Cayden walked back to his place. He remembered this building. This is where the Dark Tower of Buble City emerge. Swallowing the building itself, while ejecting the workers out into the streets.

In his eyes, the scene of people panicking and running around played. Cars stop running. Cellphones stop working. Electricity died. Intercommunication cut off. When the Dark Tower came alive, people are forced to participate in survival games and trials.

Cayden turn his head and proceeded to blend in with others. Suffering the stares of people around him. His clothes are tattered and bloody. He saw one salaryman with glasses take out his phone and dialed the police.

Cayden proceeded to hide in the side alleys. Crossing garbage bags, heading straight to the apartment building he rented. His eyes lingered on his left. The familiar commercial building with the coffee shop entered his sight.

That’s where he used to work. That place is the last remnant of his normal life. Should he go?

No. Maybe he will meet his present self. That won’t be good.

The smell of coffee beans attracted his nose. The familiarity of it all twisted his stomach. His chest hurt. How many years ago had he seen the coffee shop? Without his knowledge, his feet walk straight to the coffee shop.

He can see the manager talking to his co-worker - Missy. Both he had never seen again after the Dark Tower emerge. He hesitated at the lawn.

No. He shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t be seen. His eyes lingered on the employee’s only doors. Waiting for his past self to come out. Cayden admit he was being reckless. He did not give it any thought. What if when he comes back to the past - meet his younger self and confront him with impossible information about the Dark Tower’s survival games, what will happen then?

Cayden groaned. He did not think that far - no, he doesn’t need to. Cayden is sure his younger self would freak out if they meet.

Cayden shake his head, giving up on the idea. But he find his feet not moving from where he’s hiding.

The time ticked past 6 pm. Under special circumstances, the coffee shop is closing early. Cayden remembered this very day.

Today was supposed to be the first wedding anniversary of the manager and his wife. Cayden and his co-workers planned to surprise them with a party, but the manager said he will have his anniversary celebration with his wife at home.

Of course, all workers are invited. That’s why the shop is closing early.

Cayden watch the group of people come out of the back door. He watch the playful smile on their faces. Their energetic laughs and bickering. A small smile appeared on his lips.

After so many years, the thought of seeing these people again, alive and well, is impossible for him. His eyes followed them as they get on in each other’s cars and drove to the manager’s house.

It was when the last person - Missy is about to get in when Cayden notice someone is missing. The head count lacks one person.

“Hey, where is Cayden?” Missy asked.

“Oh, Cayden left around lunch.” The manager answered. “He has stomachache. He keeps coming back to the toilet this morning. I sent him home to recuperate.”

“Aww, looks like he won’t make it to your anniversary celebration Sir.” His other co-worker, Ian said with a joking tone.

The manager laugh before saying, “Well, we can send him pictures to make him come crawling to us tomorrow morning.”

They all laugh and drove their car down to the nearest intersection. Leaving Cayden alone in the alley. His heart is beating faster. His complexion looks a little pale.

“What is this? What stomachache?”

It was because today is a terrible day that Cayden remembered every detail‌. He certainly went with them to visit the manager’s house. They ate and drink until nine in the evening. After that, they all went home.

Cayden remembered sending Missy to her apartment - maybe exchanging a casual kiss on the cheek before he’s on his way home. At exactly 11:59pm of June 27, 2016. A ground breaking earthquake devastated the whole city.

Towers after towers sprang out from the ground. Waking the entire world into slumber. Despite the tremors, no one died.

Cayden massage his temples. He traced back his steps and went to his apartment. He sprinted in the side streets. Barely avoiding the crowd. When he was only a few blocks away, he saw his apartment building.

In the third room on the third floor, the window that was supposed to be out has its lights on. That was Cayden’s room.

He ran straight to the emergency stairs at the back. Climb the rusty staircase and arrive at the back of the window in his room.

Lights were definitely turn on but no one is inside.

Without hesitation, Cayden break the glass window and slid inside. He was in his bedroom, but no one is inside. His messy laundries are scattered all over the room, giving off a foul stench. He open the door and went to the living room.

