Godless Domain

The quiet hum of the apartment was almost soothing, though it couldn't erase the unease that clung to the air. I sat on the edge of the bed,watching evelyn tend to zane, trying to find some comfort in the stillness. His shallow breaths were the only sound that broke the silence, a rhythm that felt both fragile and familiar.

Evelyn was beside me, her hands hovering over her son as if unsure of where to touch or what to do. She looked worn, her face pale from the exhaustion and stress, but her eyes never left Zane's form. The love she had for him was tangible, filling the room with a quiet kind of intensity.

"How's he doing?" I asked softly, her hands trembling as she brushed a strand of hair from Zane's forehead.

"He's stable," she replied, though the uncertainty lingered in my chest. "For now, at least. We just need to keep him calm. I don't know what else to do."

I nodded, but my gaze kept darting between Zane and the door, as though expecting someone to come bursting through at any moment. "I can't believe this is happening," I whispered. "Everything was just... normal, a few hours ago. And now…"

"It doesn't make sense. It's like everything's falling apart all at once." Kade continued his internal discussion

Evelyn didn't answer, her eyes fixed on Zane. She sat beside him, her fingers gently brushing against his hand. She seemed lost in her own thoughts—searching for something, whether it be answers, hope, or just a moment of peace.

I let the silence stretch between us, my mind spiraling with thoughts I couldn't control. 

Mr. Fallon wasn't home yet, which only added to the growing list of concerns. Where could he be? He went shopping earlier, hadn't he? And Elara—she was there too, right? But he hasn't come back yet.

I had hoped this was just an isolated incident, but now it seemed more likely the supermarket had descended into the same chaos. The thought made my stomach twist. I couldn't shake the feeling that the situation was only getting worse.

"He was just supposed to go to the store, right? But he's not back yet, and now our son's in some weird condition. And if I find out he went out gambling again instead of coming home, I swear I'll beat his ass black and blue," she said, waving her hand in a playful but frustrated punching motion.

I let out a soft laugh, grateful for her attempt to lighten the mood despite the tension hanging in the air. But in the back of my mind, I made a mental note to check the supermarket as soon as I could. For Elara. And for Mr. Fallon. If anything had happened to them…

Time passed slowly, the weight of the outside world pressing in on us. As the hours dragged on, the silence in the apartment grew heavier. Then, faintly, I heard something. A muffled thud, followed by a scream.

My heart raced. I stood up abruptly, senses on high alert. It was coming from downstairs, directly below us.

Evelyn's eyes widened. "What is that?"

"I don't know," I said, my voice tight with urgency. "But we need to get ready."

I didn't want to say it out loud, but I knew it was only a matter of time before the chaos that had overtaken the lower floors would make its way here. We weren't safe for long.

"We need to go," I said, barely keeping my voice steady.

Evelyn stared at me, confusion creeping into her expression. "Go? Where are we going? We can't leave him!"

"Stay with him," I said, my voice firm as I began pulling furniture into position. "I'll be back. I just need to check the hall."

Her panic flared, her eyes flashing with a mix of confusion and fear. "Kade, you're scaring me. What are you doing?"

I didn't answer her. There was no time to explain. I had to make sure we were prepared for whatever was coming.

The door to the apartment was flimsy, and I knew we couldn't trust it to hold against whatever might come. I moved quickly, blocking the door with the heaviest furniture I could find. Chairs, tables, anything that could buy us even a few more minutes.

"Kade!" Evelyn called, panic rising in her voice. "Stop! You're acting crazy!"

But I couldn't stop. I had to do this. I had to protect Zane, Evelyn, and myself. I had to keep them safe, no matter what.

As I backed away from the door, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts, I saw something I wasn't prepared for.

Evelyn started mumbling under her breath. I didn't understand it, but she seemed to be ranting about something. The way she looked at me shifted, turning into something more apprehensive. Her attention, which had been on me for a brief moment, snapped back to Zane as she began mindlessly stroking his face.

Her hands moved, and she laid her palms gently on Zane's chest. Then I saw it… her fingers trembling as a soft, white glow began to emanate from her palms, casting a gentle light across Zane's skin.

I blinked, unsure of what I was seeing. It wasn't just the glow, it was how Zane's body responded. His muscles, which had been tense and rigid, began to relax. The spasms slowly eased as the light seemed to wrap around him. For a moment he looked almost peaceful.

But Evelyn didn't notice. She was too zoned out, her eyes clouded with worry. Her mind raced with thoughts trying to make sense of the situation, her son's inexplicable condition, and Kade's increasingly erratic behavior.

Her hands, still glowing faintly, hovered over Zane, her every movement tender, trying to comfort him in whatever way she could.

But what startled me the most wasn't the glow… It was what happened next.

Zane's complexion began to return to its normal color. His breathing, once shallow and erratic, finally began to steady. The faint light in his eyes flickered as he started to look around, aware of his surroundings.

However, Evelyn didn't notice any of it. Her attention was somewhere else entirely. She was staring at something in the air. Her eyes darted as if trying to read something invisible.

She cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Kade, can you see this screen?" she asked, her voice filled with bewilderment as she pointed at the empty air in front of her.