The Awakening Comes After Death

"Take that, you idiot! That's what you get for sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!"

"Yeah! Hit him harder! Teach him his place!"

Seventeen-year-old Edmund Hughes lay sprawled on the ground, taking a savage beating. It wasn't the first time—he was used to being hit. But this time, there was a reason: he'd tried to defend a girl he liked.

It was his desperate wish to be a hero that drove him to step into situations like this. But Edmund didn't have the strength or the build to back up his intentions. His scrawny frame and short stature made him an easy target.

"Please, no more!" Edmund begged, attempting to push himself up.

"Where do you think you're going?" The bully grabbed him by the ankle and dragged him back to the center of the circle.

The crowd jeered and cheered. The punches turned into vicious kicks aimed at his stomach and chest. His body trembled, powerless to fight back.

"I… I can't breathe…" he gasped as the attacker grabbed him by the neck.

"What's the matter, Edmund? Weren't you brave a moment ago?" the bully sneered, tightening his grip.

Edmund could feel the air leaving his lungs. His reddened face signaled that he was on the verge of passing out. But the laughter and cheers of the crowd only spurred the bully to keep going.

Suddenly, a male voice cut through the chaos:

"Alright, that's enough."

The bully stopped mid-punch, confused. He turned his head toward the voice's source and saw a tall boy with an athletic build and a cold expression.

"Who the hell are you?" the bully growled, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

"Someone who doesn't plan to stand by while you act like an idiot." The newcomer cracked his knuckles with confidence.

The bully's friends tried to threaten him, but the boy didn't flinch. His mere presence seemed to unsettle them.

"Let's go," the bully ordered through gritted teeth. But before leaving, he grabbed Edmund's backpack and threw it to his cronies.

"See you around, loser. This is just the beginning."

The gang of bullies left, taking Edmund's belongings with them. The crowd also began to disperse, leaving Edmund bloodied and bruised on the ground.

"Looks like they finally left," the newcomer said, walking over to Edmund. "You okay, man?"

Edmund barely managed to lift his gaze. He was too ashamed to respond clearly.

"I'm fine… I just need a minute," he muttered, covering his face.

The boy nodded, respecting his space. Then, he turned his attention to the girl who had been the reason for the fight.

"What about you? Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

The girl shook her head quickly, her cheeks tinged with pink.

"No, I'm fine… Thanks to you. You're amazing!"

Her voice was full of admiration, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. Hearing this, Edmund felt his heart sink even further. He had endured the beating hoping to help her, but the thanks went to the new guy instead.

"It's nothing. I'm always here to help," he replied with a confident smile.

The girl seemed charmed, but then she glanced at Edmund out of the corner of her eye.

"And what about him?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

The new guy shrugged. "He'll be fine, but if you really want to help, why don't you come with me? Maybe we can get his backpack back."

She agreed without hesitation. The two walked off in the same direction the bullies had gone, leaving Edmund alone.

Two hours later, the pair returned with Edmund's backpack. It was completely soaked and in terrible shape.

"Here you go, man. We found it in a nearby river," the boy said, dropping the backpack beside him.

"Thanks…" Edmund mumbled quietly, not looking at them.

"Oh, by the way, we found something interesting inside," the girl murmured.

The new guy frowned and interrupted her. "We agreed not to mention that."

"Sorry, but I couldn't ignore it."

With a determined expression, the girl pulled out a letter decorated with a heart-shaped sticker. Edmund recognized it immediately. It was a confession he'd written a long time ago.

"Wait! I can explain!" Edmund shouted, scrambling to his feet.

The girl looked at him with a mix of mockery and disdain.

"Did you really think that if you defended me from those idiots, I'd fall in love with you?"

Edmund desperately shook his head. "No, it's not like that! I just wanted to help…"

"Help? Please, don't lie. All you wanted was to impress me, didn't you?"

"No! That's not true!"

"Listen carefully, Edmund. I would never be with someone like you: weak, pathetic, and spineless."

Each word was like a dagger. Edmund stood frozen, his eyes filling with tears, his heart breaking.

"Did you expect me to thank you? What's the point of getting beaten up if, in the end, I would just end up being the next victim?"

Edmund lowered his gaze, unable to respond.

"Do you see now? You're not cut out to defend anyone. People like Gary can, because they have what you don't."

Gary, the new boy, watched the scene in silence, clearly uncomfortable.

"Hey, Elena, I think that's enough…" he said, touching her shoulder.

But she brushed his hand off sharply. "Enough? He needs to hear this."

Edmund clenched his fists tightly. His voice came out as a whisper.

