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An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 51 - Burn
A small two by two hole was dug in the ground, just beneath his couch. Fresh concrete with thick rebar formed an impenetrable bunker, albeit a very small one. Murphy’s last job was in construction, after all. It was all too easy to make an impromptu safe haven for him. Just before the sunset, Ellie and Lucky descended in there and locked themselves from within. Inside, there was water and food for two whole weeks, as well as a few tanks of oxygen should the vents fail. A few monitors were linked up to the camera feed, giving her insights into what was to come. The assassins had already arrived, and were seemingly taking scenic photos of their roadtrip. ‘Stay safe,’ Murphy mouthed, then covered his head in a thin camouflage veil. Over the past few hours, while feigning an interest in the local flora, the hitmen had already scouted the place with a few drones. Murphy would have preferred if Ellie left the compound altogether, but they couldn’t lure them in without showing signs o
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 52 - Pyrrhic Victory
Walking through the fire, he paid it no heed and stepped right over as if he were its king. The flames bowed, making a path for him to the cabin, where Ellie emerged with the dog. “Why are you out!?” he accused, even if the danger had passed, “What were you thinking!?” “I heard gunshots,” she stammered, hiding in fright from his gaze, “But then it was over… and the power was out…” “So!?” he approached, lifting her chin up to show her just how angry he was, “The plan was for you to wait for three knocks, or 2 weeks — whichever came first.” “I couldn’t,” she said, tears forming at the rim of her eyes, “I couldn’t wait to see if you still lived or not!” He frowned, his anger easing but not by much, “You could have gotten hurt… What if there were more out there?” “Then… it would have meant you died…” she sniffled, “and there was no point for me to live on.” “What nonsense are you spouting!?” he berated, “You had every reason to go on.” “It’s pointless, Murphy.” Ellie denied, “Witho
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 53 - Living On
A week later, atop the same bridge he leapt off of before. Murphy sighed and looked down at the inviting hole, but he knew there was no redo this time. He could only cope with the hurt, with no end in sight. [Chinese Corporation Hunts Down Critic in Europe][The Next Step After Censorship] [A Gross Overstep of National and Ethical Boundaries] These were just some of the excerpts from headlines around the world. As was typical with the mass media, they made it seem like an overblown conflict about to kickstart world war three or something. Murphy scoffed and nearly tossed his phone off into the void below, unsatisfied with any of the articles. After all, none of them could encapsulate what truly mattered. Neither of them touched upon his true loss — Eleanor. How could they? The journalists didn’t have all of the story, and he wouldn’t give it, either. What little they found was from government agencies and leaks, as well as the fact that the incident kickstarted a massive wild fir
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 54 - God of Dreams
The only reason Eleanor survived the gunshot was Lucky. Even so, with the nearest urban center being a full 30 kilometers down the mountain, she would have bled out long before help arrived.Murphy had no choice but to use his flame to cauterize her wounds. By searing her flesh haphazardly, he ensured she wouldn’t bleed out, but also complicated her recovery and left a visible scar no doctor could get rid of.He could already imagine her rant when she found out he marred her perfect body, and he looked forward to it. Anything was better than the dreadful silence…“Don’t get mad, Ellie,” he comforted, holding her still hand and speaking as if she could hear him, “You’re still the most beautiful, and always will be.”Only the soft beeps of the life support machine answered, just as monotone as ever. He stared at the heart monitor, her pulse weak but steady, and wondered if it could ever beat as strong as it once did. “If you won’t wake up…” he leaned in, and softly kissed her forehead
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 55 - Escalating Conflicts
« Congratulations on achieving the third tier of a Numen Power. Oneiromancy Code set complete! »The cyan text continued to stream across his retina, but he had little interest in it. It was soulless now, in painful contrast to how things were when she inhabited it. Still, with the code complete, he intuitively knew the name he jokingly chose as a child had now come true. He was indeed Morpheus, God of Dreams, an omnipotent being in the imaginary worlds. The third power was tremendously powerful, and a little scary. He could absorb dreams, and in doing so pull other people into his own realm where he was all-powerful. On a whim, he could simulate entire lifetimes worth of scenarios, learning one’s deepest secrets or even going a step more nefarious to brainwash them.The subconscious mind was unprotected to him. On a layer even deeper than hypnosis, he could subtly manipulate people and change their behavior. Unlike the acid state-sponsored brainwashing schemes, however, his contro
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 56 - Corruption
‘This is rigged,’ Murphy seethed with rage, leaving a faint heat imprint on the chair he was in.The preliminary hearings were going very poorly, and it seemed like the arbitrators were busier deciding lunch than his case. He knew he had a solid case, but it would be difficult to make it if they didn’t even pretend to pay attention.With his enhanced senses, it ticked off every instinct that things weren’t as they appeared, and he suspected foul play. What angered him even more was that he couldn’t say anything about it, and could only pretend along.Once the hour was up, the men stood up and agreed to reconvene 10 days later for the formal arbitration. They gathered the presented documents nonchalantly, and it became clear they thought the trial had a foregone conclusion.Murphy didn’t expect for one second they would actually entertain the plan he presented, so he had to alter his plan.When he returned to the hotel, the staff informed him he had a package delivered. His requested e
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 57 - Final Showdown
As early as 5 AM, Murphy departed his hotel in the darkness of night. The court session was due at 10:00, so he had ample time to attend even if he left at 9:30, but there was one obstacle he had to get rid of beforehand.Dressed like a common jogger, Murphy bypassed a small park and entered a residential building. He lowered his face behind a hoodie, ensuring none of the cameras could get a clear angle of him as he slipped through. Inserting the code he received in advance, he ascended up the elevator, all the way to the roof. There, a cache laid hidden in a janitor’s room, who conveniently called in sick for the day. Retrieving the hidden key, Murphy went in and changed his clothes, then lounged on a bucket and waited for his prey to arrive. By now, his plan should be perfect.As expected, at roughly 7 AM, three homely girls arrived in a taxi. The man at the gates readily let them into the complex, and even offered to help with the luggage. They naturally denied his aid, seeing a
An Author's Struggle - What Lies Ahead Ch 58 - Court in Session
The torture didn’t last as long as Murphy imagined it would. At some point, he found himself repulsed by her screams. Her begging and hoarse pleas did nothing to alleviate his anger, so he silenced them.He thought he would force her to endure a thousand days of hell, but he was not cut out for this cruelty in the end. ‘Forget it,’ he sighed, dispelling the dream. Back in the real world, he woke up and gave the woman a look. She regained her consciousness too, but it was clear from her frothing mouth that she wasn’t long for the world. The brief hours she spent in that hell had surely ruined her mind, because her stare was blank, gaze empty.There was no more pleading to be seen in those spiteful eyes, only a desire for death, just as he promised.Murphy wouldn’t oblige, and merely stepped over her body and descended the ladder, leaving her out in the sun, knowing she had never felt colder. Only death would accompany her now.With the spotter falling to her death, he was sure the po
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