CHAPTER 1
PLUNGE INTO THE DARKNESS, Part 4

We’re on our way back home. Tomorrow we’ll be returning to Italy, and the day after that, I’ll be back at school. It’s so sad. I wish I could have enjoyed the vacation more.

As we walk around near the Harbour Light, we notice some people gathered around something. It seems that someone is in trouble.

A bum is lying on the ground.

“Sir, we called an ambulance for you. They’ll be here in five minutes.”

After hearing those words, the man remains in a fetal position, clearly not relieved.

“Please, leave me alone… No one can help me. I’m a monster… a monster!”

I’m not a master of English like my family, yet what the man just said was crystal clear. But it can’t possibly make any sense.

“Come on, I’ll pay for your treatment. You need assistance.”

Unbelievable…

“No! Go away! Or you will pay the consequences!”

He jumps up in a fury, straining his voice like before, if not more. He doesn’t want help.

My mother tries to pull me along, but I stay put. I want to make sure the man is okay. In the meantime, at least three-quarters of the crowd leaves.

“Please… I don’t want to hurt you.” The man speaks as if he isn’t fully responsible for his actions. That’s probably why he claims… What exactly does he think is wrong with him?

“Sir, the ambulance is almost here. Please calm down, I beg you.” A tall, muscular man urges him to relax. He cautiously extends a hand to offer help. The poor man finally seems willing to accept it. “Yeah… good job, man.”

“Th-thank you…”

It’s a touching scene. We’re all about to applaud…

…!

… when suddenly…

“…?”

… the man abruptly loses all his hair.

Everyone remaining, us included, is stunned.

“What…? What!” Everyone is perplexed. The man doesn’t know why. He looks down and sees his hair on the ground. He touches his scalp over and over again.

He won’t find anything.

The newly bald man thrashes and jumps around like a madman, as if trying to shake the earth itself. For a moment, I really felt like there was an earthquake.

“Sir, the ambulance is here!” the helpful man shouts, pointing to the approaching vehicle. “They’ll help—”

The bald man punches the big, friendly giant in the stomach. That single blow sends him flying into a fish stall, smashing it to pieces. The attacker doesn’t seem to be done yet.

For some inexplicable reason, a shiny layer slowly covers the homeless man. It looks like steel, but I don’t think I can say for certain.

I can’t believe what I just saw. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Maybe I haven’t woken up yet and, as soon as I turn around, I’ll find myself back in that dark space. But it’s real. A steel man has lost control and is unleashing his frustration. If he hurt someone who came to his aid this badly, what will he do to others? What will he do to us?

Everyone, without exception, is running from… a bum covered in steel… Right.

Whatever… It looks like he’s lost his mind. He literally threw a fellow citizen who is three times as muscular as him into the air like it was nothing, and he doesn’t seem to have had enough yet.

What could he possibly want?

My family and I are trying to get away. I look back to make sure we’re not being followed, while the dangerous individual nervously scans his surroundings over and over. After spinning around a few times, he seems to have a clearer idea of what he wants to do. He’s going hunting, and judging by his gaze, he’s chosen… us as his prey?

“I saw you…”

Maybe it’s just fear playing tricks on me, but I’m fairly certain those were the words that just left his lips.