Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 796: Overwhelmed [1]

~7 minute read · 1,655 words

Previously on Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!...

Seth visits a rescued guild member, only to find the man terrified and unresponsive to questions about what happened. The man claims he didn't reveal anything, but seems to be seeing something unseen. He then screams and collapses, his eyes closing for the first time since waking.

"Seth."

I looked up.

Maren stood a short distance away, watching me as the staff worked around the bed.

"What did he mean?"

"I... don’t know."

It had been a while since I had been this speechless. So much so that I couldn’t even think of any nonsense to say.

"He said you brought something here."

"I know, but as you can see, I’m not really with anyone."

My voice came out a little sharper than I intended.

I paused for a moment before lowering my hand.

"...I’m also certain there was no one behind me."

I had made sure with the sunglasses. Those were pretty good at telling me if there was an anomaly standing behind me.

’Most likely he’s talking about the disease. I’ve been infected.’

Right...

My heart sank.

Maren looked towards the doorway before returning her attention to me.

"Did you see anything?"

"No."

She pressed her lips together.

I glanced back at the bed. One of the staff members was calling the man’s name, but he wasn’t responding.

"He was frightened before you arrived, but it wasn’t like that. This... is the first time I’ve seen him act like this."

My gaze moved towards the space beside my shoulder.

Still nothing.

The more I thought about it, the more certain of my previous assumption I was.

I... was infected.

Whatever he had seen, it was likely talking about the infection. Maybe it was because he was also infected that he could see what I couldn’t see.

Eventually, I looked at the Guild Master and the member before turning away.

"Let’s give them some room."

Maren nodded, although she hesitated before following me towards the door.

We had barely stepped into the corridor when my phone rang again.

Trrr!

I looked down.

Geneva.

For a moment, I simply stared at her name before answering.

"What happened?"

?Seth...

Her voice was strained.

I straightened, more or less guessing what she was about ot say.

"Your brother?"

?Yes.

My heart sank once more.

Straining my ears, I could make out some noise in the background. I heard someone speaking quickly, followed by the sound of something being moved.

?He’s getting worse.

My fingers tightened around the phone.

"How much worse?"

?They had to hold him down again. They’ve managed to settle him, but his heart rate still won’t come down.

"....."

I closed my eyes briefly.

Of course.

?They want to contact the BUA.

She continued.

?They’re asking questions, and I can’t keep telling them that we need more time.

"Have you told them anything?"

?Not yet. But...

She stopped.

I could hear her breathing.

?Seth, I don’t think I can keep doing this.

I looked through the open doorway beside me.

The man on the bed hadn’t moved.

"I understand."

?Have you found anything?

My lips parted, but nothing came out.

I had come here because someone had finally woken up.

Now he was unconscious again, Geneva’s brother was getting worse, and I was very likely infected as well.

In the end, I took a deep breath.

"...I need to check something. I’ll call you back."

There was a short silence before she answered.

?Please hurry.

The call ended.

I lowered the phone without putting it away.

Maren was looking at me, waiting for an explanation. Behind her, someone called the Guild member’s name again.

Yet again, there was no response.

I stood in place, listening to the chaos around me, finding myself struggling for an answer.

For the first time in a very long time, I felt...

Overwhelmed.

Trrr!

In the midst of my thoughts, my phone vibrated again.

Hm?

I looked down at the screen, my fingers still resting near the side of it. The moment I did, my brows jumped up in surprise.

Geneva.

"....."

We had only just finished speaking.

For a moment, I hesitated before answering.

"What happened?"

?He’s awake.

I stopped.

"...What?"

?My brother. He’s awake. He’s talking to me. I mean, he was... awaken before, but now... he’s concious. He’s actually talking to me!

Her voice was urgent, but it sounded different from before. I could hear her moving, followed by a quiet voice somewhere in the background.

?He knows who I am. Seth, he’s actually talking to me.

My gaze slowly moved towards the room beside me.

