6 Hours Earlier

  Aiden woke with a start as his mother called his name, instructing him to wake up. He rubbed his eyes, trying to force them to adjust to the light from the window.

  Morning already?

  It felt as though he had only had a few hours’ sleep. He glanced around his room, spotting the untidy pile of comics on the floor by his bed. He had spent most of the night squinting through the darkness, reading through them for what felt like the thousandth time. But that didn’t matter to him. The stories of the old heroes fighting evil always excited him, no matter if he knew how they ended. He would marvel at their powers, whether it was controlling ice, super strength, or – his favourite – controlling the shadows themselves. He stared at the cover of the comic on the top of the pile. It featured the strongest heroes in the world – “The Alliance” – facing off against their greatest enemy, ‘Ragnarok’. As always, the heroes won in the end, but Ragnarok gave them a run for their money, facing off against all six members of the team at once and holding his own. He even nearly killed ‘Sanguine’ in their final battle, but she was saved by ‘Eclipse’, who used his shadow manipulation to put an end to ‘Ragnarok’ once and for all. Aiden wondered to himself how this battle played out in real life, whether the events had been dramatized for the comic version, or if it even happened at all. But it didn’t matter to him. The hero’s strength, their bravery, and their teamwork, it inspired him, and made him want to be better.

  If only you were still here.

  “Aiden!”

  He was snapped back to reality as his mother entered the room, a stern look on her face.

  “Get up, you’re wanted in the main square.” Aiden nodded in acknowledgement and shot out of bed, throwing on his clothes, consisting of an oversized cotton t-shirt, holey jeans and a jumper that had seen better days.

  He walked from his bedroom to the door of their shelter, which was made up of three small rooms – two bedrooms and an entrance way/living area. Aiden stepped over a small puddle of water growing in the ‘living area’, created from a leak in the roof. Water often spilled in on stormy nights through the many gaps in the wooden planks making up the roof, but thankfully they had not had a bad storm in a while. This small puddle was the result of a short shower of rain from the previous day. As Aiden stepped out into the sunshine, his feet landed on the soft grass that covered the entirety of his village.

  He glanced around, taking in the morning air and the smell of the damp grass. People were busy at work all around him, rushing to tend to animals, chopping wood, prepping for expeditions, tending to crops, and so on.

  His village was made up of a wooden shelter, put together using wood from the trees in the surrounding area. Aiden could tell they had been built a long time ago by people who didn’t really know what they were doing, but it didn’t matter – it was his home, and always had been. Some of the more well-made houses had metal walls and roofs, but these were reserved for the higher ups in their society – those who made decisions and ran the whole village. He walked through the busy ‘streets’, heading towards the edge of the village where the main square was located. It was here that votes would be held, parties would be thrown, and people would gather to hold meetings. It overlooked the river, across which you could see the nearby city, lying abandoned.

  As he got closer, he passed the ancient sign on which the village was named after.

  ‘Liberty State Park’.

  Aiden often wondered to himself what it had looked like before the village founders had settled here, before they had built the large patchwork walls that surrounded the village – leaving the river facing side the only one uncovered. As he turned the final corner, Aiden spotted a group of people stood in the square, with Gideon at the centre.

  Gideon was the current leader of the town, having been elected last year. He was tall, strong, with dark knowledgeable eyes, and a greying beard, showing his age. Aiden approached the group and was greeted by Gideon, who called his name in a strong, booming voice.

  “What’s going on?” He asked. It was not often Aiden was summoned to speak with Gideon, and he liked it that way. Something about Gideon was off-putting. Maybe it was the large scar that made its way from his chin over his left eye, changing its colour to a milky white. Aiden had never asked how he got it.

  “Thank you for coming. We’ve been talking, and we’ve decided it’s time for you to go on your first expedition.”

  Aiden stopped.

  “What? Really?” He gasped. He hadn’t thought this would happen yet. He wasn’t prepared, not really. He had only been trained in combat like everyone else, having been taught the basics back when he was growing up by the more experienced fighters.

