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Chapter 5

You Have Been Exposed

A golden ray of morning light illuminated the living room bay window, casting a warm glow over the abundant breakfast spread atop the table. Rice topped with beans and poached egg, scrambled eggs with chicken and mayonnaise, cold tofu garnished with scallions and black sauce, and four small bowls of onion soup awaited the family’s eager appetites. Winifred, Apricot’s mother, rarely made it home for breakfast, but when she did, it was always a cause for celebration. Apricot cherished these mornings, not just for her mother’s presence, but also for the generous feast that had become a beloved tradition. Breathing in the savory aroma, she eagerly eyed her hearty portions.

Jasper, helping himself to the rice, remarked with a hint of anxiety, “I’m worried about my test.”

“Have you been studying as you should?” Apricot teased, taking on the role of a typical older sister.

Casting a swift glance in her direction, Jasper brandished his chopsticks. “I know you’ve seen me lugging my textbooks around! My whole life is about studying.”

“Jasper,” Winifred chided, prompting him to lower his chopsticks and return to his meal.

Defensively, Jasper said, “I was just saying.”

“If you study, you should do just fine,” Apricot continued her teasing, playfully leaning onto his back and wrapping her arms around him.

As he poked at his food, Jasper looked up at his parents. “What subject is causing you trouble?” Apricot’s father inquired.

“History. Nobody’s name makes any sense to me. All of it is confusing and boring, so it doesn’t matter. All the people are dead. What’s the point of feudal wars? They’ve been over for decades,” Jasper pouted.

Apricot’s father mused, “Hmm, I wasn’t a fan of history when I was your age either.”

“Is it all right with you if I let you watch the house for a couple of nights?” asked Winifred.

Apricot shrugged reluctantly. “It’s no big deal.” She feigned nonchalance. “They sent you on another long trip?”

“Yes, the plane is going around the globe in a full circle. We’ll stay in Castor for a few days. It will be nice to be home for a change,” Winifred replied.

Apricot’s father raised an eyebrow. “Wow, all the way over to Castor?”

A small demon called jealousy perched atop Apricot’s head, whispering in her ear about her mother’s good fortune. She yearned to walk the cobblestone streets of Castor once more, enveloped by its serene atmosphere and vibrant natural beauty—a stark contrast to their urban island home, where even the remaining nature was but a captive entity amidst the modern cityscape. “My news is interesting as well,” her father added. “They selected me to work on a new project.”

Jasper’s eyes sparkled as Apricot observed him. “So, what’s the project?” he inquired eagerly.

“My role at the Uchellian space department will be to design an atmospheric elevator. For supply shipments, we will suspend a hydraulic rail system reaching to the space station.” Apricot could see that her father’s announcement had utterly blown Jasper’s mind. He seemed to burst at the seams with excitement, his jaw agape as their father elaborated with techno-jargon that eluded her. At Jasper’s reaction, she couldn’t help but chuckle. Whenever technology was discussed, he became a complete nerd—a defining characteristic of his personality, she mused. It was clear to see that she had the same impression as her mother: her father and Jasper were cut from the same cloth, essentially carbon copies of each other.

Apricot wondered if she took after her mother more. She could see similarities between flight attendants and journalists, both being adventurous in their own ways. In some aspects, they balanced each other out, each possessing an element of uncertainty and excitement.

A gentle touch from Ms. Signa interrupted Apricot’s father’s enthusiastic explanation. “Apricot, you received a message from Fukugata. They’re interested in interviewing you about your story.”

Chopsticks fell from Apricot’s hand in surprise. “How is it you forgot to mention that? It should have been the first thing brought up today,” she thought to herself.

“Yes, quite a few people have read that story. I think it’s a good one,” her father said, causing her cheeks to flush with pride. It hadn’t occurred to her that her story had been so widely distributed. When the technological department was talking about it, that meant it had gone mainstream—a remarkable feat, given that the department’s employees usually had little time to spare.

