“-and never come back. Ever.”
The door slammed shut in front of me, the frigid blast biting into my cheeks. My legs trembled as I stood.
Shakily, I turned away and trudged out the yard, each step feeling burdened with hopelessness. It wasn’t long until the despondency twisted into boiling anger. Delicate flakes of snow flitted down from the starless sky, eliciting a slew of curses. Snow was a horrible omen if you didn’t have a home.
“Not that I ever had one anyway.” I spat, stomping down the road.
What kind of “home” tosses you out the moment you don’t meet their standards? A piercing cold was already beginning to seep through my threadbare clothes. If I wasn’t quick, I would end up as another problem to be swept under the rug. The temperature dropped as I walked, the insidious threads of desperation began to creep into my mind. My gaze panned across the street, searching for refuge.
Was there not a single abandoned tent, a dumpster- anything at all?
I paused at a sketchy alleyway, set between two dilapidated buildings of red brick. Large bags of trash were visible next to an overflowing bin. The tightly placed buildings could block a majority of the wind and snow while the bags would block the rest.
In short, it was the perfect place for a person like me to take shelter.
There was one problem.
I pinched my nose in disgust at the putrid stench of rot radiating from the trash bags. What irresponsible bastard dumps their trash and never takes it out?
With a grimace, I stepped into the pile and built up as many walls as I could. Slipping my backpack under my head, I tried to make myself as comfortable as I slept.
Eight hours later…6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0chvhjSCZw
Darkness greeted me when I woke up. Not too unusual, all things considered. However, the first thing I noticed was the distinct lack of rotten fish and excrement. The next thing I noticed was that it wasn’t the worn down dumpster or begrimed brick behind me, it was a roiling mass of chitin and venom.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1RulHgvDv
Spiders.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡburv9DHjTe
Despite the dim light, I could make things out more clearly now. Large egg sacs were scattered all over the cavern, wrapped around crumbling stalagmites and covered with sickly yellow fluid. The cave opened up into a branching tunnel of rough stone,, with holes carved into the sides.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLF9bb1mQRq
I broke out in a cold sweat. Was I kidnapped? Did they not like what they saw and just dumped me in a cave? Where am I?6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufSKoJvv0K
Those were questions that could be answered later, for now, getting away was much more important. Leaping out into the hallway, I chose a path at random and began sprinting for all I was worth. A sickening squelch sounded from under my boot, accompanied by a collective hiss from the darkness behind me. Looking behind me, the dark silhouette continued chasing me with bloodlust, hot on my trail. I watched as the gap between us became wider and wider, giving me a measure of safety. Pushing more energy into my legs, I ran. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmroHLDOMGb
And fell.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTsuVunxxZ
The world spun around me, robbing my lungs of breath. Pain blossomed in my lower jaw as it slammed down onto the stone floor.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvqfPcgL1R
Why is this happening now! I screamed in my mind. Scrambling to my feet, I saw shadows creep around me. With a violent roar, I swung around with my cheap nylon backpack, feeling it carve into the shadows. I didn’t look to view the damage, I just ran, backpack messily slung over my shoulder. My heart pounded in my chest, lungs burning with pain as my breath came out erratic and shallow. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOfzg9Xlco
The exit was only a few steps away, its harsh light blinding my eyes. I burst out into the open forest. Risking a glance, I looked back, expecting to see a carpet of spiders hot on my heels—6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bJKY3s8oW
A wave of terror washed over me. It wasn’t a swarm of spiders chasing me. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqE7N3zfqI
It was one.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOY8grllVG
A hulking monstrosity of a spider, over 2 meters tall, looming over me with venom dripping from serrated fangs. The clues were all in front of me and I ignored them. What species of spiders produced eggs that large? Cursing myself for my stupidity, I kept running.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaKf9vCFOz
Where in the world could you be chased by a monster straight out of an arachnophobes nightmare?6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5cuY0IMLZ
Jagged trees streaked by me as my eyes searched with desperation for somewhere I could hide or even fight back. My eyes caught onto a crevice on the face of a mountain, big enough for me to enter but small enough to keep the spider out. It wasn’t completely safe. Hells, it could even have an even worse horror in store for me. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCkpbxj2ZR
But what was there to lose?6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpc5moEmv3
With a scream, I forced my legs to move faster, pumping my arms in tandem. As I pulled closer to my salvation, the spider appeared to speed up, sensing their prey was about to escape.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLCK898d8B
My vision narrowed. I didn’t even notice the searing pain in my leg or the suffocating pressure in my chest. The moment I reached the safety of the crevasse, my legs gave out under me as vertigo overwhelmed my vision. Chest heaving, I felt bile rise up my throat and spew onto the floor. I attempted to catch myself with my hands, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t move. So there I lay, in a puddle of my own vomit.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiYAHZrCnR
Everything hurt.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwB3SYlvZfP
Now that the adrenaline left my system, I became acutely aware of the pains throughout my body. I tried to laugh at the absurdity of my situation but it came out as a dry cough. The tightness in my chest built as I curled into a ball. Tears welled up in my eyes, stinging the numerous cuts on my cheek. As I stilled, thousands of questions plagued my mind, asking and demanding information. Eventually, I felt my mind slip away into the dulling embrace of sleep.6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrrFp1roYL
The next day, I woke up to something strange.
[Congratulations. You have survived your first day on Crest]6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5TyqogBJo
[Basic system interface has been unlocked]6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHwxgVu7TV
[View your stat sheet for further information]
→ Request update
and then Add to home screen.