Hidden Destinys || RDR2 - Arthur Morgan x OC ||

2. Awakening...

Emma's consciousness flickered like the dying embers of a fire, warmth and cold battling for dominance. Her mind swam in a murky haze, memories of her apartment and the game mixing with strange, unfamiliar sensations. Her fingers twitched, and she slowly became aware of the ground beneath her—hard, cold, unyielding. The rough texture of frozen earth and a thin layer of snow pressed against her skin through the thin fabric of her dress.

The sound of wind howling through the trees filled her ears, its eerie wail mingling with the distant calls of wildlife. The chorus of cawing crows and the occasional howl of a wolf sent shivers down her spine. Emma forced her eyes open, squinting against the harsh daylight that filtered through the canopy above. The sun's rays pierced through the branches, creating a dappled pattern on the snowy ground around her.

She was lying in a snow-covered forest, the white expanse stretching out in all directions. The trees stood like silent sentinels, their branches heavy with snow. The air was crisp and cold, each breath she took stinging her lungs and forming small clouds of vapor. Emma struggled to her feet, her body aching from the cold and the hard ground. Every movement was accompanied by a symphony of aches and pains, as if she had been lying there for hours.

She looked down at herself, noting the change in her attire. Instead of her cozy sweater and sweatpants, she was now dressed in a simple, rough-spun dress that provided little protection against the biting cold. The fabric was coarse and scratchy, a far cry from the soft materials she was used to. She hugged her arms around herself, trying to preserve what little warmth she had.

Her breath came in visible puffs as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. This wasn't her apartment, nor was it any place she recognized from her real life. The trees, the snow, the distant mountains—everything felt strangely familiar, yet alien. She took a hesitant step forward, her boots crunching in the snow. The cold quickly seeped through the thin leather of her shoes, making her toes numb.

"Where am I?" she whispered, her voice barely audible above the wind. The words were carried away almost immediately, swallowed by the vast emptiness of the forest.

Panic began to set in as Emma realized the gravity of her situation. She was alone, in a place she didn't recognize, dressed in clothes that offered little protection against the cold. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together what had happened. The last thing she remembered was the flickering screen, the chaotic display of colors and shapes, and the blinding flash of light.

Could this be a dream? she wondered, the thought offering a brief glimmer of hope. But the biting cold, the rough texture of the dress against her skin, and the distant sounds of wildlife felt all too real. She pinched herself, the sharp sting confirming her fears. This was no dream.

Emma looked around, her eyes scanning the landscape for any signs of life or civilization. The forest stretched out in all directions, the trees standing tall and imposing. There was no sign of a path or a trail, nothing to indicate that people had ever been here. She felt a wave of helplessness wash over her, the enormity of her situation threatening to overwhelm her.

"Stay calm," she told herself, her voice trembling. "Panicking won't help."

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. She needed to find shelter, something to keep her warm and safe from the elements. She remembered the survival tips she had learned from various games, including Red Dead Redemption 2. The irony of her situation was not lost on her—she had spent countless hours guiding Arthur Morgan through the wilderness, and now she found herself in a similar predicament.

Emma decided to follow the sun, hoping it would lead her to a clearing or a river. She knew that water sources often attracted wildlife and, by extension, humans. The cold was relentless, each step sapping her strength and resolve. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, her fingers numb and stiff.