The Last 100 – Ch.3

I was woken up by my alarm. It forced me awake and with a groan I checked my phone. The brightness momentarily hurt my beleaguered eyes but after the pain subsided I was able to look at the small, battery shaped icon in the top right-hand corner. 9%, I had been forced to use the flashlight on my phone to make food last night and it had been a drain on the battery life. That slowly descending number made me irrationally upset and maybe it was a release of all the emotion from last night, but I descended into a fit of sobs and weeping. Whilst watching as the number slowly dropped lower and lower. It was a small problem when placed next to the others that faced me. But to me, to my traumatised eyes watching that little number tick down was like watching the life slowly drain out of an old friend.

I closed my phone and set it down on the bedside table. My eyes were sore from crying and my nose and face were caked in snot from the fit of emotion. Slightly disgusted at myself I had a shower, easing myself into the icy waters and wondering with trepidation at when the moment would be the water would follow the power and cut out. I shivered, not entirely from the cold and stepped out and dressed.

Walking into the kitchen, clad in a fresh hoodie and pair of track pants I was met with the smiling face of Wilhelm. I smiled weakly at him and raided the kitchen for some food, then, my mouth filled with a granola bar I moved his food bowl into the living room and sat down upon one of the sofas.

“Alright boy let’s check out these urgent messages then shall we.” I said with enthusiasm I didn’t feel looking up I focused my vision upon the small exclamation mark but was distracted when I saw that the 98 had descended to 97. I looked at the number and another tear wormed its way out of the corner of my eye. I shook my head, the physical action helped to banish the thoughts.

I focused my attention on the small exclamation mark and a drop-down menu appeared below it, the options that it showed were; Unspent specialisation points and Pending Notification. I selected the pending notification. When I did so another pop-up flooded my field of vision, the foreign sensation of having it appear so suddenly cause me to flinch backwards, the granola bar flying from my hand and onto the floor. I’m not sure what was worse, how annoying the suddenness they appeared with was, or the fact I was going to eventually get used to it.

Companion Request

Due to a strong bond between you and the creature “Wilhelm” it has offered you with a request of companionship. It will allow the two of you to better communicate and you will be able to sense its location at all times and access its status via your own.

Do you wish to accept this request? Y/N

I looked down at Wilhelm with surprise, he didn’t seem to notice and continued eating his food, munching away without a care in the world. I shook my head.

“For better or for worse eh boy?” I selected yes and nearly choked on my breakfast. I all of a sudden felt an indescribable oneness with Wilhelm, I understood him, his wants, his needs. I was aware of where he was, it was like I would know where he was no matter what. He was an extension of me, as much as an arm or leg. If I closed my eyes I could almost see a small translucent line running between the two of us. A visual representation of our bond now recognised by the system. When I opened my eyes again to Wilhelm, he had climbed onto me and was now staring directly into my eyes, His breath was warm on my face and the moisture began to condense on my skin, a queer sought of perspiration.

I told him to get off me and he responded almost immediately, returning to his bowl and continuing to eat. It wasn’t for several seconds until I realised that I hadn’t spoken a word or given him a visual clue. I had thought, and he had answered. We were bonded now, for better or for worse.

Still shook from my telepathic communication with my dog I opened up my status as a way to ground myself, only now it had changed.

Name: Jack Casser

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Level: 1

Specialisation: Points Available = 5

Stats:

Strength – How much physical strength you have - 8

Agility – How fast, dextrous and mobile you are - 9

Perception – How astute your senses are - 12

Intelligence – How quick your mind is at processing, interpreting and retaining information - 13

Constitution – How able you are to recover from illness and damage - 8

Charisma – How adept you are in social interactions - 5

Endurance – How tough you are and your ability to take damage - 11

Will – How tough your mind is and its ability to endure strife – 10

Companion: Wilhelm, (select to view status)

Out of curiosity I selected the companion window and my status was replace by a more simplistic version, instead now it wasn’t mine.

Name: Wilhelm

Age: 4

Gender: Male

Level: 1

Specialisation: Points Available = 0

Stats:

Ferocity: How much willpower does your companion have - 34

Power: How physically capable is your companion - 23

Loyalty: How loyal is your companion to you - 100%

I looked Wilhelm in the eye, he stared back at me, in this moment we were brothers. I rose, and he did the same. On my way out of my house I passed by the vacant room that once housed my mother. My throat went dry and my stomach fell. I forced myself to turn away from it. There were emotions there that would have to be dealt with. But right now, they weren’t my top priority. That was gaining a preparedness for these so called “Hostile Entities.” Because I was ok if I was all torn up inside, as long as I still had an inside to be torn up.