Faraway
Table of Contents
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 Chapter 80 Chapter 81 Chapter 82 Chapter 83 Chapter 84 Chapter 85 Chapter 86 Chapter 87 Chapter 88 Chapter 89 Chapter 90 Chapter 91Chapter 55
The malnourished, pale figure gritted his teeth fearfully, his wide orange eyes staring at Danny while trembling at the possible threat that lay before him. Growling if he was some feral beast, refusing to leave his spot despite being cornered by this person.
Danny, however, noticed something peculiar about this him, especially the feminine tone of voice that was emanating from the terrified individual. "I am not here to cause any trouble," he said cautiously to avoid escalating this tense confrontation.
"I just want to know what's going on," keeping his voice steady and cool as he took a cautious step forward, his eyes locked on him.
"Are you okay?" He asked, softening his tone slightly, "Please, let me help you." The words hung in the air, awaiting a response from the figure, who seemed to be paralyzed by fear and anger and wary of this newcomer who was just trying to help.
Danny can't put a finger on why he found this dirty-robed individual, making him feel a sense of familiarity from somewhere and some place. He doesn't understand why, but it's likely because of the eyes they both shared, having the same eye color, orange in this case.
It's a weird feeling that he can't shake off. "I'm not here to hurt you, okay?" Softening his tone of voice, he hopes that by sounding less threatening, he might be able to get this person to talk. He then takes another cautious step forward, his eyes still locked onto the figure's. "What's your name?" I hope to establish a connection between them.
The figure, however, remained frozen, his eyes darting back and forth, as if sizing up his new companion and possible friend. From what felt like forever, he finally spoke.
"Ahh..." Not an intelligent response came after what he said before tilting his own head with a mix of curiosity and hesitancy on his face: "Ohh?" His voice was barely audible, almost as if he were mentally retarded or something. In what felt like forever of staring blindly at one another, Danny's eyes widened with surprise at why this individual might be acting so strangely.
"You are not well." He confirmed, only to receive another of the figure's bare bone responses. "Christ, how did you even survive out here?" Shocked by someone with a severe intellectual disability, Danny couldn't believe a person like him had ended up without a proper caretaker to help this unwell person.
In fact, he is beginning to think this poor individual is some kind of victim of the apocalypse, left behind by society or, worse, thrown off by a cruel group of survivors who don't want to waste resources on someone who is useless to them.
The figure's head tilted even more, his attention fixated on this visitor. "Ngh..." His response was barely intelligible, making things harder for the both of them. However, he did notice that this person is becoming less aggressive or wary of his presence, which, in conclusion, could be good.
Kneeling down in front of the nameless person with one leg and one hand on the ground for support, Danny used the other available hand in reaching out for the cautious person, "It's okay, I'm here to help you." He said softly, hoping to reassure this person that he meant no harm, "My name is Danny; what's yours?" He asked once more, his voice laced with empathy and compassion.
"Nnn..." Like some cautious dog, he was hesitating to trust this person. His fragile mind was still reeling from the trauma of the apocalypse, and he couldn't bring himself to open up to this stranger. But Danny persisted, his voice gentle and soothing.
"I'm here to help you." He repeated, his hand reaching out as he waited for him to grab his. "I promise I won't hurt you." The words hung in the air, a lifeline in the darkness of a dying world.
Eyes flickered open, and he cautiously reached out a hand, his fingers brushing against his. The touch was tentative, as if he were testing the waters, but it was a start at the least.
"U...Unity," the first proper word Unity uttered in a long time, was quiet and still cautious of this person, as the name gave another rise to an icky feeling in Danny. The name Unity, however, caused a small spark of recognition in the young man.
"Unity," Danny said softly, carefully holding onto the hand, "it's nice to meet you, Unity." He said, while searching for any sign of understanding or recognition through the individual's expressions, "We're going to get through this together."
"Unhh..." Unity's response was a simple nod, his face never leaving Danny's "home..." Questioning with a simple word. It made Danny smile from this bond that is forming between them.
"Yes, we'll find your home." He said reassuringly, "But first, we're going to get you to safety, alright?" Talking to Unity in a calm and soothing tone is the best way to get this person to feel safe around him. Danny knows that this can't be easy for Unity, but he's determined to help him, even if it's just a small step at a time.
"Come on," standing up with his hands at his own sides, he then gestured for Unity to follow after him, leading the way out of the room with purpose in mind, "since we are out here, mind as well find the radio that we are looking for," trying to sound more confident than he felt.
"It's probably our best shot at leaving this place before sunrise," Danny said while glancing an eye on Unity's movements over his shoulder, making sure he doesn't stray away.
The duo walked aimlessly through the corridor while Unity held on to his right arm for support. The silence was palpable between them, broken only by the sound of their footsteps echoing through the empty halls.
