CHAPTER 1
PLUNGE INTO THE DARKNESS, Part 5

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.

We’ve been running for at least fifteen minutes. My mother seems to be too tired to keep going, so Dad picks her up and quickens his pace.

“Is he still behind us?” Dad asks, trying to control his panting.

“I not see anyone back there,” my mother replies, now that she can see behind us.

We finally slow down, but we don’t dare stop yet. We’re five minutes from our rental house. We should be safe.

My father lets go of my mother and tries to catch his breath. He leans forward, facing the thick grass in the yard. It’s clear he’s not well at all. He’s still panting, surely due to his asthma. Only someone like him could run this much in his condition and not complain. My mother hands him the inhaler from her purse, and he uses it immediately. He’ll be fine.

But as soon as my father stands up, the man in steel grabs him by the neck from behind and headbutts him, knocking him out—all without ever letting go of him.

“No! Dad!” my brother and I shout in unison.

James tries to do something, but that public menace knocks him to the ground with a single slap. He’s lost consciousness, just like our father.

With his free hand, the man grabs my mother by the throat. She fights to break free, but is unable to do anything to him.

“Leave my family alone, you monster!”

I strike him with a series of kicks and punches, even landing one below the belt he doesn’t have. It’s useless.

My vision is clouded, I’m about to break down… There’s no time! I keep hitting him desperately, clinging to the faintest hope that I might hurt him sooner or later, that he’ll flinch and let them go.

My mother’s eyes beg me to stop, but I don’t obey. How could I?

The steel man at least lets go of my father, but only to find his footing and drive his knee into my stomach. It hurts…! I’m in so much pain that I can’t move. Barely holding on, I’m left doubled over his raised knee, still in attack position. “You’re too weak, loser.”

…

After those words… I feel…

My whole body tingles. Before I can figure out what’s happening to me, I collapse onto the grassy ground. But the tingling continues. It’s everywhere. I also sense… a loud noise, growing faster… Is it my heartbeat? It’s as if it’s about to explode. I feel it rising up into my throat, and I’m out of breath.

Meanwhile, I see my mother still fighting for her life. I feel so useless at this moment because I know there’s nothing I can do for her…

… But just catching a glimpse of that madman’s smug face out of the corner of my eye is enough to make my blood boil… and yet… despite all this rage, I can’t move. I’m paralyzed by the tingling running through me.

This… isn’t simple helplessness. I’m just furious about the situation. I want to act! But I can’t. Yet I have to! All this anger is useless if…!

…?

My heartbeat is slowing down. It seems steady now. Actually, I’m mistaken. It keeps dropping.

It seems like my mother’s endurance is also close to giving out. She keeps fighting a little longer, scratching the chrome face of our attacker until all her nails break. She’s losing consciousness from lack of oxygen now. Meanwhile, my heart has just stopped beating.

Darkness.

My mother’s eyes are nearly closed. The steel man seems to have no intention of releasing his grip, but he has no choice. Something hits him violently in the stomach, sending him flying about a mile away from me and my family. That something, that someone, is me. I’ve just headbutted him in a sudden burst of strength.