CHAPTER 4: A PAINFUL MEMORY

"It seems you are functioning accordingly." I say while observing her.

Even with the thoughts that plague me, I still can focus on some important stuff. Ghost will still have other things to work on as she recovers.

I’ll have to see what uses she can serve since fighting monsters is kind of out of her skill range. They’ve been defeated pretty quickly in the past and it definitely showed the the damage she had.

"Thank you Rokuro... I really do appreciate the repairs.." She responds with a bit of happiness in her voice.

"No need to thank me, just get use to your limbs functioning properly again." I suggest while making sure the doors are locked up.

It’s getting darker out there so I don’t want to draw any attention to my shop, especially not with hunters around. They already dislike me the way it is and I don’t need monsters on top of that.

"Anyway, I need some sleep so just keep an eye out please." I say before heading back to my room.

It’s been a long day and I can’t really do much else for the night. I’m sure that I can rely on her to watch the door at the very least while I get some rest.

"I’ll watch for any problems..." She replies with a bit of nervousness in her voice.

I went back to my room, opening the door to a bunch of old magazines, scattered clothes, and even some tools just thrown about. The bed was basically cleaned off for the most part and the window was completely covered.

This room was pretty safe for the most part since I took a lot of precautions into mind when making this place my new home. It wasn’t easy to find a safe spot when everything broke out.

But it’s time for me to settle down for the night. I sink into the mattress. For once, it’s not like lying on a pile of metal and regret. The springs don’t jab at my spine, and the patchwork blankets actually hold some warmth.

The room’s quiet, reinforced walls, sealed vents, and sensors patched in where they matter. It took me a while to get it this secure, but it’s paid off. Out there might be chaos, but in here it’s not so bad.

I stare at the ceiling, tracing the faint cracks in the plating above, my body already going heavy. No alarms, no monsters, nobody trying to slit my throat in my sleep. Just the hum of old tech and my own thoughts trying to settle.

Eventually I manage to fall asleep as I begin to notice the change of scenery all around me. Old walls, family portraits, and the sound of someone familiar in the distance.

A painful memory I can’t seem to get away from no matter how many days pass by, the memory of everything I lost.

(2096, Year of the Collapse.)

People were running around outside, playing, looking for stuff, or even getting ready to go to work. It wasn’t a bad day at first but then I noticed the strange looking thing in the sky.

This strange orb that looked a lot like a star at first glance, something that nobody would’ve thought differently about. Who would question such a mysterious thing in the sky?

We’ve seen all sorts of objects or weird stars in the skies so why would this one be any different.

"Rokuro are you ready yet?" Minami calls out from down the hall.

I forgot, today Minami is taking me to check out the new cyborg shop that opened up on 6th Street down the road. At least that’s what I can remember vaguely.

Looking at the mirror I could see the shaggy old blue hoodie I wore, mixed with some holes from wear and tear, jeans, and a pair of sneakers.

Luckily it wasn’t a school day so it was the best day to get to go out to enjoy some of the luxuries. Not that it was much of a luxury to go out to some random shop that has cyborgs.

"About time, let’s get going or we won’t get a chance to see them!" Minami says with excitement in her voice as she opens up my door.

She was excited to see some of the newer models of cyborgs that came out recently, something that the government was working on. They wanted to make stronger soldiers you could say, so this was the best way to make it possible.

"I’m coming sis, do we really have to go today?" I ask with a bit of a disappointed tone.

At the time I had just gotten some new simulator that was supposed to teach me about mechanics. I was always into fixing things, even when I was 7.

My dad could be to blame for that but I don’t think it is bad by any means.

"Of course we do, you can try out your stuff when we get back. I promise." Minami assures me.

She stood by the door, tugging on her hoodie like she always did before we left. Her long white hair drifted over her shoulders, a little tangled from sleep, catching the morning light in a way that made it look like it didn’t belong in this world. I always thought it was kind of magical, like the soft snow that never stuck to the ground.

She wore the same old clothes, a gray hoodie with a loose thread on the sleeve, dark jeans with a scrape on one knee, and those beat-up sneakers she never wanted to throw away. Simple. Comfortable. Her.

I was still fumbling with my shoelaces when she glanced over, green eyes catching mine. That look, half amused, half patient... like she was used to waiting on me. I didn’t mind. I liked when she looked at me like that.

Mostly because this was the bond we had between each other after everything that happened with our parents. Minami really did pick up a lot of the slack.

"I’m ready then I guess.." I reply while waiting for her to open the front door.

As she opened the door I could feel the ground starting to tremble all of a sudden, it felt like a normal earthquake at first. Then the screaming came from everyone outside.

The skies began to take on a dark crimson red as the collapse begins. The star was no longer showing up in the skies and everyone was in a panic.

I couldn’t see what was happening just yet.. slam! Minami slammed the door close in front of me before quickly turning around.

"Actually we’ll stay home today! Let’s just make sure everything is closed up tight." Minami says with panic in her voice.