I felt like I was in a horror movie, one of the most terrifying of the year. However, to break the spell of my imagination, a young woman with a serious look and short, Japanese-style hair looked at me with curiosity and introduced herself.
"I'm Hana. But, 'New World'? Do you believe in that?"
"Well, considering we're all here, I'd say yes," I replied with a nervous smile.
"You're telling me this place is called the New World? This godforsaken place is more like the Old World," Will questioned and joked.
"But the Old World is Europe; it already exists," commented a young man with messy hair, glasses, and a timid posture.
"Shut up, Tom. Europe is the Old Continent, you idiot," Will retorted before laughing at Tom's geography mistake. It was a geography mistake, right?
An older man, obviously the oldest in the group, with a gray beard and a calm demeanor, spoke in a measured tone.
"My name is Joseph, kid. You know, we've seen stranger things than you. So, welcome, Phil. We'll find a way to get out of here together."
"Oh, that's good, Joseph. And thanks for saying you've seen stranger things than me. If it were the other way around, honestly, that wouldn't be good to hear."
Laura nodded.
"We're trying to reach the north of the city. We believe the exit is there. We need to move quickly and avoid the Gyakus."
"Gyakus? The same monsters that appear in our world? They're here too?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, but they're different. It's like those monsters you see in Japanese horror movies?" Will explained. "It's like that, but much worse."
I nodded, trying not to let my panic show.
"Well, I've always been a fan of horror movies... but watching, not participating."
"No need to be so scared; sometimes some pretty wild women show up here," Tom said, with a sideways smile, thinking he was cool.
"Don't listen to this fool, Phil. Those women usually have no teeth and are dirtier than garbage bags," Will told me.
"Okay, everyone. Enough distraction, let's keep moving!" Laura shouted.
She came over to me and said, placing her right hand on my left shoulder.
"You're in the group. Let's go, these streets are longer than they look."
As we walked through the city's old stone streets, Laura explained more about the plan.
"There are rumors of a factory in the north of the city that has something that can help us get out. We've followed the runes we've found so far, and everything points to us being on the right track."
"Rumors?" I was confused.
"It was a guy who told us, his name was Henry... that guy was crazy, he'd enter houses, warehouses, and churches like a madman. He was cool," Will said, smiling at the memories.
"Henry... Yeah, he was with me."
Laura stopped walking and asked.
"Where is he? Why wasn't he with you?"
"He... died."
"Tsk."
The mood soured, as not just I, but even Laura apparently saw Henry as some sort of super-important guide.
"Damn it," I thought repeatedly as we walked.
Deep down, I knew things couldn't get worse because if they did, we would all die in this place. Seriously, that scene of the old man being devoured from the inside out still haunted my mind.
But even though my confidence was low and my hopes were crumbling, I quickened my pace to walk alongside Laura, who was always at the front of the group.
I looked at her and decided to share my observation about heading north towards the factory.
"Laura, before I found you, I was in a park. There was a strong wind, but I noticed something strange there. The wind always blows in one direction. Maybe we should consider going that way. It could be where the exit is, what do you think?"
Still walking, she reflected on what I said.
"That's a good observation, Phil. But all the clues we have so far point north. Let's continue in this direction for now. If we don't find anything, we'll reconsider."
"Alright."
Suddenly, I felt something strange in the air. A red drop fell on my hand.
"Ouch! What the hell is this drop?"
"What happened?" Laura asked me.
I looked up, and before I could process what was happening, it started to rain heavily.
It wasn't ordinary rain; it was red and different.
"Damn it! This is acid!" I shouted, feeling the drops burning my skin.
The drops burned where they touched, leaving smoking marks on the ground.
Laura, with impressive speed, guided us under the awnings of some abandoned shops. We ran like mad, trying to escape the rain.
"Hurry! Here! Now!"
Desperation made us stumble over each other, but we kept moving, driven by survival instinct.
It was almost a race for life, no, it was the biggest race for life.