Fred POV
I stepped out of the door—
And immediately stopped.
"…Sand?"
I looked down.
Golden grains stretched beneath my feet.
I crouched slightly and reached out, letting it run through my fingers.
"…Yeah."
It was sand.
Dry.
Rough.
Not like the kind near the ocean.
I rubbed it between my fingers, confirming it.
"…This isn't beach sand."
It felt different.
Heavier.
Hotter.
Lifeless.
I slowly stood up and looked ahead.
"…I'm in a desert."
There was no doubt about it.
I could tell the difference.
This wasn't a shore.
This wasn't anything close to water.
This place—
Was something else entirely.
"…Alright."
I exhaled lightly.
"Let's keep moving."
I stood up fully and stepped forward, leaving the door behind me.
The moment I did—
The view opened up.
A vast desert stretched endlessly ahead.
Flat.
Empty.
Nothing but sand and a scorching sun hanging above.
No trees.
No structures.
No movement.
Just heat.
"…This place…"
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"…It doesn't feel right."
It wasn't just the emptiness.
It was something else.
Something deeper.
There was nothing here.
Not even signs of life.
"…Why a desert…?"
Out of all places.
Out of all possibilities.
Why this?
Then—
SLAM.
I flinched.
My heart jumped as I turned around quickly.
"…What—?!"
The door behind me—
Was closed.
Tightly shut.
"…That's new."
Every door I had gone through before—
Stayed open.
But this one—
Didn't.
I stepped closer, confused.
"…Was it always like this?"
No.
It wasn't.
Something had changed.
And then—
Right in front of me—
The door disappeared.
Just like that.
No sound.
No trace.
Gone.
I stood there, staring at where it used to be.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Now there was only one direction left.
Forward.
Into the desert.
I stepped closer to where the door used to be.
Slowly, I reached my hand forward.
"…What?"
My fingers stopped midair.
There was something there.
I couldn't see it—
But I could feel it.
A surface.
Solid.
"…A wall?"
I pressed my palm against it.
It didn't move.
Didn't shift.
Just… there.
Invisible.
"…Now that's weird."
The door had disappeared.
But something replaced it.
Like I was never meant to go back.
I frowned slightly, pulling my hand away.
"…So I'm locked in."
Before I could think further—
I heard it.
Footsteps.
Behind me.
My body tensed immediately.
"…Not again."
That feeling returned.
The same one.
The presence.
Watching.
Following.
Waiting.
I turned quickly—
Nothing.
"…This is getting annoying."
I exhaled sharply, trying to stay calm.
"This thing again…"
It wasn't attacking.
It wasn't showing itself.
Just… staying there.
Like it was playing with me.
I clenched my fist slightly.
"…I need a way to deal with it."
Running wouldn't always work.
Ignoring it wouldn't always work.
This time—
I needed a strategy.
Something different.
Something smarter.
I glanced around the empty desert.
Nothing but sand.
No cover.
Just me—
A sword…
And a book I still didn't even know how to use.
"…Great."
I let out a quiet breath.
"…Then I'll just have to keep moving."
I turned forward again.
And started walking.
Straight ahead.
But my mind didn't stop.
"…Why is there a wall…?"
If the door disappeared—
Why leave something behind?
Why block it?
"…What's the purpose?"
The question lingered as I walked deeper into the desert.
Every step felt heavier.
Not physically.
But mentally.
Because the more I thought about it—
The less it made sense.
"…Come to think of it…"
I slowed my steps slightly.
"…I almost died back there."
At the lake.
I really thought that was the exit.
I was sure of it.
"…But I was wrong."
My grip tightened.
"It's like this world… outsmarted me."
Not just once.
Over and over again.
Like it was always one step ahead.
"…My life is literally on the line here."
That thought alone made my chest feel heavy.
I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself.
"…So what do I do now?"
Should I rely on logic?
Analyze everything?
Think ahead of the system?
Or—
"…Do I suppress everything else?"
My emotions.
My instincts.
The very things that kept interfering.
"…Because thinking like that almost got me killed."
Silence followed.
Only the sound of my footsteps against the sand.
But then—
That voice.
Again.
Trust your guts. And never look back.
I stopped.
"…Why does that keep repeating?"
It echoed in my mind.
Over.
And over.
And over again.
"…Jenna…"
My voice dropped.
Frustrated.
Confused.
"I know you…"
At least—
I thought I did.
"…So why?"
I clenched my fists tightly.
"I don't even know why you made this world."
My voice rose.
"…Why put me here?"
Why me?
