70. S: Black Card

“Escape.”

Muttering that word and smiling, I instantly jump through the door, escaping the red glow-filled corridor, but...

“Shi-...”

But it seems I overdid it. Recognizing that and cursing aloud, I quickly hug my head and then roll on the floor trying to slow myself. Nevertheless...

“Ghaa-...!!?”

... Failing to adapt to my increased agility again, I suddenly crash into a black pedestal by the center of the room, and then...

“DAMN, IT HURT.”

And then I scream and lie down on the ground hugging my head and feeling the big bump on it. But, haaaaa... Well, at least it seem I was right.

Thinking that and lying down, I slowly let go of my head and then feeling my exhausted body slowly recovering, I calmly stare at the ceiling. Nevertheless, I escaped...

“I really escaped... from that endless chase...”

I escaped... Repeating that thought in my head and deeply breathing, I relax. After all, I...

“I ESCAPED.”

Loudly saying so and finally realizing what happened, I... I absentmindedly stare at the ceiling, and then with my vision blurring, I slowly lose consciousness. After all, I have finally... esca-...

............

............

It was hard. That endless game of chase was truly hard... even when compared to that rhythm hell of before. Nevertheless, the hardship of that chase wasn’t the worst, no...

The worst part was how scary it was, to run forward knowing nothing await you there, to dare not look past lest you understand how futile escaping is, but more than anything, what was scariest was the helplessness and powerlessness felt when realizing that you... You can’t stop, and you shouldn’t stop, no matter what, no matter how, you, you... You should go on and on, losing your awareness but going on and on, losing consciousness but running forward, avoiding the pillars, killing the wolves, and then... repeat and repeat, while looking at the same scenery, while listening to the same tune, all I could do was... To lose myself and absentmindedly run, but at the very least now I...

“I... escaped?”

Questioning so and opening my eyes, I raise my head and touch it, but there is no bump anymore. So, I guess I healed. Understanding such and finally remembering where I am, I slowly sit on the floor and then look around, but...

“It's the same.”

The small white room, the black pedestal, and even the silver box, it’s the same as the previous room. Thinking that and standing in place, I swipe my hand in the air removing the highest score notification, and then glance at the room around me scanning it, but...

“Guess, this is the only difference.”

Muttering such and walking toward the pedestal in the middle of the room, I slowly look at the silver box, and then I glance at it floating above the box, that...

“Mirror?”

Tilting my head and saying that, I stretch my hand forward, but...

“it’s not exactly a mirror.”

Lowly muttering so and glancing at the black reflective card in my hand, I turn it back and check it, but it seems only one side is like a mirror, while the other only holds a picture of...

“A Red Moon and chains?”

Saying that and then looking at the card silently, I slowly put it aside and then reach for the silver box, but hey...

“Why is the card floating again?”

Asking that and feeling curious, I tap the card and touch it a few times, but even then it just floated there with no reaction. Then getting bored of it after a while, I just ignored it and reached for the box opening it, but...

“Is it a cake this time?”

Saying such and staring at the white cake in the box, I fall silent while also reading that line written on it, still...

[Advancing Forward Is Boring, So Put A Cake Ahead]

“Can’t this be a little more serious?”

Saying that and feeling speechless, I silently stare at the cake for a while, before then closing the box, holding it and the card tightly, and then turning around and slowly walking to the door, all as I ignore the new notifications filling my vision and also that other door suddenly appearing, and instead slowly walk back to my safe room... Nevertheless, it’s this... the clue that saved me from that endless running was this very situation, and also that ‘Escape’ notification too.

Still, I truly felt like losing my mind stuck in that corridor and forced to repeat the same chasing for hours, and maybe days. I am not sure, because time is kinda vague here.

But anyway. Getting stuck in a closed-up room and forced into a chase was really depressing that I felt like losing my mind. But guess, it was because of that foreign calmness, but at the very least I didn’t lose my mind... I only lost my motivation and drive. Actually, considering that I did try every trick but still couldn’t escape, then I better say my motivation and drive were consumed.

Consumed enough that all I could do was to lie there in my safe room, sometimes sleeps, sometimes train, and most of the time... just blankly stare in air, as I randomly play with the menu.

“Still, this menu is really something.”

Saying that and entering my safe room, I slowly walk forward while also checking all the changes and decorations I added these couple of... days?... Well, I am not sure, but anyway, it was that menu.

What saved me from boredom and depression was that menu and all the interesting things available on it, starting from a massage chair, a luxury bed, and scented candles, to things like gym equipment and random room themes, and even a highly detailed menu like the one from the weapon room... just this time, it’s for room decoration, paintings, and even sculptures... Honestly, it’s fun and addicting that I spent a lot of time on it. Either that or I was too stressed from the chasing that I subconsciously avoided it

But well, it can’t be helped. That chasing was just too tiring and no matter what I did it just won’t end, so... All I can do is to give up, that was the answer I reached, and surprisingly that was indeed the right answer.

At least I thought so at the time, but then I tried and failed. Whenever I tried to exit through the door, the chasing start, the wolves attack me and the red glow then erase us all. Honestly, that was depressing, but it was also a necessary step. Otherwise, I would have never paid attention to the wolves, I would have never remembered how weird the doors were, and I also would have never woken up from the illusion of this corridor...

“But well, in the end, I escaped. I mean, I should have thought about it from the beginning but the pillars and the wolves were distracting me, and so I never noticed...”

I never noticed the reason why that corridor seemed endless, why it felt depressing, and why it felt as if I never made any progress...

“It’s not that the corridor is endless, it’s just me that is stuck and lost as I force myself to repeat it... always failing to see the exit, and always missing my chance to give up...”

Not like I could take that chance and escape without a high level of agility and some luck, but...

“Anyway, now that I am out of that loop and that I got myself some points to spare, then...”

“I guess it’s time to check what this notebook is all about.”

Saying that and glancing at the desk in front of me, I calmly put the card and the silver box on it, then ignoring the card as it floats once more up, I look at the dark world around me and then... Finally, I reach for that ‘Yes’ awaiting me.