Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud
…
We're so fucking dead
Those were my last thoughts as I was prepared to embrace death—I mean how could you even fight this?
I mean, seriously. What the hell was I supposed to do?
Fight them? With a broom?
Heh.
What a joke.
"MOVE!"
Grab!
"THE FUCK—?!"
"Unless you want to become their breakfast, MOVE YOU BRAT!"
Step Step Step Step
We're not dead yet—yet.
THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD—
The footsteps were getting louder. Much louder. I didn't dare look behind me. Honestly, I didn't even want to know how many of those things were chasing us.
"Jeremy! The nearest room!" Randy shouted.
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
"THIRD DOOR ON THE LEFT!"
"THEN WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!"
Step Step Step Step Step—
Left.
Left.
Left—
THUD!
"AGHHH!" Instinctively I turned my head
Bad idea.
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
A cleaner laid on the ground, desperately trying to push himself back up. His equipment rattled as he scrambled against the debris, his hands slipping beneath him and behind him?
SCREEEEEEEEEEEECHHH—!
One of those things lunged.
"NO—NO, GET AWAY!"
CRACK!
His visor struck the floor.
…
"HELP ME!"
He reached toward us.
Toward me.
For a moment, our eyes met through the fractured glass.
I could see his face.
The terror.
His face screamed at me, begging me to do something. Anything.
…
If I turned around, grabbed him, and pulled him up—
"DON'T YOU EVEN THINK OF IT!"
Randy yanked me forward so hard I nearly fell.
"BUT—!"
"YOU WANNA TO JOIN HIM?!"
…
…
I looked back.
The cleaner was still reaching for us.
Then something grabbed his arm.
SNAP.
His hand disappeared into the haze.
His scream followed.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!"
…
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
I didn't look back again.
I couldn't.
"MOVE YOUR ASSES!" Randy shouted his voice surprisingly clear.
Step Step Step Step Step—
"THIRD DOOR!" Jeremy shouted.
BANG!
The door flew open as Eve shoved Amanda inside. Jeremy followed, then Randy practically threw me through the doorway before slamming it shut behind us.
BAM
Click
Silence
For approximately half a second.
Then—
THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD—
The entire door shook.
"FUCK!"
I stumbled backward, nearly crashing into Eve.
"What the hell do we do?!"
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
Nobody answered. Because what the hell could we do? as the door rattled once more
BANG!
Something scraped against the other side.
SCRAAAAAAAAAPE
Amanda clutched Eve's arm. Jeremy stared at the door, his expression unusually blank. Randy was already looking around the room for another exit. And me?
…
I was staring at my hands.
They were shaking.
Hah.
So this was it, huh?
…
I'm dead.
There's no way out of this.
…
SCRAPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Judging from how the door was bending…
…
We're gonna die soon.
"Kid get yourself together we ain't dead." Old Man Randy spoke yet I couldn't find a reason to care for.
BANG BANG BANG
KRRRRRRRR—
The door was bending as the metal frame began to give way.
"Shit!" Old Man Randy shoved the metal debris against it, trying to reinforce whatever little protection we had left. Not that it would make much of a difference.
BANG
CRACK
BAMMMMM
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!"
A cleaner was shoved through the doorway He came crashing onto the floor, rolling several times before slamming against the opposite wall.
THUD!
"HELP! HELP ME!"
His voice was frantic.
Desperate.
He tried to get back up, yet his legs didn't respond. His equipment rattled violently as he scrambled across the floor.
…
Oh.
Oh, fuck.
"GET AWAY! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" He screamed as he tried to crawl.
He really did.
But one of those things lunged at him before he could even make it a meter.
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH—!
"NO! NO, PLEASE—!"
The first creature struck him.
Then another.
Then another.
Within seconds, his body disappeared beneath a mass of twisted limbs and grotesque
"HELP ME! SOMEBODY, PLEASE!"
…
Crunch.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH—!"
…
Crunch.
"PLEASE! I DON'T WANNA DIE!"
…
His screams echoed throughout the room. Each one weaker than the last.
Until—
"...Help…"
…
Silence
…
Right.
So this is it.
We're dead yet—I couldn't even find it in myself to care anymore. This is probably where my life ends.
Step
"Krkrkrkrkkrrkkrkrkr…."
