Detailed Report.
Team Uno Report, 5 Of 12.
Day 5. Part 1.
Separated.
Ben's point of view.
Adrenaline was at an all-time high once again. Ben darted through the dimly lit forest, weaving behind trees to obstruct the little vision the monster tree might have. He tried to stay in a straight line, but panic drove him into erratic side steps. His sprint became a jog, then jog a walk, until he came to a complete stop. His breaths came out in shallow gasps. Silent tears streamed down his face, the haunting silence pressing against his eardrums like a heavyweight. Thick foliage cast eerie shadows, but the forest strangely smelled like roses, waffles, and honey.
"Why did I let this happen?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. The bitter truth gnawed at him: things could have been different if he had played his part correctly. He replayed the moments leading to his predicament, each misstep, every wrong decision. The urgency to escape had given way to a consuming curiosity about dead birds, a distraction that now seemed absurdly irrelevant.
"I should have listened to the Major," he murmured, the words carrying the weight of a thousand remorseful echoes. His mind raced with scenarios of what could have happened and what could be happening to his teammates currently.
Were they facing dangers that could have been avoided if he had acted differently? The unknowns piled up, forming a suffocating cloud in his head, with heavy steps accompanied by the crackling of fallen leaves that seemed to mock his regret. Left with nothing but his remorse, Ben kicked a stone in frustration, and as it hit a tree, he heard a low growl and hissing followed by the sound of crunching.
The reaction sent Ben into another series of sprinting, which then became a light jog and eventually dwindled to a mere walk before grinding to a complete stop. Shallow gasps punctuated the heavy air as he struggled to catch his breath. It was then that he realized tears were silently streaming down his face, a silent testament to the overwhelming emotions coursing through him. The haunting silence of the forest enveloped him, pressing against his eardrums like heavyweights.
"Why did I let this happen?" he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible against the backdrop of the rustling leaves and gentle breeze. The bitter truth gnawed at him – a stark realization that things could have taken a different turn if only he had played his part correctly.
His mind began to replay the events leading up to his current predicament. The urgency to escape had taken a backseat to an inexplicable curiosity about the dead birds that had fallen at the mercy of the same stationary predator now threatening his life and his team's. Ben was spiralling, his thoughts looping endlessly around the question, "Why?"
"I should have listened to the Major," he murmured for the third time, each repetition carrying the weight of countless regrets. The air around him felt thick with remorse as he pondered the moments that had led him here.
Every heavy step, accompanied by the crackling of fallen leaves beneath his shoes, felt like a march through a personal hell. He was haunted by the possibilities of what might be happening to his comrades.
This déjà vu felt like a taste of hell. Maybe if he hadn't been trying to be remembered for his sex-themed jokes and had focused more on survival, he wouldn't be in this mess. Maybe if he hadn't been so smart, he wouldn't have been targeted. This problem was partly his mother's and professor's fault. Maybe this was destiny, God's work. Maybe if he let go and let God, He would take control and guide him. Maybe his level was too low, and he needed to up his skills to gain more experience. If he just let this play out and focused on the details, he might get through this, maybe even get a boost to his stats. If he had taken this more seriously, Scott’s dumb ass would still be alive, and they would have a better chance of finding each other. Scott didn't say much outside of butting heads with him, but Ben could tell he was a capable man. His stupidity had really killed a good man, separated a good team, and kept him from realizing that he could only do all things through Christ who strengthened him.
Left alone with nothing but his remorse again, Ben's frustration flared once more, and like before, he found an outlet in kicking whatever made a connection with his foot on the swing. The satisfying thud against a nearby tree was quickly overshadowed by that same hissing sound that sent shivers down his spine. "Please, Lord, not again. What is that? Am I being followed?” he muttered, darting behind a tree. Crouching motionlessly, he listened intently as the hissing became a low growling as it slowly approached, only to stop abruptly. Moments later, the silence was replaced by the sound of a quick retreat.
"Was that a wolf or something else? Whatever it was, it sounded really big. Like a horse or maybe a cow in the vibe it gave off.” Ben wondered aloud, his mind racing with possibilities. The presence of the creature felt too big to be a wolf, but who could really know? As he took a moment to collect himself, he realized the urgency of his situation.
