Death Slumber
A peculiar condition that even science can't explain.
It shook nations at its core. No matter how long they try to unveil this mysterious phenomenon. Symptoms included the complete shutdown of all motor skills, then consciousness. After an hour or so, the victim's heart stops beating. Nobody managed to survive.
No matter how healthy a person was, once this condition strikes, it's game over.
Hence, the condition is dubbed "Death Slumber".
***
"Yawn..."
Rubbing her eyes, a lady in her twenties was met by the chirps of the birds and the dazzling rays of the sun. She has jet-black hair that reaches her knees and dark brown eyes, a slightly tanned skin tone, and a physique and feminine charms fitting her age. She reached out to her phone to see what time it was.
It's already seven o'clock in the morning.
She got up and was met by her mother's stern eyes.
"Ma, sorry, I overslept."
"Mhm. Go take your bath. Don't worry about breakfast; I'm on it."
Despite her demeanor, the mother was kind. She was the embodiment of mercilessness and kindness merged into one.
As she took her time taking a bath, Brently flinched. Memories she tried to bury resurfaced once more, inflicting mental strain on her.
"It'll be okay. It'll be okay. That won't happen again."
Her mumbles were drowned by the sound of water as she poured it to wash her body.
She was not into horror movies, yet she was forced to watch one as she was with her classmates. It was nighttime and their visual aid was complete for their reporting tomorrow. Brently notified her mother that she couldn't come home beforehand, and her mother agreed.
"I wonder if we could watch this one?"
Her eyes landed on the DVD case. The movie was about a group of people killing themselves for the sake of their own survival.
She initially wanted to oppose the idea, but she got the short end of the stick–the majority vote wins. Four of them squealed and giggled, while she was terrified of what she was seeing.
Blood gushing out.
Intestines pulled from a living person.
Some burned to a crisp, some drowned.
It's an hour and a half of unsavory memory for Brently. Not everyone could handle these kinds of films, despite the claims of it being fiction. For her, it's better to watch foreign dramas or listen to her favorite music genre than to see this abomination. The moment her group decided to retire for the night, Brently sighed in relief, believing that she could now rest. However, sleep eluded her thanks to the horrors that stuck in her mind.
"Brently, I and your father will be away for a couple of days. Just cook your portion, alright?" Her mother continued in a sorrowful voice, "I was really looking forward to our family bonding, but it has to be canceled."
It's the parent's job to nurture their children for the future, and Brently understood that well. Sometimes, they need to sacrifice their time for the family.
"Don't be, Ma. I know. You and Pa are doing your best for us all."
In her case, Brently's parents were both working at the same corporation and were often away thanks to the tasks given by their superiors.
"Take care out there, Ma. I don't have class on Saturday and Sunday. I'll just stay here at home."
Her mother smiled and nodded.
"I'll make sure to bring souvenirs!"
Brently and her two other siblings were pampered to a degree, while still keeping their humility intact. Her brother and sister already left the nest, however, making her the only person left in the house.
"Can you bring some donuts instead?"
Her mother smiled and nodded.
"Hmm..."
The night soon came. Brently was in the living room eating some dried mangoes as she watched her favorite foreign drama about an ancient individual searching for his one true love to pull out the object that granted him eternal life and be free from the shackles binding his heart.
"Agh, he's stern but so kind."
The drama ended after half an hour. She then scanned for the news for the weather forecast tomorrow. She was planning on washing her clothes and would cancel it if needed. As she jumped from one channel to another, she came across a news report about the mystical death of a celebrity.
According to the news, the lady was perfectly fine when she suddenly stumbled and lost consciousness. That happened yesterday, and today was her confirmed death.
"...Some say she was poisoned, some say she was hiding an illness. The investigation is underway, so we can't conclude until then."
The news continued with condolences coming from various people, so Brently resumed looking for a weather forecast.
That was the last thing she remembered.
***
"Brently? Can you open the door?"
The voice came from Brently's mother who just got home, carrying a box of donuts she asked to bring. The mother called her out since she figured she was awake thanks to the faint audio coming from their television.
"That's strange. Was she too focused on what she was watching right now?"
As Brently's mother pondered for answers, she grabbed the key to their house from the purse.
"Hey, Brently. I'm home!"
Mother called out once again, yet didn't get any response.
However, as she stepped into the living room, she found her daughter gasping for breath, as pale as a ghost.
***
"W-what is happening?"
Tired and battered, she made her way to the woods.
The moment she finally found a weather forecast, things began to swirl, and the remote she was holding that time fell the moment she felt numb.
She woke up in a forest. The location was deprived of the life she saw once in a documentary—just eternal, deafening silence. The leaves were black, glowing faintly. The leaves were the sole reason why Brently could see where she was going. Moreover, the setting has only two colors; black and white. To her, it was like she was in a 90s movie.
"This might be one of those. A nightmare. I'll soon wake up. I'm sure of it."
She murmured to herself, trying to shake off her uneasiness, as she traversed wherever her legs took her.
Then came to a stop.
Ahead of her was an orb dimly glowing, similar to the leaves of this forest. Upon closer look, Brently noticed that inside the orb was a piece of paper.
Curiosity got the best of her, and Brently hesitantly reached out. The moment her fingertip touched it, a surge of pain prickled her mind.
"AGHHHHHH!? M-my head! It hurts!"
She knelt on both knees, caressing her head with both hands. Inside her head, texts written in blood appeared. Letter by letter, the message revealed itself.
"A PAIN-LOVING DEMON CHASING, SNEERING
STABBED WITH A KNIFE WILL CAUSE YOU DOOM
AN OUNCE OF COURAGE, DOMINEERING
WHAT YOU DO TO YOURSELF MAKES IT GLOOM."
"KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
"W-what is that!?"
Before she could pull herself together, a ghastly shriek from afar shattered through her current fragile state.