The late afternoon sun cast a warm, golden glow over the bustling street, with cars and pedestrians moving in every direction.
The sound of horns, chatter, and wailing sirens filled the air as the road came alive with activity. At 4:30 PM, the commute was in full swing—people rushing to and fro, each with their own destination in mind.
Amidst the chaos, a lone figure stood out—a man clutching a suitcase, his eyes scanning the crowd with a sense of urgency as he navigated through the throngs. His pace was steady, his movements deliberate, as if driven by a singular focus: to deliver his cargo to its intended recipient.
''Oh no no no...Damn it, I'm already 19 minutes late!' A middle-aged man cursed inwardly as he glanced at his wrist watch
The black suitcase seemed like an extension of his body. He held it with a firm grip, weaving through the sea of strangers with quiet determination.
He strode down the sidewalk, sweat snaking down his face, his long legs eating up the distance.
A careless pedestrian stuck out their leg, tripping him.
He landed hard on the pavement, his palms scraping against the rough surface.
His glasses, suitcase, and work papers scattered across the ground
''Oh clumsy me,I'm so sorry about that, you ok? Let me give u a hand with that'' Adam said with an innocent smile.
''Thanks for your help, but I'm in a bit of a rush, you see,'' the man replied, quickly gathering his papers.
Adam helped the man anyway, looking for his glasses and helping pack up the papers. Wow,what a nice guy.
Adam had a black jacket on with a plain white T-shirt underneath. He had black hair, was pretty average in height, wore some basic cargo pants—and to top it off, he had on black and white sneakers. A pretty decent outfit if you asked me, don't you think?
But the man's fall wasn't an accident. Everything was going exactly according to plan.
Adam's brown eyes locked onto the suitcase, drawn to it by some instinct—something inside him knew whatever was in that suitcase was valuable.
The man finally picked up the suitcase, got to his feet, and patted some dirt off his clothes. He lifted his head, repositioning his glasses—
WHAM!
—A knee slammed into his gut.
He groaned in pain and dropped to his knees.
Adam didn't wait. He snatched the briefcase and sprinted away.
"No no no, get back here with that!" the man yelled, scrambling to his feet and pursuing him.
Adam darted down the crowded street ,weaving through the pedestrians who scatter to avoid collision.
But he wasn't running for nothing. The man was hot on his trail. Even though he was late for the delivery, getting that suitcase back now was crucial.
Violence wasnt his usual approach when stealing but judging from the way this man was so protective of the briefcase, he had to get physical. It will all be worth it once he opens it.
The man wasn't exactly fit, given his figure—but that wouldn't stop him.His neatly combed hair was now a mess, his tie loose and swinging. Yet still, he ran.
"Please!" he cried. "Someone stop him—anyone!"
But nobody batted an eye.
"Hey! You! Stop right there, young man!"
A brave bystander stepped ahead, arms wide to block Adam's path.
"Argh, get outta the way, you loser!"
Adam swung the suitcase hard, slamming it into the man's face and sending him crashing to the ground, unconscious.
Adam kept running.
Up ahead was a busy road but Adam had no intension of slowing down. He turned to check if the man was still on his tail and to his surprise,he wasnt giving up either
He sprinted into the traffic, narrowly dodging a speeding sedan and weaving past a slowing truck.
''Watch where you're going you moron!''
''Useless little brat!'' The drivers
roared.
He slipped between two cars, avoiding a collision by mere inches, and emerged on the other side, unscathed.
The man paused at the curb, panic flashing across his face. He had to be careful—no way was he getting run over today.
''Ahh, no no no—NO'' he shouted.''Get back here!''
But Adam didn't slow down. He smirked, blending into the crowd.
He knew it—he'd hit the jackpot.
The man stood there, hesitating. Should he brave the traffic? Wait it out?
The cars eventually came to a halt—and he dashed forward to the other side.
But it was too late.
Adam had vanished.
He asked passersby, described the boy's appearance, practically begged—but no one had a clue. His desperation was palpable.
Whatever was in that suitcase… it had to be important.
He sank to his knees. It was over.
''I...am so dead'' He grieved
His phone jolted him, shrill in the midst of his chaotic surroundings. He hesitated, recognizing the unwanted caller. Reluctantly, he answered, and a familiar voice demanded,
"Where's the package?"The voice asked. Cold. Demanding
Fear crept into his chest as he stuttered, trying to think of an explanation.
''...uh...well...'' he tried to speak, his heart was racing as he was visibly shaking
''You What!''
________________
Elsewhere. In a dark alleyway.
Adam was more elated than ever.
He scanned the area, making sure no one was nearby, then placed the suitcase on the ground, ready to reveal its contents.
'"Ha ha haaa—hell yeah! I've hit the jackpot today!"
His hands trembled with excitement as he snapped open the latches.
Imagine the possibilities… stacks of cash, precious jewels spilling out like treasure—oooh, what could it be?
He pictured himself strolling through luxury boutiques, buying designer suits and watches.
Sipping champagne on a private yacht, surrounded by beautiful women—WOMEN. The dream.
His heart pounded. His eyes sparkled. His grin was wild.
Slowly, he lifted the lid.
His heart skipped a beat.
His grin vanished.
Disappointment set in.
''An...apple?!"
"Nooo no no no, you gotta be kidding me. This has to be some kind of joke!"
He stared at it, dumbfounded.
A single apple. Cased in a plastic square container. Fit perfectly into the suitcase.
It was unlike anything Adam had ever seen—vibrant green, but not in any natural way. The surface shimmered faintly, as if coated in a thin layer of glass, catching the dim light with an unnatural sheen. Its color pulsed ever so slightly, a soft neon glow radiating beneath the skin like it was alive.
"What...Damn it!" he yelled, slamming the suitcase against the wall.
It burst open. The plastic casing fell out and clattered to the ground.
Adam glared at it in disbelief.
"All that running… all that chasing… for this? Was he messing with me?"
''Useless. Just when I thought today was my lucky day,that bastard had to ruin everything'' He complained
He picked it up, fury in his eyes.
But then… his stomach growled.
He hadn't eaten in a while.
"…Screw it."
He opened the container, took out the apple—and a cold chill raced down his spine.
"What the hell was that…?"
Shrugging it off, he took a bite
''...''
He'd gone through hell for it. He was gonna enjoy it.
Then...
Darkness.
No sight.
No sound.
No feeling.
He tried to move. Tried to breathe.
But it was like he was being strangled from the inside out.
His body convulsed. He collapsed.Dropping the apple.
Then, a message appeared.
[....]
[You have been cursed with the Gho–]