-Apollo-
After the portal sensation, instead of waking up on Earth, I woke up in a weird place. It looked like a big library. No, it was a big library chamber. The shelves were the dominating feature in the huge chamber. They reached as high as the distant ceiling and somehow, the books on these shelves kept flying around the room and out of windows located at the far end of the room.
On the walls hung various weird contraptions and items. Some looked like deadly weapons, others were simple jewelled necklaces and expensive looking rings. There was a feel of ancient wisdom in this place. The fantastical environment was beautiful and eerie at the same time.
Then before me, suddenly appeared four weird beings. There was a man made of fire. With blazing phoenix wings. A woman who looked like a cross between a beautiful fashion model and a dedicated bodybuilder. A thing with skin that looked like the carapace of a beetle, green eyes shining in the shadows of it's face, with a form that seemed to billow like smoke. Then there was a skinny man with silver skin, who seemed to flicker before my very vision.
"You need to abdicate the throne Zekorath. Your reign is not ideal for the demon race."
The statement came from the silvery, flickering man in a voice that sounded like the epitome of evil itself. Just hearing it gave me goosebumps. Was he talking to me? His attention seemed to be on me.
I tried to speak, asking that question, however I couldn't move. Again? I'm stuck in a weird place again?
"I'm sorry Zekkie. It's definitely your fault though. Didn't I warn you about the nature of demons? You shouldn't have tried to go against it." This time it was the beautiful bodybuilding hottie who exclaimed in an arrogant tone. However, in her eyes was nothing but respect for me. They are talking to me right?
Suddenly my view changed as if I stood up from a chair. Slowly I approached the beings before me and they shifted back wearily. They seem to fear me. All of them except for the woman. She's watching me with a fierce concentration, seemingly itching for me to make a move.
I, Zekorath or Zekkie? Whatever. My view stopped moving and two red blades appeared before me. Was I holding these? Then a deep booming and regal voice emanated from my mouth.
"I sense betrayal in your tones. Now is not the time for such. Let me deal with the problems of the realm first then we can attend to your concerns. Please my friends."
That voice. That's the voice I heard when I was in the dark abyss. The voice of that little demon. Wait...does this mean...
Before I could complete that train of thought, the scene flickered like a camera then everything went dark.
Then when I returned to my body, I was wracked in intense pain, confused and shocked. I knew what had just taken place yet it was only now that the true depth of it all came to me. Earth was no longer the same. My life as I knew it had evolved along with the world.
True to his word, the demon did heal my body. My face was the picture of perfect health. So was my skin. In fact, I felt brand new. Fresh.
That had been six days ago.
Since then, the little demon never appeared again. I'm guessing he was hiding somewhere inside me and would reveal himself when he wanted to. Anyway, I had more pressing matters to get to. Like finding my brother.
True, Soweto is quite a large place and it's full of survivors still. I would have to scour the whole of it if I wanted to be sure to find my brother. It would also force me to interact with humans. Though that was only on the assumption that my brother was still alive. I had to acknowledge the possibility of it being the opposite. After coming so close to death myself, I truly had to hope my brother hadn't faced anything like that.
Then, three days after that, the animals returned and boy did they come back with a vengeance. My theory had been proven correct. Like the plants, the animals had evolved. I had my first meeting with one as I was scavenging through a half destroyed and nearly emptied ShopRite supermarket.
××××××××××
Food was a valuable commodity and many of the survivors were starting to realise that they had to secure themselves some before it got too late. I was of the same mind.
I had managed to find lodging in a nearly empty flat from the ones that had been built behind the Soweto Theatre.
While most of the buildings had fallen completely, some of them retained a few storeys of rooms still standing. Most of these were empty due to...well eviction by death maybe. Anyway I got a room in the building with the least people in, cleaned myself up, found a little stock of canned foods to eat and took a nap. For six days I repeated this process, huddled up indoors, trying to formulate a plan to find my brother. I knew that with each day I couldn't find him, the chances of him surviving would keep declining. The problem was, I didn't know where to start. So for days I just cried like a baby, ate and slept. Until I got to grips with my reality. I say it with such nonchalance now, but it was pretty harrowing.
