I stared at the screen in front of me. The innocuous pale white square wouldn't have been out of place in any game I could think of. Except it was extremely out of place, given that it was floating in the air in front of my face. Of course, there were also more pressing matters than the white window, such as the fact that I had no idea how I'd gotten here or where I was, despite ignoring the creepy message on the screen. The other, more concerning thing was the howls and shrieks I could hear in the distance. They didn't sound like any animal I knew of.

  "This is a weird ass dream," I muttered to myself. It wasn't exactly uncommon for me to have bizarre and vivid dreams, but this seemed a little too vivid, too real. Looking around, I found myself in some sort of forest. The trees were absolutely massive, stretching up hundreds of feet in the air, bringing to mind species of redwood trees. Vegetation on the forest floor crunched beneath my booted feet as I started walking. The forest floor was covered in twigs, leaves, small crawling plants, and other things less obviously visible.

  I froze immediately at the appearance of a new window, nearly stumbling to avoid slamming my face into the strange screen. Though now that I'd thought of it, I wasn't at all sure that the screens were physically there in the first place. Before I could think better of it, my hand was already on its way up from my side and then passing through the screen as if it didn't exist. Well, Impulsivity was a strong suit for me; evidently, that hadn't changed.

  A moment later, another screen opened, this one a bit more personal.

  "Well, nice to know I'm dreaming about being in a damn video game," I grunted to myself as I looked over the messages and displayed information. I couldn't help the niggling feeling in the back of my mind that this wasn't a dream, or wasn't just a dream at least. There was nothing I could do about that at the moment, however, so I chose to focus on what I could affect right now.

  The status sheet provided by the system listed my name, as well as my level and stats, which had interesting implications. A level meant I could grow stronger, and my stats could rise. I was fairly average as things went, just over six feet tall, weighing in at about 220. I was certainly chubbier than I'd like to admit, but nor was I completely out of shape. The numbers on my stat sheet seemed to reflect that if I took a ten as being completely average. The numbers seemed to be saying I was a little stronger than average, and a bit smarter, while I was a little slower.

  On the other hand, my charisma was abysmal compared to my other stats, not that that was surprising, I had never been a people person. Not at all, not even a little bit. So if the stats given to me were representative of my life up to this point, that made a startling degree of sense.

  Interestingly, my class was currently listed as -Anomaly-, and according to the system message, it hadn't been able to assign me a class due to a Soul-Sheer event, whatever the hell that was. If I wanted to get my class, I'd have to find a [Catalyst]. I frowned at the odd sense of capitalization my mind had put on the word. It was a strange sensation to have my thoughts focus on something in an arbitrary way that was out of my control.

  An earth-shattering bellow sounded out from somewhere behind me, and I whirled around to face the direction of the noise. Dozens of creatures came flying through the brush and vegetation in wild panic, desperately racing to escape whatever the roaring creature was behind them. The creatures came in every shape and size. I caught glimpses of birds with feathers like metal shards, and large dog-like creatures that were scaled like snakes. They came in every shape and size, flooding the area around me as they bolted through, desperate to make their escape. I wasn't exactly famous for making smart decisions all the time, but if everything else in the area, though it was best to run, then well, when in Rome, right?

  I bolted into the stampede of strange creatures, hoping to lose myself in the crowd. Hopefully, whatever was chasing these creatures wouldn't notice me amongst the other creatures. Though I had little hope of that. I'd never had much luck before. Why would that change now?

  I raised my arms to protect my face as I bolted through the forest. Low-hanging branches whipped at my body, leaving stinging lines of pain in their wake as I passed. My heart pounded like a drum, and adrenaline flooded my veins like a jolt of electricity as I jockeyed for space amid the stampede. Falling wasn't an option; it might not be a death sentence, but it would be close. There didn't seem to be anything in the stampede of creatures heavy enough to crush me outright, but having my head stomped on several times would probably be enough to put me down for the count. That wasn't even considering the array of talons and claws that were on display as the herd rushed through the undergrowth.

  Various creatures slammed into my sides and back in their desperation to escape, and I stumbled more than once as our flight continued. Fortunately, I was able to keep my feet underneath me, and I didn't end up sprawling on the ground. Eventually, I calmed enough to come to the realization that the situation I was in was untenable. I had no idea how long I had run for, but I was heaving massive, gasping breaths, struggling against the burning in my chest as my lungs worked overtime to keep me moving. My legs had begun to feel more unsteady, like heavy chunks of lead, more than coordinated limbs as my feet pounded into the soft earth of the forest floor. All it would take was a solid bump to send me tumbling to the ground post haste. That was something I distinctly wanted to avoid. I made my way to the edge of the herd, slowly forcing my way out past the flow of bodies. After a moment of struggle, I popped out the side of the herd after pushing past a massive dog-like creature that was covered in bright red scales. I was battered and bruised, but I was alive. It was certain I'd have some nice black splotches showing on my legs and hips shortly.

