Chapter 2: Release
Katelynn's surroundings and her world shook, accompanying a terrifying blast she heard earlier.
Dust dropped from the ceiling while the lights intensely flicker. She would think it's an earthquake if not for the ear-shattering boom earlier.
After the initial shock, Katelynn's heart immediately sank.
"Father and Ken!"
She exclaimed before running out of the restroom. But as she opened the door, a cloud mixed with dust and smoke immediately covered her face.
Cough cough*
But Katelynn didn't stop as she covered her mouth. Her eyes were teary amidst the running. What was in front of her was just plain hell. No matter what she had gone through all her life, this one just shook her very core.
Rubbles, flames, and corpses were everywhere. When her ears finally recovered from the initial shock, she could faintly hear terrified screams. These screams were far from her because the people around her no longer have the ability to scream.
Katelynn didn't stop to look for survivors, she only have one priority on her mind!
Cough!*
Her breath was getting unstable. No matter how much she covers her mouth and nose with her dress, smoke and dust will eventually make their way in, making her out of breath faster than normal. It was irritating how she forgot her handkerchief which she could not find in her sling bag right now.
However, the family restaurant was not far and so, she eventually reach it...
"..."
It was the same as the scene before.
Rubbles...
... flames...
... and-
Katelynn recognized the burned detached head in front of her. Instead of crying, she just stood there, unable to comprehend the situation.
A black stare was all that she could give before she fell onto her knees.
At that moment, there was only one thing that popped out of her head. She didn't ask why this happened and how. Her trembling hands only reached out for her sling bag.
Taking out the pocket knife, she unsheathed it and with a jerk, she thrusts the blade towards the vital part of her neck.
Clang*
"Ah...?"
Slicing her cheek, the blade was shattered into pieces in her hands. Something hit it and that impact tipped her off-balance, letting her land onto the ground.
Her father's smiling face was just in front of her. However, it was just a burnt head with no life and body underneath it.
Footsteps soon entered Katelynn's ears.
She looked in the direction of it and heard.
"... I missed?"
There, she saw a hooded and masked man holding a gun. The gun was pointed at her. She still has no idea what's happening but she just closed her eyes.
The man frowned at this strange girl as if she's asking for death.
He pointed the gun at her as he walked closer. At the same time, a part of the building crumbled.
Bang*
Hair strands fell as the bullet hit Katelynn's head by centimeters.
The man frowned. His other hand took the gun so that he can shake his hand and keep his aim again. Afterward, his main hand took the gun-
Bang bang bang*
-he practiced at the mannequins far away first before pointing it towards Katelynn once more. Three mannequins were all hit headshots.
After that crumbling though, a piece of rubble from the ceiling fell-
Bang*
The bullet hit it, shattering it into dust and fragments instead of piercing Katelynn's forehead. The only thing that hit her forehead was the biggest fragment, scraping her skin.
"... what the?"
The man whispered as Katelynn opened her eyes in pain. Dumbfounded, the man walked closer and, at a blank point, placed the gun on her forehead.
At this point, Katelynn knew that she should die here. So, to fill her final curiosity, she asked.
"Are you the one responsible?"
She didn't ask more, it's obvious what she's talking about. But the man didn't answer back and just pulled the trigger-
There was a clack instead of a bang.
The creases on the man's forehead increases. He removed the magazine from his firearm and as expected, there were no bullets.
He looked at the mannequins and sighed. His hand then reached out for his pockets for spare magazines but...
"Hm...?"
After finding out that there was nothing, he then heard a quiet sobbing.
"I knew it... I can't die..."
Katelynn limply bit her teeth, piquing the man's interest. She had held it all to herself.
Thinking that everything would be fine and that she will get used to it, she kept all the negative feelings bottled up. Now that there was no more escape for her, she couldn't help but just let it all out.
With no strength to even lift her finger and wipe her tears, she just relentlessly cried.
"What do you mean you can't die?"
The man finally spoke. This was the catalyst that truly opened the dam bottled up inside Katelynn's chest.
"I don't know...! I just can't! No matter what, something would happen that will let me avoid death. Maybe that's why I'm so unlucky! Every day, I have to go through pain little by little! My only world is my family and now they're dead ahhh...!"
"... is that true?"
The man asked but Katelynn just continued crying. Her cries echoed throughout the mall. However, there were no more people who could hear her.
She revealed everything that she haven't even revealed to her father.
Ever since she moved to her apartment, she tried every possible way of killing herself. But they all failed. She just couldn't die...
Unexpectedly though, the man didn't seem to doubt her.
"When did this start?"
"... ah?"
She looked at the man with a pitiful expression. However, her mind was in a mess to properly answer the man's question.
"Since I cannot kill you, I'll have to take you away."
"W-what?"
Katelynn was utterly stupefied. Not with the second sentence but the first.
"You believe me?"
The man nodded and pointed at his gun as if saying he have already experienced it. Although she didn't ask it, he explained.
"Also, I cannot leave any witnesses alive. Since I cannot kill you, I'll have to take you away." he repeated.
"... cannot leave... any witnesses alive...?"
Katelynn muttered and her mind had finally latched onto that thought.
'This is the man who killed my family...'
From a pitiful expression to glaring daggers, Katelynn revealed a ferocious aura. If she cannot be killed, she will at least kill this man. This was the first time she actually want to harm another person, let alone murder.
On her side, she took the piece of rubble that hit her earlier. Without any warning, she pounced towards him. Her eyes have gone mad.
"AHHHH!!!"
Katelynn cried along with her attack but before she could even reach him, his hand grasped her neck and pinned her to the ground. There was a thud when her head hit the floor, making her dizzy.
"From now on, you will be my toy."
Those were the last words she heard as tears poured from her eyes. Eventually, her sight turned dark.
Katelynn finally lost consciousness.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone