"Ah-ah-ah!"
I took a sharp breath and woke up, as if I had been torn from someone's cold hands.
Cold sweat trickled down my temples, and my T-shirt stuck to my back.
My heart was racing, trying to escape from my chest, and my whole body was shaking as if I had just run several kilometers without stopping.
The nightmare happened again — the same haunting, painfully familiar one.
I was walking down the street with my mom and sister again. An ordinary day, an ordinary walk... and suddenly — shadows, shaking of the earth, inhuman roaring. The monsters appeared out of nowhere, as if they had burst out of the abyss itself.
And then there's death.
Over and over again.
I saw them killing my family, right in front of me, so realistic that I wanted to scream, but my voice stuck in my throat.
I sat up in bed, holding my head in my hands, feeling my fingers tremble. My eyes fell on the photo on the bedside table.
The three of us — Mom, my sister, and I — were smiling so brightly, as if there was only a happy life ahead. Back then, I really believed it would be like that. But now... this photo looked more like a wound that would never heal.
"It's been so long... and these nightmares still won't let go. I'm so tired..."
I exhaled slowly, trying to steady my breath, and looked around.
The room, as expected, was in complete disarray — the blanket had been thrown to the floor, a stack of textbooks had been overturned, clothes were lying where I had tossed them last night.
There were empty soda cans, chip wrappers, and other trash everywhere that I had "forgotten" to throw away. But who was I kidding — had I forgotten? More likely, I just hadn't wanted to.
Most of the time, especially when my father was away for work, I ate just that. Soda, chips, bars — a diet that would make any normal doctor faint.
Yes, I knew perfectly well that this wasn't exactly a healthy lifestyle. But to be honest... I didn't care. When no one was watching, I just lived in the way that felt comfortable.
Stepping over another can that stood right by my foot — I'd finished it just yesterday before bed — I finally headed to the bathroom.
The cold shower quickly washed away the sticky sweat and remnants of anxiety that still clung to me after the nightmares. The jets of icy water burned my skin, but at the same time restored vigor to my body and at least some semblance of clarity to my head.
When I came out, the first thing I did was put on my school uniform — a strict gray-black one with a neat school logo on the chest. It fit perfectly, but somehow made me look even more ordinary than I really was.
Reaching out to the mirror, I wiped the fogged glass with my palm and looked at my reflection.
As usual, the first thing that caught my eye were the dark bruises beneath them — a vivid reminder that I had gone to bed well after midnight.
Yes, I had already promised myself a hundred times to give up the habit of staying up until morning playing video games... but that promise shattered against reality every time. And tonight it all happened again — I said "one more round," and then looked at the time and realized there was less than an hour left before dawn.
By the way, I turned seventeen this year.
Dark hair, brown eyes, a completely ordinary appearance — nothing remarkable. No special charisma, no outstanding beauty.
Just the most ordinary schoolboy, one of thousands.
It's only recently that my life has cracked at the seams and changed far more than I was ready to accept.
Recently, my father decided that we needed to move to another city, which he said was more peaceful and safer. He assured me that I would be better off here, that this was the right place to "start all over again."
But personally, I strongly doubted it.
However, arguing was pointless. If my father decided something, stopping him was impossible. So I had to accept it and leave the place where almost all my memories were — sixteen years of my life.
And honestly... I still couldn't say I had gotten used to this new city. A new house, a new school, new streets I walked through as if stepping into someone else's life. But anyway...
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to stop thinking about it. Sometimes thoughts become too heavy, and it's better to let them go, at least for a while.
With these thoughts in mind, I went down to the first floor.
The silence in the house was thick, ringing, almost oppressive. More precisely, it was almost always like that.
Yes, technically I lived with my father.
But actually... I lived alone.
My father was home so rarely that I hardly saw him. Two months ago, he went on another business trip and hasn't returned since.
I didn't even know where he was right now.
He never told me about his work. He only said that he was an employee of a government organization. But what exactly he did, where he went, what tasks he performed... I knew no more about it than any stranger.
He always worked hard. But especially after that incident. After the death of my mom and sister.
It seemed that work had become the only way for him not to break down completely.
And I should have been glad that he found the strength to move on... But honestly, sometimes I just wanted to see him at home at least once a week. I wanted him to be there. Just a little.
I opened the refrigerator.
As expected, it greeted me with emptiness. Several cans of soda and a piece of cheese on the side shelf... which looked so suspicious I could have sworn it had been lying there for a month, if not more.
Not surprising.
I sighed and slammed the door.
Anyway, I was going to have the same breakfast as usual. Soda, chips, some snacks left over from last week.
Not perfect, but... this had long become the norm.
Having finished my so-called "breakfast" in a matter of minutes, I reluctantly looked around the kitchen. To be honest, it looked no better than my room.
For a moment, I felt a pang of guilt.
After all, I had promised my father to keep the house in order while he was away. But in the end, I cleaned only before his arrival — not for myself, but for the sake of reporting.
It would be awkward if he suddenly came back unannounced and saw... this.