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  I immediately doubled over, hands braced on my knees as the exhaustion hit me like a runaway truck. I sucked in breath after breath while my body screamed for more air. I was not built for running, not even a little bit, and this was high school gym class all over again, but distinctly worse. With far more things that would probably want to eat me if they weren't running for their lives. My heart beat pounded in my ears as I tried to get my breath back. After a moment, I straightened up, my breath coming a little easier, and began to walk. Half-forgotten memories of anatomy classes urged me to keep moving before the lactic acid set in, and it became all the harder to get moving again.

  My head swiveled around as I moved at a much more sedate pace than the frantic dash of the stampede. The herd had clearly moved on, fleeing the area. I could still hear the sounds of their frantic escape, but could no longer see even the back of the herd through the trees and brush. The edge of panic began to grind away in my mind; this was too vivid, the noises too loud. The scents of the forest assaulted my senses. No dream could be this real, could it?

  The forest didn't seem to have changed much despite the distance we'd run, though there was more light flooding down from holes in the canopy of leaves above.

  The soft crunch of vegetation and twigs accompanied my footfalls as I made my way deeper and deeper into the forest, or at least I assumed I was getting deeper into it. I really had no idea where I was going or even how big this forest was. The thin veneer of calm that I was desperately clinging to was really the only thing keeping me from panicking right now. If this whole situation wasn't a dream, which the ache in my lungs and several rapidly forming bruises on my arms and legs could attest to, then where did that leave me? It left me alone in a forest filled with nightmarish creatures with no clue how I got here or how to get home. My thoughts turned to my family, my father, brother, and sister. Did they know I was missing? Were they searching for me? Was it even possible for them to find me here? Wherever here was.

  Soon I could hear nothing but the soft crackle of leaves beneath my feet, and a shiver ran up my spine. My spine prickled, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up, chasing away thoughts of family. It shouldn't be this quiet, not after the stampede roared through the forest, and whatever it was running from. The sounds of the forest were eerily absent: no wind or birds, no creatures scurrying in the undergrowth; it felt like the whole forest was holding its breath in abject terror. My head swiveled from side to side, eyes wide, drinking in everything, searching for anything that might give me a clue. My heart pounded a staccato rhythm against my ribs while my blood roared in my ears. The silence that hung over the forest like a pall seemed like it could only be the prelude to something far worse than the mad rush that had preceded it.

  The tension was broken by a roar that shook the ground and the sound of shattering wood as a tree off to my left snapped in two, revealing the source of the forest's terror. As the beast stepped over the remains of the tree, all I could think of was a T-rex. My blood ran cold, and my heart seemed to stutter in terror. The creature's head alone was nearly the size of my whole body. My attention was dragged to the open maw filled with teeth the size of short swords, surrounded by grey scales laced with red streaks, above malevolent orange eyes that also seemed to glow with malice. The body behind the head was just as massive and reptilian in nature. That was where the similarities to the apex predator of ancient Earth ended. Unlike the familiar dinosaur, this beast had no arms short or otherwise; instead, massive bony limbs grew from its back, articulating almost like spider legs, and tipped with large spikes of what looked like bone.

  The beast roared, making the very air quaver from the force of it. As the beast's spinal appendages began to tear at the surrounding trees, making way for its massive bulk to pass, I turned and bolted. My earlier exhaustion forgotten in the face of the creature, I ran like I never had before, weaving through trees and darting around large patches of flora I couldn't identify. There was no thought, no consideration, only instinct. Every instinct I had screamed that if I didn't run far enough, fast enough, that would be the end. Another roar from behind and the sound of shattering wood heralded the beginning of the chase.

  I ran like my life depended on it, because it did.

  Getting eaten by some sort of T-Rex abomination from my nightmares did not sound like a good way to enter the afterlife.

  Terror gripped me as I ran for my life, the fear clawed at my mind, pushing me towards all-out panic. I risked a look over my shoulder and found the nightmare crashing through the trees behind me, bits of splintered tree flying in every direction. I yelped as a piece as large as my forearm, and more than sharp enough to ruin my day, whistled past me, only inches to spare. My gaze whipped around searching for something, anything, some way to escape the monster chasing after me.

