I was deep in the jungle. Sweeping through tall grass, I moved slowly unaware of my position. I reached a swamp. The stale water smelled like sulfur and thick algae at the bottom slowed me down even more. I felt strenuously engaged with the water; struggling with the algae to a point of exhaustion. I finally reached the end of the swamp. But it wasn’t a swamp anymore: it had become an ocean, a great expanse of water, vast, limitless. I was feeling overwhelmed with emotions. I looked around and found myself alone, not knowing where to go. Lacking confidence, I walked through waves to realize I wasn’t carrying a gun anymore but a surfboard instead. How ironic, I always wanted to know how to surf. Gradually, the beach filled up with people. I heard voices:

John… Over here…

Ben’s voice echoed like an angel choir. I walked faster, searching for my old friend. The sun was bright and the beach was crowded, but I felt no heat. In fact I felt cold and lonely.

John…

I came to the end of the beach swiftly. My surfboard gone, strangely replaced with scuba gear. A massive boulder stood at the left corner. I looked for a way around it, passing by a beautiful blonde.

John… I’m over here…

Through a coral reef, I swam. The same feeling of struggle hit me again. I kept swimming but I didn’t move much. Exhausted again, I thrashed out of the water, to find even more beach. This time, the sand was covered in sea shells. I walked slowly, listening carefully to Ben’s voice. It was coming from the boulder. I turned around and noticed a small crevice on the rock’s side: a cave. Following my intuition I made my way inside of it. As I walked deeper underground, I realized I was inside Penn’s Cave. Ben’s voice got louder and creepier, almost like a record played backwards.

John my friend, you have failed me… here…

I turned a corner and Ben jumped at me, but he wasn’t the Ben I knew anymore. Scared, I pulled a knife and lodged it in Ben’s rib cage.

John…!!!

I woke up shaking. The fire had gone out and the wind was still blowing snow inside. Three weeks of snow storms, way too long to be stuck inside of a cave. I need to find him. Tomorrow I’ll go out. I’m tired of waiting.