Kapitel 5: No Title
Chapter: The Meeting with Aaron
The neon glow of The Void pulsed through the windows, casting colorful reflections on the rain-slicked pavement outside. Rebecca pushed open the door, a gust of warm air hitting her as she stepped into the dimly lit bar. The chatter of patrons mingled with the soft music, creating an atmosphere that felt both inviting and slightly sinister.
She scanned the room, searching for Aaron, the guy Jamal had mentioned. A few tables were occupied by groups laughing and drinking, but one lone figure caught her eye—a man in his late twenties, sitting in a shadowy corner nursing a drink. His disheveled hair and worn clothes hinted at someone who had been through a lot.
"Are you Aaron?" Rebecca asked as she approached, trying to keep her tone casual.
He looked up, suspicion clouding his eyes. "Who wants to know?"
"I'm Rebecca, a journalist," she introduced herself, sliding into the seat across from him. "I heard you might have some information about… well, some strange events happening around here."
Aaron studied her for a moment, then took a slow sip from his glass. "I don't know anything you'd want to hear."
"Maybe not, but I'm not here to judge," she replied, her voice steady. "Jamal said you've had a pretty wild experience recently."
His expression hardened, but she noticed a flicker of curiosity behind his guarded demeanor. "I don't want to talk about it."
Rebecca leaned forward, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Look, I know this sounds strange, but I'm following up on a series of mysterious disappearances. I just want to get the truth out there. If you can help, it could make a difference."
Aaron hesitated, his walls slowly beginning to crack. "You really think anyone cares? Everyone thinks it's just a joke."
"I care," she insisted, her passion seeping into her words. "I want to understand what happened to you, what you saw. Sometimes people think they're crazy, but that doesn't mean their experiences aren't real."
His eyes softened slightly, and after a long pause, he sighed. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you. You're going to think I'm nuts."
"I've heard crazier things," she assured him, a small smile breaking through her serious facade.
Aaron glanced around to ensure no one was listening, then leaned in closer. "I went missing for a week. I ended up in this cave, deep in the woods. It was like… another world in there. Statues lined the walls, each one looking like it was alive. And in the center was this orb, glowing with this intense energy."
Rebecca felt her heart race as she jotted down notes. "What was the orb like?"
"It was beautiful, but it had a darkness to it. I don't know how else to explain it. When I touched it, I heard voices, whispers calling out to me. And then I saw a vision—a word flashed in front of me: 'SHAZAM.'" He shook his head, as if trying to dispel the memory. "I don't know what it means, but it felt powerful… and dangerous."
"'SHAZAM'?" she repeated, writing it down. "What happened after that?"
"I can't remember everything," he admitted, frustration creeping into his tone. "But I felt like I was chosen for something, like there was a purpose. But when I came back… whatever it was, it wasn't meant for me. I wasn't chosen. I was just caught up in something way bigger than I can comprehend."
Rebecca studied him, a mix of sympathy and intrigue in her gaze. "Do you think this is connected to the disappearances?"
Aaron shrugged, his expression darkening. "I think whatever is happening out there is pulling people in, using them for something. I'm not the only one who came back… different. Those statues? They might be the key. But I have no idea how or why."
She leaned back, processing the weight of his words. "Do you know if anyone else has experienced this?"
"Just rumors," he replied, his voice dropping. "People disappearing, coming back. But they don't want to talk about it. They're afraid."
"Fear can be paralyzing," Rebecca murmured, contemplating her next move. "But if we can figure this out, we might be able to help others."
Aaron looked at her, something like hope flickering in his eyes. "Just be careful. There's darkness out there, and it's watching."
With that, the conversation shifted, the tension in the air thickening. Rebecca felt a mix of excitement and dread, her journalistic instincts urging her to dig deeper, even as a warning echoed in her mind. Whatever was happening in New York was more than just a series of strange events—it was a call to action, and she was determined to answer it.
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Chapter: Press Start
The sound of rapid button mashing filled the small living room. James leaned forward on the couch, brow furrowed in concentration as his thumbs danced over the controller. Beside him, Marcus sat back, completely relaxed, a smug grin plastered across his face.
"C'mon, c'mon... No, no, NO—what the hell!" James growled as his character got knocked into the air. Marcus's character followed with a brutal combo, sending James's health bar plummeting.
"Bro, you gotta block. You can't just press random buttons and hope to win," Marcus said, laughing as he landed the finishing blow. "Boom. That's game."
The Defeated screen flashed across the TV, followed by a cheery announcer's voice rubbing salt in the wound: "You LOSE!"
"Damn it, man," James muttered, tossing his controller onto the couch. He slouched back, crossing his arms in frustration. "You're cheating. No way you got that good in one night."
