Chapter 1/2: Hope

Adrenaline pulsed through his veins as he rushed down the empty street, turning down a deserted alley in search for a much needed escape. The Evil One was gaining on the boy, and surely there would be an unthinkable fate which would befall him if the Evil One ever laid his hands on him.

The stench of death filled the air.

The alley was engulfed in darkness, and along with all the rest of the city, devoid of any signs of life. The Evil One had annihilated every single human being in the city, with the exception of one particular individual; one seven years of age. This boy proved to be a much tougher nut to crack compared to the rest of the population. How ironic it is, the Evil One chuckled to himself, that boy is the Chosen One? Once I get my claws on him, the treasure would be mine. I shall bring Armageddon to this Earth.

His breathing grew heavier and heavier. There has to be a way, he thought as he looked around him in despair. He could hear heavy footsteps approaching, and he could feel the ground shaking. The Evil One was only a few strides away, and an ominous feeling churned in the depths of his stomach. There had to be a way. Running past his deserted home, he recalled how his mother used to say “When there's a will, there's a way, Sonny.” A brilliant plan came to his mind almost that instant, along with a stream of tears, for realization had dawned upon him. Papa and Mama were gone, who would play with him when he was bored? Who would console him when he was crying? The boy ran right into the arms of darkness, and he could be seen no more.

The Evil One, sensing that his prey had stopped running, hastened into the alley. He was greeted by nothing but darkness. A pair of luminous, crimson eyes pierced through the darkness, searching for the boy. Nothing could be seen, for darkness engulfed everything. The Evil One swung His humongous arms blindly, and everything gave way; but the boy was nowhere to be seen. A roar of fury escaped Him. The ground shook.

“No one, not a single living thing, had ever escaped my clutches after I have set my eyes upon them. What more a little boy? No. He must be hiding somewhere nearby, and I will find him, wherever he is. I shall hunt for the treasure till the day Death himself greets me”, The Evil One said in a deadly whisper.

True enough, the boy was indeed hiding somewhere nearby, not daring to breathe for fear of the impending doom which would meet him if he was found. There was no way out now. The Evil One was approaching his hideout.

Tears streaked across his face as he surveyed the scene before him. All he wanted was to be at home with Papa and Mama, just like he used to. He wanted to feel the warmth of home; the warmth of his mother's embrace; the warmth of his father's smile. Simple things they might be, but it was all impossible now. What awaited him was the fiery wrath of the Evil One. The poor boy had been subject to two extremes in the matter of one day. Wounds dug themselves into his heart that day; wounds that would never heal.

“Be brave, m'boy. Be brave. Papa will be so proud of you.”

Papa’s voice rang in his head. Yes, he decided that he would be brave, so that Papa would be proud of him wherever he was. The boy took a knife out of his pocket- Papa had given it to him before the Evil One came to the city- and prepared to face Death himself face to face.

An iron grip clenched itself on his stiff shoulders, sending a jolt of fear through his veins. He tried to stab whatever it was that was gripping his shoulders, but something pulled the knife out of his grip. Feeling utterly helpless and defenseless, the boy began to cry.

“Shh! Don't make any noise! We don't want that beast to know we're here!” The voice of a man whispered fearfully.

A pair of crimson eyes appeared right in front of them. Those gigantic arms were stretching out, poised to get a grip on the Chosen One. A burst of energy emerged from within the boy, and everything seemed to slow down for an instant, slowing down almost to a halt. The boy wriggled free of the man’s grip and jumped towards the Evil One- knife in hand- thrusting the knife forward with all his might.

The knife dug into flesh.

A loud roar- of agony this time- escaped the Evil One. The knife had stabbed the heart, whether was it by sheer luck or by Fate’s hands. The Evil One had fallen in the battle against the Chosen One. The clouds opened up and a massive spectrum of light filled the city. The lifeless body came crashing down onto the ground. A feeling long forgotten- hope- entered the hearts of the survivors. They had survived the ordeal.