There was a time, so long ago, when people were scared of the end of the world. There was a time where we were all scared the world wouldn't make it to the 40s. There were so many reasons for this, some in our control and some not. We were scared of a pandemic called the whisper virus, where insanity enslaved all at their lowest points and that transformed men into monster, creating shells with no remorse nor morals. We were scared those men, the whispered, would unite and cause an uprising. This never came to pass. We were scared our environmental actions would result in a lack of food and water, leading to a long and slow suffrage for resources. We expected we'd be eating our brothers and killing our sisters, and that when there was but one man left alive, humanity would die. This did not occur. We were even scared of God. Some of us thought God, or Gods, would come down from the heavens and strike each of us down by the millions until there was no soul left, save for the beasts, who would inherit the earth. Some would have said we deserved it. Didn't happen either. Some feared Dolphins, some feared military dictatorship, some feared the dead, some even feared the next generation. Whatever it was, nothing happened. The apocalypse everyone thought was inevitable just... passed us by. Left us alone. The world made it to the 40s, then 50s, then 60s, and everything was fine. By 2069, no one was scared of the end of the world anymore. The Whisper virus was mostly cured, the environment spit out more food for its ever loving inhabitants, and God never bothered to put everyone out of their misery. No Dolphin, military, dead, or generation brought the world to it's knees, in fact the world was quite nice. In 2070, everyone gave up their fears, and a year of true change began. Borders became far less strict, crime rates dropped, corporations created moral means of production. Everything in the world seemed utopic. It seemed like the world finally was at peace. This would remain for the next decade, until finally, the world was given another reason to be scared. Everyone feared different ends, but no one feared him.
The year is 2054, during what is considered the climax of the Age of Fear.
Corbin wakes up in his bed, the sun coming through his window, and a bird's soft hum nearby. He sits up and rubs his eyes, adjusting his pillow as he enjoys the few moments he has in the morning. Even as a kid, Corbin loved the morning.
Corbin is a good guy. At the age of 12, Corbin is a nice kid. He clocks in at 5'5 and weighs 110 pounds. He has leather black hair and normal-tan white skin. He has normal sized hands and normal sized feet. Really everything you see of Corbin is normal. Not everything about him was normal, though. He wasn't the brightest kid in the world. At 12, he was slowing down in school and didn't seem to understand most things. Math, science, English, he simply didn't get it. His IQ was a below average, 85.4. He did have a silver lining though. Corbin was proficient in the creative arts, particularly, acting. In his makeshift school system the government had set up for his city, he was the second most important character in the division winning play in 2053. He ended up being rather renowned in his city among the arts community, and if the world wasn't falling apart, people might have cared. But, no one did.
Corbin lives a simple life. He wakes up every day earlier and brighter then the other kids, and lays there until everyone else wakes up. Sometimes he falls back asleep but mostly, he waits. Todays the same. He gets up at 6:00 and sits there for an hour waiting on everyone else to get up slowly. With that hour, he likes to imagine. He fantasizes. His thoughts can vary from animals and his personal favorites, to his parents and who they might have been, to many other things like what he's going to do when he gets out of here.
"When I grow up, I want to live in a forest," he thought to himself. "I'm going to go somewhere far away and never come back here! Its gonna be sunny all the time and trees are going to be everywhere, and I'll have a pet Dolphin. I won't have to see any of you again!"
Corbin would constantly say this to his fellow orphans.
Corbin lived with countless other kids in an orphanage. His mom gave him up for reasons unknown to him and he didn't know anything about his dad. He tried to look up their names on the internet, Karla and Griffin, but he didn't find much. Mostly discarded social media accounts and newsletters locked behind a paywall. So he knew they were important in some way. Corbin didn't get along well with the other kids. He had big ideas but was kept in a small box, so most of what he talked about revolved around who he wanted to be. There were some older kids in the orphanage who picked on him for it.
"You'll never be able to live in a forest by yourself! Think about money, food, water, you'll die in days. Come on Corbin, think! Think!"
They talked him down continually, always telling him he'd never be able to achieve his dreams. Corbin though, he always stayed firm. He believed in his own success. "Just wait, I'm not as smart right now, but I will show you you're wrong about me! One day, I'll be big and strong and smart and I'll prove you wrong Caleb!" Determined as ever, Corbin never gave in.
Finally, after thinking about these interactions for an hour or so, the other kids were starting to wake up. He'd thought about his own determination and the kids who were determined to hold him down. The ones who fed off failure.
