Fright Files - 100% Completion

Friday Files #3: 100% Completion

R.N. Sims

My name is Nick Carson, and I was probably the only kid in Ridgeview who didn’t own a copy of Elder Vale.

Okay, maybe not the only one but it sure felt that way.

Every single day for the past month, the hallways of Ridgeview High buzzed with nothing but Elder Vale chatter:

“Did you unlock the Dragon Forge yet?”

“No way, I still haven’t beaten the Undead King!”

“I found a secret portal in the Dark Forest I swear I almost had a heart attack when those zombie knights popped out!”

Zombie knights, magical swords, enchanted forests… I heard the words so often that they blurred together. Just once, I wanted to know what my friends were talking about actually experience the game instead of hearing about it secondhand. But I never had the chance.

My parents insisted that Elder Vale was too expensive, especially after they spent all that money on my “must-have” basketball shoes at the start of the year. I tried everything begging, bargaining, reminding them that nearly everyone else in my grade had it. They wouldn’t budge.

Dad told me to “try saving up.” Mom said, “Video games are a luxury, Nick.” Then she’d hand me some household chore like raking leaves or cleaning out the garage. Thanks a lot, Mom.

That left me stuck, living in the shadow of a game I couldn’t play.

By the time October rolled around, I could recite the basics of Elder Vale in my sleep just from listening to everyone else: It was a fantasy-adventure game where you played as a young hero exploring a vast kingdom, leveling up your magic powers, collecting relics, and fighting evil creatures. The scariest area, according to my friend Jaden, was the Dark Forest zombie knights, creeping vines, and weird glowing eyes in the trees that followed your every move. Everyone seemed to love that horrifying place.

Well, almost everyone. I just wanted to see it for myself.

So I resorted to watching other people play.After school, I would head straight to my best friend Jaden’s house, drop my backpack by the door, and sprawl out on the rug in front of his TV. Jaden would sit on a beanbag, controller in hand, describing every sword swing and magic spell.

“There, see that skeleton knight?” he said one afternoon, pointing at the screen.Abony soldier with a rusted helmet lunged at his avatar. “If you time your dodge just right, you can AH!”

He missed. The skeleton took a slice at his character, and the screen flashed red. Jaden huffed, his curly hair bouncing as he shook his head in frustration. “Man, I almost had it that time.”

I was tempted to grab the controller and give it a shot, but it wasn’t my game. Besides, Jaden was obsessed he never really offered to let me play.And I couldn’t bring myself to ask, either. It felt too needy.

Instead, I just watched. After the tenth time Jaden’s character bit the dust, I fiddled with a stray thread on his rug and said, “So… when you level up enough, you can challenge the Undead King, right?”

Jaden paused the game and smirked. “Yep. That’s the ultimate boss. My cousin says he’s the creepiest thing in the game. Before he attacks, he stares right into the screen, like he’s looking at you in real life.”

I felt a chill run up my back. “Sounds wild,” I muttered. It was the same chill I got whenever I saw the coolest rides at the carnival excitement mixed with dread, but always from the sidelines. “Guess I’ll never see it with my own eyes, though.”

Jaden sighed. “Yeah. Bummer you don’t have your own copy. Maybe you’ll get lucky for Christmas?”

Christmas was months away. “I can’t wait that long,” I groaned. Jaden just shrugged and unpaused the game.

The next day at school was more of the same. By lunchtime, Elder Vale talk filled the cafeteria. Students carried their trays to tables while discussing the best spells and battle strategies. Some were even swapping tips about how to speedrun the first few levels.

I plopped down next to my friend Toby, who was trying to balance two chocolate milks on his lunch tray without spilling. Jaden joined us a moment later, chatting about the Dark Forest.Again.

“Nick, you should’ve seen it yesterday,” he told me, stuffing chicken tenders into his mouth. “I found this hidden pond with a ghostly reflection of my character. It was beyond creepy. Toby, you’d love it.”

Toby grinned. “I already found that pond. If you dive in, you get teleported to an underwater crypt.”

Jaden’s jaw dropped. “No way!Are you serious?”

I tried to ignore the jealousy gnawing at my insides. Everyone seemed to be hitting these new areas left and right while I was left behind in the real world, which felt dull by comparison.

“Man, I can’t believe I’m missing all of this,” I mumbled. I took a sip of my soda and tried not to sound too whiny. “You guys are practically wizards in that game by now.”

Jaden gave me a sympathetic look. “I get it, Nick. But, hey, maybe your parents will cave eventually.”

I highly doubted it. My mom was more stubborn than the final boss in any game she never caved.And Dad kept going on about “saving money” for a “rainy day.” Well, it felt like it was pouring in my life. No game, no chance of getting one anytime soon.

I sighed and nibbled on a french fry. Lunch ended soon after, and I trudged to my next class, feeling about as cheerful as someone with a popped balloon.

That evening, I tried one last time to plead my case at home.

“Mom,” I began, sitting across from her at the kitchen table. She was typing away on her laptop, probably working on something for her job at the accounting firm. “Elder Vale is on sale this week.” I might have been bending the truth maybe it was slightly discounted at one or two stores. “Everyone has it but me. It’s, like, the biggest game in years.”

Mom paused her typing to glance at me. “Nick, we can’t afford that right now. You just got new basketball shoes.”

“I needed them,” I grumbled, tapping my foot on the tiled floor.

“They were expensive,” Mom reminded me. She turned back to her laptop. “Maybe you can earn money by doing extra chores around the neighborhood like walking dogs or raking leaves for our neighbors. And you can talk to your dad, too.”

I sighed, dragging my feet as I left the room. Dad was in the living room, flipping through channels on TV. I waited for a commercial break, then repeated my appeal.

He barely looked up from the remote. “Your mom’s right, Nick. If you want something, work for it. We’re not running a bank here.”

That was that. No “sorry, son,” no “maybe later,” just a flat-out refusal.

I stomped upstairs to my bedroom and shut the door behind me. My room looked exactly like it always did basketball posters on the walls, a desk overflowing with half-finished homework, my Playbox gaming console (but with old games, nothing new or cool). No amount of pouting was going to magically grant me Elder Vale.

The worst part was, I felt stuck like an outcast among my own friends.All because I couldn’t get my hands on one little disc.

“I guess I’ll just have to watch Jaden play forever,” I muttered, flopping onto my bed. Maybe if I saved enough money over the next few weeks, I could afford a used copy. Did they even exist yet? The game had only been out a couple months, and everyone who owned it seemed determined to keep it.

Used copies? I wondered, squinting at the ceiling. That was the only real chance I had if I somehow tracked one down at a pawn shop or rummage sale. But the odds were slim.

For the hundredth time that day, I imagined what it would be like to finally start up my own game, to face those zombie knights and ghostly forests myself, to explore every nook and cranny of Elder Vale with my username on the save file, not someone else’s.

I wanted that so badly, I could practically taste it. But deep down, I had no clue how I’d ever make it happen.

If only I’d known that fate and a certain dusty old shop I never expected had something entirely different in store for me.

Something far darker than any undead monster in Elder Vale.

I felt like the entire school was taunting me the next morning. Everywhere I turned, people talked about Elder Vale. Jaden greeted me at my locker with breathless excitement about a new area he’d reached before bed.

“Dude,” he whispered, eyes practically glowing, “I stayed up ‘til midnight. I finally found that hidden crypt Toby mentioned except it was way spookier than he let on. The walls were covered in these freaky runes that glowed red whenever my character got too close.”

“Red runes, huh?” I tried to sound casual, but my insides twisted with envy. It wasn’t like I wanted Jaden to stop playing I just hated feeling so left out. “Guess you’ll have to show me after school.”

“Sure thing,” Jaden said. He slammed his locker shut. “But be warned: you might lose your appetite.”

I forced a grin. “I’ll risk it,” I told him, though the truth was, it made me sick to keep watching him play a game I couldn’t afford. Still, Jaden was my best friend. If I wanted to stay in the loop, I had no choice but to play the role of spectator.

At lunch, we all crowded around a table near the back of the cafeteria. Toby waltzed over, balancing a stack of textbooks in one arm. He flopped them onto the table with a loud thud. “Did you finally get to the boss?” he asked Jaden.

Jaden nodded, gulping down some chocolate milk. “Yeah, but the Undead King is insane. I barely lasted two minutes before he sliced me in half.” His eyes flicked to me. “Nick, wait ‘til

you see him. He has these skeleton minions that swarm you the second the battle starts.”

I swallowed hard. “Sounds…epic.” My voice wavered slightly. “Of course, I still can’t see it for myself.”

Toby leaned in, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Nick, you’re missing out,” he said, halfapologetically, half-gleefully. “Hey, my dad said if I finish my chores by the weekend, I can buy the new expansion coming out next month. Think of all the new levels that’ll have!”

I tried not to sigh too loudly. I hadn’t even set foot in the existing levels yet Toby was already bragging about expansions. “Good for you,” I managed, stirring my mac and cheese without any real appetite.

No matter how many times I heard about Elder Vale, it never stopped stinging that I was left out. I finished lunch in a daze, trying to block out Toby and Jaden’s chatter about secret dungeons and hidden bosses.

One day, I vowed silently. One day, I’ll have my own copy.

That afternoon, I told Jaden I couldn’t come over; I had to help Dad with a few chores.

The truth was, I just couldn’t handle another hour of watching him plunge into epic quests while I sat there like a sidekick. Instead, I headed down the main road, wishing I had a more pleasant route home Ridgeview wasn’t exactly scenic, with its row of small shops and identical brick buildings.

I was so lost in thought that I almost didn’t notice the display window in front of Grayson’s Books & Curiosities. I only caught it in my peripheral vision: a glimmer of gold and green that immediately made my heart skip a beat.

No way, I thought, backtracking a few steps. But there it was, perched on a small velvet stand behind the dusty glass: a box with the unmistakable title Elder Vale.

I blinked, making sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Elder Vale? In that shop? Mr. Grayson’s store was known for its musty antiques, weird maps, and cryptic trinkets. The last time I’d looked inside, I’d seen an ancient rocking horse and a rusted telescope from who-knows-when. Hardly a place for cutting-edge games let alone one that had been out for only a couple of months.

Yet there it was, practically calling to me: Elder Vale.Asticker on the box read USED, but I didn’t care. If it worked, it was good enough for me.

I stared at the door.Asign hung in it that said WE’RE OPEN…IF YOU DARE. My stomach fluttered. I’d heard kids talk about Mr. Grayson: how he always seemed to know too much about people’s personal business, and how he spoke in that half-whisper that gave you goosebumps. Some claimed he wasn’t just old he was ancient, like a time traveler. Totally ridiculous rumors, sure, but the vibe around him was weird all the same.

Still, the sight of that Elder Vale box tugged at me like a magnet. I glanced in my wallet: a small wad of bills saved from dog-walking and raking leaves for neighbors. It wasn’t much, but maybe maybe it would be enough.

I have to try, I thought, pushing the door open.

Atiny bell clanged overhead as I stepped inside. The air smelled of old books and vanilla, a strangely comforting yet eerie mix. The shelves were crammed with everything from tattered novels to bizarre objects, like a stuffed crow perched on a wooden stand.A single lightbulb flickered above the front counter, where I saw someone’s tall, thin silhouette.

“Welcome, Nicholas,” a voice drawled softly.

I froze. “H-how do you know my name?” I blurted out, my heart beating faster. Sure, Ridgeview wasn’t a huge place, but I’d never met Mr. Grayson in person. I’d just heard stories.

The figure turned, revealing a man dressed in an old-fashioned vest and pinstripe pants.A battered top hat sat at a jaunty angle on his head. He looked at me with keen gray eyes that seemed to peer right through me.

“Oh, I make it my business to know people,” he said, smiling. His teeth were a shade too white, and his lips curved in a way that made me uneasy. “Especially those with pressing desires.” His gaze slid to the window. “Elder Vale, correct?”

