Everything feels fake.
My vision blurred as I stared at the checkered tiles soaked in blood, my blood.
Before me stood a person I resembled, her long hair cascading down her back, the apron she wore covered in red.
Her face was plastered with this doting smile
that sent shivers down my spine, the knife glinting at her side
My mind wandered to the chili I just ate, there were still some in the pot, maybe I could...
Warm blood continues to slip away from me, taking my strength with it. My vision blurred, my knees buckled, and I dropped flat onto the ground, all I could feel was pain, something I couldn't get used to.
My breath hitched as I recognized the familiar feeling
Death is gripping me hard but never actually taking me
"Is that you, mom?" I asked, my face flat on the ground licking my own blood.
Her steps got closer, I could tell by the sound, is she about to kill me again?.
"Mom" I couldn't help but call before looking at the shadow of the person in front of me that loomed over the ground.
I tried to plead-
"Make it stop, please"
Stab
Air escaped my lungs as the words I was about to say spilled to a groan.
The sound of steel hitting flesh resounded in the room, followed by a grunt that grew weaker with each passing second before finally stopping.
"Excuse me, do you know where James is?"
"Four" I mumbled, sweat dripping down my face
This was the fourth time I died.
"Yes?" The freshman tilted her head before repeating her question
"Have you seen him?"
"I didnt-i don't know" I took a step back before answering
"Oh ok, thank you" She said before heading towards another freshman probably asking that same question.
A sigh escaped my lips as I stared at the campus. It wasn't that large just your average countryside college, the name "Fern West College" speaks volumes about it.
Gripping the luggage tightly I took my fourth, first step on this campus.
It was crowded, with new faces arriving every minute, half of those faces I knew, I couldn't exactly forget them when they had been my classmates my entire life, but I couldn't say the same about them.
I lingered for a moment, watching one of the people I knew head to his friends, they all hugged each other, their shrill excited voices reaching my ears.
"Maybe I should say hello" I muttered under my breath before shaking my head and heading left of campus. There, I saw in the open lot, a dilapidated three-story apartment.
Clothes hang on each balcony, the dry paint in the walls cracked in batches, arts and "creative" words fill the walls like it's a canvas.
Gripping my luggage, I head inside
Pausing I hold a piece of paper in front of me
"206" it reads.
Knock knock
Creak
The door opened slowly and behind it was this buff dude wearing a black t-shirt that was barely able to contain his body
"Sup dude, you my roomie?"
I nod and he lets me pass
"Cool, cool but do know, I get the bottom"
Putting my luggage aside, I looked at him
It was like a war of attrition, we stared at each other for a whole minute, his smug grin clashing with my nervous expression
'This isn't the first time I'm greeting him' I thought before swallowing the words I'm about to say
"West Dale" I offered my trembling, sweaty hand.
"Cool, like the direction"
"....." I only started with my hand hanging in the air, praying he'll take it.
He took my hand before introducing himself
"Well, names Zach, Zach Heins"
"Oh, almost forgot, do you know where James is?" He asked and my eyes twitched in response.
"W-who?" I said, head lowered, quickly taking my hand back and passing him to arrange my luggage
"You don't know?, he's supposed to tour us freshmen....let me help you" Zach said helping me pack my clothes
"Can't he be replaced?" I asked, quickly arranging my items so he could help less
"Well replacing him isn't the problem bro, he straight up vanished, looking for him becomes a priority and before he's found we can't start the tour"
'he's missing, I can't escape this day, my mom wanted me dead.....
The possibility of all this being connected hurt my head but that's the only thing I can take as a lead.
Still, maybe this is all just a coincidence.
Taking a deep breath, I decided to probe a little more
"Maybe, he headed somewhere?
"Bro, did you read the message on the campus site?" Zach looked at me dumbfounded
"...." I took out my phone and looked at the site where a flashing red light displayed a news
It boils down to 'James was missing and was last found early morning rehearsing for the tour' and attached to the news was his face.
"Pretty spooky right?" Zack voiced to the side.
'Could it really be connected' I pondered before my head snapped back to Zach
"Th-thanks for helping me pack" I said biting my tongue before heading out.
....
The campus was large enough to include two dorms to its left, a park in front, and a small field for soccer behind it
At least that was what this outdated map says.
I rolled the map and looked in front of me, it was an open field with one of its sides facing a forest while the other was facing the school.
The sun was at its highest point, making my forehead sweat as I took my phone and looked at the news for the second time.
"Yep, this seems to be the place" I muttered placing my phone side by side to this particular large tree that matches the background of James' missing poster.
Strong wind blew from the forest as if daring me to investigate.
Storing my phone, I look ahead.
"Four....I died four times not knowing anything"
Taking a breath I hyped myself
"I should've asked about this from the very beginning" I sighed, I hadn't talked to Zach about the missing person until now.
' Who would have thought it could actually be connected to me' I grumbled
And as if to answer, the wind blew harder with a few crows escaping out of the forest in response.
A gulp escaped as I walked closer
A few thin, dark trees stood at the forest's edge, their trunks like narrow bars stretched upward into the dim light. They looked too sparse to conceal anything, too fragile, too exposed. And yet, beyond them, the forest deepened into shadow.
I swallowed another gulp, trying to steady myself
"..."
I slapped both my cheeks before taking a deep breath
"So-social death is better than real death" I chanted, hyping myself.
....
"Bro, you have to be kidding me"
"Sorry" I muttered
"You said you have something cool to show me" Zach said facepalming "Absolutely not- this is one of those places described in police reports"
"D-doesn't that make it cool?" I asked and Zach looked at me as if I had said something offensive.
"....."
"....."
The two of us stared at each other for a few seconds before Zach finally let out a nervous laugh
"It's cool, you're right, let's go"
"Wai-
He grabbed my arm as we entered the forest, the thin trees blocked our vision as we maneuvered ourselves through the wild grass
I could only follow quietly while Zach guided me forward until a flash of light hit my face.
"You're right" He muttered
It was like a portal to another world, the creepy dark forest exterior had hidden its natural beauty.
Golden leaves lay at our feet and bare trunks of trees spread as far as the eye could see, while the orange light hit just enough to make the whole scene feel both amazing and eerie