exhaustion enveloped my body as i stumbled into an empty building. my eyelids grew heavy, and i could feel sleep pulling me under. as i drifted into the realm of dreams, my mind connected with the controller of reality once again.
in the ethereal plane, the controller of reality's voice echoed through my consciousness. "clue for the next mystery?" he asked, his tone filled with intrigue.
i nodded, even though i knew he couldn't see me. "yes, please."
"well, this time the mystery is going to be more realistic and hardcore," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of excitement. "but first, there are two survivors you will meet in your journey. two girls named jenica and emmarie. they will play a crucial role in unraveling the secrets that lie ahead."
i furrowed my brows in confusion. "so, are they part of this version of reality?"
the controller of reality chuckled. "you catch on quick. yes, they are part of this version. and as for your next objective, you need to go west. that's where the answers you seek lie."
i felt a surge of anticipation as the controller of reality mentioned the west. "what awaits me there?"
he remained silent, refusing to spoil the surprise. "now, wake up!" he commanded, and suddenly, the dream world dissolved, and i found myself back in the abandoned building, sunlight streaming through the broken windows.
gathering my belongings and shouldering my backpack, i set off towards the west. the streets were eerily quiet, with only the occasional gust of wind disturbing the silence. abandoned buildings loomed on either side, their broken windows and crumbling facades testaments to the devastation that had befallen this city.
as i walked for about thirty minutes, a commotion caught my attention. i saw a girl standing on top of a car, surrounded by a horde of zombies. she fought valiantly, firing her gun to keep them at bay. but one zombie managed to grab her leg, yanking her down towards the grasping hands of the undead.
reacting swiftly, i sprinted towards her, drawing the attention of the zombies away from her. with adrenaline coursing through my veins, i grabbed her hands and pulled her towards an empty hotel nearby. we rushed into a room and locked the door behind us, hoping that the horde of zombies hadn't managed to follow us.
breathing heavily, i finally had a chance to get a good look at the girl. her face was flushed with exertion, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and gratitude. it was... emmarie.
"thank you," she managed to say between gasps for air. "i thought i was done for."
i smiled, relief flooding my being. "no problem. i'm just glad i could help."
as we paused to catch our breath, an unspoken bond formed between emmarie and me. there was an inexplicable energy that emanated from her, a flicker of familiarity that tugged at my soul. perhaps it was the shared ordeal of navigating this twisted reality, or the underlying enigma that united us. whatever the reason, i sensed that our paths had intertwined for a purpose, and i was resolute in unraveling the truth that awaited us in the western horizon.
in my reality, emmarie was merely a classmate and a friend, but in this distorted realm, she had become so much more. curiosity piqued within me, and i couldn't help but ask her the reason for her presence here.
"there's a shelter in the west," she replied, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "i managed to escape the horde, but my friend might still be trapped halfway there."
understanding the gravity of our objective, i nodded earnestly. "then we must make our way there as swiftly as possible."
pressing onward, the darkness of night enveloped us. the glimmers of distant lights hinted at the proximity of the shelter we sought. however, our path was soon impeded by an unexpected sight. a girl lay unconscious in our way, her clothing tattered and torn. it was evident that she had endured a horrific ordeal, violated by some malevolent force. emmarie rushed to her aid without hesitation, her concern evident in her voice.
"jenica!" she exclaimed urgently, her voice filled with compassion. "wonderer, we must assist her immediately!"
i remained silent, my mind racing as i quickly surveyed our surroundings, searching for a suitable location to provide temporary shelter. we managed to secure a makeshift refuge, and together, we tended to her wounds. as she recounted the harrowing events she had endured, a lingering sense of disdain emanated from her towards me. in this reality, just like our counterparts in my own, our relationship remained strained, marked by discord and animosity.
we took turns watching over jenica as she slept, her fragile form curled up on the makeshift bed we had prepared for her. the room was dimly lit, the flickering candle casting dancing shadows on the walls. emmarie and i sat on opposite sides of the room, our tired bodies yearning for rest, but our minds too restless to succumb to sleep just yet.
i glanced at emmarie, her expression a mix of concern and determination. her eyes were fixed on jenica, her thoughts undoubtedly consumed by the horrors the girl had endured. i could sense the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, the unspoken promise to keep her safe and help.
unable to bear the silence any longer, i finally spoke up. "emmarie, do you know what happened to jenica? who could have done this to her?"
emmarie's gaze shifted from jenica to me, her eyes filled with sorrow. "i don't know the exact details, but she mentioned something about being attacked by a group of survivors who had lost their humanity. they... they did unspeakable things to her." her voice faltered, and her hands trembled as she clenched them tightly.
anger and frustration welled up within me, a fierce protectiveness taking hold. "we need to find these people and make sure they pay for what they've done. no one should have to suffer like jenica did."
emmarie nodded, her eyes brimming with determination. "i agree. but for now, our priority is to get jenica to safety. we need to make our way to the shelter mentioned in that paper you found."
i reached into my pocket and pulled out the crumpled piece of paper, its corners worn and frayed. the words "shelter 2020" were scrawled across it in faded ink. it was a small glimmer of hope in this bleak reality, a beacon guiding us towards safety and sanctuary.
"we'll leave at first light," i declared, folding the paper carefully and tucking it back into my pocket. "we can't afford to waste any more time. countless others, may be relying on us."
with a shared understanding, we settled down for the night, the flickering candle providing a faint sense of comfort. sleep finally claimed us, the weight of our experiences and the anticipation of the journey ahead lulling us into a restless slumber.
as the first rays of dawn filtered through the room, we stirred awake, renewed and ready to face the challenges that awaited us. we gathered our belongings, shouldered our backpacks, and helped jenica to her feet. she was weak, her body still bearing the scars of her ordeal, but her spirit remained unbroken.
with cautious steps, we ventured out of the makeshift shelter and into the unknown. the city streets were eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos that had engulfed them just hours before. the sun rose higher in the sky, casting a warm glow over our path, and as we walked, the weight of our mission pressed upon us.
we followed the directions on the paper, navigating through the crumbling streets and dodging the occasional group of zombies that crossed our path. the journey was treacherous, but the hope of reaching shelter 2020 kept us going. we knew that safety, solace, and answers awaited us there.
as we ventured forth, i couldn't help but wonder what awaited us at shelter 2020. would it be the sanctuary we hoped for? or would it hold its own set of challenges and mysteries? only time would tell, but one thing was certain - we were determined to face whatever lay ahead, united in our quest for survival and the restoration of a shattered reality.