Drawing on his knowledge from the team and the VR TV survival shows from Earth, he knew he needed water, shelter, and food—basic survival priorities. But above all, he needed to reunite with his scattered teammates. If he were Mr. Major or Timmon, what would they do? They probably survive and head to the food and water source Tobi pointed out. But who was he kidding? First, he needed to find the wall again, and he just needed to follow the direction where the sun would set or locate the monstrous tree. This was going to be hard, especially since his panic dashes had left no room for planning, logic, or reason.
The challenge lay in Ben's uncertainty about his exact location. He was disoriented, unsure of the directions his teammates had taken or the exact location of the man-eating tree. The forest was starting to hold more questions than answers, and now he had to do all the thinking and reasoning while staying on guard.
What if there were more of those deadly trees lurking in the forest? What if the entire forest was a danger zone filled with living, gorilla-like monster trees?
These thoughts sent Ben spiralling into a moment of panic. He had a pocket full of dried seeds from wild berries and hands stained with the blood of dead birds. His mind raced through its next series of moves. Why hadn't the growling creature from moments ago detected or sniffed him out? Could the dead birds be poisonous? Was this another slime effect? He didn't want to end up like Tobi—sick, weak, useless, and dead. But still, what creature could be behind that sound? He was 20% sure it wasn't the wolves again, mainly because, by Earthly standards, they were pack animals. But then again, they had come across a solo wolf that tried to eat him under that fucking tree. He couldn't rule them out entirely, but he had a feeling if it were wolves, he would be dead before hearing them. The first time they encountered them, Scott was the only one to notice, and they made themselves known moments before attacking. Lucky for them, they weren't the prey. If they had been, it would have been the end. At that moment, their growls had left him momentarily paralyzed, and the growl and hissing from that thing in the dark bushes of the forest wasn't as terrifying.
He remembered Mr. Major mentioning how intelligent the wolves were and how they handled the encounter with the poison slime that Timmon had faced against them.
"Please don't let my assessment be wrong. I'll stop fucking if it could be anything but wolves, dear Lord. well, not completely stop fucking, but until I'm strong enough to hold my own. I don't want to make promises I can't keep."
With a mix of dread and determination, Ben knew he had to move. His survival instincts were starting to kick in; his XP was increasing, driving him to prioritize self-preservation, which meant finding water, shelter, and his team members.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Despite the soreness in his muscles, Ben couldn't afford to linger on the forest floor, feeling vulnerable. Every rustle of leaves and shadow seemed like a potential threat, urging him to seek higher ground. The decision was made: he needed to find a way to climb the surrounding trees without tools.
"Is it even possible for a human to climb a tree without proper equipment? I know that they say monkeys are a close relative to us, but I'm a real distant relative. Maybe a person as skilled as Scott or Mr Major was here. We could probably use the woven vines he had to create a pully over a branch and pull those who couldn't climb. I hope Timmon can't climb; he's a nerd, and I don't want to be a part of the no nerds get left behind program again. I wonder what level he's at?"
Surveying the forest with his adjusted eyes, Ben noticed that the minority of trees formed a dense canopy stretching between 30 and 80 meters above. There were several climbable trees scattered throughout the area at different levels. These trees, from the looks of it, were antisocial in how their crowns grew around the trunks of the taller trees, with the lower-level trees never touching the branches of others around them.
Even though the sun was beyond the mountain peak, the sky shone with a warm peach colour, which moved Ben to tears when the canopy opened up, casting an even brighter light over the forest. The orange light glowed over the forest, blurring his adjusted, darkened eyes. It made the forest brighter than when they had initially traversed it. Still, the uncertainty lingered because Ben knew it wouldn't last. He needed to do what he had to do.
Which was to masturbate first and foremost. In his mind, fucking himself doesn't count as breaking the promise to God because being in the forest was the biggest fuck to himself that anyone could experience in this new reality. Once that was out of the way, he needed to find some sticks to make a platform and start a fire for the chilly nights.
