Dungeon Dreamer

The forest air bites at your skin as you stumble through the underbrush, chasing Michael's distant laughter. Panic clutches your throat. You shouldn't be this far from town, especially with people going missing. "Michael, wait! This isn't a good idea!" you shout, your voice cracking.

Branches scratch at your arms, but you press on, driven by a desperate need to catch up. You almost trip, feeling a strange vibration hum beneath your feet, an eerie tremor that makes your skin crawl. Finally, you see his red hair, and he's grinning, pointing up at the star-filled sky.

"Hey Z, look at this view," Michael says, oblivious to your fear. You sit beside him, breathless, and for a moment, the beauty of the stars makes you forget why you were scared. But then Michael starts talking about being trapped, about wanting to be at the top, to break free, and a sense of danger washes over you.

You try to convince him to leave, mentioning the missing people and the weird vibrations. Michael dismisses your fears, pulling you closer. Just as you're lost in his company, the ground groans and splits open between you, a blinding light erupting from the abyss. It pulls everything towards it, including Michael. He shakes his head, telling you he wants to be 'reborn,' that the 'dungeon is calling him.' He fades into the light, leaving you alone at the edge of the chasm, the silence deafening.