Blink.
Blink.
His eyes opened… then closed again.
Yawn.
He stretched his mouth slightly, like he was chewing on nothing.
"Ahh…"
A deep breath left his body.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to this kind of life…"
He looked up at the rising sun.
"…it's too peaceful."
His eyes moved to his stick.
"things always go quiet… before something bad happens."
"This is why I like things going up and down…"
Yawn.
He covered his mouth with his hand.
He yawned again.
…
No reaction.
…
"…huh…"
For a moment—
he waited.
Nothing happened.
"Hmmm… feels like I'm not getting angry anymore… for some reason…"
"…whatever…"
"I'm not gonna poke at something I forgot."
"Trying to go beyond the line…"
"…that's how people end up dead."
"…or maybe even worse…"
"…ah… what am I even thinking…"
"No way this is like those fantasy stories I read as a kid."
"I don't care if gods or demons exist."
"All I care about is staying alive."
He looked at his shaking hands.
"Sigh…"
""Damn… lying to yourself is harder than lying to anyone else…"
"…anyways…"
"Let's just do what I'm supposed to do."
He moved his hand away… and brought it close again.
Again.
Again.
A weird sound formed.
"Heh… I like that sound…"
…
It felt stupid.
But it made things feel a little better.
"I don't remember the last time I played like this…"
(Memory)
A small boy.
Wearing worn-out clothes.
Walking past kids playing with toys.
A toy shop.
Bright.
Full of colors.
He stopped.
His hand touched the glass.
Inside—
laughter.
Outside—
silence.
He slowly turned his head.
Near the shop—
trash.
A broken toy.
He looked at it for a moment.
Then—
picked it up.
Carefully.
(Back to present)
Sigh…
"If only I had a little more time playing…"
"…instead of trying to survive."
He stopped.
His hands shifted slightly—
as if something felt different.
His hand touched his cheeks.
Rubbing slowly.
"…did my skin become softer somehow?"
A pause.
"…what's the reason…?"
He rubbed his neck this time.
"…well… who cares…"
"…it's not like it's going to affect anything…"
A pause.
"…wait… maybe it can…"
"I want my skin to be hard… not soft…"
"In case of attack…"
"…how do I even do that…?"
Silence.
"…I'll think about it later…"
"Hmmm… what did I decide to do today…?"
Another pause.
"…I'll think about that later too…"
"Let's just do my usual routine first…"
After finishing everything—
He packed what he needed.
Then started walking.
Towards the cave.
"I understand how to make fire now…"
"…it's time to explore that cave."
Step by step—
His heartbeat grew heavier.
Faster.
Darkness.
Just thinking about it—
His body trembled slightly.
"Hey hey hey… don't do that…"
"…you can't be scared of something you don't even know…"
"If I want to live…"
"…I have to face it someday."
"I know I think too much when I walk…"
"…but I can't stop…"
"…it's just how I am."
"Yeah… think of it like rain…"
"You see clouds… you know rain might come…"
"But you're never sure…"
"So instead of just watching…"
"I wait…"
"And when it finally starts—"
"I run."
A small smile appeared.
"Heh… trying to make death sound poetic won't save me…"
"But I like rain…"
"So maybe… it won't be as bad as I think."
He looked at his shaking hands.
"Yeah… keep lying to yourself…"
Step.
Step.
He reached the cave.
His body felt more stable than before.
Not by much.
It still wasn't on his side.
There was no time to think.
And no point either.
"I can either die standing here…"
"…or move and hope my next step isn't my last."
He dropped his things.
Grabbed the torch.
Picked up the rocks.
"Don't mess this up…"
"…and don't make too much noise…"
Click.
"…come on…"
Click.
"Please light…"
Click.
Click.
Click.
"…damn it…"
After a few more tries—
A spark.
Then—
Fire.
For a moment—
he just stared.
"…it's been a while…"
The flame moved softly.
Warm.
Alive.
"…"…I forgot how beautiful this looks…"
He slowly brought the torch closer to his face.
Watching it.
"I didn't think… something like this could feel this safe…"
The light reflected in his eyes.
Warm.
Calm.
Then—
Something changed.
In that same flame—
He saw himself.
Burning.
"…huh…"
"Which is worse… getting torn apart… or burning alive…"
The torch moved closer to his face.
STOP.
He blinked.
"…what the hell was I doing…?"
His hands trembled.
"…I'm losing it…"
His teeth clenched.
"…how far do I have to go… just to stay alive…?"
A breath.
"…anyways… whoever that was…"
"…thanks…"
He froze.
"…wait…"
"Voice…?"
He stood up immediately.
Looked around.
Nothing.
No movement.
No sound.
"…yeah… of course…"
He hit his head lightly.
"…anyways… whoever that was…"
A pause.
"…or whatever that was…"
"…I'm not seeing things…"
"Damn… I really am getting weak…"
"Keep losing myself like this…"
A pause.
"…forget it…"
"…just forget everything…"
"Breathe…"
He inhaled.
Slow.
Exhaled.
