Heroes: God's End

Chapter One: Rude Awakening

CHAPTER ONE: RUDE AWAKENING

"The feeling... It's indescribable." Riley, a scruffy young adult mutters as he recalls falling through a void as the empty space surrounding him ripples with devastation. The powerful wind causes his clothes to rapidly flail around as if even the inanimate items are aware of the impossibility going on around them. Blind to his surroundings, he falls unwillingly, expecting nothing more than a handshake from Death himself. Immediately after this thought, he sees a winged female figure reach her hand out to him, but the blinding light grows stronger until everything becomes silent. As he screams, wishing for it to be over, Riley falls front first onto a grassy meadow, the impact immediately renders him unconscious.

"It was frightening. If I had to explain how it felt, I would say I felt like I was born again." He mutters once more, reliving the traumatising and unforgiving nightmare he endured. As the long grass is gently touched by the slow wind, the tips of the grass stroke along the skin of the unconscious figure. Riley gasps with a groan following immediately after. He tries to move and makes an almost repressed shout of pain as he reaches for his back, breathing heavily until the pain fades away. His eyes jitter from side to side whilst he attempts to make audible sounds that grow louder with each increment.

"Hello!?" Riley checks his ears for any sign of blood or injury. He realises that he cannot hear a single sound that escapes his mouth. Riley stumbles to get up, checking his clothing for any signs of documentation and realises that he has no idea who he is. Upon looking at his wrist, he sees an automatic watch which has seemingly met its demise at 1:33. As Riley spins around in panic, it appears that the meadow goes on forever with no end in sight. He turns around again and sees a well-hidden mansion and a small residential area nearby. With nowhere else to turn to, with no other choice to make, he walks as quickly as he can to this potential haven. As Riley gets closer to the building in the distance, he sees a male figure walking out towards his direction. Immediately, Riley panics, paranoia sets in.

"What if they're dangerous? What if I'm dangerous?" he thinks in rapid succession as his current form of vulnerability causes him to think hastily. With no other choice, he breathes steadily, calming himself down and accepting that he must take the one singular path provided to him. Riley carries on walking up to the figure until they come face to face. He stares at the well-dressed man who has a welcoming smile on his somewhat friendly looking face.

"Looks can deceive. I don't know this man yet." Riley thinks to himself.

The lips of the stranger begin to move, but not a single sound can be heard by Riley. Unable to hear in any form, Riley expresses loudly that he cannot hear. He lets the man know by gesturing and pointing to both of his ears and shaking his head. The stranger nods with a polite smile and proceeds to point his hand in the direction of the building, implying that Riley should follow him. With no choice, he obliges. Riley strokes the long grass as he walks towards the mansion, experiencing the wonders of nature for the first time. The two strangers walk side by side, approaching the manor and entering the building through two large wooden doors. The stranger points above the doors to a plaque which reveals one name, 'Petrelli Manor'. As Riley is led into the building, faint and muffled sounds begin to become audible, the gentle groans of tree branches and the faint singing of nearby birds, a delightful reminder that the world is well and truly alive.

"I can hear, I think..." he mutters to himself, despite still suffering from a constant muffled tone, a possible consequence of whatever had happened to Riley moments ago.

"That's good. I imagine that your hearing should improve quickly." The stranger nods and smiles towards Riley.

Riley and the stranger walk into a small room with soundproofed walls and dim lighting. It almost looks similar to that of an interrogation room, with no memory of his life, the anxiety attempts to overwhelm him as he successfully remains calm.