"I wouldn't have accomplished anything…"

"What did you say? Speak up."

"I wouldn't have accomplished anything!" he finally shouted, his face filled with despair.

Elena nodded with satisfaction. "See? Accept it: you'll never be a hero."

Without saying another word, she turned and began to walk away.

"Wait, Elena! You can't just leave after saying all that," Gary called after her, following her.

Edmund was left alone once again, staring at the ground. Elena's words echoed in his mind. "Is it the intention that makes a hero, or the actions?"

For the first time, he began to doubt everything he had believed about himself.

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Hours passed, and after enduring insults, blows, and humiliation, Edmund finally made his way home. His entire body ached with every step, but the weight he carried inside was even heavier.

He opened the door cautiously, trying not to draw attention to himself. However, a voice from the living room stopped him in his tracks.

"Yes, sir, I understand… I'm very sorry. My son was reckless to provoke a physical altercation with yours. I promise we'll have the money by the weekend."

It was his mother, speaking on the phone, her tone laden with stress.

Edmund felt a knot tighten in his stomach.

"This can't be happening…" he murmured, attempting to sneak upstairs quietly.

When his mother hung up, she pressed her hand to her forehead, clearly overwhelmed.

"What the hell have you gotten yourself into now, Edmund?" she muttered as if talking to herself.

Edmund tried to continue toward the stairs, hoping to avoid a confrontation. But he wasn't lucky.

"I'm talking to you, Edmund! Answer me right now!"

He stopped reluctantly.

"I didn't do anything wrong," he said in a low voice. "I was just trying to defend a girl who was being harassed."

"Defend? Really? And by 'defend,' do you mean starting a fight?"

"I thought I could win!"

"It's not about winning or losing!" she yelled, visibly furious. "Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you've caused me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The boy you fought with is the principal's son. He's demanding a huge sum of money to avoid pressing charges. Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?"

"Then hire a lawyer."

"It's not that simple! That man has a lot of money. He can hire the best lawyers and crush us without breaking a sweat."

Edmund sighed, exhausted.

"We'll figure something out. For now, I just want to rest… I don't feel well."

He tried to climb the stairs, but his mother's voice stopped him again.

"Oh, of course! You cause problems, and then I'm left to fix them, huh? Is that how you think life works?"

Edmund turned around, his face weary and his brows furrowed.

"And what do you expect me to do? Travel back in time to prevent it from happening?"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "You're an immature kid who doesn't even know how to talk to his own mother."

"I'm not immature!"

"Oh, really?" Her voice became sharper. "You're 17 years old and still believe you can be a 'hero' or a 'vigilante.' All you ever do is cause trouble. And on top of that, you don't care about your future. Next year you're supposed to start college, and it seems like you couldn't care less!"

Her words hit like a whip. Edmund felt something inside him shatter.

"So, does the way I am bother you?" he snapped, his voice trembling with anger. "Fine! I'll leave this house tomorrow!"

The air fell silent. His mother lowered her head and began walking toward him slowly.

"What?" Edmund took a step back, confused.

"You're an ungrateful brat!" she shouted, and before he could react, she slapped him across the face.

The sound echoed through the room, intensifying the pain of his earlier injuries. Edmund touched his cheek, his eyes brimming with tears of helplessness.

"I hate you, Mom… I hate all of you!" he shouted, his voice breaking. "I try to help, and all I get in return is scorn. I'm done!"

His mother stood frozen, as if unable to believe what she'd just heard.

"I'm leaving," Edmund declared, heading for the door.

He slammed it shut behind him, leaving his mother alone, her face a mixture of worry and regret.

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Edmund walked for hours under the cold night sky. His body, aching and exhausted, felt as though it was dragging itself along the deserted road. In his hand, he held his phone, its screen lit up with over fifty missed calls from his mother.

With a blank expression, he turned the phone off and flung it far into the bushes without looking back.

"I hate my life…" he murmured, letting the despair seep into every word.

He stopped at the edge of a worn path by the road. The silence of the night wrapped around him, but his mind was filled with the echoes of his failures. If he couldn't fulfill his only dream of being a hero, then what was the point of living?

Closing his eyes, he waited for the sound of a car speeding down the empty road.

"Help me, please!"

A distant cry broke through his thoughts. He opened his eyes with a hint of irritation but decided to ignore it.

"Please, someone help me!" The voice called out again, this time more desperate.

Edmund frowned, hesitation flickering in his eyes. Finally, he took a step toward the nearby forest, where the sound seemed to be coming from.

"If anyone can hear me, please, come help me! I'm begging you!"