"Fushhh…"
"…think of it like…"
"…like holding a pencil as a kid…"
"…you don't know what'll happen…"
"…but you still hold it anyway…"
"Finally…"
"…time to face my fear."
He took a deep breath.
And started walking.
He left his bag behind.
Everything.
Only the torch.
And a small stick—
just in case the flame dies.
"…I need a way back…"
To his surprise—
as long as sunlight reached inside—
there was nothing.
Just like before.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
His footsteps echoed.
Loud.
Clear.
Each step felt heavy.
Memories of fear still clinging to him.
But this time—
it was different.
"…I have this…"
He looked at the flame.
"…this crimson fire…"
He kept moving.
Then—
his foot touched something solid.
He stopped.
"…this place…"
The same point.
Where he turned back before.
"…this is where it begins…"
He stepped past the last line of sunlight.
"…no going back now…"
"…either I move forward…"
"…or I stay here…"
"…and die."
The torch became his only light.
He lifted it slightly—
And froze.
"…what…?"
His eyes widened.
Not fear.
Shock.
"…this doesn't feel right…"
A path.
Made of rock.
Perfectly split.
And—
dried leaves laid across it.
"…who made this…?"
"This isn't natural…"
Instead of fear—
his skin started to itch.
"…these rocks…"
"…they're too perfect…"
"…no…"
"…not again…"
"I'm not seeing things…"
"My body isn't acting weird…"
"…I won't let it happen again…"
A breath.
"…I don't know what's ahead…"
"…but I can't stop here…"
He looked down.
"…these rocks…"
He crouched.
Touched one.
"…it feels normal…"
"…same as before…"
He picked it up.
Tried to keep it.
"…damn…"
"…no pockets…"
He paused.
Thinking.
"…I'll hold the stick in my mouth…"
"…and carry this—"
He stopped.
"…wait…"
"…am I stupid…?"
"I'm going deeper…"
"So what's the point of taking this now…?"
A small breath.
"If things stay normal… I'll take it later…"
"If not…"
"…then it won't matter anyway…"
"…yeah… think properly…"
He put the rock back.
And moved forward.
Carefully stepping over the path—
rock.
Leaves.
Silence.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Then—
He saw something.
His eyes widened again.
But this time—
It wasn't shock.
It was fear.
Something was wrong.
His vision trembled.
His breath got stuck.
His thoughts broke.
Only one word remained in his mind.
"…damn."
His eyes didn't move.
---
The ringing stayed.
---
Piiiiiiii—
---
He forced himself to look.
---
"…what… is that…"
---
Bones.
---
Not one.
Not two.
---
Too many.
---
Piled together.
---
Thin.
Long.
Curved.
---
Like spines.
---
"…worms…"
---
No flesh.
No blood.
---
Only white.
Dry.
Still.
---
Stacked under rocks.
Covered with leaves.
---
"…this isn't natural…"
---
He took a small step back.
---
"…something did this…"
---
The smell—
wasn't there.
---
"…no…"
---
"That's wrong…"
---
"There should be a smell…"
---
He looked at the dried leaves.
---
"…these…"
---
"…they covered it…"
---
A thought hit him.
---
"…this wasn't random…"
---
"…am I next…"
---
A pause.
---
"…run…"
---
"…should I just run…"
---
His head started to hurt.
Too many thoughts.
Too fast.
---
"…again…"
---
"…I'm losing control…"
---
A distant sound.
Thunder.
---
"…it's just thunder…"
"…it won't hit me…"
---
A breath.
---
"…I like thunder…"
"…it sounds like it's calling out…"
"…like it's roaring for me…"
---
"If I ever get the chance…"
"…I'd dance in the rain…"
"…holding something precious…"
"…while thunder roars…"
---
He imagined it.
A faint smile appeared.
---
"…like a fool dancing under thunder…
yeah… I like that."
---
Silence.
---
"…I was already drowning…"
---
A breath.
---
"…now…"
"…I face it."
He raised his torch, hoping nothing would happen to him.
He took a step forward.
Then another.
---
His feet pressed against rocks and dried leaves—sometimes brushing against bones.
---
And somehow…
Nothing happened.
---
"…what?"
---
He couldn't believe it.
If something had attacked, he was ready to run.
But this?
He didn't know how to deal with this.
---
"Why… nothing?"
"Is this a trap…?"
"Should I go forward… or not…?"
---
He looked at the torch in his hand.
Then at the bones beneath his feet.
---
"Hmmm…"
"I already said… this is the point of no return."
---
A small chuckle escaped him.
"Heh… just how insane am I becoming these days…"
---
The crimson fire reflected in his eyes.
---
Step.
Step.
Step.
---
Each step sounded different now.
---
Pishhhh—
---
A strange sound rang in his ears.
---
It was familiar.
And yet… different.
---
In front of him—
a mound made of rocks and dried leaves.
---
He started climbing.
---
"I'm glad there aren't bones here…"
"Otherwise I'd be dodging for my life."
---
A sudden chill ran down his spine.
