What kind of people?

I couldn't understand.

"What was that? What the hell."

After witnessing Henry die in such a horrific way, my only thought was to escape this city forever. I knew it wouldn't be easy, as nothing had been easy so far.

I raised my arms, stretching, and in that moment, I closed my eyes just to feel the strong and pleasant wind blowing.

However, I noticed something intriguing that couldn't be ignored.

"The wind!"

I opened my eyes and turned my face towards the wind.

"Henry said... that the wind usually comes from one place."

The wind always blew in one direction in this New World. I didn't know how vast this place was, but I certainly couldn't stand still for long. I grabbed my camera and the last snack I had left and started walking towards that direction.

Everything here seemed abnormal. I had the feeling that I wasn't getting anywhere, despite continuing to walk. It was a strange sensation, as if my senses were essentially useless.

After walking several kilometers, I reached a large park that seemed to be in the center of the city. I took the opportunity to sit on one of the long park benches. For a moment, I felt a slight peace, even in an abandoned world under a dying light.

Minutes passed, and I knew I couldn't waste too much time like this. But before getting up, I sensed a presence on my left. I was unexpectedly startled, followed by a deep breath that demonstrated my nervousness. The presence was of an elderly man, with a long beard reaching down to his chest.

He seemed healthy, so I politely asked him.

"Hello... Could you answer a question for me?"

The old man continued to look straight ahead, as if he didn't hear me. So I asked another question.

"Can you help me?"

Suddenly, an absurdly loud siren blared, making me cover my ears and close my eyes. The siren was silenced after twelve seconds. When I looked at the old man again, I saw strange creatures emerging from inside him – through his mouth, nose, and even his eyes.

At that moment, I realized I was in a place much more dangerous than I had imagined. My sanity was already in shreds. I saw an old man being devoured from the inside out by creatures that could only be described as nightmares. I was in a Victorian hell, and all I wanted was to get out of there.

I quickly got up and started running, aimlessly, with a mix of terror and adrenaline.

"What kind of hell is this place?"

I ran without stopping, feeling the cutting cold of the city and hearing increasingly terrifying noises around me. My heart was pounding so fast I could barely think. I reached a plaza, illuminated by old lampposts, and hid behind a gargoyle-shaped statue.

There, trying to catch my breath, I realized I needed a plan. I couldn't just keep running aimlessly. I had to find a way to get back home. I remembered Henry's words before everything went wrong.

"To return is easier because there is an exit."

"I wish he knew where that exit was, though."

As I tried to organize my thoughts, I heard footsteps.

"Damn. Please don't let it be those hand-creatures."

I hid better behind the statue, trying to see who was approaching. To my surprise, it was a group of people – not creatures, not monsters, but seemingly normal people. They carried flashlights, backpacks, and improvised weapons, as if they were on an expedition.

"A group?"

As they walked, my fear battled with my will to live.

"Should I go? Should I not? What if they're like those groups from The Walking Dead? Is it better to be cautious?"

But I gathered enough courage and stepped out from behind the statue, waving at them

"Hey! Over here!" I shouted, hoping they weren't hostile.

They turned quickly, pointing their flashlights and weapons in my direction.

"Who are you?" one of the men asked, with a suspicious look.

"I'm Phil. I just arrived here, kind of by accident. I'm trying to find a way out of this place."

The group, consisting of five members, relaxed a bit. A woman with a determined look and short hair, who seemed to be the leader, approached.

"My name is Laura. We've been here for weeks, trying to find an exit. This place is a labyrinth, but we believe we're getting close."

As the group observed me with their flashlights pointed at my face, I felt the need to say something to break the ice.

"I'm an amateur photographer," I said, trying to sound less desperate than I felt.

"A photographer, huh? That's useful... if we need photos for our horror album," Laura said with a half-ironic smile.

"Well, if you need someone to capture the beauty of this place," I gestured around, "I'm your guy. But I'd prefer we get out of here as soon as possible."

One of the men in the group, with an athletic build and keen eyes, laughed and spoke.

"This guy's funny. My name's Will, but seriously, how did you end up here?"

"Oh, you know," I began, trying to be more casual, "it was one of those typical nights. I was at home, a loud knock on the door, a guy talking about a New World... and now I'm here, about to star in the scariest movie of the year."

And man, it was terrifying indeed.