His best friend at the orphanage Gil was waking up too. Gil was three beds down, and walked over to Corbin whenever he woke up. He had Gold blonde hair in the form of an undercut and pale white skin as well as deep blue eyes. Gil was always the man who was right there with Corbin through it all as they were growing up. They were both dropped off at the orphanage on the same day at the age of 6 days, and were put near each other in their baby rooms. Their friendship growing up was a blur filled with love of Dinosaurs pizza and cartoons, but the turning point for them was when their care takers took them to the library in grade one. When there, Corbin went to the kids section, and looked at the covers. A blue covered book with a big cyan BRAVE on the front caught his eye. Him and Gil borrowed it from the library, and the caretaker read it to them when they got back. They learned a lot from the book, and got inspired by it to go out and be brave and confidant. From that day on, Corbin and Gil stood out from the rest of the kids at the orphanage. No one else but them thought as big as they did, so they stood apart. Ultimately though, no one blamed any of the kids without hope. Everyone thought the world was ending. What was the point? Corbin and Gil did everything together. They played sports, watched Tv, ate, and did homework. They had a bond no one would be able to shake. By the age of eight, they decided they had different interests. Gil became more athletic, while Corbin found a calling to the arts. They would be at each other's events every opportunity they would get and loved talking about their passions. Corbin would go to Gil's basketball practices and Gil would go to Corbin's rehearsals. They were both extremely happy with where they were having worked hard for their happiness. This was the world they lived in. Not the world, but in their own worlds. However, that wasn't to say that there were no struggles growing up.
At the age of eight, Gil was getting much better grades then Corbin was, so much to the point where Corbin needed a tutor. Corbin had always struggled to get what he wanted, but he knew he didn't have to do it alone. A tutor would be good and they both agreed.
"Hey Corbin! You got time to go see Star Wars 13 with me later today? Megan got me two tickets for it at 5." "Ah man Gil, you know I wanna but I'm going to Alex's tonight. We have a lot of math stuff I need to do."
"Aw man you're so busy these days! Why don't you ever have time to do fun stuff?" "I'm sorry Gil. I have to get a 60 or else I have to drop out of the play dude!" "What the heck man! We should be hanging out! Forget this I'm going to go with Jenna. I'll see you later Corbin."
And so, Corbin went with Alex to learn about math. He hated every minute of it. However when the hour was up, he learned a lot, and was free. But now that he was out, and Gil was somewhere else, what would there be to do? What could an 8 year old do with a few hours to kill? He wasn't old enough to go out to town on his own, and he didn't have any other friends besides Gil. What's next? He decided to go see some teachers. Make some conversation. He had five teachers he was acquainted with, and they all lived in the orphanage in the upper levels. Students weren't supposed to go there unless personally invited, so he texted each of them asking if he could get an invitation. One of them answered, Ms. Erman. She was an older lady who taught history, and hadn't retired because she didn't trust anyone else to do her job. Erman was an elderly white woman with mixed brown hair. She had grown up through the age of action, and then the age of failure, followed by the current age of fear. She didn't want what was going on in the world now to take over the past humanity had had, and if nothing else, at least she could teach it to some kids. Today something was on her desperate mind that could not wait. When Corbin came up to her room, she knew she had an opportunity to save a history she really did care about.
"Corbin? Yes please come in." "Okay Ms. Erman!" he said walking in.
"Do you know why I let you visit, Corbin?" "Ughhhhhh you want to tell me about some stupid history stuff don't you." "The minds of 8 year olds. No Corbin, you're here because I have a gift for you for when you get older." Ms. Erman pulled out a big dusty book from the cabinet of her big professor room. She dusted it off and showed Corbin the cover.
"What does it say Ms. Erman?" "It says 'Thirty years of inhumanity: Wartime.' Its a book about things you don't quite understand yet, but I want you to have it Corbin. When you get older, I want you to read through all of it and remember as much as you can. You like acting so you can remember things can't you?" "But Ms. Erman, won't this take years to read?" "Haha no, don't worry I think you'll be able to read it a little faster then you think. This is the history of the world, and I know that for you, when the time comes, you'll need to learn what not to do Corbin."
"What are you talking about Ms. Erman?" "Corbin, you are a normal kid. You're a kid who's good at something and not much else, and that's okay. But you think big, and you can achieve that big. Even the most normal man can do the most things, so it's my job as a teacher to give you the tools you need. This is going to be a very important tool for you, Corbin. Please, hold on to it." "Okay Ms. Erman." Corbin said, incredibly confused. "Can you at least tell me a little bit about what it says?" "Okay Corbin. Sit down. Let's talk about it."
Erman would tell Corbin a general timeline of what had happened in the world, and how politics, opinions and social classes had created wars and atrocities so inhumane that both sides always lost their way. She told him of the dictators and liberators of the world, and mentioned the mistakes both would make. She told him most of all, to not be them. To not be the old rulers, and to be who he was now, kind, courageous and Corbin. It had been four years since that meeting. He still had the book, and hadn't opened it yet. He was only going to look at it if things really changed in his life, but they didn't. Gil was his best friend, and Jenna made a nice little group of three. He still struggled in school and thrived in the theatre, so he didn't have a reason for it. But on this day, he remembered, and he didn't know why. It was just another sunny morning.
