Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!

Chapter 537  The Mist [4]

Crackle~

The fire crackled, smoke rising and dissolving into the surrounding fog as the group sat around the makeshift campfire, their pupils reflecting the flickering flames.

Nobody said a word as they all sat in silence. But the silence merely lasted a few seconds as Niel retrieved his glasses, wiping them with a small cloth as he began to speak. "Point Z was originally an unremarkable industrial–research district built around a government experimental energy facility. The population of the area was in the hundreds of thousands. It was neither a big city nor was it a small town." Crackle~ Crackle~ As the fire continued to crackle, Niel put on his glasses again. "…But the reason there's so much interest in Point Z is that, unlike the other areas overrun by anomalies, this one remained relatively quiet. Within just six hours of the mist's appearance, all the citizens vanished. But that isn't the most concerning aspect of all of this. What's more concerning is this." Reaching for his backpack, Niel retrieved a small radio. One that looked to have come from several decades in the past. He fiddled with the antenna at the top and then turned it on. —Khhh! Khhh...! Static filled the surroundings, drowning out the crackling of the fire. But soon, the static began to fade. Little by little, it weakened until voices finally echoed from the speaker.

—It's a sunny… day today! How is everyone doing? This is your radio host, Winderhost, and today I'll be bringing you the latest news!

Niel looked at everyone as the radio continued. —Today has been rather uneventful. A few car crashes were reported, along with some burglaries, but nothing major. The Police Chief has already arrested those responsible.

Click! Niel closed off the radio. "It should be impossible for the radio to function. Let alone the fact that nobody uses the radio anymore, but there should be no signal here. The Mist has made it impossible for there to be any sort of signal. So..." Niel stared at the radio, his expression tense. "...So how is it possible for the radio to function like this?" Crackle~ His words were met with the crackling of the fire. Nobody answered. Nobody could answer. But eventually, Joanna opened her mouth. "This could be the work of the anomaly responsible for the disappearance of the people here. It might also be what caused the squads we were sent to rescue to vanish."

"It's possible." Niel nodded in agreement, putting the radio back. Although he was explaining the situation to everyone, he was aware that everyone already knew all of the information that he was sharing. In fact, everyone had a radio with them as well. The radio... It was one of their most important assets. "Ugh, this is fucking creepy." Nora muttered while sitting up, stretching her back. "...And uncomfortable," she added while making a face. "No, but seriously. For how long do we have to rest? The more we stay here, the creepier this place feels." Nora looked around. The fog had thickened fast, and the sky had long darkened. She could still see, but only a few feet in front of her.

The branches were the worst part. They didn't look like trees anymore. They looked like rusted needles poking through a white sheet. They were still, but as she moved, the perspective shifted, making it look like they were leaning in toward her.

"...This place gives me the fucking creeps." "Get a grip on yourself." Joanna commented while standing up, her lips pulled into a half-smile. "We've been through a lot worse. This isn't even that bad." Holding a torch, she began to walk away from the campfire.

"Where are you going?" "Where else? Just need to take care of business." "Ah, alright." Joanna didn't look back. She switched on the torch, and a beam of light cut through the fog, illuminating the path ahead.

She didn't go far. Just enough to still hear the crackle of the fire, yet far enough that none of them could see her. There, she found a secluded spot to take care of her business.

Of course, she had taken precautions, tying a string to her ankle so she wouldn't lose her way. If anything happened, the others would notice.

Crunch—! The crackling of the fire was the only thing keeping the silence around her from feeling heavy. Joanna looked out, but the world ended six feet away. The fog didn't just drift; it sat there, heavy and motionless, like the water in the depths of the sea. It had a weight to it that made her lungs ache, each breath feeling heavier than the last. Everything was unnaturally still. There was no wind to move the mist, no crickets, no rustle of leaves. It was the kind of silence that made her own heartbeat sound like a drum in her ears.