  “Yes. We think you’re ready. But don’t get too excited. It’s just a simple scavenging mission. Nothing exciting, so don’t get your hopes up for seeing any action. We just think it’s about time you get out there.”

  Aiden’s heart began pumping faster. He had been waiting for this moment, the moment when he would be able to make a difference. Maybe he could be like the old heroes after all…

  “No! Absolutely not!”

  Aiden spun around to find his mother storming towards the group.

  “He’s only 16, he’s too young to go out there. Who knows what could happen to him.” She pleaded to Gideon, grabbing Aiden by the shoulders, pulling him away from the group ever so slightly.

  “Sophia, please. I think the boy is old enough now to begin seeing what’s really out there. He has the gift too, it’s time he starts to learn more about it.”

  Sophia stood firm, not backing down. Aiden turned to face her, breaking free from her grasp.

  “Mom, please, I’ve been waiting for this, I’m ready. Please. Nothing bad will happen, it’s only a short scavenging mission.”

  Sophia took a moment, staring into the deep brown eyes of her son, reaching out to ruffle his dark, messy hair as she used to do when he was just a child. But she could see now, he was not a child anymore.

  “Promise me you’ll come back.” She pleaded.

  “I promise.”

  ***

  The scavenging party consisted of five people – two scavengers, two fighters, and Aiden. Their mission was simple – head into the city, search an abandoned shopping mall for resources, and return to base. The mall had already been scouted a few days prior to ensure there were no hostiles in the area, and it was given all clear, ready to be signed off by Gideon. Once he had checked all the details, he gave the mission a green light, and began preparing. It was then that he decided to send Aiden along with the more experienced members of the team, and with it being a relatively safe outing, Gideon thought now would be the best time to get Aiden working. Perhaps now they could really start to make use of his gift.

  The group had set off no more than an hour after the meeting had taken place. They didn’t want to waste any light and so had wasted no time in getting Aiden prepared for the outing. He was given an old rucksack containing a flask of water and some bread. The scavengers didn’t like to take any unnecessary items that may weigh them down in their outings, and so took with them only the essentials to get through the mission. For Aiden, alongside the food and water, this included a small knife with a blade no more than 5 inches long – for self-defence only. He had held it in his hand, rotating it, getting used to the weight. He had had some training with blades like this in the past, but never liked them – and had never had to use one for real. He gulped at the thought of having to plunge the blade into an enemy, feeling it sinking into the flesh, knowing what it was doing to them. He shook his head, shaking the thought away with it, and thrust the blade into the back of his belt, where he would be able to grab it in an emergency.

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  Now, the group walked through the overgrown streets of what was once New York City. It had long since been deserted, left to be reclaimed by nature. These streets had once been filled with people, filled with the sound of chattering and traffic. Now they stood empty.

  Silent.

  Trees had sprouted through cracks in the sidewalk, growing high into the air, creating new areas of shade and shadow. Long grass covered most of the floor, creating a bed for the group to walk through – softening their footsteps. The grass drifted gently in the breeze, and Aiden reached down, feeling it flow through his fingers as the group advanced towards their goal.

  Aiden was in awe. He had never been into the city itself, only seen it from the village square. Far away, it almost looked as though nothing had happened, as though the city as still alive, frozen in time. But up close, he could see this was far from true. It was almost beautiful. Nature reclaiming what was rightfully hers. But there was something not quite right about it all. Something unsettled Aiden. He glanced around at the other members of the group and noticed them looking around, scanning their surroundings. He didn’t know how, or why, but he could tell they sensed it too.

  “We’re nearly there,” announced James, the group’s leader, breaking the silence. Aiden guessed he was around thirty, tall with a strong build and broad shoulders. His dirty blonde hair was cut very thin, almost showing his scalp.

