Realization

Sora rushed back to his apartment, his heart pounding with urgency. He fumbled with his phone, dialing his mom's number first, his fingers trembling. "Come on, come on," he muttered, anxiety bubbling up within him. After multiple tries with no response, panic began to take hold.

He quickly switched to calling his sister. "Saya, please pick up," he whispered under his breath as the phone rang. After three agonizing rings, she finally answered, and he shouted her name in relief.

"Saya! Are you okay?" he asked, his voice edged with fear.

Through the phone, he heard her crying, the sound tearing at his heart. He clenched his fists, trying to steady himself as her sobs echoed in his ears. "I'm fine, but Mom… Mom is at work and she's not responding to my calls!"

Sora's stomach dropped. "What? Saya, you need to stay calm. I'm going to get to you as soon as I can. Just stay put, okay?"

"I'm scared, Sora!" she sobbed, her voice cracking.

"I know, I know," he replied, trying to sound reassuring despite his own terror. "Just hold on. I'll be there soon. I promise."

After hanging up, Sora took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead. He couldn't waste any time.

The Yazamakura province. That was where Saya was, a place that seemed light-years away, especially given the chaos outside. He knew he couldn't go there before nightfall; he needed to prepare.

As he moved deeper into the chaotic remnants of the apartment complex, his thoughts churned. The weight of his actions pressed heavily on him, more than the physical dangers outside.

The man he had killed flashed through his mind—his desperate eyes, the moment their paths had crossed, and the irrevocable choice Sora had made. It haunted him, a specter of guilt that followed him like a shadow.

With the tumult outside having calmed somewhat, the sounds were now a distant murmur—faint cries, the rustling of debris, and the occasional roar of a creature.

It was hard to decipher what was happening beyond the walls of his apartment, but the noise reminded him that the world was still in turmoil. He couldn't let his guard down.

As he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. It wasn't long before he encountered a group of people huddled together, looking terrified.

They glanced at him with suspicion, eyes wide with fear. Sora felt an instinctive urge to reach out to them, to show them he meant no harm, but he held back. The way they stared made it clear they didn't trust him.

One man stepped forward, a look of accusation on his face. "What are you?" the man asked, his voice trembling. "You're one of them, aren't you?"

Sora opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. Instead, he looked at Roper, who remained at his side, her massive form shielding him slightly. The man seemed to believe that Roper's presence meant he posed a threat, that he was somehow connected to the horrors outside.

Suddenly overwhelmed, Sora took a step back, trying to make sense of everything. He had become a stranger to these people.

"I… I'm just trying to survive," he finally managed to say, but the man was already backing away, his eyes filled with horror.

As he felt their gazes boring into him, he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in a cracked mirror hanging nearby. Dark veins snaked through the white of his eyes, a twisted testament to the changes happening inside him.

Sora blinked, but the eerie sight remained, a stark reminder that he was no longer just a regular guy trying to get by. The fear and judgment in the eyes of the group intensified as they caught sight of his eyes, deepening the rift between them.

Sora clenched his fists, feeling the judgmental gazes of others lingering on him. The man's words echoed in his mind, deepening the turmoil within him.

With a heavy heart, he turned away, knowing he had to keep moving, to find his sister and protect her from the nightmares lurking in the shadows.

Once back in his apartment, Sora quickly assessed his surroundings, taking stock of what supplies he had left. The refrigerator was empty, a stark reminder of the resources they had once taken for granted.

He rummaged through the cabinets and found a few cans of food, long past their expiration dates but still salvageable in a pinch. Every ounce of sustenance counted now, especially with the journey he was about to undertake.

He pulled out his backpack, shoving the cans inside alongside a water bottle he had saved. Next, he grabbed a flashlight, checking the batteries—thankfully, they were still functioning. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the room, and he knew he had to move before it was completely dark.

Sora's thoughts turned to Saya again. He could only imagine the fear she must be feeling, alone and waiting for him. He couldn't let her down; he had to be strong for both of them.

As he gathered his supplies, a thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. What was happening to him? A chill ran down his spine as he considered his senses, which had changed so dramatically in recent days.

He had developed a keen sense of smell, picking up on scents he never noticed before—the dampness of the walls, the lingering odors of fear and sweat, and even the faint trace of smoke from fires long extinguished. The dark veins in his eyes felt like a physical manifestation of this transformation, a visual marker of the turmoil within.

The heightened awareness, the strange ability to hear distant sounds—what was this mutation, this transformation he was undergoing? He had killed a man, but now he felt like he was losing pieces of himself.

He glanced at Roper, her imposing form still a comforting presence. She remained loyal, but even she had transformed into something monstrous.

The guilt twisted in his gut, and he sank to the ground, burying his face in his hands. He was lost, trapped in a nightmare with no escape and no one to help him find his way back to humanity.

Roper approached, laying her massive head in his lap, grounding him with her warmth. He stroked her fur absently, wishing for a semblance of comfort amid the chaos of his thoughts.

After taking a deep breath and gathering his resolve, Sora stood up. He took one last look around his apartment, absorbing the familiar surroundings he might never see again.

In another life, a life that felt so distant now, he would have been finishing his thesis, eagerly passing it to his professor, and getting frustrated over something as trivial as assignments and deadlines.

Those were the days filled with hope and promise, where the biggest worries were late-night study sessions and ensuring he met the expectations of others.

But now, he was standing on the precipice of an uncertain future, where survival was the only goal. With renewed purpose, he took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his responsibilities settling on his shoulders.

He remained in the dim light of his apartment, the familiar walls closing in on him like a protective barrier, even as the outside world continued to spiral into chaos.

Roper, sensing his determination, stood at his side, ready for the journey ahead. Her large, expressive eyes seemed to convey a silent understanding, a bond that had only grown stronger through their shared trials.

The path ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger, and he needed to prepare himself mentally and physically before stepping out into the unknown. He couldn't afford to be reckless; every decision mattered now, and he had to think clearly.

He grabbed his makeshift weapon—the knife he had used earlier—and tucked it securely into his belt. With Roper at his side, he knew he wasn't alone, even if the world outside had turned into a nightmare.

"Saya, hang in there," he whispered, the determination in his voice unwavering.

"We're coming." With one final look at his apartment, he steeled himself and opened the door. The hallway stretched out before him, a labyrinth of shadows and echoes. He glanced down at Roper, who responded with a resolute bark, her eyes sharp and focused.