Anele and Sihle were my only reason for being in Johannesburg in the first place. After our mother passed on, her late husband's family wasn't too kind to me freeloading under their care, yet even when I did get a job and support their household, it didn't make much of a difference to them. I would've packed my bags and headed back home to KwaZulu-Natal. To my grandmother, aunt and siblings. However, seeing how this family was, I didn't want to leave my brothers in their hands. So I decided to try and work things out for my mother's sons. I loved them like any real family and they meant the world to me. Also, the spirit of my mother would hang me if I ever abandoned them.
So, finding my brother was my main priority but there were other important aspects of survival that i coulf no longer ignore. I couldn't stay locked up in the room. I needed more food. The groceries that had been left in the room were already running out. So I made a decision to scavenge for food.
I didn't want to wear other people's clothing even if they might never use it again and the wardrobe was filled with dresses, skinny jeans and floral tops anyway. Definitely female. So I also needed to find better clothing on my supply run. My mind had already decided to view what was happening as a game. I didn't even know where to begin trying to understand what was happenin and so I didn't try. All I was focused on currently was my survival mission and the location was the ShopRite supermarket located inside the crumbling Jabulani mall.
As I made my way in, I walked through a few clothing stores first and procured camping backpacks along with some new clothes and shoes. Since I preferred sneakers I took a pair of Nike Airforce from a shoe shop and a pair of Timbalands I noticed in the rubble.
I exchanged my torn sneakers for the Timbaland boots and put on a pair of thick sweatpants which allowed for ease of movement. Then I got a red checked t-shirt and a dusty brown leather jacket. With these, I felt better and made my way towards the supermarket.
The glass entrance was half destroyed. The doors barely hung to their hinges, standing wide open. I slowly made my way inside, keeping my ears open for any other occupants. There was a heavy humid stench of decay but I heard no other movement inside. It was early in the morning and not a lot of people were out on the streets. The cleanup of dead bodies was improving the overall gloomy situation but there were still areas with bodies here and there.
Speaking of which, as I walked into the store, I noticed two mangled forms lying on top of each other. I couldn't make out the gender from their faces since they were both literally torn off, their arms splayed as if in surrender. There were maggots crawling through the gore. The stench definitely came from them.
"Sorry folks. I'll be robbing this place now. Leave your hands in the air."
With those words I proceeded down the aisles, taking whatever was useful. Though my focus was canned foods and starches, I got myself spices, utensils like pots and spoons and some junk food along with bottled water.
Looking around the store, I also found a camping set comprising of a medium sized tent, a sleeping bag, a camp chair and camping lantern. The whole set had a carry case so I decided to take it along.
That was when I felt a tingling sensation in the nape of my neck. My heart instantly pulsed faster, and my blood raced.
Immediately turning behind me, I found myself face to face with the beast.
As we both noticed each other, the four-legged monster stopped it's silent approach. It looked like a dog yet it's fur was a strange colour. A deep red with black streaks across it. It's eyes were a toxic green and it had a bushy black tail. The beast bared it's fangs at me and a low growl echoed in the surroundings.
"Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck!" I whispered under my breath. I was momentarily frozen in shock upon seeing the strange beast. Then, slowly, I attempted to move backward. The beast immediately growled in response then barked. One sharp bark that caused the weirdest effect.
I immediately swayed on my feet, losing my balance. There was a deep ringing sound in my ears that caused an echo to reverberate deep in my skull. I shook my head, trying to regain my focus on the creature before me but the incessant ringing wouldn't leave. My eyes blurred momentarily and I ended up falling to the floor. My body and mind disoriented.
'Not again' I thought to myself. Why is it everytime I am in danger I do some stupid thing like this? What was up with my ears anyway? This feeling, like I was stunned.