Marcus grinned, leaning forward to set the next match. "It's called practice, my dude. Maybe if you weren't busy moping around with your weird magical cave dreams, you'd actually win one of these."
James shot him a half-hearted glare but didn't say anything right away. The hum of the PS4 filled the silence for a moment, the game's music looping in the background. Outside, the faint city sounds drifted through the cracked window—a passing car, the distant wail of a siren, the soft hum of streetlights flickering to life.
The living room wasn't fancy, but it was home. The couch was a little saggy in the middle, and the coffee table still had a water stain from the time Marcus spilled soda all over it. A poster of Iron Man hung crookedly above the TV, right next to a framed photo of James and Marcus at some music festival a few years back, drunk and stupid, but happy.
Marcus glanced sideways at James, who was still staring at the screen with a distant look, lost in thought. He nudged him with his elbow. "Alright, spill it. What's going on? You've been weird lately."
James exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's just... this whole thing, man. I've got these powers now—like, real powers. Not just 'bench-pressing-a-little-more-at-the-gym' powers. I'm talking punch-a-hole-through-a-wall kinda powers."
Marcus raised an eyebrow, not entirely hiding the grin creeping onto his face. "You sound like you're complaining. If I had powers, I'd be out there right now, jumping off rooftops or some crazy Batman stuff."
James rolled his eyes. "That's the thing. I don't wanna be Batman. I don't wanna be anyone." He slumped further into the couch, his voice quiet but frustrated. "Do you know what it means if people find out what I can do? I'm not Tony Stark. I don't have billions of dollars to keep me safe, or a giant tower in the middle of New York. I've got... this." He gestured around the cramped apartment.
Marcus picked up his soda, taking a thoughtful sip. "So what, you're scared people will come after you?"
"More like... I just don't want to be noticed." James shook his head, as if trying to put his tangled thoughts into words. "You ever hear those stories about guys who win the lottery, and their lives fall apart? Like, everyone suddenly wants something from them, or they get dragged into things they never asked for? That's what this feels like. But instead of money, it's..." He opened his hand, clenching it into a fist as if to feel the strength within. "...this."
Marcus leaned back, resting the soda on his knee. "Yeah, but you're not gonna sit on it forever, right? I mean, you can't. Not with the way the world's going." He gave James a knowing look. "There's always something. And guys like you? Powers or not... You get dragged into things whether you like it or not."
James didn't respond immediately. He rubbed his hands together, glancing down as if the answer was written in the cracks of his palms. "There's more," he muttered.
Marcus perked up. "Oh boy, here we go. What now?"
"That cave... It's like..." James hesitated, trying to find the words. "It's like it's calling me. I don't know how else to explain it. Ever since I touched that orb or whatever it was, I've felt... connected. Like there's something back there I need to figure out, or maybe... something waiting for me."
Marcus gave a lazy shrug. "Sounds like you're overthinking it, man. Maybe the cave just gave you some weird dreams and now you're psyching yourself out."
James scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You say that like you wouldn't be freaking out if you had the powers of a literal demigod."
"Nah, man. I'd be out there saving cats from trees and dunking on LeBron," Marcus said with a grin. "But hey, that's just me. You do you, bro."
James gave him a flat look. "You'd die five minutes into that life."
Marcus shrugged again. "Worth it."
The new match loaded on the screen, and the two picked up their controllers again. James's character got sucker-punched almost immediately, and Marcus cackled, mashing buttons with reckless abandon.
"Bullshit!" James shouted, leaning forward on the couch. "You're cheating!"
Marcus grinned, eyes glued to the screen. "Oh, sorry, were you saying something about a magic cave? My bad. Can't hear you over the sound of winning."
James's character was thrown into the air again, helpless. Marcus launched a combo, hammering the final blow with perfect timing.
"KO!" the game announced cheerfully.
Marcus threw his hands up in victory. "And that's how it's done, baby!"
"You distracted me!" James yelled, throwing his controller onto the couch.
"Dude, it's not my fault you can't multi-task," Marcus said, grinning from ear to ear.
James shook his head, a small grin creeping onto his face despite his frustration. "This is some serious villain energy right here. I hope you know that."
Marcus leaned back, hands behind his head, looking smug. "What can I say? If the world ever needs a guy to mess with the next Superman, I'm your man."
James let out a laugh, finally relaxing. For the first time in days, the knot of anxiety in his chest loosened just a little.
"Alright, rematch," James declared, grabbing his controller.
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Rematch? You really wanna do this again?"
"Oh, I'm definitely doing this again. And this time? No distractions."
The two locked eyes, the match beginning anew. And for a moment, the weight of magic caves, superpowers, and the fear of the unknown faded into the background—just two friends, locked in battle, trash-talking like their lives depended on it.
And for now, that was enough.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein