Chapter 25: Run,Now
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RUN!!!
The scream echoed. They were used to sudden orders like this, but... which way should they run? Left or right?
Rumble rumble rumble...
The ground beneath them quivered like a small earthquake, causing everyone to look back and—
1
2
3
4
5
6...
No! There were over a hundred entities coming from the left!
The group immediately began running to the right, panicked and disoriented. Many obstacles slowed them down, while the swarm of entities chased them, growing faster with every second.
Charlie sat there, frozen in fear—not from the creatures, but from something deeper.
Tears welled in his eyes as he screamed in panic, and then—he felt himself being dragged.
Ryan was pulling him.
Ahead, Linus stretched and enlarged his body into a U-shape, transforming into metal. The group now moved on top of Linus, with Ryan pushing from behind, while Aaron smashed through obstacles.
It wasn't an ideal plan—impact from both front and back made Ryan stumble occasionally, and Linus was clearly struggling under the pressure.
Charlie, being dragged behind, couldn't be thrown inside Linus's body due to their high speed.
Charlie looked up at Ryan... and froze.
That look in Ryan's eyes—guilt.
Charlie knew he was the reason Ryan couldn't run at full speed while the monsters were closing in fast.
"What should I do? I want to run, but why are my legs shaking?"
"Will everyone die... because of me?"
Charlie looked at Ryan again and quietly closed his eyes.
Thud!
Charlie hit the ground. Ryan had let him go.
"It's my fault anyway. I should accept this."
He turned around and saw the swarm charging toward him. He closed his eyes, ready to embrace death—but then, fear crept in.
"Why? No! Don't! Ryan, don't leave me! I don't want to die... No! I deserve this! I dragged everyone into this place!"
Desperately, Charlie hurled objects at the approaching monsters. Despite all his attempts to convince himself he deserved to die, he realized he didn't want to. Not really.
But what could he do now?
Before he could think, a black arm lunged at him.
But—it stopped.
Charlie looked up.
Entity 6.
Something was strange. Everything froze—the creatures, the debris they knocked into the air, even Ryan far ahead.
Charlie stood up—yet still saw himself sitting on the ground.
"So... this is what it feels like to die?"
He wandered, walking endlessly.
He passed Ryan's group and observed their expressions: sorrow, panic, fear, despair, rage... an endless mix.
He kept walking—10km, 20km, 30km... until 50km.
There was nothing.
One hour passed. Two. Three... Ten.
Still, nothing happened.
"Am I stuck here like this forever?"
"Is this really... the feeling of dying?"
???: What is it you desire most? And what do you regret the most after death?
Charlie turned quickly—no one was there.
Charlie: WHO'S THERE? SHOW YOURSELF!
???: Just a friend of yours. Someone you were jealous of.
There are countless doors here, but every one of them leads to the same place. No matter how many paths they branch into or how difficult they seem... as long as you know what it is you truly long for.
Charlie looked at the hospital doors.
Charlie: But what if I choose wrong? What if I don't know what I want?
???: Even then, each door still leads to the same place.
Each one represents a different choice—and then comes the "what ifs" as long as you're here.
Charlie fell silent, walking past the doors while thinking. Eventually, he returned to Ryan's group.
Next to Ryan, two yellow doors appeared. The hand that had pulled him before now pointed to the left door.
He opened it and stepped inside. Everything was blinding white.
He fumbled forward, lost in the light.
Bump!
Something hit his leg...
Waaaaaahhh!!!
A baby's cry echoed through the white void.
Charlie looked down—it was him, crying as a child.
Charlie: Hey, hey... it's okay. It's okay.
Little Charlie: I-It hurts... I'm scared of the pain...
Charlie held his younger self close.
Charlie: It's okay. I'm just like you...
Little Charlie: But I want to go faster, faster and faster... but the faster I go, the harder I fall! It hurts so much... I'm scared...
Charlie hugged himself tighter.
Charlie: I'm scared too. Is that why you stopped running?
Little Charlie: No! I love speed! But I'm afraid. What if I lose control?
Something clicked inside Charlie.
Charlie: Oh... I get it! I always thought about going faster—but I never thought about learning how to control it.
Charlie: You know... I had a serious accident. I was just a little older than you. I ran so fast, but when I tried to stop, the momentum was too strong.
My legs couldn't handle it. I crashed, badly. Rolled off the street, and a car crushed my legs. Ever since, I've been terrified of running.
Little Charlie: So... you stopped chasing speed?
Charlie: Not at all! When I got older, I started riding a bike. I rode so fast that someone noticed me—Sacium.
He saw me and completely crushed me in a race. He told me to try running. But I was so scared... you know?
Little Charlie: I know. But even when I'm scared, I still want to run!
I've always admired athletes—runners, cyclists... I admire them all!
No matter what people say—I want to run. Even if it hurts, I'll still run!
Charlie looked at his younger self.
"That's right... What really made me give up?"
"I should've listened to Dad... learned more about braking techniques, breathing... I wasn't scared of pain—I was just lazy after resting for so long. That was my excuse..."
He gently set down his younger self.
Charlie: Then keep running.
Run toward your dream.
And don't forget to learn those special techniques from Dad!
Little Charlie: Okay! I will!
He waved goodbye to Charlie and disappeared into the light.
???: I always saw that longing in your eyes when you watched me run.
That's why I always found excuses to run in front of you.
Charlie looked around again, but saw no one.
Even so, he would run.
He felt as though his legs had been unlocked.
He approached the door and stepped through.
Before closing it, he looked back one last time.
Charlie: Thank you, Sacium.
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