"It's the effect of the beast. It's a sonic attack made to disorient your senses, rendering you, as evident, useless."
The voice that came to my mind was a familiar one. That deep regal tone.
"Great timing...I'm in a...bind." I spoke to the demon in my body. I know I might sound nonchalant about it but, I had long decided that worrying about normal things in this situation would yield nothing but insanity.
The demon hadn't interacted with me ever since he'd helped heal my body. For the past three days I had existed alone in my head contrary to what I figured cohabiting with a demon would be like.
"Literally too I see. You should move you know." he said.
You don't say, I retorted in my mind and urged my body to stand up. The beast, seeing me still active, drew closer, it's sharp canines bared. I slowly made it back to my knees, trying to keep my swimming vision on the cautiously approaching dog thing.
"Since you...know so much, help would be appreciated." I uttered. The demon seemed to know more about this thing than I did. If so, it probably knew of a way to get us out of this.
"Well, true. However, I only control your blood. Thus, it's your actions that can either save or end you. Choose wisely." He replied, with an air of superiority.
Now was not the time to be facing a rebellious demon. I allowed him my blood didn't I? Anyway what did he intend to do with that?
The dog beast suddenly raised it hackles and dove towards me to attack. Summoning as much willpower as I could, I threw my body to the side, hoping to avoid it.
I felt a powerful force hit my stomach and I flew a few metres across the ground, smashing into an aisle shelf behind me. Various parts of my body shrieked in painful protest and the wind was knocked out of me, rendering me blurry eyed and discombobulated again.
I dragged myself across the floor without thought. This beast attacking me was on another level. I've been headbutted by dogs before. At most it ends up with me on my butt, annoyed. Not flying 4 metres across the floor.
"Are you actually planning on getting us out of this situation?" The demon asked.
Well, I'm not going to say I had suddenly decided to be dependent on this entity inside me. Though it did heal me after nearly killing me, I guess in the end, I would have to figure this out myself.
I noticed one of the shelves had a space at the bottom and I crawled towards it. I rolled under it and emerged in another aisle.
"You said it was...a sonic...attack. What is that thing?" I needed information and I needed to catch my breath. I continued rolling under another shelf into another aisle.
"I don't know why it's here but it's a Siren." came the demon's reply.
A siren? Like the Greek creatures that lured sailors to their deaths with their beautiful voices?
"What the hell is that?" I heard a confused voice in my head.
"It's part of...Greek mythology. Sirens...were dangerous things apparently."
I managed to roll under two more shelves before running out of road. My hearing had returned to me and my eyes regained a bit of their focus. It seems the effects of that beast are wearing off. I could hear it's paws announcing its approach as it searched the aisles for me.
I took a deep breath and cautiously tiptoed down the aisle I was on. Doubling back towards my previous position, I reached the spot where I had left my belongings. Judging from how the beast had to walk down each aisle searching for me, I guessed it didn't have a good nose. That worked in my favour. So does that mean it's more sensitive to sound? Actually, that would be counterproductive since its own abilities would end up damaging it. Could it be that all it had going for it was that disorienting sonic attack?
I gently packed the rest of the things I needed into the bigger camping backpack and unclipped the pots. It would be an unnecessary sound giving away my location.
"Oh it's already found you." the demon announced.
I searched around me and saw the beast come running down an aisle, speeding towards me. Looks like I had no choice but to face this mutt anyhow. I needed my belongings to survive. Escaping might not be easy either.
I drew in a deep breath and calmed myself.
My heart tried to hammer out of my chest but I swallowed saliva and grabbed the kitchen knife I had stuck into the backpack.
The beast got closer. Then I noticed it's rising growl. There it was again. That attack. If I let it bark again, I was done for.
I immediately threw caution to the wind and ran towards the beast with a warcry. Brandishing my shining kitchen knife, I met the surprised dog halfway down the aisle.
Wait? How did I move that fast?
I saw the look of confusion on the face of the beast as I approached and dived for it. Instead of barking, it leapt to the side to avoid me and jumped back. Seeing me run headfirst towards it must've surprised it enough to put it on the defensive.
