"What is this, huh?! A rip-off of Minecraft?!?!" I yelled out towards the air.

"How do I make a house in such little time?! Heck, it's already passed midday for me to begin!! It's only a few more hours before it's night!! I'll get eaten alive by some wilder beast before the next day begins!!!" I complained out loud.

There's no one here. So I can yell all I want.

"And who in the mothersmucker, can build a damn house within a day?! I'm not staying up all night to make a stupid excuse of a wooden box that will most probably not hold together for a minute's stretch!" I stomped on my feet.

I let out a loud, aggravated groan at the silence followed by my little tantrum.

I narrowed my eyes at nothing in particular. Maybe this is a challenge to test my architectural skills...

"You think I won't survive a day, huh? Well, jokes on you, I'm majoring in architecture! I can make do just fine with a damn rope and some planks itself if I have to!" I boast.

Honestly, is there a game god, here? I'm probably making a fool out of myself. I don't really care at the moment, though.

Wait...

I paused.

If this game is capable of sucking people into their world, then surely it's more than capable of creating its own houses, right? Did it already know about me? Is it some sort of automatic scanner and decided I'll be fine without one? That I'll just make one??

I stared up at the reddening sky with a dumbfounded look, "So you probably already knew." I let out in the open with flapping hands on my sides.

"Freaky." I grumble out under my breath.

Huffing, I roll up my sleeves after sliding off my cotton cardigan and tied it around my waist. Thank the lord for my hair tie around my wrist as I tie my hair into a low ponytail for the moment. The last thing I need to deal with, is flailing strands of hair getting in my mouth and blocking my eyes.

"I'll prove my architectural skills, just you flip flapping wait." I shouted to the air. 'But I've always begun with a rough layout of what I want to make... how do I measure the sizes, too??' I thought. "But come on, at least give me a little something - a tool, maybe? How do you expect me to begin with my bare hands and no measuring instruments?" I questioned.

I should probably stop.

But I only recently watched this one documentary about a kid in a small village getting lost into the woods. He was gone for so long that he lost the ability to communicate- or well, forgot. And instead, behaved like an animal.

A monkey to be exact. Damn monks adopted a human child and made him theirs.

When he was found, he had to learn the alphabets all over again, just to speak.

Yeah, I'm gonna speak all I want. Ain't no monkey, or any animal for that matter, is taking away my language skills.

Speaking of animals...

"Holy coco's biscuit-" I gasped when a deer jumped out from behind tall bushes. I noticed the unique white coloured splotches decorating the right side of its face, around its eye. It came out from the same path I followed to reach here and hopped away like it didn't just make me almost pee myself.

I suddenly grew nervous and glanced at the darker setting of the sky and my surroundings.

"Uh...hahaha, game, have I told you that you're really...um, cool?" I anxiously blurted out, "You don't happen to.. y'know, make monsters and the likes to exist in this world.., do you?" I weakly let out, inching my way closer to the wooden planks waiting for me to create a damn house with.

"Like... Minecraft? Do you know Minecraft? It has mobs. They pop up at night— Ah, I'm already losing my screws." I sighed. I should probably stop comparing this game that I'm in with another game that I play and give it ideas.

You never know, it might do something out of jealousy.

Just saying.

-

"You know," I grunted, shifting a new plank onto the ground from its pile, "You're a real piece of fart knocker for making me build my own house. I don't even have the arms capable of lifting my own Big-boy, German shepherd, Coco." I pointed out.

"Do you see my arms?" I pointed towards my forearm, "This is not tight muscle. It's plain flesh with a stick of bone in the middle. You hear me? Fat. It's floppy flesh. It's squishy-" I pursed my lips, "Point is, I don't have the strength to lift this heavy hunka-bunk." I pointed towards the wooden plank.

Once again greeted with no response, I shook my head and continued to build my little shed. It's not like I expected an answer. Still doesn't do any harm to point it out and bribe the game god or whatever to spare me the building part and grant me a good little house to stay the night. I could instead work to hunt for some food.

My stomach growled.

I sigh, and flopped onto the ground, granting myself a short break. I looked over my surroundings. Well, as much as I could since the sun had long since set.

I've got to admit, though - the countless stars in the sky is a sight to see. I expected the sunlight to last a bit longer than it has. I noticed that time is slightly shorter than usual. Then again, nothing is usual here. That includes the overpopulated lake, full of fishes.

I licked my lips, feeling my throat swallow at nothing but air. I'm really thirsty. And hungry.

Great, I guess I am dying here on the first day after all.