Although he usually warned me in advance, no one guaranteed that one day he wouldn't forget or decide to come without warning.
Probably... yeah. I should clean up after all.
At the very least, throw out the trash.
So before leaving, I gathered myself and walked around the room, then around the house, collecting all the accumulated trash over the past months. In the end, I had two huge garbage bags.
It really seemed like it had been about two months since I last did this. I hadn't taken out the trash since the day my dad left.
When I was done, I planned to throw out the trash and then head to school.
When I left the house, the sky was covered with thick, heavy clouds. Strangely enough, yesterday's forecast had promised a clear day. Believing it, I didn't even think to take an umbrella... and now it was too late to go back.
After carrying the bags to the containers, I quickened my pace to catch the school bus, which was due any minute.
It took me about half an hour to get to school. Going up to the second floor, I headed to the classroom and took my seat — everything was the same as always, as if today was no different from the previous days.
There wasn't much time left before the lesson started, so I unlocked my wristband, activated the holographic screen, and opened the book.
The perfect way to escape from the outside world for at least a few minutes.
However, I wasn't allowed to enjoy the silence for long — the loud laughter of my classmates quickly distracted me from reading. I looked up at the noisy group and sighed inwardly.
"I wish I could make friends too... but it never works for me. Every time I try to get close to someone, people soon lose interest in me and move away. It's probably me. I'm too gloomy, I don't talk much, and I avoid their endless silly parties."
I exhaled softly and went back to reading. Actually, the lack of friends didn't bother me that much. I had already gotten used to being alone and didn't want to change anything.
A few minutes later, the bell rang and the teacher entered the classroom.
"Good morning, class. Today we will talk about the history of the unification of the planet into the Union of Nations, as well as discuss in detail the causes of the appearance of monsters," said Mr. Lawrence, laying out materials on the table.
I tore my gaze from the bracelet and briefly looked out the window.
It was starting to rain quietly outside, and gray drops were sliding down the glass, as if emphasizing the mood of this morning.
The rain fell, breaking puddles on the asphalt in large splashes. It annoyed me.
"Unreliable forecast," I thought irritably. "I wonder who is responsible for these predictions? Is it really so difficult to provide accurate information with so much technology? That's it... I should've brought an umbrella."
Time passed slowly in the classroom. Just a few minutes after the lesson started, I could barely hold back a yawn.
Mr. Lawrence's lessons were always like that — slow and monotonous...
Everyone already knew that monsters began appearing all over the world two hundred years ago. They appeared anywhere: in cities, in the depths of forests, in the oceans. It seemed as if nature itself had gone mad.
At the same time, a giant transparent barrier enveloped the planet, completely cutting Earth off from space. At the same time, people received their abilities through the Guardian System — a mysterious mechanism that still raises many questions.
Monsters destroyed people, wiped cities and states from the face of the earth. Historians later called this period the Dark Century — and for good reason. It was only a hundred years later that the Guardians managed to unite humanity, restore order, and create a single government — the Union of Nations.
One would think that in two hundred years, humanity had completely gotten rid of monsters — but this was far from the truth. They were only pushed out of cities and large settlements. Outside the safe zones, they still roamed freely, as if the world belonged to them.
The oceans are especially dangerous, with giant creatures lurking in their depths that can swallow a ship whole. They rarely come ashore, but there are many other creatures that are not averse to attacking cities.
Recently, my father and I moved to Eydhall, one of the most protected cities in the Federation. Huge walls surrounded it from all sides, like a steel talisman, and low-ranking monsters lived outside them.
My father spent a lot of money to get permission to relocate. Although even money doesn't always solve everything...
We were really lucky because he was involved in one of the government projects. Without that, we would never have gotten here.
The bell rang, pulling me out of my thoughts.
To be honest, I hated lessons where I had to think about monsters over and over again… and about that day.
"If only I hadn't run away then... If I hadn't hidden... maybe Mom and my sister would still be alive..."
Such thoughts sometimes came back to me and tormented me.
But I knew there really wasn't anything I could have done then. I was only thirteen years old. I was just a kid.
And yet...
Sometimes, like today, old wounds would start to ache again, as if they had never healed.
The lesson finally ended, and I left the classroom. There were two more lessons left before lunch, and then a two-hour break.
I decided to take advantage of the break and go out to my favorite café and, perhaps for the first time all day, have a proper meal.
The school cafeteria seemed too noisy and bland to me. The food there was almost inedible, and the crowd around was annoying. I preferred a quieter environment.
So I called a taxi and went out onto the porch of the school. While I was waiting, I stood under the roof, hiding from the rain, and watched as the gray streams flowed down, turning the schoolyard into a shiny wet canvas.
Suddenly, something caught my attention among the dense trees. I turned around, and for a moment a girl's silhouette flashed between two trunks.
For a split second, my breath caught in my throat.
"Wait… that girl… isn't she…?"
Something about her appearance seemed surprisingly familiar to me, like a glimpse of my younger sister's familiar features.
