The evening air carried a crisp chill, and the house lay cloaked in an unusual stillness as Natasha sat at the dining table, surrounded by her schoolbooks. The warm glow of the overhead light spilled across the pages of her notebook, but her mind was only half-focused on the equations in front of her. Every so often, her eyes flickered to the clock on the wall.
It was nearing 8 PM, and Alex had been in his room for hours. The familiar hum of his computer was a constant background noise in their house, but tonight, the quiet felt unsettling. He hadn't emerged for a snack or to complain about a tricky level in Jungle Quest, his current gaming obsession. Natasha sighed, setting her pen down and stretching her arms above her head.
"Alex, it's dinner time," she called, her voice carrying up the stairs. She waited for the usual grumbled response—something along the lines of "just one more minute" or "I'm at a boss fight!" But the house remained silent.
Natasha frowned, the silence gnawing at her nerves. She pushed back her chair and made her way up the stairs, her footsteps echoing faintly in the quiet house. As she approached Alex's door, the faint glow of his monitor seeped out from under the crack. She knocked softly at first, then harder when there was no response.
"Alex?" she said, her voice tinged with annoyance. Still, nothing. No shuffle of movement, no irritated groan. Natasha hesitated for a moment before turning the doorknob and peeking inside.
The room was bathed in the bluish light of the computer screen, which displayed the lush green landscape of the game's jungle world. Vines hung from pixelated trees, and the faint sound of chirping birds and flowing water played on a loop. But the chair in front of the desk was empty.
Natasha stepped inside, her gaze sweeping across the cluttered room. The bed was a mess, sheets tangled and half-hanging onto the floor. A pile of laundry sat in the corner, and the faint smell of potato chips lingered in the air. But there was no sign of Alex.
Her stomach tightened. "Alex?" she called again, this time louder, her voice cracking slightly. She crossed the room and checked the small bathroom attached to his room. Empty. She opened the closet door, half-expecting him to jump out and scare her, but it was just stuffed with clothes and old toys.
Panic began to creep in, her chest tightening as her mind raced through possibilities. He wouldn't have just left without saying anything—would he? Natasha glanced back at the glowing screen, the game still running as if mocking her.
She bolted downstairs, her feet thudding heavily on the wooden steps. Maybe he had gone outside? It wasn't like him, but she couldn't shake the growing sense of unease. She opened the front door, the cool evening air brushing against her face. The street was quiet, illuminated by the soft glow of streetlights.
"Alex!" she shouted, her voice ringing out into the night. She strained her ears, hoping to hear his voice calling back or the sound of footsteps. But the only reply was the rustling of leaves and the distant hum of a passing car.
She checked the backyard next, her hands trembling as she pushed open the gate. The swing set they had outgrown years ago stood motionless, the garden bathed in shadow. "Alex, this isn't funny!" she yelled, her voice breaking. She checked behind the shed, even peering into the bushes, but he wasn't there.
Natasha's heart pounded as she ran back inside, slamming the door shut behind her. Her thoughts spiraled. Had something happened to him? Had he gone somewhere and gotten lost? Or worse?
Her hands fumbled as she grabbed her phone from the counter. She quickly dialed their mom's number, the phone ringing endlessly in her ear before going to voicemail. She cursed under her breath and tried their dad's number next.
"Natasha?" her mom's voice finally came through, calm and unhurried.
"Mom!" Natasha's voice was frantic, tears welling in her eyes. "It's Alex. He's gone. He's not in his room or anywhere in the house. I don't know where he is!"
There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Gone? What do you mean, gone? Did you check outside?"
"Yes! I've looked everywhere!" Natasha's voice cracked, panic bubbling to the surface. "His game is still on, but he's just… not here."
"Okay, okay, calm down," her mom said, though her voice carried a worried edge now. "Did he say anything about going out? Maybe he went to a friend's house?"
Natasha shook her head, even though her mom couldn't see her. "No, he didn't say anything. He's been in his room playing that stupid game all day. He wouldn't just leave without telling me!"
"We're on our way home," her mom said firmly. "Stay inside and keep your phone with you. Don't go anywhere."
The call ended, leaving Natasha in the suffocating quiet of the house. She paced the living room, her mind racing through possibilities. Her eyes kept darting to the staircase, as if Alex might suddenly come bounding down, laughing at how worked up she was. But he didn't.
Finally, unable to sit still, Natasha climbed back up to his room. The game was still running, the vibrant jungle scene unchanged. She sat down in his chair, staring at the screen. The character Alex had been playing stood frozen at the edge of a river, the avatar's sword gleaming in the pixelated sunlight. It was as if the game was waiting—for something, or someone.
Natasha moved the mouse, her fingers trembling. She didn't know much about the game, but she had watched Alex play enough to have a basic understanding. She clicked a few buttons, making the character walk forward. The screen shifted as the character entered a dark cave, the vibrant jungle replaced by shadowy stone walls.
Suddenly, the screen flickered. The game seemed to glitch for a moment, the image distorting. Natasha frowned, leaning closer. The cave grew darker, the faint sound of dripping water echoing through the speakers. And then, she heard it—a voice, faint but clear.
"Natasha."
She froze, her blood turning to ice. The voice was unmistakable. It was Alex.
"Alex?" she whispered, her eyes darting around the screen. The character stood motionless in the cave, but the voice came again, louder this time.
"Natasha, help me."
Her heart pounded as the screen flickered again. The image shifted, and for a brief moment, she saw Alex's face on the screen, his expression one of fear. Then it was gone, replaced by the game's familiar jungle backdrop.
Natasha stared at the screen, her mind reeling. This couldn't be real. It didn't make any sense. But deep down, she knew one thing: Alex wasn't just missing. He was in the game.