Winifred nodded. “I hope you don’t do anything so reckless again.”

Almost unable to believe what she just heard, Apricot shook her head. “You said Fukugata!” Fukugata was a local news network, but since it was the primary source of news in Blue Ash, it reached most people in Okabe. What a great opportunity this was, Apricot mused to herself.

“Wo, guys!” Jasper exclaimed, pointing at the television. Apricot turned to watch the broadcast, her eyes widening as she took in the scene: medical personnel and police cordoned off the area, but the reporter’s voice was too low to hear. The ticker read, “Roe Okabi jumps off the roof of the Rinjioh Shrine and commits suicide.”

“And there goes a legacy,” Apricot murmured to herself.

The subway’s clamorous wheels created a constant, rolling ambiance. This morning, Apricot noticed the car was much emptier than usual. Her attention was drawn to a man sprawled rudely across the back bench, scanning the few passengers riding the car. As she approached the black-haired man dressed in tattered clothes, she gripped the overhead rail tightly.

He lifted his head from the seat. “Ah, damn,” he muttered under his breath. Sitting upright, he pressed his arm into the blue cushion and rested his hand on his forehead, glaring down at his feet. “What do you want, reporter girl?”

“Do you still have that camera you were trying to sell?” Apricot asked, unable to recall his name.

Rolling his eyes, the man looked away. “Heh,” he replied, slumping back on the bench. “Don’t suppose you’re interested in purchasing it from me.”

Apricot’s soft smile spread across her face. “Well, yeah!”

He lowered his head to meet her gaze. “You should have bought it a few weeks ago.” He scowled. “I already sold the damn thing.”

“Oh, that’s a pity. I needed it,” Apricot groaned.

“Well, too bad I haven’t got it,” he replied, his voice dripping with annoyance. She frowned and turned to leave, but her hair stood on end as he suddenly gripped her wrist. As she turned back, she saw the scruffy man standing up. He shoved something into her arms, his hand pressing into her stomach. “I don’t need your sympathy,” he growled, sneering.

“I don’t—?” Apricot began, but he cut her off.

“I know what you’re doing,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “Those mean men always beat Cortez up. He needs help. Well, I’m not looking for charity from you. I just want you to keep your hands off of me.”

“I, ah…” Apricot held out the camera for him to take.

A grimace covered Cortez’s face as he spat into the air. “Keep the damn thing,” he said. “I don’t want it.” He immediately started running, and with a loud hiss, the door closed behind him. The tightness in Apricot’s throat soon subsided as she realized she would be able to repay Sato.

Brick palaces stretched far into the distance, along the hall of buildings. Apricot walked the long street in the quiet city, almost as if it were still. A pair of headphones clung to her ears, cutting the cool breeze against her uniform of a tight red button-up short-sleeve shirt, yellow apron, and yellow shorts with a yellow stripe down the side. “Nothing is stronger than love,” Apricot sang along with the music. “Troubles that surround me, all go away when you are here.” She had a slight skip in her walk. “When you need me, baby, nothing keeps me away.” Hips swaying with each stride. “Oooo ahhhh!” she chirped, laughing at her absurdity.

In a stiff embrace, the chill swept through the air. A plume of warm breath came gushing from her mouth as she raised her pale hand to her rosy lips. The vapor encircled her fingers as it dispersed into the frigid air. “That’s odd,” Apricot observed. Her eyes scanned the road behind her to see all the street lights were out. A shiver ran down her spine.

“Nothing stronger than our love. Nothing stronger than our love. Nothing stronger than our love.” She took the player out of her pocket. The multi-touch display flickered, rewound to the spot, played, and repeated. She pulled her headphone cord out in a swift motion. Apricot watched the screen, silently, as it continued to glitch. Despite the eeriness, she returned the player to her apron, resuming her stride.