Hungry, tired and unsure of his next move, Ben decided to attempt cooking the small bird he had collected. He also considered grinding some of the seeds into a powder and consuming their insides for sustenance.
While not skilled at making fires, he recalled paying close attention to Mr Major during campfire setups and felt that he knew enough to eventually figure it out; it was friction fire. How hard could it be? He also had a theory involving the dead birds and was eager to test it out if all else failed.
As he set about gathering good-sized stones and other materials for a makeshift camp, Ben realized that he had to put himself in danger to gain resources to survive. He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that the forest held secrets beyond his understanding, secrets that, if he could only notice them, would make survival easier. "Scott, for sure, discovered one or two of those secrets. If only I had the balls to put our bickering aside and ask him," Ben thought bitterly.
With determination and the gathered resources, he began the process of setting up a secure perch for the night with no one to rely on; Ben tapped into his earthly skills as a biologist to survey the surroundings. His keen eyes scanned the trees, searching for signs of stability, suitable branches, and perhaps even any botanical clues that could guide his choice. He recalled the lessons from his training—how certain species of trees were more likely to have sturdy branches, how the presence of certain plants could indicate a healthier ecosystem.
As he ventured deeper into the forest, the uneven terrain beneath the canopy challenged his every step. The haunting silence persisted, interrupted only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant call of a night creature. Despite the eerie quiet, the silence helped him meditate as he roamed. With his senses and focus reaching a new high, Ben couldn't shake the feeling of an eerie presence in the dense foliage around him. It wasn't a fact, just a feeling, but he decided to trust it completely. If this wasn't a clear sign of a skill-up and XP dump, then he was clearly playing the VR game wrong.
After some time, he spotted a towering tree with branches that appeared strong enough to support his weight. The tree stood in a slightly elevated area beneath the canopy, offering a better vantage point and potentially increased safety in his head. Ben cautiously approached, scrutinizing the bark and leaves for any signs of distress or decay. His instincts kicked in as he examined the heart-shaped flora surrounding the chosen tree. The healthy, diverse plant life below often indicated a stable ecosystem, and Ben hoped it would translate into a more secure canopy.
"Okay, let's see. To increase my climbing skills, I must first climb. I just hope I don't fall and bust my ass. Let's put these new muscles to use. What's the saying? If I don't use it, I might just lose it. Whatever it was, I had to find a carbon spare and blade—well, not so much a blade but a dagger. Maybe I can use them to climb like those snow mountain climbers."
After six attempts, Ben managed to make it to the second branch of the tree and slowly climbed over to a nearby tree to get higher and closer to a set of branches that seemed as parallel as you could find in nature.
With each upward step, the forest floor became more distant, and a mix of fear and excitement welled up within him. The ascent wasn't without challenges—some branches were slippery, and the gnarled bark scratched against his palms, arms, and legs. However, upon reaching a suitable height, he carefully inspected the sturdy branch that offered a stable base for his camp.
The view from this vantage point was both breathtaking and intimidating. The forest stretched out in all directions, an endless sea of green and shadow. His heart pounded, and his senses were on high alert, fearing the unknown that lurked in the shadows. Yet, the many different glowing and flickering lights he could see from above made the forest seem brighter than it had when he was below. The light filtering through the canopy created a dazzling display, like an ocean wave of sprinkles and sparkles across a dark, dim corner of space.
Trying to avoid getting sidetracked, Ben began setting up camp with meticulous care. Even though he knew he would only be there for a few hours, he couldn't resist designing his quick-stop home. He was thorough as he secured his makeshift shelter by tying vines around the branches. They weren't woven or as strong as those Mr. Major crafted and carried, but the raw vines created a stable structure that gently swayed in the evening breeze.
Creating a makeshift kitchen wasn't hard. Thanks to Timmon, who had identified soapstone, Ben broke one of the gathered stones to create a flat top. Using his tree daggers and vines, he gathered dried leaves, sticks, and moss to prepare for a fire.
The bird, retrieved from his earlier foraging, lay ready for its transformation into a meal. Ben carefully cracked the various berry seeds he had collected, planning to use them as seasoning or toppings for his improvised feast. With this much preparation, Ben could feel a bonus XP dump coming from how detailed he was being; maybe he might even get a new class. Was that even a thing in this game?
