I was slumped in my gaming chair, my computer the only thing occupying my mind. I was playing Call of Duty: Team Deathmatch, and so far, I was winning by a ten-kill streak.

"NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! HE'S SO LOW!" I screamed, moving the mouse vigorously. I sighed. There was no way I was about to lose my streak just because some random guy decided to go AFK in the middle of the game. I retaliated, knowing my enemy was following me as I slid past a vehicle and into a house. I smirked.

"Ugh..." I grunted, knowing my enemy wasn't going to fall for the trap. Taking a sip of Mountain Dew, I focused on the map and listened carefully—nothing. I didn't even hear footsteps.

"He's probably coming from the back..." I said to myself, moving the cursor. Just as my character was about to bolt out of the house, I jolted back as my health bar went from 100 to 0. I had lost my streak.

"Whatever..." I said. Since I had lost my streak, I didn't feel like finishing the match, so I quit. I got up from my gaming chair and sat on the edge of my bed with my Mountain Dew, ready to take another sip.

How long have I been playing? Five hours maybe? As expected, my hands and arms feel a bit stiff...

Leaning back a little, I noticed something odd coming up from my bedroom floor—a limb, or more specifically, an arm...

What the?

When I got up to sprint for my bedroom door, another arm shot out, attempting to grab me. I gulped and screamed for help. Before I could even take out my phone, one of the arms ascending from the floor grabbed my legs and pulled me down. Strangely enough, the arms felt similar to the texture of silk, but they were very strong. I screamed again, hoping my older sister would hear me, but another hand covered my mouth.

"Leave!" I muffled, biting down hard on the hand. It struggled to free itself from my grip, but its efforts were futile. As I kicked my legs with all my might, the other arms were forced to release me.

With the little energy I had left, I dashed to the door, dodged the reaching arm, flung it open, and escaped the room. I slammed the door shut with such force that I heard the hinges crack.

"Teri! Teri! Help! I think I'm schizophrenic and I'm going absolutely insane!!! YOU WERE RIGHT! I SHOULDN'T HAVE PULLED THAT ALL-NIGHTER!" I screamed as I descended the stairs.

However, what awaited me on the first floor was even more horrifying. As soon as I set foot on the bottom step, my heart sank. What kind of monstrosity had confronted me this time?

"Teri? Um..." I said slowly, my voice trailing off. The living room lights flickered erratically, their rhythm mirroring the pounding of my heart. Teri was no longer Teri. Her body, grotesquely distorted, resembled the abstract humanoid figures I'd seen in art galleries.

Arms were protruding from her eyes, mouth, thighs, stomach, head, and even her own arms. I couldn't bear it any longer. Without hesitation, I unlocked the front door and sprinted down the street, pulling out my phone. Frantically, I tried to call for help, but my phone wouldn't turn on, despite the available service.

Don't panic... Don't panic...

Despite my internal mantra, panic surged through me. What else could I do? The unfolding events had pushed me beyond the brink of sanity. After running for what felt like an eternity, fatigue set in.

Suddenly, an arm grabbed my leg, sending me crashing to the pavement. My head slammed against the hard surface, a sharp pain shooting through my skull. I grunted, desperately trying to break free from the relentless grip.

Then, I looked up. A colossal monitor materialized in the sky, flashing a series of disorienting images. In a moment of chilling clarity, I understood. It was as if another version of myself—a detached observer—was watching my struggle through that ethereal screen. All the while, I was being suffocated by a rising tide of grasping limbs.

Somebody... anybody... please... help...

My silent pleas were futile. The light began to fade as the darkness consumed me. The limbs obscured the last vestiges of light, leaving me to face an endless abyss.