A/N: Well, this story came around as my Flash Fiction project in ELA class a while back. Some things about this story I did not like much, such as the ending, but I think it is a good piece to showcase my skills, as I will be writing a trilogy here starting June 2008, in the Supernatural genre, and it will be big. Like Lord of the Rings. Nah, I'm kidding. But it will be big. I might write a sequel for my next Flash Fiction project, and post it here if you guys like this. Please read and review, I'm a budding author from Fan Fiction that truly needs a lot of help to learn how to write outside of an already made universe!

Fate

People always say that fate is inevitable, that no matter how you try to change the destiny, it is like a living thing, adapting to assure what the ending result will be. That seemed so unlikely, not many believed it. I didn’t either. But now, with everything the world has become, I wonder if that’s the truth. If fate desired for the world to become like this, will it make sure I-or anyone else-cannot change it, this apocalypse?

As I sit here, on this torn couch, looking out my window at this wreck that was once a thriving city, I cannot help but question what I can possibly do. Houses were in ruins, the ones left struggling to hold their structure. The Golden Gate Bridge in the distance was split right down the middle, a large chunk of emptiness separating both sides. Storm clouds swirled overhead, droplets of water bounced off of every broken and battered surface it impacted. I used to think those were tears of despair, of people weeping for this hopeless wasteland.

Slowly, I reached out my arm from my lap, gripping around the bundle of string by the window. I pulled on them quickly, moving one hand on top of the other as I pulled. The blinds pulled up from the middle height of the window, stopping at the top. I then reached both of my hands towards the window, pulling it up. The cool air swirled into the room, giving it life. I let the wind tickle my face, closing my eyes and letting all of my thoughts slipping away. After minutes of relaxation, I slowly opened my hazel eyes, putting out my right arm. It slipped through the opening in the window, instantly getting drenched by the heavy onslaught of rain. I took in the refreshing sensation, clear liquid sliding across my smooth, slightly pale, skin.

My eyes darted around the area, looking for anyone else that could be out there. I looked down to the right. Nothing greeted my vision. I looked to the left, nothing. Sitting on a busy intersection helped with searching as well, looking down the numerous pathways to the park across the street. Still, nothing came to me. I reached out for the blinds, ready to close it, but then something caught my attention.

A figure emerged from the park, hands tucked into a crimson sweater pocket. The hood was on, concealing the figure’s profile. However, I could get a little of his build, revealing he was a male. He crossed the street, shoulders relaxed. Obviously, he had some assurance of his safety, despite the circumstances. He leaned against a street pole, taking out a bottle of pills. The bottle was jet black. He was using those. My eyes opened slightly, a little more interested in this man.

He uncapped it, and pulled out one pill, the same color as the bottle. He looked up at the sky, and his hood fell off to reveal a crooked nose, icy azure eyes, and wild blonde hair. He opened his mouth wide, dangling the pill above his lips. He dropped it after a moment or so, and swallowed. Moments after, his entire body convulsed, his right arm clutching his left tightly. His teeth gritted tightly, even shaking. He almost fell, but the street post held him. Then he stopped convulsing, a wide, eerie smile wrote itself upon his face. As he turned, I saw a long extension coming from the left sleeve, but I could not tell what it was from my distance. I was going to squint to see if it would help, but instead I paused, my face turned a sickly pale.

He turned towards me, our gazes meeting. Dark, malicious intent swirled within his eyes. I knew what would happen, having gone through it tons of times. I quickly pulled my arm out, leaving the window open but closing the blinds. However, I knew it was far too late now. I silently cursed at myself for not realizing to close the window after someone came too close. The lack of sleep must have been getting to me, but I slipped up, and it was going to hurt, big time.

“Darn it,” I cursed under my breath, running for the narrow hallway. I pulled a rope hanging from there, yanking on it a few times. Taking a piece of string out, I turned towards the room I was in, reaching into my back pocket. I drew a gleaming pistol, pulling out a bullet from the same pocket. Pushing it into the weapon with my thumb, I loaded it, and then it came.

The knock on the door was violent, obviously knowing someone was here. I darted around in alarm, and looked into my kitchen. I dashed for the shadows within it, just as the door was knocked down with a loud crash of wood. I trembled slightly, holding the gun tightly, as my hands turned white from how hard I clenched it. I was even afraid of pulling the trigger by accident in my panic, which would get me killed.

