The Price of Divinity

On Noctis' first day of middle school, Grandma started showing signs of her imminent death. Grandma kept reassuring Notcis that she probably contracted a disease. Notcis believed her, as she had never lied to Notctis. Having a little bit of worry he continued to live his life as normal.

Every month her body became weaker and weaker. Leaving Noctis to do all the house chores, leaving only the cooking to Grandma. Noctis' high emphasis on education made him not pay too much attention to Grandma's diminishing health. 

Every day was the same for Noctis; middle graduation was the happiest moment of his life. Grandma was able to see him become a handsome, strong young man. She managed to contain her sickness until her body couldn't anymore. 

Only a month into his summer vacation, while cooking, Grandma suddenly collapsed. Noctis, who was in the living room drawing, stood up and ran immediately to the kitchen to see Grandma on the ground, her face burning with the hot grease. 

Noctis carried her body and sprinted towards the door, running to the local clinic as he was told to do if this ever happened. Noctis' mind was very scared; all he wanted was for Grandma to be fine and to continue to be with him. 

The moment he kicked the door of the doctor's office, he saw no one there; he started to feel doubt; the whole building felt sad. The colors were washed; still, Noctis wasted no time and asked for a doctor.

The doctors, having taken one look at her, immediately dropped everything they were doing and started to resuscitate her. Noctis was told to stay in the seating area for any news about her. Noctis, on the verge of tears, could only pray to all the celestial beings that he knew of. 

A doctor wearing a red-colored face cloth came up to Noctis with full sincerity and told him that she had died from a heart attack. If that grease hadn't been in her face, she would have had a better chance of surviving, but her body was too fragile for those events to happen at the same time.

Noctis dropped down to his knees; before saying anything, he stood up and ran out of the clinic. The further he ran away, the more the tears came down. He started crying the whole way to the house. The colors of the city became as dim as when he first arrived. 

He opened the door now, bawling his eyes out, not knowing what to do with his life; he covered himself in the blanket of Grandma and cried and cried till his body ran out of tears. Days of crying led him to be bedbound, not wanting to fear. His body didn't want anything; water, food, and pleasure were all useless to him. All he wants is for Grandma to come back. 

Noctis could only relive the best moments with Grandma. The moments when he first met her, all the happy moments they spent together. All the experiences that she had made him live. He felt that she was his reason to better himself for them to live a better life outside of this dull town. 

The memories of her last seconds alive started to haunt Noctis. All he did was place the blame on himself. Noctis hates himself; all he is thinking is that he made all of this.

"If it weren't for me asking for that fried fish, she would have been alright. If it weren't for me being very energetic, she would have never gotten sick. If it weren't for me even being alive, she would have continued being alive." Noctis continued to repeat from day till night for three days. 

Noctis was able to leave his house after Principal Sullivan told him that there would be a funeral for Grandma. Noctis was in a horrible condition; he stopped caring about his own life. His body was severely malnourished; his hair and hygiene were worse than a homeless man's. 

The day of the funeral the weather started to rain. The sky became darker; all the colors lost their shine. Notcis managed to wear the best set of clothes he could find to find tribute for Grandma.

Noctis saw the lowering of her body; everyone started to hug each other. Noctis tried his best, but no tears came out; everything was dried. All he wants is someone to tell him that everything is going to be alright. Noctis started to look for Luna to get some comfort. He started to wonder if she was there, only to be brought to his knees when he saw Luna making out with another guy. 

Noctis looked at her for a good second, standing up and continuing to stare at Grandma as her body was being covered with dirt. Everyone's tears were being covered up by the rain; Noctis, now soaking in the rain, could only fall on his back, running his white shirt, but at this point that was the least of his worries.

After the funeral was over, all that was left was the tombstone of Grandma saying, "An amazing teacher, incredible mother, and an even better grandmother." Noctis could only look at it, not feeling anything. He stood up now drenched and started to make his way to his home.

When he arrived, he got into the shower, taking a long, hot shower to reflect on everything that had happened and how his life changed so fast in an instant. How he went from the best moment of his life to the worst.

Noctis started to leave his house for the necessities, always trying to be low-key. He wanted to be alone so that no one would suffer because of him. His body started to be healthier, yet it still had a gloominess that portrayed how he felt inside. Noctis didn't attend high school, opting to get a job as a cashier. He wanted to be left alone; on one occasion, they even visited him, leaving him all alone to fend for himself. 

There were many times that Noctis was going to sleep hungry. Only relies on his job, savings from Grandma, and his mind to survive in this new environment. 

…

Noctis was now at the age of eighteen; all of his peers who were always with him had graduated from high school. Luna also graduated from Noctis's dream school. Yet none of them even paid a visit to him. 

Noctis was at a point where all he did was survive, doing the minimum to survive.

On his walk home, he saw a strange woman standing outside on the streets. Noctis didn't pay attention to her, but the unknown woman started following Noctis to his home. Noctis didn't even bother to say anything or even pay attention to her. 

When he opened the door he was about to say something when suddenly the woman jumped towards Noctis, pushing him towards the bed. Undressing and using Noctis' body till she couldn't, Noctis started to feel happiness once again. 

They both finished doing their deeds, only for Noctis to wake up in an alternate reality.