Kade's feet slapped against the slick stone as he tore down the corridor, each breath stabbing at his ribs. Behind him, the skeletons followed—clack… clack…—the jarring snap of bone on bone echoing off the walls.
"It's the world's worst wake-up call!" he panted.
Then it hit him like a brick to the skull.
"I didn't save!"
His legs nearly buckled mid-sprint.
The first kill—the first undead he'd dropped with the rusted sword—that had been it. That was the checkpoint moment. The progress. And he hadn't locked it in.
"Dumbass!" he shouted at himself.
He could hear them behind him—the scraping of bone, the clicking of teeth, the grind of rusty weapons dragged across the ground. They were gaining.
He ducked under a fallen beam, slipping on wet stone as he skidded into a wider hallway. The phone light jittered wildly with his movements, throwing long shadows across cracked walls.
No time. No time.
But he had to try.
Still running, he flicked his thumb up on the phone screen. The glowing game menu shimmered into existence: Saved Files, Options, Inventory—the only things he ever saw.
"Come on, come on, come on," he hissed, jabbing the Saved Files icon.
The menu stuttered for a second, like even the game was questioning the timing of this decision.
Behind him, the first skeleton lunged—an empty maw frozen in a silent shriek. In slow motion, two more skittered into view, their hollow feet slipping on the slick stone.
They collided mid-step, one twisting its knee into the other's thigh and sending both crashing down in a tangle of clattering ribs and snapping femurs.
A spear spun out of one's grasp, spinning through the air before striking the floor with a sharp clang that rang like a gong in the silent hall.
A sword, wrenched free by the impact, tumbled end over end and hit stone with a final, echoing thud.
Kade's heart thundered as he ducked beneath the next oncoming swing—steel whooshing past his temple—bones and weapons cascading around him in a macabre ballet of chaos.
The camera of his mind lingered on the moment,shards of armored metal glinting in the flashlight beam, skeletons piled like broken statues, and him, still standing, ready for whatever came next.
He didn't even look. His thumb slammed the Save Game button.
>Are you sure?
>Yes/No
"Are you kidding me?" Kade hissed, not even stopping to think. He quickly tapped "Yes."
He ducked into another corridor, eyes flicking between the screen and the growing red glow behind him. The undead were tireless. Relentless. And he was out of breath, out of stamina, out of luck.
One of them screamed—this one still had a jaw.
Kade shrieked back, his voice cracking like glass. "SHUT UP, I'M BUSY!"
The world didn't change. No checkpoint light. No music cue. Just... confirmation.
But for Kade, it felt like the greatest win he'd had since waking up in this nightmare.
He grinned through the fear. "Ha! Screw you, game!"
And then promptly tripped on loose stone.
He hit the ground hard. His phone skidded out of his hands, clattering down the hallway. He groaned, clutching his ribs. The world spun, pain blooming across his side like fire.
The skeletons were close now. Too close.
He scrambled on all fours, crawling toward his phone like it was the last lifeline in a sinking ship. He grabbed it just as a shadow loomed over him—a bony foot raised, ready to stomp.
Kade rolled to the side just in time.
With no room, no distance, and no time to think, he swung wildly with the rusted sword still gripped in his hand. The blade bit through bone with a sharp crack, and the skeleton collapsed in a rain of loose limbs.
But there were more.
He was back on his feet, limping now, body aching. He couldn't outrun them forever. His breath came ragged, sharp and shallow. He needed an idea—any idea.
Then, ahead—an open archway, half-buried by debris.
A narrow space. Just enough for one.
Kade pushed himself forward, darting through the fallen stones. He ducked beneath the collapsed frame and pressed himself flat against the side wall just inside.
He killed the flashlight. Total darkness swallowed him.
He held his breath.
The sound of skeletons slowed.
CLACK CLACK CLACK....
Then one passed the archway. Then another.
They didn't see him.
Kade remained frozen, heart hammering so hard he swore the bones could hear it.
Minutes passed. Or maybe seconds. It was hard to tell.
Finally, the sounds of the chase faded into the depths of the ruins.
He let out the breath he'd been holding, chest rising and falling in ragged relief.
"I hate this game," he whispered, slumping against the wall. "So much."
His fingers trembled as he pulled the System menu.
---
[SYSTEM MENU]
Name: Kade Marlowe
Status: Alive (Tired, slightly harmed)
Inventory:
— 1x Wireless Mouse (???)
— 1x Rusted Pendant
Skills: None
Abilities: None
Options:
— Save Game
— Saved Files: [4]
---
He stared at it, heart still thudding.
The "Save Game" option was there. One undead kill, a checkpoint secured.
Here's a short, intense moment showing Kade deleting his old save and locking in the new one:
Kade's breaths came in sharp bursts, his
He yanked open the system menu, thumb jabbing at the options.
[Saved Files]
>Saven File 1
>Saved File 2
>Saven File 3
>Saved File 5
A list blinked into view—File 1, File 2, File 3… File 4
He stared at it for half a second before muttering, "Yeah, no thanks."
His finger hovered saved file 4, then tapped
Without waiting.
Sure! Here's the revised version with that system prompt style:
---
Kade's breaths came in sharp bursts, his back pressed to the damp wall as the skeletons' rattling grew louder.
He yanked open the system menu, eyes locking onto the saved files.
[Saved Files: 4]
> Play Saved File 4
> Delete Saved File 4
He hesitated for only a moment.
Tap.
A soft chime echoed.
[Delete saved file]
>Are you sure?
>Yes/no
Yes.
Saved File 4 deleted.
Kade is not going back to the horde of skeletons as he run for his life
He hit Save Game instead.
[Save game]
>Are you sure
>Yes/no
Yes.
A sudden cold draft ran down his back, and he flinched. Still in danger. Still in ruins. Still alone.
But for the first time since this nightmare began—he had progress.
Kade turned the flashlight back on and slowly, carefully, slid out from his hiding place.
The hallway stretched ahead like the throat of a monster. He had no idea where it led. But he knew going backward wasn't an option.
"Okay," he muttered. "Next time I kill something, I save immediately. Got it. Lesson learned."
He walked forward into the dark, the flickering light of the phone guiding his path. Somewhere in this ruin, there had to be a real safe zone.
He just hoped he didn't have to die to find it.