The chanting of the monsters became so loud and painful that everyone covered their ears.
But that didn't work. The voices slipped right through, crawling into their brain. It was like the monsters weren't speaking at all. They were forcing the words into them, branding them inside.
For the first time, Dean understood why Boyd had made those strict rules in the show
'Don't talk to them. Don't look at them. Keep the curtains closed.'
He finally realised how dreadful these monsters were even when he was inside the house protected by the Tailsman.
Dean forced himself to breathe through his teeth, trying not to focus on their words.
Just then, all at once—
Silence.
The chanting stopped as if someone had flipped a switch. It pressed down on the room like a heavy weight. Even breathing felt too loud. No one spoke. No one moved.
It seemed like the monsters had left, as there was pin-drop silence outside.
No tapping. No scratching. No whispers.
Nothing.
Slowly, people lowered their hands. Their breathing was rough.
Dean lowered his hands from his ears too. His palms were sweaty, and his arms trembled. Though, now the chanting had stopped, countless thoughts hit him.
Mark's face came back first—his wide eyes, the pale hand dragging him away, the tearing sound of flesh. Dean could still hear it in his ears.
He had seen gore before—movies, shows, even bad clips online. He had rolled his eyes at cheap horror effects. He had even sat through films full of fake blood meant to make people squirm. But none of that—none of it—had prepared him for this.
This wasn't fiction. This wasn't something he could turn off or ignore. It was real. His reality now.
His head pounded like a drum. Death had brushed close enough to touch him once again, but it had taken someone else instead. He didn't know if that made him lucky or cursed.
He closed his eyes, but the images replayed: Mark's scream cut short, Kevin's head being ripped off, the monsters' voices circling. The truth hit him hard—any second could be his last.
The thought barely had time to settle when a notification panel popped up in his mind. Dean froze, startled—but without hesitation, he opened it.
***
[Mission: Accomplished]
Number of People Saved: 7
Reward:
•700 Points
•Progress Percentage 1.5%
***
Relief washed through him. Not because of the reward, but because of the words: Mission Accomplished. That meant they were safe. At least for tonight, the monsters wouldn't try to break in again.
Dean dismissed the panel and leaned back against the wall.
The words Mission Accomplished should have comforted him. They did a little. But even knowing the monsters wouldn't break in tonight, his head still pounded with those freaky chants.
Panic. That was what it was. Pure panic.
He had just watched people die right in front of him. No matter how much he told himself he was okay, his body didn't believe it. His muscles stayed tense, his heart kept racing, and his mind replayed the deaths over and over.
That was when his thoughts turned back to the glowing panel. The system. His one lifeline in this nightmare.
Dean swallowed hard and sat straighter and opened the World Travel panel again.
He quickly opened the sub panel heading World Store. His total points had reached 700 which in turn had unlocked new abilities, skills and provisions.
He then scanned the newly appeared stuff before moving on to the skills section and quickly purchased the Iron Will skill for 80 points.
The effect started showing the movement he purchased the skill.
Dean blinked as his chest loosened. His breaths grew steady. His pulse slowed. The tension in his shoulders eased, and the buzzing panic in his head quieted, like someone had lowered the volume.
The fear was still there, but it didn't overwhelm or control him anymore. When he closed his eyes, he still saw Mark and Kevin, but now he could face the images without falling apart—or push them away if he had to.
For the first time since the night began, Dean felt like he could breathe without fighting for it.
He leaned back against the wall again, but this time he was steady. His hands no longer trembled. His mind was clear enough to form real thoughts.
He let out a sigh of relief as the tension in his body melted away.
But then he paused.
Seven people saved. Seven hundred points.
He started counting in his mind. Jim, Tabitha, Ethan, Julie—that was four. Jade and Tobey made six.
So who was the seventh person he had saved?
Then it hit him. 'Wait. Did it count me too?'
The thought was not wrong. Afterall he too was new to this fucked up place. He too had survived tonight, same as the others. Maybe the system was including him in its tally.
If that was the case, he wasn't going to argue. A hundred extra points was a hundred extra points. Who would say no to them?
Dean looked up and scanned the room. The Matthews family huddled together, pale and wide-eyed, whispering quietly to comfort each other. Tobey clung to the unconscious Jade, still reeling on from all the events.
The rest of the people too tried coping with all the stuff that had happened, in their own way.
