[Jared]
[18 November 2021, Thursday--- that evening]
The flames of the campfire flickered as its embers emitted warmth in the midst of the cool night air. The flames cast a soft glow in the clearing of the forest that was plunged into an almost pitch darkness. The small group was huddled together, their faces illuminated by the flames of the campfire as they awaited for the rabbit stew to cook over the fire.
The quiet settled over the group like a heavy blanket. It was not unsettling nor unnerving in any sense, but rather a shared acknowledgment of the challenges that lay ahead. Earlier in the day, there had been scattered conversations as they foraged for supplies or tended to their makeshift shelter. But now, as the darkness enveloped the landscape, a somber mood descended upon the group.
Jared glanced at the small group gathered around the fire.
David was busy filing off the makeshift spear he had carved out of a long branch earlier that day, while Mike continued to watch over the flames as the rabbit stew cooked in a medium-sized pot over the campfire. Clara seemed to be in a world entirely of her own as she scribbled in a notebook that was different from the one she used back at the facility.
‘I’m sure that the notebook back at the facility easily had a hundred to two hundred pages… Did she lose it in the fire?’ Jared thought as he watched her fervently scribble, ‘...Or did she use up the pages that quickly?’
A smile nearly touched Jared’s lips when he noticed Adam’s expressions of shock and horror upon looking at what Clara was scribbling in the notebook. From what Jared had learned about Clara, the one trope that she often wrote which was disapproved by her brother was that of cheesy and cringey romance.
‘I won’t be so surprised if he had goosebumps running up his arms too,’ Jared mused, ‘Honestly, despite everything, some things just remained the same. Ah, that reminds me, with all that happened between yesterday up till now, I still haven’t caught up with a couple of matters with the group,’ he turned to look at the last person of their little group, Brien, ‘Especially when I saw…’
Jared’s eyes widen.
His gaze met the old man’s and he was caught off guard by the intensity of the stare. Brien’s penetrating gaze seemed to be fixed on Jared the entire time. Finding out that he had been silently observed sent a shiver down Jared’s spine.
Brien smiled slightly.
“Jared,” Brien spoke, his voice breaking the quietude, “When everything that was going on, I failed to ask you… How did you get out of the facility, and how did you manage to survive for two weeks in the dense forest?”
Jared could feel all eyes on him.
“Oh… I woke up to the facility’s alarms blaring, and after leaving my room to see what was going on, I started to realize that I was the only person on the fifth floor. I heard faint noises and descended the stairs to look for you guys, but I only made it as far as the fourth floor due to the zombies… I was basically surrounded by zombies to the point that I had no choice but to jump off the fourth-floor balcony onto a nearby tree branch.”
“Oh my… That was awful! We barely got out of there ourselves,” Clara whimpered softly and hugged her brother.
“Yes, it was thanks to Brien, Mike, and David that Clara and I survived.”
“Oh? That’s good. Do you know if-”
“No, we got out by the skin of our teeth. We were unable to see if your friend, Louis, managed to escape the horde or not. I’m sorry, son,” Brien replied.
Jared noticed David’s jawline tic at Brien’s reply but decided to say nothing.
“I see… Do you guys know how it happened?” Jared asked.
Silence.
The air was suddenly thick with an unspoken tension as each person stared into the flickering embers of the campfire, lost in their own thoughts. The shadows cast by the flames danced on their faces, highlighting the lines of doubt and worry that were etched into their expressions. No one seemed to be in the mood for conversation anymore. The abrupt silence spoke volumes of the anxiety they felt swelling within them.
All except one.
Brien, with his weathered face, continued to watch Jared with a leveled gaze. Unless the others, Brien wore an expression that betrayed nothing- a mask of inscrutability that left Jared searching for answers. As the silence stretched on, a slight breeze carried the whispers of rustling leaves, a reminder that they were out in the open. That, along with Brien’s watchful gaze, made Jared feel a sense of vulnerability. Yet, somehow, the sense of vulnerability felt different than that when Jared had to undergo Doctor Heine’s special therapies.
Even so, Jared was not keen on being watched as if he were either a lab rat or a suspect.
‘Or does he think that I’m insane? No, it couldn’t be. It’s a very normal thing to ask for anyone who is in my position… So, why is everyone acting like this?’
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Brien replied, “We don’t know for certain. The zombies were already swarming into the facility by the time the alarm sounded. However, as we collectively check for security malfunction and possible breaches, the delayed activation of the alarm is quite… troubling.”
