Chapter Two: The Anomaly Storm

Mason grunted as he pushed him self off the ground. He scanned his body, all the burns, bruises and wounds had disappeared. There was no blood on any part of his body, they had all vanished; even his torn uniform looked like it had just been sewn and ironed. His mouth hung open in shock.

He glanced around the area to see who must've done such good deed, but he couldn't spot out anyone, neither could he decipher where the voice must've originated from.

He raised his brows in disbelief when he caught a view of the sky. Everywhere was covered in total darkness, except glows from lights in shops and houses. Murmurs filled the air as people emerged from their shops, offices and houses to watch the eclipse that had befallen the city.

The day had turned into night, the sun was no longer visible. Thunder rumbled every minute and streaks of lightning decorated the dark background.

“Simon,” Mason gasped as he spotted Simon laying on his back.

He rushed to him, “Simon! Get up, we have to go now,” he said shaking his arm.

There was no response. His eyes were shut tight.

“Simon, wake up,” Mason said with tears clouding his eyes. He shook Simon's head and he coughed. He held Mason's hand and slowly opened his eyes.

“Oh, you're alive. You scared me,” Mason said as he wiped off sand from his face. Simon made an attempt to smile, but a wince escaped from his mouth.

Mason's eyes scanned his body with concern. He spotted no severe injury, except the burn on his neck and some bruises.

“Let’s rush home now before this storm descends on us.”

Mason lifted him up to sit. Hanging his arm around his neck, Mason tried to get him to his feet.

“Mason… I can barely move my legs,” Simon cried and winced again. “My back hurts badly too.”

Mason glanced at his back, a huge wound was on the spot the rock had struck.

“I have to get you out of here.”

Mason shoved his arm under his leg and his left arm under his upper back and attempted to lift him.

The skies erupted with a blinding beam of green and purple light. The beam struck the earth far away from them, yet the impact sent a shockwave that shook the whole city. Mason fell over Simon as the ground beneath them quaked.

He looked up, skyscrapers and some tall buildings collapsed in the distance. The shockwave came with a rush of wind that blew up dust, debris and everything that lay free in its path.

He lifted Simon up again and began marching down the street. People retreated back into their houses, shops or offices, while others zoomed through streets on foot and with their vehicles. The wind howled as it blew harder, toppling the roofs of some houses. Heavy drops of rain descended from the clouds and the rumblings increased.

Several twirling purplish circles appeared in thin air. These circles were portals which spewed nightmares that made people scream their lungs out. Monsters about seven to ten feet tall, each with different physical features, emerged from the portals.

Mason's heartbeats became rapid and loud, as he saw some people being ripped apart by these monsters. He quickly made a turn into an alley.

As he brisked past a building down the alley, the walls of the building melted like wax and a purple ring materialized. A monster lurched out, its fangs stuck out like a hungry viper. It stood about six feet tall with reptilian features. Its skin was spotted like that of a salamander and its claws were like curved blades.

It roared as its vicious eyes focused on Mason and his brother in his arms.

Mason tried to run, but at that instant, the monster bolted at him. The monster covered the distance between them in seconds, and swung its claws at Mason. Mason groaned as the claw slashed his flanks.

Irritability took over and he jerked, kicking over his own feet and collapsing to the ground with Simon. He looked up, the monster's fangs danced greedily close to Simon's face with raindrops and saliva dripping off it.

“Ah! Help me,” Simon yelled as the monster sized him up with its slit eyes.

It sank its teeth into his knee, and tore it away. He screamed even more, and Mason breathed hard as he watched the scene. He couldn't do anything, he couldn't even lift a finger at the monster, all he could do was sit there, fear-struck, and watch.

Clank!

A trash can landed on the monster's head. It turned in the direction the can came from and growled.

“Run, kid. Get out of here now,” a man said to Mason. He held a sword in his hand and took a fighting stance as the monster approached him.

Mason scrambled to his feet and gently took up Simon in his arms. Simon whimpered as he lifted him. He bled from his knees and the lower part of his legs drooped with a large wound separating them from the knees.

The thought of the monster chasing after them instead of the man struck him. He tilted his head, he saw the man slashing at the monster with so much valour.

He carried Simon all the way through the alley to the next street. He ran past two buildings and came to a halt in front of a small cottage.

“Mom! Dad!” He yelled as he got close enough to the door.

The door flung open to reveal a man with beards and low cut. His eyes widened as he spotted the boys.

“Simon,” he said as he took the unconscious Simon from Mason's arms and laid him on the carpeted floor.

“Oh my God! Simon,” a woman shrieked as she popped out of a small room. She quickly wiped her hands with a towel and rushed to Simon's side.

“I'm sorry, Mrs Lucia,” Mason apologized to the woman.

“What happened to him?” The man asked Mason.

“We were attacked by some bullies on our way home and after that, there was a storm. It shook the whole place. Monsters began to emerge from nowhere. They were everywhere and one attacked us as we tried to escape.”

“What?”

“I'm sorry, Mr Allen. I tried to help but…” Mason broke into tears.

“The same bullies that Simon said always attack you in school?”

“Yes, I got expelled because of them.”

“Then you are the cause of this! You are the reason he got attacked too,” Mr Allen yelled at him.

“Ray…” Mrs Lucia placed a hand on his shoulder.

“No, leave me. This boy is cursed. Remember the last storm like this? His parents died. Now this one happens, we almost lost Simon too. He is a curse.”