《Placebo Effect》 Prologue | 00 In the year 2047 everyone was downloaded online. Space became scarce due to a sharp population increase. It all began with shortages of young people, the old were living longer, whereas the young were not reproducing and dying faster than previous generations; whether it was the increased use of experimental drugs or the increase of artificial food or even something else is anyones guess. It didn¡¯t help that the earth was and decaying, only a small majority of land was predicted to last, while the rest of the world would be reduced to nothingness or drowned by the sea. It was decided in the year 2020 at the Global Apex where the leaders of the world governments gather in emergencies to discuss situations, that a worldwide initiative would be introduced; this was to encourage young people to procreate to secure the worlds future and increase the possibilities of higher educated intellectual youths. A global incentive was introduce called the Global Apex Tax (GAT) this allowed people with new born children severe cuts in their taxes, whilst allowing them to keep more money and live for filled lives. This would would not only give security and material comfort, but would allow middle class families a chance to stay afloat. Low Income families were not only given GAT, but were also given an additional incentive called the Global Apex Grant (GAG). This was essentially free money that was given to improve their quality of life, to encourage poorer families to have more children and not worry about budgeting as the GAG also paid in a percentage of money should the kid(s) decide to go into higher education. Subjects that would benefit the public such as doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, etc were given massive cuts to their education as the subjects were seen as high priority to the existence of man. It was rumoured that the government paid particular attention to poorer families as allegedly they thought if poorer people had more children theres a chance that at least one of them would contribute to the intellectual youths progression. With these new laws passed the boom and rush to take advantage of the new legislations grew worldwide. Households with no intentions to have children completely changed, everyone wanted a check.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Sadly not everyone was pleased, people who had children before the new legislation were completely cut off. The criteria that formed part of the deal was that the government would monitor the growth of the children, be it education and physical ~ from birth. This obviously didn¡¯t go down well with parents whom their kids were newly born or even a couple of years old. They were abandoned. They felt forgotten, the world was moving so fast that they couldn¡¯t catch up. This aggression, hate, resentment and false hope created a resistance. Small and secret at first, but as with all secrets the light soon shines down exposing the dark hidden truths¡­ Soon after new problems arrived, it was reported that child abductions, human trafficking and kidnapping grew. Within the first year missing children being kidnapped from hospitals were rampant, to the point it was normalised. The first few were reported and discussed wildly on the news, but soon after it wouldn¡¯t even make front page news. This was a world wide pandemic. Child farms were being discovered, whole new units needed to be created that would act like police, search and investigate like FBI and fight tactical missions using military force like mercenaries with the skills of special ops. Specialist birthing hospitals were built with the addition to high tech security, only 1 person connected to the family was allowed in; usually the person being the partner. However this did not deter crime. The worlds situation was dire, desperate attempts were made to simmer the chaos, more and more legislation were introduced. Shortly after every man and women who wanted to have children needed to register to their local authorities, once registered a fertility check was created with the aim to stop baby snatching. Fertility checks would take and store DNA, so that should the individuals have children(s) in the future; the father and mother would not only be identifiable, but also traceable. This new law helped the authorities locate parents, as well as screen them for the eligibility of GAT and GAG, including pinpointing a specific person to DNA. This involved finger prints, blood samples, saliva samples, urine samples, earwax samples, iris scans, facial and body scans as well as a skin biopsies. Women and men went through fertility checks, initially it was optional as you would only need to register if you wanted to become a parent, however 3 moths after the introduction, crime did not decrease. As with everything in life there is always a way around laws, criminals wouldn¡¯t stop just because a new law is announced, they just found other ways to commit crimes. Fertility checks soon became compulsory, the last law was passed. Any person from the age of 21 were obligated to have a fertility check to be licensed to bare children. Every year on January 1st the annual check would take place. Prologue | 0.5 When growing up you think everything in life is in its place. Set in stone, marble perhaps? But stable nevertheless. As if it¡¯s that cheap takeaway shop everyone has hidden in the corner of some sketchy neighbourhood that everyone swears isn¡¯t the shit, however they¡¯ve never been inside themselves, so little do they know that the shitty eatery, with the rude dirty server/chef, with absolutely no hospitality or manners that somehow manages to stay open