He walked away from the cave, searching for anything useful.
Step by step, he moved further away—but only in directions he already knew.
"Going somewhere new… that's suicide."
"Without preparation… I'll just get myself killed."
He looked around.
"Why is the ground so clean…?"
"The only tree here is that small one I live in…"
"Lower down, there are those tree-like structures… but nothing grows here."
"…like someone is keeping this place empty."
He shook his head.
"…no time to think about that."
"Should I walk faster…?"
"I don't see anything useful anyway."
After a while, he returned to the cave and sat near its entrance.
A sigh escaped him.
"…nothing."
He frowned, placing a hand on his forehead.
His fingers moved slightly.
"…this feels weird."
"Not a headache…"
He started massaging his head.
"…maybe I'm overthinking."
He looked at the cave.
"What's even inside this…?"
"What if there's nothing?"
"Then why am I trying so hard to go in?"
His teeth clenched.
"…damn it."
"I'll check."
"I'll go only as far as the sunlight reaches."
Before entering, he placed his bag just inside the cave entrance.
"…if something comes out… it won't grab me with this."
He gently set it down.
Then stopped.
"…wait."
He closed his eyes.
Took a deep breath.
Released it.
Again.
Slowly.
"…don't freeze."
"Even if something's there…"
He lowered his body slightly, loosening his legs.
"…just enough movement…"
"…don't sweat too much…"
"I just need to go in—and get out."
A crooked smile appeared.
"…easy, right?"
"…yeah."
He stepped inside.
Slowly.
Each step heavier than the last.
"…I'll never get used to this."
"Being scared of something I can't see…"
He stayed alert.
But—
Nothing.
Even at the edge of the sunlight…
Nothing.
And that made it worse.
Cold sweat ran down his spine.
"…what the hell?"
"I was sure something was here…"
"Even if not a monster…"
"…something."
The ground beneath him felt smooth.
Flat.
Like a road made of hardened mud.
Welcoming.
"…like it was made for me."
He swallowed.
"…should I go further?"
"There's still a bit of light ahead…"
He took one more step—
Thud.
Something hard hit his foot.
A sharp vibration ran through his body.
His heart skipped.
He froze.
No breath.
No movement.
Just like standing in front of a predator.
Slowly—
he looked down.
A rock.
Broken clean in half.
"…huh."
His heart started beating again.
He exhaled slowly.
Then crouched down.
There were more.
Crystal-like stones.
All split cleanly.
Even in dim light—
"…beautiful."
A small smile appeared.
"This is it…"
"I can make fire with these."
He picked two pieces that fit together.
As he held them—
a thought appeared.
"…should I go deeper?"
He stopped himself.
His grip tightened.
"…damn you."
"Greedy bastard."
"This is how you die."
"My luck helped me once…"
"Don't push it."
"…idiot."
He stood up.
Holding the stones.
Then slowly began walking back.
Careful.
Quiet.
But the way out—
felt longer.
The world felt slower.
But his body—
faster.
His heartbeat lost control.
"…not now…"
"I just want to get out…"
"This feels different…"
"When I came in… I was scared…"
"…but this—"
"…this is worse."
Finally—
light.
"…there."
"Let me out…"
"Please…"
He stepped out of the cave.
"…finally."
He reached his bag.
"…I need a second."
His legs gave out.
He dropped to the ground.
"…yeah…"
"that makes sense…"
A weak laugh escaped him.
"My hands…"
He looked at them.
Still shaking.
"…even now."
"…funny."
"Before… holding a rock made me feel safe."
"…like I could protect myself."
He looked at the stones.
"…now it doesn't feel the same."
"…but…"
"…it's still better than nothing."
His eyes moved toward the bag.
Near it—
his stick.
---
He dropped one of the rocks.
Grabbed the stick.
Leaned his body against it, resting his head on the thicker end.
A quiet word escaped him.
"…it's cold."
---
After resting for a while—
he placed the rocks inside the bag.
Picked up the stick.
Stood up.
Let out a slow breath.
---
"…I still feel weird."
"But I can move."
---
Step by step—
he walked.
Careful.
Slow.
---
"…fear messed me up…"
"I can't even think straight."
---
A sigh.
"…this body… will take time to get used to fear of the unknown…"
---
After some time—
he reached the tree.