Corbin and Gil got up and went to the dining room. Every morning the orphanage served the same breakfast: Eggs. Two eggs every morning for protein. Eggs were very easy to obtain since they were cheap and came in packs of twelve. They were also a lot healthier then something like a pancake or waffle which had no real protein. Mr. Beck, the breakfast overseer, was always talking about how stupid the idea of a pancake or waffle was, and how they were just some corporate plot to sell more products you "can't live without." Most of the kids didn't stay around Mr. Beck too much. He taught dramatic arts though, and so Corbin was around him, a lot, much to his dismay. Corbin had many adventures during his twelve years at the orphanage, but more on that later on. Corbin and Gil sat down next to each other, with Jenna sitting across the way from Gil, making funny faces. Breakfast was being served, and Corbin took his normal two egg serving like everyone else. He started eating it, very hungry after staying awake for an hour before everyone else. He finished before everyone else too, meaning he had to wait for every body. He waited for the other kids to catch up. This was okay for Corbin though, because most of the time, he was the one having to catch up to everyone else. Maybe that's why he woke up so early for so long.
He wanted to be ahead of everyone else at least in this small capacity, and honestly, can you blame the kid? Corbin finished up eating and, after getting permission from Mr. Beck to leave the table, he ran out to the courtyard to play a little bit. Normally there he would look out over the orphanage walls and see the world around him. He didn't get to do that often, so these few moments he did have were important to him.
The moment arrived. He jumped onto the biggest rock in a rock filled field and jumped on to the top of the gate. He then pulled himself up, stood on top of it for a moment, and sat on the fence. He'd been doing this since he had the idea when he was 9, so the teachers stopped trying to get him down when he turned ten three months later. The first time he climbed up here he only had a few minutes before Ms. Thatcher noticed, and dragged him down. So with those few moments, he simply looked out. He had been outside the orphanage regularly as part of field trips and dinner runs before but that wasn't like this. In that he was watched by an adult and supervised, unable to roam the world. In this, he could place himself in whoever's shoes he wanted, and feel free doing it. Free to fantasies over what he wanted. It was his moments of ignorance, and it was a time he loved. Here in 2054 there wasn't a damn person who wasn't expecting the world to burst open, this year because of pollution and nuclear threats, so not having to think about it was nice. "Hey Corbrain! Watcha doing up there? Watching all the pretty ladies?" "Yeah, I bet you wanna go get with one of them don't you?" "Yeah you do. Too bad, you're gonna be stuck here forever!" "Idiot!"
"Hahahahahaha!" The kids, led by Caleb, all walked away, feeling satisfied with themselves. This was a regular occurrence for Corbin. Those kids had been making fun of him since he started coming up here, and man it could be worse. One time, they pushed him over the 10 foot fence while he wasn't looking. He hit his head really badly and scrapped his knees a lot too. The worst part, is that the teachers didn't even believe him! They thought he lied and that he fell and was just trying to avoid punishment! It took them a month to let him go up there again, but when they did, it was like he never left. The world was still the same, and those moments of blissful ignorance were back. Today was just like any other day, and so he looked out. And then, the moment ended. Mr. Beck called him and off he went to his first class of the day: Math. Nothing ever happened in math. It was just boring old math. At least sometimes in other classes he had the chance to feel like he was learning something, but in math, all he did was struggle.
Corbin walked into class at the same time he always does, at the last minute. He got in at 8:30 and class started at 8:31, technically it should be 8:30 but he always delays the class with his entrance. You'd think he does it on purpose but no. Corbin just really doesn't care about math. He knows one day when he has to do math he'll make sure someone really good at math is right there with him, that person probably being Gil.
Mr. Aro started by looking around the room and taking attendance, marking Corbin down after he sees him walk in. After he was done doing that, he started explaining what was going to be happening in class today, with Corbin listening to none of it. In the math class, there was 25 desks all lined up neatly around the room, except for the front, which is where the door, white board, and teacher's desk were. There were all kinds of things littered around the class walls, like drawings made by little kids of butterflies and Mr. Aro, as well as basic math formulas. Stuff like a squared + b squared = c squared, and the rule of threes. There were three windows in the 900 square foot class, all along the sides. These windows let in sunlight, and were shown to scientifically make students happier with the natural rays. Corbin was sitting along the wall, and had a window to his right. He looked out of it most days, imagining whatever he liked. As a result of Corbin looking out the window, he completely missed what Mr. Aro was talking about, and hence had no idea what piece of paper Mr. Aro was handing out. Unluckily for Corbin, today was test day. He hadn't seen Alex his tutor in a while and because of that wasn't prepared for this test at all. He asked Mr. Aro if he could get an extension on it, and was told no.
"No Corbin, you are in charge of your own learning, and you have to be responsible for your own future. This is what the real world is like!" A little harsh for a twelve year old.