all these years serves the best whatever the fuck they make. Literally. No lie. Literally. That¡¯s what its described as on the menu, so I really don¡¯t know what the hell I¡¯m eating, but for some reason couldn''t care less since it¡¯s disgustingly delicious. Even though theres only two tables with no chairs available, most likely so that customers can¡¯t get too comfortable and piss off the owner, but comfortable enough that the table sits just below elbow height facing the outside of the shop window, probably so that not only does the owner not have to look at his dirty customers, but they themselves don¡¯t have to look too closely at the disheveled store and realise how unpleasant it really is. To top it off condiments aren¡¯t available and the stain in the centre of the table has been there since the store first opened. Me¡­ knowing this, is a testament to my own taste, but I can assure you my pallet is unrivalled; within budget of course.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The two tables being secured and bolted down is an unapologetic reminder that we may be customers in the store, however we¡¯re not always right, nor is the owner going to take a chance and risk his establishment for some lowlifes. Distrusting strangers is common place considering the area has experienced seasonal looting, but with all these negatives customers still return because at the end of the day what everyone really wants is stability. Seeing the same faces, thinking you know everything there is to know of the area, and experiencing the same shit you complain about to the same grubby guy who just begged from you no more than 5 minutes ago, but happily engage in conversation with since a routine has been set and to be honest, discreetly you secretly like the discussion since it gives you the monthly dose of genuine human contact you so desperately crave. After all, in a world where a set in stone lifestyle and beliefs is now so far from reality that what we feel, think, see, smell and hear cannot be trusted. I know everyone has their own experiences, but I never really questioned anything... We all lived our lives thinking nothing could ever shake us, nothing in this world could possibly break us, nothing will change us. The cruel reality that our minds, decisions, lifestyle, choices and free will are nothing but an exaggerated lie to keep us from getting out of line. Well that¡¯s what I thought... So here I am to tell you, We cannot be trusted. I cannot be trusted. You cannot be trusted. For this is a world where everything is online. Chapter | 1.0 | The Impossible ~BZZzz~ ~ZAPppp~ ~GLITchhh~ Its dark, my first winter here, but I never expected it to feel as realistic as I¡¯ve seen in the history books¡­ So this is what the cold feels like¡­ I don¡¯t hate it, but I think I like the autumn season more¡­ ~ ~ SCRRRRRE~~~AAAAAAAAAAAA~~~CCccCC~~~~HHHHHHHH!!! ~ ~ OMG, SHUT THE HELL UP!! Gheezus, I knew I lived in a shoddy area, but still wtf is this, its like I¡¯m in a hard drive! Constant cracking and sparking! Damn it! Fuck, I barely sleep at night because of this crap, and now I have to go in early. Man, fuck this! *** Wires cracked, split and fissured along the crevice of the walls as he walked alone along the cobbled street in the morning darkness. The wires were embedded within the buildings, this is the norm for impoverished establishments; however this area isn¡¯t known for it¡¯s picturesque views, city scapes, flamboyant water features, nor the flourishing social spots and economical businesses. On the contrary, the Swallow is a place not many can endure. It¡¯s below bottom of the barrel homes welcomed beggars and homed squatters. Tricksters, deceivers, fraudsters, on the runners are all embraced; in order to get by here all you need to do is be able to bamboozle the best, and canoodle with the worst. Everyone is welcome as long you can protect whats yours. Besides that, everything is fair game.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. *** The Swallow is a dirty area no one visits unless you want to get off grid, most people consider it inhabitable, but me I like that I¡¯m able to have my space, it doesn¡¯t help that I¡¯m in crippling debt, but I like to think thats not the only reason I''m here. If I want money, I can get money, I just choose not to¡­ The best attention, is no attention¡­ The less I¡¯m known and the more I mix in the better my life is¡­ If they knew who I was¡ª ~zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ~ A familiar sound from a distance quickly became louder as it approached. ¡°¡ªAYY TAAAAAXI!¡± Yelled the young man. ~SCHEEEEEEEE~ ~CHachhak~ The taxi swiftly halted as the passenger got in. ¡°WOOWH WOH WOOH! NOW HOLD ON A DAMN MINUTE YOU GRUBBY SNOT!¡± Yelled the taxi driver, his passenger was quickly seated, belt buckled in a flash! ¡°7C YOU CAVE MAN!¡± yelled back the passenger. ¡°WHATCHA CALL ME YA ¡®OMELESS GOOD FAH NOTHIN!¡± ~KICK~ STOMP~ The passenger kicked the back of the taxi drivers seat in retaliation. ¡°I SAID GO, YOU OLD FART! 7TH CYCLONE! 7C! DO YOU HEAR ME OR DOES YOUR HEARING AID NEED ADJUSTING?!¡± ¡°OI OI, YOU BETTA SHUT IT, BEFORE I BUZZ YA OUT OV HERE! I ¡®EARD YA THA FIRST TIME, YA CRAZY BASTARD!¡± ¡°Seriously, why do I have to shout every time I see you, I¡¯ll end up killing you from high blood pressure!¡± Replied the passenger as the journey began. ¡°I¡¯ll die from a glitch before I see your ugly mug in death!¡± ¡°Pppshh, no shit! You¡¯ll be lucky if the last face you see IS mine! The ladies don¡¯t complain, they love some of this shit!