Chapter 2
1158 Words
The broadcast ended.
For a few heartbeats, no one dared to speak.
They held their breath, tense, eyes scanning the forest, fearing another disaster.
The broadcast ended.
For a few heartbeats, no one dared to speak.
They held their breath, tense, eyes scanning the forest, half-expecting another disaster.
But the woods remained silent, unmoving, shrouded in mist as before.
Finally, someone swallowed hard and gathered the courage to speak.
“Did you guys… hear the message?”
The silence shattered.
“The cat kills! I heard it—I’m freaking out.”
“Yeah, I heard it too. This place… it’s dangerous.”
The announcement had sent everyone into a panic.
“Stay alive.”
“The cat kills.”
The words echoed in their minds like an invisible noose tightening around their throats.
Someone sighed bitterly. “Even if we know it’s dangerous, it’s too late. The game’s already started. I’ve got my player number and everything.”
“Wait, I’ve got one too! I’m Player Four.”
“I’m Five!” someone else chimed in.
Raine checked the glowing interface in front of her. She was Player One.
She frowned slightly, wondering what the numbering meant—when a soft flash of blue light flickered before her.
A backpack dropped from thin air, landing at her feet.
What…?
She blinked, startled, and nudged it cautiously with the tip of her shoe.
No reaction.
After a moment of hesitation, Raine bent down and picked it up. Inside the bag were a few bottles of water and some vacuum-sealed food.
She zipped it shut and looked around.
No one else had a bag.
Only her.
Realization dawned quickly—this wasn’t good. Being singled out in a place like this rarely ended well.
The others had noticed, too. Eyes turned toward her, suspicious and wary.
Why her?
Why only her?
That girl had been odd from the beginning—with all that blood on her… and now this?
The tattooed man with muscular arms stepped forward, brows drawn together. He didn’t bother hiding the hostility in his voice.
“What’s that?” he demanded.
Raine forced a smile. “It just appeared. There’s food and water inside.”
She held the bag open and turned it toward them so they could all see.
“Why you?” the man pushed. His eyes narrowed. “Why are you the only one who gets it?”
Raine didn’t know. Maybe it was a reward for Player One?
But if so, why now—so blatantly, right in front of everyone?
No, this wasn’t a reward. It was a setup. A spotlight she hadn’t asked for.
And just like that, she could feel the room—the forest—turn against her.
“That girl’s not right.”
“She was covered in blood, remember? This just proves she’s hiding something.”
“Something’s off. Better keep our eyes on her.”
Raine heard every word. They weren’t even whispering.
She lowered her gaze, her lashes veiling the sharp flicker in her eyes.
Being isolated here… it was dangerous.
And this food—they wouldn’t let her keep it anyway.
She took a breath, schooled her expression, and said evenly,
“It’s not mine. It just happened to fall in front of me. It’s probably meant for all of us.”
Then she unzipped the bag and tipped it over. A few bottles of water and several packets of biscuits spilled out onto the ground.
“Let’s share it.”
Everyone exchanged glances. They knew she was lying—but none of them called her out.
They wanted the food.
Out here, in the middle of who-knows-where, rations meant survival. Who cared about the truth?
One by one, they nodded in agreement. Raine counted—ten players in total.
After splitting the food, each person got a bottle of water and two packs of biscuits. The last few scraps, impossible to divide, were eaten on the spot.
Raine’s gesture bought her a brief reprieve. No one came at her again. They simply turned their attention to more pressing matters—like how to get out of this place.
“This forest is thick with mist. I can’t tell which direction we’re even going.”
“Doesn’t matter. Let’s just get moving.”
After a bit of debate, they chose a path with slightly more even terrain and began walking.
People talked as they walked—exchanging information, trying to make sense of it all. The chatter helped soothe their nerves.
Except for Raine.
She walked at the back of the group. Alone.
No one spoke to her. In fact, they kept a small but intentional distance. Not just because she was “different”… but because the blood on her clothes had dried into dark, ugly stains. It made their skin crawl.
But Raine didn’t mind. She was used to silence. Used to being alone. Listening was enough.
Then something felt off.
She frowned.
Were they… going in circles?
No markers. No signs. But her gut told her they weren’t making progress.
She stopped.
Bent down and picked up a jagged rock.
Then she reached for a tree and carved a shallow mark into the bark.
It wasn’t much, but it was something. A sign. A test.
She slipped the stone into her pocket after brushing off the dirt. It might come in handy later.
No one noticed. They were too busy watching the mist. Listening for threats. Avoiding the bloodstained girl.
They walked for what felt like hours.
Still no sign of an exit. No clues. Just more mist. More trees. More of the same.
Someone had already drunk half their water.
The group grew quieter. Tension simmered.
Then—
“Let’s stop.”
A girl’s voice sliced through the hush.
Everyone turned.
It was Raine.
The girl who had said nothing for so long now wore a serious expression, brows drawn together in concern.
“What’s wrong?” someone asked, wary.
“We’re going in circles,” Raine said quietly, pointing to a withered tree. “I left a mark. We passed this tree before. We’ve come back to the same spot.”
A ripple passed through the group. Doubt. Disbelief.
“That can’t be right. We’ve been walking straight.”
“Are you sure? Maybe you’re just mistaken.”
They didn’t want to believe her.
They didn’t want to believe they were trapped.
Raine was about to argue when another girl spoke up—hoarse, breathless.
“She’s right. I’ve seen that dead tree three times already.”
The girl’s face was pale as death, her lips colorless, her frame frail. It was clear she had long been ill.
The confirmation sent panic through the group like a shockwave.
Some gasped. Others staggered. One man clutched his hair and tore at it in silent despair.
They were lost. Truly lost.
And the game had only just begun
- Writer
