Chapter9-That bitch!

I picked at my meal, lost in thought, and couldn't shake the feeling that the world I had just experienced in my dreams was much more appealing than the real life I faced.

My heart longed for the adventures and abilities I had believed were mine, and I couldn't help but wish for the sense of purpose and belonging that had always seemed out of reach in my own life.

Over the next few days, my life fell into a repetitive routine, a never-ending circle of things I did alone.

Mornings were for reading the same old books on my shelves, which never changed.

It felt like time had stopped for these books, refusing to let me move on.

Using the internet became automatic, my only link to the world outside.

But even that became routine, with nothing new or exciting. Sometimes, I tried to get better at my hobbies, but the progress was small.

After lunch, I'd go back to my room, choosing to be alone. During this time, I often escaped into the worlds of books and movies, getting lost in their stories.

One day as the sun began its descent, casting a warm golden hue over the world outside, I felt an unexplainable urge to break free from the monotonous routine that had become my life.

It was an impulse I couldn't ignore any longer. With a mix of curiosity and apprehension, I decided to step out of my secluded haven and take a stroll in the evening.

Leaving the familiar confines of my house, I was immediately greeted by the serene beauty of the evening.

The soft, golden light painted a canvas of warmth across the landscape, creating long, dramatic shadows that danced to the rhythm of my steps.

The gentle breeze carried the fragrance of blooming flowers and the distant whisper of leaves in the wind. It was a moment of sheer tranquillity.

Walking for about 20 minutes, I spotted the familiar park that I had visited in my childhood.

It was a place filled with memories of solitude and reflection, just like my own life.

I pushed open the rusty gate, and as I entered, I noticed something unusual—the park was empty.

Normally, it would be bustling with families, children playing, and people enjoying the beauty of nature.

This emptiness added an eerie dimension to my surroundings, but I chose to ignore it.

I sat down on a weathered wooden bench, its peeling paint a testament to the passage of time. As I sat there, memories of my childhood flooded back.

I recalled the days when I used to play alone in this very park, avoiding the taunts and mockery of my peers. It was a bittersweet nostalgia that brought both comfort and sadness.

As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, I realized that I had spent a peaceful and introspective time in the park.

It was a moment of rare contentment that I hadn't experienced in a long while.

But as I decided to return home, I began to notice something truly unsettling.

As I walked back toward my home, the strange silence and aloneness became even more noticeable.

I couldn't see anyone on the road, not even in the park. This eerie quietness sent chills down my back, and I felt a growing sense of worry.

At that moment, I realized something was wrong, something that didn't make sense.

This wasn't how things should be. So, I decided to check if my assumption was correct, determined to find out what was happening.

Approaching a random person's house, I rang the doorbell with a growing sense of fear.

No one answered. I tried tapping it again and again, hoping for a reply, but there was nothing.

My frustration and fear mixed in my thoughts as I thought about what to do next.

Finally, driven by a strong sense of urgency, I made a choice that I wouldn't have considered in normal circumstances.

I entered the house without permission, and my heart pounded in my chest.

The air inside was old and the silence was almost deafening. I moved carefully through the rooms, but there was no one to be found. My anxiety deepened.

With increasing desperation, I decided to check another person's house nearby. The same thing happened.

The doorbell didn't get a response, and when I went inside, the house was empty.

I visited ten more houses, and in each one, I encountered the same eerie emptiness. There were no signs of life, no evidence that people had been there.

Fear, confusion, and bewilderment overwhelmed me. I couldn't explain what was going on.

The world I used to know had turned into a puzzling mystery.

I had so many questions.

Where had everyone gone?

How had the world become empty?

Was I the only person left on Earth?

The uncertainty weighed on me, and I was left struggling with a deep sense of being all alone and scared.

As I kept walking through the empty streets, my steps got heavier, and my mind was filled with one troubling thought:

"Where am I, and what's happening to me?"

The world I had left behind in my dreams had become a stark and bizarre reality, and I had to figure out the mysteries before me, all by myself in a world that had turned into a deserted and strange place.

In the midst of the eerie quiet of the empty streets, my world was suddenly disrupted by a strange and persistent noise.

It was a faint but growing voice, urgently calling my name.

"Alex, wake up! Alex, wake up!"

Confusion and fear gripped me as I tried to figure out where this voice was coming from. It seemed to be coming from all around me, echoing in my mind.

The words were familiar but confusing as if they were trying to rouse me from a deep sleep.

In a panic, I shouted into the empty space, "Who's calling me? Where are you?"

The voice continued, unwavering, as if it were a part of me, repeating the same phrase with increasing urgency.

"Alex, wake up! Alex, wake up!"

The repeated words heightened my anxiety, and I felt a strange sensation welling up inside.

I couldn't understand what was happening.

My sentiments were a jumble of fear, frustration, and a growing desire for the voice to stop.

I grasped my head in my hands, unable to bear the relentless calls to wake up.

My entire body trembled as I began to shake my head, attempting to free myself from the persistent commands.

"Stop it! Stop telling me to wake up! Please, stop it!" I cried out, my voice strained and desperate, as if I were begging an unseen force to release me from this torment.

The sounds reverberated in my mind, the words penetrating my awareness, leaving me in a state of struggle, overwhelmed by the mysterious event that had added to the already bewildering nature of my reality.

"Nero! It's you!" I exclaimed, my heart pounding with a strange mix of relief and confusion. "Where are you? What's going on with me?"

Nero's voice, still echoing in my mind, replied urgently, "Alex, I'm inside of you. This world is an illusion, and Mia didn't kill you during the battle. She cast an illusion magic spell on you to uncover what's inside your brain."

My emotions were a whirlwind of disbelief, understanding, and a lingering sense of dread. I had so many questions, but I didn't even know where to start.

"Inside me? An illusion?" I stammered, trying to grasp the enormity of the revelation. "Why? What's the purpose of all this?"

"She wants to search your mind, your thoughts, your past. "

Nero's explanations came in a torrent of information, and as he spoke, I listened intently, absorbing the surreal truth of my situation.

Hold on! My past?

'Fuck, if she discovers that I'm not from this world, I'll be in serious trouble.'

That bitch!

The world I thought was real was nothing more than an elaborate illusion, and Mia was the one responsible for creating it.

"How can I escape from this fake world, Nero?" I asked with desperation in my voice.

Nero being in my mind gave me a bit of hope. "You need to focus, Alex. Tell yourself over and over that this world isn't real, that it's just a made-up thing."

I nodded, deciding to break free from this fake world's stronghold. I closed my eyes, repeating in my head, "This world is a fake. This world is a fake."

I tried hard to see through the fakery, to uncover the truth, but no matter how much I tried, it resisted.

After many attempts, I felt drained, and my head started to throb with pain.

I became frustrated and cried in pain, "Ahhhhh!"

Nero's voice tried to reassure me, saying, "You're doing well, Alex. Keep going, you're getting closer."

'The heck do you mean by I am doing well? I'm in pain and crying, not focusing, can't you see?'