Little nightmares: reality and fantasy.

Zero emerged from the darkness of the corridor, despair evident on her face. The pain was still alive in her heart. The fear that had captivated her sight before society had returned, planting in her lost soul a failure to endure. She lifted her head forward, only to fall to her feet, clutching her necklace.

'Damn it… Damn it… Foolish… How did I not realize it… It was clear from the beginning… No one will ever trust me… Ever… Anyway… I have to go back… before I cause another problem.'

Zero raised her head, got to her feet, and began to walk heavily, looking left and right. It was a strange corridor, one she had not passed through before. She turned to the other side in astonishment and surprise. The corridor was new to her. "Wait… how do I get back?" Zero realized she was lost, turning in every direction.

"Damn it… It never occurred to me to find a way to End and Gel," Zero said as she searched and wandered through all the corridors. They were all alike, as if she were inside a maze. Zero kept trying to go back, trying hard to remember the way, but the place was too large. She couldn't even find the main hall.

Zero sat on the floor beside the wall, panting from exhaustion. Breathing was extremely difficult, and she felt a pain in her feet.

'Damn it… This is not the right time-' Suddenly, Zero heard a voice coming from her side. She stood up and turned to the opposite corridor. Zero spotted two children. She approached them gently. They were about her age. One was a boy with short black hair covering his eyes, wearing a scarecrow outfit, and a blonde girl with yellowish-honey eyes wearing a tattered green cloak. They were carrying a white bag.

She turned to them to ask about the location of the fifth section. She approached them, saying, "Excuse me… I hope you can help me..."

The two children turned to Zero, expressions of confusion on their faces. The girl replied, "Are you the new girl?"

"You could say that.." Zero said with a smile.

"Wait.. Aren't you supposed to be with Gel and that boy?" the boy said in a tone that suggested suspicion.

Zero felt a bit embarrassed, saying, "You're right… Actually.. I lost the way that leads to the fifth section on this floor..-"

"...The fifth section… We passed you earlier… Weren't the three of you in the fourth section?" the girl replied, surprised.

"Maybe they are in the third section now," the boy answered, saying, "Anyway… the fifth section isn't far… Just turn left after two corridors…."

"And then turn right… to exit the old corridor… then pass by the main hall… where we ate," the girl said. "...Then you will remember the way well."

"Thank you both… Ah.. My name is Zero… Nice to meet you."

"My name is ness," the girl replied.

"Call me Leere… If you need any help… don't hesitate to ask," the boy said. ness responded with concern, "Ah.. we have to take the bag quickly… See you later… Nice to meet you, Zero."

The two children continued on their way, carrying the bag. Zero turned and walked on, her heart at ease, watching the children walk away.

'They were… nice to me… They didn't leave me or anything… On the contrary… they helped me… both of them…'

Zero continued on her way, asking everyone in the corridor for directions. No one hesitated to help her, guiding her to her destination. This made Zero feel surprised. Every time she asked a child, the fragments of her bitter reality suddenly gathered in her mind. This new feeling in her heart made her lost soul find its way.

'A strange feeling… I've never experienced it before… I feel.. something easing the tightness in my chest… I feel my heart beating calmly and comfortably… I feel… happiness… Whenever I asked someone… they didn't hesitate to answer me… Their facial expressions didn't change with me… Is this what I think it is…?'

Those distorted memories resurface in my mind again. The faces were blurry as if I couldn't remember their features, and a shiver ran through my body.

'Is this… the feeling of belonging?', Zero glanced at her necklace in confusion, then held it tightly.

'Is this why… we are here… This world.. makes us feel like we belong… As if it makes us feel a void within us… as if we've lost a part of ourselves… Is this what Regret felt… Could it be… Could it be that I…?… No.. for I… I don't need these false feelings… I don't need this world like them… All I need… is to know myself better… What I lost in this world was my friendship… That feeling inside… like regret… became an innate feeling within me… So…', "May I.. see myself again?"

******

Zero reached a different corridor. The place was worn out, yet quiet. The creaking of the floor was loud. She turned to the right. Zero spotted the place where she had been waiting for End, and a smile appeared on her face.

