My eyes drift upwards through the forest's lively green canopy, towards the grey, cloud filled blue sky.
The tower looms above, casting its shadow down upon us like the husk of some long forgotten bastion.
It's old, splintered wooden beams, once proud and straight, seem to bow under the weight of the building's age. Even now, I hear the soft and quiet groans of its planks as the wind continues its relentless assault against the structure's frame. Moss and ivy weave through the towers skin, seemingly holding its walls together like an old, deteriorating band-aid, whose stickiness seems to be slowly wearing off.
For a moment, the men stare in awe, seemingly wondering the same thing as me.
Zane lowers his machete, his eyes fixed upward toward the waning building.
Elias exhales slowly, fixing his posture.
Dorian chews the inside of his cheek, suddenly quiet.
Even Theodore halts for a moment, watching it as if it were something half-alive.
His voice is quiet, barely above a whisper
"That building should not be standing."
I nod slowly, my eyes tracing its angles and fragile tilts.
"Alright, remember the plan. Y'all set up around here somewhere, I'll scout around and let you know what I find."
Zane looks at me, a flash of dedication and readiness in his eyes.
"Alright, let's go. Theodore, you watch out for anyone strolling too close. Dorian, Elias, and I will go find a discreet spot to set up camp."
With these words, I depart from my companions, making my way closer to the base of the building.
I raise my hand, parting the branches as I attempt to find a good spot from which to scout. I want to be far enough away from my companions, but close enough to the tower to use my special compass.
When traveling here, I made sure to test it on my companions, and sure enough, it worked, pointing to Zane, the closest person around.
Making my way through the shrubs I find a good spot. I lay on my belly, trying my best to stay hidden in the tall grass.
With this, I finally get a good look at the base of the old wooden watch tower.
It rests in the middle of a small clearing. Wooden crates and boxes are piled on the grassy path that leads towards the unsteady staircase leaning against the side of the tower.
Apart from the boxes and crates, the outside seems quite empty. There seems to be no one around.
I sit up, making sure that I'm still concealed under the high grass.
I unzip my bag, grabbing my compass
Lying on my stomach again, I take a glance at it.
It points straight north, right at the tower.
A tired sigh escapes from my lips. Just as I had expected, the tower was occupied.
...
I lay in the grass for hours, hoping to get a look at its occupier. The minutes stretch on, heavy with silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of the wind, and waning of the tower.
The grass itches my skin. I feel the ants and termites crawling across my body. It's disgusting. Time seems to slow as I wait, my muscles tensing from the stillness.
I take another look at my compass, only to find that it has moved. It no longer points north towards the tower, but behind me. South.
My heart skips
I quickly reach for my bow, knocking an arrow onto it as I roll around. Sweat drips down my neck. How did they get behind me? Do they actually know I'm here? Who even is it?
I hear footsteps approach. More than one.
Suddenly, a voice whispers nearby.
"Are you sure he's over here?"
"Yeah, I saw him going off in this direction." a familiar voice whispered back.
I hear them slithering through the tall grass, looking for me. Every second, it seems to grow louder.
A small shadow falls over me. They found me. I hold my breath, preparing myself as I wait for the man's head to peek over the tall grass.
I need to kill these guys. I can't die in some random simulation like this. My end can't be the same as a common criminals.
The shadow grows larger as they approach.
I don't want to die, but can I really kill the.
My head is split. I feel as if I'm being influenced by both an angel and a demon.
It feels as if the world is moving in slow motion, yet my mind feels like it's moving at the speed of light.
I catch a glimpse of the figure through the grass. They've found me.
I jolt up, releasing an arrow.
A loud, high-pitched, almost girlish scream rings out as the arrow grazes someone's cheek
"It's us dumbass!" the second man screams, gaining my attention.
It's only then that I recognize them. Elias and Dorian
"Holy shit," I breathe. "You scared me."
Elias, stares at me, wide-eyed
"You almost killed-"
"WHATS ALL THAT NOISE?!" a loud, almost inhuman scream screeches out from the watch tower.
I drop to the floor.
"Get down!"
I twist back towards the tower as a large figure stomps through the top doorway and begins descending the fragile stairs.
Elias and Dorian hit the grass beside me, vanishing from sight.
"What were you all doing?!" I ask, trying to keep my voice at a whisper.
"You were gone for hours. Zane was getting worried and asked us to look for you." Elias responds, still rattled.
I release a sigh, watching as the figure steps out of the tower's shadow, and into the sunlight.
He's massive. His face is puffy, round, and wrinkly.
His dark, greasy, and unkept hair falls over his forehead, a few strands sticking to his sweaty skin. His eyes seemed to scan the greenery surrounding the tower, looking for us. His prison clothes are tattered, stretched tight on his fat and round body. He has the look of a deadbeat, yet something feels off. Why was he here alone? There had to be more people right?
We watch the man as he roams around, looking for us.
"If you fools from Whiskey's crew are back here again, don't expect the Kernel to show you any mercy!"
Kernel? Who's the kernel?
Also, Whiskey? Whiskey's here?
I don't have time to think about it. The fat man is heading straight for us.