But nevertheless, there was nothing to be done. Corbin didn't understand a lot of what was happening in the world around him, and so he wasn't able to concentrate. Not able to think. Things just, didn't line up for him. He looked average, and was far below. What was he supposed to do about the future? The hell did the future even matter when the world was ending around them? What's the point? Corbin never figured out why he was doing any of this, so without the motivation and understanding, he never could fix his math problems. Or solve them either.
Corbin handed the test back in to Mr. Aro and got a 60%, barely passing it. But he didn't care. He took the paper and threw it in the garbage. Class was done, time to go do something else!
In the hall he walked with Gil to history. Gil was advanced and so he already finished the math class Corbin was doing. Gil had just come out of history, and he learned about the crymoarian empire of 1254. "It's so cool Corbin! The stuff that these guys did was ruthless. There was one time, when the sun was about to set and they were at war with another nation, they had to stop the flagship from reaching the shore, so they sent five men on horses to take on a whole....." Man. It really did interest Corbin, this whole history thing, but he knew that class wasn't for him. Literally wasn't for him. Only smart kids learned about the real history of the world, not some crap about explorers finding land and then writing up treaties for it. It was something about rewarding the kids who did well with incentives, like a reward for those who really wanted it. Corbin really wanted it, but no matter what he did he just couldn't get it. It was the same with several courses, advanced history being one of them. Of the classes Corbin was interested in, there was biology, astronomy, paleontology, musical comprehension, photography, and esports. He wanted to express himself through these classes, but was limited by a squared plus b squared equals c squared. If he wanted the classes the most, but couldn't get them, and the point of the classes was to reward those who did want them, what the hells the point?
"....And then Alexander exploded onto the scene and took out both artillery's, winning the day for Crymoria! It was so cool! They had reenactments and everything!"
"You're right Gil. That does sound really really cool. Well I have arts class so I'll see you later. Bye Gil. Enjoy Bio."
"See you Corbin! When I see you later tonight I'll tell you about the next battle Crymoria had to do to win the euro-war, and how one brave gene.."
Few, glad that's over.
Corbin had one saving grace in an academic nightmare, he had the arts class. Here he could just create, and create, he always did. He had the arts class.
Today's project with Mr. Beck was going to be the same as the last week. It was going to be a pretty large project involving the whole class, where characters the kids created all came together for one big story. Everyone got to write their own lines, but there was a plot that was established ahead of time that Mr. Beck had the kids decide on. It was an incredible blend of improv writing and untamed creativity, and it was one that Corbin loved. The class agreed Corbin could be the protagonist, so Corbin wrote himself in as his dad. Other kids made themselves things like Thanos and flamboyant 30-7 boxing champion Jake Paul, but Corbin chose his dad. Griffin Elser was his name. Corbin didn't know anything about him at all, and even less about his mom Karla Elser, so what his character did was all up to his imagination. He knew that his view of his dad wasn't realistic but he didn't care. In the play, his dad was a knight with the movement of a ninja and more charisma then anyone else. He was the hero racing against evil to save the world! He was caring, kind, brave, and more heroic then any hero ever written in fiction! And he did it all while looking like Chris Hemsworth!
Okay, maybe he didn't actually think his dad was all of that, but it was fun for him to imagine. Corbin knew that, if his dad wasn't a drunken loser, he would be happy with whoever he was. He just wanted to meet the guy. Corbin knew there was probably a good reason his dad couldn't raise him, after all life outside his home walls was so hard. The people of the world stopped caring about stuff like the economy or art or anything. Everyone was just that scared. Corbin was sure the only reason his mom and dad couldn't keep him was because they couldn't support him, so when he was able to support himself he'd go and find them. The orphanage had kind of left him in the dark on anything related to his parents though. It would be super hard for him to track them down but you can bet he was going to try. There was absolutely nothing he wanted more then to meet his parents before the world ended. Once he turned eighteen, it was the first thing he intended to do.
In the play the kids were writing, the hero Griffin was the descendant of a royal line of kings in Estonica, who had been at war with the enemy country of Okham for generations. They'd been locked in a slow war for 40 years, and four kings all through the way. Okham's king, Zinus was a bad bad man, and was played by Corbin's class mate Wyatt, who no body liked. It was a good story that involved drama, tension, comedy, and love. The kids were really happy with it. Mr. Beck of course was as critical as he always was. Mr. Beck had been a drama teacher for 34 years here at the orphanage, and had seen many students come and go. Corbin though had been one to impress him. Of course though, there was someone who impressed Mr. Beck a little more. Jasper was the star student of the school, and he just happened to be a star drama kid too. In the division winning school play, he was the main character, in which Corbin was the main character's best friend. He had a good performance, but Jasper's was better. Corbin really didn't like feeling second to Jasper all the time, but luckily for him Jasper was a year older, meaning at least he wasn't in their drama class. Unluckily for him, when Jasper did this project, he made the best student play that Mr. Beck had ever seen, and it was just last semester. You can bet that he talked about that one a lot during the script phase. Corbin though was alright with feeling like he was second best. He didn't know why, but Mr. Beck, being an eccentric, he knew. Mr. Beck knew Corbin was okay to be second because that gives his life a goal. Beck knew, if the future was to be alive, it would need people who have goals. Corbin didn't know it yet, but his goal was going to be to be the best.