… Maybe I shouldn't have taken this job
Step
Even if I'm worse off at least I'll still be alive-?
Step
…
Who am I kidding?
Step
Alright let's get this over with.
"Krkrkrkrkrkkrkrkr…"
…
Thud
I closed my eyes, preparing for death, nothing more could be done at this moment.
Step
Heck maybe I'll get isekai'd
…
I wonder what world would be nice…
…
…
…?
???
Confusionn filled my mind as the pain I waited didn't arrive so I opened my eyes once more.
"Krkrkrkr…"
Right infront of my face—What looked like a white rose.
At least, that's what it looked like at first.
Countless pale layers, folded over one another, each lined with tiny, uneven teeth.
…
Am I in hell?
yet as I looked around
Every single one of these creatures had the same exact look.
Only then did I realize what was directly in front of me.
It was probably the creature's mouth, directly in front of me—Yet it did not bite.
They had stopped, their forms as clear as day, they looked human—Yet not human, bodies fused with what looked like our gear, and what looked like—Some type of fungi?
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
Their skin and eyes unnaturally white. Along with it countless lumps of what looked like fungi covered their entire body,
Instinctively I glanced besides
Old Man Randy's expression was hardened, his stance was ready to take as many as he could before death,
Jeremy? His eyes still closed his expression resigned
Eve had dropped to the floor. She looked at these creatures half confused, one of her arms still holding Amanda's
She was stiff frozen, like a statue, standing upright, except for hands that trembled all over.
…
Why aren't we dead-?
"Krkrkrkrkr."
…
Then all of a sudden…
Twitch
Every single one of them reacted.
And then—
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECHHHHHHH
They moved.
THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD
The swarm surged past us, crashing through the doorway and tearing through whatever stood in its way.
CRACK!
CRASH!
In the blink of an eye, the room was empty.
…
They were gone.
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
…
They…
"They ran-?" Eve was the one who spoke, her tone confused
Jeremy was the second to spoke, his eyes finally opened as he looked extremely confused.
…
"The Fuck?" Old Man Randy spoke his tone confused, his hand one that had held the broom ready to use it as a weapon now lowered as he looked at us all.
…
…???
"G-g-g-guys… I think I peed myself…."
…
—
Tremble Tremble
…
My hands were still shaking.
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
How am I still alive?
That thought kept on haunting my mind, confused. How—Why?
…
Pat Pat
"There there… It's alright… hey at least we're still alive" Eve spoke as she tried to comfort Amanda
"Hnnnn…"
She was super embarrassed.
…
"Alright—First Question." Jeremy spoke his tone clear.
"How'd we survive that." Old Man Randy continued.
"…"
"Logically speaking we saw them kill a lot of our fellow cleaners, yet—"
"We were spared." Eve spoke.
"Why?"
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
"Let's think for a moment."
"What made 'us' different from the rest who got devoured?"
…
Right let's actually think this through.
…
How did we survive?
…
"First things first," Jeremy spoke, breaking the silence. "We need to establish what happened."
Right.
Establish what happened.
As if we weren't just standing in a room full of things that looked like they belonged in a fucking nightmare.
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
"They left us alive."
"Tsk—We don't have time for this, air's trickling down."
…
Randy's right, at this rate we'll probably have…
"2-4 hours give or take" Eve spoke once more, then the entire place went back to silence.
…
Thud
Huh?
"AMANDA!?!?!"
—Amanda's POV
Slosh Slosh
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh
Slosh. Slosh.
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh.
…
Slosh.
I wanted to disappear.
Right there. Right then.
My legs felt weak. My hands wouldn't stop shaking. And inside my suit—
…
Slosh. Slosh.
I feel so embarrassed
I could still hear them talking their voices sounded distant, as though I were listening to them through a wall.
Something about the creatures.
Something about the equipment.
Something about leaving.
…
Hsssssssssssss—Kshhhhhhh.
I took another breath.
Then another.
And another.
Why couldn't I calm down?
They were gone.
The monsters were gone.
We were alive.
So why—
Hssssssss—Kshhhhhhh.
No.
No, no, no.
Not now.
Not again.
…
Slosh.
Something cold clung to my skin beneath the suit something I couldn't get away from.
Couldn't wipe it off.
Couldn't even reach inside to make it stop.
…
I was trapped.
…
I'm trapped.
