Escape from the Trap

Leticia tensed, sensing the mist around her grow denser. Its movements became more chaotic, as though something within it had come to life. Cold tendrils wrapped around her legs, bringing an unpleasant sensation of clammy dampness.

— Leticia… — Aya's voice trembled. — We… we really need to run.

Leticia glanced at the girl. Her fear was almost palpable, yet her eyes blazed with stubborn resolve. She wasn't someone who would give up without a fight. But something within Leticia warned her that this fog wasn't just a natural phenomenon. It was alive. Watching. And now it was picking up speed.

— Agreed — Leticia said, making a split-second decision.

She reached for Aya, but Aya suddenly pushed her aside, stepping forward.

— Go! — Aya cried out.

Gritting her teeth, Leticia spun around and dashed ahead. They ran, yet it didn't feel like they were moving forward. Their legs sank into the dense haze, each step stretching out endlessly. Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Around them, there was nothing but thick, viscous fog, closing around them like a soundless snare.

Why can't we escape? Leticia thought in desperation. Is this place… unreal? Or are we trapped in some loop, running but staying in one spot, like a punishment—like we're being tested?

Her breathing grew heavier, but she couldn't allow herself to stop. A fiery defiance lit up her chest, even if the world around seemed infinite.

— Aya, do you feel it? — she shouted without looking back.

— Yes! — Aya's voice cracked. — It won't let us go!

The mist was closing in, pushing them to run even faster. It felt like they'd been running for an eternity, but nothing changed. Where was the exit? Did it even exist?

Suddenly, Leticia felt her foot catch on something. She lost her balance, and the ground beneath her vanished. She crashed down, her knees slamming against a cold, invisible surface. Pain shot through her, and for a moment, the world blurred.

Leticia and Aya both turned in horror. The fog was no longer just moving—it surged toward them like a massive snow avalanche, devouring everything in its path. It wasn't merely following them. It was bearing down on them to swallow them whole.

Aya stared at this inexorable force with grim determination. Her heart pounded wildly, fear gripping her lungs, but she knew—they had no time. She glanced at Leticia, saw her stunned expression, and without hesitation, stepped forward, standing between the oncoming nightmare and her companion.

"No!" she cried, flinging her arms out wide.

— You idiot, what are you.

Leticia didn't get to finish. The fog descended on them with terrifying force. The wind churned up by that avalanche struck like a thousand icy needles, piercing straight to the core. Leticia felt her body lose its weight; her feet lifted from the ground, and her breath became hollow, unable to fill her lungs. A coldness—endless, impenetrable, merciless—engulfed her completely.

The last thing she registered was Aya's scream, filled with resolve…and pain.

Darkness. Silence. Oblivion.

Leticia opened her eyes and saw a painfully familiar ceiling—the very one she never thought she'd see again.