CORRUPTED FILE [Lumina Chronicles Past Drafts]

Level One: In Which I Die

I was lost in a world where I didn't belong. My footsteps echoed off the high ceiling of the corridor as I ran. I was tempted to look behind me to see if I was being followed, but I knew I couldn't. I had to keep going forward. I couldn't get distracted; my life literally depended on it.

Surely they knew I had broken out of my prison cell; the guards must already be pursuing me. Were they gaining on me? My heart thudded in my chest and I ran on until the hall reached its end, branching off into two doorways.

I didn't have time to stand there and mull over which door to take, so I quickly threw open the one on the left and barreled through. The passage I had entered was ominously dark, lit only by an occasional torch. Strange shadows rose on the walls, created by torchlight, and I couldn't help the chill that ran down my spine.

I think I chose wrong. There were no doors down this hall, just endless stone walls. I cursed my luck; there was no way I could get out of here now. I stopped and contemplated turning back to try the other door, but a noise to my right caught my attention.

"You thought you could escape, hm?" The man asked as he stepped out of the shadows, a mocking smirk on his lips.

I was momentarily taken aback by his good looks; tall, with just the right amount of muscle, high cheekbones and a strong jaw. He had wavy hair the color of warm honey, and eyes that were a strange mixture of brown, gold, and orange. Like a burning coal. To put it simply, he was really, really hot.

"Yes, actually, I did," I replied, shaking my head to clear my mind. I glared at the man as I took a step back. I reached for the sword I kept at my hip, but felt only air. They took my sword and my shoes when they brought me here, apparently thinking I wouldn't run if they did that. I had no weapon to defend myself. Fear gripped my chest, but I tried not to let it show on my face, struggling to keep my expression steady and relaxed.

The man lurched forward, his smirk spreading into a mischievous smile as I jumped back in fear. Okay, so my poker-face sucks. "You're a jumpy one, aren't you?" he teased, the smile still bright on his face.

"Stop these games." I took another step back in an attempt to put a greater distance between us. I didn't trust that smile.

"Hm..." he mused. "No more games?" His smile widened further, if that was even possible, looking as though it was about to split his face in two.

"That's not creepy or anything..." I muttered under my breath.

"Alright then. The game ends here!"

Before I had time to blink, he charged forward and grabbed me around the waist, almost like an embrace, if not for the searing pain of the dagger he rammed firmly into my rib cage. My eyes widened in shock and agony as my breath locked in my throat. He pulled the knife out and my legs collapsed beneath me. I fell to the ground in a heap, gasping for air. One wouldn't expect their heart to beat faster at the moment of their imminent death, but mine definitely did. My vision blurred with red until I could no longer see.

I couldn't believe it-- that jerk just killed me!

Dramatic music began to play in my ear and the camera panned out to show my corpse at different angles as the words "GAME OVER" appeared in bold lettering across the screen.

I sighed angrily and leaned back in the bean-bag chair I had been occupying all afternoon.

"Dang, and you were so close to reaching the final boss too!" Estelle grumbled, standing up off the hard-wood floor with a groan. She walked to the other side of the room and flipped the light switch. We both recoiled from the bright light that assaulted our eyes.