The streetlights flickered, casting eerie shadows. In the blink of an eye, she saw a burned-out bulb fading to a dead tube. Another step forward, the next light went out, and the next after that, and the one after that. As this strange event continued, her stride turned into a sprint. Apricot’s heart couldn’t keep going after three blocks. She grabbed her knees with both hands.

Her fatigue eased with a deep breath, and her surroundings brightened naturally. Turning to the strobe-like lights ahead, her heart thumped. “It’s a power outage,” she mumbled to herself. “It must be something like that.” Apricot stood up as she contemplated the idea of anyone witnessing her embarrassing panic attack. Even though there was no one around, she still surveyed the abandoned alleyway. Checking her surroundings one more time, she went on her way, her heart still pounding with adrenaline.

Placement of products on shelves had always been Apricot’s least favorite task. As she continued to restock shelves with no end in sight, she found the boxes to be overly colorful. On the front, cartoon characters featuring various animals brought back memories of her early childhood—getting up before school in the morning, scarfing down sugary flakes before heading out the door.

Taking a step back, Apricot eyed the row of boxes to ensure they were evenly spaced. She glanced to her left in time to spot a man staring at the light fixture. He mumbled to himself, but it was too quiet for her to hear. Grabbing another box from the stack, she decided to ignore the strange behavior of the man.

As she placed the next box on the shelf, the man whispered, “Why are you staring at me?” Apricot glanced toward him and then quickly averted her gaze, hoping he would leave. As she reached for another box, the man swiveled his head to stare directly at her. “Why are you staring at me?” he screamed.

The sudden yelling startled her, causing her to jump. As she gathered herself, Apricot placed a hand on her chest. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to look at you. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Stop looking at me!” the man yelled again. She turned away from him, clutching the cereal box tightly as her heart pounded in her chest. He fixed his stare on her, letting out a low growl. Her eyes widened, and she could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. The man barked, his words like a blade, “Don’t look at me.” Taking several steps away from the man, Apricot kept her eyes on the ground, desperately trying to avoid his gaze.

“Why are you looking at me?” the man yelled again, this time letting out a loud, audible gag. His mouth spilled liquid onto the floor. Apricot rounded on the man, noticing the fluid running down his face.

“Are you okay?” she gasped, reaching out towards him.

“It’s too much to look at me!” the man howled, gagging once more. A set of long, skeletal fingers grabbed the sides of his mouth. Apricot froze, her heart hammering in her chest, unable to comprehend what she saw. The hands pulled on his jaw, unhinging it. Red blood gushed out of its open face as its muscles tore. His throat split open, releasing a mucus-like fluid. Upon opening, a wad of ripped tumorous flesh emerged from the dark cavity. She could see a sideways mouth in the middle of the flesh, revealing teeth and a long, snake-like tongue. The hands pulled further, revealing a slimy, slime-coated body.

Apricot screamed, backing away from the monster, her fear threatening to consume her. People gathered at the end of the aisle, watching in horror as this abomination emerged from the pulpy mess. In its attempt to escape the cocoon, it appeared stuck, like a snake with half-swallowed prey. After a bloody burst and a guttural groan, the creature ripped the body in half, exposing its bloody carcass. The abomination clutched half of the corpse in each of its hands, gazing at the soggy curtain of tissue. Its head shifted towards Apricot, and it hurled the flesh wad at her. The slab of meat struck her, knocking her to the ground and covering her in gore.

She shrieked, frantically trying to remove the remains from her skin. Apricot kicked her feet and twisted her body, doing anything she could to escape the abomination’s sight. As she jumped to her feet, she slipped on the blood-stained floor and landed on her knees again. The pain shot through her legs, but it wasn’t her biggest concern at the moment. Her gaze fell upon a man smashing a glass bottle onto the thing’s back. She saw the monster turn around, and several pieces of glass protruded from its back. As it turned towards the man, it grasped his head with its fleshy fingers in a fluid motion. The man started screaming. She saw it rip off his head with a sickening pop, as if plucking a flower. She could see part of his spine dangling because it had ripped the tethers of his neck off. “Holy shit!” Apricot shrieked, jumping to her feet and running away as fast as she could.