His things - are the same as he can remember. The twenty one year old him still has the luxury to grind coffee beans and bake chocolate cakes in the kitchen. The bread toaster still has its two slice breads sticking out.

Cayden went to raid his refrigerator and stuffed whatever food he can salvage in his black backpack. He stored one plastic liter with water. He pick up the cans, cooked the meat, and store the noodle cups in his bag.

Him packing his clothes and everything only take an hour. He was about to come out of his room when he caught a glance at his family picture.

That was him, his mother and his brother. Both his mother and brother were killed inside their house when he was twelve. He pick up the family picture sitting above the shoe closet.

He could have chosen to go back to that time and save them. Why didn’t he? Cayden knew the answer more than anyone.

Even if he save them, there’s no guarantee he can protect his family right after the Dark Tower’s elimination game.

Cayden stared at her mother’s face.

“I love you mom.” he kissed her and his picture like he always do before going out. “Love you too brother.”

“Watch over me, will you?” The light from the fluorescent reflected some of his features in the frame glass. He stared at his reflection for a few minutes.

Then his heart began to panic. He almost dropped the picture frame after running straight to the bathroom. He stop in front of the mirror. Staring at himself. ‘

At first, he was still his thirty one year old self. He took a bath earlier and manage to scrub the dirt off his clothes. Now… unsettling emotion bubbled in his chest when he watch his beard disappear.

His wrinkles slowly faded. His eyes which are deep and scarred with age slowly transform into a bright youthful gleam. He hang his bag in the towel racket and remove his top shirt. The muscles and tanned skin he developed over those years are fading.

His skin turned paler by the second, his muscles receding. The knife scars and bullet stitches also faded.

The man standing in front of him is a young man with bright youthful eyes, black soft hair, lean muscles and pale skin. There’s no longer a trace of the roughness of the thirty one year old him.

Cayden scoff. So much for the present meeting the future him.

Cayden wear his shirt again and went out of the room. The time on his watch is 7:15 pm. Roughly four hours before Dark Tower showtime.

He pounded his fist on the next room. He had not made peace with his younger self being his current body, especially when his strength is reduced to half.

“Pete!” He stop. Listening to the sound of the people inside. Nothing.

“Pete! If you don’t come out in the count of three, I will report you to the university for hacking their system to forge your grades!”

A series of hurried footsteps erupted and a bone cracking thud before a low gruntled voice was heard inside. The door was slammed open and a man with signs of not having a bath for a week came out.

“What do you want?” Pete growled.

Cayden pushed the door open to let himself in. Pete’s room is worse than his. The dirty laundries that haven’t been washed for a month are hanging all over the shelves, the walls, and some are even clipped in wires.

“Your room is still fucked up smelly as I remembered,” Cayden said.

“At least I hang them to air dry. Unlike yours who let molds grow over his clothes in his own bedroom.”

Cayden ignored his comment and pushed Pete into his bathroom.

“Wash yourself first. I need you to be out here in fifteen minutes you understand?”

Pete scowled at him. But he did not protest. Pete already know tonight is one of those nights Cayden drag him from place to place either to play or to relieve his boredom.

When the door is locked, Cayden proceed to taking whatever canned foods, water, and other necessities he could find out of Pete’s house.

Pete’s closet only have five shirts, one smelly already laundered pair of socks, one pair of shoes with rotting stench and three pants. The rest of his clothes are hanging all over the house ceilings.

Cayden is familiar where Pete usually stash his money. After breaking all his piggy banks, Cayden now have a rough two thousand dollars in his hands.

For emergency purposes, Pete never saves coins. Only paper bills.

Behind him, Pete finally came out of the bathroom door.

“What?!?!” Cayden snickered at Pete’s hanging mouth. His kitchen is turned upside down. His refrigerator is ripped clean. His stowaway for emergency cash is destroyed.

The veins in Pete’s forehead throbbed. “What the fuck are you doing to my house?!”