Shout Out!!

Chapter 2 - New boy
Hi there. My name is Chew Pin Li, aka New Boy. I'm 20 years of age, 6 feet tall, and basically, I'm a student here at UTAR, Kampar. =)

I've been here, since a year ago, a new entrant. I used to live in Negeri Sembilan, but after the solar storm... many of us either have no parents or we live by ourselves. Naturally, UTAR, being a University, still offers to take us in and give us food, a place to stay and keep us warm. So many of us flocked here.

It was a crazy sight, you know... seeing your own hometown burn to the ground in front of your eyes, people you love dissapearing before you. We lost many family members that night, when the solar storm hit. I was lucky. I hid myself in the refrigerator that night, so I managed to get up unscatch. But the rest of my family... were nowhere to be seen. I cried for many nights.

So yeah. That's just how it is. We are the last survivors of the blast, and many of us flocked to UTAR, hoping to start a new life here. I won't call myself a really enthusiastic 'student', but nontheless, I don't mind reading a book or two if it means I have a guaranteed life here.

When I first arrived here, I knew I fell in love with this place. It was like a paradise, fresh grown flowers by a massive lake, waterfalls and high-rise buildings. It was indeed one of the last remaining cities in the world. Upon arrival, I was given clothes, food, and a place to stay. For the first time in months, I finally felt safe.

But that was all just temporary. In the midst of chaos, there were many students who demanded power, bullies who wanted more of thier share of food and shelter. Many of these people formed gangs and began to steal, rob and threaten our way of life. We were forced to fight our way to survive. But who could blame them? What would you do if the world came to an end, and you were the last remainig people on earth?

The University was a great place. It gave us an opportunity to foget our terrible experiences, all that pain and misery, and gave us a place where we can learn, and try out new things. We were all happy, as long as we were in the University.

I was a new entrant then, 20 years of age. I registered myself as a student of Finance, as I tot it would benefit me if I were to start a new life. That was when I met them. All 20 of them. Smiling, happy little brats that became my frens. We were known as FETG1, the first class. I never got to know most of them, though. There was Li Ting, the strange little girl with smiling eyes that always tot she was a vampire pig. There was Wen Shing, a great cook and a great actor. Apparently both of them already met on the way to the Uni. Here, we have a rule. We don't talk about our past, unless we want to. Eveyone had a hard time before they got here. We were all survivors, so we don't ask questions, until you want to talk. Li Ting and Wen Shing were the first 2 people who talked. ANd with that, I knew I would give my life to them, in everyway. They were like family to me.

However, one night, everything changed. I was into my 3rd day of Uni, when at night, a large metoer tore down from the sky, and crashed into the Westlake. A huge wave of light blinded us, and the noise of the crash was defeaning. Ultimately, many of us passed out in the incident. When we awoke, nothing was the same again. The once paradise for us, now lay in broken shards and pieces. I fell on my knees and asked god that night. Why? Why did he have to take my life away, right after he took the lives of my family? Why did such pain have to happen one more time?

Surprisingly, no one was hurt after that incident. Authorities from the Uni came in to sweep the area, and found nothing more than a large crater near the lake, where the metoer must have landed. Strange as it seemed, but apart from the buildings, the infrasturcture and the city, us students were not hurt at all. It was like god giving us not one, but two chances again. But the relief was long lived. Nicole, a 2nd year student from Architeture, one day, in the middle of the class, did something unimaginable. She was taking down measurements with her classmates in a temporaray education hall after the incident, suddenly burst into flames. She was screaming and turning and failing her arms. Everyone in the room was dumstruck. They tried everything, pouring water on her, using sand. But nothing worked. Ultimately,she died, her charred body left in the middle of the classroom. The tutor ran out for help, and many of the students wept and cried. But amazingly, something happened. In an instant, her charred body, began to reform, muscle by muscle, skin by skin, until finally, she suddenly drew breath, and continued screaming again. She stoppped for a while, and looked around her. Everyone was looking at her, petrified. Even she couldn't believe what happened.

More incidents happened after that. There was a boy in Marketing that could suddenly do backflips, and was so nimble he could jump to the roof in one movement. There was a man down at 4th year of PR who could slice tomatoes with his bare hands. There was a girl in Accouting that could suddenly changed the colour of her skin at will. But all this was nothing comapred to what happened to Li Ting and me that night.

As usual, we had our dinner meeting at the usual Little Kitchen Restaurant, in the nearby town. We were busy discussing the wierd events that were happening lately, when suddenly, the air bgan to grow heavy and stale. We felt numb, like we could'nt move. My vision began to go blurr, and I could barely make out the image of the man that entered the restaurant. I knew that man. We were in the same faculty, but he was in FETG2. His name was Micheal or Mitchel or something, a smart fellow . But there was something wierd about him. He stood there, at the door way, but around him, I could suddenly see, for a split second, a little shadow above him. I tot I jsut saw a ghost. But what was more worrying, was the sudden feeling of numbness his presence gave all of us, like we were being pressed downwards. Suddenly, he dashed forward. I know it was a dash, because he was at the door way one moment, but the next he was already at the counter. What he did next left me dumbfounded. He looked at the guy at the counter, who was equally numb, as I could see he could not move. Micheal or Mitchel or whatever, I'll just call him M, just walked up to the counter, opened the register, and took out all the cash. He then walked out, or I should say, dashed out, of the restaurant.

That instant, my senses came back to me. I couldn't feel the same numbness in the air anymore, like it was lifted. I shook my head, and look around me.

'You ok?' Li TIng asked, looking at me.

'Yea... how bout you? You ok?'