¡± ¡°Coz thats your only redeemable feature! Yah broke, so the least they can get from you¡¯s is some aesthetically pleasing sex! Oi, and my age aint nothing but the power of resentment. You¡¯ll be lucky if you can even live to my age, ya shitty youth!¡± ¡°Ouch! Do you kiss your wife with such a crude tongue?¡± ¡°Lucky for me, she¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Ohh¡­ my bad¡­ sor¡ª¡° ¡°It''s ight, she was an horrible women anyway!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°CAT GOT YA TONGUE!? First time I see ya speechless!¡± ¡°You know what Zad, you¡¯ve actually gone and done the impossible¡­ ¡± The dark is never a place to be alone, mysterious things seem to keep happening here... I need to know more! I wonder if Zad¡¯s noticed too?... Thought the young man. Chapter | 2.0 | Comms Terminated The dark is never a place to be alone, mysterious things seem to keep happening here... I need to know more! I wonder if Zad¡¯s noticed too?... Thought the young man. *** ¡°You¡¯s got a lot going on boy! Always stumping around! Wheres ya headin¡¯?¡± Said Zad as he glanced at his passenger from the rear view mirror. ¡°To the 7th cyclone¡­¡± Shrugged the passenger. ~SCRRREEEeeCccCHHHHHhhh~ Zad slammed on the breaks, causing havoc in the back seat of the cabin. ¡°YOU OLD GIT, WHATS THIS ALL ABOUT?!¡± ¡°I heard ya the first time! I¡¯m look¡¯n for a serious conversation, you scratch my back I¡¯ll scratch yours! THAT WAS OUR DEAL!¡± ¡°YEAH I GET THAT, BUT NOT INFORMATION ON MY FUCKING PERSONAL LIFE! HURRY UP AND DRIVE YOU DRUNKARD!¡± Whats his deal, I¡¯ve never seen the old bat this cranky before¡­ Perhaps he¡¯s looking for specific info too? I gotta be careful, last thing I need is him selling my intelligence to bidders and hackers¡­ I¡¯ll see what he¡¯s about first and go from there! The taxi whirled up as Zad flicked a switch and in a flash they were on the main road. The passenger leaned in closer, he was now adjacent to the driver on the other side and knocked on the window hatch to speak. ~Knock knock~ ~CHHHchakk~ The partition between the hatch was now fully opened so the passenger signalled to Zad an old style telephone with his fingers. ¡°Yeah I know, all comms are down¡­¡± ¡°I need to see before I say shit¡± replied the passenger.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Zad elongated his left arm and with a swift flick of the wrist his arm illuminated 5 symbols, he crunched his hand into a ball, releasing it open again. A bright black luminous light fizzled out his palm causing a small interactive octahedron to pop up. { COMMS TERMINATED } ¡°...Ok, I believe you.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The passenger leaned in closer and asked, ¡°So... What do you wanna know?¡± ¡°Bout time ya asked!¡± Replied Zad. ¡°Well you didn¡¯t exactly scream ¡°person in need of help¡±...¡± Sighs the passenger. ¡°There ya go again, with ya smart ass talk! No wonder non¡¯ov ya women¡¯s stick around, kill joy!¡± ¡°Shuuuut Uppp you muppet, the only action this cab gets is stomach fluid, in large quantities!¡± ¡°Hahaha, sure... Joke about people hurlin¡¯ in ma taxi¡ª¡° ¡°¡ªWell whatever, get to the point you old coot before your Alzheimer''s kicks in.¡± ¡°Oi! Shitty youth!¡± ¡°COME ON! I DON¡¯T HAVE ALL DAY! SPEAK ALREADY!¡± ¡°Alright, alright.... Well, ya see there¡¯s been alotta grumbles ¡®bout this years exam... Ma clients are a little nervous ¡®bout this... It doesn¡¯t help that somethings up with tha Swallow... I¡¯m sure you¡¯s noticed it too... Ma clients don¡¯t feel too ¡°com-for-ta-ble¡± doin¡¯ business these days... You know what I mean?¡± ¡°So basically, you need some information to settle your clients nerves?¡± ¡°EXACTLY!¡± Exclaimed Zad. ¡°This is why I like¡¯s you! You get me!¡± ¡°This is more troublesome than I expected... I need to know which clients need this specific information! Either way I feel no good will come from it! Hhmm, the problem is Zad will never sell out his clients, unless it benefits him... It¡¯s no surprise the old coot has lasted so long in this business... SHIT! I need to offer him something of grand gesture to get info on the client... I need time to think of something... Plus I¡¯m in debt and didn¡¯t get much sleep last night... It¡¯s too early for this! The taxi turned a corner and finally came to a halt, it was parked on a side road opposite to an abandoned building. Rubble, glass, needles and ripped clothing were everywhere. ¡°Here we are! So what ya thinkin¡¯? I see ya mind boggling!¡± This is my chance! It¡¯s now or never! Thought the passenger. The taxi door swinged open, the young man made a run for it. ¡°OI, OI!! WHATCHA DOIN¡¯! OIIIIIII!¡± Screamed Zad as he jumped out his cab. ¡°I¡¯LL HAVE TO TAKE A RAIN CHECK!¡± Replied the passenger. ¡°Wha, what, HUH?! YOU OWE ME BIG TIME! I¡¯LL GET YA LATER!!¡± ¡°SURE! CATCH ME OUTSIDE, HOW BOUT DAT!¡± Replied the young adult with a smug grin. ¡°AAaRGhh!¡± Zad jumped back into his cab flicking a switch in the taxi console again, the taxi whirled up resonating ripples of multiple colours veiling the car transparent before he drove off. That was a close one, I¡¯ll need to be more carful and figure this out! In the mean time... How will I pay my crippling debt? The young man continued running until he stumbled upon an alleyway door. The door colossal in stature seemed to weigh a tonne or more. This is it¡­ Better late than never. Thought the young man. Chapter | 3.0 | RUN ¡°It¡¯s been a while my friend, have you missed me?