I swallowed, trying not to squirm. “Uh, yeah. I…I just saw the game in your display. I was wondering how much ”

Mr. Grayson raised a hand, cutting me off. “Yes, the game. The one you’ve been pining for why, your longing practically echoes through these very walls.”

I had no idea what that meant, but I nodded. “So, is it for sale?”

He stepped around the counter, as if floating rather than walking. “For the right price, Nicholas. For you, I daresay I can manage a special deal.”

Before I could question him further, he plucked the Elder Vale box off a small stand near the window and placed it in my hands. The packaging was slightly worn around the edges, but otherwise intact.Athrill coursed through me this was my chance.

“How…how special are we talking?” I asked, praying I had enough money.

Mr. Grayson pursed his lips thoughtfully, then rattled off a price so low I almost choked. It was way below what a brand-new copy cost at any store in town and definitely less than I’d saved.

“Are you serious?” I said, my voice cracking with excitement.

He raised an eyebrow. “Quite. This copy’s been used, after all. Let’s just say it came into my possession under…unusual circumstances.” He paused for a heartbeat, as if considering whether to reveal something more. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he added, “Isn’t that what you wanted?Aused copy at a bargain price?”

“Yes,” I breathed. “Absolutely.” I fished the bills out of my wallet, nearly dropping them in my rush. Mr. Grayson took them, counting slowly, then tucked them away.

“Enjoy,” he said, sliding the game back to me. “Do be careful, though. Games have a way of taking on a life of their own, if one isn’t cautious.”

Aweird chill danced across my arms. “Right. Thanks, Mr. Grayson.” I forced a nervous grin. “I guess I’ll, uh, be going now.”

Mr. Grayson’s eyes gleamed as he returned the smile. “Yes, yes. Off you go.And…good luck.”

He let out a soft chuckle that followed me to the door.

Outside, I squinted in the afternoon sunlight, half-expecting to find the game gone or changed into something else. But there it was Elder Vale, in my hands, mine. It felt surreal.

Part of me wanted to rip open the box right there and sprint home to start playing, but I forced myself to calm down. I’d never been so excited and yet something about Mr. Grayson’s grin stuck in my head, like a bad aftertaste I couldn’t quite wash away.

He knows my name, I thought. He knows exactly what I wanted. And how did he even get this copy in the first place?

Adozen questions swirled in my mind, but I brushed them aside.All that mattered was that, at last, I had Elder Vale. Finally, I could explore the Dark Forest myself. Finally, I could face those zombie knights, those hidden crypts, that dreaded Undead King.

First, though, I had to survive dinner and homework. I grinned, gripping the box tightly. Nothing can stop me now, I told myself.

The future seemed brighter than ever and yet, somewhere deep inside, a prickling sensation warned me that this might be too good to be true.

I’d soon learn just how right that feeling was.

By the time I got home, my heart was practically pounding out of my chest. The weight of the Elder Vale box in my backpack felt unreal like I was carrying a golden ticket to the world’s best amusement park.

Unfortunately, my parents were there to remind me that no matter how excited I was, real life had priorities.

“Nick,” Mom called from the kitchen the moment I walked in, “before you go running off to your room, I need you to help set the table.”

I let out a silent groan. Normally, chores were no big deal, but tonight every second felt like an eternity. “Sure,” I said, hoping to hurry through it.

I plopped my backpack on the living room floor and headed for the kitchen. Mom was stirring a pot of spaghetti sauce while Dad chopped vegetables for a salad. He looked up when I entered, giving me a pointed stare.

“You spent your savings on a video game?” he asked, more like a statement than a question.

I froze. “Um… yeah, I found a used copy for cheap,” I mumbled. “It’s a really good deal, and I ”

Dad held up a hand. “I understand, Nick. I’m just saying, if you’re going to spend your money on something, make sure it’s not a waste.”

“It’s not a waste,” I said, maybe a bit too sharply. Then I bit my lip. Getting into an argument would only delay me more. “Look, I… I worked hard for that money. Just like you told me to.”

He grunted, but at least he didn’t keep pressing the issue. Mom chimed in, “Well, I hope you get your money’s worth.After dinner, though, there’s still your math homework. Don’t forget that.” She gave the spaghetti sauce a brisk stir, filling the kitchen with a rich tomato smell.

I shut my eyes briefly and nodded. “Got it. Table first, homework second.” I forced a small smile. Game third, I added silently.

Setting the table felt like it took a million years. I tried to hurry, but Dad caught me nearly dropping the silverware in my rush. “Careful,” he warned. I slowed down, biting back my impatience.

We finally sat down to eat. Conversation drifted between Mom’s work updates, Dad’s commentary on the local news, and a few random questions about my day. I chimed in here and there, but mostly I pushed spaghetti around my plate. My stomach was too knotted with excitement to finish it.

“So,” Dad said, dabbing his mouth with a napkin, “what’s this game called again?”

“Elder Vale,” I said. “It’s a big fantasy-adventure game. You fight zombies and skeletons and bog monsters and everything. Everyone at school has it.”

Dad’s eyebrows rose. “Sounds… intense.”

Mom exchanged a look with him. “Just don’t stay up all night with it, Nick. You’ve still got school in the morning.”

I nodded, trying not to look too eager. “Sure, yeah. Don’t worry.” If I even sleep at all tonight, I thought giddily.

After dinner, I stacked my dishes in the sink. Normally, I’d watch TV for a while, but not tonight. I flew upstairs the instant I was dismissed, only to remember: the homework. My stomach sank again. I grabbed my math workbook and started scribbling half-heartedly. My mind kept wandering to the mysterious forest Jaden had told me about and the skeleton knights Toby loved bragging about.

Every now and then, I’d reach over to pat my backpack, just to remind myself the game was there. It felt like an eternity, but after I put the final period on my English essay, I snapped my folders shut with a satisfied sigh.

Finally!

I pulled the Elder Vale box from my backpack like a pirate unveiling a newly discovered treasure. My fingertips tingled with anticipation. I powered on my console and carefully inserted the disc.

Then my phone rang.

“No way,” I muttered, glaring at the screen. The caller ID read: Jaden. Of course he’d pick this moment to call. If I ignored him, he’d just keep calling and he’d bug me about it at school tomorrow.

I hit “Answer.” “Hey,” I said, trying (and failing) to hide the impatience in my voice.

“Nick, you are not gonna believe what just happened in the crypt,” Jaden burst out, sounding more hyped than ever. “I found a hidden door behind some rubble, and it led to this huge underground cathedral filled with ghost knights! Dude, it’s insane! I had to tell youASAP.”

My eyes flicked back to the TV, where the game’s logo glowed against a swirling backdrop. “That’s awesome, man,” I replied automatically. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks! I’m telling Toby tomorrow he’s probably still a step ahead, but I don’t even care. This place is so hey, you okay? You sound weird.”

I clutched the controller in one hand, phone in the other. “Just, uh, a little busy,” I said. “Math homework.” It wasn’t a total lie; I’d just finished. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

“Sure.” He paused. “I’ll fill you in on all the details later. Gotta go anyway my mom’s yelling about bedtime. Bye!”

The call ended. I exhaled a long breath. Finally, I thought. Now there was nothing between me and Elder Vale.

I turned back to the TV. The main menu shimmered, showing a castle perched on a hill, bathed in moonlight. Ominous music hummed in the background. My pulse fluttered.

Ablinking cursor on the screen read: SELECT SAVE FILE.

There were two options. One was Create New, and the other was…some random name I didn’t recognize:ALEX.

Alex? My eyebrows drew together. The game was supposed to be used, so it wasn’t surprising there’d be an old save file. Maybe the previous owner’s name wasAlex. No big deal.

Still, a tiny shiver ran up my spine. I couldn’t help noticing that the save file was already at 100% completion. So the last guy must’ve beaten the entire game. My thumb hovered over the controller. I probably could’ve seen everything from the endgame perspective right away. But where was the fun in that?

I shrugged off the weird feeling and scrolled to the DELETE option. “Sorry,Alex,” I muttered under my breath. “I want to start fresh.”

The game asked: DELETE THIS FILE? I pressed YES.Asmall beep confirmed the deletion.Asecond later, the name Alex vanished. Now I had only one choice on the screen:

CREATE NEW.

My heart pounded. I selected it and typed in my usual gamer tag: NickOfTime.A dramatic swell of music filled my room, and the screen flickered to a shadowy forest scene.A narrator’s voice boomed in a theatrical tone: Welcome, brave hero, to Elder Vale. Your journey begins…now.

My entire body tingled with excitement. Finally, I thought, gripping the controller tighter. I’m about to see what all the fuss is about.

Little did I know, the real fuss was only just beginning and this game was about to pull me into a nightmare I could never have imagined.

I played into the night far longer than I intended.

At first, I stumbled around the kingdom of Elder Vale, learning the controls and admiring the sprawling landscape. The opening area was a bright meadow dotted with strange, twisted trees and deerlike creatures that scampered away when my avatar approached. Ajaunty flute melody played in the background, making everything feel almost cheerful.

But as I ventured deeper, the sky darkened. The game’s music shifted to a low, moaning chant. I found myself in a place called Skellic Marsh, where the ground was muddy and skeleton warriors rose from the bog. I barely survived my first encounter my character’s health bar dipping dangerously low. I let out a whoop of triumph when I finally beat the last skeleton.

“Learn to love it boys!” I said to the screen, more hyped than I’d been in months. “I’m the man!”

I pressed on, stumbling into areas where glowing eyes peered at me from the shadows. Maybe half of them were friendly NPC creatures, but I couldn’t be sure. My heart thudded every time I rounded a corner, not knowing what monster would jump out next.

The hours slipped by in a blur of excitement. Every time I thought about saving and quitting, I told myself, Just a little longer… I wanted to see one more area, find one more secret chest. I was hopelessly hooked.

When I finally reached an eerie cavern filled with glowing crystals, a shout from behind made me nearly drop the controller.

“Nicholas James Carson!” Mom’s voice cut through my headphones.

I jolted to my feet, heart racing, and checked my bedside clock. Midnight?! My throat went dry.

“I thought I heard something.” Mom stood in the doorway, wearing her robe, arms crossed. She flipped on the overhead light. I squinted, my eyes burning. “I told you not to stay up all night with that thing.”

“I sorry, Mom, I guess I lost track of time.” My mouth felt like sandpaper, and I blinked hard. I probably looked like a raccoon with how red my eyes were. “I’ll, uh… I’ll shut it off now.”

Her frown deepened. “You have school in the morning. I mean it, Nick turn it off and get to bed.”

I sighed, saving my game. “Okay, okay.” The screen faded to black. My entire body still buzzed with excitement, even as I flicked off the console. Mom hovered in the doorway until I powered everything down.

“Don’t let this happen again,” she warned before turning and heading back down the hallway.

I flopped onto my bed, adrenaline still racing. Just wait ‘til tomorrow, I thought, imagining how I’d finally be able to join the conversation at school.Agrin tugged at my lips, and within minutes, I fell into a dreamless sleep. * * * *

The next morning came way too soon. My alarm blared, and I jolted awake, feeling like I’d gotten maybe half an hour of rest. My eyes felt glued shut.

I pried myself out of bed, got dressed, and stumbled downstairs for breakfast. Dad gave me a sharp look as I slumped into my seat.

“You look exhausted,” he said, flipping a page of the newspaper. “Let me guess playing that game?”

“Not that late,” I lied, pouring myself a bowl of cereal. My spoon clattered against the bowl. Every muscle in my body begged me to go back to bed. But at least I had a reason to be excited: I could finally tell my friends I wasn’t on the outside looking in anymore.

At school, I found Jaden and Toby at our usual spot by the lockers. Jaden was halfway through a breathless monologue about the boss battle he’d fought late last night. Toby leaned against a locker, arms crossed, nodding with a smug expression as if to say, I did that ages ago.

I crept up behind them, stifling a yawn. “Guess who joined the party?” I said, my voice crackling. “I finally got Elder Vale.”

Jaden spun around so fast he almost dropped his backpack. “No way!”

