4

The bus finally came to a halt and the doors opened with a hiss. The fog now cleared, like heavy smoke parting ways for a clearer view of the world. A huge building stood in front of them with the name "GRAND HOTEL".

Elara waited at the step of the bus. Being the first in line, the rest were probably expecting her to go down first, but she hesitated. What if she stepped out and something eats her?

Seeing that she wouldn't go down, a woman from the back marched forward and said in a slightly irritated voice, "The more second we delay, the closer we get to being wiped out. I don't think time here waits for anyone. You were given enough while you were still alive."

She shoved her aside with an arm and stepped out. Without turning to look behind, she proceeded inside the hotel. One by one, the others also stepped out of the bus and it felt like she was the only one left, until...

"Are you scared?"

She turned sharply and saw perfect man standing by the pole with his arms crossed. He nudged his brows at her and she pulled her brows into a slight frown.

"Are you not?" She asked back and turned to look outside the bus again. Scared is a lesser word to what she is feeling at the moment.

"Do you want me to hold your hand and walk you down?" he asked again.

Elara clenched her fist and said, "I'll actually appreciate if you can keep your mouth shut."

"Alright," he said and pushed his body from the pole. "Get out of my way then," he said.

Elara turned to the side and watched him get off the bus. She pulled her brows into a deeper frown and cursed under her breath.

She finally stepped down and immediately, she heard the bus doors shut close behind her. She stepped on the blood-red carpet of the portico and entered the lobby. The chandelier that hung down was shaped like a spider web and the art decor was something out of a horror imagination.

"So, what now?" Someone clapped their hands, bringing their attention together.

"How about we introduce ourselves?" Another asked.

"Does anyone knows why we are here? I was supposed to be...dead, but I woke up to this world and it's not even the afterlife," another scaredy-cat like her said. Elara knew she must have caught him in tears at a point.

"Okay then. We'll start with the introductions and talk about the others next. I'll go first," the man said. "I'm Jax." He gestured his hand to the next person.

"Leo."

"Rue."

"Elara."

"Cipher."

Out of the five of them, only Rue and Cipher appears to be...different. Rue, on one hand wears a frown each time. She looks like someone who isn't comfortable with hanging out with people and she appears older than the rest of them. Then Cipher on the other hand appears calm and composed. He is someone they need to be worried about. Everything about him just seem suspicious.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Jax continued. "Though, I'll like to ask, is this everybody's first time?"

"First time?" Rue huffed. "I can't believe I'm hanging out with some set of newbies."

Everyone turned to look at her.

"I-it's not your first time here?" Leo asked.

"I hate it when weak people talk to me. It's pathetic!" She shot Leo a glare and looked away.

That didn't sit well with Elara. She could see Leo lowering his head in shame.

"So what's the big deal if you aren't a newbie?" she confronted her. "No one asked to be here in the first place. I believe we all died and ended up here one way or another. It's the first time for some of us and we're still yet to figure out what this place even is."

"Wrong," Rue said. "It's obvious what this place already is. It's hell. I've seen it with my own eyes. And one thing I will appreciate is if you all don't mind me. I don't like getting involved with people as you see. That only puts me in danger."

Elara shook her head and that was when Jax spoke up.

"I see. So that explains the scars and bruises on your body. You did look like you've went through hell indeed."

"But why is no one asking the obvious question?" Elara raised her voice.

"And what is that?" asked Jax

"This place. It isn't the afterlife, is it? With everything I went through and how I died, I shouldn't be getting punished this way."

"Now we're talking," Rue said. "I've been here for almost a week now and the things I've seen and the places I've been, they are so unreal. The real horror started when they started to kill people. I couldn't believe it at first, but once you die here, you die in the real world. It makes me wonder if I'm currently in a coma and my life depends on if I survive here or not. But it's been a week and yet, I don't see any end to this!" She clenched her hands and expressed her frustration.

"By the way, isn't the game starting late than usual today?"

Elara looked at Cipher who had just spoken. He has his back leaned against the wall and his hand raised to his front, as if admiring it.

"Have you also been here longer than us?" Jax asked with slightly raised brows.

Cipher pulled the corner of his lips. "Who would have thought, right? Because I didn't advertise myself like Rue here."

He gestured his hand to where Rue was and she shot him an angry look.