She rounded the corner and sprinted through the aisles towards the produce section, where the warehouse was situated. Suddenly, her eyes were drawn to the shelves toppling like dominoes. It startled her when the creature leaped over the shelves towards her, vaulting like a feral animal. Sprinting as fast as she could, Apricot dove past carts of vegetables and fruits, heading towards the warehouse. In the middle of the produce section, a young boy stood frozen in terror.

As she swooped in, Apricot grasped the boy’s arm like a bird. She yanked him along with her, belting, “Come with me.” At first, the boy hesitated, but soon he ran alongside her. They entered the warehouse and raced past several iron shelves, heading to the back of the room. Several others had already joined her, including a few of her colleagues.

“What the hell is that thing!” cried one of her coworkers.

The boy breathed heavily as Apricot held him in her arms. She reassuringly stroked his head. “It’ll be okay.”

As Apricot took a deep breath, she heard a voice entering her head, “They hath no power over thee, Apricot. Thou can save these people. Embrace the powers I have granted thee.”

Her eyes remained fixed on the entrance for the longest time. The screaming and crying did nothing to improve her mental state. Her gaze remained dazed as she watched the men grabbing objects to protect themselves. Apricot let go of the boy and clenched her fist tightly. There was a deep sense of determination in her voice as she whispered, “It will be fine soon, kid.”

“Now, fight!” commanded the reaper in her head. Faced with an intense surge of energy, Apricot took a measured step forward as a stream of fire ran down her arm. It was as if her heart was drumming like an ancient tribal war song, her fear of death transforming into a blazing fury inside of her.

In an instant, the bizarre parasitic creature charged through the entrance, its mouth wide open and its bone-like claws extended, charging at Apricot. A strike from a metal pole impaled the creature in the chest, just as it was about to collide with her. The sound of the creature’s wet scream awed Apricot, her adrenaline rushing to a halt. The snapping creature was being held by one of her colleagues. “Get back!” he yelled. While waving its tongue, the monster emitted a strange hiss as it grabbed hold of the man’s neck with its tongue.

The butcher passed Apricot with a knife as she stepped back. In a swift, powerful motion, the knife sliced through the tongue, freeing her co-worker. He tumbled to the floor, trying to get away from the monster. In response, the creature turned its head towards the man, letting out an enraged roar. But the pole embedded in its chest buried itself deeper as the coworker twisted it, letting out a defiant shout.

In a rage, the abomination swung its arms at the man holding the metal pole, who stood firm with determination. The claws of the beast just missed the man’s face. A flash of light appeared out of Apricot’s peripheral vision as she saw the door to the warehouse flung open. Two officers entered the room, immediately firing several shots into the beast’s back. White flashes pierced through its body. Suddenly, the creature burst into static before fizzling out like dying embers, releasing one last cackle before vanishing. When the metal bar clattered to the floor, it was as if the creature had never been there.

As Apricot watched the events unfold, her mouth hung open. The boy next to her whispered something into her ear. “I don’t like your friend very much.” She turned her head to look at him, but he had run to the back of the room and out of the fire escape.

“Everyone stay calm,” said one of the police officers. “We can get everyone out of here if everyone complies. You have been exposed to a hallucinogenic substance. Please come with us so that we can administer the antidote.” Apricot turned to see several other officials in white hazard suits entering the room.

“That wasn’t a hallucination. That was real,” Apricot said to herself.

The reaper observed Apricot from a dark corner of the warehouse. “Thou hast become a shameful disappointment.”

Despite the reaper’s harsh words, Apricot couldn’t shake the feeling that she had tapped into something extraordinary. She had felt the fire coursing through her veins, the raw power she had never experienced before. As she followed the officers out of the warehouse, she made a silent vow to herself.

“I will learn to control this power,” she whispered under her breath. “And I will use it to protect those who cannot protect themselves.”

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