---
"What if I fa—"
---
"No."
"Don't think."
"Or it might actually happen."
---
He forced himself to stay quiet.
---
He looked around.
Trying to find the source of that sound.
---
"Ah…?"
"Ahh…?"
"Ahhhh…?"
---
"…so it was here…"
---
"I reached the end…"
"I can see light…"
---
His body was still shaking.
But—
there was no fear.
---
"…what is this feeling…?"
---
It wasn't fear.
---
"…is this… joy…?"
---
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
---
"I like this feeling…"
---
"…so this is why people do crazy things…"
"The feeling of reaching something you never thought you could…"
---
He laughed quietly.
"Heh… don't get carried away…"
"Even if I like it…"
"I don't want to get used to it."
---
"Let's see what's here…"
---
Even as he spoke—
the smile didn't leave his face.
---
He climbed down the other side.
---
Surprisingly—
the ground was clear.
---
Wide.
Open.
Almost as large as a house.
---
No grass.
Just a strange kind of mud.
---
Not hard.
Not soft.
---
Something in between.
---
As his foot touched the ground—
he paused.
---
"…what is this… feeling…?"
---
"It's strange…"
"I can't explain it…"
---
"…whatever…"
---
He looked around.
Carefully.
---
Torch raised—
he walked in a slow circle.
---
Searching.
Watching.
Waiting.
---
"…nothing…"
---
"No danger…"
---
"…seriously?"
---
"Every time I expect something bad…"
"…nothing happens…"
---
"I'm not complaining but…"
---
His eyes narrowed.
---
"…I don't like this…"
---
A small pause.
---
"…thinking won't help…"
---
"Let's just move forward."
Finally—
time to look through the hole.
---
He swallowed.
---
"It's not big enough for me to pass through…"
"…but if I push myself… maybe I can…"
---
A pause.
---
"…wait…"
"Why would I even want to go out from here…?"
---
"…I guess…"
"…I'm always looking for a way to run…"
---
He stared at the hole.
---
Then his eyes shifted—
to the flame in his hand.
---
"…thanks…"
"…because of you… I could move forward…"
---
A small scoff.
---
"…how stupid…"
"…thinking fire would answer me back…"
---
"Heh…"
---
"Still…"
"…I'm glad I found you…"
"With this… I can watch those monsters from here…"
---
He kept staring at the flame.
---
It flickered.
---
Before he could react—
---
A sudden gust of wind rushed through the hole.
---
The flame almost vanished.
---
He immediately covered it with his body.
---
"—no!"
---
"Don't—!"
---
Pishhhh—
---
The wind passed.
---
Silence.
---
He slowly looked down.
---
The flame—
still alive.
---
Weak.
But alive.
---
A breath escaped him.
---
"…thank god…"
---
"If this went out…"
---
His throat tightened.
---
"…those bones…"
"…that path…"
"…I wouldn't make it back…"
---
"…I'd have to escape through the hole instead…"
---
A sudden tremor.
---
The ground shook.
---
Not like an earthquake—
---
But enough.
---
Enough to freeze him.
---
"—what?!"
---
The vibration ran through his body.
---
Cold.
Sharp.
---
He dropped down immediately.
---
Curled into himself.
---
Hands over his head.
---
Like a turtle hiding in its shell.
---
Silence.
---
Time passed.
---
The shaking stopped.
---
Slowly—
he lifted his head.
---
His body still trembling.
---
"Wait…"
---
"…no way…"
---
"My torch—"
---
He turned quickly.
---
It was still there.
Still burning.
---
He grabbed it immediately.
Protecting the flame.
---
"…I'm… lucky…"
---
"…this should've gone out…"
---
"But it's still here…"
---
The memory hit him.
---
The shaking.
Him hiding.
---
"…I really am…"
"…just barely surviving…"
---
Then—
something flashed in his mind.
---
A glimpse.
---
"…what… was that…?"
---
"I didn't see it properly… but…"
---
Silence.
---
"…forget it…"
---
"I already decided…"
"…if I don't understand something…"
"…I won't force it…"
---
"Even if it's scary…"
---
He looked at his shaking hands.
---
"…it's time to go back…"
---
"I got what I needed…"
---
He turned.
Started walking.
---
His eyes fell on the bones again.
---
"…why do I feel sorry for them…?"
---
A pause.
---
"…I really am going crazy…"
---
"Life and death… that's just nature…"
"I decided that long ago…"
---
He reached the cave entrance.
---
On the way—
he picked up another rock.
Placed it in his bag.
---
"…why am I not tired today…?"
---
"Usually… I'd be exhausted by now…"
---
"…whatever…"
---
"Maybe I can train after I get back…"
---
"…but…"
---
"I think I deserve some rest…"
---
He stepped outside.
---
The sky.
---
Bright.
Calm.
---
"…still beautiful…"
---
Clouds moved slowly.
Changing shape.
---
He watched them.
---
A small smile appeared.
---
"…yeah…"
---
As he walked away from the cave—
that smile stayed.