Toby did a double-take. “You’re kidding. How?”

I shrugged, trying to sound casual. “Found a used copy at well, you’re never gonna believe this Grayson’s.”

Both of them stared at me like I’d grown two heads. Toby let out a low whistle. “Grayson’s? That old shop? Doesn’t he sell weird junk like haunted clocks or something?”

“Yeah,” I admitted. “I don’t know why he had it. But the price was right.”

“And someone just gave up their copy?” Jaden asked, eyebrows shooting up. “That’s nuts. I wouldn’t give up my game for anything.”

My mind flicked to the name on that save file Alex but I just shrugged. “Guess someone decided to part with it. Their loss, my gain.”

“Dude, that’s awesome,” Jaden said, clapping me on the shoulder. “So how far are you?”

I told them about my late-night venture into the Skellic Marsh and the skeleton warriors. Toby, predictably, jumped in with “Oh, that’s nothing just wait ‘til you reach the Lost Mines.

The goblin army there is twice as tough as skeleton knights.Arrows won’t even work on them!”

I fought back an irritated sigh. Toby was always a step ahead, always so eager to prove he knew more. “Well, I’ll get there soon,” I said. “I’m gonna put in some serious hours this week.”

By third period, my eyelids felt like lead weights. While Mrs. Dobbins droned on about fractions and decimals, my head kept drooping toward my desk. The numbers on the board blurred in and out of focus.At one point, I actually nodded off for a second.

“Nick?” Mrs. Dobbins said sharply. “Perhaps you’d like to show the class how to solve this equation?”

I shot upright, heat flooding my cheeks. “Uh, right. Of course.” I staggered to the whiteboard, ignoring the quiet snickers from classmates. My mind felt like mush, but I forced my way through the problem, managing a barely acceptable answer.

This is bad, I thought, returning to my seat. If I couldn’t handle a single night of late gaming, how was I supposed to keep it up?

Still, as soon as the bell rang, my exhaustion gave way to excitement again. I spent lunch regaling Jaden and Toby with more details, desperate to prove I was making progress. Toby tossed in a million hints and tips, half of which I forgot as soon as he said them.

Truth be told, I didn’t care about their game stories anymore I just wanted to get back home, fire up Elder Vale again, and continue my own journey. Sitting on the sidelines was old news; I wanted the real deal.

Even if it meant stumbling through another day half-asleep, I was willing to pay that price.

When the last bell rang, I bolted out of the building with a newfound burst of energy.

Sure, my body was tired, but my mind was racing. I’d locked eyes with a skeleton archer in that glowing cavern last night and I couldn’t wait to finish him off.

Atiny voice in my head warned me about Dad’s disapproval, Mom’s watchful eye, and how last night had almost gotten me into big trouble. But the pull of Elder Vale was stronger. I practically jogged all the way home, ignoring Toby’s offer to hang out why watch them play, when I finally had the game for myself?

The only question was: How much deeper would I go tonight? Because I had a feeling the Dark Forest and those zombie knights were only scratching the surface of what Elder Vale had to offer.

And I couldn’t wait to find out.

The second I stepped into the house, I tried to sneak upstairs without alerting Mom or Dad, but no such luck. Mom called out from the kitchen, “Nick, don’t forget you have to take out the trash and empty the dishwasher before you start on that game!”

Dad added from the living room, “And remember our talk no more midnight sessions.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, my eyes already drifting toward the staircase. “I got it.”

I raced up to my room and dropped my backpack by the desk. My textbooks tumbled out, and I bent down to shove them onto the chair. My whole body felt like it was running on fumes, but my mind was buzzing with excitement. Maybe I can squeeze in a quick hour before dinner…

I pushed open my bedroom door, intending to grab my game from the shelf when suddenly, the light overhead blinked out.

Athick, cold fog seemed to fill the hallway. I blinked hard, trying to clear my vision. One step outside my room, and I realized I wasn’t in my house anymore.

I was in the Dark Forest.

The sky above was pitch-black, illuminated only by a sickly green moon. Gnarled trees leaned over me like twisted skeleton arms.Achill wind whipped past, carrying the faint sound of rattling bones. My breath came in shallow gasps.

“How…?” I whispered, glancing around in disbelief. It looked exactly like the Dark Forest from Elder Vale but in the game, I’d only heard rumors about it, never explored it myself yet. Where were the controls? Where was my avatar’s health bar?

My heart thundered as I took a step. The ground squelched beneath my sneakers. I looked down and saw the earth was soaked with thick, black mud. “This can’t be real,” I muttered, shaking my head. “I I’m dreaming.”

Atwig snapped. I spun around, eyes widening as I saw a skeleton warrior stagger out from behind a tree. Its bones clacked with every movement, and its empty eye sockets seemed to lock on me.Another emerged to my left then another behind me. I swiveled in place, panic rising.

“I… I don’t have a sword!” I cried, voice echoing in the eerie silence. There was no inventory menu, no magic spells. This wasn’t some pixelated screen; it was real. Or at least it felt real.

One skeleton lifted a rusted blade, pointing it straight at my chest. My heart hammered so loudly I thought I might faint.

I pivoted and bolted, nearly tripping over exposed roots in the thick undergrowth. The forest floor sloped downward, leading me to a hollow filled with knotted vines that reached for my ankles like grasping hands. The skeletons’bony feet clattered on the ground behind me, unnervingly fast.

“Oh man, oh man, oh man!” I yelled, ducking under a twisted tree branch. Every shadow seemed alive, eyes glinting with sinister light. The skeletal warriors hissed and rattled as they closed in.

Up ahead, I saw a faint glow a clearing? An exit, maybe. I forced my legs to move faster. My lungs burned. Somehow, with each step, that glow got further away instead of closer. It was like the forest stretched before me, warping the path, trapping me.

“Help!” I shouted, though I had no idea who I was calling to. Jaden? Toby? My parents? My voice echoed in the still air, swallowed by the mist.

Abruptly, a skeletal hand clamped down on my shoulder. I screamed, jerking away, but another grasped my arm. I thrashed, but there were too many three, four, five sets of bony fingers scraping my skin. I felt the cold steel of a blade press against my back

“No, no, NO! I don’t want to die !”

Suddenly, bright light flooded my vision.

I gasped and blinked, my heart racing as I jerked upright. Hands were on my shoulders human hands. Mom’s face appeared, her expression a mix of alarm and concern. “Nick? Nick, wake up!”

I realized I was sprawled on my bedroom floor, my backpack still half-open. My clothes were damp with sweat.

“Y-you were screaming,” Mom said, releasing my shoulders. “I heard you all the way downstairs.” Dad stood in the hallway, frowning, worry etched on his face.

I looked around wildly, my chest still heaving. “Skeletons…Dark Forest…” I mumbled, my voice shaking. My bedroom was exactly as I left it no swirling mist, no rusted swords, just my desk, a poster, and clothes piled in the corner.

“Nick, calm down,” Mom said softly, smoothing my hair back. “It was just a nightmare. You’re exhausted probably from staying up so late. Now you’re literally passing out in your room.”

Dad’s frown deepened. “We’re serious about this, Nick. No more Elder Vale on school nights. It’s clearly messing with your head.”

My pulse still thundered in my ears, and for a split second, I thought about arguing. I needed the game. I wanted to see more, even after that horrifying dream. But the look on my parents’faces told me there was no way I’d win this round.

I swallowed hard. “Yeah,” I said quietly, hugging my knees. “I…I guess you’re right.”

Mom helped me to my feet. “Wash up for dinner,” she said, her voice gentler now. “Then you can finish your chores, and we’ll talk about this more.”

I nodded numbly, still feeling the phantom grip of those skeletal hands.As I trudged out of my room, I couldn’t shake the sense that the Dark Forest might be closer than I ever imagined and that next time, I might not wake up before they caught me for real.

I felt like my entire world had been turned upside down. The dream or nightmare, more like it still lingered in my head, but what really hit hard was Mom and Dad’s new rule: no Elder Vale until the weekend.

That meant two more days of hearing Jaden and Toby chat about the game while I sat there, locked out of my own console.

“Man, your parents are strict,” Toby said at lunch on Thursday. We were at our usual table in the cafeteria, trays loaded with meatball subs and half-melted Jell-O cups. “I’ve pulled plenty of late nights gaming, and my dad never banned me like that.”

“Yeah, well, my folks tend to freak out when I scream in my sleep about skeletons,” I mumbled, poking at my Jell-O with a plastic spoon. The memory of that nightmare still gave me chills.

Toby snorted a laugh, but Jaden shot me a sympathetic glance. “Hey, at least Friday isn’t too far away,” he said, patting my shoulder. “You’ll be back in Elder Vale soon enough.”

I tried to smile. “Guess so. Maybe I can catch up to you guys after all.”

“Doubt it,” Toby bragged. “I just found a rare weapon that’s basically unstoppable. It’s called the Shadow Blade, and let me tell you enemies don’t stand a chance. I can one-shot the zombie mages now!”

I swallowed back a groan. Great. Two days of Toby’s bragging to endure before I could

even set foot in Elder Vale again.

By the time the last bell rang, I had a throbbing headache from hearing about Toby’s unstoppable sword and Jaden’s latest boss victory. My parents wouldn’t let me play my copy at home, but that didn’t mean I had to sit around moping.

I decided to head over to Jaden’s place at least I could watch his game and live vicariously. The moment we got there, Jaden kicked off his sneakers and flopped onto the beanbag chair, controller in hand. I took my usual spot on the rug.

Toby plopped down too, cross-legged on the floor, rummaging in his backpack for a bag of chips. “Alright, Jaden, show us what you got,” he said between crunches.

Jaden booted up his save. The screen lit up with that familiar swirl of greenish mist and the Elder Vale logo. My fingers twitched with longing I missed that swirl so much, and it had only been a single day since I’d played.

As Jaden navigated through the spooky crypt on the screen, Toby bombarded him with tips. “Don’t forget to block with your shield there’s an ambush here,” he warned. Sure enough, a pair of sword-wielding skeletons popped out, and Jaden took them down with a few well-timed strikes.

I tried to enjoy the show, but all I could think about was my own copy of the game, collecting dust at home. Soon, I told myself. Just hang in there until Friday night.

During a lull in the action Jaden’s character was resting at a glowing save point he turned to me. “So,” he said, pausing the game, “I still can’t get over it. You seriously found a used copy of Elder Vale at Grayson’s Books & Curiosities?”

Toby’s mouth fell open. “That’s just weird. Mr. Grayson sells, like, cursed amulets and dusty books, not video games.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, it’s weird. But I guess I’m just lucky. It was a great price.” I hesitated, then decided to mention the save file. “The disc had a completed save called…Alex. Does that ring a bell for you guys?”

Jaden shook his head. “Nope. I don’t know anyAlexes?”

“Me neither,” I said. “And get this it was at one hundred percent completion.All bosses, all quests, everything.”

“Dude!” Jaden nearly dropped the controller. “You had a perfect save file in your hands?”

Toby’s eyes widened. “Aperfect save? That means the last owner probably unlocked every secret area and hidden item. Imagine being able to load it up and check out the final boss fights or the hidden endings right away.”

I felt a pang of regret. “Yeah… I guess I wasn’t thinking. It’s just… I wanted to experience the story from the beginning, you know?”

“You deleted it?” Toby asked, mouth agape. “Dude, you could’ve discovered so many hidden features. Or even found out if there are alternate endings some say there’s, like, a secret forest boss that only appears at max completion.”

Jaden whistled low. “That’s insane. But yeah, I get it,” he said, glancing at me sympathetically. “You want to earn your way through, not skip to the end.”

“Exactly,” I muttered, still feeling a twinge of doubt. “Anyway, it’s done.Alex’s file is gone.”

Jaden unpaused his own game, diving back into the crypt. “Well, maybe it’s for the best,” he said, focusing on the screen. “Now you can enjoy the entire experience.”

