You're Different to Me

Understanding My New Reality

When I regained consciousness, I was in a completely different place. The ground was normal, just dirt with no specific temperature. The crackling of a campfire caught my attention as I regained my focus.
"You okay?" A girl with braids asked me.
"I don't know" I responded
"It's okay, you're safe here. I know this must be hard right now, but we are all going through this with you."
"Going through what? I questioned.
"The trials" she answered, "all of us here have to face them, in this realm, the only power we have is to escape."
"Wait.. last time I saw you, you were hurt.." I began to tear up, " I was told you died."
"I did, in that trial. You never truly die here, you run, escape or die, repeat."
I still could not wrap my head around anything she was saying. Then a few others came into view. A large muscular man, a smaller woman with black hair, and the man I had seen during that "trial" I think his name was Bill. They looked at me with empathy, but I couldn't meet their gaze. It felt like everything was happening at once, I didn't want to be here, I didn't want to do this. I got to my feet and turned around. I didn't know where I was going, it was if my legs walked on their own.
"Where are you going?" The girl with braids asked.
I didn't respond, I genuinely didn't know how to.
I heard Bill behind me,
"She needs some time, leave her be."
I continued to walk, the glow of the campfire growing faint behind me as I walked into the woods. I didn't know where I was going at that point, but I needed to leave, I needed to escape from this place. After walking for a few more minutes, I came across a large clearing of grass, with the moon in full view. I lay down in the grass, looking up at the sky hoping for anything. I began to doze off, feeling a short period of rest. I rolled over in the night, barely opening my eyes. I thought I saw something. I fully opened my eyes, waiting for them to regain focus. I saw a pair of dark pants, of a man sitting next to me. Confused, I tried to fully break out of my sleepiness. That was when I noticed the hunter's knife at his side. My brain went numb, and I didn't even react. I slowly sat up, taking care to not move my side too much, and I faced the man who had injured me, and "killed" those people. He didn't speak, he merely looked at me, as I glanced in his direction. I sighed to myself, feeling the fear rising in my throat. I began to silently cry, as I looked away from him so as to not let him see.
"If you're gonna hurt me, just finish it." I managed to croak out of myself. The only sound I could hear was his breathing. I looked back at him, no longer caring if he sees me cry.
He stared back at me, almost motionless. I felt my side begin to burn again, the medical tape had become loose. I winced in pain and felt myself sway to the side. Before I felt myself hit the ground, I felt a warmth around me. A strong grip around my shoulder, and my face against warm leather. I grimaced from the pain and tried to keep myself upright. I felt a hand placed on my face, holding my cheek. I let myself lay there, despite the pain from my side, I felt safe, for the first time in a while. I felt barely conscious, but I could feel sensations. I could feel strong fingers raking through my hair, it was calming. I wanted to stay like that forever.
I felt myself lay back down, with the warmth still on my body, I was moved to my other side, as to keep the wound upright off of the ground. The hands moved. One holding the back of my head, and the other wrapped around me and placed on my back. That was when I drifted off to sleep, a peaceful sleep.