Ryan, Felix, and I stepped onto a city street, tall buildings towering over our small figures. Two bicycles were positioned in front of us, with helmets and everything. I noticed there were people also positioned like the bicycles, but weren't moving, as if freeze framed. There was some sort of text writing hovering above the people, but I wouldn't have been able to read them unless I went closer.
"Are we home?" Felix asked, looking up at the buildings.
"No." I answered. "This doesn't look anything like home."
"It's another game." Ryan answered.
"Game?" I asked, facing him.
"All those places we ended up were video games. Games majority of us had played before." he said, glancing at me before getting on a bike.
"That makes sense. " Felix inquired. "The place Marzia and I met was Slender, then we were in Amnesia, and then what Ryan calls Bloody Trapland, and now we're in that one game with the dad and son."
"Happy Wheels." Ryan said, smirking. "This game is about as deadly as all the others."
"Oh great." I muttered under my breath, wiping the sweat from my forehead on my hoodie.
Felix got on the bike next to Ryan, the two of them ready to get through this map or whatever.
"Hey, " I frowned. "How come there's only two bikes?"
The two men looked at each other before turning to me.
"Looks like you'll have to wait here.." Ryan suggested.
"I am not doing that." I said, shaking my head. "It's dangerous to split up."
"Well, then what do you suggest we do?" he asked.
"I could sit on the back of someone's bike." I suggested.
"Where? There's no room."
I looked around and noticed a baby chair that connects to the back of a bike lying on the floor. I picked it up and rushed over to Felix's bike, strapping it on the back. I was lucky that his bike actually had a spot for the chair.
"I'll sit in this." I said. Ryan looked skeptical of the idea, but shrugged and watched me struggle getting into the seat. I was also lucky that I was skinny, so I fit in the chair. It was rather snug, but nothing I couldn't handle. I even strapped the seat belt on that was connected to the chair. Felix was chuckling at me, making me cross my arms and pout.
"Alright, how about we get on with it, huh friends?" Ryan smiled.
"Yeah let's do this!" Felix cried, brofisting Ryan before the two started pedaling across the road. We past motionless figures that were on the sidewalk, their faces artificial, two-dimensional. The whole visual was creeping the three of us out, but we continued on our bike ride.
We ended up passing the road, and made it onto a gray metal looking track. That's when things started to get ugly.
Ryan was in the lead, pedaling at a steady pace, fast enough for us to get through quickly, and slow enough to where he wouldn't leave us behind, since Felix had me on the back of the bike. We came across a bump in the road, that looked more like a ramp. This caught us off guard, considering these bikes were obviously not for off roading or bmx stunts. We flew off the ramp, Ryan landing smoothly, but our bike slipped a bit, before Felix steadied it again.
We came across two more ramps, each landing taking the wind out of Felix and I. Ryan must've done things like this before, considering how smooth each jump was to him.
The three of us were riding fine, until we came across platforms of ice. The ice was connected to the road, almost like a bridge, since there was a pit below it, full of spikes.
"Seriously, what's with the spikes in these games?" Felix groaned, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"We need to be careful here." I said apprehensively, gripping the sides of my seat. My bottom was beginning to hurt from the tiny baby chair I was in. At least I fit somewhat into it...
"We'll go one at a time." Ryan informed us, riding close to the ice pit and stopping just before it. "I'll go first."
He then proceeded to ride over the ice. I heard a crackling noise, but it was only for a second. I hope to god that was my imagination.
Then, it was mine and Felix's turn. Felix pedaled over the ice, causing more crackling sounds. I could hear the beat of my heart as if it was behind my ears. When we made it across, I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding.
"Don't be so relieved yet, there's more." Ryan said, pointing across to about three more ice pits. I noticed the ice seemed to be potentially thinner than the one before. That meant the last pit was probably the hardest pit to cross in all.
"Jävla knulla mitt liv.." Felix swore in Swedish, tightening his grip on the bike handle bars.
We crossed the next three in ease, the second to last one splitting in half after Felix and I made it across. I gulped as we then moved to the next one. Ryan looked hesitant for a second but shook his head.
"We can do this, just trust me." He tried to assure us, but it didn't work out so well because his voice quivered as he said it.
Ryan biked over it quickly, making it safely on the other side. The only problem was, the ice broke and fell into the pit, right after he made it across.
"Shit.." he cursed, getting off his bike and looking towards Felix and I, biting his lip.
"We could try to jump." I suggested, studying the amount of space between me and Ryan were.
"I'd say that's your best bet." he said, wiping his forehead.
"Alright, Felix." I sighed. "Let's do this."
"I-I'll go first." Felix said, a new spark of determination in his eyes. I unstrapped myself from the kiddie bike seat and got off, Felix getting up as well. He backed up, ruffling his hair a bit before taking a running start. Ryan moved closer to the edge, spreading his arms out, letting Felix know he'd catch him. Felix ran and just as his foot touched the edge to the pit, he jumped, desperately getting as much air as he could to get him across. He leaned forward, using the same strategy we used in Bloody Trapland. Felix was obviously going to make it, but Ryan caught him anyway, the two toppling over on top of each other in a fit of laughter.
"Sweet catch, bro." Felix smiled, picking himself up and reaching out a hand to help Ryan.
"No problem, friend." Ryan smirked back, grabbing the hand and rising up.
The duo soon turned to me with expectant looks on their faces. They both stood close to the ledge, spreading their arms out, both ready to catch me. I backed up like Felix did, and got a running start. I jumped at the edge but slipped last minute. Part of the ledge came down with me, crumbling to the pit. I reached my hands out, my eyes wide with fear. Ryan and Felix leaned forward, desperately reaching for me, trying to pull me back. I screamed as the spikes protruding from the ground below got closer. Then, as sudden as my fall, a hand grasped my wrist. I was pulled up quickly, falling over someone on the other side. Felix was the one who saved me, who grabbed my hand just as I was about to plummet to my death. I stared down the pit, bits of rock from the other side dropping, the clang of the spikes' sound resonating from below. I clutched Felix's hoodie and began to cry. He wrapped his arms around me, rubbing my back soothingly.
"Shh, Marzia." He hushed me. "It's okay, everything's okay, you're safe now."
I continued to bawl into his hoodie, Ryan joining in with calming me down. After about 30 minutes of me helplessly crying into Felix, I finally stopped.
"Are you okay, now?" Felix asked, concern lacing his voice.
"I-I think so." I stuttered. "This h-has just been s-so overwhelming."
"We still have a little walk to go before we exit." Ryan said, smiling softly. "Do you think you can walk? We can carry you if you'd like."
"I'm okay, thank you." I said, sending a smile back at him.
I pulled myself off the ground, dusting myself off. I looked towards Felix and noticed tear stains on his hoodie.
"Oh gosh, I'm sorry." I said, my cheeks turning red with embarrassment. "I didn't mean to ruin your new hoodie."
"Hey, its alright!" he said, chuckling. "Honestly, it's okay, everyone has to do what they gotta do, ya know? I wouldn't even mind if you used my hoodie as a tissue!"
Ryan and I laughed, the air around us suddenly getting lighter.
I was so glad to have met these two men. They're so comfortable to be around, and they make me feel better when I feel at my worst. I honestly don't know what I'd have done without them.
"Thanks, guys." I said, smiling and putting my arms around both of their shoulders.
"You're welcome." The two said in unison, mimicking my arm placement.
We walked into another bright light and dissolved from the game, entering an completely new one all together. We could get through this, I was sure of it.