I tried to look convinced, but something about Toby’s words stuck in my head. ‘You could’ve discovered so many hidden features.’ For a moment, I found myself imagining what if I had opened Alex’s file would I have seen something mind-blowing? Or…something disturbing?

Shaking off the thought, I turned my attention back to Jaden’s skeleton showdown. It was exhilarating to watch, but I couldn’t ignore the nagging itch to play my own copy.And it felt weird to think I’d thrown away someone’s carefully completed data with a single button press.

Oh well, I thought. Alex’s file is deleted. End of story.

As Jaden fought his way deeper into the crypt, I zoned out for a second, imagining my own avatar back in the gloom of Skellic Marsh, tangling with those creepy skeletons and maybe even braving the Dark Forest someday.

Somewhere, in the back of my mind, a quiet little voice whispered that Alex might not be quite as gone as I thought. I shook my head to clear it. That was ridiculous delete means delete, right?

By the time Friday finally rolled around, I thought I might lose my mind. Every class felt like it stretched on forever, with teachers droning about fractions or geography while my brain hopped around one question: When can I get home and play Elder Vale?

Jaden tried to make small talk between classes, but all I could think about was picking up exactly where I’d left off wandering that spooky Skellic Marsh and leveling up enough to tackle bigger bosses. Toby kept asking what strategies I planned to use, which just made me itch to get home faster.

Even the last bell at school took its sweet time. When it finally rang, I shot out of my desk, books barely stuffed into my backpack, and beelined for the exit.

Normally, I’d have jogged home in record time, but my parents had other plans. Every Friday, they insisted on taking me to Big Mouth Pizza their idea of quality family bonding. And tonight was no exception.

“C’mon, Nick, get in the car,” Dad said, jingling his keys. “We’re not missing pizza night.”

I stifled a groan and slid into the back seat. Don’t get me wrong, I love pizza. But this time, all I wanted was to skip straight to my room, plop down with the controller, and finally enjoy the freedom from my parents’midweek rule.

Inside Big Mouth Pizza, the smells of melted cheese and garlic made my stomach rumble. We slid into a booth, and Dad ordered a large pepperoni and onion pie. Usually, my mouth would water at the thought, but tonight I was antsy, legs bouncing under the table.

Mom noticed and shook her head disapprovingly. “You haven’t even gotten your pizza yet, and you’re already thinking about that game, aren’t you?”

I tried to keep a neutral expression. “I just don’t want to be out too late,” I said, which was sort of true.

Dad flipped open a menu, despite already knowing what he’d order. “Nick, it’s Friday. You have all weekend to play, but at least pretend to enjoy family night.” He added a teasing smirk, but I caught the hint of concern in his eyes.

I forced a grin. “Yeah, sorry. I’m excited, that’s all.”

Over slices of gooey pizza, my parents threw in a few more remarks about “balancing hobbies” and “being mindful of nightmares.” I nodded politely, trying not to roll my eyes. Come on, I thought. Stop lecturing. I’m not six years old. But in truth, I knew they had a point I had scared them with that screaming nightmare Wednesday. Still, the lure of Elder Vale was too strong to ignore.

We finished up around seven-thirty, which felt agonizingly late. I practically dragged Mom and Dad to the car. Dad glanced at me in the rearview mirror while we drove. “Don’t stay up too late, Nick. We meant it about the nightmares.”

“I’ll be fine,” I said, staring at the streetlights whizzing by. “You guys said no Elder Vale on school nights. Well, it’s Friday. So…” I trailed off with a hopeful grin.

Mom sighed. “Alright, but don’t let it consume your entire weekend. Understood?”

I muttered a quick agreement. The second we pulled into the driveway, I was unbuckled and flinging the car door open. “Thanks for dinner!” I called, already halfway up the front steps.

Dad shook his head, but I noticed a wry smile on his face. “Kids,” I heard him say to Mom, and she let out a small laugh.

Inside, I bolted up the stairs two at a time, heart thumping with anticipation. My bedroom lamp glowed warmly, and everything felt crisp and welcoming no eerie vibes or flickering lights like before. This time, I was sure nothing would interrupt me.

I powered on my console, popping the Elder Vale disc inside. The swirling logo came up, accompanied by that now-familiar chant of low-pitched voices. “Yes,” I breathed, sinking onto my bed, controller in hand.Ashiver of excitement raced through me. At last.

The game loaded my save file NickOfTime, standing in the marsh, up to my avatar’s knees in black, gurgling mud. Skeleton warriors patrolled in the distance, their eyes flickering like little pinpoints of light. “Okay,” I whispered, “let’s do this.”

I spent a few minutes reacquainting myself with the controls, then dove straight into battle. My sword clashed against rickety bones and rusted armor. I hollered as I managed to take down two skeletal bats at once, a satisfying on-screen victory flourish making me grin ear to ear.

Clang! Clang! Another skeleton lunged forward, and I dodged deftly, feeling that sweet gamer’s rush. The adrenaline surged like I was part of the fight. “This is awesome,” I muttered. “Sit down, Toby and Jaden I can totally handle these guys.”

I was so focused that I barely noticed at first when the edges of the TV screen began to flicker. Suddenly, the console beeped, and the picture disappeared. Everything went black.

My bedroom lamp, the hum of the overhead fan, even the streetlight glow outside it all vanished in an instant, plunging me into pitch darkness. My heart lurched in my chest.

“N-No,” I stammered, my eyes straining against the inky black. Had the entire house just lost power? Or was I…

I swallowed hard, a terrifying thought creeping into my head: Am I in the Dark Forest again?

The silence pressed in around me. My pulse pounded in my ears. I stood up, fumbling blindly. “Hello?” I called out. Was this another nightmare? Was I about to feel bony hands seizing my arms? Or hear the rattle of skeleton armor from behind?

I heard a distant voice Dad? Mom? but it was muffled, like I was underwater. My skin prickled with cold sweat.

I was back in that nightmare: wandering the Dark Forest alone, no weapons, no escape. Everything was pitch-black, and the only sound was the harsh pounding of my heart.

“Nick?” Mom’s voice broke through the silence. It came from somewhere in the hallway, followed by a thin beam of light dancing across my bedroom door.

I swallowed hard. It’s just a power outage. I repeated that in my head until it stuck. I forced myself to breathe more slowly, wiping the clammy sweat from my forehead. “M-Mom?” I managed to croak.

Her flashlight beam landed on me. “You okay, honey?” She stepped inside, the light illuminating her concerned expression. “The power went out for a second. Looked like half the street lost it too.”

Dad appeared behind her with another flashlight. “Everything alright? We heard you yell.”

I exhaled a shaky breath. “Yeah… I’m fine.” My voice wavered. “Just startled. I was in the middle of a big fight, and everything went dark.”

I was really starting to resent my bad luck. It was like fate itself was trying to keep me from playing.

“Well, you’ve had enough excitement for one night,” Dad said gently. “If the power’s shaky, maybe you should ”

“No, it’s back on,” Mom interrupted, nodding at my bedroom lamp, which flickered back to life. The fan overhead spun lazily. “Must’ve been a quick outage. The entire grid probably did a reset.”

I glanced around my room, flooded with relief and still a twinge of leftover fear. My TV blinked back on, but it was at the console’s home screen the forced shutdown had interrupted the game. “Hope I didn’t lose my progress,” I muttered, hitting the power button on the controller.

Dad patted my shoulder once. “Try to take it easy, okay, Nick?”

Mom looked torn between scolding me and letting me off the hook. Eventually, she just sighed. “Don’t stay up too late. I mean it.”

I nodded, all my fear momentarily replaced by anxiety that I’d lost my precious save file. “Okay, okay. Thanks,” I said, my attention already drifting back to the screen.

They left, closing my door softly behind them.Alone again, I turned my focus to the console. When the system reloaded, it did that annoying re-checking process, scanning for corrupted data. Every second of scanning felt like a year.

“Come on, come on,” I whispered, drumming my fingers on my desk. Please don’t be gone, please don’t be gone.

Finally, the check finished, and my game icon lit up. I launched Elder Vale again, heart hammering with a mix of excitement and dread. The swirling logo reappeared, and the background music kicked in.

My fingers tightened on the controller as the screen loaded the SELECT SAVE FILE menu.At first, I let out a breath of relief my file, NickOfTime, was still there.

Then my gaze drifted down.And froze.

Because underneath NickOfTime, there was another save file.

ALEX.

My mind reeled. I knew I’d deleted it. I’d watched it vanish days ago. Yet here it was, as if nothing had happened shimmering ominously at 100% completion.

Achill slithered down my spine. This can’t be real, I thought, eyes glued to the screen. But there it was, plain as day.

Alex was back.

I stared at the screen so long my eyes began to water. My finger hovered over the controller, itching to select that resurrected save and see if it was real. How did this happen? I wondered. Could the sudden power outage have somehow “restored” data from a previous owner?

“Sure,” I muttered, desperately trying to rationalize it. “Glitches happen, right?” I knew how silly it sounded game data didn’t just undestroy itself. Still, I forced myself to shrug it off.

Weird stuff happens all the time in technology.

Even so, a prickly sensation ran up the back of my neck. If Toby and Jaden were here, they’d be flipping out.

At last, I tore my gaze away from ALEX and selected my own file, NickOfTime. My avatar materialized in the swampy depths of Skellic Marsh, right where I’d left off before the blackout. “Thank goodness,” I breathed, relieved that my progress was still intact.

For a moment, I thought of Jaden’s excitement at exploring a 100% complete file. I could see everything Alex unlocked maybe even the secret forest boss. My stomach flipped with curiosity, but another part of me felt oddly uneasy. I decided I’d rather continue my own game for now.

Tomorrow, I told myself. I’ll check out Alex’s file tomorrow.

I tried to shake the weird feeling and focused on leveling up again.

I spent the next few hours hacking, slashing, and dodging my way through the game. It was both thrilling and frustrating some of the armored warriors took forever to beat, while the regular ones dropped with just a few hits. I even discovered a hidden cavern that led to a miniboss: a giant swamp lizard with glowing red eyes. My avatar just managed to survive with a sliver of health.

Each victory made me grin wider. This was what I’d been waiting for all week finally playing without time limits (or so I hoped). I even forgot about the reappearingAlex file for a while.

But as the night wore on, odd little glitches started popping up.At one point, I spotted a skeleton knight whose face wasn’t just an empty skull it almost looked…human. Pale skin, frozen in a sick grin. I blinked, stared, and swung my sword but by the time I tried to get a closer look, it had already crumbled to dust.

“Weird,” I mumbled. “I must be getting tired.” Still, the image lingered. That face felt too detailed, like it didn’t belong in the game at all.

Abit later, the music took on a strange reverb effect, like it was playing backward. I paused the game, rubbed my eyes, and unpaused everything went back to normal. Nothing to see here, right?

I pressed on, determined to reach the next big area.As I fought my way out of the marsh and entered a shadowy stretch of forest, I thought I saw something move at the edge of the

screen a flicker of a dark silhouette that vanished if I tried to look directly at it.Again, I chalked it up to fatigue.

By the time I finally took a break, it was after one in the morning. My eyes felt scratchy, my head heavy from hours of total immersion. But my excitement hadn’t dimmed if anything, I wanted to keep going. The game’s gloom and eerie creatures felt strangely addictive.

However, the sensible voice in my head piped up: You can’t risk another skeletonscreaming nightmare with your parents just down the hall. Reluctantly, I paused and navigated to the save screen.

That’s when my gaze flicked to the option for SWITCH SAVE FILE. Should I see what Alex unlocked? My stomach clenched with intrigue. Toby would be dying to peek behind that curtain. Jaden would probably egg me on, too.

But a chill ran down my spine just thinking about it. “I’ll do it tomorrow,” I murmured, hitting Save and then Quit. My console returned to its home screen, the swirling Elder Vale logo fading away.

I switched off the TV, exhaling a long breath into the darkness of my room. I couldn’t deny it: the thought of exploringAlex’s complete file thrilled and creeped me out at the same time. But I pushed that feeling aside as I crawled under the covers.

