Ethan's stomach dropped.
A creature.
Something that shouldn't exist.
Its head was that of a goat, but horribly deformed. The skin was stretched unevenly, patches of flesh missing, revealing dark, unnatural veins pulsing underneath. Its eyes were hollow sockets, yet.
Ethan could feel them staring right at him.
From its skull-like face, two long horns curled outward, jagged and twisted, as if they had been grown wrong.
Its body was covered in thick, matted fur, like a yak, but smaller—compact yet powerful.
Despite its size, it stood taller than Ethan's 5'11 frame, its posture hunched, yet somehow imposing. And then—its hands.
Not hooves.
Not paws.
Claws.
Sharp, curved, almost draconic, like they were made to tear through flesh.
Its arms and legs were small, disproportionate to its bulky torso, yet something about them screamed strength.
The creature breathed in slowly, its hollow gaze locked onto Ethan.
The realization hit him.
It wasn't just standing there.
It was looking at him.
It knew he was there.
And Ethan?
He was completely trapped.
The moment the creature stepped into view, Ethan's entire body locked up.
His breath caught in his throat, his chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow gasps. Panic.
Pure, raw fear crawled through his veins like venom, paralyzing every muscle in his body.
His mind was screaming—flooded with thoughts he couldn't control.
"WHAT IS THIS THING?"
His legs refused to move, his body rooted to the spot as if he were being dragged into the ground by his own terror.
"SHOULD I RUN?"
The creature's hollow sockets were fixated on him, unmoving, unreadable—yet it was aware. It was watching.
"SHOULD I MOVE?"
His fingers twitched, but he didn't dare lift a foot.
The claws.
The horrific, draconic claws that looked like they could rip through flesh effortlessly.
"IT CAN KILL ME WITH ONE STRIKE."
His breathing became uneven, his stomach twisting in knots.
The creature stood still.
Waiting.
Watching.
"WHAT IF IT CHARGES AT ME?"
A single movement could be the difference between life and death.
Ethan swallowed hard, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt.
"WHAT IF IT JUST GOES AWAY IF I DON'T MOVE?"
His knees felt like they were about to give out.
His lungs burned, his mind racing at a speed he couldn't keep up with.
Every instinct screamed at him—
But what the hell was he supposed to do?
Ethan stood still, frozen in place.
But the creature—it wasn't moving either.
It just stood there.
Watching. Staring.
Its hollow sockets remained locked onto him, but there was no sudden movement, no attack, no aggression.
The panic in Ethan's chest slowly began to settle. His breathing, still shaky, started to slow down. His thoughts became clearer.
"Wait... is it even hostile?" It wasn't lunging. It wasn't baring its fangs or raising its claws.
It was just... there.
"Or..."
"Is it friendly?"
The thought alone made his stomach twist.
Could something so terrifying, so monstrous, so unnatural... actually be harmless? It didn't make sense.
His fingers curled into a fist as he debated with himself.
"What if I tried to pet it?"
The idea sounded insane. He swallowed hard, shaking his head.
No. That wasn't a risk worth taking.
Instead, he made a choice—he would just walk away.
The creature wasn't attacking. That meant if he moved slowly, carefully, it wouldn't see him as a threat.
Right?
Ethan exhaled, steadying himself.
"God help me."
And
then—he moved.
Just a single step.
To the left.
And that was when it happened. The creature's head tilted slightly, its body tensed, and then—
The creature bellowed with rage.
A deep, bone-rattling roar erupted from the creature's throat, shaking the very air around him.
It wasn't just a sound—it was a threat.
A warning.
Ethan's blood ran cold.
His instincts screamed at him.
Don't move.
Don't breathe.
Don't even exist.
And for the second time that night—
Ethan was completely, hopelessly trapped.
The roar was deafening.
A sound so deep, so monstrous, it rattled Ethan's bones.
His body reacted before his mind could. His foot slipped—
SPLASH.
The damp floor betrayed him. His legs gave out beneath him, his body collapsing hard onto the ground.
DUM.
A single, earth-shaking footstep. Then another.
DUM. DUM. DUM.
The sound boomed through the open space like a war drum, growing louder. Closer.
Faster.
Ethan's breath caught in his throat.
His arms scrambled against the wet floor, fingers slipping as he tried to push himself up.
"GET UP, GET UP, GET UP—"
A shadow loomed over him.
He didn't have time to look.
Didn't have time to think.
He forced his body upright, every muscle screaming in agony.
Then—he ran.
Hard.
Fast.
Like his life depended on it.
Because it did.
Despite using every ounce of strength left in him, his legs felt weak.
His stamina had already been drained. He had already pushed himself too far when he ran aimlessly before. His body fought against him, his lungs burned, his throat felt like sandpaper.
And then—a sharp, twisting pain shot through his side.
His liver.
The thirst, the exhaustion, the panic—it was all catching up to him.
But he couldn't stop.
Because behind him— The creature was closing in.
It didn't stop.
It wouldn't stop.
It was hunting him.
"FUCK!!! SOMEONE HELP!!"
His scream was hoarse, ripped from his throat in pure desperation.
But no one answered.
The only thing that responded— Was the creature's relentless footsteps.
DUM. DUM. DUM.
It wasn't losing speed.
It wasn't slowing down.
It was catching up.
Determined.
Focused.
Ready to kill.
"FUCK OFF, YOU UGLY SHIT!!"
His voice was raw, filled with rage and hopeless defiance.
"GET LOST! STOP CHASING ME! FUCK!!"
His legs felt like they were failing, the pain in his side sharpening with every breath. But the creature?
It wasn't tired.
And Ethan was running out of time.
Ethan's legs burned, every step feeling like he was dragging his own corpse forward. His lungs screamed for air, his throat dry and raw, but he had no choice—he had to keep running. But for how long?