Out of everyone—
"…Why does it have to be me?!"
My chest tightened as the frustration finally broke through.
"WHY PUT ME IN THIS SITUATION—"
My voice echoed across the empty desert.
"—ESPECIALLY THIS PLACE?!"
Silence answered me.
Heavy.
Unmoving.
I stood there, breathing hard.
My thoughts scattered.
My mind overwhelmed.
"…I can't even think straight."
For a moment—
I lost control.
I stood there, my thoughts still scattered—
Until something caught my eye.
"…What is that?"
Far in the distance…
A structure.
I squinted slightly, trying to make it out.
A roof.
Something artificial.
Something that didn't belong in a place like this.
Without thinking—
I ran.
The sand shifted beneath my feet as I pushed forward, my pace quickening with every step.
As I got closer, the shape became clearer.
And what I saw—
Made me stop for a split second.
"…No way…"
It wasn't small.
Not even close.
It was massive.
A structure built from sand itself.
Like a temple.
Ancient.
Well-formed—
But worn down by time.
"…In a place like this…?"
Around it stood statues.
Broken.
Cracked.
Some barely standing.
Others completely collapsed into the sand.
I stared at them, shocked.
"…This place was supposed to be empty…"
That's what I thought.
That's what everything told me.
But this—
Proved otherwise.
I ran again, closing the remaining distance.
Minutes passed before I finally reached the front.
And now, standing right before it—
I realized something.
"…It's bigger than I thought."
Much bigger.
The entrance towered over me, silent and still.
I stepped closer.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Then looked inside.
Darkness.
Stairs leading upward.
Deeper into the structure.
"…I thought there was nothing here…"
I muttered quietly.
But clearly—
I was wrong.
I took a step forward.
And entered.
I stepped inside and continued up the stairs.
Each step echoed softly in the silence.
The deeper I went, the heavier the air felt.
Until finally—
I reached the top.
A door stood before me.
I pushed it open and stepped inside.
Darkness.
Thick.
Eerie.
I paused for a moment, letting my eyes adjust.
The floor beneath me—
Red carpet.
Worn, but still intact.
It stretched forward, leading straight ahead.
"…An altar?"
I muttered quietly.
At the end of the carpet, something stood.
Faintly lit.
I began walking toward it, my steps slow, cautious.
I glanced left.
Then right.
Nothing.
Just darkness surrounding the hall.
No movement.
No sound.
Only silence.
I reached the altar.
A single beam of sunlight shone down from above, illuminating it.
And there—
A book.
Placed at the center.
I hesitated for a second.
Then stepped closer.
Carefully.
I reached out and opened it—
And suddenly—
FWOOSH.
Torches ignited all around me.
I flinched slightly, turning quickly.
Light filled the hall.
And that's when I saw them.
Statues.
Five of them.
Massive.
Towering over everything.
They looked like guardians.
Each one seated.
Heads lowered.
Silent.
Watching… yet not moving.
"…What is this place?"
I whispered.
My voice felt small in the vast hall.
My gaze returned to the book.
Slowly—
I began to read.
And the moment my eyes landed on the words—
I froze.
"…No way…"
My grip tightened slightly.
I recognized it.
The handwriting.
"…Jenna."
It was her.
Another message.
I stared at the page.
My eyes slowly traced the words written on it.
---
Dear Fred,
I hope this finds you well… and that you've made it this far.
There's something you need to understand.
This world creates things to fight you.
What you are seeing… are hallucinations—
but not ordinary ones.
They can be touched.
They can feel real.
Be careful of what you imagine.
Because everything you see and feel… will be given form.
Even the formless things in this world.
Be careful, Fred.
I don't want anything bad to happen to you.
---
I turned the page.
---
Page 2
If you're hallucinating, fight it with—
---
It ended there.
The rest of the page—
Ripped.
"…What?"
I frowned, gripping the book tighter.
"Fight it with… 'Ill'?"
"…What does that even mean?"
I stared at the torn edge.
Frustration crept in.
"She's saying everything I see… is a hallucination?"
I looked around instinctively.
The temple.
The statues.
The altar.
"…Even this?"
My chest felt tight.
"And anything formless… gets a form?"
Before I could process it further—
The world shifted.
My footing disappeared.
"—AHH!"
I dropped suddenly—
And hit the sand hard.
"—Tch!"
Grains of sand filled my mouth as I coughed, quickly spitting it out.
I pushed myself up, disoriented.
"…What just happened?"
The temple—
Gone.
I was back in the desert.
Just like that.
