Author's Notes: Happy belated Halloween, fellow boils and ghouls! At last, a new entry to feast your eyes on.

DAY 3 (Part 1)

VIDEO LOG 6 | Corel City – Chocobo Motel | 09-24-00 | 3:00am

Tossing and turning, the heaviness of my body hits me when I jolt up from the bed and gasp aloud. Both ears pound with the furious beating of my heart. One hand clutches onto my bare chest while the other tugs at the tangled bedsheets around me. It's hard to swallow in the air. Choking in spit, I cough several times. Oddly enough, tears run down my cheeks. For whatever reason, I'm crying. I feel sad but have no idea why. Wiping the wetness off my face, my eyes start to focus. They dart left to right and I get reacquainted with my surroundings.

Visibility is low. A pink neon-lit motel sign outside my curtained window blinks on and off again, offering me glimpses of my room. Through the veiled curtains I can see colored streetlights flash in the distance. Once in a while the sound of a car rushes by on an adjacent street. It's followed by the barking of a dog.

I shift to the edge of the bed. As my legs dangle off it, the tips of my toes touch the rough texture of the carpet flooring. I've slept at better motels than this. My entire back feels hot and sticky with sweat. The cheap comforter smells musky and makes my skin itch. How many people have slept on this bed, I wonder. What ungodly acts had been committed on it? I brush those unpleasant questions away and run my fingers through the damp tangled hair, moving it away from my flushed face. Both shoulders sag as I breathe slower and come to grips with my reality.

A nightmare. I just had a nightmare. Checking the clock on the nightstand, it reads three in the morning. Damn it. This is the third time I've woken up tonight. It won't be long until it's time to leave and move on to the next stretch of our destination: Nibelheim.

I need my fucking sleep.

That overwhelming feeling of sadness remains. It leaves me in a state of loss and confusion. I surmise it has something to do with my dream. Bending forward, I reach for a bag tucked under the bed. My hand blindly fetches for the bottle of soporific pills I always take with me. Eventually, it comes into my grip and I gulp down two fat capsules. I inwardly pray this will be enough to send me back to the world of dreams. Hopefully, it will consist of delightful dreams than melancholic nightmares this time. As I wait for the pills to do their magic, I spare a glance at the bed next to mines.

Wolf has his back to me as he sleeps. Halfway covered by the bedsheets, his exposed freckled skin is pale and softly illuminates whenever the motel's pink sign flickers on. Somehow, that gravity-defying blond hair maintains its shaggy shape. Wolf doesn't stir from his spot. I can hear his steady breathing in the quietness of our room.

A part of me is thrilled that I got paired up with the handsome, yet odd guide. When we all checked into the motel after dinner, we assigned two people per room. Wolf volunteered to be my roommate. Nothing happened between us though. No flirty words. No suggestive actions. I would've gladly gone down on him if he asked me to, but Wolf went straight to bed right after his shower. I shouldn't feel disappointed. He is, after all, a taken man. He may not talk about his spouse, but I've caught him staring at his ring many times.

Reaching into the bag again, I grab my PHS. I might as well record a mini-blog to kill some time until the pills take into effect. My bare feet pad to the bathroom straight across. Trying not to disturb Wolf from his sleep, I quietly close the door behind me before turning on the bath light.

A large mirror runs the length of the bathroom. It reflects my shitty condition. With disheveled hair and a chest still slick with sweat, I can see red in my eyes and the flare of color on both cheeks. Turning on the faucet, I splash cold water onto my face and rub at the eyes, hoping to get rid of the dried tears and burning sensation there. I then flip on my PHS and tilt it up to face me. There's a strong need to talk to someone, anyone, even if it's only to myself.

"Hello darlings of the digital world," I mumble to my invisible audience, voice thick and low. "It's a late night special brought to you by your one and only host, Mercury, the messenger who brings you the good news. Although… I don't have any worthy news to share at the moment. It's more like your fabulous Wonders of the World host can't get any damn sleep and needs something to occupy his mind for a while. Bear with me. "

My open admittance makes me laugh. Perhaps I'll keep this part in the video and not edit it out.