It’s just a game, I told myself. Tomorrow, I’ll see what secrets Alex left behind…

Little did I know, those secrets wouldn’t be half as scary as the truth waiting for me on the other side of that 100% save file.

I woke to the sound of distant voices outside my room. No clammy sweat, no racing heart no skeleton nightmares. I’d made it through the night without seeing bony hands or glowing eyes. Instead, I vaguely remembered a birthday party scene, full of colorful balloons and a half-eaten cake. It might’ve been my party, or maybe someone else’s. Either way, it was hazy, and I couldn’t pin down the details.

But at least it wasn’t creepy. I’d call that a win.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and yawned. Saturday. Finally, I could game all day without worrying about school.

I headed downstairs to grab breakfast, only to find Mom and Dad in the living room, fully dressed and sipping coffee. That was when I remembered: We were supposed to drive to Uncle Mike andAunt Karen’s place today the plan had been on the family calendar for weeks.

“Morning, Nick,” Dad said, sipping coffee. “We’ve got about an hour before we head out to your aunt and uncle’s.”

I stared blankly. “Wait. Today?”

Mom gave me a look. “Don’t tell me you forgot. We’re having lunch at their place. Your cousin Marty’s been excited.”

I rubbed my eyes, still shaking off the last wisps of sleep. “I, uh… can’t we reschedule? I really wanted to ” I caught myself before saying play Elder Vale all day. That would’ve earned me some major scolding. “I’ve got a bunch of homework,” I lied quickly.

Dad raised an eyebrow. “Since when are you excited about homework?”

I shrugged. “It’s just… I’m kinda behind on school stuff. You know how it is.” It was weak, but I was determined to stay home and finally, finally explore that mysteriousAlex file plus make more progress on my own.

Mom looked torn. “Marty was so excited to see you,” she repeated, glancing at Dad. “But if you really need to study…”

“Let him stay,” Dad said, shrugging. “I’m sure he won’t get in trouble if he’s here by himself. But Nick ” he fixed me with a firm stare “Don’t spend the whole day on that game. Maybe you can call Jaden, get some fresh air. Do something else, for a change.”

I forced another smile. “Got it.”

They gathered their stuff, and within the hour, I was waving goodbye from the front door as the car rolled out of the driveway.As soon as the engine noise faded into the distance, I dashed back upstairs, mind racing with excitement. Finally, I can see what Alex’s file is all about.

I booted up Elder Vale, the epic theme music filling my bedroom again. The SELECT SAVE FILE screen appeared almost instantly. There was my beloved NickOfTime save right below the newly returnedALEX, still at 100% completion.

Anervous flutter rippled in my stomach. What exactly did Alex unlock, anyway? Toby and Jaden had made a big deal about it. Maybe now’s my chance to see everything.

Without letting myself overthink it, I selectedALEX. The screen flickered, and a loading bar crept across, the background showing a warped forest scene. The once-familiar colors looked…off, like someone had turned down the brightness and twisted the hues to sickly greens and purples.

LOADING…

Then, the game dropped me right into the Dark Forest but it was no typical spawn point. Agrayish mist blanketed the screen, and the tall trees seemed darker, closer somehow, their branches knotted like clawed hands overhead.

And there, at the center, stood the avatar: a kid in a striped T-shirt and jeans. No sword.

No shield. Not even a health bar that I could see. In fact, the interface looked stripped down: no inventory icons, no stat bars.

“What the ?” I mumbled, tapping the controller’s buttons. The avatar moved, but something about his movements felt…fragile. Like I was controlling a normal human, not a mighty adventurer.

A chill slid down my spine. This is just like my dream, when I was in the forest myself, I thought. My hands gripped the controller tighter. “Okay, Alex,” I muttered, “let’s see what you unlocked.”

The trees rustled around me, a dry, rasping sound that made me feel claustrophobic even behind a screen. I started forward, pressing the joystick carefully. The kid (Alex?) took tentative steps. No weapon, I reminded myself. So maybe I should stay quiet…

Then I heard a scrape behind me.Askeleton warrior shuffled out from behind a trunk, eye sockets empty. My breath caught in my throat, and I hammered the buttons maybe there was some hidden attack command?

Nothing. The kid just flailed his arms uselessly. Panic jolted through me, and I jammed the joystick to run. I half expected him to move slowly, but to my surprise, he sprinted with lightning speed like an agility stat was maxed out.

“Okay, okay,” I whispered, weaving through the digital forest.Another skeleton blocked my path, forcing me to make a sharp turn. With no way to fight, my only option was to flee. My thumb practically flew across the controller, guidingAlex’s avatar around tree roots and rotten logs.

Asoft screech echoed in my headphones as more skeletons emerged, each seemingly more determined to corner me. But the speed boost gave me just enough edge to slip past them. My heart hammered as though I were truly there, racing through the undergrowth.

Finally, after what felt like minutes of nonstop running, I burst into a small clearing lit by a ghostly moon. I paused to catch my breath. The skeletons stood at the treeline, almost unwilling to enter the clearing.

“That’s weird,” I muttered. “Why aren’t they ”

Suddenly, the screen blinked. No fade-out, no error message, just an abrupt flash of white like a camera’s glare. Then the image reloaded.

Alex’s avatar was back at the starting point of the Dark Forest. Only… everything looked worse. The ground was covered in a swirling black mist, and the trees loomed in unnatural shapes, twisting at wrong angles. And where did the skeletons go?

Something moved at the edge of the screen someone? I nudged the joystick, andAlex’s avatar crept forward.

That’s when I saw them.

They looked like the skeleton warriors at first, but instead of bare skulls, they had disturbingly human faces pale skin stretched too tight across sharp features, each mouth curled into a grin too wide, too toothy. Their eyes were black pits, and their heads twitched at odd angles, like flickering frames in a horror movie.

“Whoa,” I whispered, feeling genuine alarm flutter in my chest. This was not normal. This wasn’t even the typical “scary” content of Elder Vale. It was something else, something wrong.

As soon asAlex’s avatar stepped forward, those grinning figures jerked unnaturally, moving in stops and starts that made me feel queasy. They converged on the avatar, arms outstretched.

I hammered the buttons again, desperate to run. Nothing.Alex’s speed advantage was gone. The creatures closed in, their faces contorting into silent howls, jaws distending even wider.

Then the screen flashed red:

GAME OVER.

My stomach lurched. The game automatically reloaded at the start of the forest again. Instantly, a wave of dread washed over me. I pressed Start to open the menu, wanting to switch back to my own file. That was enough of this nightmare.

But the Switch Save File option was there in dull, gray text like it was locked. “What?” I barked, pressing the button harder (as if that would help). Nothing.

I glanced helplessly at the screen.Alex’s avatar stood in the twisted forest, no weapons, nowhere to hide. My heart pounded. I’m stuck here?

I tried again: Start menu. Switch Save File. Nope still grayed out. The music had shifted to a creepy, distorted melody, and the grin-faced monsters were already slithering toward me through the trees.

“Come on,” I hissed, pounding the buttons. Let me out of here!

But it wouldn’t let me leaveAlex’s file… and in the distance, the twisted horrors were closing in again.

I slammed the power button, and my TV screen blinked to black. My heart still pounded like I’d run a marathon. That was insane. Even for a horror-themed game, it felt like too much. Those human-faced monsters, the twisted forest none of it matched any area I’d heard about in Elder Vale.

For a long moment, I just sat there, controller in hand, breathing hard. Maybe if I kept the console off, everything would reset. The glitch would vanish just like that originalAlex file was supposed to.

Eventually, I mustered enough courage to hit the power button again. The startup logo flashed. I scrolled through the system menu, my palms clammy. Please be normal, I thought.

When the Elder Vale title screen came up, I let out a shaky breath. Everything looked the same as usual no disturbing visuals or crazy glitching. I tapped “Start” and braced for the worst.

The SELECT SAVE FILE screen appeared. NickOfTime andAlex. Both still there. I swallowed. For a second, I considered loadingAlex’s file again. Maybe I should investigate, figure out what was happening. But my gut churned at the memory of that no-escape scenario.

“No way,” I muttered. “I’m not going back in there.”

I selected my own file. My avatar appeared in the familiar Skellic Marsh, water swirling around his ankles. Everything seemed normal again the soft gloom, the standard soundtrack,

the skeleton warriors idly roaming the mud banks. This was the game I wanted to play: epic, creepy, but not that creepy.

Time melted away as I fought enemy after enemy, steadily improving my stats. I found hidden treasure chests scattered under swampy overhangs, discovered a tattered map that hinted at the next big area. It was almost enough to make me forget about theAlex file.

Almost.

Afew hours later, I’d just reached a towering boss a colossal, armored knight with glowing red eyes. My avatar circled warily, sword raised, scanning for a weak point. I inhaled sharply. Focus, Nick.

I launched into the fight. The knight swung a massive sword; I dodged just in time. Then I lunged, hacking at the chinks in its armor. The knight howled in a deep, echoing tone. My health bar dropped, but I had potions ready. Just a few more hits, and I’d have my biggest victory yet.

Suddenly, the screen glitched. It flickered to static, then flashed bright white the same flash I saw with Alex’s file.

I jerked back, heart leaping into my throat. “No, no, no ”

Before I could finish the protest, the screen reloaded. But instead of my knight boss, I was facing the Dark Forest the same twisted version from earlier, with gnarled black trees and swirling fog. Only now, the name above the avatar didn’t readAlex. It read NickOfTime.

Yet the avatar was still that helpless kid in a striped T-shirt, weaponless, stuck in a sea of rotted leaves.

“What?” I gasped, jamming the controller buttons. No sword, no shield, no stats.All I could do was run, but the creepy, grinning creatures were already looming in the distance. Their faces jerked in short, twitchy movements, like something out of a bad dream.

They started toward me, arms outstretched. I felt my stomach drop. This is my file now?

Panic surged. I smashed the console power button. The screen went blank in an instant. Darkness filled my room, reflecting back at me in the TV. My own terrified expression stared back at me.

For a few seconds, I couldn’t move. My breathing came in ragged gasps, and every hair on my body stood on end. What was that? I thought. How did my file turn into that nightmare?

I set the controller down like it might bite me. My shoulders shook with leftover adrenaline, and I backed away from the TV.

Even though it was still broad daylight, my room felt as unsettling as if it were midnight in the Dark Forest. My breathing came in ragged gulps, and a cold sweat clung to my skin.

I needed a break big time. Tossing the controller on the bed, I rushed downstairs, hoping to shake off the lingering anxiety. In the kitchen, I rummaged around for a snack and settled on a bag of chips. Crunching away, I tried to focus on the mindless chatter of some random TV show in the living room. But every time I blinked, I saw those freakish, grinning faces burned into my mind.

Finally, I gave in to the nagging voice in my head: Call Jaden. He might think I was being paranoid, but I didn’t care. I needed another pair of eyes on whatever was happening with Elder Vale and that creepyAlex file. I flipped through my phone and dialed his number.

“Dude!” Jaden answered, sounding hyped as usual. “I was just about to call you. Wanna hang out?”

I cleared my throat. “Actually… can you come over? I’m, uh, having a little trouble with the game.” I did my best to keep my voice steady and not sound too freaked.

He showed up in record time, dumping his backpack by our front door. I led him straight to my room, where the console was still off. “So… what’s going on?” he asked, plopping down on the edge of my bed.

I exhaled, crossing my arms. “It’s hard to explain. I tried outAlex’s save file. The forest area it loads into is nothing like the normal Dark Forest. It’s all messed up, with these creepyfaced monsters…”

Jaden raised an eyebrow. “Creepy-faced monsters? In a medieval fantasy game? That’s not in my copy.” He snorted a laugh. “Don’t tell me you’re too scared to play it.”

“Hey,” I muttered defensively, “I’m not scared it’s just… seriously messed up.”

“Relax, Nick. I’m messing with you.” He picked up my controller and flicked on the console.As soon as Elder Vale launched, Jaden went straight for theAlex file. “Let’s check it out.”

