffocating room to his mother. He wanted to know. But what can a six-year-old boy could know?
The door knob slightly opened and his father that's been sitting for hours stood up immediately. A person wearing an all white garment came out.
"How is she doctor?" Nathan could see the different emotions in his father's eyes yet all he could do was sit there trying to understand what's going on around him. No—he could understand them, it's just that he can't do anything.
The doctor stood silent for a moment, he looked at the man who's condition and appearance that had gotten worse. Ashamed, the doctor looked down as he said the following heart-wrenching words. And as a child, all Nathan could do was listen. His mother constantly reminds him that he shouldn't butt in when adults are talking.
Once the doctor left, his father walked in a lumbering way as he rest his forehead at the door. Then he cried, his sobs filled the silent hospital. For the first time in Nathan's whole life, that's the first time he saw his father cry.
At that moment, there's only one thing in his mind.
Mom.
Covered in sweat, Nathan's eyes widen as a loud gasp followed as he sat upright and strands of his hair covered his eyes. His whole body trembles. Seeing that his limbs are all intact and his heart is beating he felt relieved but confuse at the same time.
I'm alive?
Lifting his head up, he found myself into an unfamilliar room. There's a wooden desk, chair, and one single bed—which he's currently in. Questions starts to tangle in his mind. Where am I? I'm really alive? Is this a hallucination?
Running a hand over his hair, he looked over outside the window. He don't even know if he's alive or dead since everything around him is unfamilliar. There's also no way that this is heaven or hell since he's seeing the ocean outside the window—wait—ocean?!
As realization hits him, his body instantly moved out of the bed as he stumbled while doing so, causing his head to hit the wall. Cursing through his gritted teeth, he stood up straight and looked out the window. He rubbed his eyes with his palms, then looked out again. The ocean was still there.
"What the fuck," He mumbled. Is this even real, I don't even know if it is. Should I kill myself to know? He shook his head to his reckless decision. If this is no hell or heaven then what the fuck am I doing on a ship alive? Someone saved me? My mouth gaped open before I shut it again.
Who might it be?
Suddenly, the door opened making Nathan flinch in surprise. He saw a glimpse of blonde hair. The person's head starts to get in bit by bit until it was finally fully in. Blonde hair, delicate face, and freckles over his sharp nose, he looks young. Maybe younger than Nathan. His eyes widen when he saw the empty bed before his gaze meets Nathan's.
"Um—" before Natham could even say anything more. The person gasped before slamming the door hard leaving me confused and shocked. After a moment, he heard loud footsteps before it fades away.
What the fuck?
He blink once, twice, then thrice. Why did he run off so suddenly? He doesn't have time to think when suddenly, loud and heavy footsteps was heard. There are more than three people coming. Standing there like a fucking statue with his heart beating so fast, the door slammed open as the banging sound enveloped the small room.
Nathan's eyes widen a little when he saw a woman came in. Scarlet hair, fair tan skin, and her demeanour screams danger. Her gaze meets mine and Nathan saw something flicker on it. Maybe he mistook it since her eyes were brown.
A head popped out behind her. It was the person earlier. He has a curious yet wary expression towards Nathan and then, he spoke, his voice was a lot scarier than he thought. "Miss, what are we going to do to him now?"
A shivers run down on my spine on that question.
It was quiet for a moment before the woman speak, her voice was deep and stern like a sharp knife as if telling 'if you talk back, you'll die'. "Same thing, we follow the captain's words." Captain? My brows knitted, it's getting more complicated to comprehend the situation. They don't sound like the people who'll save me for good reasons.
The woman gave Nathan one last look before turning around as she spoke. Her voice trails off as she say. "Then, I'm leaving him to you, Alex." Alex stares at me—coldly. "Aren't you a lucky person?"
Nathan's taller than him but judging by his age, he'll grow up more after a few more years or so. He tipped his head and stare at me before asking in a demanding tone. "Why aren't you talking?"
Scary.
Gulping a mouthful of saliva, Nathan opened his mouth before finally asking. "Are you the one who saved me?" Alex raised an eyebrow and blinked. "Saved you?" He repeats as if asking for confirmation for the question. "Why would I save you?"
"What?"
Alex stared at him in disbelief. "Hey, I know you're crazy but don't take it too far. Don't act like a victim here." Nathan was left speechless by the boy's words.
"What do you mean by that?"
Alex smirked. "Don't you remember? You drowned yourself after almost getting all of us killed, shit, did the waves washed away your memories along with them?"
Nathan knows that he let himself get drowned but he doesn't remember the rest of what mentioned. Getting them killed and other shit—I can't remember. Moreover, I wouldn't do such a thing to others.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Where am I and if you didn't save me, who did?" Alex gave me a low chuckle that sounds almost like a growl in response. All of a sudden, a knife was pointed at Nathan's throat making his breath hitch.
A sweat trickled down on Nathan's forehead.
The tip of the knife touched his skin as a pair of emerald eyes glared at him. "Don't even think about taking any step. Let it be forward or backward, if you make one step I'll kill you."
Alex pressed the point of the knife more causing a single drop of blood fall. "Shouldn't you be more thankful and apologize to captain after waking up but what you're doing right now is utterly shameless you know?"
How the hell would I know?
Fuck. I don't know where nor who this people are.
Everything felt so real yet felt like a dream at the same time. If he believe that this is a transportation taking souls so they can go to heaven and finally rest in peace, he might as well rethink about it. Who the hell points a knife on someone's throat on the way to God's kingdom?
