PAST AWAY THE PRESENT~

~PAIN~

"Layla!", an unclear echo vibrated in Layla ears as her body remained paralyzed on the white bed.

The ceiling was the first thing Layla saw before her eyes shifted to a blurry figure after closing her eyes and opening it the blurry find formed back revealing a blonde hair which shone under the orange sun of evening reflecting in her Black rimmed glasses with her eyes sharp and slight panic as her lips pursed in a thin line suppressing the the strong feeling of not panicking.

Stella looked at Layla as she gazed at her in a daze.

"Layla, are you okay?" Stella asked worried because of how pale Layla looked.

"Hmm" Layla hummed out, unable to speak as her throat was dry and crisp due to passing out for a long time.

Stella helped Layla up to sit up on the bed as she adjusted a pillow for Layla to rest on.

The white door opened and a young man entered with a glass of water and his strong arms holding into the door knob.

The man asked as walked past Stella and handed over the glass to Layla with a serious gaze as he eyes swept past Layla pale face.

"Have some water" the man said as he sat down on the nearby seat and crossed his long legs neatly and gracefully.

Layla gulped down the water and dropped the empty glass on the bed and touched her forehead distressed.

"Layla are okay, even though Nathan broke up with you I understand but not to this" Stella said as she looked at Layla worriedly and sternly.

"It's not that" Layla said as she frowned as she recalled the sudden jolt of electricity before she sighed confused.

Though Nathan break up took a blow on her because they had been dating for two years, all those promises and smile were all fake.

The disgusting image of Nathan intimate with her friend she trusted the most, the trust ran into the mud as her friend expression sneered at her and said.

"It is not a big deal Layla just get over with it".the words made Layla speechless as the words stabbed her broken heart.

"I just don't know what happened" Layla said as she fiddled with her fingers like a child caught stealing candy.

"If you don't want say it, just know am always here for you" Stella said which made me almost burst into tears as she remembered how she ignored Stella blinded by Lilith's brain washing.

"Am sorry, I.." Layla voice cracked as a tear slid down her cheek.

" It okay I understand " Stella said as she wiped the tears clean with her thumb.

" Okay enough with the sympathetic talk, it almost time for curfew" Rowan said as he checked his fancy wrist watch with his sharp sword like eyes glanced at it.

There had been a curfew strictly to be obeyed due to the security problems, some village people had been testifying to have seen a blood sucking monster which wandered around at night leaving victims drained out of blood.

Scientist had a high status in this era due to them solving many problem and helping lot of people,raising their status further.

The government personally protected them even though they had done some things that cost many lives , concealing it from the world and continuing to build their dirty organization and blinding their victims with deceit.

Layla stood up and escorted Stella and Rowan outside before hugging Stella, Rowan was a business man tall, strong, handsome, and had this strong aura that people couldn't help it but take a second glance.

Stella stepped into the Rowan's car and waved at Layla and closed the door, the car drove away from Layla sight.

Layla sighed as she walked back into the house she used to live in since her parents died tragically the cause was unknown but Layla vowed one day that she would uncover the truth.

Taking her phone and blocking Nathan and Lilith number from her phone, she didn't want to remember the bad experience. Now she need to throw away the past and face the future.

Layla is a care giver and she had a day off work but she still missed her particular patient, a very old woman with a rare wise and kind eyes that brought warmth to Layla heart.

Layla looked at her disheveled appearance on the mirror, eyes with red rims and swollen, her lips was pale and broken, she looked like an abandoned material but,those eyes which was aqua blue shone brightly with pure and strong intent to strive.

After taking a warm shower Layla felt refreshed and alive, Layla cheek was flushed due to the heat and her eyes misty with a dazed look.

Layla dressed in her pajamas and strode to the small kitchen and took out ingredients and cooked.

The strong aroma of roasted chicken wafted in the house as Layla placed the plate of food in the table and took a bite, the juicy and tender meat blended smoothly in Layla mouth.

Layla took her phone and looked the message notification displayed on her phone, it a reminder of her school loan

Which she collected due to her parents death and her irresponsible relatives unable to support her.

She had to take care if her self and did lot of job to take care of her school needs and plus her friends support she never had much troubles.

Layla sighed and turned off the screen of the phone.

After dinner, Layla read a book for some minutes and dozed off .

{System 1049: sleep mode}

The last thing that Layla heard was a mechanic voice.

