My darling, til death do us part— I will spend the rest of my life trying to find you and making you happy.. said the voice with utmost devotion. Fingers interlocked with yours, a free hand brushing against your face. You were having a lovers' picnic atop a hill— their face was redacted as the two of you admired the floating objects in the sky. What disaster could ever happen..?

My dear, what's gotten you so silent hm? Care to share what's going on in that pretty little head of yours..?

No matter how hard you tried to answer that question— nothing ever came out, or your words were a blur.

As you drifted in that half-conscious state, a voice called out to you from the void.

Hey...

What are you up to?

Silence hung in the air before it spoke again,

Come on! Get those eyes back to work!

Slowly, your eyes fluttered open, seeing a darkened road stretching before you. The sky blazed with an unnatural bright red that painted everything in its eerie glow. The surrounding area felt utterly dead, as if no life had inhabited the place for a long time. Though you had no recollection of ever stepping foot here, something about the area seemed familiar. As you walked, your footsteps crunching on pebbles and dirt, you noticed a figure... swimming in the blood-red sky. The sight sent a chill down your spine, so you quickly looked back at the road and continued walking until you found something more substantial.

After walking for what felt like hours, you began knocking on doors, checking if anything seemed out of place. In one of the shops, you discovered what appeared to be a body— or was it a mannequin?— curled in a fetal position. Deciding it was best to leave it alone, you pressed forward. Your footsteps echoed strangely as you moved, the sound bouncing off invisible surfaces. In the distance, red lanterns glowed invitingly. Driven by curiosity, you walked toward them, only to discover a glowing bed— or was it a door?— standing in the middle of the road. It radiated a strange sense of peace in this desolate atmosphere. Tentatively, you approached it, considering whether lying down might transport you elsewhere or if it was merely another bizarre feature of this world.

Just as you laid down and began to get comfortable, you were suddenly dropped elsewhere. Blinking rapidly, you found yourself in a hallway lined with coin slot machines. As you explored, you noticed the unique and intricate designs of what appeared to be a casino or hub area. The machinery was separated from the elaborately designed floors by a glowing substance that emitted white and yellow light. Further in, a pillar separated a two-way staircase that seemed to lead outside. Climbing the steps, your footsteps echoed dramatically throughout the space. At the top, you were greeted by a cloud— or was it a sun?— shaped like an eye, with tendrils of blue smoke drifting from unknown sources. In the distance, a conversation caught your attention, and you paused to listen.