A Writer's Odyssey

The last Vector was slain by her—my own LoML. She looked far too stunning for someone in an occupation like hers. The scene opened deep beneath the surface of the world, in an underground level where monsters known as Vectors were commonly found. Who would have thought that supernatural things like these had existed all along? Even now, I still can't fathom the true extent of the world's secrets. You're probably wondering how I came to be in this transcendental state, aren't you? The answer is simple. I had to die. Yes. I died a long time ago. And if not for her, I wouldn't be here now. It was tragic. But before I tell you how she saved me... Let me tell you how I died. Here's how it all began... I, Dalton Donald, was the best student in my class. I was sixteen years old—a newly promoted Grade 9 student. Before my promotion, I had been called to the school's general hall and recognized as the best student in my class. More than five thousand people had gathered there: parents, teachers, school officials, and, most importantly, the students. That day marked my departure from middle school and my entrance into high school. I was excited. Not only because I was moving on to a new stage of my education, but because I had accomplished something that made me proud. I was at the top. Academically, at least, my name stood above everyone else's. When my name was announced, I walked toward the podium as hundreds of eyes followed me. I received an award from the school for my academic performance, and for a moment, I felt as though nothing in the world could possibly go wrong. Little did I know... I had already become a target. After stepping down from the podium, I met my girlfriend. She had been regarded as the most beautiful girl in our previous grade. The moment she saw me, she smiled. We hugged, and she wrapped her arm around mine as she led me back toward our seats. We spent the rest of that day talking and laughing together. I remember being genuinely happy. At that moment, I thought I had everything. A brilliant mind. A beautiful girlfriend. A promising future. Recognition. Friends. A life I could be proud of. I thought I needed nothing else. I didn't know how wrong I was. Anyways, I went on an outing with my girlfriend that day. I enjoyed every moment I spent with her. We talked, laughed, walked around together, and simply enjoyed each other's company. Back then, even if everything around me were to cease to exist, having her by my side would have been just enough for me. I loved her like hell. She was everything to me. But I didn't know that the happiness I felt that day would soon become nothing more than a painful memory. That very day was the beginning of my hellish days. Oh, God... Even recalling it now still gives me the frights. Sometimes, I wish I could erase those memories completely. Not just even that. I had wished, sometimes, that those days never existed in reality. But I couldn't. And those days can't. That day, the school went on vacation. With the excitement of having some time away from school, I walked my girlfriend back to her home. When we finally arrived, neither of us seemed willing to say goodbye. I waved at her. She waved back. I waved again. She laughed and waved again. We kept doing it countless times until I finally turned around and started walking home. I remember looking back at her one last time before leaving. She was still standing there. Still smiling. I smiled back. Then I left for home. At that time, I had no idea that I was walking away from one of the last peaceful moments of my life. I eventually reached home. My house wasn't particularly far from my girlfriend's. Normally, it would have taken me only about ten minutes by commercial bus or taxi. Unfortunately, I couldn't find either. After waiting for a while, I eventually decided to make the journey on foot. It took longer than I expected, and by the time I finally got home, it was already quite late. The moment I stepped inside, my mother was waiting for me. She immediately scolded me for coming home so late. I tried explaining where I had been, and when I mentioned my girlfriend's name, her expression softened a little. My mother had always liked our relationship. In fact, she was quite fond of my girlfriend. She liked the way we got along, and she seemed to think that the two of us made a good pair. So after hearing where I had been, she wasn't nearly as angry as she had been moments before. I apologized and went further into the house. I had been living alone with my mother for quite some time now. Life had not been so easy for us since the death of my father. We had struggled to adjust to his absence, and although we did our best to keep things together, there were times when life became rather difficult. My mother had three children: me and my elder twin siblings, who were already attending a higher institution. With both of them away pursuing their education, it was just my mother and me at home. Thankfully, my mother received a pension from the government. She was a retired government civil servant, and that pension helped us get by. Apart from that, we owned a chicken farm and a cattle farm. Those were our other major sources of income, and together, they helped us maintain our livelihood. We weren't exactly wealthy, but we managed. That was how our little family had been surviving all this while. But then again... What does any of this have to do with my death? I slept so peacefully that night, exhausted from all the excitement and happiness the day had brought me. Honestly, I couldn't remember the last time I had felt that satisfied with my life. Everything seemed to be falling perfectly into place, and with those pleasant thoughts lingering in my mind, I drifted into a deep, comfortable sleep. Oh, how sweet that sleep was. But then... I had a dream. No, not just any dream. It was a terrifying nightmare. A painful one, too. But who could have imagined it that the nightmare will be just the beginning of the nightmares I'll be having in the days to come?