Alex did not know just how long he had stayed up there but everything ached from the uncomfortable position. The centipede kept returning regularly always following the exact same path not deviating even the smallest bit, the floor was getting small round imprints from where its feet impacted into, as it unerringly stepped into the exact same spots.

Only things Alex had to do was think while up there. His time from playing games had left him thinking that this place reminded him of dungeons he saw in games. And the screen that reappeared whenever he wanted to see it, while in a language he could not understand looked a lot like a character sheet. If only he could understand it.

Eventually, tiredness won once the adrenaline ran out, and Alex slept while curled up around a pole in the rafters. Eventually, he woke feeling still tired but also now hungry and aching from the uncomfortable position.

I can't stay up here forever. I'm feeling really hungry by now and eventually, something will notice me. Can't even call for help my phone just shows gibberish when I turn it on. Pulling his courage together Alex slowly started thinking of what he could do to improve his situation still having hope that help would arrive eventually he just needed to survive till then. And to last long enough he would need food and a place to rest at.

Waiting for the next time the centipede had passed he climbed down. Slowly he moved out from the side door he had entered from before. Not having any interest in following the centipede to wherever it went in between its arrivals at the gym.

Now that he was not running for his life he could have a look around the huge hall. And to his surprise, the hall was changing with trees and plants growing all over the place. The trees were only up to his knees but that was a very large amount of growth for a few hours since his desperate sprint through there.

Slowly while constantly looking around he made his way back to his shop. Stopping at the now broken glass doors and peeking inside. The sight inside made him reconsider getting anything from in there as there were several of those ogres slowly wandering around.

In the other direction from the gym, he found a bookstore, but it was infested with outlandish looking green bears. Definitely not the color he expected bears to be but also still bears, Alex estimated his chances of winning versus bears to be somewhere between fast suicide and slow suicide. So the bookstore would stay out of his reach for now. Slowly inching past the door hoping none of the bears would notice him.

He made his way to the next few stores. Camping supplies, useful but there was a giant spider in there building webs. He ignored the tunnels leading off into deep dark unlit tunnels. Next store after camping supplies one was one he approached very carefully as the door was smashed open with signs of something very large having broken out. The store itself had apparently been in the middle of renovations. After some thinking of what to do Alex took some of the wooden planks from in there to build himself a little platform up in the gym rafters. As the giant centipede while terrifying never seemed to look up, and moved in a predictable schedule while killing any monsters that wandered into the room. Alex thought that while scary it would keep other monsters away from him.

After some terrifying waiting just outside the gym door, wondering if anything else was going to appear before he could enter, yet entering when the centipede might appear any moment seemed like even more certain of a death. Alex slowly carried planks up and made himself a platform up in the rafters. At Least he would have somewhere to rest. Without having to worry about falling down and ending up as bug food.

The routine carried on for several days scout a little bit for as long as his courage lasted to find anything useful, followed by huddling up on his little platform shivering from fear as there were monsters wandering the slowly forming forest.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

If I'm not wrong it's been at least three days. The sun is constantly stuck in the sky above but I'm really really feeling the hunger. At least the tap in the bathroom of the half done shop worked. But I need food. Alex kept worrying about how to get what he needed in order to stay alive and slowly the realization that the shop he arrived in was the only source in reach.

Standing at the ruined door Alex slowly took deep breaths trying to force himself to stay calm. I did it once I can do it again, I can outrun them! I hope... Eventually, he felt ready after a quick glance in to make sure none of the ogres were too close he yelled into the room “Follow me you fuckers” And sprinted full tilt back towards the gym. A quick climb later he was back up in the rafters with several angry ogres soon following him into the gym down below.

The centipede dealt with them quickly once its route brought it back into the gym. Leaving Alex to rush over to the shop and grab some supplies. After carrying all he could up into his little hiding spot in the rafters he got to enjoy the first meal he had in days. Cold canned food was not great but it tasted heavenly after not having eaten for so long.

Things in the nearby areas kept changing, the forest once fully grown was enough to tempt the green bears away from their den. He was sure he had even seen a deer wandering around in the forest.

Slowly he inched his way into the bookstore, at least some entertainment for however long he is stuck there before help can arrive. But the room seemed empty. So focused was he in going through the books trying to find good ones that he almost missed the sound of the door opening only noticing it thanks to the bell attached to it.

For a moment he thought about yelling out in case it was people before deciding not to in case it was something else. And instead ducked underneath the counter at the back.

His instinct to hide was proven right as several goblins entered the room, short and green with a mouth full of sharp teeth. And unlike the beasts that he had worried about this far the goblins were armed. The one in the front was using a shield and sword with armor made of leather, ones behind it were a mix of swords and bows. Their voices were deep and guttural harsh sounding words were exchanged by the members of the group as they did a quick look around the room and decided it was useless for them, several books were grabbed at random. The whole time Alex hid underneath the counter terrified. Thinking that they looked sentient but that was no guarantee that they would not attack the moment they see him.

As they left Alex thought I need to see where they go, they might be willing to help. He hoped the goblins were not evil, as while they usually were in stories but stories and real life might not match. Yet something in his gut was telling him they were definitely not ones he wanted to be noticed by.

Slowly he followed them the forest giving plenty of cover and the group being noisy enough that they were not hard to track. Slowly he heard more and more noises as he slowed down to try his best at not being noticed. The goblins had stopped at a makeshift camp, the air was filled with the smell of cooking meat. There were tents spread around several large bonfires. There were tens of goblins wandering around. Alex considered They are not human but they look at least somewhat civilized, they can't be too bad. But before he managed to convince himself to expose himself to these new people he noticed something that looked very off about the fire they were cooking on. Slowly he inched sideways till he could see past the tent.

Any desire to get himself noticed by these monsters vanished. There were human body parts cooking on the grill side by side with what looked like bits of a bear.

They are eating people. PEOPLE! Alex felt horrified by the very idea of something considering humans a meal.

As he made his way back to his camp and as had become a routine listened for the telltale signs of the centipede before entering and climbing up. The day had been exhausting and stressful.

Sleep was interrupted by nightmares of ending up on a grill. He was woken by a rapidly growing headache. One that quickly became an agony where he struggled not to scream. It hurts, hurts, make it stop! As quickly as it had appeared the headache disappeared. He wondered for a bit if he was falling ill before thinking of the screen he could summon. The Menu that had once been undecipherable reappeared now written in clear and understandable English.

Alex Mason

Level:0

Strength: 3

Dexterity: 4

Constitution: 4

Intelligence: 8

Perception: 5

Willpower: 2

Charisma: 3

At the bottom, there was an experience bar one that was a tiny smidgeon filled.

No amount of trying out any commands that worked in games that he had played in the past made anything other than this screen appear.

This confirms it, it's some kind of game system. I really wish this stupid system came with a tutorial. Thought Alex once he ran out of ideas to try.