Stepping through the door, my triumph dissolved as a sinister voice shattered my
illusions. It warned, "THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. FAIL TO COMPLETE THE GAME IN
TIME, YOU’LL BE LOST HERE FOREVER.” Glancing at my watch, I realized only 54
minutes had passed. The headset covering my face meant I was unconscious—how
would I eat? People can survive without food for three days, some even longer.
Could I endure that long? Urgency gripped me; I needed to escape. Lost in thought,
I stumbled upon a colossal maze that loomed ahead, the guiding light now extinguished.
"Holy moly! I've never seen such a massive maze."
"YOUR TIME HAS BEGUN" blared the ominous message before the maze.
"Excellent work, Alexi! Everyone should learn how to complicate their lives from you!"
Beside self-cursing, I grappled with indecision. Which path should I take? What if
there's no turning back? Would I perish before finding an exit? Despair threatened
to overwhelm me.
"Wait... Why panic? Who am I? I am Alexi. Instead of blaming myself, I must focus on
action. Some things can't change. What's the plan? Can I feel my body? Yes. Can I use
the thread from my sweater? Yes, I can tear it. Let's see what I can do."
Surveying the maze, I spotted tree branches nearby—potential clues. Gathering them, I
teared a bit of thread and tied the branches together. Without much hesitation, I
chose the second path from the left and ventured into the maze, marking my progress
with branches.
As I continued to explore, each step felt heavier, the path seemingly endless.
Yet, I reassured myself, "I'm getting closer. Just a bit more. Just a bit more."
Finally, I reached another imposing black door.
Checking my watch, I completed the task in 1 hour and 12 minutes, totaling 2 hours and 6 minutes
since my arrival. The second challenge was less exhausting and easier but left me uneasy. Opening
the door, I was pulled through like a magnet, the door slamming shut behind me. What’s
the thing that was waiting for me ahead? Is it the end or it’s just the beginning of
something?
03
Stepping through the door, my triumph dissolved as a sinister voice shattered my illusions. It warned, "THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. FAIL TO COMPLETE THE GAME IN TIME, YOU’LL BE LOST HERE FOREVER.” Glancing at my watch, I realized only 54 minutes had passed. The headset covering my face meant I was unconscious—how would I eat? People can survive without food for three days, some even longer. Could I endure that long? Urgency gripped me; I needed to escape. Lost in thought, I stumbled upon a colossal maze that loomed ahead, the guiding light now extinguished. "Holy moly! I've never seen such a massive maze." "YOUR TIME HAS BEGUN" blared the ominous message before the maze. "Excellent work, Alexi! Everyone should learn how to complicate their lives from you!" Beside self-cursing, I grappled with indecision. Which path should I take? What if there's no turning back? Would I perish before finding an exit? Despair threatened to overwhelm me. "Wait... Why panic? Who am I? I am Alexi. Instead of blaming myself, I must focus on action. Some things can't change. What's the plan? Can I feel my body? Yes. Can I use the thread from my sweater? Yes, I can tear it. Let's see what I can do." Surveying the maze, I spotted tree branches nearby—potential clues. Gathering them, I teared a bit of thread and tied the branches together. Without much hesitation, I chose the second path from the left and ventured into the maze, marking my progress with branches. As I continued to explore, each step felt heavier, the path seemingly endless. Yet, I reassured myself, "I'm getting closer. Just a bit more. Just a bit more." Finally, I reached another imposing black door. Checking my watch, I completed the task in 1 hour and 12 minutes, totaling 2 hours and 6 minutes since my arrival. The second challenge was less exhausting and easier but left me uneasy. Opening the door, I was pulled through like a magnet, the door slamming shut behind me. What’s the thing that was waiting for me ahead? Is it the end or it’s just the beginning of something? 03