[WARNING: GHORE SCENES, DISTURBING PICTURES (SOME AND/OR MAYBE), BLOOD, VIOLENCE, DEATH]
Croslette Awandea, a quiet young freshman, has always found solace in the world of video games. But when she unexpectedly becomes a real player inside one, she...
In a muffled, almost inaudible voice, the girl introduced herself. "Nicole."
Awandea glanced at her, her expression remaining unreadable. The girl didn't meet her gaze, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground as if the introduction had taken all the energy she had left.
Awandea sighed softly, her shoulders relaxing as she leaned back against the cool, rough wall of the cave. After a brief pause, she spoke her name in the same emotionless tone she had used before. "Awandea."
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OBLIVION
As the tension in the cave mounted, Anex looked at the female still holding the stick defensively. "And you are?" she asked with curiosity, trying to ease the tension.
The female hesitated for a moment before taking a cautious step back, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Florida," she replied, her voice edged with doubt.
Just then, the youngest among them, a little girl who had been quiet until now, stepped forward with a bright smile on her face. She extended her small hands toward Demnin, who, without hesitation, lifted her up into his arms. Giggling, she introduced herself. "I'm Nia."
"Nia, Florida, and Nicole," Anex repeated thoughtfully, glancing at each of them. "Nice to meet you all. I'm Anex, this gentleman here is Demnin, and the one over there is Awandea."
"Nice to meet you as well!" Nia beamed, her small face lighting up with happiness. Demnin couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, playfully pinching her cheeks. The little girl's eyes twinkled as she glanced up at him. "You're such a worthy man," she remarked with admiration.
Anex let out a scoff, drawing Demnin's attention. "Excuse me?" he asked, turning his gaze towards her.
"No, nothing," Anex quickly replied, shaking her head, though her tone carried a hint of mischief.
Suddenly, a clock appeared before them, floating eerily in the center of the cave. Unlike any normal clock, this one had the hour hand pointing to the bewildering number of two hundred, while the minute hand pointed at an equally perplexing number-three hundred.
"What is this? Where's the second hand?" Florida exclaimed, her voice tinged with frustration and confusion.
Awandea spoke slowly, her voice measured. "Hour hand: number of people needed. Minute hand: number of people remaining."
Anex nodded in agreement, the explanation making sense. "Makes sense," she muttered.
Nicole, who had been sitting silently with her head resting between her knees, finally lifted her head. Her hair clung to her forehead, damp with sweat from the oppressive tension and the cramped space within the cave. She glanced around at the others and then at the bizarre clock, watching as the minute hand jumped from one number to the next in rapid succession.