"I really can't remember anything." He manage to blurt out even after being pointed a knife. Meanwhile, Alex's eyes showed pure hatred and malice.
After a millisecond, the cold surface on Nathan's skin dissapeared. He breathe a sigh of relief as his body trembles but he manage to stand still as his heart showed no sign of slowing down at all.
Alex took one step back before letting out a small chuckle. He sounds like he's enjoying this but Nathan certainly don't.
He wasn't the one who saved me. That's what I believe for now.
The door opened once again, but this time, it was gentler. A soft voice spoke. "Alex, are you here?" He's probably one of the people who came running here earlier but haven't been exposed fully in Nathan's eyes.
"This bastard here is at it again."
"Stop that. Captain's calling for us."
"Right now?"
"Right. Fucking. Now."
A dissapointed 'tsk'-ed scaped from the boy's mouth before glancing back at me. "If you want to live longer then be obidient. A dog could even do that." Nathan's eyes twitched in irritation.
The heck? What a brat.
The male turned and walked through the wide opened door but before the door shut close a pair of blue eyes meet my brown one's for a moment as if telling him to 'stay inside' this small room.
Once the door was fully shut, a sigh escaped from his lips before he return his gaze back into the ocean. Exhausted, he dropped his head and starts recalling of what just happened.
That freckled man and strange man are both weird. And they are assholes. Nathan licked his lips in frustration at the thought. A sudden thought came into my mind. Turning my head around, he stared at the closed door.
Should I take a risk?
He shook his head and contemplated for a moment before eventually deciding. It's now or never. As he take a few strides towards the door, he heard a familliar voice behind him.
"I suggest you to not step out of there."
Surprised, his steps halted as he immediately turned around. Leaning against the window, Zaar stared at him with his arms over his chest and wearing that poker-face—which is really uncomfortable for me—on his face. Nathan opened his mouth to ask something but he came into a sudden realization.
This bastard is the reason why I am here.
"You bas—" A loud shushed completely shut him off, preventing the full word leave his mouth. Zaar straightened his posture and resumed his words.
"What do you think about this world?"
"Confusing."
"What about the people?"
"They have no fucking patience at all."
Silence followed afterwards. Zaar looks like he was about to ask a few more questions but shut his mouth instead. He nod his head twice before resuming.
"Okay, since it's all a waste of time asking questions, I'll get straight to the point. You are currently in a different world as I mentioned, you have new identity and role to fulfill."
"What kind of bullshit is that?"
"It's not. And you're cursing too much."
"Should I be celebrating after being accused and almost killed?"
Stressed, Zaar shut his eyes before reopening them. He spoke in his usual tone. "Anyway, I only have a few seconds left so let me get this straight. This is your new life now, it's either you live your life or be a goner."
After that, Zaar dissapeared. Nathan scanned the room before looking back at the door. Zaar's advice came into his mind. He walked towards the crampy bed before throwing his whole body there with a heavy sigh. It's even strange that he didn't demanded Zaar to let him go back.
Thinking deeply, Nathan shut his eyes. Shit, I didn't even ask who the heck is he. After staying like that for a moment, his body slowly lay comfortable on the bed as he close his eyes and drift away.
In an old abandoned mansion, two figures walked out from the doorless house. The full moon above is brighter than ever that it makes for them visible to see everything around.
"Did you find anything?"
The person shook its head in respond to his comrade. They've been coming here almost everyday but they can't find what they're looking for.
"There's nothing here."
"That can't be." The other person rebuke. They worked so hard to get the information so they can't let this upportunity just slip away. Many dangerous pirates are even having a hard time finding that thing.
"Let's look around again." After concuring, they walk on a different way then starts surveying on every corner of the house.
The abandoned mansion was one of the forbidden places in the town that everyone fears. However, this place holds a secret that not everyone knows. This cold empty home was once a possession of a duke, not until a war broke out and this town was demolished.
A loud 'bang' echeod the lofty mansion. The two people movements momentarily stopped as they warily scan their surroundings. Once confirming that no was there, they start moving again as if nothing happened.
Shortly after, a loud and sesquipedalian whistle followed. Their movements halted once again, this time they didn't move a single muscle. The loud sound of footsteps could be heard all over the place. It comes nearer and nearer as seconds passed by then—
Bang!
One of the two men fell on the ground. Blood spurted out of its forehead. In the dark corner, a silhouette is leaning against the wall with a gun on its left hand while the other hand holds a cigarette.
The mysterious figure straightened its posture before casually walking towards the dead body. It slightly kicked the dead man's back before a sinister grin desplay on its lips.
"Fucking idiots."
All of a sudden, another figure walked out from the dark.
"I told you to shot him, not to kill him, can't you let that stubborn brain of yours listen for once, Cassius?"
Cassius snorted before glancing at the other man. "Shooting means killing, how are they even different?". He took one last inhale of the smoke before crouching, then plunging the cigarette into the hollow.
Unbothered, the other person sighed before turning its heels whilst speaking. "It's not here. Let's go back and report." Once the figure disapeared from Cassius's vision, he spoke in a serious tone. "I know you're hiding there, come out."
He stood before turning his head to the left side. Another person appeared with its hands raised before begging, "Please spare me."
The corner of his lips curled up as he replied.
"Why would I?".
Pointing the gun straightly towards the figure, he pulled the trigger without any hesitation as the bullet directly went through the forehead.
Another body fell on the ground with a loud 'thud'. He stared at it without any remorse before turning around as he left the abandoned mansion.