And then the door crashed down, my fear growing as if an internal infection. I could hear the loud, swaying footsteps move into the main room, right where I saw him before. He looked out the window, in almost the exact same way I did. Then he turned, facing the darkness that shrouded my form.

“Kid, I know you’re here,” the man stated. “I’m not stupid. I saw you across the street. Hide as you might, I’m going to get you.”

“I’ve dealt with worse than you,” I spat. “You’re nothing to me.”

“Oh, is that the case?” he questioned mockingly. “Well maybe this will change your mind. I know you can see and know what this is.”

He held his left arm up into the air, the sleeve falling back. What came was a disturbing sight that would fuel my nightmares for weeks. His arm was completely normal, a little more than you muscular average, but when you got to his wrist, veins bulged, and extending over his arm was a long steel blade, shining brightly.

“Like I said, I’ve still dealt with worse than you,” I lied.

“Oh, we’ll see,” he laughed menacingly.

Then he turned towards me, our eyes meeting once more. I rolled backwards quickly into the hallway, and then ran to the right. He did not follow me, instead his eyes moving where I would probably be.

“You’re quick for being such a little runt,” he complimented. “But, I still know where you’ll be. Running isn’t an option, and neither is hiding. Sorry kid, got nothing against you, but you know that people have to do whatever they can to survive, even if they have to stomp on a few daisies along the way.”

As he talked, I sat in the shadows, holding the pistol up to his head. Then, I yanked on the rope, which rested loosely in between my legs. The man swiveled around, and his eyes darted to the bucket that plummeted towards him. That was all the time I needed. Rushing out from the hallway, I stumbled into the main room, lining the gun up to his head from across the room. He spun around and raced at me, his sword at the ready. Time seemed to slow down as tears spilled down my face like a rushing river. My eyes shut tightly in fear and sorrow. I loathed with all I had to go through this experience once again.

“I’m sorry,” I cried, and pulled the trigger. A loud bang erupted into the air, echoing throughout the desolate shell that used to be San Francisco. I opened my eyes slowly, and saw that the long blade was a hair’s length away from my neck. The bullet drove right through the man’s weak and crooked nose, and I know where it ended up. The man fell to the floor in a crumpled heap.

My world, the world of 2020, as I’ve been recording since day one, hasn’t always been this way. Twelve year olds haven’t had to live on their own, using weapons to slaughter people who are only out for themselves, to kill those who stand in their path. Nothing this vile, this sickening to live through, could’ve started out even like this. I used to have a completely normal life, with a mom, dad, friends, and everything else one of average wealth usually has. It was a simple, but rewarding life. This was the case, at least, until three years ago, when I was just turning nine.

Nobody truly knows the whole story, but this is what I’ve gathered from the very few who I have spoken with since I left Washington DC on my own. The United States government was working on a top secret project that involved experimental drugs. They had serious effects, and even added things to your genetic code. The government began using them in the military for war and conquest, able to win any wars that came their way. But then things got out of their control. Enemies of America were somehow able to attain these drugs, and the wars that resulted were the most violent in history. The public then attained this power too, and the government crumbled, along with civilization as a whole. In the process of three years, the world became like this. Out of everyone I knew in the life before I’m the only survivor.

The drug that started it all came in black bottles, and the pills themselves were black. You can only ingest one pill the first time, or you will die. Now, what made these pills so dangerous is what they did to their subjects. It gave the user the ability to become stronger, faster, more agile, and able to endure extreme pain and bodily damage. A man could survive hundreds of rounds of Gatling gun shots, and still keep going. It also gave the user abilities according to their genes. Some could shoot fire from their mouths. Others could mutate things to grow out of their body, like that nice, jolly old guy that dropped by a few minutes ago. But, there are some serious drawbacks too. Nothing that good would come that easy. For one thing, it makes you go insane. Messes with your mind like a real illegal drug would. And you can only use it for short period. If you experience its effects for too long, well, you’ll die. You heart will stop, and that’ll be it.

