The young man was sitting on a log. In front of him was a bright flickering fire, sharing with him some warmth and light in this cold forest.
He had already put that cabin far behind him, along with the disquiet that letter had given him. Choosing to leave after spending a single night, he only took what he needed for the road ahead.
Although the cabin bore the likeness of traditional ones (if you ignored its craftsmanship, since it looked as if its owner had built it after watching a DIY video), it remained small and cramped — the ceiling was too low compared to Svak's stature. That wouldn't do. In order to truly walk the selfish path, he had to seek a grander, more luxurious place.
Speaking of the cabin, Svak was lost in the taste of a fruit strange to him, picked from the trees within the cabin grounds.
It was shaped like a perfect European pear. The outer layer like fish scales — painted with inky violet. The interior was filled with relatively large seeds, and the white pulp incredibly creamy and rich, exceeding all his expectations.
⸤This turned out to be so much fun. I really should've gone hiking and camping often back then, enjoying the food and the scenery nature has to offer.⸣
⸤Psh, I should stop complaining — after all, I can try all this now. I'm free...⸣
...
The forest's light was gradually dimming, the night descending without consent of the living. Sleeping now in the open was foolish, and what made him more cautious was the fact he hadn't yet seen any animal, not even insects. It was simply too unsettling. Thus, he only could press on.
—Hmpf, as if I didn't have enough all-nighters in my days.
Sunrise approached. Mood still cobalt blue. The haze engulfed the moderately dense forest. Thin, dark, straight trees touched the sky. Short, green grass, emanating petrichor.
Svak was completely spent, hauling his body along — sluggish still. It was as though the forest was never-ending, keeping him in.
In hopes of finding a way out of this somber cage, he wondered whether he should alter his course. And as he deliberated, a loud cry echoed through the forest, sending chills down his spine.
Jarring, the wail hammered against his eardrums and seized his heart in an instant. If he were to describe it, he'd say it was akin to a bobcat's cry — but even deeper in pitch.
This was enough to freeze any soul, coward or brave, casting them into an instinctive shiver. However, even without a potent weapon he could rely on, Svak had his steel, calming his heart eventually.
—Whatever this is, it likely spotted me. I must stand still. No— I better run! Damn it, there's nowhere I can hide... His eyes darted.
Making his first move, he hurriedly picked up some stones and threw them in every direction, except for the one he planned to run towards.
He bolted — Lungs searing like a furnace, but he forced each breath to be shallow, trading speed for silence.
Uncertain whether it was the right call or not, he kept pushing his already exhausted body anyway, staying sharp and focused on any sudden changes, ready to react.
Heavy and quick stomps were heard. He wasn't able to pinpoint where they came from — right, left, behind or in front — nor could he tell if they were approaching or moving away. Relentless pursuit!
The chase had barely begun before events took a radical turn. His gaze snatched fleeting flashes of the trees that barred his path. After one particular blink, those flashes became a requiem — the creature that had been pursuing him was suddenly standing before him, revealing itself.
Blocking his path with a harrowing figure, he stopped abruptly, sweat on his face, not even sure what expression to wear.
The creature was unlike anything he'd ever seen — triple his size, an abomination made of piles of flesh. Its shape could hardly be described, but it resembled a large, standing Komodo dragon. Instead of limbs, two black bones anchored it to the ground.
Its belly was open as if it had walked away mid-surgery, the rib cage so wide and open, and the rib bones inverted — stretching outside of its body like a withering flower.
The organs were visible — all piled on top of each other, leaning on the right side wall of the stomach's inside, held from tipping over with the help of what appeared like a firm diaphragm. And this terror had neither a head nor an eye.
For a dozen breaths it just stood there, strangely calm, not moving or making any noise.
Without a whisper, the young man's wrist was sliced open. He couldn't even process how it happened. A deep cut reaching two vital arteries — the radial and the ulnar arteries. Blood sprayed violently in bursts, synchronising with his own heartbeat.
⸤Argh!⸣ he clenched his teeth and held his wrist tight, pained and shocked.
The beast didn't react, it seemed to be waiting for this weak prey's inevitable succumbing, struggling at the door of death like slaughtered sheep, thrashing about frantically.
But eventually, he stopped gripping his wrist and grappling with death. Arms dropped loose, and blood still oozing.
There was no reason to keep screaming — not because the pain had faded, nor because he thought himself braver, but simply out of disappointment. His hopes were shattered not even a day after what he thought was his second chance in life.
He was sorrowful. He was devastated. Yet soon, he gave a bitter smile.
The world started spinning. He collapsed, falling face-first onto the dew-kissed earth.
At last, his vision went blurry, the only thing he could see was a black screen. So, is this death? Only nothingness remains?
...
—It was too good to be true, heh.
—Fine, it doesn't matter.
—Sigh... I always knew, I always knew how weak and insignificant I really was. Just too fragile. Flesh and bones, a single wound ended it all...
A faint, shaky laugh slipped out, collapsing into suppressed sobs...
...
—Before I was, I was not. I was born; now I'll die. Many questions I asked — what's next? Do I even want to know? To be or cease to be — the answer, alas or hooray — is in front of me.
...
—Huh? A voiceless tremor in a hollow mind.
—Where am I? I can't see at all. It's so quiet here. What the hell is going on?
Bereft of hearing his own heartbeat. Incapable of gasping for air or yelling for help since his mouth was no longer there. Unable to smell any kind of scent, the only thing he had was his thoughts and the tactile sensation.
He could feel tight cuffs around his legs, rigid chains of steel wrapping his arms and lower back, thus it was impossible to move a single step.
His body was both tangible and intangible at the same time. He felt hollow, as if he was not made of anything. Yet he could feel those chains restricting his movement.
He was merely a soul, not in its true form, but one shaped solely to savour great ordeals thoroughly: a likeness of a real human, yet without facial features, bones, or flesh. It was akin to a snake's molt.
Despite the overwhelming stress, not a single drop of sweat escaped his skin as if his pores were sealed shut from the terror of what's coming next.
After an unimaginable amount of time passed, the chains and cuffs suddenly began heating, burning him alive while he couldn't even scream to lessen the pain.
—It hurts!
But the burning sensation should've long ceased, if he had flesh and pain receptors, as they would've gotten utterly decimated by now. On the contrary, it lasted for what seemed to be an eternity, since what was really getting burned was the soul itself, which did not abide by ordinary logic.
And when he believed it couldn't get any worse, the chains started moving, stretching his spirit in multiple directions, without his arms being ripped apart — as if they were inseparable from his body. Thus, his whole soul expanded till he thought he occupied the universe whole.
Yet there was always something next — even crueler and harsher than the former. Freezing to the point of no return, and collapsing into a singularity point, beyond the event horizon. It was as though he was merely a puppet — played, meddled with, and crushed. And without an end in sight he thought:
—When will this hell end... Maybe I deserve such a fate. I assumed I was entitled to a happy ending after all that devotion. But I was just naive. My life couldn't be more... ironic.
His vision slowly returned, just to witness the sharpest blade near his neck.
⸢................................................................................... ⸥
Before his falling head could hit the blurry surface below, he instantly woke up to find himself in the same spot where the terrifying creature had ambushed him.
At that moment, he understood that somehow he — defied death itself.