I tried to hide my nerves. We watched the screen transition to that warped version of the Dark Forest low, purplish mist swirling around a kid avatar in a striped T-shirt. Jaden’s eyes widened. “Whoa. This is not the forest I’ve been to.And where’s the chainmail? The swords? This looks like… I don’t even know.”

He wandered the avatar around, cringing when one of the jerky, grinning creatures lurched into view. “Yikes,” he muttered. “I’ll give you that it is super creepy. Must be some bug or leftover data from a weird mod. Or maybe your disc is corrupted.”

My stomach tightened. “Yeah, but that’s not all. Sometimes it just, like…bleeds into my file.”

Jaden paused, glancing at me. “Into your file? Come on. You sure you’re not just mixing them up?”

“Dude, I promise. I was fighting a boss and then flash I was suddenly in the Dark Forest as this kid. No weapons or anything.”

Jaden considered that for a moment, then shrugged. “It’s gotta be some bizarre glitch, but let’s not let it ruin the game.” He hit the pause menu and navigated to the save files. “We can just delete it if it’s freaking you out.”

I hesitated, remembering how “deleting”Alex’s file the first time hadn’t exactly worked. But Jaden gave me a determined look. “Trust me.” With a few button presses, theAlex slot disappeared, a cheerful beep confirming deletion.

We booted up my save, and everything was as it should be bog-standard skeleton knights, moody marshes, and dramatic boss battles. It felt great to tag-team strategies with Jaden, and I almost forgot about the nightmare version of the Dark Forest.

Hours later, Jaden had to go.Around the same time, Mom and Dad returned from visiting my aunt and uncle. They gave me the usual run-down How was my afternoon? Did I do anything other than that game? I assured them I took breaks (sort of true) and that Jaden and I had a blast (100% true).

After dinner, I headed upstairs again. I wasn’t as gung-ho to game as before but Elder Vale still called to me, especially after such a fun session with Jaden. Besides, I reasoned, we deleted that messed-up file. Maybe it’ll stay gone this time.

Aflicker of doubt gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside. I booted up the console, the whir of the disc drive filling my room. The Elder Vale title screen swirled into view, accompanied by the faintly ominous chant of voices.

My heart did a hopeful little flip as the SELECT SAVE FILE screen appeared. Then, the air punched out of my lungs in a single breath.

There was only one save file listed.

ALEX 100% completion.

NickOfTime was nowhere to be seen.

I stared at the solitary save file for a long moment, heart pounding in my ears.Alex 100% complete. My own file? Nowhere to be found.

“No way,” I whispered, shutting my console off with a click. Normally, I’d be furious about losing hours of progress, but a deeper part of me was just…spooked. Whatever was going on with this game, it felt bigger than a simple glitch.

Even so, the gamer in me was incredibly annoyed. “I’ve had enough,” I muttered. “I’m returning this defective copy. Tomorrow. I don’t care if Mr. Grayson gives me a refund or not I just can’t keep dealing with this.”

Despite my determination, that uneasy, creeping sensation lingered. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I found myself glancing around the room as though expecting a bony hand to yank me back into the Dark Forest.

That’s ridiculous, I told myself. Still, just to be safe, I knelt down and gently unplugged the console’s power cable from the wall. My parents’voices floated up from downstairs Mom laughing at something on TV, Dad rustling the newspaper. Everything sounded normal, but my world felt off-kilter.

I changed into pajamas and slid under the covers, telling myself I’d feel better after a good night’s sleep. The digital numbers on my clock read 8:52 PM early for a Saturday, but I wasn’t in the mood to stay up.

Just as I started drifting off, I thought about how Jaden would react if I told him I was returning the game already. He’ll probably say I’m overreacting. But the decision felt right. Tomorrow, I vowed. I’m taking this cursed disc back to Grayson’s.

Sleep pulled me under quickly. I drifted into a dream that felt oddly vivid from the start. There were streamers and balloons everywhere bright yellows, reds, and blues. Tablecloths with cartoon characters. Acluster of smiling faces gathered around a frosted cake blazing with candles. I could feel the heat of the flames on my cheeks.

I wasn’t just watching it I was in it, like I was seeing through someone else’s eyes.A chorus of voices sang Happy Birthday, but the words felt off, echoey, like a recording. I didn’t recognize a single face among the guests. It was as if I’d stumbled into a stranger’s party.

Yet everyone was smiling at me, singing my name (or someone’s) as they clapped.

I blew out the candles.Applause erupted. I turned my head to see a mountain of gifts piled on a nearby table: brightly wrapped boxes and bags in every color. My gaze snagged on a package that was eerily familiar in shape rectangular. It had shiny, green-and-gold paper, almost like Elder Vale’s color scheme.

“Open this one last,” a low, kindly voice said.An older man stepped forward grandfatherly, with a gentle smile and laughter lines around his eyes. He handed me the greenand-gold box, nodding encouragingly.

I felt a strange flutter in my chest, half excitement, half dread. Then, as I reached for the wrapping paper, the dream seemed to…stretch, like a distorted film reel. The old man’s smile grew almost too wide, and the other guests froze in place, their clapping hands suspended midair.

Everything darkened at the edges. The package shimmered in my hands, and I thought I saw the words Elder Va … but the letters blurred.

Suddenly, I jerked awake, my pillow damp from sweat. My heart hammered. The glowing red digits on my clock read 2:14AM.

For a minute, I just sat there in the darkness, trying to piece together the fleeting images. Abirthday party. Strangers. That box so close to Elder Vale’s cover. It was almost too close.

“No skeletons this time,” I muttered, swallowing hard. But somehow, the dream left me feeling even more unsettled.

I glanced toward the spot where my console sat, its power cord dangling uselessly.A shiver trickled down my spine. Part of me felt an urge to switch it on again, check if maybe my save file had magically reappeared. But I pushed the thought away. I’m returning it tomorrow, I reminded myself, lying back down and forcing my eyes shut.

Easier said than done. Every time I started to drift off, I saw that old man’s smile or the glinting edges of that rectangular box. By the time my alarm started buzzing at sunrise, I’d barely gotten another wink of sleep.

The next morning, I was absolutely determined to reach Grayson’s Books & Curiosities the moment it opened and finally rid myself of this nightmare game. I crammed the disc into its case, practically sprinting down the sidewalk with it tucked under my arm. The memory of that bizarre dream still clung to me, and I couldn’t wait to be free of all this weirdness.

But when I arrived at the old shop, my stomach dropped.Ahand-painted wooden sign on the door read CLOSED SUNDAYS in curly script. The front window’s lights were off, and the curtains drawn.

I tried the door anyway locked, of course. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I groaned, rattling the handle in a futile gesture. I peered through the glass, but all I could make out were dusty shelves and a murky haze of dim light. Typical Grayson, I thought. Everything about that man and his shop was designed to give me the creeps.

Grumbling under my breath, I shoved the game case into my backpack. “Guess I’m stuck with this thing for another day,” I muttered, trudging back home. The idea of enduring one more night with the disc in my possession made me shiver. I wasn’t even sure I wanted a normal copy of Elder Vale maybe I was done with the game altogether.

By midday, I ended up at Jaden’s place. Normally, a weekend meet-up at Jaden’s was the highlight of my week. But today, I just felt drained. While Jaden booted up his copy of Elder Vale, I slumped into his beanbag chair and stared listlessly at the screen.

Toby arrived soon after, bouncing in with a smug grin. “Heard you guys needed my expertise.” He carried a plastic bag of mini-donuts and handed one to Jaden, then offered me the bag.

I shook my head, unsettled by the sugary scent. “I’m good.” My stomach churned just thinking about anything game-related.

“You alright, man?” Toby asked, plopping down beside me. “You look…off.”

Jaden glanced over, pausing his game. “Yeah, Nick. You usually love the weekend sessions, but you’re quiet as a mouse.”

I mumbled a half-truth. “I’m not feeling well. I…didn’t sleep great.” No way was I going to talk about haunted forest dreams or that horrifying Alex file in front of Toby. He’d just tease me for being a baby.

We half-watched Jaden tackle a boss, but I couldn’t muster any excitement. My thoughts kept drifting to Grayson’s locked store and the strange disc in my backpack. Eventually, I stood up. “I think I’ll head home. I’ve gotta, uh…do some homework.”

Toby turned, arching an eyebrow. “Wait, wait, wait. What about that copy you bought? Jaden told me your it’s been acting weird. I wanna see it. Maybe I can crack the code figure out what’s going on.”

My pulse quickened. I really didn’t want to mess with that disc again. But Toby’s curiosity and Jaden’s nod of encouragement stopped me from refusing outright. Toby was known for being annoyingly competitive, always sure he could handle whatever challenge arose.

“Look,” he added, folding his arms, “if it’s just some super-creepy side quest, I can handle it.”

Jaden chimed in. “And if it is some glitch, Toby might figure it out. He’s good with tech stuff.”

I hesitated, remembering the freakish, human-faced creatures, the twisted forest, and the disappearing save files.A part of me just wanted to say no, end the conversation, and hope that returning the game to Grayson’s tomorrow would solve everything.

But another part couldn’t help feeling curious. Maybe Toby will see something we missed. And if he found a simple explanation a bug, a data corruption then maybe I wouldn’t have to dread the disc so much.

“Fine,” I sighed. “Let’s go to my house. But don’t blame me if this freaks you out.”

Toby snorted. “Trust me, I live for freaky stuff.”

Back at my place, we filed into my room. I was half-hoping my parents would spot us and say something like “no visitors,” but the house was quiet Mom had gone grocery shopping, and Dad was off running errands. I dug the game out of my backpack.

Toby rubbed his hands together. “Alright, show me this ‘haunted’copy.” He obviously thought we were overreacting.

Jaden settled on the bed, eager to see what would happen. I reluctantly powered the console on, wondering if I’d see Alex or NickOfTime listed. Maybe both. Maybe neither.

The Elder Vale title screen faded in, the swirling music filling the room. My chest tightened. We reached the SELECT SAVE FILE menu, and I tensed up.

The screen showed a single save slot, just like before. But this time, in bold white letters, it read: PLayMe.

Silence fell over the three of us. Jaden and Toby exchanged a baffled look. I almost dropped the controller.

“That wasn’t there before,” I rasped. My heart thumped. Where wasAlex? Where was my file?

Toby leaned forward, squinting at the screen. “‘PLayMe’? Are you serious?” He sounded more intrigued than scared. “What is this, some kind of weird code?”

Jaden let out a low whistle. “Your game’s definitely not normal, Nick.”

I swallowed hard, recalling the last time I’d tried a mystery save file. Human-faced horrors, stuck in the Dark Forest, no way to fight back. This name PLayMe felt like a direct taunt.

“Well, Toby,” I said, voice unsteady. “You wanted to see my messed-up game. Go for it.”

He snatched the controller and hovered over the new file. “Fine. I’m not scared,” he insisted, but I noticed his knuckles were white.

I braced myself as he hit Load. My stomach churned, wondering what fresh horrors awaited us this time.

Atense hush fell over my room as Toby selected PLayMe on the screen. We all waited, bracing ourselves for whatever nightmare scenario might appear. Maybe a twisted forest again… maybe something worse.

Instead, nothing happened.

The screen faded to black, and a small progress bar popped up in the corner, stuck at zero percent. Apulsing circle in the center looped endlessly, but the bar never moved, no matter how long we waited.

Toby mashed buttons on the controller. “Uh, is it frozen?” He tried opening the console menu no luck. He tapped the power button to restart, but when we got back to the save file screen and selected PLayMe again, the exact same loading screen reappeared, stuck like a broken record.

Jaden sighed. “Well, that’s anticlimactic.”

I swallowed my own relief, tinged with disappointment. Part of me had expected something terrifying to jump out.Another part had hoped maybe it would magically fix itself. But if this was the big reveal just a busted loading screen maybe the disc had finally had enough of messing with me.