I got back on my feet and resumed a staring match with the beast. I had meant to go for its neck in the hopes of stopping that bark. It's surprise did work in my favour though. As we circled each other I also thought about earlier. The way I moved.
The beast that had been at least 7 metres away in its approach. Yet, when I went towards it, I covered that space in mere seconds. Was it really possible?
The dog suddenly leapt to the left, then the right, that annoying growl growing louder. Now it was using evasive maneuvers. How the fuck is this thing so smart?
"Siren are predators. They excel in confusing their opponent through erratic movement and their sonic attacks. Speaking of which, you have another one to defend." The demon replied in my head.
Seeing no opening to get the beast, I decided to retreat and ran back down the aisle just as it let out that crazy bark. Thanks to the distance, I only suffered mildly from the attack this time. Turning around, I saw the beast approaching at full speed again. Ah, so it's that sort of pattern is it?
This time I jumped to the side once again but didn't retreat further. Forcing myself back into my feet, I immediately ran for the beast. My eyes were a little blurry but I still had my balance and hearing.
The beast yelped in surprise and dodged to the side, evading me once again. I kept up my approach, changing my direction towards it. Retreating, it kept it's eyes on me, jumping about. When we reached the middle of the aisle I quickly glanced down my left and right. Making my decision, I stopped my approach and stared down the beast again.
"Okay doggy. It's time for your attack now. Come on." I whispered under my breath, brandishing the kitchen knife in my right hand.
The beast stopped it's retreat too and raised its hackles, growling menacingly. This growl seemed deeper and more guttural. Was it amping up its power or something? That would be a troublesome development at this point. Unless...
Biding my time, acting tough, I waited for the beast's growl to reach its crescendo.
"Now!"
Just as it was about to let out it's bark, I immediately ran down the right aisle, aiming for the end. Three seconds later I heard the bark behind me and I think the sound of a shelf toppling over. Was that one really that powerful?
Then the attack slightly hit me. The ringing, though lower in intensity, returned. My eyes blurred, but I forced myself to keep running down the aisle. I could feel the confusion settling in, yet I kept my eyes on the prize at the end of this aisle.
Taking a deep breath, I kept forcing my body forward. Then I heard the telltale paws of the beast approaching behind me. It was definitely that pattern. I noticed it with the two previous attacks. Which means this beast isn't impossible to subdue.
Reaching the end of the aisle, a cooldrink fridge before me showed my reflection and the approaching beast behind me. In the next moment, the beast leapt towards me for the physical attack.
"Yaaaarrghh!!!" with a roar from deep within my body, I dived towards the row of fridges and grabbed on the door in front of me. It opened easily and banged into my head. I was dazed and knocked down on the floor. Still, I heard a yelp and the sound of breaking bottles. I immediately raised my hands up, felt the open fridge door and closed it, pushing my body against it.
When I regained my senses properly, I looked up to see the beast folded up inside the fridge in an awkward position. Broken bottles surrounded it, cooldrink acid fizzing all around it. In it's current state, it wouldn't be able to regain its posture.
The fridge trembled slightly as the beast inside tried to reposition itself, but since the fridge was so cramped, it had no space in which to maneuver. I had managed to trap it. I let out a deep sigh, counting my luck as I stared into the one eye of the creature that never left my face.
"I guess I still have to kill you though right. I can't leave it to chance that you'll stay trapped in here." I let out a resolute sigh.
This beast was dangerous. As much as I didn't really care how anyone else was faring, there was the risk that it would be a nuisance in the future if it managed to escape from here and somehow found me. Therefore, if I couldn't find a way to make sure it wouldn't escape it's current prison, I had to dispose of it.
"Not so easy when it ain't a game huh?" I snorted at myself slowly getting on my feet. With an exaggerated huff, I gripped the kitchen knife in my hand and, slightly opened the fridge door and proceeded to stab the beast multiple times with as much force as I could muster.