The Guild member was still lying on the bed, his eyes closed while someone checked the equipment beside him.

My heart sank.

"When did he wake up?"

?Just now. Right after I called you.

"Has he said anything strange?"

?Strange?

"What has he said?"

?He asked why I was crying.

Geneva’s voice caught a little.

I remained silent, listening as she said something to her brother. He answered, although I couldn’t make out what he was saying.

I should’ve been happy.

He had woken up. After everything that had happened, this should’ve been something worth celebrating.

But I had just watched someone else wake up.

"...I’m coming."

?Okay.

"Don’t ask him about what happened yet."

She paused.

?Why?

"Just stay with him for now."

There was a brief silence before she agreed.

I lowered the phone and looked towards Maren.

"I need to go."

"Has something happened?"

"Another one woke up."

Her expression changed slightly.

I didn’t explain further. Looking towards the room one last time, I adjusted my sunglasses before turning away.

This couldn’t be a coincidence.

The timing was too strange.

One had woken up, seen me, and fallen unconscious again. Now the other was awake, and I was going to see him too.

My steps slowed.

I stopped near the end of the corridor, my hand tightening around the phone.

If the same thing happened again...

I looked down at Geneva’s name.

Then I continued walking.

’Right, I need to get to the bottom of this. That’s the main priority.’

By the time I reached the hospital, Geneva had sent me two more messages.

?He’s still awake! This is an amazing sign! I think he might be awake for goof!

?He’s asked me for water. He... might actually be good.

I read the second message again as the elevator doors opened. I could feel the hope in her texts, thus making each of my next step heavier than the last.

I put the phone away and made my way towards the ward.

There was no screaming this time.

I could hear someone speaking quietly as I approached the room, followed by Geneva’s voice. She sounded calmer than she had during either of our calls.

The door was partly open.

Through the gap, I could see her sitting beside the bed, holding a cup while her brother drank from it. There was a fresh dressing around his forehead, and his fingers rested loosely against her wrist.

He looked tired.

But he was looking at her properly.

When Geneva lowered the cup, he said something that made her nod several times.

I remained outside for another moment.

"...You should sleep too."

His voice reached me.

Geneva shook her head.

"I’m fine."

"You look tired."

"I know."

She rubbed beneath one of her eyes before noticing me near the door.

"Seth."

Her shoulders relaxed.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

At the sound of my name, her brother turned his head.

His gaze settled on me.

Then everything seemed to stop.

His hand remained against Geneva’s wrist, his fingers still curled loosely around it. His lips were parted as though he had been about to say something else.

I stayed near the doorway.

He stared at me.

"....."

The cup shifted in Geneva’s hand.

"What is it?"

He didn’t answer.

His fingers slowly tightened around her wrist.

I watched his eyes widen, the colour leaving his face as his breathing started growing uneven.

Right.

I had thought this might happen.

That didn’t make the sight any easier to look at.

"Seth came to—"

"Haaaaaaa—!"

Geneva flinched.

The cup slipped from her hand, spilling water across the sheets as her brother suddenly pulled away. His back struck the raised pillow, and he immediately tried to move farther.

There wasn’t anywhere for him to go.

He kept pushing anyway.

"Hey, what’s wrong?"

Geneva reached towards him, but he dragged his knees up against his chest and screamed again.

A nurse hurried over from the other side of the room.

I had yet to move.

My hand was still resting against the door.

Just like before.

"Please, calm down."

Geneva caught his arm as he tried to scramble towards the far side of the bed. His heel caught in the sheet, and he pulled at it desperately without once looking down.

He was still staring at me.

Not behind me.

At me.

I felt my fingers tighten against the door.

His mouth opened wider.

For a moment, nothing came out except a thin, strained breath.

Then he raised his hand.

His finger trembled as he pointed straight at me.

"You’re next."

Geneva stopped.

"...What?"

The boy’s arm shook harder.