"I hope you prepared a celebratory party for my soon-to-be death, my guy." I mumbled. "Jolly day for you, huh?" I let out softly as the forest surrounding me quietened whilst the night continued to swallow the remaining light in the sky.

...

"Can I already get some food, dude?" I groan, clutching at my whiny stomach.

"Forget it." I sigh and decided that I should probably do something instead of whine if I really want to wake up to see tomorrow. Hopefully I wake up in my warm bed and...

"I just had to end up here when my Ma decided to prepare my favourite spaghetti." I scowled.

To begin my last chance of seeing sunlight, I headed straight for the denser side of the forest.

I know. Super safe during the night, don't worry. I will come out without a scratch, trust me.

-

I lied. Obviously.

I need to treat my cuts on my legs and now, my arms. All I wanted was to find a sharp and long, little stick. 5 to 6 of those and return here but a damn bug came for my face and scared the life out of me, as if the game isn't already doing that for me,. The bug made me jump 10 feet and land on my bum and as a result, I gained more red lines. Yippee.

But! I got my sticks! So, I can start with working onto getting some food into my system. I abandoned my little wood work for the sake of avoiding starvation.

My dad is a cruise ship captain, so whenever our family go out for a vacation after along time, he brings me with him to fish, something we always bond over during camping trips. And how coincidental it is, that the lake I stumbled upon just happened to hold a large population of cramped up fishes for me.

I'm onto you, game. You damn creep. Doing a didly darn background check on my life. Ever heard of privacy?? Smh...

So here I am, dipping my bare feet into the shallow water and holding a sharpened end of my trusty stick of a tree branch that I, oh, so smartly picked out. The other sticks I brought with me, I used them to start a little fire using palm-sized rocks.

What? I've gone to a camping trip. I can do this much. It's a start, so hopefully I can make use of all I know about survival to get through more days than one.

I'll need to collect drinking water, too... surely this lake water isn't good for me. It doesn't have a constant flow, so there must be bacteria and water insects in those areas. that's a big no-no. I'll have to look for another part of the river.. maybe even a waterfall so I can collect water. Those don't have water insects crawling inside.

"Ugh, slippery son of a fish." I grunted as I stabbed my sharp stick into the water, just barely missing a fish that could've cheered up my crying stomach.

"Game, just because I can do this stuff and get what I need, doesn't mean I can't just be given it since I was forc— Ah!! I caught you! HAH, enjoy your trip into my stomach." I grinned, proud of myself.

This will do for the night.

I rush out of the shallow side of the water in the lake and make my way to the fire I started.

I grab another stick sitting beside the fire into my free hand and plop the other with the fish over the other two I stuck to the ground, just above the fire.

It's going to taste really bland and fleshy, but I'll have to suck it up if I don't want to starve.

I looked over at the little work I did with the wooden planks, a small sigh leaving my lips. I was sort of proud of it since I managed to join together many planks with the rope and created a decent-sized box. That too, using the support of the steep cliff beside it. The ropes are limited, though. So I had to use them wisely to tie the wood together for a more stable, temporary home. It looks like a storage cabin, to be honest but I'm glad I managed to build one for the night, nonetheless.

"How many trees did you cut down?" I mumbled, wondering if they were just created or brought from trees that it cut down. This little area with the planks and river at the right end was more spacious than where I previously was, when in the forest. It could just be because that this area is beside a cliff side. I won't stay here, though. I'm basically limiting my own escape route incase something comes to hunt me down. I would be cornered if anything.

"The least you could've done was give me building tools to make a more stable little shelter for myself." I frown.

The crackling of fire brought me back to the fish I was cooking. Oh jeez, I nearly forgot to twist it around. Good thing it didn't burn, yet.

After I deemed the fish cooked enough and sliced off its head messily with my sharp stick, because who eats a fish's face? Freaky, wide eyes just watching me munch on it's dead body? No thank youuuu

I dived into my meal of the night, cringing at the plain taste but eating it despite that. I remember my grandma used to make hot chocolate for me whenever I felt blue. It was the best hot chocolate. It smelled so fresh, so inviting. My ma makes them now, though she's a busy woman herself. Her restaurant needs her attendance to keep the business going and to make sure it runs well.

Honestly, Hot chocolate would be really nice, right now.

I felt myself tear up once again. I guess it just dawned on me that I was all alone in a dense forest. A strange forest, at that. I still had cuts decorating my skin that hurt upon contact, and I'm glad for the tolerance I have for the pain. It's not really high, but not very low either, so I could bare it enough to sleep through it.

