Broken: Shard's Tales

Chapter Two: The Mall.

2 days later

Luthen woke with a dull throbbing headache. He actually expected it since he had played games late into the night. He only could do this because he had the day off today. He checked the time and discovered that he woke up late enough that breakfast should have been stone cold.

If there’s any left.

Dressing up and getting downstairs, he discovered that his parents did not go to work today. Typical of the middle class to take leaves every now and then. Then again, in this world, there was little poverty in its truest sense. The poorest people had full bellies and just enough money to cover basic expenses like education and rent, though they did not have much holidays.

He had it better. His parents fell into the upper middle class so they could take much longer leaves.

He found his toast on the table, not as cold as he expected. He started munching with the morning’s breaking news on the television as background sound.

# The trial of the Head of the Soul Church is on its final day after two days of hearings. Evidence is against him and verdict would be passed shortly#

#Is this the end of the Emancipation Church?!#

Luthen ignored the news while his father debated excitedly with an imaginary opponent on why the Church had to be disbanded. He finished his meal and after saying goodbye, headed to the game shop he and Maron agreed to meet.

For some reason, his heart felt heavier. Almost as if something great was weighing on him.

*******

 

He’s late.

Maron was an incurable latecomer. Usually it was within the range of a few minutes. However, Maron was also an incurable gamer, so much that Luthen did not believe he would have to wait up to ten minutes from their set time.

Incredibly, he had to wait longer. Eleven minutes now

Today, a limited edition game card from Maron’s favourite game would be released. Bored of the ice cream shop, Luthen decided to tag along. He wondered what could be keeping the nerdy Maron at home. If they were too late, they had better luck getting the card from a garbage can than the shop. Luthen checked the time again. 13 minutes late.

Just then, Maron came running.

“Sorry man. I just could not decide on what to wear today”

“Huh?! You literally wear this same shirt almost everyday!” Luthen was in disbelief

“What?! It’s my favorite! And three times a week isn’t every day!”

“Why were you deciding on what to wear if you still wore this shirt anyway?”

“Why do you even care?”

Luthen just waved him off and they entered the shop together.

*******

“Whew….We made it in good time” Maron said slurping fruit slush.

Luthen could not have agreed more. The crowds were already crazy when they entered but they eventually got the cards after 2 hours of struggle. Maron then treated Luthen to lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Luthen reached out for a doughnut.

“You know the sugar in those things can kill right? Eating sugar is basically reducing your lifespan. Then you won’t be able to achieve your future dre–” Maron cut.

Luthen did not stop reaching for the doughnut.

“Doesn’t matter” Luthen said, munching

“Sugar really can kill you know. It has been proven–”

“I do not believe in a future. There’s fate instead.”

“Huh?” Maron scratched his head.

“You will die. This is fate. Whatever you do doesn’t matter. You will die. Struggling to choose how doesn’t change a thing.”

“Fate is real. The future’s just a story we tell ourselves.. You were brought into this world by forces that you do not control. Nothing in this world is truly within our grasp. We are just passengers on a train.”

Maron’s confusion increased.

“Everyone is born with a predetermined capability in certain areas, a gift if you will. Try as much as you want, learn another skill even but it doesn’t change your amount of talent. It doesn’t make sense to struggle for something when someone else has it easy.”

“So, I should take a doughnut?” Maron  asked.

“Do not go out of your way to try to change your fate, to try to decide your future. It is futile. Eventually, you still meet the same conclusion. It is going in circles”

All this because of a doughnut?

“I should buy you more doughnuts” Maron said.

Unfortunately, He would never be able to.

*******

The first explosion came as a surprise.

One minute Luthen and Maron were conversing and the next there was the sound. People panicked and everyone tried to find a way out of the mall.

There were more explosions now. Luthen could smell smoke coming from everywhere. The smoke along with the rising dust made the air barely breathable. He felt dizzy and his head started to throb. Then as if to add to his troubles, the ceiling started to cave in.

Luthen’s headache was building up. His stance buckled.

Maron ran headed for the exit dragging Luthen along. It wasn’t, however, easy to get to the exit as it was some distance away while trying to dodge falling debris. Try walking while looking upward and forward at the same time.

People were crowding around the door, trying to push their way out. A girl, crying, was hit several times by adults trying to leave the mall. She fell. A piece of the ceiling hung dangerously over her. Maron did not see it. He went toward her and carried her.

Luthen saw it then before it fell. The ceiling piece.

He tried to call out and shout, stretching his hand, desperately trying to warn Maron.

It was too late. It had already started falling.

Luthen’s heart dropped.

Not him. Not Maron. Not my only friend.

Nothing came out of him no matter how much he tried to shout. Just breath and terror. His skull pounded inside.

He pushed more. The headache increased. He felt himself push against something inside himself with increasing force. Something loosed in him, like a cord cut.

Some energy pushed out of him.

Then his world went black.