I picked up the small bag sitting on the floor, and put my pistol back into my rear pocket. I got out of the house as fast as I could. Everyone in the neighborhood would’ve heard the ruckus of the home invasion. As always, these homes are temporary, the moment something goes wrong, you have to keep moving. I started in Washington, DC, and look where I am now.

I ran up the staircase towards the roof. People would be looking in the streets for me, but taking the high way would keep me safe, as long as I didn’t screw up on jumping or anything. I kicked open the door to the roof, and walked across the surface of it, stopping to observe the figure in front of me.

It was a man that appeared to be in his twenties, but somehow still had white hair. He had sharp green eyes with a slit going down the middle, which wasn’t exactly normal. These were side effects of the drug, altering genetics such as hair, so I didn’t mind much. His skin was the palest I have ever seen; it could’ve been pure gray. He wore black under the tattered beige cloak he wore, but I couldn’t tell what else was under the cloak.

“Do you know who I am?” he asked. I was prepared to shake my head no, but I remember someone just like him. Almost every time I got into a skirmish, a man with a tattered beige cloak was there, observing me, analyzing me. It was truly unsettling to see the same man before me, finally revealed.

“Yes,” I nodded.

“Good. Do you want to help restore the world, boy?” the man questioned. A long moment of silence passed before I spoke once more.

“Yes. But how could you?” I inquired in return.

“All you have to do is follow me,” he promised, extending his hand out to me. “You and I are going to kill the one who made this drug to take over humanity, and save the world.”

Something within me agreed, but on the other hand, something also resisted. Could I really trust him? Is it possible to save this wasteland? How does he know all of this? The questions that gnawed at my mind ceased and with my mind unified I made my decision. I reached my hand out to take his, and then everything went black.

Hours later, I stood in the middle of a long street, standing before a massive, newly built skyscraper. It literally did scrape the sky, splitting the storm clouds around it. In front of the building was a row of armed guards, holding impressively large semiautomatic rifles. Behind me stood the very same mysterious man, who I still know nothing about.

“So, how do you expect me to help you if I can’t even fight back? No guns, not even knives. What am I supposed to do?” I questioned.

“Good question. You’re going to take this.” In my palm he placed a black pill, and I gasped in horror of what it meant. I was supposed to take it. It was like selling my life away to nothing.

“Remember, you’re doing this for the world. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices,” the man insisted. He sure knew how to convince me. With the great reluctance, I popped it into my mouth, allowing the drug’s deadly contents to enter my system.

And then it happened. My entire body convulsed, and my vision flashed in and out. I couldn’t control myself, all I saw was black. Then, just as quickly as the convulsion came on, it ceased. My vision changed, becoming greater, and more focused, the center of my vision where I saw clearer than ever before. I already knew the man who helped me was already under the pill’s effects. Just by looking into one’s eyes, you could just tell if they were under the effects or not. They seemed to give off a beacon, which I now did as well.

“Let’s go.” Those words urged me forward.

Charging at the line of guards, the drug seemed to meld to my thoughts, becoming a part of me, my identity. All worries were lost. I was completely confident, totally focused on the spirit of battle. I focused on the area behind the guards using my new sight, drawing in on it, and suddenly, I was there, like a flash. I spun around, sweeping numerous guards off their feet, my legs a blur. I pushed off into the air, and appeared behind another guard with another focus, sledge hammering him with both fists. The drug somehow made me drown out the noise of the sickening crack of bone, darting past the rest of the guards and into the building, devoid of love or happiness, like the world itself.

Destroy them all, a voice in my head urged me on. Destroy all who stand in your path. I knew that was the drug, somehow talking to me, like it was its own person, except it was completely sinister and malicious.

I turned around despite the drug’s sinister protests for me to continue the slaughter, and waited for the mysterious man, standing before nine guards in total. But he seemed even more confident than I was. Blue electricity clustered at his fingertips, forming into powerful bolts. With a snap of his wrists, the electricity arced through the air, shocking every single one of the guards. Smoke rolled off of their scorched, now empty shells as the man ran along with me, more guards jumping into our path.

Remember how they destroyed your life, your world. Kill them. Remember all the hate, the anger, the pain, and the tears.

“I remember…I remember it all!” I roared.

“Perfect,” the man sneered, smirking devilishly.