¡± Spoke the young man, who seemed to be addressing the door. The door creaked as the crisp dry air flew through the hairline cracks within the gaps, the air that flew through was heavy and dense. Steel bolts held the the door together in patches as sections of the door were replaced with sheets of metal. Whatever was in there needed to be kept a secret. Now to get in! He thought. The young man checked both ways of the alleyway as well as behind him. I¡¯ll need to be more careful, this area gives me the creeps¡­ The young man leaned into the door, extending his fingertips, reaching through. A mysterious glimmer glistening through his sleeves as the outline of his body glitched, pixelating his exterior. He plunged in further, forcing himself in till he could no longer be seen. He was finally inside the door. Once inside the door darkness surrounded him, inside it was just as thick as it was tall, the pressure grew as the pixels that were on the surface of his skin stretched and snaked as it zig zagged bouncing along his skin. The youth looked down in shock, to his dismay his second skin seemed to be out of his control. Shit! The pressure is more than I anticipated! The door must have been reinforced! But If I toughen my film I¡¯ll be detected!... The youth hurried on, the pressure intensified the further he went in, waves of force breathed through and over him. His eyes began to blur as his knees started to wobble. I won¡¯t be stuck in here! His earlier speed had decreased significantly, from a short distance cracks of vibrant light penetrated through the dark. The lights hummed while the colours alternated. Closer... I¡¯m getting closer... He thought. The distance was now no more than a mere 20 metres, the narrow cracks of light that beamed through no longer looked cold or distance, but rather warm, inviting and comforting. The sounds were also no longer whispers of defeat, but roaring clusters oscillating reverberations. Not far now, those bastards knew this was a secret path! They did this to trap, perhaps even capture people. His resolve was made. The young man¡¯s footsteps hardened, his body hunched in formation as his eyes pinned on the lights as he trudged ahead. The distance grew closer there was no room for fault, it would only lead to certain death. Focus, don¡¯t rely on your powers you coward! Look where it¡¯s got you; on the run and in debt!¡± He thought to himself. ~THUMP~ What the¡ª that¡¯s strange... there isn¡¯t usually stuff in here... The young man thought to him self as he stepped over the firm object, however it didn¡¯t deter him. He didn¡¯t have time to investigate inside the dark, time wasn¡¯t on his side. ~THUMP~ ~THUMP~ ~THUMP~ I don¡¯t care any more, my interests are else where... I don¡¯t have time to detect, it¡¯ll use too much power! I refuse to let them find me, but I¡¯ll be honest, I am curious! The youth knelt over and began to feel around, his hands hovered over the solid objects. Are these¡­ BODIES!! So I was right! They really did increase the pressure to capture people! No ordinary person could withstand this type of compression, but this¡­this is fucking awful¡­ What a nasty way to go. May their souls rest in peace¡ª ~WWWWWHHHIRRRRRRRRRRRLL~ THE CYCLONE! I CAN HEAR IT! The youth got up in a haste; before he could continue on with his exit for a brief second the outlines of his pupils fizzled various etchings. The young man turned around so fast resuming interest in one of the fallen bodies. He could now see the outline of an oddly shaped necklace around one of the bodies.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. IS THAT AN ICOSAHEDRON CHARM?!? What the fuck is it doing here?! On a dead body nonetheless?! Who could it be?! Where were they going?! There is so much going on, I can¡¯t think calmly however I¡¯ll definitely be taking this. I can¡¯t risk those bastards getting their hands on it¡­ It would be a disaster; and to be honest I¡¯ll probably need it later on¡­ He unbuttoned his waist coat grabbing the bottom of his tie opening the tip as he pulled out a thin nimble blade from the hidden compartment. His outer film began to outline the blade shaping its tip to a sharp pointed blade. The youth gently turned the body over to face him. Errg¡­ I never thought I would stoop this low, defiling a dead body like this. Debt can change a person¡­ I thought I¡¯d seen it all¡­ It would¡¯ve been easier to remain oblivious and ignorant, but no, I had to go a be woke. Now I have no material comforts! Look at me, even fuck face Zad knows about my financial constraints! Damn it! The youth pierced though the bodies outer clothing reviling the clavicle where the necklace hanged. He reached to unhook the chain¡ª ~GRAB!~ The chain flooded the inside space of the door with light exposing hundreds of fallen people; all deceased. The once motionless hand was clutched onto the wrist of the youth, he was in shock. What was this incomprehensible scene he was witnessing? ¡°run¡­¡± Mumbled the women, her mouth foaming, nostrils flaring, eyes tearing drizzles of moulted blood. Her voice was strained, could she have been screaming before her passing? Her eyes shook, wobbling around with no focus. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you, what¡¯re you saying!? Who did this to you?! Questioned the youngster. For brief moment the women glared straight in the eyes of the man, the nystagmus had stopped, but her eyes were still pale from death, she pulled on the youths arm forcing her face into his immediate focus and mouthed¡ª ¡°run¡­¡± ¡°¡­run, they¡¯re coming¡ª¡± ¡°¡­run¡­¡± ¡°¡­Please,I can¡¯t hear you!¡± He repeated, his were throbbing from the pressure of the door causing his sinuses to inflame. Her eyes glitched as her body was now sporadic in movement, however the middle-aged women managed to unhook her necklace. As her fingers contorted, she crawled to the young man forcing the necklace into the young man¡¯s hands while sneaking her hand into is pocket¡ª {Swish} ¡°WHY ARE YOU GIVING ME THIS? JUST SAY WHO DID THIS! I¡¯LL FIND THEM!