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Layla: what

System: hi Layla

Layla: who the **** are you I will ******* kill the person who is playing a trick on me, and tear our your robotic brain.😤

System:wu wu am innocent (｡ŏ﹏ŏ)

STRANGER THINGS~

~First battle~

Layla stood up from the bed and stretched fully as she looked at the window, the sun was peeping through the blind.

{System 1049: Good morning host

Task~

Exercise for 30 minutes

Drink 2 bottles of water

Reward: shadow skill lvl 1, 300 HP}

"What the.." Layla said as she looked around for the source of the voice.

{ System 1049: I am in your head host}

"How?" Layla said as she sat down confused.

{ System 1049: that I don't know host}

" Ok it seems Nathan break up as made me a psychopath, am already out of my mind" Layla said completely freaked out.

{ System 1049: warning heart rate as increased to 80%, host please calm down}.

" How the **** should I do that, when I have been possessed by a virus" Layla said as she walked to the bathroom and took a brush and applied toothpaste.

{System 1049: you are overreacting host, and I am not a virus}.

" Ok how should I trust you" Layla said as she brush her teeth with the electric toothbrush as it made a humming sound.

{System 1049: host if I was a virus I would have taken control of your body right now or blackmailed you to do my bidding because I know everything about you}.

" Really?" Layla said with a doubtful expression as she looked her mini closet for a nice dress.

{System 1049: when you were 16 you played a prank on a police man and blackmailed him to do your bidding or else you would send a false picture of him having an affair}.

" I was still 16, come on! " Layla said as she dropped a blue shirt and a white skirt on the ruffled bed.

{ System 1049: last year you went to a casino and smoked weed because of your argument with your boyfriend and got caught but blamed on Rowan because he had a bad record in the past making him loose business contract with a foreign trader}.

" Okay I give up" Layla said as she tied a towel around her chest, walking back towards the bathroom.

{System 1049: have you fully accepted me host}.

" I will think about it" Layla said as she scrubbed her body.

{ System 1049:...}

After taking a short shower, Layla wore her clothes and hurried to the kitchen to take few slices of bread and fried an egg , then she ate it in an hurry.

Layla phone rang out, it was Stella who was calling.

" Hello" Layla said as she took the last sliced bread with a piece of egg folded in between into her mouth.

" Hey, are you eating" Stella said .

" Yeah, am preparing for work, I have morning shift today" Layla said as she took the plate to the sink.

" It good to hear that you are doing well"

Stella said.

" Yeah, Stella can I ask you a question" Layla said as she cleaned her hands with a rag.

" Of course" Stella said.

" Have you ever... Never mind" Layla said as she looked at the time.

" Layla we need to talk, maybe later" Stella said.

" Ok when?" Layla asked.

" Tomorrow, I will send you an address" Stella said.

" Okay thanks, I owe you one Stella" Layla said.

"Am your friend, that is what friends do we are there for each other" Stella said.

"Okay bye, am getting late" Layla said as she took her bag and walked out of the house.

" Hmm bye" Stella said.

Stella dropped her phone on the table before looking up at the middle aged man as she took a chess piece and moved it.

" Who was that?" The man said as he took the bishop and moved it while running his chin.

" My friend Layla, she has been having problems lately" Stella said as she played with her hands.

"Hmm, how is the case on the victim I kinda missed the fun though" the man said as he moved his hands again.

" This time the victims part are Missing almost similar to the last one" Stella said as she smirk slightly.

"A murder or animal we don't know yet" Stella said again as she moves again.

"Be careful girl,you never know what you find, this city ain't for you, know something big, you take a bullet in your Head" the man said as looked around with a sharp gaze.

" I will keep that in mind officer, by the way checkmate"Stella said as stood up and straightened her uniform.

" Uh damn, I never get to win" the officer said before the radio make a sound with an unclear sound.

{R...report,all units report I repeat all unit report to 23-4-5.....we need back up we got a problem here}

"23-4-5 what the situation?" the middle aged man said as he stood up and walked to the police car with Stella.

{We got a problem, we don't know what....}the radio suddenly turned off.

"23-4-5"the man said as he rushed to the car and drove away with Layla.

On getting to the station Stella saw many cars parked outside an abandoned building with police men and women running around with a complicated expression, some showed fear and terror, some faces were blank.

"What made them so terrified"Stella said as she looked around through her glasses.

