"Uwahhh!!! *bump* Ouchhyy..."

The girl screamed, her head flung backward and bumped against the wall behind her, she then grunted and held her head because of the sudden impact.

"Oh my, are you alright, child?"

When she calmed down and looked at the surroundings, she found herself seated in a cushioned chair, placed within a seemingly endless hallway that stretched out into the distance. To her left and right, there were rows upon rows of individuals, all occupying identical chairs, creating a surreal and disorienting sight.

On her left is an old woman, maybe in her 80s, looking at her worriedly. "You hit your head quite hard, are you unharmed?" she asked again.

Dazed, she rubbed her eyes and spoke, reassuring the old woman.

"Oh no, I'm alright. I appreciate your concern... By the way, where am I?"

(This is, definitely, not somewhere I'm familiar with, how did I end up here? Ugh... My memory is hazy, I can't think straight)

"Ohoho, I'd love to give you the answer, but I'm just as clueless as you are and I have been here for quite some time now, child. My name is Ana, what about you?"

The girl hesitated but said her name anyway.

"My name is Erika, ma'am..."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but notice the number floating number above Ana's head, "8324". Erika, being the airhead that she was, unconsciously said out loud.

"Oh yes, don't worry about that. I don't know what it does actually, but I have been hearing people being called by numbers, and then they disappear somewhere behind the door that suddenly appears in front of them. The thing is, each time a person walks in, it just disappears again! Magical, isn't it?"

The concept of someone disappearing suddenly, as if vanishing into thin air along with the door, seems reminiscent of supernatural occurrences or the fantasy stories I've come across online. However, given the presence of a number above my head, I'm starting to consider that this idea may not be as far-fetched as I initially thought.

"By the way, yours is 8325."

Erika lifted her head and noticed the number hovering above her. As she turned to her right, she saw a rugged man with a thick beard and slicked-back hair sitting next to her. He had a large, muscular physique that seemed perfect for strenuous physical work. When he caught her eye, he flashed a smile, confirming her suspicion as she saw the number "8326" above him.

"The name's Raymond, in case you ask" the man said happily.

"Oh..um... Hello mister Raymond..." Erika answered shyly

Raymond, seeing the girl smile anxiously, laughed out loud.

"You look awfully like my nephew, little lady. She is always shy around me. I have no idea why" he sighed.

"Maybe.. maybe she just feels scared because you are tall and big?"

"That might be the case! Bwahahaha!!!" he laughed.

Erika turned to look at Ana. Seeing her confusion, Ana tried to comfort her.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Are you hungry, Erika? I can make you some apples if you like"

Before Erika could responded, Ana held out her hands and muttered, "Apple and knife." Suddenly, an apple and a knife materialized out of thin air and dropped into her hands.

(What... WHAT?? Is she some sort of a magician? What kind of prank this? Am I in a hidden camera show??)

Ana quickly cut the apple into pieces and offered them to Erika. Still in shock, Erika took a piece and ate it. Surprisingly, it tasted exactly like an apple, from the texture to the feeling of it on her tongue.

(It's good, what the hell?)

"Are you surprised? I guess this kind of thing seems abnormal for you. It looks like that whenever we desire something, it simply materializes in front of us. It seemed like the owner of this building, whoever they are, did not want us to feel threatened or hungry. This can be quite engaging until we are being called elsewhere." Ana smiled

That was really nice of them, but it didn't really help with my anxiety. If anything, it just made me have even more questions. I looked to my right and saw Raymond already having coffee leisurely.

"Would you like some more? Maybe some sweets? What are you in the mood to eat?" (Ana)

"Thank you, this is sufficient for me," Erika politely declined.

(Aye, time to figure something out)

"Why are you here, ma'am?" (Erika)

"That's the strange thing, I can't remember why I'm here. I think I was with my husband making breakfast, and he was grabbing something on the counter. Then he slipped, and I rushed to help him. Next thing I know, I'm sitting on this chair. Super weird, right?"

Erika then turned to Raymond and asked him the same question.

"Well, not much to tell, really. I was just doing my usual thing at work, handling the rebar with my team on the second floor, when suddenly Mike came running and started yelling at me. And now, here I am!"

(I see, based on their testimony, the situations all lead to them getting into accidents. Perhaps, I was too...)

Erika made significant efforts to recall events before her arrival, but despite her best attempts, the memories remained elusive, as if they were not meant to be discovered.

(Ugh... This is useless, let's just focus on something else)

Just then, the door that the old woman had mentioned suddenly materialized in front of her, and a gentle, soothing voice called out, "Number 8324, Ana Merigold, please come inside." The voice belonged to a young woman and carried a sense of calm and reassurance.

"Well then, Erika. I guess this is goodbye. Stay safe child" Ana stood up, ready to depart.

"Wait ma'am! Umm... what happen if you don't go in there?" (Erika)

"Then it just keeps saying the same thing over and over. It's annoying for people nearby. And if they don't want to move, the door sucks you in any way," Ana giggled.

"Are you not worried?" (Erika)

"About what?" (Ana)

"I mean, as you said, once you stepped inside, you won't be getting out" (Erika)

The old woman smiled.

"If that is the case, they won't be this hospitality, don't you think?" (Ana)

(What kind of mindset is that??)

Ana, with a sense of purpose, strode towards the door and firmly closed it behind her. As if following a mysterious cue, the door vanished instantly, leaving Erika in awe.

"I guess It's just you and me now, little lady" Raymond laughed.

"Yeah..."

Erika and Raymond sit there quietly for seemingly a long time. Then she decided to break the ice.

"So... um... you mention you have a nephew. May I ask what is her name?"

"Her name is Ellie! She's 13 and a bit shy, but she's super into manga and anime. I love listening to her talk about it, even though I don't understand much. Kids can be so interesting, don't ya think? Oh, I keep forgetting you're a kid, but you seem way more mature!" Raymond laughed

"Ahem! Don't let my appearance fool you - I may look young, but I'm actually 23! As you know, don't judge a book by Its cover. I may be petite, but that's just because I'm Asian... sir"

(Sobs... Why do I keep being mistaken as a child... This really hurt my self-esteem)

"Oh damn, I'm sorry for assuming Erika. Here, some candy as a little apology"

(Umu he's treating me like a child again... But that candy does look good though, is that peppermint?)

"Fine, I'll take it, but not because I- "

Eventually, the door appear before her, beckoning with the familiar tone. "Number 8325, Erika --------, please come inside"

"Sigh, time for me to go... See ya later mister Raymond"

"Safe travels, young lady!" (Raymond)

Erika's heart raced as she stood before the mysterious door, feeling an overwhelming sense of certainty that whatever lay beyond held the answers she sought. With trembling hands, she reached for the doorknob, her mind consumed by the question: "What awaits me on the other side?"

Erika reluctantly stepped inside, her heart weighing heavily. As the door slowly closed, it vanished into thin air behind her.