As they walked, Danny couldn't help but think about the strange connection he felt with Unity. It was as if they were two pieces of a puzzle that had somehow been reunited.
While he wanted to talk with him just to make himself feel less lonely in this growing creepy atmosphere they are in, he knows it would be pointless because the person he just saved seems to barely understand anything he said other than how he presented himself. Making him believe he is talking to a baby or dog, which isn't true.
What he is dealing with here is a malnourished guy with mental deficiencies. In a world now overtaken by nature, survival of the fittest is what makes the world go around.
Even with his own doubts and fears, his determined to help this person survive, even if it means putting himself in danger, because that's what a sane and upstanding person would do when someone is endangered or needs assistance. Not doing anything to help is insanity by his own standards, although he is not crazy enough when there are situations that he deems too risky for him to handle.
The dimly lit corridor stretched out before them, a seemingly endless tunnel of darkness and ruin, with the walls always lined with broken windows, their glass shards glittering like diamonds in the faint moonlight from outside. Debris and trash littered the floor, a grim reminder of the chaos that had ravaged the world.
They walked through the decaying hallway, the only sound being the crunch of glass and the soft rustle of clothing against the debris. Every room they checked was a tomb, filled with the remnants of lives long since extinguished. Clothes hung limply from broken hangers, furniture lay shattered and overturned.
As they moved deeper into the building, the silence grew heavier, a palpable presence that seemed to press down upon them. The shadows cast by the flickering fluorescent lights danced across the walls, creating an eerie, macabre spectacle.
Danny's heart pounded in his chest, a slow, steady beat that echoed the rhythm of his footsteps. His eyes scanned the darkness, searching for any sign of movement or hint that they were not alone.
Unity's grip on his arm tightened as their breathing became shallower and more rapid. Danny could feel his own fear rising—a cold, clammy sensation that threatened to overwhelm him. But he pushed it down, focusing instead on the task at hand. They had to find that radio and get out of this place with Hansel before it was too late. When they brought themselves deeper into the heart of the building,
The air grew colder, and the shadows became deeper and more menacing. Danny's skin prickled with gooseflesh, his heart racing with every step. He glanced at Unity on his side, seeing the fear etched onto his face, and knew that they were both thinking the same thing: they had to get out of there fast.
Whether it is because of the creepy feeling they are getting from the more they go further on this corridor or simply because they are in an abandoned building, the two of them agreed something about it is not right.
Tuning to the corner, Danny's heart skipped a beat. There, ahead of them, was a door marked 'Radio Room'. His breath caught in his throat, and a mix of excitement and relief washed over him. This was it—the moment they could get out of here and head back home. They had to be careful, for who knows what lurks in this place?
Danny reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he grasped the doorknob. Nodding acceptably, a grim determination settled on his face. It was time to face whatever lay beyond that door.
With a deep breath, he pushed the door open, revealing a room filled with dusty equipment and the faint glow of a computer screen. There weren't many things in the room except for some destroyed electronics and rusty objects.
"Can you please let go of me?" He politely asked, not wanting to sound rude as Unity looked confusedly at the request. "I need to check the room, alright? Having you hold onto me all the time makes it difficult for me to move around properly." Danny said softly, trying to reassure the person that he was not abandoning him.
Unity nodded slowly, understanding what Danny wanted based of the intention and body language he is getting from him. His grip on Danny's arm was loosening, allowing the young man to properly look around without any further issues slowing his progress.
Standing like a statue, Unity watched Danny move throughout the entire room as he searched for the radio Hansel had been looking for. Scanning around the room, he took in every detail and every possible hiding spot. He moved slowly and deliberately, his senses sharp and alert for any sign of it.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spotted it—a small, battered radio nestled among the ruins of a desk, nearly the size of a basket. It was old and worn, but it looked like it might still work. Filled with utter success, he carefully picked it up, examining it joyfully from this accomplishment.
"It seems we don't have to worry about—"
Without any warning, Unity leapt towards his side before suddenly grabbing his right arm to the point where it almost caused Danny to drop the thing he's holding.
"Careful!" He shouted, a little bit startled by the sudden movement. But when he turns his attention to him, he notices something different about him. "Why are you shaking?" He can see the primal fear in Unity's trembling body, something that Danny didn't expect to notice at such a sudden change of pace after entering this very room.
Then, in mere seconds, Unity shakily raised his hand and pointed towards the opened entrance, making the confused Danny look forward in response. In that instant, mechanical sounds of metal scraping against the floor started to echo from a distance away through this very doorway. It was a sound that sent shivers down their very spines.
Despite being far away, the noise grew louder and more intense, and it was clear that whatever was making it was coming straight for them. Causing his mind to race with the possibilities. What could it be? Was it another survivor, or something far worse? Either way, he doesn't want to waste anymore time checking if there is another person who is in need.
Because of the sound of it, whatever is making that noise does not sound human in the slightest.
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