Beck was an eccentric, and he had a plan. The world seemed like it was ending, but he knew there were other ways. He knew there would be ways to overcome the obstacles humanity had in way, and that he had to take a gamble. So he gambled on the youth. He taught and educated every student he could, and made sure as many of them had the tools to reach their potential. He loved and cared for every student he deemed worthy of his instruction, and put his all into his job. With how he saw it, he was the sole hope of the entire world. When the time would come, he would do the same for Corbin and Jasper when they would become older, as he had for everyone else. He mostly taught them philosophy, and worked with Ms. Erman to teach history, important history, that had happened throughout the more recent years of the earth. Beck hoped that through a growth mindset, he could save the world, one kid at a time, and he made sure to tell every graduate about his mission, which they accepted with eagerness. Beck was making an army from orphans and his war was with humanity's fate.
Corbin though of course didn't know any of that. He just wanted to be an actor.
Corbin was sitting down, chilling while he was waiting for his chance to go on scene and act again, while waiting for two of Zinus' thugs to say their lines. While he's sitting down cringing at their performances, a female teacher he doesn't know comes in. The teacher walks over to Beck and whispers something in his ear, At first, a face of shock. Then, a face of disappointment and contempt. Finally, a cold face, a ready face, a face planning something, ready for the call to action. Beck had a round face, thin eye brows, with a full face of beard reaching across the coast of his jaw as well as a busy mustache, and dark-tanned skin. He was 5'9 and 182.98 lbs. He was 52 years old. In that moment on his face, you could tell something was about to happen.
"Kids, stop. Everyone stop. Listen to me very very carefully."
"Huh? What's happening Mr. Beck?"
"Well Wyatt, right now the school is issuing a lockdown protocol. This is because the government has informed us that some raiders are coming from the outskirts. I want everyone to remain calm. We have procedures in place for things like this. Seeing as they're far out enough, we are going to all make our ways to the gymnasium, okay? Let's go kids. Line up."
Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Raiders. Oh my god. Corbin panicked. He'd never been through something like this. His entire life was inside these orphanage walls with only a few trips outside. Why did his first free experience with the real world have to come from raiders? He panicked. He was scared. He heard tell of the raiders before. How they'd plundered and killed people in their wakes looking for anything they could sell. They were the ultimate pirates, and an uncurbable disease on the earth, present only to create and reap the benefits of chaos. They mostly came from the empty desert plains, an abandoned part of the country no one could get into without being ambushed by Raider forces. They had effectively taken a whole states size of land for themselves, with no one able to get in. No one knew what was out there, because whenever they tried sending something, it never came back. Recon, swat, even helicopters. The government though couldn't spare more resources for a bunch of pirates, so they left them alone for the most part. The sandy desert border was a clear divide. Roads ended as sand started and there were no buildings for miles. Just sand. Sand sand sand sand and more sand. The orphanage was quite close to the border, with only 500 meters between it and the sandy region. Whoever thought that was a good idea, well, their incompetence was about to traumatize a lot of people, or worse. It was going to get way worse. It was the first costly count of human error on that day.
A quiet unease sweeps the room one second in. Fear and unrest grow two seconds in. Fear grows to terror three seconds in. Four seconds in, and the room explodes. Screams of dread and sobs of fright fill the ears, and scrambling kids without a clue what to do fills the eyes. No kid in the classroom isn't panicking, except Corbin, who is simply paralyzed by fear through and through. He's the most scared of all, because unlike the other kids, his fear doesn't come from the simple risk of pain or death, no. His fear comes from his thoughts, and his thoughts are of the future. His thoughts of what if. What if he dies here? What if he never tastes freedom? What if he never feels what its like to live under the sun without walls, feel like his fantasy is real, get away from this orphanage full of kids who would degrade him and see the world? What if he never got to see the world? Worse of all... what if he never met his parents? What if he never found out his own story? What if he died knowing his parents were out there waiting, hoping every day Corbin Elser was going to walk through their door and that one day Griffin and Karla Elser were going to be on the other end of it? What if all the energy he'd put into his parents and his thoughts on his parents were for nothing? They were his anchor. What if he never got to meet his dad....
These thoughts would be cut short by a firm voice. Mr. Beck wasn't going to stand for the chaos. These kids in his room were the future, and the future was not about to be ruined by some gypsies.
Beck had the kids line up, and put Corbin at the front.
