2 Village of the Lost Souls

Larry was fascinated. 'This dream's so realistic. I can even meddle with it.'

Excited, Larry swiped the hologram up and like changing channels on an old TV, it flickered a little bit and showed another image.

YOU'RE CURRENTLY IN THE VILLAGE OF THE LOST SOULS.

THIS VILLAGE USED TO BE BUSTLING WITH PEOPLE. BUT ONE DAY, THEY SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN.

LEARN THE MYSTERY BEHIND THIS PHENOMENON. WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? WAS THEIR DISAPPEARANCE SIMPLY A FACADE TO BURRY AN UGLY TRUTH INTO OBLIVION? OR WAS IT THE WORKS OF SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL?

EASY: FIND A COPPER KEY. THERE ARE AS MANY KEYS AS THERE ARE HOUSES IN THIS VILLAGE. BUT FIND THE ONE WITH SKULL ENGRAVINGS ON IT. [5 POINTS]

DIFFICULT: IN ONE OF THE HOUSES, YOU WILL FIND AN URN OF AN OLD MAN. TAKE IT WITH YOU AND BRING IT TO HIS GRANDDAUGHTER'S GRAVE. [10 POINTS]

EXTREME: NICOLAI CELESTE'S BODY WAS STOLEN FROM THE GRAVE. FIND HIS BODY IN ONE OF THE HOUSES' BASEMENTS AND RETURN IT TO HIS GRAVE. [15 POINTS]

[YOU MAY CHOOSE TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THIS SCENARIO HOWEVER, YOU CAN NOT LEAVE THIS VILLAGE. AND IF THE BELL RANG AND YOU HAVEN'T ACCOMPLISHED ANY TASK, BRACE YOURSELF FOR A GHOUL WILL COME AND HUNT YOU UNTIL THE BELL RANG AGAIN. GOOD LUCK AND DO YOUR BEST TO SURVIVE TONIGHT. DON'T DIE.]

— NIGHTS WITH THE FOOLS —

Probably sensing that he was done reading, the hologram disappeared. It's just him and Garry now.

'Cool! It's like I'm inside of a game,' he thought. 'And a scary one too!'

Though Larry doesn't really get what was happening on that first night, he thought he might just enjoy the moment and decided to participate in the so-called game.

He stared at Garry for a while, thinking how he should address the toy he used to drag around their house as a kid and is now alive and most probably, understands him on a humanly level.

"Can — Can you understand me, Garry?" he asked. Garry nodded at him. And with that, he assumed Garry is indeed conscious but doesn't have the ability to speak.

"Okay! So where should we start?" he asked no one in particular.

He scanned the surroundings and realized how big this place really is. He thought about the scenario and probably a minute later, he decided he should familiarize the place first.

"Garry, do you have a map of this place?" The toy shook its head in response. "Well, that's sad. Let's explore a little, okay?" Garry nodded.

He began walking. Into the rows of brick houses he goes. "What a shame. I would've loved to see what's inside these houses if it weren't too dark inside," he muttered to himself.

He continued to walk ahead. The utter silence was slowly creeping into him. He never liked silence even as a kid. It always made him feel alone. And although he's aware he was only dreaming, fear slowly crept inside him. And that's when Garry tugged the hem of his shirt, again. He looked down at the toy and it pointed to the dog tag necklace that was in his hand since a while ago.

"Ah! You want to have it back?" Garry shook its head and pointed its neck. "You wanna wear it?" Garry shook its head again and pointed its arm to Larry. "You want me to wear it?" Only then did the toy nod.

Larry wore the dog tag necklace like Garry told him to do. And that short interaction eased his tension a little bit.

They resumed moving forward until he heard a soft metal screech. That frightened Larry a little bit that he unconsciously grabbed Garry that was beside him. He looked in the direction it was coming from. And not too far from where they were is an enormous metal gate. It was open and swinging lightly as if inviting them to come inside.

"Well, anyone would be scared of that," he said. "Should we go there, Garry?" The toy shrugged.

"You want me to decide eh?" The toy nodded.

"Okay, let's go there."

They headed there together and as they went nearer, the screeching became more pronounced and distinct. "VERY realistic for a dream, I would say." Larry said before going inside. Garry strode behind him.

And exactly soon after they stepped inside, the gate closed on its own. As if it swallowed them. It was too late for Larry when he realized that they were in a graveyard.

"HA! And you're telling me we're trapped with a bunch of dead bodies?"

Larry tried shaking the gate and pulling the latch but it refuses to move. "Now what?"

With a sigh of defeat, he turned his back on the gate and decided to just let it be.

'It's just a dream anyway. No harm done.' He told himself inwardly. But it's actually more to convince himself.