"Wolf is a weird guy," I confess, "Gorgeous, but weird. I think that story of the crazed swordsman he told us during dinner really got to me. I'm having nightmares now."

I do my best to keep a smile on my face. However, tiny bumps emerge all over my arms and at the back of my neck when I mentally trace back parts of tonight's dreams. I become silent for a moment. Through the mirror's reflection, I make sure there are no tall, lingering shadows hiding behind the shower's curtains. I also glance at the bathroom door next. Holding my breath, a part of me expects someone to knock on it three times and see a long blade slice through the wood. I withdraw the air in my lungs when nothing happens. My eyes focus on the camera again.

"The nightmares are pretty trippy," I recall for my audience, trying my damn best to keep my voice lively and upbeat. "Maybe I should share them? Perhaps you guys can interpret what they mean and post your thoughts on the comments section below."

I know damn well this is ridiculous, especially when I won't be posting this video until after our return from Nibelheim. By then, whatever meaning my dreams hold will be irrelevant. They're only dreams anyway. They can mean anything. Still, talking about them does give me some peace of mind. And this should definitely increase the spook factor in our documentary, which, consequently, will bring in more views and online subscribers. Everyone loves a good horror story. I'm sure I can spin my nightmares into something prophetic, even if it's complete bullshit. Hell, any dream can be spun into a prophetic message with enough creativity and convincing.

"In the dream, I saw myself drowning in a river of green," I whisper back to my PHS for dramatic effect. "There are body parts floating in it. Arms… legs… eyeballs… All sorts of shit. They're everywhere. I try not to drown, but a strong current threatens to pull me under. I soon hear a voice. It whispers to me: all becomes one."

I shut my eyes. That voice… That low, alluring voice… Even now, I can still hear it. A man's voice…

"I'm taken to a small mountain village covered in snow next," I continue, licking my dried lips. "I don't know how I got there. The sky above is a sick green color and snowflakes fall from it. At least, I think it's snow. I notice the houses in the village immediately afterward. They're all… burning…"

Breathing out slowly, I grip the edge of the bathroom's counter with both hands.

"I can hear the screams. My god, the screams… They're everywhere."

I pause. Logic reminds me that it was only a nightmare. Likely a night terror. I was prone to them as a kid. Back then, I dreamt about a giant ball of fire in the sky. It took me awhile to get over it. Nightmares like that are pretty common though. Two hundred years later and Meteorfall still has left a nasty imprint in people's minds. To this day, some refuse to look up at the sky, fearful of what they might see. This is no different. Tonight's dreams were generated by Wolf's tale of a psychotic swordsman and nothing more. I remind myself of this and place my attention back to the recording device.

"As I try to escape this inferno," I start again, "I see a beautiful woman with long dark hair and crimson-brown eyes. Her belly is large and round. She's tending to her garden, completely unfazed by the fire. It hasn't reached her home yet and she makes no effort to run. Rather, she turns to face me and smiles. She has an easy smile, but there is something very sad in her eyes."

The effects of the pills start to kick in. The next words I say come out slower.

"I try to convince her to come with me but she refuses. She tells me she can't leave. Her husband will be home soon. This lovely woman… She smiles again and tells me to stop dilly-dallying and go back home. It's at this point that the fires finally reach us. I have no choice but to leave her behind. She goes back to her garden and hums a lullaby, even as the flames engulf her."

My eyes feel heavier than before. I briefly close them. The image of the woman burning in flames makes my heart skip a beat. Again, I tell myself it was only a dream.

"The last thing I remember is running away from the fire…" I remark with a heavy sigh, "I retreat to a large man-made structure. There are strange human-sized pods everywhere. I've no idea what's in them. Before I can investigate one of the pods, a pool of fresh blood catches my attention. It leads up to a long flight of stairs where I discover a locked metal door. The blood stops there."

My head suddenly feels light. I stumble backwards but hold onto the counter again for support. Fresh tears streak down my cheeks. I finally remember why I woke up crying.

In the dream, I was hit with a collage of emotions as I approached the metal door. The most prevalent of them was sadness. I felt a great loss. This emotion was so powerful that I… wanted to end it all. I didn't want to wake up ever again. A man's voice called out to me though. That low, alluring voice returned and pushed me forward, toward the door.