"Corbin I am counting on you to trust me and not to panic. Remain calm no matter what happens. If these people get a hold of any one of our students it will cost the government a lot of money and will risk the life of any of these students. So you look me in the face and tell me you can lead. This is the most important moment of your life. Can you do it?"
Corbin gulped. He looked Beck in the eyes with fear. Unable to move, Corbin gazed into Beck's eyes, as if frozen in all of time. It is a common response from Corbin to freeze in instances like this. When he doesn't know what to say or do, he freezes. When he's unable to process what just happened, he freezes. When's he's got all eyes on him when everything weighs in the balance, he freezes. Right now, all three are happening at once. Corbin was not a courageous man, as much as he tried to be. It just wasn't in his nature. He was an astonishing acting youth, however when it came to acting on his own, no script nor rehearsal you will find him freezing. Beck recognized this, but still he wanted to believe in Corbin. Maybe this would be the event to shake him up, help him grow a pair. He'd certainly need it, rather then running from his problems like he tried to the bullies in here. It wasn't like he'd see any of the raiders anyway. Mr. Beck, Corbin, and the rest of the students walked out into the hall. The map of the school had a large open walkway that went to the different classrooms, all located on the left and right sides of the first floor. The bedrooms were all on the second floor. The gymnasium was located in a separate building then the rest of the orphanage, and was conveniently located on the opposite side of where the raiders were advancing from. The plan was to run to the gymnasium quietly while all lights were off in the orphanage and to make it look as abandoned as possible, so while it may slow them down, kids were instructed to take their things with them. It was a good plan, as the doors up to the sleeping rooms were going to be closed. Any money stolen would be refunded by the government, and as long as the kids were alright, it would be a win. This way maybe no one would get hurt, and the kids could get a day off too. What the principle of the school, principle William, did not account for, was that the raiders were not idiots, and in fact, were quite smart for their profession. This would be the second costly count of human error that would happen on that day.
Once in the hall, the arts group walked to the back exits and Beck locked them from the outside once everyone had passed by. He firmly pushed them to make sure no human soul would pass through. Once satisfied, he continued to lead the kids to the gymnasium. Every other class in the school was gathering as well, with most of them by now inside. The arts room was located close to the entrance of the school so it wasn't a big surprise. Another class room located close to the entrance of the school was none other then the grade 7 and 8 science lab. The bio group got out of the exit to Corbin's left at the same time his group had. It seemed like they were of the last few to really get out, with the Ela grade 9 group and engineering grade 12 group on their way in to the gym already. Corbin's class and funnily enough Gil's class were the last to enter.
Corbin was leading the line and was about to enter alongside Gil, when suddenly, from the roof of the school, something peaked out. Something bright, and something red. Something resembling a human too, but honestly, from down here, who could tell? Corbin saw the shape for a second before he and his class were blinded. A huge spotlight was flashed on to them from on top the orphanage roof, with many others covering different spots. One spotlight even shown behind the red figure, and revealed that it was a man, or at least, what was left of him. He was a tall and buff man, who stood with a limp right leg that bended forwards. His face was white but parched like the Sahara, and he had blue and red face paint over a majority of his face like a clown mask. He had long, almost luscious white hair that went down his shoulders. He had big arms but they were incased in some red sleeve with edges all along, the fingers being long crystalized red claws, his legs much the same. It was as if he was some sort of extra-terrestrial being. However, one good look at him while being educated on the times, and you'd see what he really was. A whispered. A man who had gotten the whisper virus after being at his lowest point, and with nothing to lose, gave in to his own rational. It was a psychological phenomenon that occurred after depression had hit its breaking point, and a man was pushed over the limit with nothing left to lose. It happened to those who denied who they really were, and wanted to better themselves, only for life to spit in their face and tell them they'll always be the monster within. The whisper virus was simply some men's way of embracing it. At first it would just be a voice, but give in, and you realize your true side. In the case of that man, his dark side seemed to be a leader of desert dwelling thieves and murderers, or so Corbin thought at a first glance. "Attention all children teachers and traitors, I am Malekith, leader of the black bay pirates!"
Guess he was right.
Malekith the kids would soon find out was originally a super villain from a popular comic book series about a god and his travels. Every victim of the whispered needed an outlet to model themselves after, whether someone they knew or someone they knew of. For this man, it was Malekith, a villain he definitely styled his apparel after.
"I'm here for three things, money, mothers, and mayhem, and while I know that none of you sad saps can give me with any mothers, I know damn well you're going to give me the other two. So bask in my bright lights and let's get this show on the road!"
Four men wearing huge white masks covering their faces only leaving the eyes open on top of the roof emerged pushing large round objects with a flat center to the front of the roof. They positioned them so they would be facing a few of the kids, with one of them positioned at Corbin. Corbin looked at the center of one, and saw nothing other then a harpoon at the dead center of the machine. Not a gun or sword, but a harpoon. What were the raiders going to do with a harpoon? "Alright kiddies, let's go for a ride!" Malekith announced. As soon as he gave the order, the raiders on the roof pressed a button on the machines and shot the harpoons at the designated children.