  As the group turned the next corner, Aiden’s eyes fell on their destination. The entrance to the building was made of stone, with large pillars erected, appearing to hold up the roof, and the words, “Marketplace Shopping Centre” were carved into the centre of the archway. Mould and plants covered the outside of the centre, blocking any light from entering through the cracked windows. Vines hung from the top of the archway, obscuring the stone carvings, and almost hung down to the ground. The entrance had been boarded up a long time ago, but thanks to the scouting mission earlier in the week the barricades had been removed, leaving the doors free to open. James took the lead, pushing them slowly, the ancient metal creaking as it swung open.

  It was like a black hole had been opened in front of Aiden. The sunlight itself seemed afraid to enter the building, instead choosing to wait on the outskirts of the door frame. Did the scouts really think this place was safe to enter?

  “Mike, you’re up.”

  James turned back to face Mike, one of the more experienced scavengers, who began to walk towards the opening. Aiden watched him closely as he approached, seeing the concentration and determination on his face.

  Is he always this serious?

  Aiden’s heart was beginning to pound more and more. He couldn’t shake the feeling something was off. He turned away from the group to look back down the desolate streets but could not see anything but overgrown architecture.

  Silence.

  He turned back to the group to see Mike looking down into his hands. His eyes were closed, a look of peace now replacing his look of determination. He opened his mouth slowly, taking in air, holding it, and releasing it again in one smooth motion. As he did so, Aiden noticed a glow begin to appear on his face. It was soft, warm and very faint. He shifted his focus to Mike’s hands, where he found the origin of the light.

  Between his fingers, a small orb of light began to grow. It had no solid matter, and seemingly no solid centre. It was more like a liquid than a solid, flowing in an invisible container between Mike’s hands. Slowly and delicately, Mike began to pull his fingers apart, pinching them together as he did so, as if he was pulling on the invisible strings of the container. This action pulled the orb, growing it in his hands and making it’s glow stronger, now spreading onto Aiden and into the darkness of the building. Aiden could feel it’s warmth on his face as the orb grew to the size of his head. Mike stopped pinching, moving his hand underneath the orb, cupping it but not touching it. It sat just above his skin, floating.

  He stepped into the darkness of the mall, turning to face the group as he did so, the side of his face illuminated by his orb of light.

  “Let’s go.”

  The group swept through the first floor of the mall, checking each of the units as they went for supplies. Most of them had been searched already, but they did find the occasional tin of food or medical item that could be used back at the village. William stuck close to the others, following instructions by James. They used Mike’s orb for light, moving as one cohesive unit through the shopping centre. Once the had cleared the first floor, they moved up to the second, climbing up the long still escalator. Here, the group took a moment to pause and debate which section of the mall should be their first stop.

  Aiden stayed quiet during the discussion, opting instead to scan the area around them. Though the orb provided some light for their immediate location, the mall was so dark that it could not spread far. As Aiden scanned the area around them, not sure what he was looking for, his eyes fell upon a sign reflecting the orb’s light.

  ‘Sal’s Collectibles’.

  Aiden felt a smile spreading across his face. He had heard of these shops. He knew they sold comics, maybe they would have some left, maybe they hadn’t all been taken. He turned back to face the group.

  “There’s a shop, just over there. It might have some stuff we could use. Can I go check it out?” he interrupted. James glanced over in his direction, looking past him towards the collectible shop. He let out a sigh and shook his head, disappointed that these so-called supplies were useless. He looked back at Aiden. He really was just a child. But the area seemed secure.

  “Fine. But do not go out of the light. And I mean even an inch.”

  “Agreed.” Aiden felt a wave of relief flow over him as he turned and began walking over to the shop. The uneasy feeling he had had mostly gone now, but there was still a part of it lingering in the back of his mind. The area did seem secure, having been boarded up for so long, but what if something had come in after the scouts had been? He slowed his pace, scanning the area ahead of him. Through the dim light of the orb, Aiden could make out the shapes of various aisles. The floor was scattered with loose papers, pages torn from comics. Aiden lowered himself to his knees, sifting through the papers in the hopes that he would find at least one comic intact. Even just one would give him something new to read, another new adventure to lose himself in, more heroes to admire.