"That's for us to find out"the man said as he parked at a corner and walked out of the car.

Stella stepped out of the car and saw a man holding an injured man clad in bullet proof and a gun hanging between his hands.

The man legs were mauled out giving the display of the man bone barely alive, the other man was dragging him with his hands holding his waist and supporting him with his shoulder.

"What the hell happened there" the officer asked the man.

"It's was a beast, it something I have never seen" The man said as he dropped the half dead man on the ground and hurried away with a terrified face.

"Coward" the man said as took out a cigarette from his jean pocket and lit it up and took a puff.

Stella suddenly had the strong curiosity to go in there.

" officer, I wanna take a look" she said as she took a gun and wore the protective suit.

The middle aged man happened to hear Stella words was furious.

" What the **** Stella, you don't know what the **** Is in there" the man said as he pointed at the building filled with gun shot sound.

" That why I wanna go, I have to see" Stella said sternly as she walked towards the building.

The man blocked her from the direction of the building.

" You can't ******* go there, either I go or no one is going, it is not safe" he said as he shouted in anger.

"Watch me" Stella said as she looked at him in the eye daringly.

" Oy, let em go in there we need a little help" the sheriff said as he took another puff while smirking as he looked at the building with unconcealed excitement.

Stella snorted as she pushed aside Matthew away from her front and walked straight into the building with no fear.

" Sheriff she can't go there, it dangerous!" Matthew said as he looked at the man furiously.

" If you wanna protect her, you may as well go then" the man said as he walked away towards the car as passed through the crowd of people.

Matthew grunted as he snatch the protective suit from a man and walked away.

" Hey!" Thean yelled out as he watch Matthew go further away from him.

Stella positioned herself behind a damaged pillar as she signal the other group to move forward.

The loud inhuman growl sounds vibrated loudly in the building, causing the poor structure building to shake.

Stella dodged some falling debris from hindering her skillfully but unfortunately some of her group got hit.

A man yelled as he collasped on the cemented cracked floor in pain. The vibration stopped and the hall was set into silence, only the soft padding of footsteps were heard.

A man helped the trapped man and brought him out of his misery, the man grunted in pain as his leg had been twisted to a weird direction, slowly limping.

" Take him out" Stella said as she lead the group as they walked further. Until she caught a glimpse of a black figure with her sharp eyes, too fast.

"Something is not right" Stella thought as she looked behind her. The group looked around in fright.

ROAR!

A fast figure flashed and grabbed a man in a lightening speed, only the screaming of the man was heard a sound of bone crunching together made a frightening sound.

" Am out of here!" A man said as he ran away in fright but froze when he came face to face with a disfigured beast which had blood thirsty red eyes staring into his soul.

" Ah!" The man screaming in fright , the beast grabbed his head and uprooted it from his body making a bloody scene.

GULP!

the sound of gulping was terrifying as Stella watched in horror,she took out her gun and shot the beast on it head.

BANG! BANG! !BANG!

The sound of gunshots resounded on the entire building.

...................

Layla took the small plate from the old woman's table and headed to the kitchen in the building.

After washing it, she returned back to face the old woman who was walking slowly with the aid of her walking stick to the swingy chair.

Layla smiled warmly as she followed the woman unhurriedly. The woman sat down and looked at the window not saying a word.

{System 1049: WARNING!

A low-level zombie is located 200m away from your original location host}

"…?"

Layla didn't even know what to do, she took out her map and typed down and discovered an abandoned building was 200m away from her.

"What is a zombie?" Layla questioned as she looked at her phone in a daze.

{System 1049: A zombie is originally known as the undead, they derived food by devouring flesh especially from humans which is the tastiest and fragrant to them and their bite are lethal and could spread a virus, it would not be nice if a zombie was let loose walking freely in a busy city like this.}

"So how am I involved in this" Layla said as she raised her left eyebrow.

{System 1049: Basically your skills rate and your agility and strength is not enough to even face a low-level zombie, but with my AI intelligence, all you need is to follow the quest}.

"So what am I" Layla said

{System 1049: you are still an hafling, and you haven't envovled yet so you are still human but you will urge for blood like a vampire}.

"Wait, I need some time to digest;are you a vampire system or what?" Layla said.

{System 1049: Exactly I am a vampire system and you are my permanent host}

{System 1049: Warning! An external force is approaching, shadow skill lvl one is temporary activated}.

