Kaleb lay in his bed, twisting and turning restlessly, muttering strange words until finally, he awakens. swiftly sitting up.

"What the hell?' he exclaimed, his voice low and shaky, "Was that... a nightmare?"

The memory had already begun slipping away, fragments scattered like leaves in the wind. But what lingered was the feeling—the suffocating dread, and the faint echo of something, or someone, calling out to him.

An alarm began blaring, he glanced to his bedside and on top of a small chest of drawers sat a small digital clock. And on its screen, the time read 7:32.

His eyes widen and he threw off the covers, swung his legs over the edge of the bed, scrambling to get dressed.

He grabbed a shirt from the floor, shook it out, and yanked it over his head, not caring about the many wrinkles. 

Already wearing pants, he stumbled around, searching for his other shoe and muttering curses under his breath as he hopped on one foot, struggling to put it on.

A couple minutes later, finally dressed, he grabbed his bag from a rack by the door, threw it over his shoulder, and rushed out the door, not sparing a thought for breakfast, bursting out of the shabby and run down apartment building into the crisp morning air.

His heart pounded in rhythm with his footsteps as he rushed down the sidewalk and toward the bus station, eyes darting to the screen of his phone, on it, the time read 7:39. 

'I can still make it,' 

His pace quickened as the station came into view. Just as he rounded the corner, the bus had rolled up to the curb, its engine roared to life as the doors swung shut.

"Hold on!" he yelled. But as if mocking him, the bus pulled away without a second glance.

He doubled over, hands on his knees, catching his breath. 

"Damn it..."

His phone buzzed in the pocket of his blazer. He reached for it and upon seeing the name on the screen, he clicked his tongue

"Shit, it's the boss!"

He took a moment to decide whether to answer the call and after realizing he would be in even more trouble if he chose not to, he answered. But the moment he did, his ears were assaulted.

Kaleb's heart raced as he received a furious call from his boss, who berated him for being late to work. He quickly scrambled for an excuse, claiming he was stuck in traffic.

Despite his apologies, the man showed no sympathy, threatening to fire Kaleb if he didn't arrive soon. The call ended abruptly, leaving Kaleb anxious and desperate to make it to work on time.

'He sounded like he meant it this time!' 

Kaleb thought as he scanned his surroundings. 

'If I take thee regular route, there's no way I get there on time!' 

He sped down the sidewalk, weaving past everyone in sight, his mind raced alongside his feet, desperately calculating the time he had left.

The city around him buzzed with morning energy, but all he could focus on was the clock ticking down Suddenly, his gaze caught a glimpse of a narrow alleyway between two buildings just ahead. It was partially obscured by shadows, the entrance framed by brick walls covered in faded graffiti. 

He skidded to a halt, his shoes screeching against the pavement as he reached its entrance and hesitated for a moment, the noise of the street behind him fading into a dull roar, and then made a quick decision. 

"If I take this alleyway, I might be able to make it," 

He sprinted down the alleyway, his breath coming in ragged gasps, when suddenly, the ground beneath his feet began to shudder ominously.

Kaleb skids to a halt once more as a slight tremor rippled through the pavement.

"What the…?"

Looking down, his eyes widen in alarm as he notices glowing lines snaking around him and tracing a circular pattern on the ground. The lines pulse with an eerie blue light, growing brighter with each passing second. The tremor deepened into a rumble, and the vibrations intensified, making his legs feel unsteady.

Suddenly, with a deafening crack, the ground gives way, and a dark pit bursts open beneath him, pulling him downward.

He tried to scream, but it was futile. His voice was swallowed by the void as he was pulled through. The feeling of weightlessness overtakes him as he tumbles deeper finding himself in what seems to be an empty void

But then, a warmth broke through the cold dark.

Turning toward it, Kaleb saw a golden light flickering in the distance. It was faint at first, but it grew brighter, more intense, calling to him like the beacon of a lighthouse in the night. Compelled, he moved through the void and toward it.

The light expanded, wrapping around him, and in an instant, it engulfed him and the void entirely. 

He spiraled deeper into the void and the pain intensified until, finally, his vision went dark.

***

"Aargh... my head!" 

Kaleb's was stirred awake and his senses gradually flickered to life.

A dull throbbing pulsed in his head, like a relentless drumbeat. The world around him swayed and blurred and with a groan, he sat up clutching his head. Colors blend into a hazy canvas of greens and browns. 

He blinked slowly, trying to coax his vision into clarity. With each blink, the scene sharpened and his mind raced, as fragments of the past few moments swirled like leaves caught in a gust of wind. The disorientation wrapped around him, tightening its grip.

"That's right, I fell into that hole in the ground,"

A breeze brushed against his face, carrying with it an earthy scent, that was both foreign and invigorating. He looked around, and shock washed over him like a cold wave. 

"A forest? How did I end up here? I was just in the city" 

Towering trees loomed around him, their trunks thick and gnarled, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. 

"Did someone find me unconscious in that alley and move me here?" 