  The endless field of green and brown held no answers for me as I continued my headlong sprint through the woods. I tore up the loamy earth beneath my feet, my running shoes leaving deep footprints marking my passing. I could hear the monster behind me getting closer with every passing moment. I could practically feel its hot, fetid breath on the back of my neck as I sprinted on. My imagination supplied hints of what its putrid breath might smell like as it mixed with the smell of my blood if the monster managed to catch me. I caught a glimpse of something between the trees, something that was unlike its surroundings.

  The flash of slate grey stood out amongst the greens and browns of the forest. That meant rocks, rocks might mean a cave. A cave might be a hiding place that the monster couldn't fit its bulk into. It was a long shot, and if it didn't pan out, I could be trapped, but I didn't have any better options right now. I was beginning to flag, and the monster behind me was only gaining ground on me. If there was any time at all to take a risk and roll the dice, it was now.

  I veered off at a forty-five degree angle to my original path, pointing directly towards where I'd seen the flash of grey through the trees. My legs pumped like pistons with renewed vigor, carrying me forward. It was my last burst of effort, and I knew it. If I didn't find somewhere to hide or something to throw the monster off my trail, this would be the end, I'd have nothing left in the tank.

  I burst through the last group of trees into a clearing with the sun shining down on bright green grass. Across the clearing was the grey I'd seen, and I was greeted by the sight of a massive face of grey rock that loomed just over the top of the surrounding canopy of the forest. The stone seemed rough and worn, shining slightly thanks to the light covering of dew on the surface of the rock. For a moment, my heart sank. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, just an open clearing devoid of any cover. Then my eyes fell on the small opening near the ground, I'd nearly missed it thanks to the large rock that seemed to have fallen from above and landed partially in front of it.

  I ran over to the hole that I hoped was an entrance to a larger cave. I could still hear the footsteps of the monster drawing ever closer. As I approached, I realized there was no way I'd fit past the boulder. The fear clawing at my mind fueled me. Bracing against the rock face, I slammed my shoulder against the boulder. My muscles strained, and my mind screamed with pain as a yell ripped itself from my throat. I pushed with every ounce of might I could summon. The boulder refused to budge. I screamed in frustration and redoubled my efforts, pushing with every ounce of my being, focused on the singular task of removing this impediment to my survival. The boulder shifted, first it was a small shift, barely a half inch, and then a little more. Finally, a mighty heave and the boulder began to roll over, and I slipped suddenly bereft of my braced position. I slammed down to the ground, sprawled out on my belly facing the clearing.

  My blood turned to ice in my veins. The T-Rex monstrosity shoved its massive head into the clearing, its attention focused on me like a laser. Its orange eyes glowed with a malevolent intellect that told me all I needed to know about this creature. It was enjoying the chase, it enjoyed my terror and my fear, almost as much as it would enjoy my death. There was a vicious, sinister intelligence in those eyes.

  I scrambled, fingers scrabbling across the floor of the forest as I dragged myself towards the hole I'd uncovered. The monster roared, sensing the imminent escape of its prey. Ignoring the death that was approaching rapidly, I scrambled into the opening, ignoring the pain as the narrow walls of the hole scraped at my arms and shoulders until I was well into the cave.

  The earth shuddered around me from some sort of impact, which I could only assume was the monster running headfirst into the face of the rock wall.

  Serves that big fucker right for trying to eat me.

  I snorted before breaking out into laughter that bordered on hysteria. Slumping down in the hole, the tension slowly crept out of my body. A strange scratching noise caused me to crane my head around towards the entrance. There was just enough room for me to sit up and turn around in the small tunnel to see what was going on. What I saw almost made my heart stop for what felt like the umpteenth time today. What looked like one of the monster's bony appendages was scraping against the ground of the entrance, scrabbling around trying to reach me.

  I scooted back as fast as I could, scrambling to get further back into the tunnel, desperate to get out of reach of the probing appendage. My heart beat a staccato rhythm into my ribs as I desperately scrambled backwards, my feet and hands scrabbled against the rough stone. I could feel the stone biting into my bare hands, scraping at my arms and shoulders, but I didn't have the time to care as I dragged myself deeper. Then my right hand hit open air. My stomach dropped as I began to tilt backward, carried back by the momentum of my desperate scramble.

  There was nothing I could do as I tumbled back into the open air.