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

Clank!

Nora opened the door and stepped out.

The moment she did, she was greeted by the sight of a long corridor.

'This is...?'

Nora blinked a couple of times. She felt that the setting was somewhat familiar. Almost like...

"The introductory gate?"

As she looked up at the flickering light, Nora felt even more certain. She glanced around, then finally took a step forward.

'If it's like the introductory gate, then it shouldn't be that scary,' she thought, moving with more confidence as she eventually turned the corner to see another corridor greet her sight. This time, she spotted several doors by the side of the corridor.

One door in particular stood out to her.

With flowers scattered on the floor and a portrait at the center, the door was different than the rest. Walking up towards it, she checked the portrait.

[In memory of Ramille Niel]

Her fingers brushed against the coarse texture of the wooden frame. Then, with a slow motion, she let them glide across the glass panel covering the picture, staring at it intently.

'It feels so real. I can't even tell that this isn't the real world.'

Nora placed the frame back down. But as she did, she paused.

Something about the picture felt off.

Picking it up again, she felt that something about the picture felt off.

It... felt almost familiar.

But she had never seen the man before.

"Hmm."

Nora studied the picture for several more seconds before placing it down.

'Maybe I'm overthinking things.'

She then proceeded to head deeper into the corridor. Towards the next corner.

"...Another corridor."

As expected, the moment she turned the corner, another long hallway stretched out before her. Doors lined both sides, just like before. But as she took a few steps forward, something happened.

Flick!

The lights turned off.

She was engulfed in a sudden darkness.

"Hoo."

Nora took a deep breath. She expected this.

And—

*Step*

She also expected the step that came right after it.

But despite expecting it, Nora unknowingly found her steps growing faster and faster as she walked towards the end of the corridor.

'This is just a game. There's no need to be so worked up about it. I just need to look for the exit and I'll be fine. Yeah, let's look for the exit.'

Nora had an idea of how to find the exit.

And just as she took several more steps, the lights flared back on.

Flick!

The steps faded.

Another corridor met her sight.

It was the same as the previous one, with doors on each side of the room. Nora looked around before walking forward again.

Flick!

Darkness engulfed her vision once more.

She didn't let that affect her. Instead, she maintained her breath and ignored the steps behind her.

*Step* *Step*

The steps appeared to be faster than before, and for some reason, Nora found herself matching the rhythm of the steps.

'Calm. Remain calm. I've experienced way worse.'

Despite telling herself this, there was something about the game that made her unsettled. Was it the hyper-realizing of it, or was there something else?

Her mind couldn't help but draw back to the picture from before.

Something about the picture left her completely unsettled. But she couldn't quite understand what...?

Why was the picture constantly appearing in her mind?

Why—

Flick!

The lights flickered back on.

A long corridor greeted her sight yet again. Looking around, Nora's gaze fixed on the doors.

"It should be this cycle, right?"

After a certain cycle, the doors should be unlocked. Maybe not all, but a few.

Nora broke into a run, desperate not to waste the precious moments of light slipping away. She grabbed for each door handle, tugging at them one by one, her urgency growing with every step.

But—

Click! Click!

None of the doors opened.

"What sort of...!?"

Flick!

The lights flickered, and a heavy sensation settled in her chest.

*Step*

The steps returned.

This time, they were faster than before.

So fast that they started to match the rhythm of her heartbeat.

'Shit!'

Nora quickly let go of the doors. Without hesitation, she rushed deeper into the darkness.

'Did I miss something? Is it this cycle, or the next cycle? Maybe it's the next cycle. I just need to hold on until then.'

Nora wasn't discouraged by the situation.

She continued to run until she reached the end of the corridor.

By then, the steps were almost upon her.

"....!?"

Flick!

Thankfully, she just barely managed to survive as the lights flickered back on.

"Haa... Haa..."

Her breathing was quick.

Her body was heavy.

'My god. This game...! It's restricting how much I can run.'

Nora wanted nothing more than to curse her Squad Leader. What kind of sick bastard would put her through this? But as much as she wanted to scream or strangle him, she didn't have the time. After a quick glance around, she rushed to the doors, yanking at each one in desperation.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

Sweat trickled down the side of her face. Her breathing was ragged, chest heaving, and her pupils were wide with adrenaline.

'Come on! Come on...!'

Just when she thought the doors wouldn't open.

Click!

One of the doors opened.

"Yes!"

Flick!

Darkness swallowed her vision soon after she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Clank!

Hastily closing the door behind her, Nora took deep and heavy breaths as she looked around. Eventually, her gaze fell on the single desk in front of her. Placed right on top of the desk was a single laptop.

Nora didn't waste a single second and walked towards the laptop.

"I should be safe for now. The Nightwalker doesn't attack unless there's darkness. So long as the laptop is on, I should be fine."

Nora knew exactly what she needed to do from this moment forward. Using the laptop and checking the cameras, she'd be able to determine the right time to leave and rush towards the next area.

All she would have to do was carry on like this until she found the exit.

It was this simple.

"Okay, let's get started. I don't have much battery."

The computer's battery was down to 10%. Nora hurriedly opened the camera logs, fingers trembling as she prepared to check the situation outside, only to freeze mid-click.

"Huh?"

The moment she opened the log, something unexpected occurred.

Nora caught sight of numerous other logs.

Ones that stretched all the way until the previous weeks.

For a moment, her mind went blank at the sight. Without thinking, her fingers moved, and before she knew it, she had clicked on one of the logs; One dated from the previous week.

Flick!

The screen flickered, and an all too familiar corridor appeared.

But something was different about this recording. Several figures, all dressed in black, stood in front of a particular door. Some stood with their heads lowered, while others held onto flowers that they placed down in the corridor.

"This..."

Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!

Nora felt her heart beat rapidly at the sight.

'This must be the door that I saw before.'

Nora's throat was dry. She could hardly swallow.

Just as it hit her, her eyes fell on one figure in particular. Or rather, an old woman. She stood at the edge of the group, her head lowered, as if hiding from the camera.

Something about her drew Nora's attention.

It made her heart beat incredibly fast, and as she continued to stare at her, the old lady's head began to move.

Slowly.

Until...

It turned to face the camera.

".....!?

Nora's face bleached entirely at the sight of the old lady.

That. She. How...!

A smile cracked on the old lady's face.

One that sent chills down Nora's entire body.

And then—

Flick!

The computer switched off.

The entire room turned dark.

A presence appeared not long after.

One that stood right behind her.

Nora's body trembled further.

And soon...

"Huaaaaakkkk!"

A scream ripped past her mouth.