Beads of sweat formed on Jack’s forehead as he took a break. He leaned on his chair in front of his laptop. He raised his hand to rub the point between his eyes. Then he looked up again. On his laptop, he saw a lot of job listings that he had scanned earlier. As he leaned his head towards the chair, his gaze fell on the wall with a cherished photo. It was a younger version of Jack, smiling to the camera beside his parents and giggling little girl who was none other than his younger sister. The photo radiates warmth and gave him motivation to search for a job again.

Suddenly a blood-curdling scream pierces the air. Jack yanked himself out of his chair and quickly opened the door. It was Emily's voice, his younger sister, Jack's heart pumping as he bolted his feet to Emily's bedroom door.

The door to her room was locked, but he could hear her frantic screams and an unknown eerie laughter. The laughter was unfamiliar, but it was chilling to his spine. Was Emily having a nightmare? Or was she setting the TV sound too loud? Jack thought.

But the thought was thrown away when he heard Emily calling his name for help. Emily begged for his help like it was a life-or-death situation. Jack yelled, telling Emily to open the door. Emily was still screaming, and the laughter sounded again.

The door still shut, and there stood Jack’s dad. His brow furrowed in worry. “Jack, Emily. What is happening? Why is Emily screaming?” he asked, his voice edged with concern.

Before Jack could reply with “I don’t know”, they heard Emily screaming and asking for Dad to help her.

“Emily open the door!” Dad’s voice trembling with worry.

Jack tried to regain his composure. “I don’t know Dad, but Emily is screaming and there is that laughter like there is someone else inside.”

From inside the room, Emily’s sobs mixed with muffled words. She still has not unlocked the door. “It hurts.”

Then there is the laughter again. Like someone is torturing his little sister,

Jack yelled for Emily to open the door. Adrenaline rushed in, he took one step back and kick the door like what he learned in taekwondo when he was a child.

Jack’s dad stepped closer, his hand gently resting on Jack’s shoulder to offer comfort. “Stop.” He told Jack. “Emily, turn off the TV and open the door, please.”

Then there is the sound of things falling. Jack's Dad called for Emily. Jack's face was filled with determination, "Stand back, Dad." He spoke firmly. "I'll try to get the door open."

With swift motion, Jack delivered a powerful kick to the door, but it held its ground. As he tried again, Emily's scream somehow grew louder and whoever was inside with Emily hissed.

Jack tried again, this time using his shoulder to ram against the white wood. Each thud resonates across the house.

Jack’s dad’s mind raced with worry and fear for his daughter. But he still tried to be calm and not panic.

With a final push, the door swung open. It revealed a nightmare that froze Jack in place. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief, at the creature that is standing on the bed and grabbed Emily's hair. A green-skinned child, with grotesque old ugly face, perched on its body like a very bad caricature.

Its eyes, glowing with malevolence, locked onto Jack’s eyes. A haunting laughter filled the room, chilling his spine. It is a sound that is supposed to be in a horror movie, not in reality. The creature's finger snatched a handful of Emily's hair, causing her to whine in pain.

Jack's dad's voice trembling with fury. "Let her go." He demanded.

The child goblin chuckled even louder, then seemingly amused by Jack and his dad’s reactions. As the creature's menacing grin widened, its clawed hand darted to its belt. Jack and his dad's eyes widened in horror as they watched it draw a sharp knife from a sheath hidden among its tattered garments. Before it could strike, Jack's dad lunged forward with a fierce roar. His protective instincts overrode his fear.

With astonishing speed, Jack’s dad thrust himself at the mini-human, slamming it into the bed with an astonishing force. The knife clattered on the floor beside the bed.

The goblin was momentarily stunned, but it recovered quickly. It bore its teeth in a menacing snarl. Then it laughed.

Jack’s dad scooped up Emily, cradling her protectively in his arm, and with a swift move, he backed out of the room. The goblin lunged again, its claws reaching out.

Jack reactively slammed Emily's bedroom door shut.

*Thud!*

His heart pounding in his chest. A loud thud echoed through the room. Panic surged through Jack as he realized the goblin was still on the other side, and the key to lock or unlock the door was still on the other side as well.

He planted his hand on the door handle, his feet were firm on the floor. He pulled with his weight so that the goblin could not open the door and barged outside to attack them. Jack's hand trembled unconsciously with adrenaline, every thud and creak made by the goblin to the door felt like a countdown to disaster.

The clawed hands scrabbled at the doorknob, the owner determined shows with its sharp movement. With a force that surprised Jack, it managed to seize hold of the knob and began to pull, trying to wrench the door open. Jack’s heart raced with fear and adrenaline as he countered its effort, pulling with all his might.