Joanna lowered her gaze, trying not to focus on her surroundings. Her eyes eventually settled on the camera strapped to her chest, recording everything. Of course, for obvious reasons, it wasn't on. But staring at the camera, Joanna quietly bit her lips as she looked in the direction of where the camp was. 'It was quite disappointing to see you leave our group like that. However, in the end, we all managed to make a name for ourselves after you left. Do you think it's a coincidence?' 'Oh, but I heard you failed your first trial. The same for your team. Are you guys not holding your Squad Leader back? We all somehow passed, haha.'

The words of her team. The news articles and the comments from the people. 'I'll carry you.'

The Squad Leader's words. She wanted to refute everything. She wanted to say that they weren't useless. That they didn't need to be carried, but... "....." The only thing she could do was open her mouth. For... all of it was true. Slap! Slapping her own cheeks, Joanna shook her head. 'No, let's not think like this. The Squad Leader chose us for a reason. I'm sure we can figure this out. We have plenty of time. The Congress is still in full swing.' Crunch! Taking care of her business, Joanna turned to trace the string back toward the camp. At the same time, she turned the camera back on.

The fog had seemed to thicken in the time it took for her to take care of her business, rising against her throat, making every breath feel even heavier. She moved in a heavy, muffled silence, her boots sinking into the unnaturally soft earth with a rhythmic 'crunch' that seemed to echo in her ears with each step. The beam of her flashlight cut a path through the dense fog as Joanna followed the string on her ankle until the sickly, distorted amber of the fire finally bled through the mist. The sound of the crackling fire grew strong, though the silence around it felt a little unnatural. Joanna's beam cut through the last layer of trees, right before the clearing that led to the camp, but as she did, she stopped, her beam pausing on someone's back. "Huh?" Joanna's torch moved sideways, several shadows casting on the ground beneath as the beam stopped behind several backs. Niel, Nora, and the others were spread out in a wide, perfect circle, standing inches away from the trees, almost hugging them. They were perfectly still, their backs turned from her, staring into the camp. "Guys?"

Joanna whispered, her voice straining. 'What's going on?' Nora's head moved. It didn't tilt or turn; it pivoted very, very slowly, almost mechanically. Her face was pale, her eyes slightly wide and reflecting the torchlight like a cat's. She didn't wince or show any discomfort.

Slowly, Nora raised a finger to her lips.

"Shhh," Nora breathed. Joanna froze. Niel and the others turned then, performing the same synchronized motion. They all mirrored the gesture, pressing their fingers to their lips, "Shhh." "What? What's going on?" Joanna whispered, staring at their glassy eyes. Niel didn't answer; he pointed toward the center of the camp, urging her forward with a silent motion of his hand.

'What the hell is happening? Did they spot an anomaly?' Joanna's entire body tensed as she drifted toward them, stepping behind a tree near Niel. She leaned out, her eyes following their collective gaze, bracing herself to see a monster, an anomaly, or just anything. But... Crackle! Crackle~

All she saw was the campfire.

It was burning steadily. The logs shifted, sending a spray of sparks into the air. But there was no one there. The logs they had been sitting on were empty. The backpacks were gone. The radio was gone. It was just a lonely, starving fire in the middle of a dead world.

"There's nothing there," Joanna whispered, turning to Niel. "Niel, what are you—"

The space beside her was empty.

"....!" Joanna spun around. The trees were bare. No Nora. No Niel. No squad. Nothing. A sudden burst of laughter erupted from the center of the camp.

Joanna's head whipped back toward the fire, her breath catching in her throat.

There they were.

All sat around the campfire like before they left. Niel was sitting on his pack, fastidiously wiping his glasses with a small cloth. Nora was stretching her back, her mouth open in a wide, bored yawn. The Squad Leader sat still, staring at the campfire while Mia cooked some marshmallows, distributing them to the others. All eight of them were present. Then, as if suddenly taking notice of her, Nora called out. "Took you long enough. Did you fall over or something?"