Silence and tension filled the air as they walked toward the towering silver pillars, sharp stones gripped tight. The narrow path seemed to stretch into the unknown.
The rest were oblivious to the passing of time, only that starvation and exhaustion gnawed at them. Constant reminders that their time was running out.
They didn't even know if it was day or night.
Throughout the entire time, reality finally set in. The scenery remained static everywhere.
Dark sky.
Withered trees.
Lifeless earth.
And deafening silence.
If only the path extended even further, without end.
In their minds, no one knew whether their steps would end first. Or themselves.
Worse, their phones never worked, to begin with. They had no supplies, water, or food. Even their watches froze in time.
Thankfully, the weather was neither cold nor hot, if air even existed at all.
No one spoke. They remained trapped within their minds, except Kaelos. He stayed alert, constantly scouting for danger and clues.
His nerves were taut and his mind worked tirelessly, analyzing every abnormality. If there weren't any.
Kaelos remained calm. He tracked the passage of time, albeit imprecisely. His mind counted every second since the moment they walked.
With each passing hour, he made a light mark on his wrist.
At some point, he looked down and counted eighteen marks.
'21 hours…'
They had likely been here for more than a day, including the time passed being unconscious. Though, he didn't know how long, likely for several hours.
Realizing this, cracks finally appeared in his composure.
But Kaelos persevered.
They kept moving.
'22 hours…'
'23 hours…'
His wrist had begun to bleed.
'24 hours…'
'25 hours…'
Eventually, he lost track.
His steps faltered. His mind grew chaotic as weariness settled in.
With his perception distorted, a recent memory surfaced. He remembered the time they were headed to their college campus for the first time.
Kaelos felt proud. He had come so far.
His thoughts drifted deeper…
In his mind, he saw a narrow alleyway, dirt ground instead of concrete, and littered with random trash. The smell turned putrid. A nauseating mix of rot, urine, and decay hit his nose.
Kaelos' thoughts stopped at a small, dilapidated house. It was built from tarps, scrap wood, and rusty metal sheets. Outside were wooden carts, junked appliances, and heaps of garbage.
'Home…'
Inside, the space was suffocatingly small and crowded with old, recycled items. The ceiling was cracked wood and decayed. The floor was made of cheap wallpaper. And the neon blue walls were obnoxious to look at.
On the bed, he saw his grandmother and little brother, sleeping peacefully.
His grandmother was frail, her back bent with age and her face etched with deep wrinkles. Seeing this, it felt like something was stabbing straight into his heart.
He remembered how she had worked relentlessly, just to earn money for a far below minimum wage. Begging on the streets or scavenging recycled items, all together just for a single meal.
Sometimes it wasn't enough. They had to survive on leftover food from garbage sites, then cleaned and recooked for consumption.
His gaze turned to his younger brother, lying naked on the bed. The heat was unbearable, and the electric fan barely worked.
Just as his hand extended, a thud shattered his reverie.
His eyes snapped wide open. Kaelos spun around, nerves taut and ready to attack.
"I can't… no more," Xandrell collapsed, panting and trembling.
Kaelos sighed and his nerves calmed down.
They rushed to support him and guided him to a nearby tree. This moment grounded them all.
He helped Xandrell remove his shoes, exposing his swollen, battered feet. He massaged them as Xandrell grunted.
"Bear with it."
Xandrell nodded tightly.
"Guard us."
Kaelos stripped off his uniform, leaving a sleeveless white top.
Slowly, Kaelos wrapped Xandrell's feet. Xandrell bit his lip, suppressing the pain.
Kaelos looked at the others.
"Let's rest for now."
The rest nodded and they all settled under a nearby tree, watching all directions.
For a moment, silence lingered but it wasn't as heavy.
Perhaps Xandrell's collapse had jolted them awake. Or perhaps their minds had grown so weary. Either way, they knew they had to rest, both physically and mentally.
"So… we're really in another world," Joseph murmured.
"Are you dumb?" Alfonse finally spoke. "Want me to slap you awake?"
He raised his hand and made a slapping gesture.
"It's just surreal," Joseph said. "We were headed to school… now…"
No one could argue. The reality was hard to accept.
"Do you guys think… we'll make it back?" Rafael asked, voice faintly trembling. "Or even survive?
They weren't fighters and they weren't prepared.
And they were starving. Tired.
'Lola… Martin…'
Kaelos clenched his fists.
'No matter what…'
"When we get back," Joseph interrupted his thoughts again. "What do guys want to do?"
"I want to be rich," Kaelos replied without hesitation.
"Mmm, sleep," Rafael muttered.
"Play games," Xandrell added.
"I'll visit the church," Alfonse said. It was unknown if he was solemn or sarcastic.
"No more skipping prayers."
They all laughed, and the tension shattered.
"I want a girlfriend," Joseph said with a sigh.
Alfonse snorted.
Joseph gave him a middle finger, making him laugh even harder.
"At least I'm not in a cult." Joseph quipped.
Alfonse just smirked.
Everyone chuckled. They were used to this kind of banter.
For a moment, everyone forgot about their worries, and it was good.
"Alright, seriously—what are your dreams after college?" Joseph asked everyone, hoping to keep the mood light. "Me. I want to help out with my family's business."
"Make even more money."
"More sleep."
"Do art."
"Serve the church."
Joseph let out an exasperated sigh.
"Sometimes, you guys are hopeless to talk to."
With silence, their eyes began to droop, grips loosening on the stones in their hands.
Personal records have been updated.
"Joseph, for once, shut up," Alfonse cracked an eye.
But Joseph wasn't speaking. His expression was frozen.
Process completed.
The voice was cold. Robotic.
They all froze.
And their eyes met.
Access granted.
Only then did they realize.
The voice was inside their minds.