I'm not one of you <Frans>

CHAPTER 16: Snowdin

Time: Unknown
Can you distinguish what day it is if you don't know the position of the sun?

The woods were completely empty afterwards, and the snow was beginning to get colder by the second. I couldn't stand it. I was shaking vigorously, had I been wearing January clothes, I would have felt fine. However, it was July. "is anyone there?" I called out into the darkness of the woods. There was no answer.

Why do I think someone will answer me? It's obvious there is no one here.

That wouldn't explain the footprints that were obviously there in the snow before me. They have to had been fresh, if there is this much snow on the ground. The snow must constantly be falling or something!

They stopped at the edge of the bridge though, like they just... disappeared. But that's not possible. Right?

"I'm not going to hurt you! Just come out!" I called out again, listening. With a sigh, I dropped my device to my side, and only then, did it start beeping again like crazy.

I whipped my head around, but nothing was there, and the beeping had ceased once more.

After the device went silent, I did as well, stepping inside the woods, putting my hand against the rough bark of one of the tall evergreens. I felt the surface of the wet wood, grasping a hold of the tree and leaning into the darkness of the forest. I squinted to see further into the trees, holding my device out and scanning the area in a panorama formation. I held onto the tree with a firm grasp, not daring to venture any further into the forest.

"Damn thing." I muttered, shaking it a bit with my left hand, while my right still had a hold of the tree. "Maybe it's broken."

Suddenly, my hand slipped from the tree, causing my entire body weight to sink fall forwards, and into the snow. I was face first into the snow as I yelled on my way down. I just barely missed my device with my own weight.

I picked my head up from the snow, the cold temperature quickly got me to my senses, and I used my right hand and my knees to stand back up. As I pressed down with my right hand, a sting of pain erupted from my palm, and I hissed in pain, taking it out of the snow quickly, leaving me on my knees, despite them quickly becoming numb.

I looked down at my palm, only to see the scrapes from the sharp tree bark, and pricks of crimson blood starting to pop out of the broken skin. I hissed again as my left fingertips touched the wounded area on my palm, causing the blood to accumulate to the surface even faster through the small pricks of missing skin. "Ow! Ow! Oww!" I cried, wiping the blood on my jeans and standing up using my legs only.

I looked at the tree, glaring a bit, as if it was the tree's fault I fell. "You were just being a tree." I said, patting the tree with my left hand, seeing how the right one was scraped. I held my device with my right hand, lightly. Looking at the snow as I walked, I couldn't help but notice how much larger my footsteps were behind me. A large, oval shape of a footprint, rather than my narrow sneakers.

It was probably just because I was standing there for so long.

I sighed, and started walking to the right, down the path that extended past the shattered lamp. And once again, like the ruins, the snowy wonderland was desolate and sad. Small mounds of dust were popped up around the snowy land, some even having some armor around them. Big, bulky armor; as if a knight wore them.

Why does this place feel so desolate? Why does it feel like something is extremely wrong with this place?

A lamp? Really? That proves SOMETHING is down here! An entire population of skeletons, maybe! The possibilities are endless! And yet, not a single soul has been found down here yet.

My legs grew tired quickly trekking through the deep snow of the cold underground. Constantly having to pick them up, over the snow was exhausting and tiring. Just like the ruins as well, puzzles were set up around the area, as long as you followed the path, you ran into more puzzles.

They were sloppily done, even the simplest of puzzles were complete. How would you recalibrate them? Are they meant for other people?

Either way, I still continued along the path, sliding across ice, and walking along the solved puzzles. They were simple, some of them were challenging, however, most of them were simple. Mere child's play.

Passing by two pieces of armor, side by side, almost as of holding hands, the piles of dust blew away in the wind that began to pick up flew out for the most part. A bridge was up ahead, and I could see the lights of a town.

Quickly, my eyes lit up, and I sprinted towards the bridge that connected the two mountains to the village to the forest. A large sign hung at the entrance reading 'welcome to Snowdin town!' And Christmas lights danced around the sign happily.

Cute pun! I wonder if I can get some food, or maybe even get some place to sleep for the night. I'm exhausted. I have no idea how long I have been walking, but it seems like hours.

Snow fell from the roof once more, and I hugged myself tighter to see if I could gather any bit of warmth I could muster. The houses of the village had all of their lights on, and small shops were spread out to visitors' content. "Hello?" I asked, seeing piles of dust pass by as I walked into the first store I could see. It was just labeled 'Shop' in all caps. At least they spoke English.

I opened up the door, hearing the soft jingle of the bell. It was welcoming, and I waited there at the small counter for a while, ringing the counter bell a few times for a few minutes that I was standing there.

But ... nobody came.

Various items were up on the shelves for sale, including food, which my stomach growled for. I rang the bell a few more times, getting slightly ticked at the service that was being given here at the small shop. "Hello?" I called into the back, growling slightly. "Is anyone there?" I asked, eyeing the price tags on the items for sale.

It was a new form of currency that I wasn't aware of, G for short. I didn't know the full name for it. "Hello??" I asked again, sighing loudly, and promising myself I would come back later.

If you're not open, then put a closed sign on your fricken door!

Walking out of the shop, I spotted a shadow coming from behind the Christmas tree that was placed in the center of the town, and I ran towards it in a rush. "Hello??" I yelled. "Hello! Is there someone there?" I called, running towards the shadow, and past multiple other buildings. It was near a fairly large house, decorated with Christmas lights and snow. "I need help! I'm lost!" I called to the shadow. "Could you—!"