"Run everyone! Run for your life!" yelled Beck.
The kids scattered. Every single one of them realized they were about to be grabbed and panic ran for the gymnasium, or at least away from the deadly hooks. Everyone, except Corbin.
Corbin stood there, looking a twirling death in the eye, as it raced towards him, ready to strike.
Five seconds until impact. In this moment, all his thoughts raced through his mind. No. No. No. No. I cannot. I cannot die here. I'm too young. I need to see my parents. I need to meet my father! I need to escape these walls. I can't go down here. I can't afford this. Why can't I move? Corbin was paralyzed. Four seconds until impact. No. No. No no no no no! This can't be how it ends! Paralyzed of fear when it matters most! Just move! Just go to the left! We have to do so much! I can't go down like this!
Three seconds until impact. He's going to grab me. He's going to grab me and I'm going to be carried away or killed. I'll never see my family. Why?
Two seconds pass. I guess this is it. At least I did a little. I was in a play. I made some friends. I worked hard in school. That's enough, isn't it? I guess it'll have to be.
One second until impact. Well, goodbye world. Not like there was going to be much left in you anyway. Please, help my parents, wherever they are. Goodbye, Gil.
Corbin closes his eyes, and accepts he will go quietly.
Zero seconds until impact.
Negative one second until impact. Negative two seconds until impact.
Negative three seconds until impact.
What happened? Corbin looks up. He isn't being pulled. He doesn't have a hole in his chest where a harpoon is lodged inside. He's just standing there, frozen still. He looks up, and on the other end of the machine's rope he sees Gil.
Negative four seconds until impact. What? Gil? No no that doesn't make any sense. Gil was across the field with the bio class, there's no way he's being pulled. How did this happen? No no no no no no no no NO! NO! Negative five seconds until impact. It should've been me. It should've been Corbin. Gil doesn't deserve it. Gil was going places, he was smart! I wasn't smart! He was a nervous failing stupid average mess! Gil would have done everything! He could've done anything! Why! Why wasn't it me! Why!
Gil had seen Corbin freeze. He knew what it meant. This is what their lives were meant to be together. They were meant to help each other in any way and be the support they needed through a hard world, but Gil knew it wouldn't come to be, and so, he accepted his fate. Without hesitation, he'd ran across the field to try and save his friend. He got to him in four and a half seconds, but he wasn't fast enough to save both of them. With his half second, Gil had pushed Corbin out of the way, trading his life for Corbin's, all because Corbin froze. It was the third costly count of human error made that day, and it had costed the most. Corbin came to his senses and heard the world around him as Gil was hoisted onto the roof, harpoon in his knee, an indescribable pain rocketing through his body. Corbin could hear his scream from the ground. Beck was yelling out to Corbin, but was drowned out by Gil's wails. Corbin was completely lost. Beck grabbed Corbin and ran him into the gymnasium, where teachers with licensed guns were stationed. They knew though, that the raiders would not follow.
"My oh my, what do we have here? You know, your friend was about to die there, but you, ever the valiant, you leapt in and saved him didntcha? What's your name wonderboy?" asked Malekith.
"Gi-Gi-Gi-Gil..."
"It's nice to meet you Gil. I'm Malekith, and we are going to be having some fun. Take him back to command! It's not everyday we get someone useful when I come out here."
Malekith turns to the now empty field of kids.
"Hey! Thank you kids, for all your help. Thanks to all of you I got the money and mayhem I wanted! And you made it all so easy on me! I know you're all armed in there, locked up from me, so I'll be taking my leave! But oh my what a ride, wasn't it kiddies? Hahahahahahahaha!"
He let out a psychotic laugh reminiscent of how you'd think Satan sounds.
"Man, what a day! It's only eleven, too! Not even noon! Just enough time to cause a little more mayhem, too! I'll be seeing you kiddies around! Hahahahahahahaha!"
The raiders began a retreat, and took Gil with them. By now it had been fifteen minutes since the initial warning, and no ear from authorities. The raiders however didn't want to risk it. They left with their prize and headed off, but first of course, Malekith wanted mayhem. He set fire to the orphanage and watched it burn for a few moments, and then left. The teachers scrambled to try and put the fire out, while one of them called for authorities help. Ultimately though, Malekith waiting the extra seconds had spread the fire way more then anyone but he wanted, so now, many things burnt.
That was what the whispered did. No matter how, they always left destruction in their wake, so give even an average or below average whispered power and he will use it to directly or indirectly cause suffering. Malekith was no one special, but even he was special enough to hurt people.
