"Urgh... I just want this to end, please, God... I don't know if you can hear me, I know I haven't been the best believer, but if you truly exist, you wouldn't leave a lost lamb in an unknown world, right?" Alek murmured, his voice trembling. The absence of a response was... pathetic. Nothing. Silence enveloped him, and for a moment, he felt utterly alone, as if trapped in a void that belonged to no one and nothing.
He decided to stay in the supermarket for a while longer, barely breathing, watching through the window to ensure there were no creatures nearby. The sound of his breathing seemed louder than anything else around him. After some time, when everything seemed to calm down, he checked to make sure nothing unusual was lurking and decided to leave. He approached the apartment complex, and upon entering, the emptiness in his mind made him walk slowly. He took the elevator, surprised by the light that was still working—something that seemed impossible in a place so chaotic. How are the lights still on? he thought, wondering how something so mundane could still function while the rest of the world seemed to fall apart.
Finally, he reached his floor. He unlocked the door and closed it slowly, trying to avoid making noise, as if every little sound could attract something from the shadows. The apartment was silent, untouched. How is this possible? he thought. The outside world seemed engulfed in chaos, but his home was just as he had left it, as if everything he had witnessed in the past hours was just a dream. He didn't want to think about it—not then.
He went to his room, stepped into the shower, and let the cold water clear his mind. His clothes were soaked in sweat, the perspiration mingled with physical and mental exhaustion. He quickly changed, tossing the wet clothes to the floor. "I feel so tired," he murmured, collapsing onto the bed. I hope this was all just a dream... and that tomorrow everything will go back to normal. But as he closed his eyes, a feeling of unease lingered, as if something was waiting, lurking in some dark corner.
In the dark room, something was watching him. Alek, lying on his bed, felt that gaze piercing his back. What is this? he thought, struggling to keep his eyes closed and pretend to be asleep. He didn't know how much time had passed, but the sensation of being watched was so intense it felt like hours. Then, suddenly, it disappeared.
What the hell was that? Alek shot up, drenched in sweat. His breathing was heavy and erratic. He looked around, searching for something, anything, to confirm what he had just experienced. Nothing. The room was empty, immersed in a tranquility that was terrifying in its own way. "I pretended to be asleep, but... who could really sleep with that feeling?" he murmured, trying to calm himself. "Urgh, maybe now I can actually sleep..." He lay back down, squeezing his eyes shut, praying that sleep would take over before paranoia did.
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A ray of light pierced his eyelids. Alek moved slowly, trying to shake off the heaviness in his mind. How long did I sleep? he wondered, before the events of the night came rushing back. He hurriedly opened the curtains, fearing he'd see the same gloomy sky from the other world. To his relief, the view that greeted him was entirely different. The sky had its usual bright blue hue, and the city's bustling noise filled the air. He could hear the chatter of people, the sound of cars, and the chirping of birds. Phew, I thought I was going to die in that other place, he thought, exhaling deeply as the tension left his body.
Lost in thought, the sound of his phone snapped him back to reality. He answered quickly.
"Alek? Where are you? You said you'd be here in 10 minutes at the mall. I'm with the girls... Guess you don't want that free meal, huh?" said the familiar voice of Thiago, with a teasing tone.
Alek was silent for a moment, processing what he had just heard. To him, hours had passed since his last conversation with Thiago. He even thought it was the next day. He quickly checked the date and time on his phone. Only five minutes had passed.
"Thiago, I'm not feeling well. Let's talk tomorrow, okay?" he replied, trying to sound convincing.
"You sure? Alright, take care," Thiago said, sounding slightly confused, before hanging up.
Alek let the phone drop onto his desk and slumped into his gaming chair, feeling the weight of reality press down on him with a mix of disbelief and exhaustion. What the hell is going on? he thought, rocking slightly in his chair.
Although he didn't show it easily, Alek was a professional gamer. Despite being orphaned at a young age, he found in video games not just an escape but a passion that shaped his life. From a young age, he loved competitive games where he could measure his skill against others, but he always made time for simulation and kingdom-building games that helped him unwind from the stress of competitions.
Over the years, Alek had become a standout player, winning multiple international competitions and cash prizes. His skill and determination placed him among the best, allowing him to live off his passion. Thanks to this, despite his humble beginnings, he could afford a luxury apartment in a safe sector of Velmont City, a vibrant and modern metropolis that catered to his lifestyle.
As his chair slowly spun, Alek stared at the ceiling, trying to find some clarity amidst the chaos in his thoughts. That place... that strange world. Was it real? Or am I just losing my mind? He closed his eyes, letting the doubts and fatigue wash over him. Part of him wished to wake up and discover it had all been a bad dream, but something inside told him things weren't as he hoped.
Alek tried to calm himself and organize his thoughts. Let's not overreact, he told himself, grabbing a notebook. He needed to document what had happened, analyze the events logically, and find some pattern that could explain them.
"First," he began to write, "I remember bumping into an old man in a suit at the mall. I didn't think much of it at the time, but it could be a key point."
He moved to the next line.
"Second, I suddenly found myself in a dark place. When I left the building, I was in that parallel version of Velmont City."
"Third, the flora and fauna of that world are completely supernatural, with extraordinary powers. I saw elemental horses and a treant being dragged, along with the buffalo-lizard fight."
"Fourth," he wrote more forcefully, "time doesn't flow the same there as it does here. I don't know how long I slept, but I'm sure it was several hours, including the time it took to get home. There's definitely a temporal disparity between the two places."
He paused, mentally reviewing his sensations during his stay in that world.
"Fifth, something weird about my body... I didn't feel hunger, thirst, or the need to use the bathroom. Considering the scares I had, under normal circumstances, I would've soiled my pants, but nothing. Now that I'm back, I feel ravenous."
He stood up from the desk, scratching his head as he pondered the strangeness of it all. The hunger forced him straight to the kitchen. "Automata, prepare me a hearty meal," he ordered, turning on the control panel of the domestic assistant.
But his body couldn't wait. He opened the fridge and started devouring the fruits he had stored, eating quickly without caring about combinations or flavors. "Urgh, what's wrong with me? Why am I so hungry?"
As he bit into an apple, his mind kept working. That temporal disparity... could it have something to do with my metabolism? Or is it just accumulated stress? Thinking didn't stop his compulsion to eat.
The automaton finally announced that the meal was ready, but Alek had already devoured almost the entire fruit tray. He collapsed into a chair, chewing slowly. The reality of everything that had happened was beginning to settle in, along with an uncomfortable feeling that this "journey" wouldn't be the last.