Embedded Files
By Ryan Sheppard
“Shit, I’m late.”
Edward sprang from the bed, trampling over the covers as he hurled them to the floor. With a sense of urgency, he scrambled to get dressed, his heart racing with anxiety. Hopping from one leg to the other, Edward struggled to find the opening to his trousers. His stomach grumbled, lurching as he threw on his shirt and tie.
“No time.” he winced, glancing over towards the kitchen.
Frantically searching his pockets, he felt a wave of panic wash over him as sweat began to rush down his forehead.
“Where is it? Where?”
Then, the sound of his phone alarm jolted him back to reality, A sad grimace drew upon his face witnessing the 5 unread messages sent to a supposed ‘Eleanor’. He shook his head, exhaling a deep sigh before slipping into his shoes and dashing out the apartment.
Edward trudged as fast as he could through the park, fumbling over his loosely drawn laces. He traipsed and collapsed into a number of people, from street vendors to joggers, even normal passers-by. No-one was safe from his recklessness.
The sun beat down mercilessly, its searing rays staining Edward's shirt with sweat and a sense of hopeless failure. Behind him, a dog barked loudly, its cry echoing through the park as another approached. Startled by the sudden noise, Edward stumbled over a large rock, his footing giving way beneath him. He fell forward into a murky puddle, the papers in his hand flying out and landing in the rain-soaked gravel.
Unexpected droplets kissed the back of Edward's neck, sending a shiver down his spine.
"What the..." Edward could barely speak, his voice drowned out by the thundering rainstorm before him.
Down on the ground, Edward sighed heavily, peeling back the mulch of papers scattered among the gravel. His gaze fell upon the rock he had tripped over, and he noticed a strange phenomenon—a glowing blue insignia etched into its surface. Intrigued, he reached out a tentative hand to touch it, only to recoil in pain as a sharp and penetrating static shock electrified his body.
"Ow..." Edward screamed, his hand throbbing as he withdrew it from the object, his mind racing with questions and apprehension.
As Edward peered up, a strange sense of dread washed over him. Beyond the showers erupting overhead, he surveyed his surroundings with a nervous frailty. The once-bustling city now lay eerily quiet, devoid of the usual signs of life. Fear gnawed at his insides as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.
"Where am I? What's going on?" he questioned aloud, his voice trembling with uncertainty as he scanned the empty park.
Suddenly, a rippling crash thundered from above, sending shockwaves of terror through Edward's trembling frame. With hesitant steps, he ventured into the open field, his heart pounding in his chest. Caught off guard, his knees buckled beneath him, sending him crashing to the grass below. As he lay there, his hands clutched at the soiled mud, a desperate attempt to reaffirm his sanity in the face of the surreal spectacle unfolding before him.
The sky split in two, unleashing a blinding supernova of light that bathed the park in an eerie glow. Volcanic rays of hellfire cascaded down from the portal, engulfing the landscape in chaos. Debris rained down, carving a sinkhole in front of Edward as he scrambled to his feet, torn between the urge to flee and the morbid curiosity urging him to stay.
Just as apprehension clawed at his senses, a monstrous figure emerged from the portal, crashing down into the crater. Edward's heart leaped into his throat as he stared in disbelief at the hulking beast before him. His feet felt as if they were encased in concrete, rooted to the spot by an unseen force, leaving him utterly defenceless against the creature's menacing presence.
“No, no, no. This can’t be real.” Edward muttered, squirming as he attempted to pry the sludge from his feet.
Glaring up at the shattered sky, he watched fragments of fiery light spill out amidst the sullen clouds of tornado-like mist. Thunder whipped and cracked, encircling the crater tentatively, drawing Edward closer against his will.
Standing on the edge of the pit, terror flooding his body, Edward stared helplessly at the giant figure in the center. As he cautiously approached, the sheer magnitude of the being began to alarm him. It was thrice his size, its arms stretching out like tree trunks, dwarfing Edward completely. A subtle gulp swept across him as he outstretched his hand, his skeletal claw nowhere near the size of the bulging muscles rippling across the being’s body. Tattooed etchings adorned its rough skin, revealing a history of pain from head to toe. Despite its apparent glory, the being’s skin was charred, with flesh and bone-like features sizzling with liquid magma that protruded from its chest.
Edward clambered atop the figure, sprawling across its wide chest to investigate the molten madness. Through the radiating smoke and hurling spitfalls of lava, he gazed into the voidless hole, where fractured bone and ruptured organs concealed a dark, poisoned heart, horrifically split in two. A crack of thunder whipped overhead, static malevolently whirring the ground beneath Edward and the being. He started to rock unsteadily on the being’s broad chest, rolling as they both levitated off the ground. Higher they went, with Edward unable to hold on any longer. He slipped, clawing at the rough flesh of the being, attempting to cling on, scratching bloodied nail markings across the engravings. But it wasn’t enough—Edward lost his grip.
Tumbling and tossing in a frantic panic, Edward reached out desperately, his hand trembling as it tore through exposed ribs like ivory swords, threatening to cleave through his own flesh. Uncertain whether to vomit or cry, he struck out with desperate blows, grasping the bone inlay once more with his other hand. The bones drew his hands closer, nearly tearing him apart in the process, leaving Edward to question which was worse—the excruciating pain or the impending fall.
A demonic bellow plundered the sky from above, forcing Edward to turn in terror. His gaze was blinded by jagged splinters of light cascading from the portal’s peak. Before he could avert his eyes, a beaming ray struck him, rending his chest and imbuing his heart with a magnificent fire. Collapsing faintly, Edward found himself cradling his neck in the giant's chest as his body sank into the empty crevice of the being's heart. Jolts of electricity surged through him, tearing his insides apart as sparkling yellow ripples streamed through his veins. Edward, no longer feeling human, became little more than a spectre lost to the chaos.
Struggling to blink, Edward fluttered his eyes at the portal amidst the swirling clouds. Hazily rocking as if he were drunk, he focused on the gradually forming figure looming before him. Squinting, he forcefully unveiled the image: the face of a demon glaring spitefully at him in the sky. Edward couldn't believe if any of this was real; he hoped to wake up from this nightmare soon. Then, the face in the clouds let out a mighty cry, alarmed by the glowing radiance emanating from Edward's inferior body. A surge rushed through Edward's veins, enlightening him with a shot of revival.
But as the face in the clouds began charging a shot of spectral anonymity, Edward's body reacted coldly in response. Startled awake to the face's threat, Edward's body charged up in opposition.
"What are you doing? I mean, what am I doing?" Edward bumbled worriedly, his face now directed at the figure in the sky.
Before he could process the situation, Edward's chest began to rupture.
"What—no!?" he groaned in excruciating pain, bearing down as the figure howled, firing.
With a furious growl, Edward darted his gaze at the figure, his eyes radiating a glowing yellow haze. And then, his chest exploded, unleashing an extraordinary blast of ungodly power.
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