The Game of Forest
Chapter 1: The Awakening
George’s eyes blinked open beneath a scorching sun. The heat pressed down on him like a weight. Sand clung to his skin, and his throat was dry—like he hadn’t drunk water in days. Around him stretched a vast, endless desert. The wind howled across the dunes, carrying whispers in no language George recognized.
He sat up, shielding his eyes from the glare. The last thing he remembered was partying with his friends on a boat—fishing, laughing, clinking bottles—and Lilya’s warm touch beside him. And now, this. No ocean. No boat. No sign of life.
A strange mirage appeared in the distance, shimmering like a dream. His eyes widened as it took form—Lilya. She was walking toward him, serene and untouched by the desert’s heat. He stood, stumbling toward her, shouting her name. But just as he was about to reach her, she vanished like smoke in the wind.
“What’s happening to me?” he shouted.
With no answer, he turned toward the sun’s path, hoping for rescue, answers—anything.