I froze, staring at that spot, but after a moment I shook my head, dismissing the ridiculous thought.
"No, that's stupid. It's probably just a girl who looks a bit like Emily."
At that moment, I was distracted by a notification on my communicator — the taxi was already approaching. When I looked toward the trees again, the girl was no longer there.
"Has she already left?" flashed through my mind automatically.
Putting aside my anxiety about the stranger, I hurried to the car. I sat in the front seat and silently stared out the window, watching the pouring rain. Gray droplets dripped down the glass, smearing the world outside.
The driver broke the silence:
"Do you mind if I turn on the radio?"
"No," I said shortly.
A button clicked, and some annoying pop tune began playing in the cabin — completely unsuitable for the gloomy, heavy rain pouring outside the glass. The music was jarring to the ear, as if it was trying to enliven the atmosphere, which was not at all conducive to this.
We were almost at the café and stopped at a red light. Suddenly, the melody stopped, and the speakers switched to a news wave.
"Citizens of Eidhall, be vigilant and careful," a stern female voice said. "If possible, avoid the streets of the city for the next two days. There was increased monster activity outside the walls this morning. If you hear a siren, immediately head to the nearest bunker. The bunkers are designed for a large number of people and are equipped with everything necessary. Stay safe."
The program ended, and the music started playing again.
I've been living in Eidhall for two months now, and during that time, we've never had a major breakthrough. Usually, everything was limited to rare alarms that were quickly canceled.
But I knew the truth: monsters could appear anywhere. Right inside the city. Out of nowhere, as if out of thin air.
I've tried to find information about this, but I've only come across scraps and rumors. Everything disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
Officially, the authorities keep saying the same thing — monsters only come from outside the walls.
But I haven't believed that for a long time.
Although I took the news almost without emotion, the driver visibly tensed. His hands tightened on the steering wheel, and he swallowed several times nervously.
As soon as we arrived at the café, he hurriedly stopped, received the payment, and immediately left, as if he wanted to get off the streets as soon as possible.
On the opposite side of the street, I immediately noticed my favorite café. It was raining like a wall, but I decided anyway — I quickly ran across the road, soaking my sneakers in just a couple of seconds, and almost fell inside.
The warm air inside was in stark contrast to the cold dampness outside. There weren't many customers, just a couple of people sitting at distant tables, peacefully buried in their communicators.
I found my favorite table by the window and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that it was empty.
I walked across the room, sat down at the table, and shook the raindrops out of my hair.
The waitress came over almost immediately — a smiling girl with a notebook in her hands.
I ordered a couple of hamburgers, large fries, and my favorite cold coke. Nothing special.
About ten minutes later, my order arrived. I ate slowly, watching long streams of rain run down the windowpane, blurring the reflections of cars and passersby. The atmosphere was sleepy, almost viscous, and I found myself thinking that I could sit here for hours.
But time passed.
After finishing my lunch, I got up and went outside. The rain had eased a bit, but it was still unpleasant. I called a taxi and soon found myself back in traffic.
We got stuck in traffic on our way to school. The autopilot strictly followed the route and rules, so it could not make a sudden maneuver or avoid a traffic jam the way a live driver would have. I nervously kept track of the time, and only when there were just a few minutes left did the car finally start moving.
Barely in time, I hurried to the next lesson — physical education. When I entered the locker room, I noticed that it was almost empty.
After changing into my gym clothes, I took the communicator off my wrist and carefully put it in the locker. The school strictly forbade wearing devices during physical education in order not to get distracted or injured.
Going out into the hall, I looked around the huge room.
It seemed almost empty. I went up to the podium and sat on one of the benches.
After a couple of minutes, the rest of the students started showing up. They gathered in small groups of five or six, chatting and laughing animatedly. The group near the equipment room was especially noticeable — the guys were talking loudly, as if they considered themselves the kings of the school.
I had recently transferred here, so I hadn't delved into the school hierarchy yet. But I realized right away that these people were popular and used to attention.
Boys and girls from rich families were crowding around the equipment room. It was obvious from their appearance that they were used to luxury. They had a new branded uniform for each physical education class. In a normal school, this would have been unnecessary, but here luxury was considered the norm, not the exception.
Out of the whole crowd, I only knew three of my classmates. I saw the others for the first time, except for Mike — a tall and muscular guy who played basketball and constantly bragged about his athletic achievements.
For some reason, he disliked me from the first day I transferred to this school. Although, to be honest, I could guess why. One day, I accidentally overheard a conversation in their group: a girl Mike liked said she found me cute.
Since then, he seems to have "sharpened his grudge" against me. In any case, he was obviously bigger than me, and to avoid unnecessary conflicts, I tried to stay away from him.
Overall, I tried to avoid such noisy groups. But sitting on the podium, I couldn't help but watch them. Mike noticed me looking, said something to his friends, and they turned around to stare at me. Then they started laughing and talking among themselves again, obviously discussing me.
At that moment, my mood seemed to worsen even more.