Slowly, it opened wide. On the other side of it stood a tall, imposing figure wearing a dark-colored outfit along with a black mask covering his entire head.
He looked like some kind of assassin, ready to carry out a top-secret assassination mission in a spy movie. Oliver immediately got alerted and got on his feet, eyeing the unknown man with caution.
"Who are you? And what do you want from me? Why am I here?" Oliver questioned, but the man remained silent. He walked inside the small room and closed the door behind himself.
The only thing Oliver could see was the cold eyes of his captor through a hole in the mask staring back at him.
The masked man didn't bother answering any of Oliver's questions. Instead, he took a step forward and held out his hand towards Oliver.
Oliver flinched, and he stepped away, keeping distance between them.
However, it was at that moment Oliver caught sight of a smartphone in the man's hand. He took a quick glance at it and saw there was a video on the screen with his grandfather's face visible on it.
"What..." Oliver uttered in shock, feeling his heart rate pick up when he recognized that face. "What's this?"
The masked man raised a finger to press play.
William's voice sounded throughout the room, and Oliver froze on the spot as he listened to what his grandfather had to say.
"If you are listening to this message, Oliver, it means that you have awoken from your deep sleep. I apologize for placing you in such a strange environment without any explanations given first. However, what needs to be done is now happening, and it will happen no matter what."
Oliver didn't know what his grandfather was talking about, and his confusion only grew the more he listened to William speak in his serious voice.
"You might not understand it now, but soon enough everything will make sense. Your actions today led to consequences that could not be ignored, Oliver. You must learn how to control yourself instead of allowing your impulses to take control over you. You need to understand the importance of patience and timing when handling important matters."
A chill ran down Oliver's spine, and he felt goosebumps appear on his skin. It sounded like his grandfather wanted him to experience something here, something that would help him change his actions in the future.
But what was it exactly? Why go to such an extent to teach him a lesson? Wasn't there another way? These questions spun around in Oliver's head as he felt uneasy after hearing what his grandfather said.
William continued explaining. "This is a place where you will undergo some training before leaving. All that you need to do is follow the instructions you'll receive. During the training period, you won't be able to leave this place or communicate with the outside world, so don't expect to hear from your loved ones or try to escape this facility. Remember that everything is being done for your own good. So please trust me that you're in good hands."
Oliver clenched his fists and gritted his teeth together in frustration. There was no need to go so far to teach him a lesson; all his grandfather had to do was talk to him.
He knew he messed up, and he also regretted everything he did. All he needed was some time alone to contemplate and reflect on his mistakes, and he would be better prepared to deal with such issues in the future.
Yet here he was, locked up in some kind of secret place by his grandfather, and now he could do nothing but obey them until they set him free.
After his speech finished, William's face disappeared, replaced with a black screen. And the masked man pocketed the phone.
"You've heard what your grandfather said. Obey everything I tell you, and you will get through this whole process in one piece." The man instructed with an imposing tone.
Oliver was about to say something, but a stern glare from the man silenced him. He wasn't going to take any chances right now and end up in hot water.
"Listen here, boy. Things don't work like they did out there." The man explained. "In this place, we only have two things: strength and weakness. Strength is the one who takes what he wants, while weakness is the one who accepts whatever fate hands them. And you will need strength to survive here."
"Survive here?" Oliver blurted out, making the man throw another piercing gaze at him.
"The moment you entered this place, your fate was sealed. There's no way out for you until they decide that you are fit to leave."
Oliver remained silent.
"From this moment on, you will have to go through an extensive training course under my supervision. You will have to hunt for your food, kill for your survival, and endure the harshest conditions nature has to offer you."
A sharp intake of breath could be heard as Oliver digested the new information he just learned, his heart pumping with fear and apprehension. "What did you mean by 'killing'?"
The masked man stepped closer to Oliver, staring directly into his eyes. "There are many tribal tribes who live in the dense forests outside of these walls. They're all armed with bows and arrows, spears, and axes. And they're also cannibals."
The color drained from Oliver's face, and he felt like he was dreaming right now. There had to be some mistake; there was no way he was trapped here in an area with dangerous cannibals prowling around and no way out.
"This is the truth." The masked man spoke as if reading Oliver's mind. "So if I were you, boy, I would stop worrying about everything and start focusing on the task at hand. Otherwise, you may not survive another day here."
The man turned around and headed towards the door. "Follow me. We'll begin your first lesson soon."