"534....
547....
551....
562....
589....
593...."
A voice from afar made the young boy wake up to his senses.
He found himself in the middle of darkness with nothing around. He can't see anything but it seems like he knew where he is. It is a weird feeling where he get the same atmosphere as his room. He knew for a fact that this is not his room but still.
Under his bare feet he could feel the cold, still water. He tried touching it but seems like the water only wets his feet and not his hands. He stood straight and started observing his surroundings.
'Where am I?' he asked himself while still looking around. It was unusual but he didn't feel any fear or shock when he found himself in this empty, cold, room. Instead, he was unexpectedly calm. It's like he knew where he is and what place is this.
He could still hear the voice from afar saying numbers and pausing for few seconds. He listened to it and tried to follow where it is coming from but he can't seem to pinpoint its location.
"625"
He felt familiar upon hearing the number. Where did he read that again?
After hearing the voice, a small, yet bright light suddenly appeared in front of him that made him cover his eyes. That light made him temporarily blinded for a second so he kept on covering until his eyes get used to it. He lowered his arms and found where it appeared.
He stared at where the light is coming from. It's far and looks like it's not just an ordinary light. It was more like a way-- an exit. He followed the light and headed towards it.
As he continued following the light, he started hearing murmurs from a distant. That made him stopped for a second. Are there other people here beside him? The question lingered on his mind then continued pacing forward. As he drew himself closer to where it came from, he could hear the murmurs becoming louder and louder until he reached the exit.
After reaching the what he thought 'exit', a bright light suddenly enveloped his vision. The sudden brightness made him close his eyes for a second.
After recovering, he was shocked to see the big crowd in front of him. He scanned his sorroundings and realized that he was standing on a big stage.
It has a white tile floor and is very clean. He can feel it's coldness because he's not wearing any slippers. He finally can feel his heart beating so fast and started panicking. He's currently on a big stage and a big crowd is in front of him.
"Where the hell am I?!" he blurted out the words all of the sudden.
When it seemed thet there was noone who heard him, he followed the wall to his left and walked to wherever his feet may take him, hoping that it would take him away from the eyes of the crowd. After finally seeing the end of the stage, he jumped and started running towards it.
It was only a few steps away when a spotlight was suddenly focused to him that made him stop. Few seconds after that, the crowd went silent.
'What's happening?' he looked at them and felt a chill when he realized that all of them are now staring at him. he cannot see them because the lights are blinding him but he can feel those stares that pierces through him.
"What??" is all that he could say.
Then the wall behind him suddenly lit that made him jumped from where he stood. He looked at it and was shocked to see that it wasn't just an ordinary wall. It was a big screen. He looked up high and saw the screen to no end. On it, displays boxes of recordings with different individuals shown.
He scanned it all and eventually found himself being recorded also on the seventh column on the right from where he stood, four boxes upwards. He came closer to where it is and stopped in front.
After stopping, he observed himself on the screen until he widen his eyes when he realized that it wasn't a recording, but a live.
He immediately turned around to where the camera might be based on the angle captured, but he can't see anything. He literally has no idea what is happening, why is he being recorded live, where and what this place is, and how can he get out.
These questions keep popping up on his mind that he can't seem to concentrate. He covered his ears and tried calming himself. The young man fell down the cold floor.
Just as when he was already calming down, a loud beep from behind made him flinch. He turned around to see that the screen is now changing displays on every boxes. After few seconds all the live recordings are gone and now some kind of profile informations are being shown.
He read what is written on his and was shocked and somehow, he felt amazed because all that was written about him are so accurate that he can't even believe some that are written. The facts about him that he tried so hard to deny and forget are all on the screen.
Just as then he realized why all of this appeared in front of him, when he didn't even tell anyone about himself. Again, the question about where and what this place is ran inside his mind. He tried reading the other profiles but it seemed to blur on its own, not because of his eyesight but like, something is blocking him from reading it. He tried approaching few of the profiles and touching the screen but nothing happened.
He was just about to give up and lie down on the floor when he heard a steaming sound from behind. He turned around and found a small, cylindrical, tall circle table popping up from the floor. It has three thin table legs and a big one at the center, an it seems like there is also a transparent protection around it. The design is already eye-catching just by itself but its black and silver color combination added the beauty, though there's nothing really to be amazed of, it's just a table.
There's smoke around it and a small box at the top.
The table stopped rising after a sound of locking from behind was created, and the smokes also stopped.
He still haven't moved an inch and just observed what will happen next. After realizing that there aren't any more other things to come out from the floor, he approached the table and observed the thing on its top.
He's thinking that the box may be created from tinted plastic or glass, because it may be colored, the item is visible and he could see what's inside.
'Is that a toy? A stone?' he asked himself while observing the item.
He leaned closer for better look but he was startled and jumped back when the box suddenly opened. Smokes came out again.
'But there isn't any smokes inside before, how come there is now?' he thought. The young man always liked to think about trivial things and always asks for more after finding answers. But now, he couldn't find even one clue about where he is and questions only kept piling on his mind. It would be better if he would disregard all of it and just observe his surroundings first, he thought.
After the smoke cleared, he can finally see clearly what's inside. He looked around and found that silhouettes of the crowd are still staring at him, but he has this weird feeling where he feels like he's alone. He can't really feel their presence, and their stares may feel piercing, but it's like they're not there.
He looked back at the thing on the box. It's a stone. A transparent one. He was just about to look at it from the outside but he got the feeling that he should touch it. He didn't understand, but it feels like something is making him want to touch the stone. It's like it's calling him. Just later did he realize that he was already touching it.
After taking it out from the box, a sudden pain in his chest made him flinch with agony.
He let go of the stone and hold his chest tightly. It's a feeling like someone is pulling your heart out forcefully, and he can't stand it that he rolled over the floor. The pain is so extreme that he began to lose his senses. He's already breathing really hard while he punches his chest over and over. He let out a cry when the pain became even worse. Tears are now flowing from his cheeks and his face is already red. After a few minutes of screaming and punching himself, the pain suddenly stopped and it made him breathe more easily.
He then heard the voice again, the voice of someone who counted an hour ago, saying something. It's an announcement,but he was already too tired to hear every word clearly. His mind is hasty from all that happened and now he needs to listen to some shitty announcements. He can't hear very clearly, but he definitely heard this words before closing his eyes.
"Player 625 successfully registered. Blood stone activated....thirst for....blood....kill....or be...."
"killed..."