The tone of panic sent a chill down his spine, but he pressed on cautiously. The dense trees let in only slivers of moonlight, shrouding the path in darkness.

Finally, he reached a small clearing illuminated by a faint light from a nearby cabin. But what caught his attention wasn't the cabin—it was the horrifying scene unfolding beside it.

A man was pinning a woman to the ground, one hand covering her mouth while she struggled frantically beneath him.

Edmund froze, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing. Fear coursed through his veins, but a voice inside urged him to act.

He scanned the area quickly and spotted a metal rod lying on the ground a few feet away. Moving as quietly as possible, he inched toward it.

The woman, noticing his presence, looked at him with wide eyes filled with hope and terror.

"Mmmph!" she tried to scream, but the man tightened his grip on her mouth.

Edmund hesitated, afraid that the attacker might notice him. Just as he reached for the metal rod, a sharp blow struck the back of his head.

"Ahh!" he groaned as he staggered and collapsed to the ground. His vision blurred as a second man stepped out from the shadows, holding a wooden plank.

"Good job, brother. I knew this idiot would show up to play hero," the second man said, smirking.

"You know I'll always have your back," the first man replied without looking up.

"Finish your fun. I'll deal with this one," the second man said, pulling a length of cable from his pocket and approaching Edmund.

The woman, still struggling, let out a muffled scream.

"Mmmpf!"

"Shut up already, will you?" the first man snapped, irritated. "Did you really think you could get away? Just accept your fate."

Edmund, dazed and in pain, saw the metal rod near his foot. Summoning what little strength he had, he nudged it toward the woman.

"Mmmpf!"

She noticed and reached for the rod. With a swift motion, she struck her attacker in the neck and kicked him hard in the groin. He collapsed, writhing in pain as she scrambled to her feet.

"Brother, don't let her escape!" the second man shouted, still tightening the cable around Edmund's neck.

The woman hesitated, glancing at Edmund. He managed to choke out, "Run… Get help…"

She nodded and sprinted toward the road, the first man staggering after her despite his injuries.

Edmund knew his time was running out. Gasping for air, he spotted a weapon tucked into his attacker's waistband. With trembling hands, he reached for it.

"What do you think you're doing?" the man demanded, startled.

Edmund didn't hesitate. He pulled the trigger.

"Arghhh!" The man screamed as blood blossomed across his chest. He released the cable, stumbling backward.

"Brother!" the other man shouted in fury and desperation.

Edmund collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Ki-kill me if you want…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I did it… I'm a hero."

The injured man stared at him with hatred.

"Damn lunatic."

He grabbed the cable again, this time with murderous intent.

Edmund, his face twisted in agony from the lack of air, let out a crazed smile.

"I did it… I'm a hero! I'm a hero! I'm a hero! I'm a hero! I'm a hero!"

Those were his final words as his body went limp, lifeless.

The forest fell silent, save for the rustling of leaves in the wind. Edmund's body lay still, his face frozen in an eerie expression of ecstatic fulfillment, as if he'd finally found his purpose.

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"Here's the latest news. A 22-year-old woman named Ann Marlet has been reported missing. She was last seen three days ago at a local shopping center. Ann adds to the list of 30 women who have disappeared this year, with authorities yet to find any leads," the reporter stated gravely.

There was a brief pause in the broadcast as the anchor pressed her earpiece, clearly receiving new information.

"One moment…" she murmured, her expression shifting to one of shock. "I've just been informed that another name has been added to the list. Edmund Hughes, a 17-year-old student, was last seen leaving his mother's house late last night. There have been no updates on his whereabouts since."

With a somber tone, the reporter concluded:

"Those were our breaking news updates for today. This is Maria Ellis, signing off. Stay tuned."

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In a remote location, a campfire burned brightly in the darkness of the night. The air reeked of gasoline and burning wood.

"You almost let that woman escape, brother," one of the men said, staring into the flames with a twisted smile.

"Yeah. But luckily, I had my gun," the other replied, motioning to a makeshift bandage on his arm. "That idiot only managed to graze me. Nothing serious."

"I like that you always have a Plan B, brother."

The injured man smirked with satisfaction. "How could I not? In this world, only the strong survive."

The two men fell silent, watching as the fire consumed the evidence of the night's events. The flames crackled and danced, reflecting in their eyes, which gleamed with a mix of contempt and madness.

"Now let's enjoy the sight of these bodies burning."

"Amen, brother."

The night carried on, bearing witness to their atrocity as the bodies in the fire turned to ash, leaving nothing but the faint echo of their laughter in the cold, silent forest.