The first few times had been terrifying and painful. A sword piercing her chest from behind. Savage dogs ripping through flesh. A lamppost falling, crushing bones. Perhaps staying in the house would have been better, but she had awoken alone, her family nowhere to be seen. Nothing had been out of place- the car was still parked, the dishes waiting to be put away- but the silence was a physical pressure stealing her breath. She couldn’t stay.
The sky had been dark and cloudy. It still was. The threat of rain lingered but never delivered itself. She’d begun walking with no clear direction in mind or plan of action. She had been alone at first and she prayed for anyone, anything, to appear. How she regretted that.
The dogs attacked as she reached the main road. As soon as her foot turned the corner one leapt at her, knocking her down. All she remembered was pain, terror and teeth.
Her eyes were closed when the words ‘reloading checkpoint’ appeared. They flew open in surprise, to see her body intact and stood just before the main street corner. A loud scream escaped as she patted her body down, shaking fingers unable to believe she was still whole.
What the hell is going on?
She froze when two dogs came into view…who carried on walking along the main street. They hadn’t even noticed her. She tried turning and heading back to the house, but an invisible barrier blocked her way. She screamed again, fists banging against the barrier until she sank to the ground in a shaking heap.
It was another ten minutes before her eyes stopped blurring with tears. She frowned, noticing an object leaning against the curb. A crossbow.
She found bolts scattered across the area, keeping them tucked her belt. She watched the dogs. First a Doberman, then a German Shepherd moved up and down the main street, staying on the same side of the road and always turning at the same points. Meanwhile a Greyhound continuously crossed one side of the road to the other while a Chihuahua stayed in the same spot, ears perked up and eyes alert.
I guess I should take out their sentry first.
She died five more times before her aiming improved enough to take out all four dogs. Each time the pain and shock were less noticeable.
Just keep moving.
The lampposts had fallen at certain angles and times. She lost count of how many times she ‘reloaded’.
‘Couldn’t you have had a checkpoint halfway through them?’ She growled after finally surviving the last one. The material over her knees was ripped and stained with blood.
She reached the town’s shopping street and stopped in confusion. Had someone just screamed?
‘Hello?’ She called, hope winning over caution. The sword pierced her chest before she could react. Blood filled her mouth.
‘Just let me out! How long do I have to do this? How many people do I have to kill?’ A male voice demanded.
She reloaded a few metres away behind the man. Instinct made her aim.
‘Who are you? What’s going on here?’
The man spun around then burst out laughing, ‘This one talks? Nice touch!’ He screamed at the sky, ‘But it won’t stop me! I’ll kill whoever I need to beat this thing and go home.’
The man sprinted forward and her crossbow fired. He blinked in confusion at the bolt in his heart before dropping to the ground.
Why?
He wasn’t the only person she ran into…or killed. She never saw the same person twice, never saw their body disappear. She guarded one for hours, just to check.
Why is this happening?
The sky never changed, she didn’t get hungry or tired. Time was hard to measure but she knew it had been days, even weeks since this started.
When will it end?
She had left behind her hometown, exploring the countryside, exploring cities. She collected and mastered multiple weapons, changed her clothes to camoflague better.
She couldn’t even list all the ways she’d died anymore.
Why won’t I stay dead?
The first few times had been terrifying and painful. Now she felt nothing.
The building near her exploded, knocking her to the ground and cracking her skull on the pavement.
Reloading checkpoint.
‘Aw shit,’ she sighed, opening her eyes. ‘Here we go again.’
Scribbled Thoughts 