I walked on, following the monster's trail, when I heard something approaching. All my senses sharpened and I stood on guard, ready to fight; if I was going to die, I would at least go down swinging. However, as I focused my sight, I found a battered creature. Its limbs were trembling and its movements were erratic. As it drew closer, I saw a scene of horror: one of its eyes was popping out of its socket, its head was partially crushed, and blood was gushing out. One of its hands was bent at an impossible angle, and the white bone of the forearm protruded from the flesh.

  It staggered toward me like someone begging for a final shred of help. I rushed over and held it, then laid it down on the foliage; it was clear it wouldn't make it past the night. The only thing I could do was hug it and stay by its side in its final moments. It gave small whimpers of anguish as its eyes slowly dimmed. It died after that; I couldn't help but feel my eyes grow moist.

  —This is too much,— I said, looking away.

  Next, I covered its body with leaves and prayed for its eternal rest; luckily, it wasn't one of my parents. I stood up and continued my way, now knowing just how ruthless that creature was.

  A while later, the journey ended when I spotted a giant cave in the distance. Standing before it, I admired the colossal scale of its entrance. It measured over six meters; it was definitely its lair.

  —They could be in here...— I whispered, swallowing hard.

  I peeked inside. The interior stank of death: there were crushed bones and fresh blood everywhere. I went in with my heart in my throat and, from the back, I heard a familiar screech. I ran toward it; it was my father. He was alive, but terribly scratched and covered in blood. I helped him by taking some of his weight on my shoulders, and we managed to get out of that slaughterhouse.

  Once outside, I tried to ask him about my mother, but it was useless. He has no human consciousness; he can't understand me. He simply grabbed me by the neck with his mouth, with that animal instinct of protection, trying to carry me to a safe place. I broke away from him abruptly. I couldn't leave. Not without her.

  My father moved away instantly, disappearing into the shadows.

  —You bastard! Why won't you help me?!— I shouted at him, though I knew it was in vain. His survival instinct was stronger than any family bond. I should have cleared out of there too, but that damn System would penalize me again if I didn't finish the mission.

  I went back inside, this time searching thoroughly; I took advantage of the fact that no one was there. I searched through what seemed to be the beast's bed; the smell was nauseating. Unrecognizable meat in the process of rotting, brains, and loose limbs were all there. That monster accumulated remains in a way that reminded me of reports on serial killers I used to see on the news back in the States; macabre trophies of a senseless butchery.

  I kept searching, but there was no sign of my mother. Had she escaped? Was she somewhere else or... had she already been eaten?

  —Calm down, Samuel. You're starting to ramble,— I told myself in a whisper. —She’s surely nearby. Search while the animal is away.

  I wondered what that thing would be doing at that moment. The answer arrived immediately.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

  Heavy, rhythmic footsteps made the cave floor vibrate. I peeked out carefully: it was the monster. It had returned from hunting, and I was trapped inside! Damn my luck!

  I hid in the darkest corner I could find. The beast entered the cave; it didn't seem to have seen me. I thanked the heavens. Now that it was closer, I could see it in more detail: its mouth was stained with fresh blood and two huge fangs protruded like those of a saber-toothed tiger. It was robust, with a physique similar to a bear, but much more lethal. Was it preparing to hibernate, or had something disturbed it so it would hunt with such viciousness?

  The animal let out a dull growl and slumped onto its bed, ready to sleep. My only option now was to wait for it to fall into a deep sleep to try and escape this hell.

  I spent a good while hidden until, finally, the animal fell asleep. I moved out as stealthily as possible, but out of nowhere, my consciousness vanished and everything went black.

  [Penalty active]

  [You have lost control of your body due to terror]

  When I opened my eyes, I saw my body in the third person; in my astral projection. My fur was completely bristled, and my posture made me look bigger than I was. Then, I growled. Apparently, this vessel's survival instinct had been activated by the primal fear of having the monster nearby.

  —Stop, stop! Just leave, dammit!— I started shouting from my incorporeal state, but it was useless; that idiot wouldn't listen.

  The beast didn't even flinch at first. I thought that stupid body would get tired of posturing and clear out, but then it let out a sort of defiant bark.

  —Don't be stupid! Get out! Shit, I'm going to die again! Damn penalty!

  That giant woke up from the noise. As soon as my organism saw it open its eyes, it shrank, transforming back into a terrified animal. I was about to die... again. Surprisingly, the extreme fear made it react and bolt. The monster rose from its lethargy with a roar that made stones fall from the ceiling, shaking the entire cave. It began to chase me with a terrifying fury.

  In that moment, my consciousness returned all at once. I regained control just as I felt the monster nipping at my heels. I ran with all my strength, lungs burning and heart about to burst. I couldn't lose another life; I didn't know if this would be the last chance destiny would give me.

  I ran like never before in my three lives. It’s funny—when I was human, I was the opposite of athletic, and now I'm fleeing for my life. Memories flashed through my mind like lightning. Is it true what they say? That before you die, you see your life flash before your eyes? Well, whatever; no time for sentimentality.

  I scrambled through branches and rocks, but the beast was still stuck to my heels. It wasn't getting tired, and I was already reaching my physical limit. "Shit, someone help me," I pleaded in my mind.

  —Do you need help?— It was that voice again, the one that didn't belong to the System.

  —No. Get lost, I'm not going to trust you,— I replied with labored breath.

  —Are you sure? That animal is very big... it’s going to eat you.

  —I said no! I won't trust someone who mocks me and won't even show their face.

  I declined the offer for the second time. Maybe I'm crazy, but even in desperation, I can't hand my body over to a stranger. Let whatever happens, happen. Just then, my legs failed: I tripped and fell face-first, swallowing dirt and dry leaves.

  —Shit! Now I’m truly lost! I don’t want to feel them tearing into me again! Not again!— I cursed, lamenting and hitting the ground; my chest ached as I breathed from exhaustion. The beast stopped in front of me and I closed my eyes, waiting for the final impact... but nothing happened. When I opened them, I saw something surreal: that three-meter giant was backing away, trembling in pure terror.

  For a second, I wanted to laugh. "Is it afraid of me?" I thought, emboldened by a distorted reality. Was it a hallucination from my brain to cope with the pain? But the beast's fear was real; it turned around and fled in terror. What was happening? What had that monster seen that I hadn't? If that giant was scared, what the hell was behind my back?

  I turned slowly and ran into something I’d only see in a fever dream or a bad drug trip. There was something even larger staring at me with ancestral eyes. Now what the fuck do I do? This keeps getting worse and worse!