The Three Day Survival Game

With all the tension building up, I couldn't sleep. I woke up early in the morning and decided to take a walk on the beach. The sea waves gently lapped against the shore, their rhythmic sound providing a calming effect. The horizon stretched infinitely, where the sky met the sea in a seamless blend of soft blues and purples, the first hints of dawn casting a golden glow over the water. Seagulls called out in the distance, their cries mingling with the soothing sound of the waves.

As I walked, the cool sand beneath my feet and the fresh sea breeze on my face brought a momentary peace. But then, the mysterious visitor came to mind. Oh, how this man has consumed my thoughts these days. Surrounded by my family, Karun, Priya, and my friends, I had never truly felt lonely. Yet now, after all the vivid dreams, a strange sense of isolation began to creep in. His gaze, filled with longing, haunted me every day. 

The longing I saw in his eyes mirrored my own feelings. I found myself yearning for him, eager to meet him again. The sense of loss and desire I now felt kept building up inside me. 

Lost in these thoughts, I watched the sun slowly rise, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink. The beauty of the sunrise momentarily distracted me from my inner turmoil. With a sigh, I turned back towards the mansion, feeling the weight of my emotions heavier than ever before.

It was around 11 when I heard the metallic gates of the mansion creak open. Aiden was right on time, just as he had said. Karun and I exchanged a look—a silent reassurance that we were going to do this, no matter what. We jumped into the jeep, and it took off, the engine's roar matching the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Reaching the site, Aiden informed us that other members would also be accompanying us. As we arrived by the guild, I noticed the others were already assembled and ready. Astrid, Damian, and Liam stood out, looking more like an elite guard in their attire, complete with daggers and other gear perfectly in place. They seemed different from the everyday members I had trained with over the past week. Their demeanor was stricter now, and the change made it hard for me to start a conversation.

Sensing the tension, Astrid stepped forward with a smile. "Hi Kathy, ready for the adventure?"

"Yes," I replied, trying to match her enthusiasm.

To ease the mood, Liam chimed in with a grin, "Remember Kathy, if things get tough, just let Damian handle it. He's been dying to show off his 'heroic' skills ever since he got that new dagger."

Damian rolled his eyes but couldn't hide a small smile. "Yeah, because carrying you out of trouble is my favorite pastime."

Everyone chuckled, and the tension eased slightly.

we set off to the destination in two jeeps one had karun, Aiden,Astrid and me while the one followed had Liam, Daisy, and the others.

The path was bumpier than the route we usually took from the guild to the mansion. As we ventured further, the trees thickened, casting long shadows that danced in the dim light of dawn. When we reached the path Damian had shown us once before, the jeep jolted and shook over the uneven terrain, typical of this forest's untamed areas.

Aiden shut down the engine as we seemed to arrive at our destination. Ahead of us stood a red alert board proclaiming, "ALERT! DANGER ZONE." It would be a lie to say it didn't give me chills. We all got out, following Damian, who looked like a lost tourist, eyes glued to a continuously beeping machine as he made his way deeper into the forest while we followed.

We soon stumbled upon the camps set up around a red-banned area. Researchers were already at work, their large machines humming and whirring. I scanned the surroundings but saw nothing particularly unusual inside the banned zone. It appeared just like any other part of the forest, except for an old, broken door frame. This door frame, however, was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was enormous, ancient, and rusted, standing incongruously amidst the natural foliage. The air around it seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly energy, hinting at the mysterious portal we were about to enter. Just as they had described during our training sessions and from the pictures I had seen, it was a sturdy old rusty portal, nothing unusual except for the fact that it could transport us into a 3D world.

We were led inside a large camp among others. Daisy and her team approached us, and a stern-faced man stepped forward. "I am Ryan. I will be your mentor for your entire journey inside the game," he said. His serious demeanor made it clear that he took this mission very seriously. After a brief moment of greetings, the meeting resumed. Ryan was not alone; he had a team of experienced guides with him, each one looking equally prepared for the task ahead.

Astrid brought us each a special type of dark raven undergarment. "This garment must be worn under your attire," she explained. "It covers your whole body, including your toes. The texture is smooth, so it should be comfortable."

We were then divided to change into our new gear. Astrid accompanied me personally, guiding me to a separate room while the boys went to another. As I put on the garment, Astrid explained, "Wearing this suit will protect you from the first level's assassination attempts. The garment was developed by researchers using a cheat code that had already been broken. The suit neutralizes attacks, allowing you to walk freely even if you get shot in the game."

Once we were all dressed, we gathered back with Ryan and his team. Ryan started explaining the game. "We will enter the first level for now. You will be trained in it for some time to gain experience. The cheat code for the first level was broken by the young masters during their previous expedition. Several researches proved helpful in producing the de-neutralization suits. By de-neutralization, I mean the attack is nullified so that you can walk freely throughout the game."

As he spoke, Ryan pointed to the door frame. "That is the entrance into the game. You might have already seen it in the pictures. When you step in, you may feel a sharp tinge of electric waves passing through your body. After entering, look out for the assassins in the map above your eye level. Be careful, although we designed the suits to neutralize their attacks, it might still hurt or leave holes in your outer garments. This is just like any other assassination VPR game you've played online and the ones you've been training in the last weeks, except this time, it's real!"

With our suits on and nerves steeled, we prepared to step through the portal into the unknown. The sense of adventure mixed with the tangible fear of what lay ahead, but we were ready. We had trained for this, and now it was time to put that training to the test.