NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22: Rallying Call
Darren's knuckles ached from pounding on yet another door. The chipped paint flaked under his fist as he yelled, his voice raw. "Hello? Is anyone in there? We need help! It's Zoe! She's hurt!"
The door creaked open to reveal a gaunt, middle-aged man with wary eyes. He blinked at Darren, clutching a rusty crowbar. "What did you say? Zoe's hurt?"
"Yes! She's in bad shape," Darren said urgently, leaning in. "We need a doctor or anyone with medical training. Do you know anyone?"
The man's face fell as he absorbed the news. "Zoe… the one keeping this place together? Damn it. I'm no doctor, but I'll help however I can."
"Spread the word," Darren instructed. "We need everyone searching."
The man nodded, stepping out into the hallway. Darren didn't wait to watch him go. He was already racing down the corridor to the next door, his heart pounding. Sweat clung to his brow, and his breaths came in sharp gasps, but he couldn't stop. Not until he found someone who could save Zoe.
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Darren banged on doors of apartment after apartment, his voice growing hoarse from shouting. Every person who answered reacted the same way: shock, worry, and then determination. They all knew Zoe. How could they not? She was the reason they were all still alive, the glue that held Perkatory together.
A young woman with a baby on her hip gasped at one door when Darren explained. "Zoe's hurt?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Yes," Darren said. "We need to find a doctor or someone who knows first aid. Can you help spread the word?"
The woman nodded quickly, shifting the baby to her other arm. "I'll tell my neighbors. Zoe's done so much for us. We'll find someone."
Darren watched as she hurried off, calling out to others. For a moment, he stood there, catching his breath. The hallway was alive with movement as people emerged from their apartments, murmuring to each other and setting off in different directions. It was chaos, but it was a kind of chaos Darren had never seen before—purposeful, unified.
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Back at the café, Erica was hunched over her laptop, her fingers flying across the keyboard. The faint glow of the screen illuminated her determined expression as she typed message after message into the survivors' forum.
"Urgent: Need a doctor in Perkatory. Leader injured. Please respond ASAP."
She posted the message in every thread she could find, her hope flickering like a fragile candle. Responses trickled in, most of them apologies or suggestions for distant help. But Erica didn't give up. She kept typing and reaching out. Around her, a small group of survivors gathered, offering suggestions or watching silently, their faces heavy with concern.
Darren sprinted down another street, his legs burning with the effort. His mind was a whirlwind of panic and guilt. He should have been there to stop Zoe from getting hurt. He should have… something. Anything. The thought of her lying unconscious in the café, covered in blood, made his stomach churn.
As he ran, a strange sensation washed over him. It started as a faint tingle at the back of his neck, then spread through his body. He stumbled to a stop, gripping a lamppost for balance. A translucent window popped up in front of his eyes, hovering in the air like a hologram.
"Greetings, Darren," the text read. "You have unlocked the Charm System."
"What the hell?" Darren muttered, blinking at the screen. He waved a hand through it, but it remained stubbornly in place.
"Congratulations on your activation," a calm male voice said in his head. "Your actions over the past few hours have demonstrated exceptional leadership and influence. You have instinctively utilized your abilities to unite others for a common goal. The Charm System will enhance these natural talents."
Darren stared at the window, his chest tightening. "What are you talking about? I don't have… abilities."
"You do now," the voice replied. "Your system allows you to inspire and persuade others with heightened effectiveness. Your words carry weight, your presence commands attention, and your cause becomes theirs."
Darren's stomach turned as he remembered the people who had rallied behind him that night. Were they helping because they cared about Zoe… or had he unintentionally manipulated them? The thought made him feel sick.
"No," he said aloud, shaking his head. "I don't want this. I didn't ask for this."
"This ability is a tool, not a curse," the voice said patiently. "Consider its potential. In a world fractured by chaos, someone must be able to move the masses for a greater purpose. That someone can be you."
"I don't want to control people," Darren snapped. "That's not who I am."
"You're not controlling them. You're guiding them," the voice corrected. "The difference lies in your intent. Tonight, your instinctive use of this power has brought hope and unity to Perkatory. People are acting because they believe in you. That belief is genuine."
Darren hesitated, his hands clenching into fists. The Charm System's words were logical but didn't sit right with him. He didn't want to think about it now. Not when Zoe's life was on the line.
"Fine," he said finally. "We'll deal with this later. Right now, I need to find a doctor. Can you help me or not?"
"Of course," the system replied smoothly. "I'll guide you to the nearest potential candidate."
A map appeared in the corner of Darren's vision, a glowing waypoint marking a building several blocks away. Without wasting another second, he took off running.
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The building was an old clinic, its faded sign barely legible in the dim light. Darren banged on the door, his voice hoarse. "Hello? Is anyone in there? Please, we need help!"
The door creaked open, and a woman stepped out. She was in her early forties, her dark hair streaked with gray and tied back in a messy bun. She wore a worn leather jacket and a stethoscope around her neck.
"What's going on?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she took in Darren's disheveled appearance.
"It's Zoe," Darren said, panting. "She's badly hurt. We need a doctor. Are you…?"
"Yes," the woman said quickly. "I'm Dr. Lila Torres. Where is she?"
"At the café," Darren said. "We need to hurry."
Dr. Torres grabbed a backpack from inside the door, slinging it over her shoulder. "Lead the way."
Darren turned and ran, the doctor close behind him. His legs screamed in protest, but he didn't care. Zoe's life depended on this.
As they neared the café, Darren's heart pounded with fear and hope. The Charm System's voice echoed softly in his mind.
"You're doing well, Darren. Remember, this is what leaders do. They rally others, even when the odds seem impossible."
Darren didn't respond. He couldn't think about that now. All that mattered was getting Zoe the help she needed. When the café came into view, he pushed himself harder, ignoring the burning in his lungs.