Before Layla could know what was happening before a loud sound of block crushing down was heard.

Layla met herself outside the building confused.

{System 1049: Host we have been detected and your strength isn't enough before the shadow skill uncovers}.

"Wait what of the patients in the building" Layla said as she widened her eyes as she remembered a certain woman.

{System 1049: Host before anything happened I had already hacked into the building and set up the alarm within 5minutes, and the panic room underground is very strong and big enough for the people to be safe}.

" So am the only one left here" Layla said as she sulked before looking around the empty large surrounding.

Layla breath out a shaky breath as the deep silence was eating her up.

{ System 1049: shadow skill lvl 1 reduces to 10% ..7%.....2%... Shadow skill deactivated, warning a low-level zombie is heading your way}.

"What?!" Layla she as she looked around anxiously.

{System 1049: status~

Name: Layla Williams

Race: halfling

Strength: 5/20

Agility: 9

Skill: shadow skill lvl 1

Speed: 10

Coins:300/20000}.

The low-level zombie covered in green disgusting slims and veins, the eyes were black without any white part in it, the long slim hand with rotten nails lunged at Layla with a speed.

GROWL!

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#jade

LOW-LEVEL ZOMBIE~

~level up~

GROWL!

The zombie dashed towards Layla with it's mouth drooling with a black substance spilling out of it.

"What should I do" Layla said as ran as fast her legs should go.

"System!" Layla screamed out in her head as she ran like crazy.

' Layla think, what is zombie weakness I never knew those novels I read would come in handy '.

"System you betrayer" Layla said She quickly diverted and turned around to face the zombie as it ran towards her.

The zombie ran towards Layla with it's mouth opened fully displaying the appearance of the rotten sharp razor teeth.

Secretly grabbing a stick behind, the zombie which had gotten close to an arm length growled in victory as wanted to begin it feast.

' sorry zombie, this one is rotten ' Layla thought as she ****** the stick forward aiming for the head.

Pierce!

The stick pierced straight into the zombies head making the zombie stop action as it slowly dies.

Thud!

The zombie dropped lifelessly in the floor, Layla eyes flashed with a cold glint as she looked at the disgusting figure. Soon it suddenly withered only leaving a red crystal on the floor.

Layla curiosly picked it up and a blue tablet appeared on her vision.

{Inspect skill:

Race:. Zombie

Status: low - level

Strength: 10

Speed: 16

Agility: 7}.

{Absorption begins}.

Layla saw the red crystal as it slowly lost it's glow, she felt the energy flowing in her system as she closed her eyes and took a sharp breath.

{Absorption complete}.

Layla opened her eyes and watched the crystal slowly crumbled into dust and blew away to the direction of the wind.

{System 1048: congratulations on your first kill.

Name: Layla Williams

Status: halfling

Strength:5/20+2

Speed:10+5

Agility:9+2

Skill: Shadow skill lvl 2, inspect skill lvl 1

Level: 1

Rate: 200/10000hp}

{System 1049: host how do you know that the head of a zombie is the most fragile and their weakness}.

"Novels coward, you left me alone to die there now I won't trust you anymore"Layla said as she dumped the stick to a random direction.

{System 1049:host I didn't mean to do that I had a minor problem and couldn't help but fix it, by the way well-done host}.

"That doesn't change anything" Layla said as she dusted the invisible dust off her sleeve.

Layla walked back into the building as her feet echoed. The entire building was empty, Layla sighed and looked at all the mess caused by the zombie.

"System clear all the traces of the zombie and leave no evidence, I have to cover it up with an earthquake". Layla ordered as she walked towards to the panic room underground.

{System 1049: absolutely host}.

Typing in the code and the big metal door made a beep before opening and revealing a crowd of people in different locations.

As the door made a sound everyone attention fell on the door in fright before calming in relief and they suddenly remembered that they had forgotten Layla outside and they swallowed in guilt.

Mitchell walked up to Layla as her eyes flashed in worry.

"Oh my God Layla are you okay"Mitchell said as she looked at the blood patch on Layla's left arm.

"Am..."Layla suddenly felt a stinging pain in her left arm, she didn't even know that she was injured until now.

Mitchell aided Layla to a seat and took out a cotton dampened in spirit that had a faint alcohol smell.

Hiss!

The stinging pain intensified as Mitchell cleaned the wound, it was just a scratch though.

