DEAD MAN'S JOURNEY

CHAPTER - 3

I stared at the setting sun from the broken window, it will soon get dark.

Since the danger might rise at night, I planned to spend it here.

I pulled a wooden table and broke it into small parts to use in making fire.

The fire lit the entire room.

I sat before the fire and held my knees. Lonely is the word to describe my feelings right now.

"I hope it's a dream. When I wake up, I want myself to be on a bed."

I said with a bitter smile on my face.

But I knew it wasn't one. I will never wake up on a bed and find that I was dreaming.

My eyes slowly closed as I was tired and sleepy.

*Thud*

I didn't know when, but something had caught me and was pulling me down the stairs.

Didn't I block the door with the sofas?

As I looked to see what or who it was, I was scared.

Another monster but this time, it had very little fur on its body.

Many times taller than that Big-Foot, and somewhat humane in shape.

It even had hairs falling down his shoulders, firm muscles on his back and arms.

Long nails almost an inch in length.

*Thud*

As I was pulled forcefully down the staircase, my back constantly hit the stairs.

"Die!"

I don't want to see what this monster would do to me so I shot white-blue flames on it.

"Aaahh!"

Its scream was very unpleasant and noisy as I distanced myself after escaping its grip.

*Bam*

It slammed its body on the wall trying to take the fire out but failed.

Instead, it created huge cracks on the wall and pillar that supported the apartment.

"No!"

Seeing this, I grinded my teeth and jumped down the staircase.

"Aahh!"

*Bam*

The monster, still screaming and hitting itself on the wall multiple times, died as not even the ash was left.

Yet I hurried to get out of the apartment because one of the main pillars was destroyed.

Rumble!

The apartment shook as I felt something fall on my back.

A huge piece of ceiling once again kissed me as I was crushed alive.

*Boom!*

The entire apartment collapsed on me as I couldn't do anything.

* * *

I died.

Third time.

And when I woke up, I saw myself buried down in the collapsed apartment.

"Ha… Ha…"

I could barely breathe here. It was so dark maybe because it was also night time.

Now that I think, I should have woken up a bit faster than my previous death.

'But what do I do?'

I moved my head and checked that there was very little space here.

I can move my hands, left leg and the main body but not my right leg.

Since my back was facing up and I laid down on my stomach side, I couldn't see my right leg.

"How do I get out?"

Fire the whole place? I will die together with it if I do so and it's guaranteed I won't wake up again.

I can't see a thing, might as well wait for the sun to rise up.

And so, I slept.

"Chirp Chirp!"

Birds were singing as the morning sunlight touched my face from the gaps.

"It's morning."

I muttered, then I saw that there was a wide enough gap between two pillars from where I could get out.

But the problem was that my right leg seemed to have stuck on something.

No, I could not move my toes. It's weird.

"Haa!"

Moving sideways a little bit, I let the sunlight fell down on my legs.

Only then could I see what the matter was.

My face is pale with black lines on it. The situation was more grave than what I thought it to be.

My right leg was half crushed and blood was painted all over.

Without knowing the pain, I couldn't have guessed that my right leg was in such a state.

Gulp… Should I be thankful that I couldn't feel pain or should I curse that I couldn't feel pain?

The only way out of this was to cut off the crushed part of the leg and escape.

Do I have that much courage?

I think I don't…

"H-Help! Somebody!"

Why am I calling for help? Even though I know there can't be any humans here.

All there are is animals and monsters.

"Ah!!..."

I screamed as much as I could. I don't know why I did so.

"Somebody! I need help!"

I shouted but no one responded.

Just like that, I spent another day here screaming and shouting.

With tears in my eyes, I looked at my right leg.

The only way is to cut…

I know!

I know!

I know!

But I can't!

Just can't!

"I am scared."

My sobbing was heard as I cried. I cried for a long time until I finally settled down.

There was a glass piece which could be used to cut my leg as the bones were already shattered.

All I needed to do was rip or slice through the flesh and blood vessels.

I picked the glass piece with my left hand and passed it to the other.

"Ahh!"

Even though I feel no pain. My mind won't just let me harm myself.

My right leg was crushed till the lower leg.

I didn't look down and just cut.

Blood spilled around as the glass sliced the calf muscles and blood vessels.

It's almost equivalent to ripping them because the glass wasn't that sharp.

Together with the red blood, different liquids flowed out like rivers.

My hand holding the glass piece felt the touch of bones as I stopped.

I was frightened to go further.

"You must! Birkang you must!"

I grinded my teeth and moved my hand back and forth to cut through the shattered bones.

Spending a minute or two, I managed to completely separate myself from my lower right leg.

Crawling forward, I pulled myself up towards the wide gap and came out.

Since the gap wasn't slim and had many sharp points, my body was cut in multiple areas.

"Ahhhh!"

I shouted and declared my escape.

I know I am acting stupid to attract the monster. But I still had the black glove on me.

The moonlight was strong as the collapsed apartment was illustrated.

I stood at the top, with a lower leg missing.

But something about me had changed.

Yes, I think I know what it is.

Courage.

I gained courage from this experience.

The courage to sacrifice a part of me to let the other live.

The courage to face fear.

Fear of pain or the false thought of pain.

Death is just a solution for the weak to escape from pain, fear, and suffering.

What really strong people do is go opposite from Death by facing those pain, fear, and suffering.

"I should be a perfect power ranger."

Random thoughts.

Carefully I got down from the top and tried my best not to get in trouble.

Blood had stopped dripping from the cut wounds because of my inhumane regeneration.

"Will my leg grow back?"

I can't help but think as I looked at my right leg which was missing the other half.

"Woo!"

I fell on my side. It's really hard to walk so I found a steel rod for support.

I melted the ends to adjust it so I could walk.

I hope no monster comes, otherwise I won't be able to run away.

It's night.

I stared up in the sky filled with sparkling stars and the reflecting moon.

"The voice said that this glove will follow a path to find its other half, the other glove."

But how do I make this glove find another one? It didn't look alive to start moving.

"It's magical so do I need to put some energy in it? Like mana or something."

And so I found a corner to sit down and examined the glove.

"Now! Haa!"

I grinded my teeth and looked at the glove.

No changes.

I guess it's useless to build pressure inside me. If the mana doesn't come out and something else will.

"Buddy. Wake up! You must be missing your girlfriend right. Go, go! Find her!"

I put the glove on the ground and encouraged it but nothing happened.

*Step*

Instead, I heard many footsteps coming closer towards the fallen apartment.

I had already come some distance from the apartment so I could see everything.

Three figures walked around the area and surveyed the collapsed structures.

These figures were monsters. But this time, not very humane like.

Praying Mantis!

'Damn! What's going on in this place?"

They were exactly identical to praying mantis but had many times bigger bodies.

"Bugs…"

I muttered.

The three praying mantis turned around and then walked away.

It's a little weird and scary seeing these insects so big.

Normally a praying mantis can't even cut off your single finger.

But if it's increased in size, which is even bigger than humans, things change.

Now those three praying mantis can definitely rip a human in half with their sharp scythes.

Still, they don't stand a chance against me with this black glove.