Working methodically, Ben removed the green and yellow feathers from the bird, storing them for later use. He then peeled away the skin, salvaging as much meat as possible from the remains. The aftermath of the explosions and seed blasts left little behind, but Ben persevered, determined to make the most of what he had.
As he drained the bird's blood, a strange sensation caught his attention. The behaviour of the blood seemed unusual, almost mesmerizing. Lost in a trance, he began reflecting on the events that led to their current predicament.
Regret gnawed at him, and a sense of maturity started to settle in. If only he had been more aware and in the moment, perhaps Scott would still be alive. If he had focused on escape and teamwork, the team might not have separated. If he had cultivated an atmosphere of trust, Mr. Major wouldn't have felt the need to sacrifice himself. It was sobering, but the gel plant and the bird's reaction to the tree's fruit still obsessed him. He felt worse for being held up on those thoughts than for his teammates who had died.
In an attempt to distract himself from the somber thoughts, Ben decided to taste the blend of seeds he had prepared. Flavour and texture were everything, but because food was limited, he didn’t want to waste any.
"This is it! I can feel the seed of power growing within. My XP boost is finally here! I must have increased my level for sure, but how do I access the menu to see it?”
A shock of nervous energy radiated through Ben, a sharp pulse of pain shooting from his elbows to his spine. However, the ensuing surge of strength and vitality was undeniable. It was as if he had consumed an energy drink infused with steroids. Emboldened by this newfound vigour, Ben felt a sense of assurance. It only lasted for a few minutes, but the power he felt was real. His body felt compact, dense, and lightweight. This assurance made him confident he would make it through the night alone, no matter what.
Yet, with a peculiar twist of fate, as he was busy crafting, gathering, and cooking, Ben needed a break. He found a side branch to relieve himself on. As he peed, the bird skin he had discarded happened to be just below the branch. When the two made contact, an unexpected reaction occurred.
A purple flame flickered to life, turning yellow before burning out. The heat from the fire was so intense that Ben could feel it from where he stood. Surprisingly, the fire contained itself where it ignited, without spreading. Judging from the burnt and melted stone, it got hot quickly. The rapid increase in temperature and the controlled burn were strange and unexpected occurrences that left Ben bewildered but also confirmed something in his head.
This phenomenon suggested a unique chemical reaction, possibly involving the specific properties of the blood, the surrounding materials and the added fluid. The purple flame could indicate the presence of potassium or a similar element, often associated with such a colour when burned. The yellow phase suggested sodium, which is known for producing intense heat. The quick containment and self-extinguishing nature of the fire hinted at a self-limiting reaction, perhaps involving a rapid consumption of a reactive compound within the blood, leaving no residual fuel to spread the fire.
However, this realization was followed by an overwhelming sense of dehydration and fatigue that replaced the burst of energy that had invigorated him. Despite this exhaustion, Ben felt brand new, a complex and confusing sensation. The forest around him settled into stillness as he grew more exhausted, and that's when he heard growling and rustling from nearby.
"Shit! I need to stay put. I need to stay put. I need to stay put. If I try to move from here, I will die. I'm sure of it. I have no energy twice over, and now that I think about it, I should have found a higher tree."
As it came closer to the tree, the growl started to sound like croaking, humming with a low hissing. Looking down from his platform, Ben was surprised to see only a silhouette. He could hear the creature chomping away at some fallen trees. He could see the trees, but he couldn't see the creature clearly; from his height, it shouldn't be too dark to see if he was at ground level.
"What kind of creature could it be?" he wondered. He didn't have the energy to think about whatever it was, and just when he thought he could figure it out by his Earthly standards, his vision went dark. For whatever reason, he blacked out on the branch overlooking the growling and hissing below.
Ben's blackout was likely due to a combination of physical exhaustion and the bizarre effects of the seeds. The complex interplay of fatigue and renewed vitality might have taxed his body to its limits. As he drifted into unconsciousness, the forest continued its mysterious hum around him, the strange creature below remaining an enigma in the dark.