Chapter 1

The Trek

I stand in front of a dark corridor. Red torches line the walls, creepy light dancing from them like demons on a carousel. Looking behind me, the lights began to shut off, one by one, darkening the room. I knew I had to run. The lights shut off faster as I sprinted for the door. I glanced behind my shoulder as the last light blew off.

Two glowing white eyes. Staring at me. I stood frozen, just before the door. I couldn't move as they drew closer, inevitably closer. I just had to move my fingers! I just had to-

I woke up with a start. The sun was high in the sky now. Around noon. I felt totally refreshed, even though I couldn't have been asleep for more than a few hours. I got up, and continued on.

I thought for a few moments. Where was I? How did I get here? And, again, what the hell was my name? Was there anyone else out here?

Once this thought entered my mind, I began to call out random words and phrases.

"HEY! Anyone there? Hello? I'm lost? I don't know where I am! Hello?"

I continued calling out until my voice turned hoarse.

The heat sapped the strength from me, more than the cold. I found myself panting, unable to move on. I crawled for a few blocks, and fell into a water pit.

Oh, so refreshing! What was THIS doing in the middle of the desert?

OH, who cares! What matters is I'm refreshed and doing fine. I swam out with ease. Looking behind me, I knew I had to collect a little.

And then I remembered the recipe from the dream I had. Using some of the leftover wood I had, I build a table, large enough to build something much more substantial. Using the very last of the wood, I build a small bowl with a cap to carry some water with me, in case there weren't any more of these pools out there.

I took a few moments to drink a little more water, somehow refreshingly cold, and stored a good pint in my bowl. I broke the table and put it in my seemingly endless backpack. I moved on.

The questions entered my mind again. More sinister questions.

Did someone put me here? Who was that in my dreams? Why did he have glowing eyes? Who was he? Did HE put me here? Why?

I could see the sand blowing in front of me, stinging my eyes. I wished I had one of those nifty face-flaps, like you see in the movies when the heroes are in the desert, but I was sore out of supplies, so I kind of raised my shirt to cover my eyes unless I needed to drink.

Continuing, I drank the bowl empty. However, I was more refreshed than last time and began to see the thick outline of trees about a mile off.

Not snow-covered.

Just trees.

I was beginning to hate the desert. I'd take trees over sand any day, especially if there was a temperature difference.

As I began to run toward them, relieved, I tripped over a cactus and felt a searing pain travel up my leg.

Damnit, I had a sprained ankle.

I saw it slightly twisted off to the side. Maybe a little bit more serious.

I cursed my luck. To make myself feel better, I broke the cactus and put it in my backpack. I tried to move it, but the searing pain came back and I yelped.

Well, if that wasn't a big middle finger from God, I didn't know what was. Just when I see trees and hope of survival, I trip over a plant that I had managed to dodge over, under, or to the side of dozens of times. And twist my ankle. Which still hurt.

And then, something freakishly scary happened.

My foot moved itself back into place.

I watched it wriggle, against the laws of physics and anatomy, until it cracked itself back into place. Testing it, it was like nothing bad had ever happened to it.

And then I experimented.

I took a splinter left over from my crafting and jammed it into my finger. The pain lasted for a moment until my finger pushed it back out and healed itself.

A tiny droplet of blood escaped from the gap the splinter made before the hole closed up.

Freaky, weird, scary, and really, really cool.

I got back up and continued, feeling a little more secure, and yet a little more perturbed.

So I was like Superman. Except the thing still hurts, it just heals itself. I wonder why?

Could I really be in some sort of video game? Is that even possible?

As I neared the trees, it began to grow dark again.

For the first time, I noticed that the moon was square. That had to mess up the tide. I mean, seriously. Really screw it up. How does that even work, anyway? Did the moon just have no gravity, so it never turned spherical?

Why am I thinking of logic? It's a freaking video game. Logic is nonexistent. And even though I don't remember video games much, I know that they don't exactly follow the laws of physics. For Pete's sake, I'm two meters tall!

I entered the forest.

Nothing. No sounds, not even a gust of wind. All clear.

Relieved, I continued on my way, sidestepping a few tree roots and trunks. A few shadows stretched out a little longer than they were supposed to, but I figured it was a trick of the light. That light. Ruining everything. What did light ever do for me? Other than supplying me with a way to see. Not the point!

As I moved on, I thought I saw a figure up ahead, splotched with green.

Humanoid.

Moving closer and stealthily, I saw it clearly. It was definitely not human.

It had a frown permanently etched on its face. It's skin was mottled green, like camouflage. From its head down to its legs, it was a straight line, no arms. As it reached the ground, four pods grew and attached to the ground, allowing it to move quietly without a sound. It emitted no sound from it's "mouth". It didn't even seem to notice me rustling around.

Silently in the bushes, I thought of a plan. I had to get past it, but I couldn't remember what it did exactly.

Did it breath fire? Did it just walk around peacefully?

Then I realized - I could make myself a weapon.

I took out the table, hardly making a sound. Checking over my shoulder a few times to make sure it was still staying in one spot, I slowly crafted myself a wooden sword by taking a little bark from the trees around me. I put the table back in my bag, and stood up.

The thing noticed me immediately. It turned to look at me, its face looking something along the lines of curiosity. It slowly moved toward me.

I approached it, walking carefully as to not startle it. It still stood there, watching me.

As I neared it, the thing began to emit a hissing sound. I wondered what it was. Then, suddenly, I knew.

I stood in the middle of a forest. A green, four-legged creature suddenly appeared on the screen and approached me silently. I took out my sword, but it was too late. It began hissing.

Too late. As I reeled backward, the creeper began to blow outward, looking for an instant like a blown up balloon. That was blindingly white.

The world exploded around me.