I ran down the mountain, my breath ragged, heart pounding like war drums in my chest. Branches clawed at my clothes, the chill night air slicing against my skin. The moon hung high above, casting a pale silver glow through the trees it was Nature's nightlight, which can be soft and comforting, but also eerie in the silence of the woods. Only if I didn't mention all the creepy sounds I'm hearing all around me.
The stars twinkled above like scattered diamonds on a black velvet sheet. For a moment, I slowed down a bit to catch my breath, being entranced by the sky. It was beautiful. Pure. Peaceful. But I couldn't afford to admire it for long.
Because after a bit I Heard a Snapping noise.
A twig cracked behind me. My instincts screamed. I turned, nothing was there but then it sounded even closer now
Slurp, rattle
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I recognized the wet, slurping sound of a spider. But the rattling? It sounded like bones being shaken in a metal tin.
"What the hell makes a sound like that?" I whispered under my breath, slowly backing against a tree. My chest heaved as I tried to calm my nerves.
Then I saw something moving towards me.
A green, rectangular creature with four stubby legs was dashing towards me. No arms. No emotion. Just that haunting face black square eyes and a mouth twisted into an eternal frown.
"What the, why do you look sad but still wanting to kill me?" I whispered. "What even are you?"
It didn't answer. It didn't stop.
SSSSSSSSSS!
The hiss made my blood freeze.
"Oh, shit!"
BOOM!
The explosion threw me backward. I rolled down the hill, limbs flailing until I slammed into a tree. Pain exploded in my side. I groaned, my vision blurry, my ears ringing. I pushed myself up, panting.
"Was that Suicide bomber? Just like those terrorists from my world do, Jesus." I rubbed my ribs and stared at the crater it left behind. "It seemed like it didn't even try to survive. It just wanted to take me out with it"
I forced myself to move again, shoes crunching the grass beneath. The night felt more alive now darker somehow, like it was watching me, almost as if it didn't want me to make it past sunrise.
I just kept hearing more slurping.
I spun around. "Not you again just leave me alone please!?"
A giant spider lunged at me, its eight red eyes gleaming. I didn't think I acted. I pulled my pencil from my pocket and jammed it into one of its eyes. It shrieked and thrashed. I stabbed again. And again putting all my weight into the stabs.
It started to Hisss in pain
Finally, after the fifth or sixth stab, the creature collapsed and vanished into nothingness.
"Strange they disappear when they die leaving behind a eye and some string?" I muttered, breathing hard. My hands trembled.
Then I heard more groaning.
"Zombies? You've got to be kidding me is this the walking dead"
One staggered out from behind a tree, moaning as it dragged itself forward. Green skin, blank face, blue pants, brown shoes its arms outstretched like in the movies ready to devour me.
"This place, it's a complete nightmare why did I get sent here."
I ran once more. A pencil wasn't enough to kill a zombie it wasn't even enough for the spider. Especially Not for whatever comes next.
My lungs burned as I ducked under a branch and leaned against a tree. My eyes scanned the forest then stopped.
A skeleton walked into view.
It was humanoid, but cubed. Everything its skull, limbs, chest was geometric, like someone had built it out of blocks. It held a crossbow, somehow balanced without fingers.
It slowly approached.
I raised my hands. "Can't I just have a break for god sake you guys just keep coming! Can you even understand me?"
The skeleton didn't speak, but it stopped. Its skull tilted. Then, using its crossbow, it tapped the Jack Skellington skull that I put back on which had a skeleton printed on the back of my hoodie.
"You like my hoodie?" I asked nervously.
It nodded. Then, with surprising gentleness, it patted my back like he found a new comrade.
I blinked. "Wow that's a relief. Uh, can you protect me? Just until I get to the village?"
Another nod.
"Awesome. Thank you very much I thought I was a goner there for a minute!" I grinned, genuinely relieved.
We walked together, the skeleton trailing behind me like a silent guardian. Occasionally, monsters lunged from the shadows spiders, zombies but the skeleton shot them down with precise, lethal bolts.
"You're really good at that I wonder if I can learn to wield a bow like you," I said.
The skeleton gave me a thumbs up with its blocky hand, almost with a pride look on its face.
Soon, the forest thinned and the glow of torches flickered in the distance I can see the village just up a head.
"Almost there," I panted. "Thank God."
But then rattle the skeleton stopped almost like it didn't want to part ways with me.
He turned to me and crouched, using his crossbow tip to write in the dirt.
"Princess Bones would love you"
I stared. "Princess Bones? Who is she?"
The skeleton just continued to keep writing.
"She is the Princess of Skeletons. You carry her symbol on your back Are you the lost Prince or maybe her future husband?"
"What? No. I'm not a prince. I'm from Earth. I'm human and did you just say future husband?"
"Earth? Never heard of it. Is it something you can eat?"
I sighed. "Earth is the name of my planet That I from. Anyways what is this place and what's it called?"
"This world is called Minecraftia."
"Minecraftia?" I looked around. "Why is everything made out of cubes?"
"Always been like that since I was made. But you're not the only one who isn't, there are others who look just like you"
"Wait others, who else? Are they also human's too ?"
"The Princesses. They are human like you, but different. Smarter. Powerful, and more Rarer than a common skeleton like me."
"So is that why Princess Bones might like me cause I would look just like her?"
"Yes. I must go tell her she would be thrilled to know someone like you exist. Meet me here tomorrow night."
"Okay since you helped me I will trust you. But will she help me like you did? Explain what's going on and how I got here?"
"She will she's somewhat lonely and doesn't have a lot of people to talk too. One warning before I go tho"
The skeleton paused, then wrote
"If you see a girl with glowing purple eyes and particles around her. Do NOT and I'm warning you cause you're special please don't look her in the eyes."
My stomach turned. "Why is she someone really strong?"
"Her name is Princess Andr. Princess of the Endermen. If you look at her she attacks and knowing how different you are I don't think she will just kill you but probably take you away."
"Do you think I can I fight her back or maybe escape?"
"No. She is Stronger than a normal Enderman. Can teleport. Hits like an Iron Golem and somewhat crazy."
I swallowed hard she sounds nuts.
"She sounds like a female Slenderman is she also very tall or something?"
"She's tall. Wears black. Very dangerous."
I nodded slowly. "Yeah. Definitely female Slenderman vibes."
The skeleton gave me one last nod.
"Andr might already be watching you she is very sneaky and likes to stalk stuff that she likes. Stay alert."
"Thanks and be careful as well You're the first friendly creature I spotted and wouldn't want to see you gone."
The skeleton nodded almost happy and melted into the shadows. I turned and headed into the village, heart still racing.
The wooden sign at the entrance read Nightmoon.
"Nice name," I murmured, stepping into the quiet streets.
The village was small, just over a dozen buildings. Lights flickered in windows. It looked peaceful almost normal. I allowed myself to breathe, just for a moment.
But then
In the darkness, deep within the trees
A pair of purple eyes watched me like she just found a new toy to play with.
"Wow, He's cute I wonder how does he taste" a soft, sultry female voice whispered from the shadows.