Sat down again.
---
"…now what?"
---
He dropped the bag.
Let the stick rest against the tree.
Looked at his hands.
Still shaking.
---
"…how bad was that impact…?"
---
"…whatever."
"Let's rest."
---
He closed his eyes.
---
Darkness.
---
"…where am I?"
---
Something felt wrong.
---
"…what is this place…?"
---
Then—
a feeling.
Behind him.
---
Like something crawling on his skin.
Like needles pressing from all sides—
telling him:
«don't look back»
---
His body resisted.
---
But his mind—
pushed.
---
"…I want to look…"
"…why…?"
---
"Just turn around."
---
"No—don't."
---
"LOOK."
---
"STOP."
---
His neck moved.
On its own.
---
"…wait—"
"…this isn't me."
---
His hand rose—
and covered his face.
---
"…what?"
---
"…why is my own body stopping me?"
---
His other hand—
tightened around his throat.
---
"…I can't breathe—"
---
"STOP!"
---
"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!"
---
His body—
fighting itself.
---
"…why am I trying to look back…?"
"…why is my body trying to stop me…?"
---
"…none of this makes sense—"
---
His vision slipped—
just a little—
between his fingers.
---
And—
he saw it.
---
Something.
---
Not human.
Not a monster he knew.
---
A presence.
---
Like one thing—
looking in every direction at once.
---
"…it's looking at me…"
---
Everything twisted.
---
Sound.
Color.
Memory.
---
Everything pulled together—
like he was being dragged into something.
---
"…NO—"
---
"STOP—!"
---
"HELP—!"
---
CRACK.
---
—
His eyes snapped open.
---
Air.
---
"…I'm back…"
---
His body collapsed forward.
---
"—!"
---
He hit the ground.
---
"…I can't move…"
---
His lips didn't respond.
His body—
dead weight.
---
"…if something comes now…"
"…I'll just watch it eat me…"
---
"…no…"
"calm down…"
---
"…don't panic…"
"…I'm trying to breathe… but I don't feel anything…"
"…still… I know I'm alive…"
---
"…breathe…"
---
Even if he couldn't—
he imagined it.
---
Inhale.
Exhale.
---
Again.
---
"…don't stop…"
---
Time passed.
He didn't know how long.
---
Then—
a feeling.
---
Air.
---
"…finally…"
---
"…I can feel it…"
---
"…move…"
---
His lips trembled.
---
"…stand…"
"…up…"
"…my body…"
---
Slowly—
he pushed himself up.
Barely.
---
"…no strength…"
---
"…I need to sleep…"
---
"…but not here…"
---
He looked toward where he left his bag.
Couldn't see it—
but remembered.
---
Step by step—
he reached it.
---
Took out the stones.
Placed leaves around himself.
---
"…safer…"
---
"…these stones feel heavier than anything I've ever held…"
---
"…why…?"
---
He pushed them aside.
Covered himself with leaves.
---
"…this is enough…"
---
"…I'm scared to sleep…"
---
"…but I have to…"
---
His eyes drifted—
toward where he left his stick.
---
His hand reached out—
into the dark.
---
Searching.
Blind.
---
Then—
he touched something.
---
Hard.
Familiar.
---
"…found you…"
---
He pulled it close.
Held it tightly.
---
"…stay with me…"
---
Like a child holding something precious—
he curled around it.
---
And slept.
---
Morning.
---
A yawn.
---
"…no dream…"
"…good…"
---
He looked at the stick.
Held it near his face.
---
"…my first dream here…"
"…my own body trying to kill me…"
"…not bad, huh?"
---
A faint breath.
---
"…I'm not surprised anymore…"
"I died once already…"
---
He paused.
---
"…that thing…"
---
"…what was it…?"
---
"…I can't remember…"
---
"…good."
---
"…I don't want to."
"…what do you think about all of this…?"
He stared at the stick for a few seconds.
Then let out a small breath.
"…ah, forget it…"
"…who am I even asking…"
"…you're just a stick…"
He paused.
"…for a second… I felt something…"
His hand moved to his forehead.
"…probably just that dream…"
"…yeah…"
A faint, tired smile appeared.
"…thinking a stick can answer me…"
"…I've really lost it, huh…"
He held it a little tighter.
"…still…"
"…thanks."