Chapter three ; He Was Never Meant to Exist
484 Words
The rain hit him.
Cold.
Sharp.
Real.
Jesse collapsed to one knee, coughing hard as the world snapped fully back into place.
“H—ha…!”
His chest burned.
His vision swam.
Whatever that was…
…it was gone.
The alley looked the same.
The storm sounded the same.
The man—
was still there.
Standing.
Breathing.
Alive.
Jesse’s eyes widened in confusion.
“…You…?”
The man didn’t look afraid anymore.
Just irritated.
Like whatever just happened… hadn’t mattered.
“You think freezing up is going to save you?”
Jesse’s fingers dug into the ground.
Then what was that…?
The silence.
The space.
That voice.
It felt so real.
Too real.
“Stand up!”
His body reacted before his mind could.
He forced himself up again—legs shaking violently.
Not strong.
Not steady.
Barely standing.
The next strike came—
—and this time it landed.
Hard.
Jesse hit the ground again, pain exploding through his ribs.
“Useless,” the man muttered.
Jesse clenched his teeth.
Tears mixed with rain as his vision blurred.
So it wasn’t real…?
No.
That couldn’t be it.
He felt it.
Something answered him.
His hand twitched slightly against the ground.
“…Remove…”
He whispered it.
Barely audible.
Nothing happened.
The rain didn’t stop.
The world didn’t bend.
Reality didn’t hesitate.
Just pain.
Cold.
And the sound of footsteps approaching again.
“…I can’t…”
His voice trembled.
“…I don’t understand it…”
Another memory surfaced.
That same gentle voice.
Not loud.
Not commanding.
Just… steady.
“Even if you don’t understand… take one step forward.”
Jesse’s breathing slowed.
Just a little.
The man raised his hand again—
Jesse moved.
Not with power.
Not with speed.
Just instinct.
He rolled—barely avoiding the strike—and scrambled backward across the wet stone.
Clumsy.
Messy.
Desperate.
“Running now?” the man sneered.
Jesse didn’t answer.
He couldn’t.
His heart was pounding too hard.
His body screamed at him to stop.
But he kept moving.
Step.
Slip.
Step.
Fall.
Pathetic.
Weak.
Powerless.
But still—
moving.
Behind him, the man clicked his tongue and followed.
Unhurried.
Certain.
Jesse reached the mouth of the alley.
The dim light from the street barely cut through the rain
.
Freedom.
His legs gave out.
He hit the ground hard.
“…No…”
Footsteps stopped behind him.
A hand grabbed his collar—
lifting him slightly.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Jesse’s vision dimmed.
His strength was gone.
Completely.
But deep inside—
that space flickered.
Faint.
Distant.
Like something watching from far away.
Not helping.
Not interfering.
Just… observing.
Jesse’s lips moved.
“…Help…”
No answer.
And for the first time—
that scared him more than the man behind him.
Because it meant one thing.
Whatever that power was…
It wasn’t his.
Not yet.
So close.
Hope.
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