Kaleb pushed himself to his feet, his legs shaky as he took in the scene, his mind struggling to connect the dots. City life felt like a distant memory now, replaced by the rustle of leaves and the occasional chirp of birds.

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to piece together the puzzle of how he found himself here when only moments ago, he had been running through an alley in the city.

Confusion and panic surged through him as he scrambled to his feet, looking around at the unfamiliar landscape. He squinted against the light, hand raised to shield his eyes. For a moment, everything seemed normal, the sun overhead, glaring and bright. But as his eyes adjusted, he blinked again, noticing something off. A second light source, dimmer and reddish, hung in the sky beside the familiar yellow orb.

"This can't be real!" 

His heart pounded against his chest, each beat echoing louder than the last in his ears as he struggled to make sense of the impossible sight before him. He pulled his gaze down, hoping for something familiar, but the world around him was just as alien.

The trees were massive, twisting and gnarled in ways that defied nature. Their leaves shimmered unnaturally, catching the sunlight in rippling hues he'd never seen before. 

He took a step back, his breath quickening as reality sank in, this wasn't the world he knew. The underbrush was thick and full of twisted vines and strange illuminated flowers that pulsed faintly as the wind brushed against them.

The sound of birds chirping echoed through the forest, tightening his agitation. 

"Where the hell am I?"

He'd fallen into that hole, yes, but normally if you fall into a hole in the city, you would likely end up in the sewers, but this... this wasn't the city. This wasn't anything he knew.

The world he had known seemed like a distant memory now, swallowed by the vastness of an alien sky.

Suddenly, a roar pierced the air, sending a jolt of fear through him, and without a second thought, he bolted, driven purely by instinct. Stumbling through the dense, alien forest, sweat dripped down his forehead as he pushed past unfamiliar foliage, his eyes darting wildly around him. Every direction he turned looked the same, endless rows of alien trees.

Panic rose in his throat as he ran through before tripping over a root and crashing to the ground with a grunt. A sharp pain shot through his palms, causing him to wince.

'What is going on?'

He thought as he lay there looking up at the foreign sky. His breathing was ragged, and his mind raced as he racked his brain, trying to understand how he ended up here.

The faint sound of clanging metal echoed through the forest, catching his attention. 

'What's that?"'

He followed the faint sounds, each clang drawing him deeper into the unknown. As he neared, the noises grew sharper, metal striking metal, followed by shouts that echoed through the strange forest. The faint smell of burning wood drifted toward him, mixing with the earthy scent of the trees. 

"What the hell's going on out here?"

He muttered pushing a few branches aside as he reached a clearing.

Before him lay a scene of devastation. What seemed like a village had been reduced to a smoldering wasteland. Flames devoured the huts, as thick smoke rose into the sky. The ground was strewn with lifeless bodies, as armed men, their faces concealed by masks, marched among the ruins. 

Women and children were herded together like cattle, while the men were executed without mercy. Kaleb stood at the edge of the carnage, his body frozen in place, his mind reeling. His breath caught in his throat, and the question tumbled from his lips.

"Is this... a nightmare?" 

He pinched himself hoping to wake up on his bed and realize this was all just a bad dream, but the terrifying reality refused to fade

Suddenly, two men crash to the ground in a violent struggle as they grapple for dominance, their movements frantic and forceful, muscles straining and breaths ragged as they fight with everything they have, their grunts and the dull thuds of fists landing on flesh filling the tense air.

"Help me!" One shrieked, his voice a pleading wail. His wide, terrified eyes locked onto Kaleb, who stood frozen just a few feet away.

The man's desperate cry pierced Kaleb's chest like a dagger. He took an unsteady step forward, his hands trembling at his sides.

'Do something!' his mind screamed, but his feet felt rooted to the ground, one of them being part of the masked assailants.

Then, with a shaky breath, he picked up a nearby branch, holding it like a weapon, he raised it over his head, but as he did, the masked man plunged a blade into the other's neck.

Blood sprayed from the mans throat like a fountain across the dirt.

Kaleb dropped the branch as his breath caught. The murderer turned, locking eyes with him, and all his courage drained away like water through a sieve.

The man got up, his eyes narrowing as he scanned Kaleb with curious eyes.

"What are you supposed to be?" he sneered, his tone dripping with contempt.

He stepped closer, his heavy boots crunching on the dirt, and leaned in, scrutinizing Kaleb's unusual appearance.

Frozen by fear, he didn't respond.

"Cat got your tongue?" he taunted, stepping closer.

When Kaleb still didn't respond, the man grabbed him roughly by the arm. His grip was like iron, and Kaleb winced but offered no resistance, his mind too clouded with panic to act.

"You're coming with me," the man barked, dragging Kaleb away without a second glance.

The cart loomed ahead, its wooden frame battered and smeared with dirt. The murderer shoved Kaleb forward, forcing him up into the cart's cramped interior. Inside, several women huddled together, their faces pale and streaked with tears, their bodies trembling as if the air itself carried terror.

"Come on boys, wrap it up! We've got what we came for,"