A look of frustration crossed on the twisted creature inside Emily’s bedroom. It realized that the human outside the door had strength that was no less than it. The door remained shut. Despite its inability to open the door, the goblin let out a chilling cackle. With sudden aggression, it thrust its knife at the door. It laughed while raising its knife and made it bite into the wood. It repeated the action, stabbing the door with unhinged determination.

As Jack was still leaning against the thumping door, his gaze was drawn to the crimson stains that marred the white floor. Vivid blood gushed from Emily’s face. Red flesh wound marred her delicate cheek and forehead, etched by the claws of the goblin. The sight of her wounded face shocked Jack’s heart, filling it with a mix of helplessness and rage.

Beside her, Jack's dad's face contorted with silent anguish. His brow furrowed and jaw clenched tightly. His hand turned out to be wounded and bloodied from the goblin's knife when he pushed it earlier. He pressed the wound with a sofa cushion, attempting to staunch the flow of blood. Despite the pain, Jack's dad's voice asked with worry. He tried to remain composed despite the agony he endured. "Are you alright, Emily?"

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Emily's sobs were her only response, her hands flailing like she wanted to reach her face but knew that it hurts. Her body was trembling, mixed with fear and pain. Jack wanted to reach out to both of them, to comfort them, but his attention was quickly drawn back to the door. The goblin continued its relentless assault.

Jack’s jaw clenched as he felt a surge of frustration and anger. He gritted his teeth. He cursed the goblin.

“Why is this happening?” Jack wondered inside his thought. His mind raced, trying to make sense of everything. The creature inside seemed to be a goblin, from a fantasy game or movie. The important part was that they should not exist in reality. Even if it did exist, why did such a creature attack her sister? What could have brought it into reality and brought it inside her sister's bedroom?

His thought was interrupted by the echoing laughter of the goblin. It was eerie, but Jack's mind was fuelled with rage. The laughter seemed to mock their helplessness. Jack was determined to protect his family. He knew he couldn't let fear consume him. He had to find a way to face this nightmare head-on.

As the commotion intensified, Jack's mother arrived with a worried expression. Her eyes widened in shock and horror at the sight that unfolded her: a wounded daughter and her husband clutching his wounded arm. A gasp escaped her lips, her voice trembling with fear.

"My God! What happened?" She exclaimed, her voice carrying a mix of panic and disbelief. Her eyes darted between Jack's sister's tear-stricken face and bloodied gash on his dad's arm. Then her gaze locked onto Jack, who was holding the door closed as it was a barrier from whoever was trying to break the door open from inside Emily's bedroom.

Jack's mother rushed to Emily. With urgency, Jack told her, "Mom." He said, the words coming out in whisper. Jack took a deep breath and said louder, "We need to ask the neighbor for help. There is a dangerous criminal inside Emily's room."

Jack could see the worry in his mother’s eyes as she grasped the gravity of the situation.

“I’ll go right away,” she replied. She hugged Emily first to offer her comfort, then her gaze locked with her husband's eyes. No words need to be said. Her voice was steady as she told Jack, "Stay here with your sister and dad. I'll get the neighbor's help to come soon."

She rushed outside, her mind is confused about what was happening but she needed to get help. However, as she reached the gate on the fence, she was momentarily frozen. What was that noise? Why was she hearing a lot of screaming from her neighbors? Why is there a lot of eerie laughter? Why were there so many voices pleading for help? What about those heavy falling things and biting sounds?

As she scanned the surroundings, her eyes widened in shock at the sight of a green child figure on the road. It saw her. And its eyes locked into her eyes. Its laughter filled the air, further intensifying the sense of dread that hung heavy in the atmosphere. It was running towards her. Fear chilled Jack’s mother’s spine, she took a few steps back. When the green child jumped over the fence and she saw its sharp claws, she summoned all her strength to run back towards the house. Fear clutched her heart. She slammed the door shut and quickly locked it. Unbeknownst to her, her breath became quick and shallow.

Jack could not see what is happening. Confusion clouded his mind as she heard her mother came back, slammed the door, and locked it. Then, like an icy shiver down his spine, a familiar eerie laughter filled the air. Only this time it came outside the house.

The chilling laughter echoed ominously, causing Jack’s heart to panic. It was the same thing that was trapped right now inside Emily’s room. There was the same creature haunting Jack’s family outside his house, in his family garden.

