The next morning didn't feel special. No loud music. No warning. Just heat and dust and the same empty sky. Omar woke up first and complained about the sun, like it was his personal enemy. I told him if the sun could hear him, it would probably get angry and make it hotter.
We packed our bags again, even though we packed them yesterday. Somehow, it still felt like we forgot something. (Not we, he actually. Alzheimer Guy)
Probably something important. Or probably just snacks.
We didn't have a map. We didn't have a plan. Omar said that made it "an adventure." I said that just meant we were lost before we even started.
Still, we walked.
Not because we were brave.But because staying felt worse than not knowing.
Later, we walked in the opposite direction of the last game arenas—the stadium and the gas station. We didn't want to go back there. We wanted to see what else this place was hiding.
The city wasn't small, but it wasn't endless either. From where we stood, we could actually see the last building at the edge of the city. It looked huge, taller than the others, like it didn't belong with the rest. Even though it was far away, we could still see it clearly.
Omar said it was about three miles away. I didn't know how he guessed that, but it sounded far enough to make my legs tired just thinking about it.
The strange part was the air. It was clean. Too clean. The sky was bright, and there was no fog, no smoke, no dust in the way. The weather made everything sharp and clear, like someone had turned up the brightness on the world.
That big building just stood there. quietly. Waiting for us.
We headed toward the distant building, our steps slow but steady. The road felt quiet, too quiet. I kept looking at the sky, half-expecting something to change again.
"Omar," I said, breaking the silence. "When do you think the next game will start?"
He walked for a few seconds before answering. "I don't know. Maybe sooner."
"What if it starts while we're out here?" I asked. "What if the system pulls us back in the middle of the road?"
Omar stopped walking and looked at me. "Then we deal with it," he said simply. "We've dealt with worse."
"That's easy for you to say," I replied. "What if we're not ready?"
"We're never ready," he said. "But staying in one place won't make it better."
I kicked a small stone on the road. "I just don't like not knowing. It feels like we're walking into another trap."
Omar gave a small smile. "Maybe. But maybe we're walking toward answers."
I looked at the far building again. It still felt unreal. "You really think this is the right way?"
"It's the only way," he said. "If we want the truth, we have to move. Fear can't be the boss of us."
I nodded slowly. "Okay," I said. "Let's keep going."
All of a sudden, Omar stopped. Completely still. He raised his hand and silently told me to stop too.
"Do you feel that?" he whispered.
I shook my head. "Feel what?"
"Something's wrong," he said. "This place feels… fishy."
He looked around, then at me. "Do you have a rock?"
I kicked a small stone from the road and picked it up. "Here."
He tossed it forward. It flew ahead and landed. Nothing happened.
He walked a few steps, picked it up again, and threw it once more. Still nothing.
I was starting to think he was just being careful for no reason.
Then he threw it a third time.
The rock hit something solid and bounced back toward us.
I froze.
"There's nothing there," I said.
Omar slowly walked forward and waved his hand in the air. His hand stopped, like it hit invisible glass.
"It's a wall," he said quietly.
"But we can see through it," I replied, my voice low.
The road looked clear. The distant building was still there, about two miles away. Everything looked normal.
Except it wasn't.
"There's no way forward," Omar said. "Not from here."
I stared at the empty space in front of us. "So, what now?"
Omar took a small breath. Got back, picked up a flowerpot and threw it towards the wall. Suddenly the wall became black. Everything, including the sun above us disappeared. I couldn't see anything.
Suddenly It started glitching. It wasn't a wall. It was a big screen.
The sun we were complaining about was a lie.
I looked at Omar. He looked at me. We both realized instantly.
WE ARE TRAPPED.