The Rapture
The wind swept through the city of Uso, carrying whispers of an ancient prophecy. In the Bible, it was said that the rapture would come, and people would vanish, leaving behind their earthly garments. But what if it meant something different? Something more?
On a rooftop, a boy in a red uniform with a red tie and curly black hair scrunched up his face in distaste. "This coffee is disgusting," he muttered, wiping his mouth. Shin Cortez, an 18-year-old student at Yongha High School, was known for his scholarship, not his wealth. Orphaned at 10, he lived with his 13-year-old sister, Mina, in a small, rundown house.
As he gazed out at the city, Shin remembered it was New Year's Eve. In Yongha High, students were required to attend school before the year ended to receive their class schedules for the next year. "I've got to go home now. Mina might be waiting for me," he said, tossing the coffee cup aside. "And I'll never again take school food for granted."
At home, Shin found Mina asleep on the couch. He gently woke her up, saying, "Mina?" She rubbed her eyes, replying, "Yes, big bro?" with a sleepy smile. Shin handed her a container of food from school, feeling a pang of guilt for eating while she went hungry. She devoured the food eagerly, and Shin's phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number: "Come to the capital of Uso. Everyone's celebrating. You'll be paid."
The promise of payment was enough to pique Shin's interest. He arrived at the capital, where the streets were packed with revelers. The countdown to midnight had begun, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the giant screen on the company building. Shin spotted the group that had messaged him in an alleyway – Gyhag, Josh, and Gyho.
"Why did you call me here?" Shin asked, eyeing the trio suspiciously.
"We need you to beat up someone for us," Gyho said with a sly grin.
Shin raised an eyebrow. "Can't Josh handle it?"
"Nope, this guy knows boxing," Gyhag replied.
Just then, two figures emerged from the shadows. One exuded confidence, while the other looked nervous. The stronger one demanded, "Who am I fighting?"
Shin stepped forward, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Me, you idiot. But I want 500Q in return."
"Well then, let's start," Shin said with a smile. The strong one lunged at him, but Shin was quicker. He kicked the man in the groin, and he doubled over, shouting in pain. Shin grabbed him by the hair and slammed his face into the nearest brick wall, repeating the motion until the man was knocked out.
The weak-looking guy took a step back, eyes wide with fear. "I don't bully the weak, so go away," Shin said, turning to Gyhag. "My money?" he asked, holding out his hands.
Gyhag hesitated before handing over the 500Q. Shin pocketed the money and turned to leave, but not before Gyhag spoke up. "Hey, Shin, you're pretty good. Want to join us?"
Shin just shook his head and walked away. He knew better than to get mixed up with people like Gyhag.
As he tried to leave the capital, the countdown on the company screen froze at 4 seconds. A low, rumbling voice spoke, "Greetings, everyone. My name is Alison, and I am an angel here to guide you."
The world around Shin began to distort and blur, and he felt himself being lifted off the ground. The last thing he saw was the cityscape before everything went white.
When Shin opened his eyes, he found himself in a vast, empty space. The air was filled with people, all staring around in confusion. Shin's eyes scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of Gyhag or his friends, but they were nowhere to be seen.
A woman with blonde hair and colorful eyes stepped forward, her white dress gleaming in the bright light. "I'm Alison," she said, her voice echoing through the space. "Welcome to your new reality. Not everyone is here. We've taken 50% of the population, and there are only 10,000 of you. Most of you are between 16 and 40 years old, because... let's just say the older or younger demographics wouldn't survive what we're about to put you through."
An angry man shouted, "Why did you bring us here?"
Alison's smile never wavered. "Because most of you are sinners or people with equal rights and wrongs in your lives. This is the only way to sort you out. You'll face 25 dreams, each one designed to help you progress to the next. There's only one winner. If you lose, you die. Simple. The winner gets three wishes, with no limits. They'll be granted Paradise."
Shin's eyes narrowed. What kind of game was this? He wasn't going to play along without a fight.
Alison's eyes seemed to gleam with excitement. "Now, let me explain the first dream..."
To Be Continued