¡± He shouted. ¡°RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN¡± Screamed the women, the Foam in her mouth was now stained maroon. Her screech must have reacted with the chain as it catapulted the young man towards the lights oscillating from the cyclone. ¡°NEVER COME BACK!¡± Warned the women, her body now in its last stages, but the youth couldn¡¯t let this go. ¡°WHY?!? WHY SHOULDN¡¯T I RETURN?!¡± ¡°¡ª¡° ~BOOOM~ Before she could reply her time was up, her body obliterated leaving nothing¡ª ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ The rest of the bodies combusted randomly, the dark quickly came back as if there was never light to begin, the young man was now reaching the outer cracks of the door; with a strong jolt he was thrusted through. His film resonated as he squeezed through contorting the space to reach the other side. The gap he had just squeezed out of vanished without a trace. The youth stood in a daze, almost thinking could any of what he had just witnessed be real. He looked back into his palms, opening them to confirm the necklace was still there; indeed it was. He clutched onto it as he walked forward. ¡°What the fuck did I get myself into?¡± Chapter | 3.0 | RUN [Re-Write] ¡°It¡¯s been a while my friend, have you missed me?¡± Spoke the young man, who seemed to be addressing the door. The door creaked as the crisp dry air flew through the hairline cracks within the gaps, the air that flew through was heavy and dense. Steel bolts held the the door together in patches. Sections of the door were replaced with sheets of metal, whatever was in there needed to be kept a secret. Now to get in! He thought. The young man checked both ways of the alleyway as well as behind him. I¡¯ll need to be more careful, this area gives me the creeps¡­ The young man leaned into the door, extending his fingertips, reaching through. A mysterious glimmer glistening through his sleeves as the outline of his body glitched, pixelating his exterior. He plunged in further, forcing himself in till he could no longer be seen. He was finally inside the door. Once inside the door darkness surrounded him, inside it was just as thick as it was tall, the pressure grew as the pixels that were on the surface of his skin stretched and snaked as it zig zagged bouncing along his skin. The youth looked down in shock, to his dismay his second skin seemed to be out of his control. Shit! The pressure is more than I anticipated! The door must have been reinforced! But If I toughen my film I¡¯ll be detected!... The youth hurried on, the pressure intensified the further he went in, waves of force breathed through and over him. His eyes began to blur as his knees started to wobble. I won¡¯t be stuck in here! His earlier speed had decreased significantly, from a short distance cracks of vibrant light penetrated through the dark. The lights hummed while the colours alternated. Closer... I¡¯m getting closer... He thought. The distance was now no more than a mere 20 metres, the narrow cracks of light that beamed through no longer looked cold or distance, but rather warm, inviting and comforting. The sounds were also no longer whispers of defeat, but roaring clusters oscillating reverberations. Not far now, those bastards knew this was an secrete path! They did this to trap and capture people. His resolve was made. The young mans footsteps hardened, his body hunched in formation as his eyes pinned on the lights as he trudged ahead. The distance grew closer there was no room for fault, it would only lead to certain death. Focus, don¡¯t rely on your powers you coward! Look where it¡¯s got you; on the run and in debt!¡± He thought to himself. ~THUMP~ What tha¡ª that¡¯s strange... there isn¡¯t usually stuff in here... The young man thought to him self as he stepped over the firm object, however it didn¡¯t deter him. He didn¡¯t have time to investigate inside the dark, time wasn¡¯t on his side. ~THUMP~ ~THUMP~ ~THUMP~ I don¡¯t care any more, my interests are else where... I don¡¯t have time to detect, it¡¯ll use too much power and I won¡¯t let them find me, but I¡¯ll be honest, I am curious! The youth knelt over and began to feel around, his hands hovered over the solid objects. Are these¡­ BODIES!! So I was right! They really did increase the pressure to capture people! No ordinary person could withstand the compression, but this¡­This is no way to die¡­ May their souls rest in peace¡­ They were so close too¡ª ~WWWWWHHHIRRRRRRRRRRRLL~ Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. THE CYCLONE! I CAN HEAR IT! The youth got up in a haste; before he could continue on with his exit for a brief second the outlines of his pupils fizzled various etchings. The young man turned around so fast resuming interest in one of the fallen bodies. He could now see the outline of a oddly shaped necklace around one of the bodies. IS THAT AN ICOSAHEDRON CHARM?!? What the fuck is it doing here?! On a dead body none the less?! Who could it be?! Where were they going?! I¡¯ll be taking this, I can¡¯t risk those bastards getting their hands on it¡­ It would be a disaster; and to be honest I¡¯ll probably need this later on¡­ He unbuttoned his waist coat grabbing the bottom of his tie opening the tip as he pulled out a thin nimble blade from the hidden compartment. His outer film began to outline the blade shaping its tip to a sharp pointed blade. The youth gently turned the body over to face him. Errgh, I never thought I would stoop this low, defiling a dead body like this! Debt can really change a person¡­ I thought I¡¯d seen it all¡­ It would¡¯ve been easier to remain oblivious and ignorant, but no, I had to go a be woke. Now I have no material comforts! Look at me, even fuck face Zad knows about my financial constraints! Damn it! The youth pierced though the outer clothing reviling the clavicle where the necklace hanged. He reached to unhook the chain¡ª ~GRAB!