“So, you’re thinking that it was intentional and quite possibly an inside job.”
Brien only nodded solemnly at Jared’s statement. Jared could have sworn that he even heard David click his tongue in irritation.
“But… what’s the plan now?” Clara asked meekly.
“As we’ve been doing for the last 2 weeks, survive and get out of this damn forest,” David grumbled.
“I see… How about you, Jared?” Adam asked.
“If it’s the same, let’s all travel together. It would be better that way,” Clara said.
“Yes, it is a good idea but I’d like to head towards the North,’ Jared replied.
“Oh? What’s there?”
“Home.”
.
.
.
.
.
.
[Much later that night when everyone else other than Mike and Brien, who were on watch duty, have gotten to sleep…]
“Brien, I have something to discuss…” Jared said in a low and serious tone.
“Mike, you continue watching the area over on the other side. Just give us a few minutes.”
Mike nodded silently and left the two together.
“Brien, I don’t know who to be subtle or gentle about this… But just as I was about to escape the facility, I came into close contact with two zombies. Despite the deterioration, I could make out that one of them was my friend, Samantha… The other zombie… He looked to be an Asian man about 5 feet 6 inches tall, I think… He stood out to me because of his outfit. It was all black, but somehow, it didn’t look like something any of the facility’s staff, patients, or visitors would wear… Plus, Samantha did go missing around the same time as Boyan… So, I was wondering… Was Boyan a Chinese man of that description?”
For the first time since knowing Brien, Jared saw pure emotion on the former militant’s face.
Immense sorrow.
“Yes,” Brien’s reply was barely audible, “This picture of him was taken a few years ago but he looked the same. Do you think this is who you saw?”
Brien handed Jared a photo of a Chinese man. Unlike how Jared saw on the balcony, the man in the picture was full of life. Even so, the facial structure and features were undeniable.
Jared gazed into Brien’s eyes and gave the dreaded reply.
“Yes, it was him.”
[21 November 2021, Sunday]The small group moved cautiously through the dense forest, their footsteps muffled by a carpet of fallen leaves. The dark canopy overhead swallowed the feeble light of the moon, casting an eerie glow on the uneven path beneath their feet. Hours of traveling in the oppressive silence and pitch-black darkness had left the group both physically exhausted and mentally drained. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig sent shivers down their spines, their senses heightened by the unknown lurking in the shadows.As they trudged on through the silent forest, a sense of isolation enveloped them. The air was thick with an unspoken tension, and each member of the group clutched their makeshift weapons a little tighter. The only sounds that accompanied them were the muted crunch of leaves and the occasional whisper of the wind through the trees.Many hours later, just as their weariness threatened to overwhelm them, the forest seemed to come alive. Birds chirped overhe
[Jared][21 November 2021, Sunday--- Noon]As the group approached the center of the town, the atmosphere became increasingly eerie. The once lively streets now stood still, devoid of any signs of life. The abandoned buildings loomed over them, casting long shadows that seemed to whisper secrets of the town's mysterious past.Not even Brien, the leader of the former military personnel, could shake off the unsettling feeling that tightened his chest. "This doesn't make any sense," he muttered as he glanced at both Mike and David, who also seemed to be at a loss for words.Everyone in the group exchanged nervous glances but continued on their journey, their curiosity overcoming their apprehension. But as they neared the town square, a heavy silence hung in the air. Unlike earlier, the abandoned buildings and houses looked worn down and vegetation have long started to grow along the structures. In only the course of a few months of the zombie infestation, it contradictorily looked like
The sky was cloudy as the day darkened. There was a distant hoot from an owl as the soft evening breeze rustled the leaves of the trees in the forest. Gentle ripples formed over the lake which laid at the opening of the forest. At that moment, everything was calm and mysteriously beautiful. Then, the peace was broken. "Please! Don't一 mmph!" a terrified girl screamed but her mouth was covered by a big calloused hand. As she struggled to break free, a hard, muscled arm wrapped around her body. The petite girl was no match to the man's strength. Tears streamed down her face as the group of men held her firmly immobile and dragged an unwilling lanky man towards the lake. As the girl continued to struggle, the bald man leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Shush! You know it has to be done. Adam is already doomed. No one can save him now." "Yeah, Clara. Hush now. Unless you want to doom us all!" another man growled lowly at the girl as he helped a tan-looking middle-aged man drag the