“That’s it?” Toby said, shaking his head. “Nothing happens. Guess the file’s corrupt.” He slid off my bed and handed me the controller. “Dude, I’m telling you this is why used games aren’t worth it. You never know what’s wrong under the hood.”

“Or who used it before,” Jaden added in a low voice.

I frowned at the unmoving progress bar, frustration mixing with relief. “Guess so,” I murmured. “Looks like it’s bricked now. The game won’t do anything else.”

Toby patted my shoulder. “Sorry, Nick. But hey, maybe you can get your money back. If I were you, I’d just ditch it and buy a fresh copy eventually when you’re ready.”

I eyed the disc, a swirl of conflicting emotions roiling in my gut. The endless loading screen had me half-convinced we’d finally pushed the game beyond repair. Maybe that’s for the best.

For the next few minutes, we tried fiddling with the console and game settings, but the same result: a dead-end loading screen that refused to budge. Eventually, Toby shrugged, Jaden muttered some halfhearted suggestions, and the three of us gave up. The boys grabbed their backpacks and headed out Toby to dinner plans, Jaden off to some family event leaving me alone with the defective disc.

I powered the console down, plucked the disc out, and slid it into its green-and-gold case. “So much for that,” I muttered. “Grayson can have it back.” I set the case on my desk, trying to ignore the twinge of unease in my gut.

Deep down, I couldn’t shake the sense that this story wasn’t done with me yet. But at least for now, nothing scary or glitchy stared back from the TV.

Evening light slanted across the streets when I finally decided to get some fresh air. I wandered through Ridgeview, heading nowhere in particular just needing to walk off the tension. My thoughts churned: Was that the end of the weirdness? Just a broken file?

Rounding a corner, I spotted a figure standing on a lawn across the street. An older man, tall and skinny, dressed in a threadbare coat. He wasn’t moving, just gazing my way. The moment our eyes met, a queasy jolt twisted my stomach.

He had that smile. The one I saw on the grinning monsters in the twisted forest, the one I’d glimpsed in my nightmares. His eyes crinkled at the edges, but somehow lacked warmth.And I couldn’t place exactly where I’d seen him before he wasn’t Mr. Grayson, that was for sure but there was something familiar about him.

He lifted a hand in a slow, deliberate wave.Achill slid down my spine. I blinked, my heart thudding. Then, without a second thought, I tore my gaze away and bolted in the opposite direction.

I didn’t look back until I reached my own front yard, lungs burning. Peering over my shoulder, I saw no one on the sidewalks, no sign of that man. But I couldn’t shake the uneasy notion that the smile I’d seen was the same wide, eerie grin that had haunted my gameplay.

I darted inside and locked the door behind me, mind whirling with questions. Who was that? Why did he seem so… I couldn’t even finish the thought. Clutching my backpack, I tried to brush off a sudden image of a birthday party and an old grandfatherly figure holding a rectangular box.

I shivered, pushing the memory away. I’d already decided. First thing tomorrow, I’d return the game to Mr. Grayson. That was the only plan I had left, and it couldn’t happen soon enough.

I felt lighter that evening than I had in weeks. The thought of returning the weird copy of Elder Vale on Monday was like throwing off a heavy weight. I tossed the game case onto my desk where it would stay until it was safely back in Mr. Grayson’s hands.

Maybe Toby was right that I should get my money back and hold off on buying another copy.At this point, Elder Vale had lost its shine for me. The spooky forest, the vanishing save files none of it seemed worth the stress anymore. Let the rest of Ridgeview be obsessed. I was ready to move on.

When I headed downstairs for dinner, Mom and Dad instantly noticed I wasn’t pacing around, anxious to return to my room. Dad raised an eyebrow as he dished spaghetti onto our plates. “You seem…cheerful tonight, Nick.”

Mom nodded, passing the garlic bread. “Did something good happen at Jaden’s?”

“Nothing special,” I lied, shrugging. “I just, uh, realized I’ve been neglecting other stuff. So I’m trying not to obsess over that game anymore.”

Dad gave a small smile. “That’s…actually really good to hear.” He handed me a slice of bread, and I dug in.

Through the rest of dinner, I found myself chatting easily about school, teasing Dad about his questionable sense of fashion, and joking with Mom about her attempts to bake something

that didn’t burn. The tension that had hung over our house for the past week felt noticeably lighter.

Around nine o’clock, I decided to turn in. “Gotta get a good night’s sleep,” I explained, earning Mom’s approving grin. She wished me goodnight, and Dad patted my shoulder.

As I headed upstairs, I shot a glance at the Elder Vale case on my desk. Tomorrow, I reminded myself. Grayson’s. First thing. I flicked off my bedroom light, crawled into bed, and pulled the blankets over my head. For the first time in days, I felt a deep, peaceful relief.

At some point in the night, I drifted out of a dreamless sleep, my eyes fluttering open. I sensed something off an eerie glow pulsing in my peripheral vision. The digital clock on my nightstand read 3:12A.M. in bright red numbers.

Acold prickle slid over my skin. My Playbox was on. Its power light glowed faintly, and the TV screen shimmered with the familiar green-and-gold title art of Elder Vale.

My heart lurched. Did I turn it on before bed? No. I was absolutely certain I left it unplugged just last night though earlier in the day, I’d plugged it back in to show Toby and Jaden. But I’d turned it off afterward, and I was sure I’d shut it down properly.

Yet here it was, humming quietly, as if it had decided to power itself.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and slid out of bed, heart pounding in my chest. My room was otherwise dark. I could make out the faint outline of the game case on the desk, undisturbed. How is the console even running?

I stepped closer to the TV, dreading what I might see on the SELECT SAVE FILE menu.

Another random glitch? Another horrifying file name? My throat felt dry as sand, and my fingers trembled.

Sure enough, there was only one file displayed.

HelpNick

It felt as if invisible strings were pulling me toward the TV. My heart pounded, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away. Didn’t I leave the disc in its box on my desk? I thought vaguely. The question floated through my mind and vanished like smoke. Somehow, that small detail didn’t matter now. HelpNick. I was supposed to select it.

With trembling fingers, I reached out. The controller seemed to appear in my hand, though I didn’t recall picking it up. I pressedA, or maybe I just thought I did my arms felt heavy, numb, as if I were half asleep.

The screen flared bright white. When the light receded, I found myself looking at a completely unfamiliar setting nothing like Skellic Marsh or the Dark Forest or any other area I recognized from Elder Vale. Instead, it looked…ordinary.Ayard, bathed in gentle sunshine.A tall wooden fence bordered the space, with a plastic kiddie pool and a swing set off to the side. This can’t be part of the game, I thought, blinking hard. It was so normal it made me uneasy.

I turned the joystick, and my avatar moved forward on the screen. But the avatar wasn’t a pixelated knight or a child in a striped shirt. He wore a plain T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers something rang oddly familiar about the face, the hair, the way he stood

Then my stomach flipped. It was me my own face, my own build, digitized. “No way,” I whispered. My heart battered against my ribcage. How is that even possible?

Afaint sound drifted from somewhere in the distance music, voices raised in a tuneless rendition of “Happy Birthday.” My avatar’s head swiveled toward the noise. Do I…go there? I

tapped the joystick again, and the avatar began walking.Agate at the fence’s far side swung open with a quiet creak.

My foot twitched. I had the sensation of stepping forward, but I was still in my room, right? Or was I? Something about the edges of the TV screen looked hazy. The more steps the avatar took, the more I felt a gentle pull, as though I were leaning into the image.

I passed through the gate. The scene shifted as the bright backyard seemed to dissolve around me, replaced by balloons, streamers, and a cluster of smiling adults and kids. Birthday banners hung overhead. In the center of it all was a boy in a striped shirt, perched on a folding chair behind a table laden with wrapped gifts.

My dreams my nightmares rushed back to me in an instant. The birthday party. This was the same pastel chaos of half-remembered images that had haunted my sleep. Yet now, it was clearer than ever, bright and vibrant. The people clapped, their faces lost in shifting light.Awave of déjà vu nearly overwhelmed me.

The boy looked up, and my breath caught. He was maybe ten or eleven, with scruffy brown hair and hollow cheeks. He wore a faded striped T-shirt. The name Alex sprang to mind before I even consciously recognized him.Alex looked miserable like a kid forced to attend his own party even though he’d rather be anywhere else. His eyes darted around, uncertain.

He glanced in my direction, and to my shock, he saw me. “Help…Nick.” His voice was soft, trembling. It felt like a cold wind sweeping through the party. Suddenly, the cheerful birthday music faltered, and the guests turned to look in unison.

My heart dropped into my stomach. The edges of their faces seemed to ripple, as if the bright party lighting were shorting out. Their eyes stretched too wide, and their mouths curved upward, revealing too many teeth. One by one, their smiles twisted into something hideous.

My vision blurred. I’m not holding a controller anymore, I realized. I lifted my hands. They weren’t clutching plastic they were just my hands, shaking in the sunlight. I took a step backward. Instead of pressing a button, I physically stepped, feeling grass beneath my sneakers.

I wasn’t in my room. The TV was gone. The boundaries of the game were gone. I was there, inside this impossible scene.

“Help…Nick…”Alex repeated, his voice pleading. He staggered to his feet, staring at me with terrified eyes. The partygoers began to circle, their once-human faces distorting into that same wide, too-toothy grin I’d glimpsed in the twisted Dark Forest. Their limbs jerked at odd angles, like puppets on invisible strings.

Acreeping shadow fell across the sky, the sunshine replaced by a rolling mass of dark clouds. Balloons popped one after another, each burst like a gunshot echoing in my ears.

Instinct kicked in. “We have to get out of here!” I shouted atAlex, my own voice echoing as though I were shouting down a long corridor. The monstrous figures lunged forward, arms outstretched. My feet moved before my brain caught up, and I grabbedAlex by the wrist, pulling him away from the gift table.

“No…time…”Alex rasped, his eyes darting back to the twisting shapes behind us. The corners of his mouth trembled in fear.

We sprinted across what had been a bright, cheerful lawn only moments before. Now, every piece of plastic décor warped into something nightmarish streamers dripped black slime, the kiddie pool water churned with a foul stench.

All around, the half-human, half-creature party guests pressed in, cutting off escape routes with their horrifying, frozen grins.Achill raked down my spine when I recognized the same wide-eyed stares and jerky movements from my glitchy gameplay sessions. But these were not pixelated enemies on a screen. They were right in front of me too real, too close.

Alex’s voice came again, urgent and quavering: “Help…Nick…”

We darted toward a break in the fence, the grotesque guests clawing at our clothes, fingertips brushing my shoulders. I felt their breath on my neck, hot and rancid. I swallowed hard, ignoring the burst of panic in my chest. I have to keep moving!

But how do I escape a game if I’m stuck inside it?

Clenching my jaw, I willed my legs to move faster. Don’t think about it just run. With Alex’s hand still in mine, we plunged toward the opening… and the swirling darkness beyond.

We burst through the edge of the backyard and stumbled into a familiar patch of twisted trees and hanging vines. The Dark Forest, I realized with a mix of dread and strange relief. I’d been here so many times in the game just never as myself. Compared to the horrifying birthday scene, the forest’s dank gloom almost felt comforting.

Alex collapsed against a thick trunk, catching his breath. I dropped to my knees beside him, my lungs burning. We’d outrun the half-human party guests, for now at least, but I could still feel their eyes on the back of my neck.

My voice trembled as I spoke. “Wh-what is going on?” I lookedAlex over pale, worn out, eyes brimming with fear. He clutched his striped T-shirt, as if trying to steady himself.

His gaze flicked up to meet mine. “It’s the game,” he rasped, voice hollow. “I’m stuck in here. I I can’t get out by myself.”

“How did this even ” I shook my head, pressing my palms against my temples. “This is ridiculous!” My words came out in a rush. “Who are you?And how am I stuck here too?”

Alex didn’t answer immediately. He stared at something over my shoulder, as though afraid the monsters might appear at any second. Finally, in a soft whisper, he said, “I’m…Alex. I was a regular kid. I I got trapped. The game pulled me in.”