I looked around, trying to understand.
"…Wait…"
My breathing slowed as the realization started to form.
"…So if I simplify it…"
My voice lowered.
"This world reacts to my thoughts."
My fears.
My imagination.
"…If I think about something…"
"It gives it form."
My eyes widened slightly.
"…Then the formless becomes real."
Silence.
Heavy.
"…That's what happened to the door…"
It disappeared.
Not because it was gone—
But because something changed.
"…This doesn't make sense."
Or maybe—
It did.
Just not in a normal way.
I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair.
"…This is getting harder."
Every step.
Every place.
More complicated than the last.
"…I shouldn't stay here too long."
If this world reacts to thought—
Then standing still and overthinking might make things worse.
"…I need to move."
I started walking.
Back into the desert.
The heat pressed down on me.
Not just physically—
But mentally.
Draining.
Heavy.
"…I'm not even thirsty…"
That was strange.
But the exhaustion—
That was real.
"…This heat…"
"It's messing with my head."
Like it was pushing me to think.
To imagine.
To lose control.
I clenched my jaw slightly.
"…No."
I can't let that happen.
I steadied myself.
Focused.
"…Just go straight."
That's what my gut was telling me.
No overthinking.
No second guessing.
Just—
Forward.
Fred POV
I kept walking.
Minutes passed.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
"…This heat…"
It wasn't normal.
It wasn't just hot—
It was draining me.
Mentally.
Physically.
Like it was pulling energy straight out of me.
"…I'm getting tired…"
My breathing grew uneven as I pushed forward.
Ahead, a steep sand hill rose up.
I forced myself to climb.
Step by step.
My foot slipped—
"…Tch—!"
I almost fell, barely catching myself.
"This place…"
I clenched my jaw.
"…It's exhausting."
I couldn't think clearly.
Every thought felt slow.
Dull.
Like my mind was being suppressed.
"…I can't even focus…"
I forced myself to keep moving.
Up.
Higher.
Until—
I reached the top.
And froze.
"…What?"
In the distance—
A town.
Empty.
Abandoned.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"…That can't be real."
After everything Jenna wrote…
After everything I learned—
This had to be something else.
Still—
I moved toward it.
Carefully.
As I got closer, the silence felt heavier.
No movement.
No sound.
Just stillness.
"…Another illusion…?"
The heat kept pressing down on me.
Annoying.
Relentless.
"I hate this…"
I muttered under my breath.
"Who would even want this kind of place…"
I stepped into the town.
Slowly.
Cautiously.
My hand tightened around my sword.
Not to use it—
But just in case.
That presence…
That entity…
It could still be here.
Watching.
Waiting.
I moved toward one of the houses.
The door was slightly open.
I pushed it gently and stepped inside.
Dark.
Quiet.
I looked around.
And then—
I froze.
"…No…"
My voice came out barely a whisper.
Standing there—
Inside the house—
Were two figures.
Not moving.
Not breathing.
Frozen in place.
My chest tightened.
"…Mom…?"
"…Dad…?"
My body trembled.
Slowly… I stepped closer.
"…No way…"
Their clothes—
They were the same.
Exactly the same.
The ones they wore…
On my fifth birthday.
My dad's white polo.
The one he always liked.
My mom's velvet dress.
Soft. Elegant.
Unchanged.
"…Why…?"
My chest tightened.
That feeling—
The one I tried to ignore—
Came rushing back.
"…I miss you…"
It never left.
Not even for a second.
I reached out, my hand shaking—
And touched them.
Cold.
Still.
Frozen in time.
Their hands were holding each other.
Just like before.
"…Mom…"
"…Dad…"
My voice cracked.
"I miss you so much…"
Tears blurred my vision.
For a moment—
I couldn't think.
Couldn't move.
Couldn't do anything but feel.
But then—
A thought slipped in.
"…What if… there's more?"
I pulled my hand back slowly.
Curiosity… or fear—
I didn't know which.
But it pushed me.
I turned—
And walked outside.
And what I saw—
Made me freeze completely.
"…No…"
Everyone.
People I knew.
Friends.
Neighbors.
Relatives.
All of them—
Standing there.
Frozen.
Just like my mom and dad.
My breathing stopped for a second.
"…What is this…?"
My body refused to move.
Shock rooted me in place.
"…Why are they all here…?"
My eyes searched frantically.
Looking.
Hoping.
"…Jenna…?"
Nothing.
She wasn't there.
Everyone else was.
But not her.
That alone made it worse.
The heat pressed down on me again.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
My thoughts—
Slipping.