He heard the house's door being attempted to be forced open. A burst of laughter, a thump, and another laughter. This one sounds as if it was taunting Jack and his family, delighting in their fear and weakness. Then an ear-piercing crash shattered through the house. The sound of shattered glass reverberated, and Jack realized the intruder had smashed against a window. Jack felt like he couldn't breathe, he felt so helpless. He realized that he and his family

Jack's mom pierced the air, a raw expression of fear and terror as she heard the window shatter. The sound seemed to shake her to her core, and her trembling hands reached out to shield Emily from whatever danger was on the outside.

Maybe because Jack's hands clamped too tightly around the door handle. Maybe because the door handle was aging and worn. Or maybe because of fate. It snapped. As the resounding sound reverberates, Jack lost his balance and the door was snapped open. Fortunately, because the goblin was pulling the door with all his might, the door slammed into its face.

Adrenaline coursed through Jack’s veins and he react instinctively. If he thinks logically, then yes, Jack was supposed to be frozen by fear. A criminal, as Jack was also unsure and in denial that there is no way such a fantasy creature existed in reality, was inside his sister's bedroom. It had small stature, but it wielded a knife. The sight of blood on the blade weirdly did not rise fear inside Jack's heart, only rage.

At that moment, Jack moved unconsciously. He was are of what was happening, but his body felt like it moved on its own. He did not think about the potential death that may come to him. There was no thinking. He just lunged at the goblin who was sprawled on the floor. Jack's left hand was holding on its right hand which wielded the blade. His right hand was on its neck to keep it from biting him. Jack moved his body in such a way that gravity helps him so that the creature couldn't flee from Jack's grip.

The green goblin snarled at Jack. Its mouth wide agape as it tried to break free and try to sink its teeth onto Jack’s hand. Jack felt it was dangerous. But he jerked his right hand so that the goblin slammed back and stay on the floor. Its sharp nails clutches his hand, and it leaves a trail of pain and blood on his skin. The sting of the wound was undeniable, but at that moment all Jack can think of is to make sure it stays on the floor and avoid its hands from scratching at his face.

It took a few minutes. Maybe because of its small stature, it managed to kick Jack's balls repeatedly. But Jack's hands keep choking on it and slammed its head repeatedly on the floor. In his mind, he saw his sister, tear, and streams of blood fell on her face. His dad's hand was cut by this ugly thing. And there was also another goblin. Its friend. It brings its friend to kill Jack and his family. Rage filled Jack’s eyes.

Despite the scratch, the blood, and the fear, Jack does not slack his grip. The intruder's eyes tried to laugh again, but this time it was met with a crushing force on Jack's hand. Jack did not move until it finally no longer moves. Jack waited for a minute, it still did not move. Then Jack brought its head up and slammed it against the floor. He could not take the chances. The vile thing might be able to fake its death. If somehow Jack stopped gripping its neck, it might suddenly attack Jack. It will then stab Jack on his neck and body. After that, what will happen to Emily and his parents? Will it bring its knife to plunge it toward them and laughed eerily as well? Jack could not let that happen. Jack has to protect his family.

After Jack was sure it was dead and no longer moving, he took its knife. The cold metal filled his palm. It felt just like a kitchen knife. Swiftly Jack reached for the key on the inner counterpart of the door handle. His fingers fumbled slightly, but he tried to be as quick as possible. Jack could not shake the horror of his mind that the goblin was not dead, it was an unknown. Still a possible danger. Unless someone else can confirm that it was really dead, and mutilate its limbs, Jack's mind was still thinking that it could be alive. It might be excessive and irrational, but Jack's mind was filled with chaos and fear.

As the door was locked, the sound of a click gave him a sense of relief. Outside Emily's bedroom, Jack leaned against the wall and slowly sit on the floor. He had been through an unreasonable situation. His body felt his body was a tightly wounded could that had been suddenly released. His mind was still in fear, but he barely noticed that actually his energy and adrenaline started to ebb away.

Sweat glistened on his forehead. It started to show up all over his body, making his clothes slick and clammy. He barely noticed how laboured his breaths were, but he could feel his heart racing. He sat there, emotions and thoughts whirling in his head. Shock held him in its icy grip. He tried to make sense of the events that had unfolded, but it was still too illogical.

Amidst the unsettling stillness, Jack gaze turned to where Emily and his parents should be. He widened his eyes when he saw they were no longer there. The whole living room looked like a typhoon had just stormed inside.

‘It is not finished.’ Thought Jack. As he tried to get up, heard a sudden chime that cut through the silence. The sound seemed out of place. Jack knew that there was no wind chime in his house.

*Ding.*

Congratulations on becoming a player. Jack’s mind stopped when he heard it.