“But how? When?” I demanded, voice cracking. “Are you from Ridgeview? Did you buy your copy from Mr. Grayson too?” My mind spun.Amillion questions, no time. The forest shadows seemed to rustle and groan, as if the trees themselves were shifting closer to listen.

Alex shook his head, refusing to make eye contact. “I… I’ve been here a while,” he murmured. “I tried reaching out. But nobody could help me. Until you.”

Acold prickle ran down my spine.All those weird glitches, the nightmares, the file names…

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Why me?”

Alex’s answer was barely audible. “Because you kept playing. The other kids who found the disc…they never…” He trailed off, clearly in pain. “Please. We have to beat the game.”

I blinked, confusion warring with panic. “Beat the game? That’s how we escape?”

He nodded, eyes wide with desperation. “If we defeat the final boss, a door opens a portal, I guess and we can get back to the real world.” His gaze flicked toward the distant

gloom. “But I couldn’t do it alone. I have no weapon. No powers. I’m just…stuck. You saw me.”

Afresh wave of dread swept over me as I recalled the powerless child avatar I’d glimpsed in the glitchy Dark Forest. But now, I realized, I’m no unstoppable knight either. Still, I figured I had more experience battling skeletons thanAlex.And we had each other wasn’t that better than being alone?

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my terror in check. “What if we can’t beat it? What if we’re stuck here forever? My parents…” My throat constricted, imagining them finding my room empty, my body gone, not knowing where I was. My mind flashed on an image: me, trapped likeAlex, forever reaching out through haunted save files.

Alex’s eyes shimmered with a fearful resolve. “We have to try. With two of us, we might stand a chance.”

Before I could respond, a low hiss rustled through the branches overhead. My heart leapt into my throat.Afaint glow appeared among the trees shifting shapes with those grotesquely wide grins. The smiling creatures.

Alex seized my arm, his face etched with terror. “They’re back,” he whispered, voice trembling. “We can’t let them catch us, or ”

He didn’t need to finish. I knew we had to move now. The creatures advanced in eerie unison, their movements jerky and wrong. My pulse thundered, and I pulledAlex up, pivoting deeper into the forest.

“Come on!” I hissed, forcing my shaky legs to move. My mind was a whirlwind of fear, disbelief, and a surge of grim determination: Beat the final boss…escape the game…or be trapped here forever.

We darted between gnarled trunks and slithering vines, the forest’s damp ground squelching underfoot. Behind us, the unnatural laughter of the monsters echoed, drawing closer with each step. There was no time to plan or second-guess. There was only running, the sound of our ragged breathing, and the fading hope that maybe just maybe we could find this so-called boss and end the nightmare once and for all.

The Dark Forest seemed endless, yetAlex tore through it with purpose, weaving past blackened trunks and veering around clusters of the smiling creatures. We scraped by a few close calls one of them nearly grabbed my shirt collar but somehowAlex always knew exactly which direction to dart.

I kept gasping for him to slow down, to explain, but he barely gave me a glance. “All that matters,” he muttered, breath ragged, “is finding him.”

I recognized who him was. “The Undead King,” I managed, my heart pounding. But the words tumbled out before I could process them. “How does beating him help us escape? We don’t have any swords or magic or anything!”

Alex didn’t reply. His eyes were set straight ahead, like he was following an invisible compass. Trees thinned out, replaced by twisted metal fencing half-buried in the soil.An eerie green glow pulsed in the distance. My skin crawled; I’d seen glimpses of this place in my gameplay, but never like this.

We slid under a low-hanging gate, and the forest canopy abruptly vanished. We emerged into a cavernous chamber stone pillars rising like teeth, torchlight flickering across mossy walls. The Undead King’s throne room.

I gulped, adrenaline surging. In the game, I’d only heard about how terrifying the Undead King was from Toby and Jaden’s bragging. But now, seeing him in person was another story.

He stood at the far end of the chamber atop a crumbling dais. Taller than any human, at least nine feet high. His armor was rusted and jagged, adorned with dead vines and fragments of bone. His exposed skin where the armor didn’t cover was a sickly, mottled gray. Sunken eye sockets burned with crimson light.

He carried a broadsword nearly as long as I was tall, with serrated edges dripping some foul, black ooze.As if that weren’t nightmare enough, his mouth parted in a ghoulish snarl, revealing cracked, tombstone-like teeth.

Abellowing roar filled the chamber, rattling the pillars.Alex grabbed my arm and hauled me behind a fallen chunk of masonry. “Duck!” he hissed.

CRASH! The Undead King’s sword slammed into the floor, cracking the stone with horrifying ease. Dust and debris flew in every direction. We barely avoided being cleaved in half.

“Alex!” I yelled over the roaring echoes. “What do we do? We can’t fight him!”

Alex’s voice shook. “We have to… outlast him. Force him to to yield.”

“Yield?!” My mind whirled. In the normal game, you fought the King with weapons, combos, special spells. We had none of that.

The King lunged again, blade singing through the air. We dove aside at the last second. I felt the whoosh of displaced air on my neck. My knees hit the stone floor, jarring me.Another massive swing crashed into a nearby pillar, sending cracks racing up the wall.

We scrambled behind a stack of broken rubble. The King’s thunderous steps rattled the ground, and I could feel my pulse in my throat.

“Alex, we can’t keep dodging forever,” I gasped.

He ducked a chunk of falling stone, his face set in grim determination. “This… is the only path,” he insisted. “We defeat him… we open the door…”

Yet I saw no sign of any door. No magical gateway or swirling portal. Just an enraged, undead tyrant hellbent on crushing us.

The King’s roar reverberated once more. Stone chunks smashed around us like shrapnel. My lungs burned, and all I could do was keep moving. The hilt of his broadsword whooshed by my head in a lethal arc.

Finally, my back slammed against a crumbling statue, and I had nowhere else to go. The King’s towering form loomed overhead, red eyes boring into mine. I heard Alex yell something, but it was lost in the din.

The giant sword rose high, poised to cleave me in two. I threw my arms up in a futile attempt to shield myself.

But then Everything froze.

The Undead King’s blade hung overhead, locked mid-swing. Debris floated like dust motes in the air, unmoving. Even the torches on the walls flickered in place, their flames frozen. It was like someone had pressed the Pause button on reality.

Slowly, I lowered my arms from where they’d been shielding my head. My heart hammered in my ears. That monster had been seconds away from cleaving me in two, but now it might as well have been a statue.

I heard footsteps crunch over shattered stone. I turned to seeAlex, stepping out from behind a toppled pillar. He was calm too calm, given what had just happened. Behind him stood a tall archway I knew hadn’t been there a moment before. Its darkness pulsed with a faint, otherworldly glow, like the promise of something beyond.

I gaped at him. “W-what’s going on? Did we… win?”

Alex’s face remained unreadable. “Not quite,” he said softly. “But we’re done here.” He glanced up at the Undead King, then back at me. “We’ve hit the final confrontation, Nick.And now the door is open.”

The swirling darkness inside the archway shifted, and for just a second, I could’ve sworn I saw my bedroom through it my familiar bedspread, my lamp, the scuffed dresser. My stomach clenched. A way home?

Alex exhaled, his eyes flicking from the door to the frozen Undead King, then finally settling on me. “You know, I never planned to stay in this game forever,” he said quietly. “It’s not like I wanted to die.”

My lungs tightened. “Die?” I echoed, the word cold on my tongue. “Alex…”

He nodded, an eerie calm in his eyes. “My grandfather was driving me home from my birthday party. We never got there. One minute we were talking about leftover cake, the next…”

He paused, letting the rest hang unspoken. “I wasn’t ready to leave. I clung to the only thing I could this.” His hand swept vaguely around the chamber. “I didn’t realize I’d be trapped inside, stuck in a loop, waiting.”

Achill prickled across my skin. He’d spoken about needing help, but…something in his voice sounded off. Less desperate and more… triumphant.

I cleared my throat. “B-but we’ve opened the door. You can leave now, right? Go wherever people go…” I trailed off, unsure how to talk about afterlives or spirits. My nerves jangled. “I mean shouldn’t you?”

Alex’s lips curved into a smile. But there was no warmth there at all. “Oh, I am leaving, Nick.” He took a step toward the arch. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted out. How long I’ve waited for someone strong enough someone with presence to take my place.”

Atremor of unease jolted through me. “Take your place?”

He turned, gesturing at the doorway. “Look for yourself.”

Uncertain, I edged forward. The swirling shadows within the arch parted like curtains. On the other side, I caught a half-formed image a TV screen glowing in a dark bedroom. My bedroom.Afigure sat in front of it, slumped over, controller dangling from limp fingers. My heart almost stopped.

It was me or my body, anyway. Pale and motionless, except for a faint rise and fall of breath. My mouth hung slack, eyes half-closed. The sight made bile rise in my throat.

“See?”Alex said quietly, his voice carrying an undercurrent of satisfaction. “That’s your ticket home. But I’m going to need that body, Nick. I don’t have one anymore, remember?”

My head spun. “What are you saying you’re ”

Alex’s smile widened, that same disquieting twist I’d seen on the faces of those gamespawned horrors. “You’re in the game now. Fully. The real you is…empty. Waiting for me to slip inside.”

“N-no…” My pulse throbbed in my ears. “That can’t be I thought I was supposed to help you.”

“Oh, you did,” he said softly. “You’ve given me a chance to live again.”Another glance at the frozen Undead King, then back at me. “It’s time for you to stay and me to go.”

“Alex, please!” I surged forward, but my limbs felt sluggish, like the air was thick with tar. No. This can’t be real.

Alex pivoted, stepping through the archway as though crossing a threshold into my bedroom. “Sorry, Nick,” he murmured, not sounding sorry at all. “But I’ve waited too long to pass this up.”

I lunged, hoping to drag him back, to do something but all I caught was empty air.Alex vanished through the door in a swirl of darkness, leaving me alone with the paused, menacing Undead King. The archway flickered.

And then, in a heartbeat, it was gone.

Darkness swallowed me.

I don’t know how much time passed minutes, hours, or days. It was impossible to tell in the endless black. My thoughts drifted, disjointed, as though pieces of my mind were unraveling.

The last thing I remembered clearly was Alex’s smug smile as he slipped through the archway to my life.

Every so often, faint shapes flickered in the void like shadows on the back of my eyelids. I tried to move my hands, to stand, to do anything, but my body didn’t respond.At times, I wasn’t even sure I had a body anymore.

Then a small pinprick of light appeared. Weak and distant, but undeniably there. My heart or whatever passed for it now throbbed with the last spark of hope. Maybe there’s a way out. I forced myself to focus on that light, to inch toward it.

As I approached, the light grew, revealing a window-like view.And through it, I saw my bedroom and myself, sitting upright in a chair. But the expression on that face wasn’t mine. It looked too calm, too self-assured.

Alex. In my body.

Somewhere to his left, Jaden and Toby stood, looking confused yet curious. Toby had a controller in his hands, studying it like he was searching for answers.

The sound of their voices came through muffled, as though I were listening from underwater:

“You really had some messed-up glitches, dude.”

“No kidding.Are you sure you don’t want to take some footage? We could upload it and probably get a few thousand views!”

“Nah,” I heard my own voice say, casual and dismissive. “I’m done with it. Let’s return the game so I can get my money back.”

The three of them laughed, and my stomach sank. I tried to scream, to bang on the invisible pane between us, but I had no mouth, no arms.

Alex-as-Me stood up, sliding Elder Vale into its case. “Come on, guys,” he said, turning to lead Jaden and Toby out of the room. “Grayson’s is open now. Let’s go.”

The viewpoint shifted as the room emptied. The faint light began to recede, replaced once more by darkness.

I wanted to call out, to beg my friends to see the truth but the light was gone, and with it any chance of rescue. I floated there, alone in the silent void, the final echo of footsteps fading from whatever window had connected me to the real world.