Chapter 5

Felice's heart hammered against his ribcage as he watched the bus vanish into the thick, swirling fog. A cold sense of uncertainty and fear settled in his gut, making him question the wisdom of his decision.

Was risking his soul being trapped in this unknown place worth it for a second chance at life? He didn't have the answer, but one thing was clear: he could see his grandmother again if he did this.

That's what mattered most, right? Felice wanted to believe so. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving his grandmother alone, especially after all the loss she had endured. His death would break her.

He had to do this. Whatever "this" was, he had to do it and earn enough points to return to her. Yet, as he tore his gaze from the foggy road and turned towards the gate, doubts once again clawed their way into his thoughts.

A shiver traced its way down his spine as he stared at the massive structure before him. It seemed as though his mind was playing tricks on him. The gate, once ordinary yet undeniably eerie, appeared to have transformed.

It now seemed to tower over him like a giant's gaping maw that hid itself behind a dense blanket of fog, as if trying to mask its sinister nature. But even through the mist, Felice felt a sense of dread.

It mirrored the feelings he experienced as a child when he heard strange noises in the dark—the creak of a floorboard, the rustle of branches against the windowpane. He recalled jumping at shadows on the wall and staring into the darkness at a pile of clothes that resembled a human form.

In those days, he dreaded the unknown, but now, he faced a tangible fear: what lay behind the gate. His instincts screamed at him, urging him to stay away, but this time, he would have to ignore them.

With a silent sigh, he shifted his gaze from the gate to the eight others who had opted to remain. As he studied each of their faces, he observed that, much like himself, they too regarded the gate with apprehension.

Felice found solace in the fact that he wasn't alone in doubting his decision. The shared unease among the group validated his own feelings.

"Do you really believe what the bus driver said?" the petite brunette asked, her gaze fixed on the gate. "That we can make any wish we want if we gather enough points?"

Silence fell over the group, uncertainty clouding their thoughts. They wanted to believe the driver's words, but they couldn't shake their apprehension.

"The driver did mention that we'd find answers once we step through the gate," a girl with long black hair ventured, her voice timid.

The muscular man snorted in derision. "Why should we trust that creepy skeleton? This could all be a setup, leading us into a trap."

"Are you seriously doubting the reality of all this after what we've seen?" the curly-haired woman retorted, her tone incredulous.

"Reality? Please," the muscular man scoffed. "This could easily be some government experiment, and we're just the lab rats."

Felice couldn't suppress a laugh at the man's words. "Are you serious? Look around you. No government could orchestrate something like this. And even if they could, they wouldn't be able to make us all understand each other. I mean, I'm sure not all of us are speaking the same language."

His words caused everyone to pause, their expressions reflecting confusion. They turned to him, puzzled by his statement.

"I just realized it while everyone was talking," Felice continued. "I noticed that your lips move before I hear the words as if my brain is translating them as you speak. Do you see it?"

The curly-haired woman furrowed her brow, pondering Felice's observation. "Now that you mention it, there does seem to be something peculiar," she conceded, her voice carrying a note of uncertainty. "It's like... our voice isn't synced up with our mouth."

"Yeah, it's like those old kung fu movies," the petite brunette chimed in, nervously twirling a piece of hair around her finger. "But you only notice it if you're really paying attention."

The revelation left everyone stunned. Their belief that they were not on Earth grew stronger with each passing moment. Only the muscular man remained adamant.

"That doesn't prove anything," he insisted stubbornly, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "We've been working on that technology. The government could be hiding an advanced version."

A woman with a Spanish accent interjected, her hands trembling slightly as she spoke. "I don't think we're part of a government experiment," she said, fear evident in her voice. "I think we're in a nightmare realm."

"A nightmare realm?" The muscular man scoffed, rolling his eyes. "What kind of bullshit are you talking about?"

