"Now then... I know that you two might be scared, however we're going to need to work together if we want to stay on schedule. So before we do anything, I'm going to need to ask you everything about who you are, and what you've experienced."

As Sylvia said this, she looked straight toward Shane with an expression that was far different than how she looked at him before.

She no longer was looking at him as a child, but rather in the same way that she would refer to an adult.

The boy nodded in response, taking up the responsibility which was being held of him, albeit nervously.

"Alright. I... understand. I'll tell you what happened."

----

Shane was 12 years old when it happened.

He lived with his sister and his father alone for half of the year, and the other half they lived with their mother.

At the time of the cataclysm, Shane and Amy happened to be living with their father.

"Hey dad, can we go do something fun tonight?"

"Yeah! Let's go eat something and do something after!"

The boy and the girl looked to their father eagerly, awaiting his response as he looked down to them with a repentant expression.

"Sorry guys. But I'm going to have to go to sleep. Dad has work tomorrow, so I can't stay up like you guys can."

At the time of the cataclysm, it was just a couple weeks before the end of the year, and the elementary and middle schoolers were already on their winter break.

"Ehh... no fun."

"Boo..."

The two headed back to their room to rest for the night, leaving their father to his own devices.

The man headed into his own room, walking into the bathroom as he looked at himself in the mirror with a sigh.

“Even though I've risen up in the ranks this much... I feel that the more I have... the less I have."

The man began to wash his face, however it was then that the hour struck.

9:00 PM.

At that time, electricity sparked around the world, connecting the minds of all the people within it to that grid of chaos.

And this man was no exception.

The charge of lightning connected with the head of the man, and he fell forward - his lower jaw smashing into the mirror, shattering it before he flopped to the floor.

He said not a word, for he was already unconscious before this could even happen.

With this, he had died.

For the first time.

----

Shane woke up in his room next to his sister.

Everything around them was a mess.

The wood of the building seemed to be rotting. Grime and dust were everywhere, littering the surface of every object. There was a putrid smell drifting around the place, and Shane wrinkled his nose. It was as if filth had become the very norm of this world.

The boy blinked his eyes, taking in his surroundings. Just moments ago the room was clean and orderly, but now...

"What... is going on?"

Shane looked around, turning to his younger sister to see that she was slowly waking up as well.

"Brother... why did we fall asleep so quickly?"

The girl said this while rubbing her eyes, however soon she looked around to see the filth that surrounded them.

At the time, Amy was only 10 years old.

"What.... what is this?", she whispered, fear evident in her voice.

Standing up, Shane gave his sister a big smile, trying to hide his fear.

For he was the older brother.

"It's alright. Come on, Amy. Let's go get dad."

Holding out his hand to the girl, Shane forced a smile upon his face, showing the girl that no matter what happened - he was fine.

And if he was fine, then she would be fine too.

Shane was uncertain, and to be frank he was scared.

But he couldn't allow that fear to show, for if he did, then his sister too would be filled with the same fear.

"Ok, brother!"

With a cheerful grin, the girl eagerly grabbed the hand of the boy, and the two stepped out of their room to enter the living quarters.

They made their way through the grimy place which had been all but completely destroyed, and eventually came upon the door to their father's bedroom.

"Dad? Are you in there?"

Shane spoke out, expecting to hear his father's voice.

However instead, there was a loud banging sound.

"Ugh...."

"Dad!? Are you alright!?", Shane shouted. "I'm coming in!"

Opening the door, Shane and Amy were presented with a cruel reality.

Standing before them was their father.

Half of his jaw was missing.

His skin was pale blue, and he emanated rot from his body. The rotting smell was coming from him.

And now, his eyes which were once those of a caring father who worked day and night to provide carried no light of compassion within them.

Instead, they carried the mindless bloodthirst of a beast.

"D-Dad?" Amy whispered, hardly able to comprehend what she was seeing.

It was then that the zombie launched forward with a growl so unlike their father’s, opening it's mutilated mouth wide as it aimed at the head of the boy.

In that instant, Shane instinctively jumped out of the way, grabbing his sister as they fell to the ground.

And as he fell, in his mind he realized something.

‘Dad... is no longer here.’

"What.... what happened to dad?" Asked Amy, a horrified shell of the bright cheerful girl a few seconds ago.

The zombie had at this point lunged into the wall, shooting through the plaster and struggling to escape.

"Amy. We have to run."

Grabbing his sister's hand, the boy stood up, forcing the girl with him.

"But what about dad!?", the girl shouted.

“We have to run!” Shane barked, pulling her up harshly. Right now he couldn’t afford to care about small injuries like that.