Corbin stood there completely and immovably paralyzed. He stood inside the gymnasium next to Jenna, as she cried by his side. The teachers cried for him too, but Corbin didn't cry. He couldn't cry. He couldn't process. He couldn't understand why this happened. He couldn't understand why it was Gil and not him. He was so expendable. So useless. Everyone did things better then him and all he wanted was to meet his family. Gil wanted so much more, why did it have to be him? Why did he have to give it all up for nothing? Why couldn't Corbin own up to his fault of freezing, why did Gil take the fall? He didn't get it, and he wasn't sure he ever would. He stood there, going over it all in his head, wishing to wake up again the morning, at Six in the morning, waiting for everyone else to wake up.
Disaster without parallel! That's what every local newspaper was calling it. Disaster without parallel. If only they'd taken a history class or read the news the last fourteen years. Disaster without parallel, and all it took, was three faults. Three counts of human error killed Gil Hectomb.
The following days, as you could imagine, brought much change. Painful, painful change. Much of the rooms had been burnt to ash. The orphanage lost many classrooms, including Corbin's one comfort, drama. With it gone, all drama courses were cancelled until further notice. Corbin was without comfort when his one most important man had just been taken from him. Corbin was lost. He had no idea how it all happened. How had 15 minutes of a normal day done... all this? How did everything fall apart so easily? Was it all really just this fragile?
Some of Corbin's belongings were burned in the fire as well. He'd lost a hair brush, some tooth paste, this really cool movie series about people who could move objects with their hands, and most importantly, he lost a book given to him by Ms. Erman. The book about the world's history. Ms. Erman gave it to Corbin because she believed in a normal man's capability to rise above the norm and become something better for himself, believing Corbin would be the man to do it. How sadly it had turned out. Now, Corbin didn't have the tools he himself needed to change the world. He didn't know the past, and those who don't know the sins of the past, are destined to make those faults their future. Ms. Erman didn't know what to do now. That was her only copy of the world's history and she knew after what had happened to Gil, Corbin was going to need something, anything to guide him along. Maybe she'd just sit him down and try to teach history to him manually. It would be a huge time investment, but he definitely would need it. Ultimately though, she decided there were more forces that needed her help. At this point, she and Beck had deemed Corbin a lost cause. He'd frozen when he absolutely could not and showed he would not be strong enough when it mattered most. If this hadn't hardened him, what could? It was a harsh decision but one that had to be made. The world was a shipwreck, and only so many life preservers were on board. Really, you can't blame them. Beck and Erman refocused their efforts to other students who they believed to be more dependable and reliable. With nothing left, Corbin was in the dust. Every kid at the orphanage now hated him, including Jenna who blamed Corbin for Gil's death, and the teachers had no care for him either. He had no drama courses and no other hobbies to cling on to.
Corbin was hopeless and hopelessly alone.
The school got a lot of bad press for a while. The administration was seen as incompetent for a little while due to what had happened. Many of the prime staff were pressured to stand down by angry adolescents online, but ultimately what could anyone have done to really stop this from happening?
Principle William did step down, a victim treated as the offender, and had to find new work somewhere else. You can imagine how that went. Beck was pressured to step down, but he didn't care. His self dubbed mission was far too important to throw away over some sheep in no face space who didn't know what they were talking about. Many people also pressured for the kids who had been through trauma to be sent to other orphanages, because of course, brain association dictates that when you go through a traumatic event and must revisit the location of that traumatic event, you relive it, without exception. Yes. Psychology. Of course that was how it worked. Of course. It wasn't like this poor orphanage was the only home these kids had ever known. Despite what psychologists had warned, some kids were sent away from the orphanage a year after the incident by the new principle Mayer. Right as Corbin was accepting his world again, accepting everyone looked down on him, that no one believed in him, that he was paralyzed and unable to do anything with his life he was assaulted with a fresh start. As he adjusted to his new world, his world of loneliness, where he didn't need people to thrive, he was sent away, and forced to try something new. Thrusted into a spotlight he wanted nothing to do with.
He saw it as a new opportunity. He saw everything as a new opportunity. He always had. Him and Gil had had that mentality since they were eight. These new people didn't know him. They didn't know who he was. What he'd done. What he hadn't done. He'd never forget what happened here, but maybe he could live with it. Maybe he could start a new life, away from every doubter and non believer. Maybe he could be happy. He had to try. A golden ticket to a new timeline, and all he had to do was be strong. Be new. Warm, inviting, anything! He could make a new personality like that! He just needed someone to emulate, and man could he ever take his pick. And so, as men with regrets do, Corbin buried his mistakes. He didn't just bury them though, but he embodied them. The man that Corbin chose to emulate was none other then Gil, with maybe a little Beck.
In this new life, Gil would live on.
He never did get over Gil's death. He kept it buried in the back of his mind, constantly haunting him and dictating his every move. What would Gil have done? What would he have wanted? Felt? Well I, I will show you.
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