Origin of a Villain

See! I know the faithful day will soon arrive. Not later, not fifteen years from now, but today!

Back then, when YouTube was good, some people started to theorize that the end of the world, or cataclysm, would happen in 2012. Eleven years from now, it had become only a rumor. Since then, the internet has become an integral part of our everyday life. Smartphones, smart tv, or even smart home. Everything is smart, but people are only smart when we choose to be smart.

My friend told me, "Imagine if the armageddon we wait for is not because of asteroids or even meteor showers. What if the sun's gravity influences the electronic circuit on earth. Blackout, blackout, everywhere!"

I thought that was a rumbling of a crazy teenager in need of spiritual guidance, but now. Everyone would think that he's right.

------

"Oh God, the heatwave is back," my friend said while fanning herself. The dripping sweat on her nack made the point clear.

"Is it?" I still doubt myself. Living in a tropical country, everything is hot. See the street? The smoke from the asphalt and the cars honking didn't help ease our current situation.

"Yeah, my hand sweats crazily. It's even hard to text now!"

Afterward, nothing crazy happened. Life is still going regularly. My pocket is still empty, and I still don't have anything figured out in my life. But she got a point. I feel today, the weather is hotter than usual. No wonder everyone cranks up their air conditioner to the fullest. It stood gratefully, enjoying the cold air holding the almost empty coke bottle.

The static noise from the handsome news anchor kept repeating the same new about the murder of someone high up in the police department.

"Woof!"

My heart beat hearing the noise. That damn dog always barking when I'm trying to enjoy the silence.

"Woof!"

See! This is why there's a rule to not bring any pet inside an apartment. Stomping my feet and ripped a blank paper to slip under the owner's door.

I read it all over and nodded to myself. I hope this will make him understand. I open the door and slip the note slowly but I take back my fingers fast. I don't know what sort of crazy experiments the owner is doing, but the heat coming through the door is unbearable. With my foot, I kick the note inside.

I open my door going back, and crouch down fast.

"Boom!"

The sound is really loud and my ears start to ring. I look inside my apartment and smoke fills the place. And I haven't paid this month's rent. The air conditioner exploded for using too much power blowing cold air and now the air starts to get hotter.

Then my Whatsapp blows up with the same message from every group I forget to leave.

"Blackout in the northern area. Some people died stuck in the elevator."

"Another blackout in the central area. The cinemas are closing down."

Similar messages about blackouts everywhere, with additional information about dying people.

See! I told everyone what is the use of still using the coal plan? Why not invest in something better, like solar panels? With the sun shining a whole year, we benefit most from our tropical climate.

I heard a screaming sound and then banging from my neighbor, who probably lost their shit after investing in the smart lock. I checked it. Anything using a power source or energy had stopped working. Even my phone full of battery also suddenly stopped working. Nothing happens no matter how much I press or even throw the phone.

Luckily, living on the seventh floor make it easy for me to go down faster than everyone else. The sound of shoes stomping on the stairs above me means people are trying to get down. Calmly, one step at a time, I remind myself. No use in dying before getting to safety.

A yelp and the thundering sound of footsteps soon follow. Without any more choice, I start my descent faster too. Just in case someone knocks me over and I get stepped on. Finally, the goal is clearly waiting for me. The white door signals that I reach the bottom floor.

The shine from the sun and murmurs fill my senses the moment I open the door. I hear the same conversation.

"I know. Everything died suddenly."

"Yes, next door. They use the smart lock and can't get out."

"The elevator also stopped working."

Other accidents saying that some people were fated to stuck and not getting out. A loud scream from the crowd in front of me. Starting from behind, and now everyone looks up.

Dangling legs from the balcony, trying to jump out. Luckily the owner of the legs is located one... two... three floors above us.

"Arrghhhhh."

The screaming got louder when the person decided to release their hold and free fall to the street below. Unfortunately for him, the emergency door opened.

Like watching a thriller movie, everything happens in slow motion. The person drops right above the open door, and gravity does its job.

"Crack. Squelch."

The sound of bone breaking split the person in almost half. The weaker woman next to me passed out. Another sound of food coming out from their mouth making the scenario fit for a horror scene.

I smiled at the sight of blood starting to paint the door red. And the look of pink-red flexible organs piled up next to it. I smiled wishing for another thing to enjoy.

Another sound of two electric cars crashing at each other, losing energy. The passengers or divers all smashed together, making the car's inside red.

Needing to enjoy a similar scene, I walked outside, leaving the ground. With my stomach starting to scream of hunger, I need to find someone that still insane enough to sell food. But hey, it's easier than I hoped for. As usual, our capital is known to have people using any means necessary to benefit from others' misfortune.

Steaming hot rice, tempeh, simple fried tofu and sambal made me to almost forget the scene of desperate suddenly feeling lost without electricity. No news, even radios that are supposed to be more traditional than TV, don't work currently.

So while I enjoy putting a spoonful of rice inside my mouth, honking cars trying to get past the car in front of them, which the driver had passed out looking at the corpses in front of him. Another driver was crazy enough to press the pedal and run over the laying body. The sound of a body being squished open makes me hungrier to finish my food faster.

It's true. When you wish for something to happen hard enough, it will happen. Wishing to get away from this boring life doesn't mean I will die. Living with the smell of blood and a slowly collapsing nation is the start of my new life. With a smile that has never been there for a whole year, I walked out with new vigor in my steps.

Get out of my way, people!

My new life awaits me.