“Where the hell are we?” He groaned, seeing falling blocks crash down from the ceiling in front of us. The whole room was pitch black with shining white blocks deteriorating down to the ground. They didn’t shatter or bounce when they fell, but they were absorbed into the floor as if reused by the ceiling again. That was probably it.

“Didn’t that voice say the next stage?” I observed the ceiling. It’s like a light shower of rain. Or I suppose like harmful acid rain.

“Ugh. Another stage. Why the heck are we even here?!” he yelled.

"Let’s go.”

“Where? To do what?” I sighed out of frustration. I thought this guy was smart.

“Don’t you remember that sign from the ‘first stage?’ It said to always look for the stairs and climb out. I’m guessing that the stairs we find just lead to a different stage until we win. It’s like a video game.” I tried explaining from what I could understand. For all I know, this place could be something totally different, but it looks like a game. You get through a level and then move onto the next until you, I don’t know, get the princess.

“Yeah yeah, I already know.” He stared at the falling blocks again, but more intensely this time. “Hey.” His voice got low. “You run from there.” He pointed to the small space behind us. “And then I’ll throw you using that momentum so you get past some of the blocks.”

“And you?” I asked. I didn’t care too much for him, but I think you need two to win this ‘game.’

“I’ll make it. Get ready.” I backed up, trying to run and get as much drive as I could in the short distance. He positioned his hands, grabbing me by the hips to help me get farther when I jumped. AH! I ducked under a falling block when I landed, plopping onto the floor with a loud thud.

He stuck his hand up to his mouth, trying to hid his smile. Tch. “Are you coming or what?” I asked, annoyed.

“Yeah yeah.” He says that phrase too much. He backed up all the way, pressing against the wall. “This is how you were supposed to do it.” He flashed a cocky smile, running at full speed, ducking and sliding under the downpour of blocks until he reached me in a safe area. “You looked much more stupid when you did it. I looked cool and made it, right?” He held a hand out to me which I slapped away, standing up.

“Whatever. Let’s go.” He snickered as we kept wandering in this dark place. Another trial as I like to call it. There was a small circle of sky blue light on the ground. It had a blank area in the middle, creating another little circle. Like a doughnut…

“What’s this?” he asked while I rolled my eyes. Why do you ask when neither of us knows? We both understand that we’ll get it in a few minutes. We both stared at it with glances to each other. “Hey Jinju.”

“What?” I asked, still looking towards the circle.

“Go touch it.”

“You go.” He rolled his eyes with a sigh.

“Such a chicken…”

“Yah, you wouldn’t have even got out of the first stage if I didn’t team up with you.”

“And I only chose you because I thought you were cute. Turns out you’re very annoying~” he teased, touching the circle of light. “Nothing. What do you propose we do?”

“I don’t know…” I said that, but the cogs in my brain were turning at all the ideas. Turning. “Hey, Myungsoo. Go turn it.”

“What? Turn a light? You do realize the light is only displayed onto the floor, right?” He looked at me like I was the idiot he thought I was. I glared at him, crouching next to the circle. I used my hand, pretending it was a solid object, turning the light. The floor started to rumble and the light became a brown color. Bingo.

“See?” I stood up, seeing his annoyed expression.

“Hey, do you think…” his sentence trailed off while his eyes widened. “Watch out!” He tackled me down to the floor. I saw a huge swarm of wasps zoom over and past us. W-What the hell?! They even have bees flying around to sting us now?! “Geez!” he complained, still on top of me.

“Yah, Myungsoo…off.” He looked back at me, realizing our position, flashing a smile before moving. He chuckled at my nervousness as we walked farther in this, what seemed to be, never ending room.

”Player 68 and player 18, pass. Move onto the next stage.”

“Euh…it’s that voice again.” Myungsoo grumbled. “Now people are probably only passing since they got the spirit after seeing us pass.”

“I know right. Oh well.” Personally, I think that we need to band together to get out of this whole place. “Hey…those aren’t the stairs, are they?” Myungsoo’s eyes popped from the sight.

“AISH!” He yelled, ruffling his fingers through his hair. “Let’s just go!” The staircase was so long… We were tired, but continued on until we saw the top. “Are we there yet…?” Myungsoo asked, both of us actually sweating from the length of the walk.

”Player 54 and player 21, pass. Move onto the next stage.”

How many are there…? And why are we even here?