With tears beginning to pool in his eyes, the boy ran forward, forcing his sister to keep pace with him.

Amy looked at Shane, and upon seeing her brother in such a state, the girl too began to tear up.

"What happened to him!?"

"I don’t know.” Shane murmured, both to himself and his sister. “I... don’t know.”

Rushing out of the apartment, the two exited to see a balding man who was looking around in both disgust and confusion.

"How could this have happened? There is rot everywhere! What poor quality apartment is this to allow for such filth to take over!? This is unacceptable!! I'm going to file a complaint right now-"

The man seemed to be pulling out his cellphone, however the two children ran down the hallway towards the man.

"Run!" the boy warned.

"Run? What are you children doing!? This is an expensive complex, you know. You can't be causing such a ruckus like this-"

"I said run! Now!”

The boy shouted out to the man and soon after, out of the apartment which they had exited, followed their father. Their horribly disfigured, rotting, corpse of a father.

The man merely looked over to see the monstrous creature behind the two, and, widening his eyes he dropped his cell phone.

For a moment he breathed in, and then he ran.

"What on earth is that!?", he shouted as the children seemed to catch up, running just behind the man.

"That... That’s our father...", the boy said with tears finally spilling out of his eyes as they ran.

“No…”, he croaked. “That was our father.”

----

Sylvia couldn't stop herself from trembling as the boy told the story.

Both children seemed to be struggling to hold back their tears, unable to overcome these events which were so fresh in their minds.

"I-I see..."

Barely able to force out the words, Sylvia realized all over again how truly weak she was.

'Yet... this proves even further that I was right to not become attached... to anyone.'

Stepping forward, Sylvia approached the two children, who looked up to her with pained expressions.

And then, coming closer to them, she hugged them again.

"I... am sorry."

And as she wrapped her arms around the two children, they cried.

They blubbered and they screamed, tears and snot running down her back, yet she didn’t care.

She didn't move from that position.

She continued to hug them until they were finished.

"Dad… is gone...", the boy muttered.

"I want to see him again...", the girl whimpered, wiping her eyes.

Biting her lip, Sylvia grimaced with spite.

"Why... did everything have to come to this?", she whispered.

[Why... you ask? It's simple.]

[You humans brought this upon yourself.]

[By creating suffering, you spread suffering. And that man created enough to spread to this entire world.]

[Hehehe... and we have no intention to stop at this.]

[This is only the beginning. Or as that man would say… this is Phase 1.]

----

Sylvia stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening in shock as the voice said these words.

It was that same chaotic voice that had spoken when she had gone unconscious.

Looking down to the two crying children in her arms, Sylvia didn't do anything so rash as shout out, as that would freak them out and possibly attract more zombies, and instead she slowly let go of each of them.

"Are you two... alright now?"

The two children looked up to her, nodding as they wiped their tears.

"Mhm."

"I... see. Give me... just a moment."

As she stood up to head back into her room, Shane looked up to the woman as she walked off.

"Hey... you're coming back, right?"

As he said this, Sylvia stopped walking for a second, however without so much as turning around, she continued forward.

"Right?"

The boy repeated himself, yet there was no answer.

Sylvia closed the door to her room, leaving the two to look at each other with concern.

"Sis.. it's ok. She probably... just needed to get something." Shane reassured her, trying for a nervous smile.

"Mhm..."

"I'm right here. And no matter what happens... I'll protect you."

"Mhm..."

"Therefore... don't worry."

"Mhm."

----

"Spill it already. What are you?"

Sylvia now spoke in a manner she would never have before, talking to herself alone in her room.

To a normal person who witnessed this scene, she would appear to be a lunatic.

Sylvia herself found it laughable that she could be reverted to such a state, but even so she didn't give in.

"Well? Are you going to speak?"

[If you don't quit bothering me then I really might kill those children you know. Just to piss you off.]

The crackling voice threatened Sylvia, however the voice soon went from irritated to overjoyed in an instant.

[Ah, but you don't care about them. Right? Hehehe...]

It was at that moment that from the back of her neck, a lump of flesh grew into a tentacle.

Like the light of an angler fish, the tentacle grew so that it hung in front of her, and then from that tentacle a face grew, using the tentacle as the base of it's neck.

The upside down face was exactly the same as Sylvia, yet it's eyes had black sclera.

And on it's expression was a horridly sadistic grin.

[After all... you're just trying to survive without getting attached to anyone else. Right?]

Stumbling back, Sylvia fell to the ground, hitting the wall as she fell back in terror.

Yet the face had grown from the woman herself, and so the distance between them did not change.