"What happened over there?" Mitchell questioned as she she took a bandage and began to dress the wound.

"A slight earthquake and you guys just vanished and I was left alone" Layla said indifferently as she remembered the disgusting creature she encounted.

Mitchell eyes showed a slight ripple as she sighed in guilt.

After some hours, everyone went back to the building and began to clean up the mess.

Meanwhile Layla suddenly got a call which displayed Rowan on it.

"Hello"Layla said

"Layla come to the hospital right now" Rowan said through the phone.

"Why?"Layla said

"Stella got injured during a mission though it is not serious.." Layla didn't even let Rowan finish before rushing out of the building and taking the first taxi she saw.

At the hospital, Stella was laying on the bed with a hospital gown worn loosely , the machine beeped continuously as the blood drip passed into her body, Rowan looked at Stella closed eyes with a complicated gaze.

The silent atmospheric place was interrupted by a particular lady wearing a blue and a white skirt, as she moved the wind blew with her, as Layla's eyes revealed unconcealed panic.

"What happened?" Layla said looking at Stella.

"She just came out of the surgery room , According the doctor she has laceration and her soft tissues injury on her arm and right foot which is now stitched but  loosing a lot of blood , it was completely torn out and it would take time before it would heal after the surgery but some scar may be left" Rowan said as he folded him arms and his cold eyes gazed at Layla.

A tear slid from Layla eyes, my fiance , parents has been taken away from me, now my friend.

Rowan moved closer to Layla and removed a black handkerchief in his suit jacket , as his hands full of well proportioned muscles moved and wiped Layla eyes clean.

"You cry too much" Rowan said as he took a step back to his former position.

Layla red eyes looked Rowan in anger

'why won't I cry '

Rowan who seemed to have read her expression chuckled darkly as his deep voice sounded.

Layla sat down beside Stella and slid her hand to interwine with hers.

{System 1049: a injured victim detected

Name: Stella Morgan

Race: human

Status: ~laceration(would you like to heal?, 200hpcoins)

Strength: 9

Agility: 5}

What the system said shocked Layla by what the system told her, she could heal someone.

{System 1049: would you like to heal?}

"Yes" Layla said immediately as she she burst into joy.

{System 1049: at you sure host? If 200hpcoins is removed from your coins bank, it would reduce it to 100 and that won't be good}.

"Oh my God just do it!" Layla said in anticipation as she her scaled through Stella pale face down to her injured bandaged leg.

{System 1049: healing process begins, remember host this system can only advance the recovery to avoid unnecessary attention, so this system has to follow only way scientist can explain without any suspicion}.

Layla watched as the pale face became rosy again as the cracked lips brightened in a faint pink colour as the fingers started to lift up one by one.

"L...lay..la"a low raspy voice sounded faint enough for Layla to hear.

"W..water" Stella said said as she tried to move her body but failed to do so, she could only watch from the bed as Layla brought the glass of water and adjusted her head before placing it in her mouth. 

Stella chugged down the water and left out a shaky breath before looking at her surroundings. Remembering the hideous beast that attacked her, she shuddered in disgust and fear, Stella secretly sigh a breath of relief that she wasn't there anymore.

"Stella, are you okay?" Layla said worriedly as she looked at Stella,Rowan stood up from where he sat down ad walked to Layla side.

"Yes, am fine" Stella said as she looked at her bandaged leg, and sucked in a sharp breath.

"You have laceration and luckily you got attended to before you would have lost too much blood" Layla said as she sniffed.

"Would I be able to walk again?" Stella said as her eyes showed a rare expression.

"Yes but it take time that what the doctor said" Rowan said as he tucked his hand into his pocket, looking down at Stella laying on the bed.

"Stella, I almost thought you were dead" Layla said as her voice cracked.

"Well am alive, don't cry" Stella said as she struggled to clean Layla face.

"Quit your job, I don't want to loose another person anymore" Layla as she looked at Stella pleadingly and held her hands.

"I.. you should rest Layla" Stella said as she hesitated, she couldn't quit her job that was almost impossible, Stella entered the police force because of her father, live was too unfair.

Layla begged several times until Rowan finally escorted her out.

"Even though you are good you aren't invisible, you are too hard on yourself Stella " Rowan said coldly as he walked out of the door leaving Stella in silence.

Stella covered her mouth from letting out a loud cry as tears spilled continuously from her eyes.

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😉😉 Enjoy the next chapter