The Man Who Killed the First Monster

Jason stood in the middle of the airport still staring at the big LCD screen. The live news was still ongoing yet the people around him didn't share his attention span. They were running all over the place. Most of them were on their phones, yelling and shouting. The looks on their faces were covered in fear. The incident that happened a week ago was still alive in their mind. A monster invasion was a hard thing for people to forget. The people realized their mistakes, they knew their priorities when that crack appeared. Man-eating monsters were enough to scare them out of their minds. A few bumped into Jason but he remained standing like a pillar.

Again?

Those two nights resurfaced as he remembered only deaths. A drop of sweat trickled from his forehead. The thought of reliving those days was making his body sweating. He felt a tug on his jacket. Turning around, he saw the pale stricken face of a redhead.

“The crack,” she said.

“I can see that,” he said.

Jason turned around heading towards one of Air Canada’s ticket counter. Bryce chased him down with no intention of leaving. The thought of going back to work was long gone with the appearance of that crack. It would have been stupid of her if she went back to the hospital and worked like everything was normal.

He couldn’t get close to the counter as he stared at the sight of people crowding around the only open counter of Air Canada. The flustered ticket agent couldn’t handle the sudden influx of customers.

The ticket counter machines were not that different as people pushed around trying to buy their way out of here. Jason's attempt in finding the earliest flight to Toronto was put on hold. As he glanced around trying to find a screen showing the flight information, someone held both of his shoulders.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

His eyebrows pulled together while looking at the redhead woman.

“Trying to find the earliest flight,” he said.

“You’re not going to do anything about the crack?” she asked.

“I’m doing it, I’m trying to get out of here. Like the rest of them,” he said while pointing at the panicking people.

“But why? You can kill those monsters, you can-” before she continues any longer, Jason cut her off.

“You’re misunderstanding something. I’m not a savior. My job isn’t to save people,” he said.

“But you saved me,” her words left him speechless. A gulp of saliva swallowed down his throat.

He tried once but he failed miserably. His cousins and friends died under his protection. Some may say it wasn’t his fault but guilt had a way of playing into the mind.

“Listen up, I’m not the guy you think I am. Me, saving you is just because us being at the right time and at the right place,” he said.

“Then what about now? The crack is there, out in the open,” she said.

Jason raised both of his hands in surrender. He was not going to play along. Once was enough.

“I’ll say it again, I’m not going to do anything. If you want to play hero be my guess, you’ve got the ‘ten million’ ability, I’m sure you can do it,” his pep talk was rather contradicting. But Bryce didn’t receive it well. The grip on his shoulder loosened as her knees fell to the floor. She fell into a silence of devastation. She had hoped for this man to save the other as he saved her but she was wrong.

Tears fell down as she felt scared for what was about to come. Her first-time experience left a trauma on her and it wouldn’t go away anytime sooner. She muttered those two words and the blue window appeared. She glanced at the only skill she had, the Copper Body ability. Turning mere flesh into as strong as copper. Then the image of a little girl flooded her mind, she saw the small body being burned into cinder by the atrocity of the monsters from the crack. It left a strong image inside of Bryce and she couldn’t forget it.

A little girl saved her from the brink of death yet here she was, an adult who has the ability to fight against the thing that endangered the lives of the people in New Jersey yet she does nothing. The feeling she had when she treated her patients resurfaced within her heart. The reason she became a doctor was for the sake of the people. To save lives, no matter who they are, strangers or not.

A resolve forming within the gentle heart of this redhead doctor. She stood up and stared at Jason eye to eye, with her eyes, reddish and swollen. She cried a lot in that short time but it was enough for her.

“I’m going to save them,” she said.

She was resolute in this newfound determination of hers. Jason could saw it in her eyes. In Jason’s eyes, it was stupid but admirable. Even he didn’t dare to try for round two as what might come out of the crack was still uncertain. There was a possibility that it might be low-level compared to the monsters in New York City, something he would definitely welcome but another big ‘if’ made him wary. What if a stronger horde of monsters than New York City came out? Would he even have a chance to survive again?

Jason doesn’t think so. He acknowledged the fact that he survived New York City was based on pure luck. Rather than luck, he preferred to rely on himself and facts. He has the tools but he wasn’t ready. Not yet.

“Good luck then,” he said. He tapped Bryce’s shoulder once and went passed her. She didn’t glance back and went on to the airport entrance with a determined look. Two souls fell apart but who knows maybe in the future they might meet up again.

--

Jason boarded one of the flights to Toronto. He was standing in between the flight attendants who were having a serious conversation about the crack and the monsters. No choice for the man who doesn’t have an ID nor a passport to legally buy a ticket. The only way for him to board a plane was to go incognito. Jason was invisible with his hands full and his time on board of the plane revolved around avoiding the flight attendants while they were doing their job.

Not having a seat while flying was indeed torture for the man from Canada. While he was testing his patience, the people in the cabin were in a commotion. They were staring out from the window looking at the huge crack right down below them. It was getting bigger and they could discern it through their eyes.

Jason didn’t even look as he was reminded of Bryce. He didn't know whether she was up to the task, considering how meek she was in front of danger. But deep down, he just hoped she won’t die.

One hour and forty-five minutes later, the plane landed on Pearson Airport. He was the first to got out as he didn’t want to stumble with the other passengers. It would be awkward if they felt there was a ghost on board and spending in the air while invisible does have its charm. Shadow Hide raised to level six and he wasn’t even mad that his EP was down by quite a lot. What matters was getting stronger.

The Pearson International Airport was like any other airport, bustling with people. Jason walked among the crowd of people and slowly the invisibility that hide his body was lifted. No one noticed the sudden appearance of the man carrying a bag of a bow and wooden staff on his other hand. They were too engrossed with their phones checking the recent news about new cracks appearing all throughout the world.

People around him were worried as no news about Canada. It would be good if there were no new cracks in Canada, but if there was one they should know about it for safety purposes. As of now, people in New Jersey are trying their best in staying away far from the crack appearing on top of a golf course.

Jason got out of the airport and stood by the side of the street, watching taxis come and goes. He realized a bit too late as he has no money in his pockets. The taxi fare won’t be cheap considering his home was quite far from the airport. He sighed knowing that it was another round of hiding and running. But then, he heard someone called his name.

“Jason?”