"As I recall… Did we go straight ahead.. or did we go from the other side?"

"Where were you-?" End said, surprising Zero. She turned to him, annoyed, "You scared me."

"What were you thinking with that behavior of yours?" End said, as Gel caught up to him, tired. He stopped to catch his breath, saying, "You found her quickly… Where were you?"

Zero froze in her place, replying, "Actually… this old place caught my attention..."

"Anyway… this is the old section," Gel said. End turned to him, "It's almost time for dinner.. we're late.."

"I'm sorry…." Zero said with regret and sadness. End turned to her with a look of surprise.

Zero felt a light pat on her hair. "It's okay… We'll find you a suitable room," Gel said, patting her hair.

"Let's go back to the third section," Gel said, continuing on his way. Zero lifted her head, turning to him with annoyance.

"Follow us," End said, patting Zero's shoulder, and followed Gel.

Zero felt a strange weight on her shoulder and turned towards End. 'He doesn't usually get emotional… but… I see him getting angry a lot… I've really caused him trouble..' Zero thought, taking light, hesitant steps forward.

Suddenly, Zero felt a strange jolt in her body, coming from the right corridor. She turned in that direction. It was another old corridor. It was a strange feeling, shaking every part of Zero's body.

Zero became tense. End turned and said, "What are you doing… We don't have time."

Zero turned to him, fear showing on her face, and she froze in place. End was surprised by Zero's behavior and rushed towards her, saying, "What's gotten into you?"

Zero was at a loss for words, as if something had bound her, trying to pull her towards that corridor. Zero's hands began to tremble.

"What's happening… Zero, what's wrong with you?" Gel said with concern. "What's wrong with her, End?" Gel turned to End, asking.

'What's going on… Why… Why can't I move… Why can't I hear what they're saying… What's happening to me now… It's as if something… is trying to pull me to-' Zero turned her head with difficulty towards the corridor and found her demon twin standing there, contemplating her with its disgusting face. The pupil of Zero's eye contracted.

End noticed her constant staring towards the corridor. No one was there. He realized what was happening to Zero and began to shake her, trying to wake her up.

"Wait.. that won't work… we need to take her to Mirage," Gel said, trying to stop End.

"It won't work (turning to Zero)… Zero.. answer me.. wake up.." End kept calling Zero's name repeatedly without stopping, but she couldn't hear him. She kept staring in the direction of the corridor. Zero's gaze was filled with her fear, staring at that demon, frozen in place.

******

'Why did it suddenly come… I can't move… I can't speak… What should I do?' Zero's soul was filled with fear and tension. The figure suddenly advanced towards her with light steps.

'Impossible… I must resist these restraints… I have to break free… Why.. why isn't the necklace working… Work… Don't you see I'm in trouble?… Come on, shine… protect me.'

The figure stood in front of Zero and smiled, saying, {You want… to know why? .. Alright}, Suddenly, the demon grabbed Zero's necklace. It lit up with a faint green light, freeing Zero from her restraints.

Zero returned to her senses to find a worried End and Gel in front of her, trying to wake her up. Zero turned to End in surprise, "What happened to you?", End asked with worry and astonishment.

{Follow me...}, Zero heard the voice of the demon whispering to her. She turned again towards the corridor, and without realizing it, Zero pushed End and ran quickly towards that corridor.

Gel was surprised by Zero's action. End quickly got up to follow her. "Follow me, Gel."

"What on earth was that… Wait up.." Gel said, following End.

******

Zero ran at full speed, staring at her necklace, which suddenly floated, pulling her along.

"Wait… the same as what it did in that place… Could it be that it… wants to guide me… to?", Zero felt a glimmer of hope inside her and continued to run quickly towards the end of the corridor. She turned to her left and found another hallway. The thing that distinguished it were the four doors.

Zero stopped for a moment, staring at her necklace in realization: 'Wait… I feel.. as if the place… is familiar..'