…
Hssss—Kshhh. Hssss—Kshhh. Hssss—Kshhh.
Someone was saying something.
My name, maybe?
I couldn't tell.
Hssss—Kshhh Hssss—Kshhh Hssss—Kshhh
Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh. Hss—Kshhh
…
Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh. Hss—Kshhh
Thud
Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh. Hss—Kshhh
"—?"
Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh
"—?!?!?!"
Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh. Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh Hss—Kshhh. Hss—Kshhh
—
"Ughhhh—Where-?"
Glance
As I looked down upon myself, I was—Naked??? And because of that perhaps. I realized.
"This dream again."
…
I was seven years old.
The water was blue. Bright. Inviting. The other kids were laughing. Splashing. Diving. They moved through the water like it was nothing. Like it was air. I wanted to be like them, so what did I do? I stepped into the shallow end.
Step Step
The water felt cold but I—I wanted to go with them.
Step Step
The water rose past my knees. My waist. My chest.
And then—
My feet couldn't find the bottom.
Splash.
I was sinking.
The sunlight was distorted. Broken. Fading. I reached for the surface, but my arms were too heavy. My legs were too heavy. Everything was too heavy.
Guhl—glug-gurgle…
I couldn't breathe.
Chrrrk-khhh.
What's happening?.
Chrrrk-khhh-Chrrrk-khhh.
"AMANDA!"
A hand. My mother's hand. Pulling me up. Dragging me to the surface.
Splash.
GHHHHK—COUGH COUGH COUGH COUGH
"You're okay sweetie, you're okay. you're okay"
COUGH COUGH—HIC... HH-FF—WAAAHHHH-H-H-H-H
"…You're okay sweetie You're okay. I've got you."
I was seven years old.
That was the first time I learned I couldn't swim.
—A couple years later…
"Amandaaaa let's play this game my dad bought it's called Narcosisss" Spoke the voice of a little girl, she sounded excited
"E-e-ehhh-??? is it a horror game-?"
"Well yeahhh but it'll be funnnn" this time the voice of a young boy he sounded energetic and excited
"B-b-buttt… I'm scared…"
"C'monnn, you're stronggg no way you're such a scaredy cat right?"
…
"Y-y-y-yeah… let's play this 'Narcosis' game…"
"Alright let's go to my house!"
"Let's goooooooo~"
"O-o-o-kay…."
—
Click
The game began as two things filled the screen
Darkness
and
Water
A figure trapped inside a diving suit.
…
Gulp.
"W-W-Wait… I can't see anything…"
"That's the point!" the boy laughed.
Step. Step.
The narrow crevices seemed to stretch endlessly ahead.
Hhhh—hahhh
Hhhh—Hahhh
"Am-Am I supposed to go down there…?"
"Just play the game, Amanda!"
"It's just a game!"
…
CRASH
"KYAAAAAAAHHHH!"
…
"PFFT—HAHAHAHAHA!"
"AMANDA, YOU DIED AGAIN?!"
"Y-Y-YOU SAID IT WASN'T THAT SCARY!"
"It's just a game!"
"Look you're already back! C'monnn continueeee"
…
Again.
Again.
Again.
Every time, the darkness swallowed me.
Hhhhh—Haaa
Hhhh—Haaa
Hhh—Haaa
I couldn't get out.
"Guys… I wanna stop…"
"Eh? But you're so strong! How can you be scared of a stupid game?"
…
Strong?
…
If I'm strong you guys wouldn't ask me to do something like this-?
Hhh—Haaa
The Water.
The Crevices.
The darkness.
Everything's just a game—It's just a game…
Hh—Haa Hh—Haa Hh—Haa Hh—Haa Hh—Ha Hh—Haa Hh
CRASHHHH
"PFFFT—YOU DIED AGAIN?"
"I thought you were strong?"
Hh—Haa Hh—Haa Hh—Haa Hh—Haa Hh—Ha Hh—Haa Hh—I can't—
THUD
"Amanda?"
"Amanda?!?!?"
"Hey?!?! Wake up?!?!?"
Shake Shake
"—?!?!?!?"
"—!!!!!"
…
Thud
"Make it stop.."
"—?!?!?!?"
"—!!!!!"
"Please…"
"Make it stop…"
"Please…"
"—?!?!?!?"
"—!!!!!"
"I'm sorry."
"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry"
"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry"
"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry—"