The moon was all the way up at this point and my tears began to fall. I miss home. I miss Ma and dad, Juno and Yohan. Even my grown-up puppy, coco.

I took another bite and swallowed. A sniffle emanated out of me and my head drooped down at the state I was in. I let myself feel pity for my situation. My lips quivered as I realised this could've possibly been Yohan's spot if he wasn't so busy. I'm suddenly grateful for his busy schedule and a whimper left my lips as I held back a loud sob. Doesn't make my self-pity any less, though. Either the game decided upon this situation or it was a default beginning to any player. I would probably be starving and sleeping through it right now, had I not learnt to fish the way I do.

"Damnit." I hiccuped. I didn't even know if I could even close my eyes for any longer than 2 seconds. Anything could pop out from behind those trees and possibly attack me. Bears? Wolves? Snakes?

After my stomach didn't feel like it was eating itself, I left my spot on the ground and made my way over towards the roof-shade of planks I managed to build in an hour, and rested my back to it.

I sob fell out of my lips, and I shut my eyes closed.

I really want to leave this place.

-

I didn't even realise I fell asleep before the sunlight penetrated my eyes at the crack of dawn. I groaned, turning away from the light.

I feel like I slept for only 10 minutes. My eyes ached as I woke and pried my eyelids open.

Another groan left my lips as I sat up, body aching terribly at the position I slept through, feeling stiff and soar.

I looked around and squinted at my surroundings, my eyes still adjusting to the brightness.

Huh.

Nothing out of place. The same as I left it last night...

ExCEPT A BRIGHT BLUE BAG???

"Where in the criminy did that come from?" I let out, getting onto my feet and rushing towards the said bag laying idly over a shrub plant that sat closer towards the dense forest.

I grabbed it and raised a brow at the weight it held.

Zipping it open, I gasped.

Torch, a medium-sized iron sword, three granola bars, an empty water bottle, a notebook with small wooden pencils, a ball of thread and lots of papers. Not to mention the waist bag inside also holding a small pocket knife.

My eyes bulged as beneath all those goodies was a small pistol-like dart gun and an entire first-aid kit. Like a box-kit. The darts for the gun kept safely inside the waist bag.

I scoffed.

"Well, well, well, I guess I just had to give you a show with my self-created pity party and water works for you to give me my basic necessities for a sudden survival." I clapped my hands in mock applaud and then zipped up the bag and slung it over my shoulders. "I should give you more cry shows, then, shouldn't I?" I joked.

I turned back to my little spot by the planks but froze on my spot.

"Uh...?" I let out in shock and confusion.

No planks. Not even my little cabin box I built, nor the little fire pit. "What the-?!" I let out and cut myself off.

My shoes!! I took them off so I could catch fish!! They're gone, too!! I can't walk around barefoot and not expect even more cut—-

Hold on a hot, didly ding dong minute...

"Huh?!" I flinched on my spot, having taken notice of my change of clothes. I wore more appropriate clothes for this occasion and my loose jean-pants were replaced by Comfy track-pants, convenient for all times during the night, as well as the day. The top was a black T-shirt and a maroon-ish-brown jacket wrapped around my waist, replacing the cardigan I previously had. Possibly for colder nights.

I crossed my arms, "I really should cry more. You just gave me a change of clothes, too. What the hell?" I let out in disbelief.

"Whatever...thanks, I guess." I grumbled.

"I still hate you, game. It doesn't change anything because I'm still on my own and have to survive this dang wildlife without any heads up." I pointed out.

Now, how am I supposed to get a place to stay? I really don't want to venture through the forest full of bugs. Worst of all, because I have a phobia of insects and bugs. They're gross and have the upper hand; More arms and legs than me. Heck, even more eyes.

See? Clearly unfair.

-

The first thing I did was treat my wounds. Only the ones that I felt needed it the most. During that process, my mind wondered to questions I've been unconsciously asking.

When will I find my way out of this game? If there even is one, at all. How did I end up inside of one in the first place? How is it even remotely possible? How do I sustain the granola bars for as long as I need before hunting and gathering food myself? How do I find drinkable water? For how long will I be alone? How many days, weeks or even months will I spend here? Will I even survive? For how long will I have to be all alone?

My train of questions were put to a stop when my eyes stared towards the dense part of the forest. Fruits. Exotic, strange fruits were there when I first came. Maybe they could be edible?

Mustering up enough courage, I took a step in, then another before I changed my mind. Maybe there are more bags.

