Chapter II: The Aftermath

It was 5 years after the end had started. The air and water were already so polluted that the people had to wear a gas mask when going outside. Little by little the death of Earth had become more and more visible to the human eye. As I walked down on what used to be the central city I felt my chest throb in pain.

Storms after storms, earthquakes after earthquakes, our country was reduced to ruins. Eventually, the looting war starts. People fighting over the remaining resources end up killing another party at the end of the day. I scoured from broken car to broken car to find if there was something worth taking. I had learned how to protect and keep myself alive. I ran away from the refugee home that I had been for the past years and tried to survive on my own out here.

It wasn't that bad. If it was just me I could survive on my own even without hearing anything. Which was the weird part, while I was in the refugee home I could hear some things but on most days I couldn't hear anything. I walked further down the road when I haven't found anything of any worth.

There was no one out on the streets on that day, the sun was scorching up ahead that even the plants around start withering. I could feel the heat penetrating through my clothes and the soles of my shoes but I was determined to reach the end line of this world.

It was just a few days ago. Something extraordinary had happened out of the blue which had led me to go on the outside world on my own.

I was helping some first aiders at that time prepare the ration for the refugees when I felt a light tap at my shoulders. I turned around and saw Raphael, the woman who had helped me five years ago. So to not confuse people with her name, the refugees started calling her Apha, a much more feminine nickname suited for her.

She signed language something like "Come with me" to me. I obliged and went after her outside of the supply room. It had been years since I couldn't hear normally so I tried to learn sign language which had proven to be easier since I didn't have anything else to do.

She brought me to her tent, I made myself comfortable by sitting at one of the stools in there. Apha was the resident medical personnel at this refugee home, she was the only person capable of executing first aid and medical procedures out of everyone here. She tinkered with a few papers on her desk before turning around to face me. She handed me a piece of paper.

I took it from her and started reading the A4-sized single piece of paper.

"We're taking in every child at every refugee home.

Those that had been exposed too much to the virus.

We're taking extra measures to preserve the world by keeping children in a safe place.

If you have a child with you, call X000-1000-000 and we would evacuate them immediately.

What we need the most now is to hope for the new world to be better for them.

-Armageddon"

I looked up at Apha and hand-signed what I wanted to ask.

"Do people still buy this piece of trash"

Apha only shrugged and told me that apparently, people do.

"The people in here wanted to send you too since you were only a child who had seen the destruction of the world."

"Did they say that they wanted what's best for me?"

Apha reluctantly nodded. I clutched the paper in my hand and crumpled it so hard before standing up. These people are selfish that was sure, they didn't want another mouth to feed so they're sending me off to a mysterious organization that no one even knows. I didn't look back to see Apha's reaction and just went straight out of her tent. Upon exiting I caught those death glares from some of the men in the home. I ignored their stares and looked away but it wasn't long when I heard them.

"Ahh I hate how a burden like him gets to be alive"

"I don't get why Apha was so keen on keeping him by her side"

I turned around and saw that they were doing their own thing separately. That was part of the weird thing, whenever I look at someone I heard, it didn't seem like they were conversing with someone else and they were so out of range that it was almost impossible for a normal person to hear them.

I decided that it would only be better to let it go and not tell anyone. I couldn't trust anyone anymore. These five years had taught me exactly just how harsh the world is. No one cares about anyone except for themselves.

The day passed by like any other day. The rations get passed down, we bunk down on our respective places, eat and then sleep without any remedy to our situation. I heaved out a deep breath and closed my eyes. Every night I try to remember what my parents and brother looked like but as the night passes and I grow older, I remember less of how they look like.

Before I knew it, tears started falling from my eyes. One by one they began to race down my cheeks. It hurts not having them by my side and to make matters worse, one by one all of our memories together starts to fade away. What good is it to still be alive if I don't even have a reason anymore?

I should've just died that day too.

"Don't say that…"

My eyes shot wide open the moment I heard a voice. I sat up and looked around, there was no one there. I put my hands on my ears and covered both of them.

"I also… don't know why I'm alive but we can save this world"

Who…

"Who are you? Where are you?"

I stood up and went outside my tent. There was no one out. It was already lights off and it would be impossible for anyone to still be out at this hour.

"I am Sol."

"Sol?"

"Find me"

"What?"

As I continue to hear her voice my ears started ringing loudly. Her hoarse feminine voice continued to tell me her name, Sol, and that I should find her. I crouched down on the floor and covered my ears harder to block out the ringing but it continued.

Then I heard another voice. One much deeper than the first. A man's voice that boomed like thunder. The sound surrounded all of me like it wanted me to absorb what he told me.

"Find her and this dying world would have another chance. Connect with her and we will grant you a wish. Find the one that will stop our wrath so the continuity of your life and peace will be restored"

"Who are you? If this is a prank then I don't want any of this"

I waited for another word but all I received was an even louder ringing and then everything went quiet. I couldn't hear anything anymore. Not the snores of the refugees nor the harsh gush of the winds.

Find Sol? Is that her name? The person whose first voice I heard? At that moment, I knew it would be stupid to follow the voices that I heard but I couldn't deny it. When I heard her voice, my insides tingled all over and a shiver ran down my spine. My instincts told me to obey them, my whole being told me that this would work.

I'd have a wish granted, one wish. One wish to save everyone.

One wish to bring everything back to the way they were.

I'm not stupid to not grab on to it even if it is a false hope.

----------------------------------------------

But it wasn't just Sabriel who heard the thundering voice. Multiple individuals, mostly children heard his voice. It woke them up at night and his voice rain on them like thunder striking them up with fear and panic.

"A chosen one would find 'Sol' and have his wish granted. A person who was chosen by all of the creators and destiny would gain power by 'Sol'. By his hands shall blood draw forth. By his existence shall humanity's salvation be determined.

To choose between recreation and continuous destruction.

Salvation or Ruination, he shall be the one to choose what humanity deserves the most."

At that moment it wasn't just Sabriel who was given a new meaning in life. It would be years from now where they'll all come together to find 'Sol'. It would be years from now where they will emerge with the deviation that they are gifted with.