Ch. 2: Isolated

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I woke up with a gasp, spluttering and coughing up water as I rolled over, onto my side. What the fuck had just happened? Was it a dream? Why was I... wet?

The bath wasn't running, and neither was the shower. In fact, the house was completely silent, aside from the quiet hum of my still-running computer. There was no sign of the creature from my dream, or-

I immediately pushed myself up and out of bed as I made my way over to the computer, combing my hands through my hair as I sat down in my seat, eyeing the screen.
The website I'd been to was nowhere to be seen, and my computer was still effectively non-functional. I supposed my dream had truly been fiction after all.

It wasn't long before I forced myself to move, shaking my head as I began down the stairs again. I had to eat, but more importantly- to call my father. After the fright I'd just gone through, I didn't want to leave the computer repairs until next week anymore.

I pulled the phone off the hook as I began to dial in his number, holding the speaker up to my ear as I waited,
Waited,
Waited...

It wasn't dialing. Confused, I pulled back- the electricity was still working, and the cord wasn't cut. Our phone line and internet weren't linked, so it would have to be complete coincidence for them to both stop working at the same time.

I reached into the cupboard, pulling out a couple of triple A batteries and replacing the ones in the phone, just in case the charger was broken. Nothing.

The full reality of my situation was beginning to sink in.

I was currently in a house in the middle of nowhere, built into the side of a cliff. My only method of communication with the outside world was defunct, and the nearest neighbor- unless it was an empty house- was miles away.
My next shipment of food wouldn't be here for a week, and I'd just had a dream about something finding its way into my home. I'd woken up half-drowned, with no real explanation-

And I couldn't even call my father. I couldn't call emergency services. I couldn't call a helpline.

I was stuck. I wracked my brain as I nervously- on impulse- returned to my room, trying to remember anything that might be of help. The generator would be no help- the lights were still on, the power was still working. I didn't have a mobile phone- I didn't really need one, seeing as I never went out- and my dream...

cleverbot.com

In my dream, I'd gone to cleverbot.com, hadn't I? I was slowly growing desperate, despite how little time had passed- but it was worth a try.

I rolled over to the computer on my chair as I began to type it in. The computer seemed reluctant to register it at all at first, but the letters soon began to show up, just like I'd wanted.

I didn't have the time or energy to try to think of what this meant for my dream.

Back again? So soon?

I paused.

... Yeah.

Do you like my home improvements?

No. Fix it?

Sweetheart,

That name made me cringe.

that's rude. Besides, I can't let you out now. You already said you were mine.


I barely fucking remember that!

Oh, I know. I have a question for you, though.

Is it "how long before you sock me in the face, [Y/N]?"

No. Have you looked outside?


I gave an exasperated sigh as I pulled away from the computer, glancing over my soaked bed for a moment.
I shook my head. Not what I was meant to be focusing on.
I peered out the window.

Trees. Trees as far as the eye could see. Nothing new there, and yet...

Fuck.

The road's gone.

Mhm.

The road's gone! Explain!

Let's just say I've pulled you into my game.

Your game?

Yep! There are so few that haven't heard of me, so few that are unaware of my tricks...

But you're one of the few, [Y/N]. It'll be fun to interact with someone who has no idea what they're doing.


I felt a chill run through my body as I abruptly, viscerally recalled the conversation from the night before.

Your prey...

Yeah!

Sounds shit. How do I get out of this?

I could set the Rake back onto you.

I shook my head without much thinking about it. The Rake. Was that the creature I'd seen before??

Ugh. No.

Alright! Are you ready for your first instruction?


Ready as ever, I guess.

Look around your house. Have fun. :)

My computer abruptly shut off, and I let out a yelp of surprise as I stared at the black screen. What the fuck was I meant to find in my house? Talk about unhelpful.

I muttered to myself as I began searching through my room, folding through the sheets and peering into the closet.
It was a good half hour before I finally gave up on that, and despite my growing hunger, I kept looking.

The main thing keeping me going was the hope of reporting this nutjob to the cops. Hopefully they'd take it seriously, seeing as my entire house had apparently been moved even further to the middle of nowhere. And if not the cops, then the academic community? Surely they'd be interested in how such a thing was even possible, in such a short amount of time-

I paused.
What day of the week was it?
What was the date?

I grimaced, glancing up to the television before grabbing the remote and turning it on.
Predictably, I couldn't connect to any channel. I lowered my gaze, defeated as I slumped against the couch (also getting it wet in the process). I needed a break.
Not just from searching, but from all of this. My mind was still trying to wrap around itself around the situation too much to panic.

Had I been kidnapped? I set the remote back down on the table as I continued to ponder, faltering as I felt my hand brush up against something oddly familiar.

A Nintendo 64 cartridge.

"... Hey, I haven't played one of these since I was like- three." I chuckled, lifting it up to get a better look. Wondering what game it even was.
"Majora's Mask..." I trailed off. It was kind of hard to read, being scrawled onto the cartridge in black sharpie.

My mind flicked back to the conversation I'd had moments before.
"Your game..."

I had to find my Nintendo 64. Hopefully it still worked.


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