Maybe they appear at different parts of the forest. That was enough motivation for me to drift deeper into the growing vegetation and darker parts of the forest, shadows casted by thick canopies from over-grown trees.

I'll do everything it takes to find a way out of this game. There's no way anyone in their right mind would ever willingly stay out here with barely anything to protect you. The game spared me by gifting me a bag of essentials I know will come in handy eventually.

Dart guns... I'm pretty sure the unusual forests holds just as strange creatures. It's a game after all. All survival and/or adventure games have some of those.

-

I managed to find my way back to my starting point. The place I fell from the sky. I bit at my lip, placing my hands at my hips to take another look at this spot in particular.

Then I decided that I'll mark this spot with the ball of thread I have in my bag. Using my teeth to tear off a long piece after I wrapped it around one of the trees or two. I nodded in satisfaction. I'll make sure to remember this spot. The river actually trailed further down the forest and I made sure to stick close to it as I ventured further in.

The ball of thread was surprisingly very big, so I decided to use it as a marking trail as I routinely wrapped it around a tree occasionally, the further I went.

Eventually, my feet landed in a more flat landscape and the sound of running water turned more aggressive and profound as I came across a decent clearing. There, I noticed the same coloured rocks leading further into the clearing, and just like before, I followed it.

At the sight before me, my jaw was bound to drop to the ground. The waterfall to my left sparkled under the sun's light and to its right, a bit further ahead, was a big-

Giant creation of jointly built tree houses. It was much more convenient and safe from land animals, if I do come across one.

I immediately rushed towards the tree houses, noticing that at the ground, pushed to the side was the same pile of planks I eyed at the start. "There you are." I breathed and took another look at the beautiful wood work. On the ground was a little gather-around camp-like set up with a small fire pit sitting in the middle with two tree trunks layer on different angles as a substitute for seats.

(A/N: there are more tree houses. U can imagine them in whatever placement u like. I assumed the rest (for the boys) is somewhere behind this one tree trunk at the very front which is "blocking" the view)

I climbed up the ladder, just ahead of the little fire-area, albeit slowly in fear of missing a step and falling before planting my feet on the wooden ground. A breathless laugh left my lips.

The wood work was joined through levels of floors and safety bars surrounding the outside, the little house-cabins placed at different levels over the ground.

I entered the closest tree house and gaped in wonder; the inside was very simplistic. A single bed to the side, the window right beside it and to the right corner, was a single shelf and just below it, a two-sided desk accompanied by a single wooden stool as a chair.

I claimed this tree house as my own and plopped my bag onto the desk and let out a satisfied groan at the feel of the bed against my back as I laid there.

Inside each cabin:

(A/N: this is what I had in mind :) but you can obviously interpret the joint build of tree houses and it's interior the way YOU want.)

I grinned, standing up once more and climbed down the ladder carefully. I rushed into the small cabin-like structure I know I built. My little storage cabin had relocated here; I concluded. It was towards the right of the tree houses and I let out a relieved squeal.

Water!!!!

It was stored inside a black pot. You know those big witch pots?? Those kinds. I mentally noted to make this cabin a bit bigger, thinking of making this to store any other resources I find regarding edibles. Maybe even into a pantry. Maybe.

It was perfect actually. I could collect running water from the river closer towards the waterfall and boil it for about 5 minutes! It would be safe to drink then.

What? I've watched some videos on YouTube. Some recommended videos that didn't seem very handy-dandy. They sure came in handy-dandy now that I'm out here in the wild.

"Game, you're really convincing me to give you another crying fit. Just overnight I felt bad for myself and you gift me all this? You sadist freak. Thanks by the way." I spoke. I grabbed onto a cup handle beside the pot filled with water and took lots of gulps of water, finally feeling the satisfaction of hydrating myself. It even contained more dish plates!! I'll probably have to carve out a utensil someway or the other so I don't straight-up shove my dirty hands into the food I will digest. No thank youuuuu

Now, to get to work.

_______________________________

Now, we're getting somewhere :>

Yes my drawings in these is more rough 🥲, to be honest I was worried I was going to change it too much from what I had in mind so I drew a quick sketch of it to hold onto it because I liked the way i pictured it.

Then don't get me started on the line work of it. I completely threw that step out of the window because I'm 100% sure it would've turned out way off than my sketch. Ngl, I like the rough aspect to the drawing but that's just me ig lol 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

I haven't decided on a updating pattern yet, so you'll mostly get them in a 2-3 days irregularity with a weekly schedule 😅

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you sometime next week with the next chapter! 💕

~ Ada