  As he shifted a pile of pages to the side, his hands fell upon the very thing he was searching for. He picked t up, squinting through the darkness to make out the title. His eyes widened and his smile grew as he saw the comic read, “Eclipse”. On the cover was the shadow manipulator, Eclipse, in his first solo outing facing off against The Crimson Claw. He looked no older than Aiden’s age, his jet-black hair and dark eyes still intact on the cover. He showed no fear, despite his age, and was locked in a battle pose. Aiden flicked through the book, checking the page numbers. They were all there. He slipped off his rucksack, placing the book gently inside. He felt his smile growing wider as he prepared to search once again.

  As Aiden began his search, he tilted his head up slightly and found himself being watched.

  In front of him, no more than three feet away, were a pair of eyes, reflecting the orbs light. They were small, beady, unblinking, but they hadn’t been there before. Aiden was sure of it. He froze, his smile wiped from his face. Whatever it was wasn’t moving now, instead staring back at him. His heart pounded, and he could feel a bead of sweat begin to roll down his face. Aiden squinted even more, trying to make out what the eyes belonged to.

  And then it moved.

  The creature hopped closer to him, now only two feet away, close enough that Aiden was able to make out what it was.

  A raven.

  He breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a bird. He could almost laugh at how scared he had felt when he had seen the eyes. Of course it was just a bird. It sat there, head tilted slightly to one side, watching Aiden with curious eyes.

  It was here that Aiden realised what was wrong. What had been so unsettling throughout their journey to the mall. When they had left the village, the sounds of nature had been all around them and birds had been chirping. But as they moved deeper into the city, it had only gotten quieter, until it was silent.

  No birds.

  But here was one now, staring at him, unmoving. Why were there none outside, but there was one here, exactly where the group had been heading? His blood ran cold as he locked eyes with the bird once again. Still, it stared at him, silent. Aiden began to slowly get to his feet, hoping to retreat to the safety of the group. He raised his leg, resting only on one knee now.

  The bird took this opportunity, and launched itself into the air, charging towards Aiden. It collided with his face, knocking him back to the ground and causing him to yell out in pain as it’s claws scratched at his face. Instinctively he lashed out at the bird, punching it and sending it flying across the room, crashing in to one of the many book cases. Aiden sprung to his feet and sprinted back towards the group who had already go to their feet in reaction to the noise of the attack.

  “The birds!” was all Aiden could manage to get out before he was knocked to the ground once again. The raven had managed to recover and had given chase, landing on the back of Aiden’s head, taking him by surprise and sending him crashing to the ground, skidding towards the group. Its wings thrashed around as Aiden desperately tried to knock it off.

  James sprang into action, charging towards Aiden and the raven, grabbing it by the neck and dragging it off the boy. He pulled it into the air, refusing to release it despite it’s thrashing and scratching at his arm.

  As he began to squeeze the bird tighter, Aiden managed to get back to his feet, watching as it’s feathers began to fall. The raven’s flesh began to glow slightly, before appearing to dry and crack. In what felt like an instant, the dry skin began to flake away, spreading from the bird’s neck, where James held a firm grip. It was as though the raven had been turned into dirt, the flakes and dust falling through James’ fingers to the floor beneath. He turned his gaze towards Aiden, before glancing back to the others.

  “We need to go. Now. This isn’t sa…”

  Aiden heard the sound before he noticed the impact. Something hard had hit James’ shoulder, shattering upon impact and sending him staggering backwards. His hand reached out to where the projectile had made impact, feeling something cold and hard. He groaned in pain as a cold sensation began spreading from his shoulder across his chest and up his neck. Aiden watched on in horror as a smooth surface begin to cover James’ body, spreading over one side of his face, causing him to wince.

  Ice.

  Aiden tried to reach out to help but stopped dead as another projectile made impact with James. This time, the ice must have been sharper, as instead of shattering, the projectile sank deep into James’ side, tearing chunks of cold flesh off, sending them flying and shattering on the floor. Blood spilled from the hole, dripping onto the ground and creating a large pool beneath his feet.

  Aiden could do nothing but watch as James uttered his final words before collapsing backwards.

  “Run…”