~ The chain flooded the inside space of the door with light exposing hundreds of fallen people; all dead. The once deceased hand was clutched on the wrist of the youth, he was in shock. What is this morbid scene he¡¯s witnessing? ¡°run¡­¡± Mumbled the women, her mouth foaming, nostrils flaring, eyes tearing blood. Her voice was strained, perhaps she was screaming before her death, her eyes shook as they wobbled around with no focus. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you, what¡¯re you saying!? Who did this to you?! For brief moment the women looked dead in the eyes of the man, the nystagmus had stopped, but her eyes were still pale from death, she pulled on the youths arm forcing her face into his and mouthed, ¡°run¡­¡± ¡°¡­run, they¡¯re coming¡ª¡± ¡°¡­run¡­¡± ¡°¡­Please,I can¡¯t hear you!¡± He repeated, Her eyes glitched as her body was now sporadic in movement, but she managed to unhook her necklace. As her fingers contorted, she crawled to the young man forcing the necklace into the mans hands¡ª {Swish} ¡°WHAT ARE YOU DOING, JUST SAY WHO DID THIS, I¡¯LL FIND THEM!¡± He shouted. ¡°RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN¡± Screamed the women, the the foam in her mouth was now stained maroon. Her screech must have reacted with the chain as it catapulted the young man towards the lights near the cyclone at high speed. ¡°NEVER COME BACK!¡± Warned the women, her body now in its last stages, but the youth couldn¡¯t let this go. ¡°WHY?!? WHY SHOULDN¡¯T I RETURN?!¡± ¡°¡ª¡° ~BOOOM~ Before she could reply her time was up, her body obliterated leaving nothing. ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ ~BOOOM~ The rest of the bodies combusted randomly, the dark quickly came back as if there was never light to begin, the young man was now reaching the outer cracks of the door; with a strong jolt he was thrusted through. His film resonated as he squeezed through contorting the space to reach the other side. The gap he had just squeezed out of vanished without a trace. The youth stood there in a daze, almost thinking could any of what he had just witnessed really be real. He looked back into his palms, opening them to confirm the necklace was still there; indeed it was. He clutched onto it as he walk forward. ¡°What the fuck did I get myself into?¡± A | N | 00 A | N | 00 Greetings! Its September which is almost autumn where I live, autumn is my favourite season as it''s not too hot nor is it too cold. The best part are the golden, bronze, hues of reds and oranges that can be seen through out on trees; it warms my soul! You know that feeling when you can feel a light breeze, but the sun still shines down with warmth that wraps your skin and balms it with loving vitamin D? No? Is that just me? Lol, OKAY! But you¡¯re not here to read my babbles consisting of autumn coz I can go on and on, ohh no, no, no! You¡¯re here for the tea! Before that though, I¡¯d like to say I¡¯m really grateful to you for taking time out of your lives and reading Placebo Effect, thank you! I know I haven¡¯t been releasing consistently, so I¡¯m even more grateful that you continue to read on! *** So lets get it! ¡°Errrhmm¡­¡± Pardon my etiquette, I mean let¡¯s get into this! So, this is my first time writing an authors note, but I thought it was essential that I needed to put together a kind of keywords info page that will help with reading Placebo Effect. There has been a few keywords mentioned and I would like to think its nice to have a page every now and then of important words that appear often as well as character info. Something thats easy to refer back to u¡¯know? ~ Recently I¡¯ve gone through the previous chapters and edited them just so that the made more sense; I¡¯ve also noticed that they were a little rushed as I wrote them in the night manically¡­ Sowwy! (¡ä-¦Å©d ) Keywords GA | Global Apex A Gathering of leaders in government for a universal dialogue about processes and policies regarding many interests. GAT | Global Apex Tax A scheme introduced for a reduction in tax to encourage reproduction. GAG | Global Apex Grant A scheme introduced incentive to encourage low income families/individuals to procreate in exchange for monetary gain. The Swallow A place where people go to disappear. C | Cyclone A type of transportation/portal that allows further travel of a longer distance. 7C | 7th Cyclone A cyclone hidden behind a thick door, you can refer back to Chapter | 2.0 | COMMS TERMINATED. Film A second skin that seems to help walk through objects as well as sharpen weapons. (Refer back to Chapter | 3.0 | RUN) Not much more is known currently. Characters Youth | Young Man | ??? A youth/young man who seems to have a debt complex. It¡¯s his first time experiencing winter as he¡¯s said that her prefers the autumn season, he¡¯s also said continuously that he wishes for a simple life. He was told by Zad that his only redeemable feature is aesthetically pleasing sex. Skills | The young man used a skill called Film to walk through a colossal door, it involves covering his exterior with a second skin allowing him to navigate through the inside of the door. He has also used a blade hidden in his tie that became sharp once his film wrapped around it. You can see these skills being used in Chapter | 3.0 | RUNThe story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Career | Further information is currently unknown. Zad A black cab taxi driver with a cockney accent who has an agreement with the youth to exchange information. Skills | He showed an interesting skill called {Comms Terminated} in Chapter | 2.0 | COMMS TERMINATED. It looked like it cuts off internal and external communications making whatever said in confidence remaining between the parties involved. His cab uses a unique skill that veils itself invisible to onlookers. He was seen flicking his wrist to reveal 5 symbols on his arm in earlier chapters. Career | A black cab driver Zad¡¯s second job involved ¡°clients¡± that do business within and perhaps beyond the Swallow. He has told the youth that ¡°Ma clients don¡¯t feel too ¡°com-for-ta-ble¡± doin¡¯ business these days... You know what I mean?