It was too cramped for fifteen people but no one in the room argued or moved to the other room as everyone felt safer like this. The knid of security one would feel being part of a group.
Dean then glanced at Kenny sitting beside him. Kenny was hunched over, elbows on his knees, fists pressed against his mouth. His eyes were red and swollen, staring at the floor without focus. Mark's death had hit him harder than anyone else in the room. They had all been shaken, but Kenny had watched his friend dragged away and torn apart right in front of him and he could do nothing to save him.
Dean wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Nothing he could say would change anything. Instead, he reached out and placed a hand on Kenny's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. Kenny gave a small nod, but his jaw was tight, and his body still trembled.
Dean let out a slow sigh. Kenny would have to face this pain alone. Dean had Iron Will to help him steady his thoughts, but Kenny didn't. He had to carry the fear and grief without any shield. That was something Dean couldn't fix for him.
Leaning back against the wall, Dean pulled up the World Store panel. His total points were 620. Enough to buy something useful.
The list wasn't long—five abilities, six skills, and four provisions had been added due to his increased amount of points. It wasn't much, but Dean didn't care. Numbers didn't matter. What mattered was the quality.
He read through the options carefully, taking his time. Then he focused on the first one he wanted for a while but couldn't purchase due to lack of points.
Predator's Instinct – 200 points.
He bought it immediately. The effect spread through him almost at once. His body felt sharp and ready. His reflexes coiled like a spring, his balance surer. Even the faint creak of the house settling made him twitch as if his body wanted to react before his mind even processed it. It wasn't strength, but speed. His instincts were now animal-like, ready to move the second danger appeared.
420 points left. Dean kept going.
Keen Eyes – 60 points. Purchased. His vision sharpened right away. The shadows in the corners weren't as dark anymore. He could see the fine details of Kristi's trembling hands and the twitch of Tobey's eyelids as he drifted into uneasy sleep. Everything looked clearer, sharper, like a lens had been cleaned.
He then moved on to the next skill, Silent Step, and purchased it for 100 points.
Now he had only 260 points left. But he knew exactly what he was going to buy with it.
Renewed Resolve – 250 points
This ability can be used twice per day. Each activation instantly restores Dean's body and mind to their absolute peak condition, erasing all physical exhaustion and mental fatigue. He becomes fully alert, strong, and battle-ready, no matter how drained he was before.
While injuries or permanent damage are not healed, for one full hour after activation Dean can completely ignore the pain from any wound or injury, moving and fighting as though unharmed. During this hour, his injuries also enter a frozen state — they will not worsen, fester, or spread, allowing him to operate at his peak without fear of collapse. However, injuries to critical areas such as the heart or brain remain beyond the ability's effect and cannot be suppressed.
Dean knew that if he was ever pushed to the edge again, this ability would be hella useful.
He closed the panel, having spent all the points he had earned in under a minute. Iron Will, Predator's Instinct, Keen Eyes, Silent Step, Renewed Resolve—each one was a tool, another edge against death. He would need every single one of them if he wanted to survive what was coming next.
Dean closed his eyes, getting ready for a well needed shut eye. Even with the Iron Will skill steadying his thoughts, it couldn't magically wash away all the exhaustion.
Renewed Resolve sat in his panel, fully charged and ready to restore him to peak condition, but Dean didn't use it. Not yet. He understood the rules of survival and the importance of timing. It was past midnight, the new day had started. If he used it now, he would only have one more use for the next twenty-four hours. What if something dangerous happened later that required all his strength and focus? Wasting a chance now would be stupid. Right now, the house was safe. The monsters weren't nearby. There was no reason to push himself to peak condition when it wasn't needed.
Of course, if danger appeared suddenly, he wouldn't hesitate to activate it.
Four hours remained before sunrise. Four hours that he could use to rest and recover naturally.
Dean couldn't believe that not even twenty-four hours had passed since he had arrived in this place. It felt to him like he had been here for days—weeks even. The sights, the sounds, the fear, the deaths—it all pressed down on him as if time had stretched and compressed at once. He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. There was no point dwelling on it. Right now, he needed rest.
Slowly, his hands, shoulders, and heartbeat relaxed. Within minutes, Dean was fast asleep, letting exhaustion take him completely.
***
For 5+ advance chapters visit my patreon.
patreon.com/narrative_ninja007
***