Chapter 4: Edge Of Insanity

[9:39 AM; Saturday, 29th of April, 2024]

"I'm going to die…"

Biting my nails while sitting in my corner, I muttered the words that echoed in my head. My body felt itchy, and my heart kept racing. It felt like I was going insane, just sitting in that spot for so long.

"We're all going to die…"

Despair clutched my heart, taking it hostage as I drowned in fear. Cold sweat drenched my body, and I could feel the stink that surrounded me.

Even then, I couldn't move from my position.

"A-all… all of us… are dead…"

Ever since I recollected the weird nightmare I just had—the one where I had a similar nightmare and chose to ignore it, yet died such a painful death—my mind felt so discombobulated. A disconnect formed between my thoughts and my body, and I became unable to do anything anymore.

Was this what they called despondency?

The realization that those nightmares I had been getting weren't really nightmares, but simply visions of the future, began to dawn on me. No, that didn't feel exactly like it.

It felt more as if I lived those lives—conscious about everything, yet when I died, it became a dream.

No, a NIGHTMARE!

"Am I dreaming now? Is this… is this just a nightmare?"

In the past, I could check the mirror to conform, but that wasn't working anymore. By all means, I was supposed to be wholly awake—completely in reality. Yet… yet…

'Am I going crazy? I'm crazy, right?'

*****

[10:03 AM]

'My head… it hurts. The pain is getting more intense.'

I looked at the clock in front of me, still maintaining my position. The time told me something that told me not to leave my position.

'Almost time…' I whispered.

I didn't know exactly when the world ended, but I was sure that it wasn't noon yet when I died in both times. It was probably a bit past 11 AM.

'D-does that mean I can quickly go to the pharmacy to get my meds?' If I hurried, I could relieve this pain that constantly kept me miserable.

"B-but…" Remembering the horrific way I died in the pharmacy, my eyes instantly turned bloodshot and I found myself quivering once more.

'N-no. I can't go. Can't go out. Not now…'

Shivering and trembling, I cried internally, feeling the pain in my head swell, threatening to rip my brain apart.

"W-wait… I can order the drugs, can't I? Haha… why didn't I think of that!"

Yes. If I did that, then I didn't need to go outside, right? Yes… that was exactly right. Then…

I spotted my laptop across the room, noticing a bright glimmer of hope emanate from it. It was literally my path to salvation.

'Haa… haha… hahahaha…'

I didn't need to think of anything else. Just a way to reduce the pain in my head. If I could relieve myself, then I could think better.

"I c-can buy it… onli—"

>ZZZZTTZZZZ<

The moment I turned on my laptop, everything turned dark in my room.

"Eeeeek!" I screamed, curling up into a ball as my brain threatened to burst in pain.

I remained there for a few seconds, waiting for something to happen—someone to come—but nothing happened.

'A-ah…' Opening my eyes and looking around, I found out what had actually happened.

It turned out it was just a power outage. It happened very frequently in my apartment complex thanks to our cheapskate landlord and his refusal to fix this building's wiring problem.

"Haha… haha…" Relief formed on my face as I chuckled a little in the darkness. However, the tinge of ease only lasted for a moment.

After all, this power outage brought about another major challenge.

"No internet…"

The Apartment Complex's Wifi, and even my personal one, operated on the flow of constant electricity. No power meant no internet.

'No internet means…' My eyes slowly moved toward my laptop and its cracked screen. I could no longer see the glimmer of hope coming from it. The only thing I saw was pitch-black despair.

"Ahhh…" Groaning and grumbling, my vision blurred and my head pounded more and more.

The stress, the pain, everything began converging and I could feel myself breaking further down. At this rate, I was sure I'd die."

How much longer could I last?

*****

[10: 37 AM]

"Haa… haa…"

I was currently on the road, running as fast as my legs could carry me.

Exhausted breaths leaked out of my quivering lips. My eyes sauntered back and forth, but I tried my best to keep my focus on the path in front of me.

'There's time. There's still time!'

The drugstore was just around the corner. I just had to hurry.

*****

[10:43 AM]

"Mikey, you look like a sight for sore eyes. You really need to—"

"H-here! I want this!" I interrupted the lanky pharmacist in front of me. I bought as many painkillers as legally possible, dumping them on the counter while huffing.

I didn't have any time to indulge in any small talk, or even laugh at any of his jokes. I just didn't care.

My brain felt like it would explode at this point.

"Jeez… so sweaty. I got it. I got it. Sheesh. You should take it easy on your workout."

'Hurry up! Hurry up!' I watched him slowly process everything, quickly shoving the cash toward him.

"Alright. Here's the receipt. Your change is—"

"Keep the change!"

Running off, I could feel an odd sensation pierce me, and the moment I looked back, I realized… the pharmacist was no longer there.

"Ahhh… no, no, no, no, no, no!"

Picking up my pace, despite my tired body, I rushed toward my home.

'Please. PLEASE LET ME MAKE IT BACK!'

I looked to my left and right and found out something… I was the only one on the road. The roads were empty, the streets were empty.

Silence.

Emptiness.

And then… Danger.

I could feel it close in on me as I got to my street.

>DING!<

I could feel it all over my skin as I reached my apartment complex.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

<Paradise Will Now Be Initialized>

{The realm of the gods, Paradise, will be revealed to the chosen humans. Overcome the 99 Floors and reach the Final Realm.}

<Tutorial Will Begin Once The Announcement Has Been Concluded>

{Your mission is to survive the Tutorial so you can be qualified to enter Paradise. Time Left until the end of the Tutorial: 168 hrs: 00 mins: 00 secs}

<Announcement is ending… The Tutorial will now commence>

I could feel it choking me as I reached my doorstep, struggling to open the door to my haven and locking the outside world from me forever.

[SYSTEM WARNING]

<You Have Encountered A Group Of Demons>

I could…

>SQUELCH!<

'Haa… what did I expect?'

The claws of the grotesque beings had already pierced my body, and I could hear the sound of the painkillers plopping into my puddle of blood.

As I experienced these things, I felt it yet again. This strange sense of calmness that banished my headache and completely immersed me in tranquility.

Once again, it felt as though I was in a dream.

[SYSTEM WARNING]

<Your Life Force Has Dropped Below 5 Percent.>

{You will soon die…}

I closed my eyes, embracing the pain, and letting the darkness swallow me whole. It was at this point that I realized I never existed, to begin with.

This was simply a dream…

[You Have Died]

<Dream Sequence Has Ended>

{Based On Exclusive Skill: <Dream>, your recent experiences have been dissolved into a dream}

<You Will Now Be Returned To The Preset Save Point>

[You Will Now Wake Up]

… And I was the Dreamer.

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[A/N]

Will Mikey find a way out of this maddening loop? Or will he continue to suffer like this forever?

Find out in the next chapter!

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