At World's End

Entry 3

I had no idea? 

A sharp pain tore through my chest, maybe because of the surge in emotions I kept bottled in for so long. 

"Maybe I have no idea… maybe I'm just a dumb teen harboring crazy ambitions…" 

"Jerry…" 

"No!... You are right. But one thing I do know is that I lost my dad when I was thirteen!... There was no warning, no signs… nothing!.. He left me all alone, without finishing the work he dedicated his life to. 

"All these years I've wondered… how would it be if he were still alive?... I asked myself why he had to die like that?... No matter what I thought, I couldn't get an answer." I felt a stinging pain in my eyes but regardless, I didn't blink. 

I stared Leila in her eyes while letting everything out. 

"Jerry, I understand how hard it is to move on but…" 

"No buts!... I deserve to know why he died!... And even more, I deserve to be the one to complete his work. Do you think he would be happy to see that his work was left unfinished?" 

Leila seemed to be affected as well as her eyes turned red. "And it has to be you that completes it?" 

"Aren't you also doing the same?" 

"Yeah sure, but that's the lab work!... It has nothing to do with going outside and risking my life!" 

I was left speechless. 

She was right that becoming an Explorer would mean risking my life, but honestly, I didn't care. 

Every day I woke up, repeating the same routine, while memories of dad keep coming to mind… and each time, it felt like a knife piercing my heart. 

He was a free spirit, one that didn't deserve to be cut down. 

I clenched my fist. "Dad always said… to discover the truth, one had to work for it. As long as I remain as a nobody, I'd never be able to do what he couldn't." 

"It's not just the monsters, Jerry. If and I mean, if, you are right and Sir Tim was killed, then there is only one suspect. A member of the Twelve Great families and not just any of them, but their family heads!... 

"Do you think you'd be able to handle beings that are said to have transcended humanity!" Leila shook, most likely out of anger but I wasn't about to back down, I was stubborn… a bit too stubborn, dad normally said. 

As we glared at each other, only the sound of her breath prevented silence from reigning in our midst. 

After what seemed like forever, I lowered my head and rose to my feet. 

"Where are you going?" 

"Out." 

"You aren't going anywhere." 

"Try and stop me." 

"Jerry!" 

Bam 

I closed the door on her and walked away. 

A few curtains rustled from the neighboring houses as I left the house, a sign they had been listening in. 

This was a normal occurrence since the apartments on this block which numbered about twenty, more or less, shared walls and were placed in a manner I nicknamed, 'face me, I face you' 

It didn't matter to me though. 

It's not like I hadn't done similar things before. 

Anyway, I made my way down the street until I got to a junction. 

Taking the left part I kept walking till I got to what many would call a park. 

It was walled off on all sides with a small gate at the front. 

This was where parents of those on my street would drop their kids off before heading to work. 

It was normally watched by a nanny that was picked from the nurses at the Floor's clinic. 

Sighing heavily, I lay back on the wall and slowly slide down till my butt touched the cold pavement. 

I look to the sky… sorry, roof. 

Heh, I wonder what the sky looks like. 

Trapped in a Tower since birth while learning about the outside from my dad… I naturally developed fantasies about that world filled with so much space. 

He promised that one day I'd be able to see it. 

Liar! 

Why'd you die before you kept your promise? 

I felt something wet trail down my cheek but I made no effort to wipe it off. 

It was painful enough that dad died without keeping his promise… now Leila was stopping me from completing his work. 

How was it fair? 

Did she enjoy life in Haven? 

I guess it was somewhat peaceful compared to the scary world painted by people about the outside world but still… is that it? 

Just then, the bulbs that brightened up the 101st floor I was on, flickered before they went off. 

Was it the generator? 

Most people in Haven liked to refer to it as the Heart and for as long as I can remember, it's been acting up, switching off at irregular intervals. 

People said it's because of the crazy experiments taking place on the upper floors but I don't think so. 

It's just a lie to cover up the fact the generator is on its last legs. 

60 years. 

That's how long it's been running. It carried everything in Haven from science labs to family homes. 

It was a miracle it still worked. 

Another reason I desired to become an Explorer. 

Sooner or later, the Heart would collapse and that would plunge the Tower into darkness. 

Once that happened, the Otherworldly hidden in the Fog would surely attack and that would mean Humanity's extinction. 

Before that happened, we had to reclaim the outside world and get rid of the Fog. 

Just then, there was an announcement. 

[Lights out, all those still roaming the streets should quickly return to their homes to avoid getting arrested by patrol.] 

Oh… so that's what it was. 

Lights out. 

I closed my eyes before opening them again in a bid to adjust to the darkness that followed. 

It would take quite some time for the patrol to get here so I had enough to clear up my thoughts. 

Sighing heavily, I ponder my next step. 

If Leila doesn't agree to my registration, then there's no way I'd be able to become an Explorer. 

It's not like I didn't understand the dangers… but I'd rather die out there, fighting to complete Dad's work than living till old age in Haven. 

No… such a life… I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. 

Just then, I heard footsteps. 

Tap… tap 

They were faint at first before they increased in frequency. 

Someone was walking in my direction. 

My heart tightened as the thought of spending a night in jail came to mind. 

Why so early?... Damn it, it normally took at least 30 minutes for them to get here, so what's going on…. 

Wait... What if it's not patrol? 

A rumor had been going around about a gang kidnapping kids. 

It's not like I didn't consider their presence before leaving the house, but this was a residential area with cameras and everything, what's more, the patrol units were out right now… would they be so daring as to commit an atrocity here? 

I wasn't about to find out. 

I sprang to my feet and took a fighting position with my legs spread apart and my fists balled up. 

I wasn't a good fighter but Dad had thought me enough for self-defense. 

As long as it was only one opponent with no weapons, I would be able to manage. 

Just then, blinding light hits my eyes, rendering me blind momentarily. 

"Jerry." 

I opened one eye while using my arm to block the light, shifting to the side to find that it was Leila holding a flashlight. 

"Oh… it's you." I casually said, not about to let her know that I nearly sucker-punched her. 

She walked up to me before turning the torch off and hugging me tightly. 

Due to our height difference, she placed her head on my chest. 

I was surprised by the gesture but didn't refuse as i hugged her in turn. 

It felt nice as her softness nestled on my chest... Ahem. 

"I'm sorry." She said. 

I pursed my lips as a helpless sigh escaped. 

With no words to counter, I whispered softly. "I'm sorry too."