“My shoe… Where’s my shoe…?”

  Sam looked down, tears streaming down his cheeks as his toes curled on the pavement. His one white shoe was stained red as a puddle of crimson liquid pooled around it. His other foot was bare, the sock missing from his toes and heel. Only a few strips were left.

  Choking on a sob, Sam crouched to the ground, covering his ears as an explosion took out the building across the street. Rubble landed by his side, splashing the crimson liquid that he refused to call blood. His shorts were flecked with the liquid as a shadowy figure raced across the street, laughing manically as it raised its sword.

  “Mama…” Sam cried as he looked up. “Papa…”

  No one was coming to save him.

  No one knew where he was.

  A shadowy figure stopped on the street and turned towards him.

  Screaming, he fell onto his hands and scrambled backwards, spreading more of the crimson liquid over himself.

  His palm landed on a fleshy surface, and he looked over with wide eyes. His barber, Mr. Johnson, was lying face down, the crimson liquid that he had been spreading, seeping from the man’s body.

  Another scream tore from Sam’s throat as he watched the shadowy figure approach. As it drew near, it took the form of a giant humanoid lizard.

  “No! Stay back!” Sam screamed as he rolled over and scrambled to get to his feet.

  Each step was painful as glass littered the ground and within seconds, his foot was torn up.

  Looking over his shoulder, he found the lizardman stalking closer, laughing manically as it raised a clawed hand. Sam wasn’t worth the thing’s sword.

  A sob rose in Sam’s throat as he turned forward.

  “Help… Someone help me…” Sam cried.

  A voice filled the air. “This way, young one.”

  Sam’s eyes widened as he found a door in the middle of the street. Pearly white with a golden knob. It seemed to be floating a few inches off the ground and Sam nearly stopped as it opened.

  Fear more than anything made him race towards salvation. Filled with white light, he couldn’t see what lay beyond.

  Just as he passed the threshold, his back erupted in pain as three claws ripped through his shirt and flesh. One last scream tore from his throat before the door slammed shut.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  ***

  Sam awoke screaming as sweat drenched his body. Sitting up, he threw the blankets off and took several deep breaths as he recalled the dream. His body shook with fear as the lights of his domain came on automatically.

  “What time is it?” he asked with a weak voice.

  The room answered in a calm female voice. “It is currently six a.m., Samuel Tinner.”

  Sam nodded and wiped his eyes, smearing his tears over his cheeks as he swung his legs over the edge of his bed. It had been ten years since he entered through the door. Ten years of safety and yet he still had nightmares nearly every night.

  With shaky legs, he walked into the kitchen of his small studio apartment. Grabbing a glass, he filled it with water before downing it in a few gulps. The glass trembled in his hands as he set it down.

  A soft chuckle escaped him. “It’s my birthday…”

  “That is correct, Samual Tinner,” the room responded. “Today is your integration day.”

  Sam slammed his fist down on the counter, hurting himself more than the sturdy wood.

  “Fuck!” he shouted as his hand started to bruise.

  “Do you require medical assistance, Samuel Tinner?”

  Sam took several deep breaths as he calmed down. “Yes,” he said after a moment.

  The room flashed bright white, and he was forced to close his eyes. Soothing warmth embraced his hand, and a few seconds passed before the room came back into focus. His hand was healed, and he was no longer trembling.

  Taking one last calming breath, he moved to his computer. Shaking his mouse, he dismissed the screen saver and found the daily news.

  Sam read over the worst of it first. “Domain: 2468 has been lost. Domain: 1003 has been lost.” Sam shook his head as the world had lost yet another two domains.

  Looking around his own room, he started shaking again. In a few hours his world was going to change. He would be forced to enter the dungeons of his world to fight off the agents of chaos.

  Dismissing the article, he flipped through scenes of his world. Plants had been growing over the city he once called home. Collapsed apartments and ruined shops were crumbling from age. Rain had washed away all of the blood, and the bodies left behind were nothing more than skeletons.

  Rubbing his chin, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he clicked the close button on the images. His world was gone, lost to the agents of chaos.

  Moving to the bathroom, he relieved himself before brushing his teeth. The mirror before him reflected his naturally brown hair. Having been cutting his hair himself for the past ten years, it was jagged and uneven. No matter how many times he trimmed it, he couldn’t seem to get it right.

  His brown eyes had dark bags under them. Blood shot and still puffy from crying, he placed his hand on the mirror and slowly curled his fist.

  “Dammit…”

  Rubbing his eyes with his free hand, he moved to the doorframe. Standing up straight, he grabbed the hanging marker and pressed himself firmly against the frame. Once he was sure he was straight, he marked his height.

  Turning, he found that he had grown another few inches since his last birthday. The measurements on the side of the frame marked him at just over six feet.

  Stretching his arms above his head, Sam felt the scars from those three claws pull tight. The memory of the lizardman chasing him through the streets was reawakened after his dream, and he had to close his eyes for several seconds.

  “I’ll be fine…” he whispered to himself. “The universe will start me off easy and I’ll work up from there.”

  Looking towards his front door, he sighed. He hadn’t been able to open it for ten years, and for the first time since he entered, it was glowing. White light was seeping out from the cracks around the door.

  It was almost time for the door to disappear. It was almost time for him to gain his class and tackle his tutorial dungeon and join the delvers that fought back against the agents of chaos. If he was strong enough, he could reclaim his world. If he was one of the lucky, he could save other worlds from falling in the grand game the gods were playing.