[You know, you're a funny one.] The voice giggled. [But I've seen your memories already. You've been batted around quite a bit, haven't you? For a human at least. I suppose that's why I would like to keep you as my host.]

Sylvia panted in horror as she witnessed her own demented expression, filled with such evil sadism that she begun to tremble.

[Because I think you understand at least a small bit... of our pains.]

The face twisted about along the tentacle, soon coming to a position where it was now upright, and not even an inch from Sylvia.

"Who are you?", Sylvia whispered, barely even able to force out these words.

[Who am I? Ah... you humans are so ignorant of your own creations. I'm something made by a man. But that's enough on me. For now, just think of me as the wretched creature in your mind. I don't plan on doing anything for now, so I'm going to make a deal with you.]

"A... deal?"

Whatever deal this monster could possibly try to make with Sylvia, she wanted no part of it.

Yet as she was faced with it, she slowly calmed herself.

'I... should hear it out.', she thought as she came to a realization.

'How many times did I face those monsters head on, negotiating head to head with them?'

'How many times have I been under pressure so great that I thought I was going to die?'

‘How many times have I been shown despair, only to somehow work my way around the corrupt rules of this society?’

As she thought this, Sylvia grinned.

‘This isn’t half as terrifying as what I’ve been through.’

"Alright. What is your deal?"

[It's simple. I'm going to watch as you struggle to survive.] The voice cackled. [I won't help the people around you, but I'll make sure you stay alive. After all, I want to see as many humans suffer as possible. Therefore if I choose only one to protect... it would be best.]

The creature paused for a moment before continuing.

[Ah, but I won't interfere that much anymore. That man was simply too annoying. To be honest, he reminded me of a certain other man, so I felt the need to take care of him, but from this point on I won't take control anymore unless it's for a good reason. So?]

It was then that the hair of the head seemed to undo itself, sparking around as if electricity was flowing through it.

[What do you say?]

"I..."

Sylvia looked to the monstrous head with doubt.

It was extremely likely that this creature was lying.

However, given it's power, it didn't have any real reason to.

If the creature wanted to force Sylvia to do something, or if it wanted to kill her, then all it would take was a single word. Perhaps not even that much.

It could take control of her body with ease, therefore for the creature to make such a deal - it seemed almost too good to be true.

'If it's motive is to watch people suffer... then it would probably not need to kill them itself. Not in this hellscape of a world.'

A motive.

This was the first step in negotiation.

To find out what your opponent desires.

If the creature truly did want to watch people suffer and nothing more, then this deal would be beneficial to Sylvia.

'That means that if I can protect them myself... then this thing won't intervene. Or will it?'

[I can hear your thoughts, you know. Ah... it hurts to be doubted like this. Ah, but you know... I think you're overestimating yourself a little bit, Sylvia Ashley Berith.]

It was then that the head began to giggle, and arms formed from the tentacle, which it used to cover it's mouth.

[Hehehe... I think it will be even more entertaining if you manage to survive. Because even if by some miracle you succeed for a while... there will come a day in which your plans will FAIL.]

With cruel words, the creature mocked Sylvia's resolve, not leaving her any room to even hope.

[And at that moment, I would like to be the first one to laugh as you cry out in despair.]

Holding out her hand, Sylvia then grabbed the tentacle as if she were choking the head.

[After all... when we were in such dire straits... all that human did was laugh.]

"Go away. I'll accept your deal. Just leave."

With her hands around the tentacle, Sylvia spoke thusly.

However even while in such a position, the head merely looked at Sylvia with a smile.

[As if you could harm me with your human hands.]

Then, retracting, the creature disappeared from the sight of Sylvia.

[I won't harm anyone directly, as per our deal. However don't think for a moment that I'll save anyone. You are the only person who I will not allow to die. That man always used to say I didn’t do enough. And perhaps that was true. Even in this new world where there is so much to do... I would rather just sit back and do nothing, watching as the destruction happens around me. Hehehe...]

With a giggle, the voice then seemed to trail off as it left the mind of the woman.

[Goodnight for now, my host.]

Sylvia found herself trembling, chilled at the tone which the girl spoke.

She sat there for a moment, barely able to process the conversation which had just occurred.

Yet as she processed these things one by one, the voice spoke up once more.

[Ah. And one more thing.]

With a giggle, the voice spoke directly into the mind of Sylvia.

[You said that I wasn’t even half as terrifying as the monsters you have faced.]

Sylvia could envision the smirk on the creature as she spoke, whispering into her mind with a demented arrogance.

[Heh.]

[I wonder how long it will take before you retract such a statement?]

[After all… you will retract it.]

----