“Jackie.” My mother’s voice is broken.

  I look up. She looks at me. Then at my father. Then back at me.

  “Jack, what’s happening? Why did Mr. Finn attack us?”

  There’s something empty in her eyes now.

  I want to cry.

  I stand and move closer to her.

  “Mom, I don’t know. But it’s not safe here. We have to leave. Now.”

  I grab a blanket from the couch and wipe the blood off as best I can.

  The silence is deafening.

  “Jackie… where would we even go? And your father? We have to call an ambulance!” she says, eyes wide.

  Outside, different sounds drift in—gunshots. Screams. She doesn’t seem to hear them.

  She’s in shock.

  With everything happening, I don’t think there are ambulances or police left to call. I don’t answer her. I don’t want to make this worse.

  Then an idea forms.

  “Mom, we have to go. Pack a backpack. Just the essentials. I’ll grab my things. We’ll head to the countryside. The summer estate, beyond the woods.”

  It’s far. But it’s the only thing that makes sense. The city is too dangerous. We can’t stay here.

  “Okay,” she says.

  When she finally moves—takes her first step toward the bedroom—I let out a long breath. The kind you take before breaking.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  The moment she leaves the room, I collapse.

  Face in my hands, I cry.

  Dad.

  Memories rush back.

  “Jack, the axe isn’t a hammer. Let me show you how to hold it.”

  His hands over mine, adjusting my grip.

  “Touch the bark. Feel the tree breathe.”

  It’s over.

  For a second, I expect him to breathe.

  To move.

  To open his eyes and correct my grip one last time.

  He doesn’t.

  My father is gone.

  [Level Up Available]

  The notification is still there in my vision. Smaller now, but still flashing.

  I have to be strong.

  For Mom.

  I have to protect her.

  I open the notification.

  A log of recent alerts appears. I scroll through them mentally.

  [PvP] [Raider Lv.2] eliminated: +5 XP

  Objective Completed: First Player Kill

  The words make bile rise in my throat.

  Level 2 Available

  Reward Unlocked: Skill Book

  Reward Unlocked: Talent Tree

  Reward Unlocked: Stat Interface

  Class: Lumberjack

  Stats Increased

  +3 Strength

  +2 Constitution

  I’m confused. Dazed. And yet… this feels familiar.

  If I were in front of a computer, playing a game, I might even feel excitement.

  But this is real.

  What the hell is happening?

  I’m being rewarded for killing another human being?

  Rewarded by who? And why?

  Rewarded.

  For murder.

  For doing what I had to do.

  A human life translated into numbers.

  XP.

  A skill tree.

  A fucking talent interface.

  Fuck all of this.

  As the thoughts spiral, something ignites inside me.

  Heat floods my veins.

  My health bar snaps back to full.

  The nausea fades.

  Too fast.

  My hands stop shaking.

  Too fast.

  My muscles tighten, spine straightening as if invisible hands are adjusting me.

  I don’t feel stronger.

  I feel… stabilized.

  Like something inside me has been recalibrated.

  It must be the stat increase.

  The timing is… strangely perfect.

  I think about Finn. He said he had a timed quest. He saw what I see.

  And the people at the park—they saw the mob too.

  Now I’m certain.

  This is real.

  My mother returns. That distant look is still in her eyes. She keeps her gaze fixed on me. I understand she doesn’t want to look at my father lying in his own blood.

  “Jack. I’m scared.”

  I stand and walk to her. I wrap my arms around her.

  I feel strong.

  “It’s okay, Mom. I’m here.”

  I feel stronger.

  For her.

  But at what cost?