His speed was dropping.
The creature's speed was increasing.
It wasn't tiring. It wasn't slowing down.
Ethan's body was falling apart.
"I can't outrun it forever."
The thought hit him like a brick.
He had to think.
Fast.
His eyes darted around, scanning the endless expanse of yellow walls—the ones randomly placed, serving no purpose, no structure.
Or maybe… they did.
Ethan's brain fired off an idea, even as his legs threatened to give out beneath him.
"I can't escape it… but maybe I can lose it."
"If I can weave through those walls… if I can make it crash into them… I'll get a moment
to breathe."
"A moment to think."
"A moment to survive."
His body was at its limit, but his mind was sharper than ever.
Plan.
Execute.
Survive.
He forced every ounce of his remaining strength into his muscles, pushing himself toward the nearest misplaced wall.
The creature roared behind him, deafening, its footsteps BOOMING louder, faster, stronger.
"It's closing in… too fast."
One mistake, one slip, and—he'd be dead.
The claws. The impossibly sharp claws. If they even scratched him—he wouldn't get back up.
Ethan gritted his teeth, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.
"Just one shot. One chance."
He sprinted straight toward the wall, the sound of rushing death right behind him. The air felt heavier, like something was pressing down on him.
"Timing. If I mess up the timing, I'm dead."
He rushed towards the wall.
The creature was right behind him.
He could almost feel its breath.
"NOW—"
At the last second, Ethan pivoted.
He turned sharply, slipping just behind the wall, letting his momentum carry him out of the creature's path.
CRASH!
DHHHUUUM!!!
The sound shook the entire space.
The creature slammed into the wall, its weight and speed making it collide with monstrous force.
Ethan gasped for air, his back pressed against the other side of the wall.
His arms trembled, his legs barely keeping him standing.
But it worked. It fucking worked.
He closed his eyes for a second, feeling the sharp sting of exhaustion crashing over him.
"I can't fight it. I can't outrun it."
"But I can out-think it."
He opened his eyes.
This wasn't about strength.
It was about using the environment.
And now… he knew exactly how to survive.
For now.
Ethan leaned against the wall, his chest rising and falling in deep, heavy breaths.
Ethan (panting): "I made it... I survived..."
The words barely felt real.
His legs burned, his lungs ached, and his body screamed for rest—but he was alive.
But then, a darker thought crept in.
"But maybe it isn't dead…" He swallowed,
his throat dry and sore.
"It looked strong… I don't think it'll die that easily."
His fingers twitched as he clenched his fists, his survival instincts now fully awake. This wasn't over.
He took another deep breath, steadying himself. The adrenaline rush was wearing off, but it had done its job—his legs no longer felt like they would collapse.
He could move again.
Think again.
Slowly, carefully, he crept toward the edge of the wall.
Ethan (muttering): "I really hope it's dead, man..."
But deep down, he already knew the answer.
His fingers tightly gripped the wall's rough surface as he peeked around the corner.
The creature was there.
And it was already standing.
Ethan's heart skipped a beat.
The beast shook its head, clouds of dust falling from its fur. Its long, jagged horns gleamed under the dim yellow lights. It was completely unharmed.
Ethan's breath hitched. He felt that same cold dread creeping up his spine, but he didn't move. He just watched.
The creature wasn't moving either.
It just stood there.
Like it was… waiting. Ethan's fingers twitched, his muscles tense as he whispered under his breath.
"Ugly..."
And then—
The creature's head SNAPPED toward him.
Fast.
Unnaturally fast.
Ethan stiffened, his pulse hammering in his ears.
But the creature… didn't move.
It just stared.
His breathing became uneven, but he fought against the urge to panic.
"Don't move."
"Don't fucking move."
Slowly, he pulled back behind the wall.
The moment he was out of sight, he peeked again.
The creature was still staring at the exact spot he had been in.
Not moving. Not advancing. Just locked in place. And then… something clicked in Ethan's mind.
"Wait…"
"It didn't move when I backed up against the wall."
His eyes widened.
"It doesn't move when I don't move."
A realization slammed into him like a train.
This thing—this monstrosity—was like a predator that hunted only moving prey.
If something moves, it chases.
If that moving object hides behind something still—it stops.
Like a game of red light, green light… except the price of losing was death.
Ethan grinned, for the first time in hours.
Not out of relief. Not out of safety.
But because—for once—he understood the rules.
Ethan (whispering, smirking): "I think I get it now… That has to be it."
His fingers relaxed.
His heart still pounded, but this time—not from fear.
From confidence.
He slowly turned his back on the creature, walking away carefully, step by step, making
sure the wall was always between them.
He wasn't running.
He wasn't panicking.
He was playing by the rules now. And now… He was going to find the exit.
"If there are monsters in this place… then there has to be an exit."
"Someone brought me here. Someone set this up."
"And when I find out who—"
"I'm going to punch them in the face."
Four Minutes Later
Ethan's stamina was failing again.
His legs felt heavy, his body aching all over. The momentary rush of confidence had worn off, and reality set in—he was still trapped in a nightmare. His head throbbed from exhaustion. His thirst was unbearable.
He knew he needed to rest—even just for a moment. His knees bent slightly, his body ready to collapse—
Then he heard them.
Footsteps.
But this time— They weren't monstrous.
They weren't inhuman.
They sounded normal.
Regular.
Familiar.
They were getting closer.
Ethan's eyes widened.
His body tensed.
His mind raced.
"Oh god… now who is it?"
The footsteps grew louder, approaching fast.
Ethan turned the corner—
And then he saw him.
A face he recognized.
A face he never thought he'd see again in this nightmare.
It was—
Karlos.