Sam was staring at his computer screen as he waited for the clock to finally strike five. It was already a long day at work for a Friday, and it didn't help that his boss chewed him out on Monday, then kept a close eye on him for the rest of the week. It was finally time though, or was about to be, Memorial day weekend would start in less than three minutes and then it was time to party. The clock ticked away and as the number on screen finally turned over and the computer was slammed shut with speed some would say couldn't be possible. “At last” Sam muttered as he opened a door at the end of the hall and stepped out into the sunshine, squinting his eyes and going to his car.

The ride out to his friends was relaxing with music being played too loud and the windows down letting the warm spring air run though the car. The two hour drive felt like fifteen minutes as Sam pulled into the gravel driveway and already saw a couple of his friends sitting around a table chatting. Jumping out Sam walked up and was tossed a silvery can with blue mountains on the side as his friend Dan said “Look who finally decided to show up”. With that Sam smiled and took his seat, popping the top, taking a long swig then smiling brightly “not all of us are so lucky to get four days instead of three off”. A small laugh from all the young men at the table as the weekend activities could finally get started.

The night went fast with many drinks drank, shots poured, and some slight burns after night started to fall and a fire was started in a pit. It was a perfect night for Sam as he relaxed back with his friends around, one of them cashing out early after their long day at work. Slowly through the night carried on until it was only Sam left outside with the fire, babysitting it to make sure it didn't spread from the pit. Playing on his phone he checked the time to see the bright 2:32AM and a quiet groan as he stood up dumping the last of his drink on the fire to put it out. Walking back to the house is when he heard the voice for the first time, but he would never forget that first message.

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New Universe detected…Scanning for sentience….

Sentient Species Detected

Overpopulation of Sentient Species…Processing protocols

Protocol accepted….Beginning the Culling process

With those words echoing in Sam’s head, he was able to get out a couple words before his vision went white and he stopped thinking. “What in the love of God is a Culling?” were the slurred and stumbled words as he felt himself sobering up at record speeds.

With that he blinked dozens of times as his eye adjusted to his new environment, a bland bare landscape of grass that seemed to go on forever.  Sam shook his head “God how much did I drink” he mumbled out as he felt himself not just focus, but actually sober up as it seemed the drinks evaporated from his body. Within sixty seconds he went through a splitting headache, nausea, and to top it all off immense hunger. Just like that he was stone cold sober as well, feeling in tip top shape as the voice echoed through his head again.

Welcome Human…name Sam Reynolds, to the Culling…

Objective: Survive the Beast attack for five minutes

Bonus Objective: Kill the Beast for a initial weapon token plus other Rewards

Rolling for Beast encounter……Results Level 6 Blood Wolf

Ready to Begin?

Sam stared blankly ahead as he tried to make out what was going on, and what the voice was in his head. The cold sensation down his spine when he heard that a world was going to attack him was as real as he was at the moment though. Sam wasn’t much of a fighter if had to tell anyone. He was more of a friendly guy, easy to talk to, made friends anywhere he went. He hadn't even been in a bar fight, though he had watched many of them. Now hearing he might have to fight a wolf with nothing on him other than what was in his pockets. 

He was shaking slightly as he knew how this would end, a man vs a wolf really only had one way to end. He just lowered his head for a second, feeling his body deflating as he thought about what was to come. Through all of it, something inside him broke for just a moment. Sam took a deep, shaky breath, cracked his knuckles and muttered the single word “Ready”. If he was going to die, he might as well die on his own term. Right?