As a furious, unnatural snarl appeared on my expression, the man behind me snickered, his eyes flashing sparks of blue. The guards fired at will, bullets racing at me. I focused upon the deadly projectiles, my eyes centering upon them. As if the bullets had a will, they moved backwards, blowing towards the soldiers who wished to kill with them. Using my innate drug ability to control space, I warped right next to a guard, drilling my fist into his side. The semiautomatic flew into my hand, and I fired it at the others, causing each one to fall. The room lit up every few seconds due to the blasts of electricity the mysterious man was unleashing upon the helpless guards.

Yes, continue to kill!

That voice was so hard to describe. It was evil without a doubt, but seemed so eerily right. What it said became law, the thing that reigned over me. I tried so hard to resist and maintain dominance, but though my mind was strong, people have always said that the drug was always stronger, and they were right.

I turned to follow him through another door, but again, the drug was working its way through my thoughts, changing me, convincing me. Remember what these people have done to you, leaving you on your own while the government has their own safe haven, the rest of the world suffers endlessly, crying rivers of sorrow, death, and blood!

“Yes!” I shrieked with every ounce of energy I could put into it, finally snapping. Being only twelve years old, living alone, constantly fighting for my life without true hope really can take a serious effect. I wasn’t meant to have to go through this at such a young age, and I just couldn’t take it anymore. I knew this man was using me for his own personal gain. Someone like him probably doesn’t want to save the world. All I needed to know was that the one who ruined my life was involved, and along with the drug, I couldn’t take it. And with the loss of sanity, the drug completely took over.

Kill! Kill! Take them all for your suffering! Take their lives! Unleash the wrath of this hopeless world!

I warped through the air and into the next room, moving through one guard to another, delivering fatal blows. Suddenly, humanoid robots came at me. Their gray metallic bodies mimicked our exterior in every way, save for the clanking of hard material and the clicks of guns unfolding from their arms. More and more seemed to pour out from everywhere, taking up my entire vision.

“I can’t keep going…” I stated, black creeping to the edges of my vision.

No matter! Don’t let any limitations get in the way! DESTROY THEM!

“Do not hesitate,” the man commanded, and with my mind, will, and heart shattered, my body had no choice but to follow his.

Focusing my vision upon all of them, they suddenly disappeared. Space seemed to fold in upon them, suffocating and destroying them. The massive area of warped space crushed them with the ultimate force of space: gravity. The black hole moved the area around it, absorbing all that stood in my way. Despite the helpless cries of the guards and robots, there no was no mercy involved in what the drug had in store, and its will was mine as well. I clenched my left eye, shaking uncontrollably at the amount of effort and energy that poured into the amazing feat I executed. As the area of space finally returned to normal, I looked across the room. A very shocked man stood there, fear written on his face because of the two of us. The mysterious man pointed to him, showing he was our target.

“You’ve ruined my life,” I muttered.

“I’m sorry!” the man exclaimed.

“You’ve ruined my life! Apologies will never save you from me!” I assured, my leg muscles tensing, building up strength.

I took off with incredible speed, everything around me a blur but my target. I raced for him, and the man reached for a black bottle that hung from his waist, another one of the drugs. I knocked it out of his hand, and focused upon him, hoping to destroy him with everything I had.

But then, just as I described, it stopped. The well of life, the ultimate muscle, my heart ceased to pump, becoming still. The life faded from my eyes as the drug’s effect wore off. I collapsed on the ground, taking in my last sight of the man designated as our target ingesting one of the drugs himself.

I don’t know if that drug was fate, or fate adapting. I don’t know if my death was fate as well, that it couldn’t be escaped. I don’t know if fate wants to keep this world this way, but all I know is that despite everything I persevered, I fought against the mighty beast known as fate, and that drug took my life and many others. It seemed to take the life of the world itself. But the only question I have is why. Why? Why must fate lead to such suffering?

That was the only remaining question I had as fate wrapped her smooth, silky arms around me. I looked up into her bright, omniscient orbs of vision, coercing me to let go of everything. Fate was strong, and while my mind always questioned, my body never took a second thought, nodding in agreement. She gripped me tightly and pulled my soul out of this world of suffering. I knew she was taking me to a different place. I could only pray that this was a place where there is hope, where fate hadn’t stolen that away, too.