Chapter 132: [Introduction] New World (10.5)

Ash had killed Tim. When Tim died, there was a certain, anomalous thing he had noticed. There was a green aura emanating from his body. The aura was ominous. Dangerous. In short, Tim did have an ability after all, and ... the entirety of the world was about to fall victim to its wrath. 

There was a woman; who had, unfortunately just passed away. She was quite near her best friend, Rosa today at the hospital. She had gotten to die in peace after dwelling amidst such a cruel world for eighty-nine long years. After a loud beep that went on for minutes, the doctors came rushing into the room. 

"We have lost pulse ..."

"Her heart's stopped beating."

The woman died with a smile on her face. However, this smile hadn't lasted for long. No, quite surprisingly, it did not. The old woman's smile slowly fell as her eyes opened again. This strange sigh had widened the doctor's eyes. 

Miss Wenner looked around. Shocked eyes were downcast at her, a powerful light overhead, to which she could not even squint. She couldn't squint ... nor could she feel like before. She felt nothingness. Her mind was like a void. Everything was so silent. She couldn't hear her heart. She tried to speak, "Mmmmm .... Arrrrrr." She sounded like a beast trying to speak or more so ... a zombie.

The doctors were horrified. 

"She still doesn't have a pulse...."

"How is she not dead!? She doesn't have a heart anymore!"

"HOW IS SHE NOT DEAD!?"

***

Ash sat down in one of the waiting rooms of the hospital. His legs were partially spread apart from each other. And betwixt the gap of these opened legs, stood bat upright. The bat stood straight, the top touching under Ash's two hands. And atop these hands, which kept the bat standing, rested his chin.

His pain was clear in his eyes. Ash felt the pain. All of it. He had ultimately blamed himself for these recent occurrences. These horrible occurrences. He clenched his teeth. 'I'm supposed to be looking for healers right now," he thought to himself, 'but legs just won't allow it. They feel weak all of a sudden. Then again, it's not like that's gonna be an easy thing to do. The healers just started to lose their abilities. And Courtez grew desperate and started kidnapping them all around the dome. 

'It'll be a suicide mission to go to Courtez as planned. Plus, I don't even know where his hideout is. I feel hopeless. What can I do to help? Come on, think, Ash, think!'

Suddenly, a doctor had started to approach Ash. The man in white stopped. He took off his cap and frowned sorrowfully, bowing his head and closing his eyes. "I'm sorry, sir, but you've lost your unborn son. However, Miss Dianne and young Noah are both alive and well. This is the new world, so I'd be grateful if I were you. Things could've gotten far worse."

Ash's heart sunk. He suddenly felt tired, and weak. The doctor started talking again, but his words had just blanked off. Ash couldn't hear anything. His eyes went to slits. Then he started to hear words. Words he had heard before. Words from his nightmares.

"Our vessel will take over the world!"

"The seal is broken and we're already having so much fun!"

"This young boy with the four eyes is useless and feeble ...."

"Why don't you care about us anymore!? Why are you so indulged in the mafia crap!?"

"You might be strong now, Ash .... but you're surely a coward in the heart."

"He pissed his pants!"

"He's so pathetic,"

"Ashton, you don't need friends. Just forget about them. I don't want you to end up like your father."

"The mafia is no place for a weakling."

"You don't even have an ability."

"You're a coward."

"Sir?"

"Sir?"

"Are you in there?"

Ash bolted upright. "WHAT?" He glared at the doctor.

The doctor backed away. "Don't you want to see young Noah? He's requested to see you."

Ash stood. "Yes, I would like to see him."

"Then," the doctor said, "follow me ...."

"Okay ..."

"But sir?"

"Yes?"

"Are you going in with that thing?"

***

Noah laid upon a bed, half his body covered with a bed sheet. There was a huge white bandage wrapped around his head, and covering his right eye. Noah looked miserably sad. Big his expression grew brighter upon Ash.

Ash walked into the room, a serious look on his face. He peered into Noah's one little left eye, and had frowned. 

He sat down on the chair next to Noah's bed. Silence took the air. 

"Hello, Noah."

Noah frowned. "The baby," he turned his head to Ash, "is he ..."

Ash averted his eyes. "Yes. He's ... gone." 

Noah asked another question on the spot. "What about Dianne? Is she okay?"

"I haven't seen her yet," Ash said, "but the doctor here says she fine. Hurt, but ... fine."

Noah turned his head again, looking up at the ceiling. "In my right eye," he said, "will I ever be able to see again?"

The doctor walked over, his hands clasped behind his back. "Unfortunately not, young Noah. A punch can make you blind. The pressure can choke the optic nerves, killing blood circulation itself. The damage done to the nerves could be severe. The resulting problems can cause vision lost severe enough to lead to complete blindness.

"When the eye is hit with blunt force, it suddenly compresses and retracts. This can cause blood to collect underneath the hit area, which leads to many of the common symptoms of eye trauma. However, young Noah, your eye was crushed. Unfortunately, you've now ... lost this eye."

Ash quailed. 

But Noah smiled. "I guess I'll be getting an eyepatch then. As if I'm gonna let that stop me from joining the mafia and ruling it. I still have both my hands and legs. This is nothing."

Ash felt immense guilt. Suddenly he had burst into tears. He sobbed relentlessly. The agony he felt inside could not stay within. The festering sorrow had found a way to show itself to the world. 

"I'm ... tired. Tired of this world."