"…I can't think…"
My mind went blank.
Completely blank.
I stood there, surrounded by people I knew—
But none of them alive.
"…Am I hallucinating…?"
Or—
"…Is this part of this world…?"
And then—
Something appeared.
Right in front of me.
A structure—
Forming out of sand.
An altar.
It rose slowly, as if the desert itself was shaping it.
My eyes locked onto it.
"…What…?"
At the center—
Curtains.
Red.
Familiar.
My breath caught in my throat.
"…That color…"
I stepped closer.
Slowly.
Almost afraid to touch it.
But I did.
I reached out and brushed my fingers against the fabric—
Then paused.
"…This scent…"
I leaned in slightly.
And inhaled.
My eyes widened.
"…Jenna…"
It was her fragrance.
The same one she always wore.
The same one I remembered.
"…No way…"
My chest tightened as my emotions surged all at once.
My hands trembled.
I couldn't stop myself.
I pulled the curtain open.
And—
There she was.
Standing there.
Frozen.
Just like everyone else.
"…Jenna…"
My voice broke.
I ran toward her without thinking.
"Jenna…!"
I stopped right in front of her.
My chest rising and falling rapidly.
"I miss you so much…"
Tears blurred my vision again.
I reached out—
And pulled her into a tight embrace.
Holding her like she would disappear if I didn't.
"…I'm here…"
My voice trembled.
"I'm really here…"
I pulled back slightly, my hands still holding hers.
Cold.
Still.
But familiar.
"…I can't believe this…"
"…Jenna…"
"My love…"
At first—
Nothing.
Then—
Something moved.
Right in front of me.
A presence.
Dark.
Floating.
Close.
Too close.
I couldn't even step back.
My body wouldn't respond.
And then—
An eye.
Just one.
Glowing in the darkness.
Not floating randomly—
It was looking at me.
No…
Not just at me.
Through me.
"I see you…"
The voice was deep.
Distorted.
Like it didn't belong to this world.
My head suddenly throbbed—
Pain shot through my skull as I grabbed it tightly.
"Ghh—!"
"I know you're in his head…"
The voice continued.
Cold.
Certain.
"And I can see you."
Everything around me started to blur.
My vision shaking.
My thoughts collapsing.
"Is this the one you chose…?"
A pause.
Then a low, amused tone—
"Think again."
My breathing became uneven.
The pain worsened.
"Because you're going to watch him fail."
"Again."
"—GET OUT!!"
I shouted, clutching my head as hard as I could.
The pressure—
The voice—
Everything—
It snapped.
(Narration)
And just like that—
It was no longer inside him.
It separated.
Pulled itself out—
As if Fred was nothing more than a vessel it had been peering through.
It had seen enough.
For now.
(Fred POV)
I gasped—
And my eyes shot open.
Right in front of me—
It stood there.
Not a shadow anymore.
Not just a presence.
A form.
Distorted.
Half human.
Half skeleton.
Its face twisted unnaturally, one side decayed, the other still intact—
And only one eye remained.
Glowing.
Embedded in its head—
A gem.
Pulsing faintly.
It wore a black cloak that seemed to move without wind.
And its mouth—
Curved into a grin.
Wide.
Wrong.
Watching me like it already knew everything.
I froze.
My hand tightened around my sword.
"Who… are you?!"
My voice echoed as I charged forward.
I swung—
But—
It disappeared.
Gone.
Like it was never there.
"…What?!"
I stopped, looking around frantically.
Nothing.
But—
That face.
That grin.
Burned into my mind.
And that eye—
Even the one hanging like a necklace—
It felt like it could see everything.
Reality.
Illusion.
Everything.
Then—
Something hit me.
Hard.
I was thrown backward—
"—UGH!"
My body slammed into the ground, the impact knocking the air out of me.
Pain shot through my chest as I struggled to breathe.
I coughed—
Trying to recover.
"…That was real…"
My voice shook.
That wasn't just in my head.
That wasn't imagination.
"That thing…"
My grip tightened again.
"…It's the one…"
The same presence.
The same feeling.
From the beginning.
The one that had been following me.
Watching me.
Waiting.
I looked around—
And my heart sank.
Everything else—
Gone.
The town.
The people.
Jenna—
All of it disappeared.
Like it was never there.
Leaving me alone.
With it.
I tried to push myself up—but my body wouldn't respond.
My vision spun… blurred…
And the last thing I saw—
…was that single eye, still staring at me.
Then everything went black.
"You really thought I was only watching from the front?"