I couldn’t move; that little flower had me in its grip. I tried to rip it from its roots, but it was as unyielding as iron, impossible to escape.

The red eyes drew closer, and when I mustered up courage and looked at them, I finally saw what I was dealing with. They were twisted beings, almost human-like in form, with two legs and two arms, but their faces were blank slates—no eyes, no nose, no mouth. Their hands ended in razor-sharp fingers that looked more like claws, capable of slicing through anything they touched. Their skin was rough and brown, like corroded metal.

“Come on, come on, come on…”

I pulled against the flower's hold, each movement sending a fresh wave of agony through my palm. The blade that had pierced my hand remained embedded, with blood dripping from both sides. I couldn't tell if the dizziness washing over me was from the pain or the blood loss, but I knew I wouldn't last much longer.

One of the creatures reached me, looming over me at least two metres tall. Its faceless head tilted downward, probably staring at me. My pulse quickened, my attempts to break free becoming more desperate.

"Oh, crap," I muttered, frozen in fear.

As a last-ditch effort, I grabbed my phone from the ground and shined the flashlight directly at the creature. To my surprise, it disintegrated instantly, the particles scattering into the air like dust. Gasping, I redirected my focus to the flower, frantically trying to kick and shake it free from my hand. No matter what I did, it held tight.

I snapped my head toward the next closest creature and flashed my phone's light at it, causing it to vanish just as quickly. But then, my phone's screen lit up with a warning—it was overheating, and the flashlight would automatically shut off in ten seconds. Panic surged through me as I desperately kicked the flower again, struggling to pull my hand away.

“Damn it! Come on! Let me go!”

One of the creatures crept up behind me, and in the struggle, my phone deactivated its flashlight on its own to prevent it from overheating. The creature's massive hands wrapped around my waist, squeezing with a vice-like grip. I kicked at its arms and thrashed on the ground, but my blows seemed as effective as hitting a steel wall with a pillow.

Desperate, I grabbed a large rock with my free hand and hurled it at the creature's head. It staggered back, letting out a strange, guttural sound, but after a moment, it shook off the impact and tightened its grip, crushing the air out of my lungs. Ten more seconds like that, and my insides would be on the outside. I felt myself weakening by the second, my vision fading into darkness as I neared the brink of unconsciousness.

“Ugh, no. No, no… I can't…”

Just then, the flashlight flickered back on, its beam cutting through the darkness. I snatched the phone and aimed the light directly at the creature. In an instant, it dissolved into dust, releasing me from its hold. I gasped for breath, my chest heaving as I realised how close I'd come to losing everything.

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“That was way too close,” I muttered, my voice shaky as I tried to steady myself. “Ugh… crap.”

More of them were closing in, and I doubted I could stand there, holding my flashlight every time they approached. I had to think of a solution fast, or I’d be screwed.

Just when I thought I was done for, the flower finally loosened its grip on my hand. I wasn’t prepared for the sudden release, and I stumbled backward, losing my footing on the muddy slope. I tumbled down, rolling in the dirt, trying to grab at the slick ground to stop myself, but it was useless. After a few chaotic seconds, I slammed into a tree with a thud, wincing in pain.

“Agh… crap. Ugh.”

Level 1: Axel

HP: [█████░░░░░░] 45/100

Mana: [░░░░░░░░] -1/100

Stamina: [██████████░░] 70/100

Options: [Inv | Skills | Quests]

The translucent box appeared before me, showing my HP had dropped to 45. I let out a shaky breath, struggling to get to my feet. The screams had finally stopped, and the creatures with glowing eyes had vanished into the darkness. I put one knee on the ground, gripping my shoulder, trying to catch my breath. I was alive, but barely.

A small wooden splinter was lodged in my leg. Though it wasn’t deep, it hurt like hell, and with the cut on my palm, the pain was making me dizzy. I needed to find help, and fast.

“Great…” I muttered, gritting my teeth as I pulled the splinter out. “Just… great. Shit.”

I started limping in the opposite direction, but then it hit me—I’d left my phone near the flower, its flashlight still casting the only bit of light I had. I hesitated, weighing my options. Running away sounded appealing, but battered and disoriented, I didn’t trust myself to navigate the pitch-black darkness without a light source. I’d surely get lost and make everything worse for myself.

Sighing in frustration, I turned around and began climbing back up the slope. It looked like the monsters disappeared the moment the flower's scream stopped, so I hoped it was safe to retrieve my phone now.

“Fuck… fuck me,” I muttered under my breath as I reached the top of the slope.

I took a quick look around to make sure everything was clear before inching closer to my phone. Its light was the only thing piercing through the darkness, about ten or twenty metres away.

In the dim light, I tripped on a rock and nearly fell, but managed to catch myself. Then, I hurried over to the phone, reaching down to grab it.

“Phew,” I exhaled, pocketing the phone. “Okay… that’s done.”

The flower lay on the ground, seemingly dead but still glowing faintly pink. I cautiously nudged it with my foot, half expecting something to jump out. When nothing happened, I rolled it around with my shoe to make sure it was completely detached from its roots. Then, carefully, I used my phone to scoop it up, using the screen to lift it off the ground. No way was I touching it with my bare hands again.

Once I had the flower secured, I slipped it into my pocket, taking a moment to breathe and gaze up at the sky. It was over; now all I needed was a good night’s sleep.

“Man, that was way too close,” I whispered to myself. “Alright, time to… to get out of here.”