He heard it. He heard it all.

Chris knew that, if he stopped, there wouldn't be another chance for him to get away. But, after listening to the girl, a doubt appeared on his mind.

(Who really is she?)

The girl was exactly the same one he saw in [You are mine]. Everything, the same as her. The same clothes, the same face, it looked exactly the same.

Midnight Pumpkin, one of the antagonists of the franchise.

A serial killer without any source of background. For the player, it only appeared to trigger some mini-games during the earlier stages playthrough, only to be killed by the heroine that holds the most affection for the protagonist.

It was insignificant. An annoyance for most of the players. One could say it was the first boss, an enemy made to be beaten in order to test the gamers' skill of how to play the game.

And then, Chris found it was much more than just another antagonist. She was a character like the others, talking with him, reacting to him, knowing more about him. That girl existed but inside the game.

(If she is really her, then...)

This would turn into something way more unrealistic. A game character in the real world. Not a guy in a costume or some hologram, but a real-life character.

(...As if it's possible.)

Too much fantasy. That kind of things only happens in fictions. There was no way for a normal person like Chris believe this.

But, there was another thing he wanted to know about her: how does she look exactly like a character from a game no one remembers?

For much Chris wanted to go away, the girl could be his only way of knowing it.

So, he decided to approach her, just to find her body lay down on the snow. She didn't move an inch.

Dead? No way that would be possible, after what Chris saw.

(She can also be tired, huh...)

At least, he could learn that she wasn't some sort of a super-human after all.

Still, he was wary of her.

Carefully, Chris went near the girl. When she twitched a bit, he thought it was enough and stopped about fifteen steps between them, but afterward, there was no movement coming from her.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Again, he got even closer this time, around five steps, when she managed to turn her head a bit upwards to look at him.

-C...h...ris...

(...I think this is good enough.)

She was still conscious, for his fortune, and appeared to not have any strength to get up. It was the perfect moment for him to talk.

Chris crouched, not very well from his injuries, but it was necessary to speak better with her. He breathed deeply to resolute himself and finally asked with a calm and clear voice.

-...Who are you?

But his only response was the shocked face of the girl as if he was asking something he should already know.

-B...but...we...don't...you-

-...I'm going to ask again, who really are you?

The girl tried to speak struggling to say each word, but Chris needed answers, and the more time he spent there, the more dangerous it would be if she recovered her energy.

-I just want to know...who exactly are you?

-C...Chris, you...know...me...

-Don't move and answer me.

The girl tried to raise her body from the ground like a baby learning how to walk, but her lack of strength made her fall on the ground again.

-Me...you...remember me...don't...don't you?

-I'm serious, stop moving.

Yet, she didn't want to stay down. The girl tried, again and again, to stand up, each attempt resulting in her fall, but she didn't stop.

-I'm...me...you remember me...right?

-Stop moving or I will go away!

Fearing she would jump at him, Chris got up and went two steps back, prepared to run again in case the girl did anything suspicious.

-I'm me...you know me...I know you do...please...please...remember...remember...remember...remember...remember...

Like a broken recorder, the girl keeps saying the same words again and again like it was important for her as her strength left her body.

(...What are you so scared of, idiot.) - The boy sighs as he thought.

It was pitiful to watch, Chris could feel. She wasn't a threat anymore. If she could grab catch him in this state, the girl would already do.

Still, things couldn't go on like this. The conversation would be in vain. As much he didn't want to admit, Chris needed the girl to have at least some energy to speak with.

He looked around for a better place to talk and found a close bench they could use. There, the two could at least be calmer than in their current positions.

(But how will she go there?)

It was a good idea, but the problem was her. She didn't have any energy left to go there. The only option was, but Chris dismay...

-Hey, can you hear me? - He asks the girl.

She looks uneased at him.

-I will lend you a shoulder to move but if you try anything towards me, I will drop you and go away, understand?

He waits, hoping for some reaction of the girl but she keeps looking at him.

He sighs.

-Do like this: blink once if you understood me, ok?

Listening to him, the girl blinks.

-Great, now, I will help you move, but if you try anything, it's over, ok?

Just like before, she blinks, more than once as if confirming his question multiple times. The look on her tired face didn't change but Chris had a feeling she was a bit more excited.

(...Did she really understood what I said?)