“Dude, a twenty minutes drive feels like an eternity. Why are you driving so slowly?” Nic groaned.“What?! How fast do you expect me to drive? There is a speed limit, and look at the road! There are so many cars! If I drive any faster, we will crash into someone!” Omar growled.“Okay. Sheesh! You’re so一”Jared stopped listening halfway and looked out the window. It had been nearly a week since he had last gone out but the streets that he had passed the other day seemed somewhat different. It was a strange feeling, but Jared just could not put a finger on it.“Dude, I wonder what kind of games they have,” Nic said in excitement as he picked up the brochure from the car’s dashboard, though it was also an attempt to change the topic. He was already tired of hearing Omar’s grumbling about how people should learn to be patient and the need to adhere to the law when driving on the road.“Bro, you’re literally holding their brochure. Just r.e.a.d,” Omar spoke bluntly.“I’m not dumb. I did re
The light was blinding and it felt like Jared’s body was floating, or rather, it felt as if his body had been swaying or moving. He felt drained, and his legs ached slightly as his body continued to sway.‘Am I in water? Why do I feel so weightless? How long have I been here?’ Jared thought.Then, after what seemed like an eternity, the bright, white light began to fade, and visuals set in. Fallen leaves crunched under his black sneakers as he sauntered along a pathway.Jared looked around and saw that he was in a park that was very close to the local shopping mall. It was about a thirty minutes walk from his house. Although it was fairly close, Jared had not been to the park in ages due to the pandemic that had started late in the year 2019. As Jared walked, he noticed that the terrain and the cherry-colored benches were exactly as he remembered.Just seeing the jogging pathways and man-made pond brought many fond memories of the fun times Jared had had with his friends and schoolmat
“We…” Omar trailed off.“We thought that you died. We honestly didn’t know what to think,” Nic said.“... Yeah. We are so glad that you weren’t harmed in any way. It is a miracle,” Omar agreed.‘So, the nightmarish experience of countless lightning strikes everywhere was all from the VR world? Whoa... What were the odds of entering such a VR world when there was a horrible lightning storm in reality as well?’“So, I was in this building the whole time?” Jared asked his friends who both gave him a strange look.“Yes, you were wired to the VR game the whole time,” Nic confirmed.“That’s why we were so worried about you,” Omar said.‘That means I was never in reality stuck outside in the nearby park… But it all felt so real... I could feel the wind blowing at my face, the cold rain that beat heavily at me… and all the pain that followed from that experience... Were the electromyography sensors that advanced?’ Jared thought to himself and placed a hand on his hand. ‘I could even feel the
[A couple of days later一 12th June 2021, Saturday...]“Hello, everyone. It’s Jared and welcome back to World Crafter! Whoa! The super chat is already going like crazy here when I have not even entered the game. Thank you so much for the support and let’s get into it.”Jared adjusted his headphones and checked on the audio settings.“Can you guys hear me and the game sounds clearly?” Jared asked and read the upcoming messages. It was difficult for him to read a single sentence as the messages kept flooding in.“Okay, hold up. I can’t read any of the messages here. Let me activate the slow mode for the chat… Ah, there we go,” Jared said as he began to read the messages that were slowly popping in.“Ah, so you guys can hear me. Okay, say hello to Clara from… Nation 3…?” Jared tilted his head at that message in mild confusion and read on only to realize that many of the viewers were saying almost the same thing.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The surrounding air was cold despite the feeling of being covered by something woolen. The pitter-patter of water can be heard although seemingly distant. ‘It has started raining again…’ *Drip* --- *Drip*--- *Drip* ‘Do rain droplets always fall in such a timely manner?’ *Beep* --- *Beep*--- *Beep* ‘Wait… What is that? Why does it sound so… mechanical?’ Jared thought as he forced his eyes to open. The golden rays of the late morning Sun that streamed into the room shone harshly as if he was directly facing the light source. ‘But it’s too white to be the Sun…’ Jared thought as awareness began to set in. Jared gasped as his eyes shot wide open before squinting due to the bright lighting. “W-Where am I?” he croaked as his eyes adjusted. He was in a room that was covered with mint green tiles. The heart monitor machine strapped to him beeped at an elevated pace as Jared began to grasp the situation he was in. He was strapped to what seemed to be a hospital bed. Alarmed, he began