Zero moved forward and noticed the necklace tilting towards one of the doors. It was the second door from the right side. She approached it gently. It was a wooden door. She remembered something, the same door that was in that place, in those identical rooms, where she had found her room's furniture. She looked above it but didn't find the eye symbol that had been on it. It looked almost like the door to her threshold.

Zero felt hesitant, but she grabbed the handle. She gathered all her strength, encouraging herself.

*****

End reached the end of the corridor, turning to his left to find Zero about to open the door. He rushed towards her quickly, "Wait… that's one of the locked rooms."

Zero turned to him and pulled the handle down with ease. "One of what? .. I opened it," Zero said in amazement.

Gel followed End, catching his breath again, saying, "What's gotten into you, Zero (turning to the door)... Impossible… How did you open the door?" Gel said in disbelief.

"It wasn't locked..", Zero opened the door, and was surprised. It was a small room, with a wooden bed covered with a faint green blanket. It was next to the window, and next to the door was a small wooden wardrobe. The walls were normal, not worn out like an old room, and the wooden floor looked as if it had been installed recently. Zero walked forward to find an old wooden desk with its chair.

End and Gel entered the room, surprised by what had happened.

"It looks like it's new.." Gel said.

"You're right..." End said.

"It was locked… How?" Gel wondered. Zero turned to him, saying, "Even I don't know."

Zero went to the bed and sat on it. It was soft. She turned to the window, which overlooked the sandy plain.

'This view… It's as if I saw it yesterday.', a strange feeling, the light breeze that caressed her face like a fantasy, became a reality, planting reassurance in her soul, and her chest relaxed little by little.

Zero turned to Gel, saying, "This will be my room… from now on."

"About that, Zero… This is still one of the old rooms," Gel said.

"So what? .. That's not important."

"But-".

"It's okay… It's not far from the fifth section… It's good," End replied.

"I'm afraid Sunny will refuse."

"I'll talk to her… Don't worry," End said, reassuring Gel.

"If you're going to do that.. (turning to Zero)… then welcome to your new room.. Zero."

Zero was surprised by End's words and turned to him in amazement.

******

"I'll register this room… Zero… when you wake up… you'll find a note at your door… don't throw it away or lose it… okay," Gel said.

"Okay."

"So… let's go," End said.

"Let's go."

Before End left, Zero grabbed his hand. He turned to her, asking, "What is it?"

"I'm sorry for pushing you… and also.. thank you for helping me find a room.. I troubled you," Zero said, letting go of his hand.

"I'm grateful to you too… If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be alive or here," End said. Zero was surprised by his words. "I didn't expect that from you."

"(Sigh)... Dinner will be ready soon… Don't be late," End said as he left. Zero hadn't expected those words from End. She turned on the room's lamp.

Zero lay down on her bed, with many questions still on her mind.

'I didn't expect this to happen… End… I felt… like he knows a lot about me… He's the only one.. who understood me… At least… I found a quiet place to rest… The sunlight has disappeared… Actually… this isn't bad… I wonder… Is Alice okay…..', "Wait… I remembered her name.. Alice… and… Regret...", 'This is bad… I'm starting to forget my past…', Zero grabbed the symbol of her necklace and found it still glowing with that light.

She got up from her place in surprise and let it go, only to find it floating again. It was heading towards the desk.

'Huh… Could it be the staff?' Zero approached the desk. The necklace glowed with a stronger light, pointing to the desk drawer.

Zero raised her hand and hesitantly grabbed the drawer handle. 'I hope I find it.' And quickly, Zero opened the drawer, and unfortunately, she did not find the staff. She felt disappointed..

"Damn it.." Suddenly, the necklace returned to its normal state. She looked inside the drawer and found a strange folded paper. The paper was worn.

'What is this paper?', Zero picked up the paper, puzzled.

'Is this the note he told me about…-?', Zero thought so, but it wasn't even a note. She opened it, and was suddenly shocked. It wasn't an ordinary paper. Zero couldn't believe what she was seeing before her eyes.

"Is this… a map?"

'Could it be.. that it wants to help me?', Sometimes, we may see things contrary to our expectations.