¡± *** We¡¯ll sheesh! Did things just get hot in here again?? Lol I know there isn¡¯t that many keywords, however there is SO much more exciting things to come in the novel that I¡¯m literally jumping for joy as I type this! Like seriously, this novel hasn¡¯t even touched the surface yet! I think that adding all the keywords and their meanings without the context of the story would only ruin what we have going at this point, but not to worry there is more to come and all will make sense! Regarding the updates I¡¯ll be honest, I think I jumped the gun saying I¡¯ll release every 2-3 days. I won¡¯t be able to, I¡¯m sorry!! £í£¨¡£¨R _ ¨Q¡££©£í I think once every 14 days, but I¡¯ll keep try to at least get 2 chapters every fortnight. I don¡¯t have a specific schedule so you may find additional chapters appear randomly; please do keep a look out. Recently I¡¯ve got a new job (¨R¨Œ¨Q) I¡¯ve been looking into writing full time so I made sure to do less hours, however it¡¯ll take a while I won¡¯t bull shit you. It being the Christmas period I gotta get that overtime check; you know if they¡¯re throwing the monies I¡¯ll be more than happy to oblige. ¡î=(©f¦Ø¡¤)/ Well, I¡¯ve babbled enough. I know some of you may be like ©ß©¥©ß ¦à ¡¥\_??????_/¡¥ ¦à ©ß©¥©ß however seriously just knowing the novel is being read is empowering, words cannot express the gratitude I feel! So as always, THANK YOU for your continued support and happy reading. ~ What was written above was in September I forgot to schedule this A.N and the new release! Also, tbh I haven''t gone past chapter 5 yet! ¦²(£þ¥í£þlll) A | N | 0.5 ©d(£þo£þ; ) So I screwed up big time with the releases, don¡¯t quote me¡­ £ß?ÒÒ(¡¢?¡¢)£ß Forgive me! (I can hear the screams already¡­) (??? ? ???) Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry m(_ _)m ????? I started a new job in October so I¡¯ve been consumed with work since then, however it''s a seasonal role ~ that means if my contract isn¡¯t extended in January I¡¯ll be jobless! (If you don want me than don¡¯t talk to me ~ go ahead and free yourself~~~) (????)? lol if you know the song! ¨i©n¨i I¡¯m currently looking for new work as there¡¯s no guarantee my contract will be extended, however this also allows the possibility of writing full time with your support. ????? I¡¯m considering starting a PayPal or Patreon, if thats something you would be interested in! What kind of awards, prizes, characters would you be intrigued by? I¡¯ll discuss it more in the next authors notes as well as review the pole! (¡É^o^)?©¥¡î©b.* ALSO ~ I¡¯ve recently made a website! Check it out on CommonScrolls.com As always, THANK YOU for your continued support! Happy READYEAR! (READING/YEAR) Chapter | 4.0 | Garden Of Rouge The youths eyes sharpened returning back to its un-blurred state as his legs and posture regained its strength, he continued walking forward towards the cyclone. His agility was back however his feet swept the floor while he continued to shuffle forwards. What in the world just happened? First of all, who were they?! Who was she?! Why did she give me this? How did she get it? What happened to them? Why do I need to run?! And why can¡¯t I return?!? Who am I running from? Is it the same people who reinforced the door? Could it have been a new comer? Where were all those people heading and what were their intentions? Is it all because of the Swallow? Theres just too many questions, it¡¯s left me more befuddled than before. I didn¡¯t want any of this¡­ This wasn¡¯t apart of my plan. I just wanted to live a quiet life! Now I feel obligated to solve this damn puzzle¡­ The one thing I know for sure is that this chain has its own will. I can feel it. I¡¯m sure that it kept those people in a frozen state to warn people, but how could it have known whoever walked in first had good intentions? Could the necklace foresee their deaths and predicted my entrance into the door? Or was it pure luck, and I just happened to reach there before whomever was supposed to be there next? Who was the original owner, because last I heard this isn¡¯t even supposed to be real! This chain was no more than a mere rumour, baseless stories that circulated. That women was not strong enough to withstand the power, she must have been barely alive so it used her to communicate to me. Maybe Zad and his clients have some info on these strange events, but thats still a stretch. Either way I wouldn¡¯t want to tell him or his clients about any of these events. Whatever the answers are, shit just got real, to be honest with myself¡­ I don¡¯t have time to think about it this. As selfish as it sounds this is my life. I must keep living. Besides, I have an exam to take¡­ Its best that what happened today I¡¯ll keep to myself, but I¡¯ll discreetly look into it when I have the chance¡­ *** The young adult was certain that stranger things had been occurring; todays events confirmed that his life just got twisted upside down. Surely he¡¯d like to take a look and just stand right there, however he needed to move on towards the cyclone corrupting the air.