Seeing the girl flinch at his words, Felice intervened. "Let her speak!" Turning to the girl with gentle eyes, he asked, "What do you mean by nightmare realm?"

"It's a trope in web novels that mostly focus on horror..." she began, her voice trailing off as she glanced around the group. The muscles in her jaw tensed as she hesitated as if bracing for skepticism.

Just like she expected a derisive laugh erupted from the muscular man. His laughter echoed through the air, a sharp contrast to the tense silence that had settled over the group.

"Ignore him, he's an idiot," the curly-haired woman said, shooting the muscular man a glare. "Please continue."

Taking a deep breath, the Spanish woman resumed, her gaze fixed on the ground as if searching for the right words. "Well, the novels using this trope usually start with the main character dying, like us," she began, her voice gaining strength as she spoke. "And then they would find themselves in a strange but frightening place, much like this one."

As she spoke, her hands gestured nervously, as if trying to paint a picture of the scene she was describing. "There's usually a system of some kind," she continued, her words tumbling out in a rush now, "that guides them through the rules of the place. And they need to collect Points or Currency by completing horrific worlds to purchase an item that allows them to leave. Just like the driver told us we needed to do."

A heavy silence enveloped the group as if each member was trying to process her words. Felice found her explanation oddly convincing. Everything seemed to unfold exactly as she described, with each detail slotting neatly into the bewildering puzzle of their situation.

"Considering what the driver said about this being some bored god's game," Felice began, his voice breaking through the tension that hung in the air. "What if the god learned about those stories and decided to make them a reality?"

The suggestion hung in the air, and another weighty silence settled over the group as they contemplated the implications. Their furrowed brows and exchanged glances revealed the wheels turning in their minds as they mulled over the possibility.

However, there was one thing that bugged everyone. Why would the god want to trap their souls here in this place? 

Felice was about to question her more when the muscular man scoffed. He had his arms folded over his chest and a sneer on his face. "You're not seriously buying into her bullshit, are you?"

"Do you honestly still believe that this is some government conspiracy?" Felice snapped back, his frustration palpable. "If you're so sure this is all fake, why don't you go through the damn gate and prove it?"

The man's bravado wavered slightly, evident in the hesitation that flickered across his features, but he stubbornly pushed forward, marching towards the gate with determination.

Reaching out, the muscular man grasped the gate's handle, his fingers curling around the cold metal. With a firm tug, he pulled it open. The gate swung wide with surprising ease, but a loud, eerie squeak pierced the air, startling everyone. Undeterred by the unsettling sound, the man swung the gate fully open before turning back to face them with a smug grin.

"Oh, so scary," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he confidently stepped inside.

As he vanished into the fog, all eyes remained fixed on the spot where he had stood. They braced themselves for screams or any sign of distress, but all they received was silence. Perhaps the muscular man had been onto something; maybe this was all just some sort of test.

Felice surveyed the group, observing the subtle signs of unease etched across their faces - the furrowed brows, the cautious glances they exchanged. Tension hung in the air, almost tangible yet unspoken.

He knew the longer they stood there the more fearful they would become. However, if this was all real then they couldn't linger around here.

"We can't stay here forever," he stated, his voice maintaining a facade of calmness despite the noticeable tremble in his hands.

The curly-haired woman nodded in agreement. "He's right. We chose to step off that bus, so we need to choose to enter the gate."

The other seven people exchanged fearful looks, their apprehension evident in their hesitant nods. Yet, their determination to leave this place outweighed their fear.

One by one, they approached the gate. The petite brunette clung to the curly-haired woman's arm, her grip tight with fear, while the others huddled closer together. Only Felice stood a little apart.

In the best-case scenario, it was just a government mind test, as the muscular man suggested. But if it was as the Spanish woman said, Felice wanted some distance in case he needed to make a quick escape.

With a deep breath and a silent prayer, Felice and the others crossed through the gate, stepping into the unknown fog ahead, uncertain of what awaited them.