'What do you mean? I'm fine. You suddenly just slumped down on the table and closed ur eyes so tightly, I tot you were in pain.'

'What....'

I looked around me. Everyone was, indeed continuing thier meal, just like before.

'You mean... you didn't see that man?'

Li TIng looked at me, her head tilting to one side. 'What man?'

A cold drop of sweat formed on my forehead. 'That man. He just, walked into the restaurant and grabbed the money on the counter.'

Li Ting, still looking at me, laughed. 'You're silly. I didn;t see anyone. You must be seeing things!'

I still couldnt belive. I swore I could see it. Just then, the guy at the counter shouted 'Hey! WHeres all the money in the register?'

There was a loud commotion, the staff coming out and finding the register open, its contents gone. The counter guy just shook his head.

I looked at Li Ting. 'I told you.' Her smiled before vanished. 'How'd you know...'

'I told you.. I saw him! There was a man... He just walked in and...'

It was then that I saw him. The same man, the same strange figure, walking past the windows outside the resturant. Something tells me it was not right, something tells me its was all wrong.
I told Li Ting to stay where she was, that I would only be gone for a second, and left the restaurant. I ran out into the crowd of people outside the restaurant, and tried to look for him. I took a left turn, down the street, into the road near Maybank and the PurpleCane cafe. There, near the junction of the Grand Kampar hotel, I saw him. Quitely, I follwed him, as he walked near the Hotel and into the backalley.

I tailed him, careful not to make any noise. I follwed his shadow as he made his way into the backalley. It was dark, and the smell of sewage was strong. He walked all the way to the parking lot, near the MaxBreak pool centre, and then, he stopped. Quickly, sensing he must have sensed someone following him, I hid behind one of the walls.

'Hmph... so you can see me?'

My eyes grew wide. I couldn't believe it. What did he mean?

'Hmph... Just when I tot I had this all figured out.' I could make out what he did, but for a spit second, I must have heard him jump.

'You really can see me, can't you?'

I froze. There, above the wall that I was hiding, was M. I looked up. How... The wall was almost 3 metres high. There was noway he could climb up there in such a short period of time. In the darkness of the night, with only a street lamp behind him, I can make out only his shadow. He was tall, no doubt, and had his hands in his pocket. His coat was collared, and it flickered a little in the wind.

'What... what do you want?' I aksed. This is all too wierd. Maybe I was seeing a ghost, amybe this was all not real.

In an instant, the figure dissapeared again. Impossible, I tot. This doesn;t make sense. How can he appear and dissapear as he wishes just like tat. I felt afraid, scared. I must have seen a spirit, or a ghost. There must be somthing evil here. I told myself to run.

Just as I turn around, there, right in fron of me, was the figure again. I froze, cold sweat now pouring out of my forehead. I was shaking.

'Hmph... To be able to see me... You must be a user too.'

User? What was he talkin about. 'I.. I have no idea what you are talking about. Please, let me go, I havent done anything to ofend you, I promise I'll burn you some paper money and josticks, leave me alone, please...'

The figure, suddenly let out a laugh. 'Gahahahaha!!' It was a laugh, though eerie, but it, for some reason, made me feel like this was not a ghost afterall.

'You're new here, aren't you.... For starters, I'm not a freakin ghost, if thats what you think I am.'

I looked at the man. The fear I had earlier of meeting supoernatural beings and being haunted felt distant.

'And to be able to sense and even see me... Heh... you must be one heck of a user.'

'Look... if you're not a ghost, then what the hell are you? I saw you back there! I saw you just walk up to the counter and steal that money!' I've always been a righteous person. My dad tot me that. He always said that lying, cheating and stealing from others was wrong, and I stuck to that, after his death ten years ago. I've never lied, cheated or stole from anyone, and I'll definately not let someone just walk away like tat.

'Oh? So you did see me... Just when I tot it was goin to be easy...'

'Give it back.'

'What?'

I looked at at him. 'I said... give it BACK!'

The figure now stood there, silent. Then, he walked towards me. I felt an instant danger, and backed up against the wall. Before me, as the figure came into the light under the streetlamp, I could make out his features. Indeed, he was M, the same guy from FETG2 that I've met before.

He stood there, and for the first time, I could see his eyes. Those blood thirsty, red eyes that glowed in the darkness. 'You... want me to do what?'

I fringed. He's no ghost. He's just a thief, a crook. I felt the anger burning inside me. Physically, I'm not born to fight, but I was not born to run away either.

'I want you... to give back the money you stole. Right now.'

Both of us stood there. I didn't feel the fear before. Instead, it was replaced by my own sense of justice, the jsutice I knew I had to use to put justice back to our already torn world. This was not a matter of fame or self sustainment, it was my principal.

'And how about if I said no?'

'Then I'll make you!' I ran towards him, raising my fists. 'Aaaaahhhh!!!!' I reached him, but just before my fist could touch him, he dissapeared. I froze in midair, the force of my punch pulling me downward. I had no time to recover my balance, before I felt a presence behind me.

'Too slow.' With one heavy blow, he knocked me on my back. I fell over, tumbling to the ground. 'Gahhh!!!'

Slowly, I got up on my feet again, and turned to face him. He just stood there, nonchalantly, as though mocking me. This time, he was standing the in the full glow of the streetlight, and I could see him completely. But it was this completeness that sent a shiver down my spine. Because for a moment, I tot he was human. For a moment, I tot that all logic in this world could be explianed. But I was not prepared, for standing before me, was not a human man alone, but one his shoulder, was an extremely bright, glowing light - a small little creature with the head of a fox and the body of an ox, holding an axe.
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