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Hold on a minute though, am I gonna act like I didn¡¯t just get an I-co-sa-he-dron chain! Like, yo! I just go a chain! A rare one at that! I wonder how it works? There was a book I saw in the hidden abode in the library, but man it''s going to be hard to sneak through and get it!I¡¯ll need some help¡­ Similarly enough this is the first time I''ve seen the door collapse like that, it¡¯ll be the last time I come to 7c¡­ This is why you can¡¯t have good things in this area¡­ People will snatch anything nice right out of your hands. *** ~WWWWWHHHIRRRRRRRRRRRLL~ The room cubed in size patterned delicate arabesque etchings along the alabaster walls, dispersions of light bloomed through the cracks reflecting hues of sequential patterns across the ground. The walls etchings cascaded, moving in motion flowing to the beat of the cyclone. The ground flourished ruby blades of lush red grass soft to the touch, no windows were in sight however the ceiling misted black with speckles of doradus. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I was last here.¡± Spoke the young man to himself as he came to a stance. Sometimes it¡¯s hard to believe how different the outside is compared to the inside¡­ You¡¯d never believe such beauty was ever here if you consider we¡¯re still in the same abandoned building. The juxtaposition in unreal¡­ The ceiling mist began to contort, deforming to a translucent semi-pentakis dodecahedron net, Inside the net shapes emerged through as the previously black fog undertook new forms and colours. Gilded sparks of lights thundered within the opaque clouds to reveal silhouettes, the young man looked up towards the ceiling as the white fog burst through the sky terrarium. ¡°I don¡¯t miss this part¡­¡± Spoke the young man. The silhouettes that formed within revealed several arms clambering out the net, sections of body parts began to materialise revealing featureless faces as multiple white silhouettes thrusted from the clouds flailing their arms. Deafening screams of various tones filled the small cubed room. The screeches intensified into piercing wails, the youth winced from the sharp pain he felt from the silhouettes cries. Hundreds of silhouettes flung themselves into the net clawing their hands through the spacings in a panic, their pale bodies bruised against themselves as they continued to erupt from the clouds. The ruby blades of lush red grass shifted back and forth motioning as if a breeze had choreographed their movement; the youth looked down in surprise, but within a blink of a eye the cubed room was now a garden of rouge. Chapter | 4.2 | Garden Of Rouge The garden blossomed with flowers of various species; Carnations, Tulips, Marigolds, Delphiniums, Roses and Gladioluses were spread far and wide. The field was fragrant with scents of sweet, spicy, fruity, earthy, and indulgent aromas. The ruby blades of grass were now mixed into the fields of flowers, but sill glistened independently as the previous speckles of doridus were now dispersed into smaller glimmering specks glistening within the air. The clouds that were once in the in the sky terrarium seeped through the crevices creating a platform island to carry the field. The now non existent walls became vast nothingness and what remained was the ceiling semi-pentakis dodecahedron net. The youth continued examining the ceiling, his eyes was focused on the net emoted concern and interest. The silhouettes movements were more dramatic than before as they tussled theatrically amongst each both and their screams decreased. The shrills of anguish were silenced as if the new field wouldn¡¯t allow for such distasteful sounds to be brought alive. They were muted, and so was the youth. The muted silhouettes continued to be siphoned into the net almost like a broken faucet with no drain, free falling onto each other before immediately getting up and digging their way out. Not long now, the son¡¯ov¡¯a bitch is getting heavy¡­Stolen novel; please report. Thought the youth, he looked back behind him briskly walking a couple feet back before stopping in a comfortable position, he tuned back around facing towards the net. The youth crossed his middle and index finger, invisible scribblings of incomprehensible text laced his crossed fingers as he motioned them to a circle figure around him. The text webbed across and in front of the youth into a five foot circle, the invisible scribbles interlaced the centre up to the circumference and back, continuing back and forth in a uniformed manner. As if the young man had known, the eerie silence and exaggerated movements of the silhouettes created a tension within the space. The net continued to expand pulsating indiscriminately while the panic of the silhouettes intensified, soon enough the net gave in bursting like a beehive nest that had violently been dropped. The silhouette were propelled in all directions, the loose netting having just collapsed tangled within the air, however it didn¡¯t stop the flow of bodies free falling from faucet. The vermilion bushes became vermilion graves, the first silhouettes to fall had no chance of survival however the majority after the initial silhouettes now had beings to cushion their fall. The youth still in the same position watched as the ceiling poured white, his ambiguity coupled with instinct gave the impression of previous experience. ¡°The silence is frightful¡­¡± Mouthed the youth, but he knew that to look away was to disapprove of the living art that the garden of rouge bared into fruition. What are you exhibiting to me?