Chapter 1 - Mysterious mist

Yawning discreetly as I stretch my arms, my gaze is once again drawn to the bus window. I watch the world outside constantly passing by, even though the bus isn't moving fast. Night has already enveloped the surroundings outside, and most passengers seem to be lost in their own thoughts, just like me.

Most of them were college students, adults commuting to work, and teenagers excited for a movie night out with friends. In my case, I find myself among those attending college and those working. During the day, I attend classes at the university, and at night, I work at the café near the college. Although this routine often keeps me out later than usual, somehow, I manage to juggle both responsibilities.

If you ask me if it's tiring, the only answer I can offer is: damn right, it's too tiring. Every day, when I get home, I can barely stay awake due to exhaustion. Plus, I'm constantly studying to keep my grades high, because I know it will have a direct impact on my future.

I've lost count of how many times I catch myself wishing my life were easier. Suddenly, I find myself sentimental. Damn, sometimes, work and college just don't matter. Seriously, screw them both. Everything I do is for my little sister. If it weren't for her, I would have given up on everything a long time ago.

By the way, while I was lost in my sentimental reverie, I was staring at the bus floor. Because of this, I didn't notice the commotion unfolding around me. It was only when I heard murmurs intensifying that I looked up and realized that everyone was staring at something outside. The reason? I had no idea. So, I decided to find out for myself.

(We should be crossing the tunnel at this point)

With that thought in mind, I turn my gaze to the window beside me. However, all I can see is dense fog inside the tunnel. What's more peculiar is that this fog didn't seem ordinary; let's say it had a life of its own.

The fog's density was such that I honestly wasn't sure if we were still inside the tunnel or not. The passengers, myself included, were clearly terrified. I mean, who wouldn't be? I think any ordinary person would be terrified in this situation.

Try as I might, it was impossible to see through the fog. Moreover, even though the bus was clearly in motion, it strangely felt like we weren't moving forward.

As I watched the fog, I gradually realized that it seemed to be dissipating. The passengers and I kept our eyes fixed outside the bus. I wasn't sure if others shared the same feeling as me, but somehow, it didn't seem like we were emerging from the tunnel or still inside it.

As my intuition indicated, once the fog cleared, a wide grassy field, dotted with flowers, stretched to the horizon. In the distance, a dense forest rose, with large green hills framing the surreal scene before me.

Both I and the passengers were perplexed, unsure how to react to it. So, we remained inside the bus, while occasionally our gazes turned to the forest around us. It was evident that everyone shared the same feeling as me: the sense that something could emerge from the dense vegetation at any moment.

At that moment, I had already taken out my cellphone, but no matter what I tried, there was no signal. Honestly, at that moment, I didn't want to believe it, but it seemed like we were far, far from home.

What worried me the most, to be honest, was my sister. Was she okay? Honestly, with limited financial resources, I knew our food wouldn't last long. However, maybe it would be enough for her, since she would be alone.

As I pondered this, some people started to leave the bus. Anyway, staying inside it wouldn't get us anywhere. That seemed to be our only option, but I can't say it was the best one.

Of course, I also got off the bus, since there was no signal inside. I was hopeful that there would be some signal outside. I pointed my cellphone to the sky and began to walk around the area, trying to find some signal.

"Hey"

While I was busy with that, it took me a moment to realize that two people were following me: a girl who seemed to be my age and, right behind her, a little girl who looked a lot like her.

(Twins?) I thought, raising an eyebrow.

To be honest, I didn't know them. Furthermore, the presence of men relatively more muscular than me made me wonder why they came directly to me instead of approaching them.

"Yeah?"

When I asked that question, the girl looked at the phone in my hand, then glanced back at the forest behind me. Her mouth moved slightly, but she seemed unable to say what she wanted.

I tilted my head briefly, confused. Honestly, I was starting to find everything very strange. I won't lie, the look on her face lately was starting to creep me out. It seemed like she had something important to say, but in the end, she said nothing.

I decided to just ignore her, as it seemed she wasn't going to say anything, and I resumed walking. This time, I headed towards the forest hoping to catch some signal. Do you think it's a dumb idea? Well, honestly, I agree. But where else could I get a signal in this vast plain? I mean, my reasoning at least seems plausible.

To my frustration, even as I was almost entering the forest, there was no signal on my phone. Moreover, for some inexplicable reason, my phone's clock still showed nine o'clock at night, even though it was clearly morning.

With a disappointed sigh, I turned intending to head back to the bus, only to realize that all the passengers who had gotten off were staring at me intensely. Well, actually, they seemed to be looking at something behind me. But there was only a forest there, right? Right? Slowly, I turn my head and come face to face with something I can't describe.

The monster had a somewhat bear-like appearance, but it was much larger, probably nearing two meters tall. Its paws were huge, with prominent, sharp claws in sight.

Instead of a bear, it more resembled a giant prehistoric sloth. However, this one certainly wasn't herbivorous. How do I know that, you ask? Quite simple: I will never forget the row of sharp teeth as the monster brought its head closer to me. After that, only darkness reigned.

[You died, returning to a specific random point in the past]

With a dull buzzing in my ears and a bright light in my eyes, I woke up inside the bus.

"... Haah... Haah"

My breathing was erratic and my heart was pounding as flashes of what happened returned to my mind. My hand instinctively went to my neck, checking if something that should be there was still present.

Upon confirming this, my anxiety begins to slowly dissipate as I try to process what the hell just happened.

(Was that... just a dream?)

That was my first thought, however, I couldn't even believe my own words. The experience I lived through seemed terribly real, and the fact that I was now inside the bus, exactly like in my dream, left me deeply uncomfortable.

So, I did what anyone in my situation would probably do. Of course, I'm talking about what I consider normal.

"Sorry, I'm getting off here" I exclaimed as I approached the driver.

His gaze quickly wandered between me and the outside, which basically consisted of total emptiness, as we still had some time before reaching the town entrance, specifically after going through the tunnel.

Also, I know what you're thinking, but please, driver, don't look at me like that. If you had dreamed what I dreamed, you would act like me too. Plus, even though I know my head wasn't chopped off, my neck still itches, as if it really had been dislocated and put back in place.

"Are you sure? Doesn't seem very safe to me" the driver exclaimed, showing genuine concern.

"Yes, this is the place"

As soon as I said that, he just nodded, though still seemed reluctant, and opened the bus door. Shortly after, I got off and as I was being stared at by the passengers who clearly had no idea why I got off in the middle of nowhere, I could only sigh. This simple act of getting off the bus really made me much calmer.

But of course, nothing is perfect, especially in my life. As I walked towards the town, the surroundings began to blur. As it was night, I attributed this to visibility conditions. However, as I continued, certainty began to grow within me. The fog that led us to that place was happening again, and it seemed to be following me.

It reached a point where I simply couldn't see anything ahead of me anymore. My heart was beating at a fast pace as I tried to understand what was happening. Then, the fog dissipated again, and there I was, back in the plains, in the same place as in my dream.

Around me, the bus remained, with the passengers now watching me with confused and disbelieving expressions.