A scream escaped your lips as the monster lunged for your throat. Desperately, you pulled the trigger. Blood and other nasty bits flew everywhere and the body landed limply at your knees.

Gasping for air you scrambled to your feet and dropped a few books into your backpack before running from what was left of your parent's library.

You weren't sure what had possessed you to go back. But you needed books. They were all that kept you going. You shut the door to your base quickly and locked it.

Breathing came more steadily now. Then came the frustration.

"I'm so stupid!" You growled. "I almost died and for what?! A book?!" You tossed a glance at your backpack filled to the brim with books. You wanted to be angry. But you'd spent a month in solitude. Electricity had went down over a month ago. You couldn't leave the bunker, and worst of all, you were all alone.

You walked to the backpack and knelt next to it. Perhaps, you weren't stupid. Only desperate. Another reason you missed everyone.

Your family had died months ago. The pain still tore at you and you fought to forget the memories, but not the people. Atleast not the way they used to be.

Tears began brimming and you glanced at the clock. The sun would set soon. The monsters would be far more active at night. It was difficult to sleep knowing they lurked just outside the bunker. A few pounded on the walls and doors.

So you lifted a book with golden letters.

"Journey to the West huh?" You mumbled. "Please take me with you." You opened the book and in an instant a blinding light enveloped you.

Your first thought was panic. Light drew the monsters. But a scream would be a death sentence. So you tensed, and tried to slam the book shut silently. Except you no longer held the book. The ground under you vanished, and you fell.

Birds song touched your ears while you lay on the grass. The sun warmed your face and you tried to think of the last time you heard birds. Then it struck you. Grass, Sun?! You were outside and unconscious! Both together were death sentences.

Instantly your eyes shot open, and instantly you regretted it. The sun light slammed into your retinas making you have to close your eyes just as rapidly.

You sat up and blinked slowly, allowing your eyes to adjust. That was when you heard a branch snap.

You snapped your eyes open fully and saw a humanesque form walking towards you. It was shadowed as your gaze hadn't fully adjusted. Panic racked up your veins and you pulled your gun from it's holster. You took aim and-

"A little girl, huh? You guys had me worried for a second there."

"Monsters can't talk." You muttered in confusion. Finally, your gaze adjusted. Only about six paces away stood a monkey- human thing.

"I wouldn't know." He mused with a shrug leaning back on his tail. "Never met one to strike up a conversation."

"You're not going to eat me." You promised yourself breathlessly.

The monkey quirked a brow with a grin.

"Nah humans scream too much."

You flinched.

His grin faltered.

"Kid, I'm... I'm only joking."

You glanced around taking in your surroundings. Where were you? A forest surrounded you and you tried to think back. Then you remembered the book.

"Oh...I must be dreaming." You mumbled easing a bit.

"What? Kid-"

You touched the grass tentatively.

"It feels so real." You whispered. "I thought I'd forgotten."

"Kid."

You jumped and snapped your gaze back to the monkey. Only, he was significantly closer now. He took a knee next to you and held his chin in thought while he hummed.

"You must've knocked your head pretty hard. Does it hurt?"

You thought for a moment.

"No, this is such a lovely dream." You mused looking around. "Not to sound depressing or anything, but I hope I don't wake up for a while."

The monkey only stared at you.

"I can't normally fall asleep, you know." You picked a flower up gently. "On account of the monsters. They always hit the walls. I can never just pretend they don't exist."

The monkey seemed concerned now and very confused, but you didn't care. You hadn't talked to anyone in so long. And he was listening.

"You're odd. But maybe you're a character in the book I was reading when I fell asleep."

"Kid." The monkey folded his arms. "You're not asleep."

"What?"

The monkey leaned back.

"Pinch your arm."

"Why?"

"Just try it."

You hesitated. You didn't want to wake up just yet. But the look he gave you left no room for argument. So, you reached over and pinched. Pain raced up your arm and you flinched. Then realization slammed into you.

"Oh no." You whispered. Hurriedly you got to a stand. "I have to go!"

"Kid where-"

"You took off in a dead sprint." You couldn't be far from home. You had to find the bunker. Or come nightfall- your family's screams filled your ears and tears began to blur your vision.

"Gotcha!"

You screamed as a tail caught you around the waist and held you off the ground.

"Let me go!" You cried, thrashing and kicking.

"Calm down kid I only want t- are you crying?!"

A small sob escaped and then your resolve crumbled. You buried your face in your hands and just sobbed.

The monkey tensed but gently set you down.

"Woah, woah easy now. I won't hurt cha." He knelt next to you and rested a hand on your shoulder. "I only want to know how you got here. And how to get you home."

"I don't know." You whimpered through the tears. "I-I don't know where I am and...and I don't want to be alone."

The monkey sighed. And glanced up at the sky.

You followed his gaze and tensed when your realized the sun was falling below the horizon.

"No!" You whispered and shot up. "We have to hide!" You pulled him up by the arm. "We can't let them find us or-"

"Kid, kid!" The monkey shouted.

You froze and pressed your sense of hearing. No roars, or screams. You were still safe for now.

"There is no one on this mountain but us." The monkey informed you before gently removing your hold on his arm. "And since it's late, you can stay at my hut."

The monkey led you through the trees carefully.

"Don't you mean bunker?"

He threw you a confused and slightly amused look.

"Why would I live in a bunker?"

"Because of the monsters." You said as though it should be obvious.

The monkey chuckled.

"Monsters don't exist kid. Besides, I'm living stone. Even if they did-" he smirked at you. "They couldn't hurt me."

You stared at him entirely lost but followed anyway. When you came to a waterfall you gawked as he pressed his hand to the water creating a golden insignia. When the water parted the monkey bowed.

"After you."

You blinked and cautiously stepped through the waterfall and gazed around the world behind.

"This is beautiful." You gasped.

"Yeah." The monkey agreed. "Made it myself. Tomorrow I'll take you to the city so you can find your-"

You whirled on your heel.

"No! I'll die!"

He quirked a brow but led you to his hut and had you sit down.

"Listen kid, I need you to tell me everything you know."

So, you did. It felt so good to talk to someone again. You told him about how the monsters appeared out of nowhere, how your family died, and how you'd been living on your own for a while.

"And then I opened the book and woke up here."

"Uh huh." Monkey glanced at your gun. "Well that explains the gun. And why you're so jumpy."

He hummed a bit then his gaze fell back on you.

"You didn't get to read the book?"

"Nope." You shrugged.

"So, you don't know who I am."

"Not really, no."

"And you have no idea where you are?"

"That's what I've been telling you!" You groaned.

"Well, kid. Welcome to flower fruit mountain. Home of the one and only Monkey King." He gestured to himself proudly.

"Oh cool. Nice to meet you officially." You offered your hand.

Monkey King chuckled and shook it.

"And you are?"

"Oh! My name's y/n."

"Y/n huh?" Monkey King grinned at you and tilted his head. "Cute. Well y/n you can stay here until you can get on your feet, deal?"

You nodded then gripped your stomach in pain whilst it growled loudly.

Monkey King chuckled.

"Let's get you some food."

Days passed and you listened to the Monkey King's stories every night. You watched him and M.k train every morning and mostly chilled with Monkey King in your spare time.

Slowly, you got used to going to the city for dinner or things. But you clung to Monkey King like a lost child. He was always patient about it and even smug, like he enjoyed the way you hugged his arm.

When you had flashbacks or anxiety attacks Monkey King was always there and held you gently. And he would always talk to you.

When you began to freak out he would assure you.

"Monsters can't talk." Then you would relax into him. Soon you began to trust the world around you again.