"There is something beyond that door…" I whisper. At this point, I'm not sure whether I'm talking to my audience or to myself. As the words come out of me, the words sound strange to my ears. "Something calls out. It calls out to the one who will make it complete again."

It is at this point that I stop. I never got the chance to enter the door. I never saw what was on the other side. That overbearing feeling of sadness consumed me and I collapsed in the dream before waking up in the real world.

"I think that'll be all for tonight, kiddos," I announce with a loud exhale. Wiping away the tears, I grumble, "Tune in next time, preferably when your host isn't sleep deprived, crying like a baby, and has something more significant to talk about than his late-night ramblings."

The usual enthusiastic tone in my voice is absent, completely drowned out by fatigue and raw emotions. Still thinking about the metal door in my dreams, I'm filled with curiosity and questions. Perhaps the door was only a door, a door meant to convey whatever turmoil I'm facing in real life. Or perhaps – just perhaps – what appears beyond the door is the greatest wonder of this world.

Switching off my PHS, I step away from the bathroom counter. Sleep calls for me now more than ever. It's time to get back to bed and salvage a few hours of rest before the others wake up and we continue our journey to Nibelheim. I open the bathroom door and place a finger on the light's switch to turn it off. I pause when I notice Wolf sitting upright on his bed.

Wolf keeps silent as he sits at the edge of his bed and stares at a curtained window. His lean silhouette is covered in deep shadows. Slowly, he turns his head to the side. Wolf's unwavering blue eyes glow and find me. He can practically see into my soul.

"Bad dreams?" Wolf quietly asks and breaks the deafening silence in the room.

Initially, I worry he might've overheard me in the bathroom. However, the door was closed and the distance between the beds and bathroom is too great that I doubt his hearing is that good. I lean against the door frame and cross my arms. My gaze falls to the floor and I confirm his question with a silent nod.

"I get them all the time…" Wolf later confesses.

His voice sounds husky and so low I can barely hear him. It has a different quality in it too, something akin to… sadness? I'm not sure. It's hard to decipher Wolf sometimes; he's a hard man to read.

"Sometimes I can't tell when the dream ends and reality begins," Wolf later remarks. "Once, I chose to sleep and did not intend on waking up. Not ever. Then I awoke, only to find myself in the middle of a nightmare." The young man laughs. He sounds like his old strange self when he adds, "I've since gotten over it. I don't mind the dreams anymore. I've learned to smile more too. You should smile whenever you're feeling sad."

My eyes drift up to meet Wolf's again. I see him smiling. It prompts me to smile back.

At this point, Wolf rises up from his bed. His half-nude form looks magnificent under the flashing pink light. It's hard not to stare. With the absence of his hoodie, ridiculous Tonberry shirt, and faded jeans, I can see most of this man. Wolf is toned. His arms are lean but finely shaped with smooth curves. The tummy appears flat, sporting chiseled abdominal muscles. Wolf must work out a lot.

The air in my throat gets caught midway as he approaches me. My god, this man is beautiful. I entertain all sorts of crude thoughts, thoughts that involve Wolf's body smashing into mine. I imagine those finely toned muscles ripple and stretch with each hard thrust.

Wolf finally reaches me. He stands only a few inches away. His head sways to one side again and his eyes shine with that familiar blue color. "Mind stepping aside?" Wolf nods at the bathroom door I still block. "I need to take a piss."

My cheeks flare up with heat. Embarrassed, I get out of my stupor and out of his way. Wolf enters the bathroom and closes the door without saying another word. I let out the air I've been holding in and drag myself back to bed.

It feels warm under my blankets. Stretching out my body, I slide a hand between my legs, ready to massage a half-awake want brought on my Wolf's voice and presence. Sleep gets the best of me though. I shut my eyes and faintly hear the sound of a toilet flush in the background. Perhaps this time I'll dream of something more pleasant.

VIDEO LOG 7 | Nibel area | 09-24-00 | 08:42am

Vast mountains loom ahead, nearly covering the murky gray sky above. Despite not getting much sleep last night, my body is loaded with enough caffeine and sugar to make me alert and aware of the drastic weather change. Outside our van, the desert landscape of Corel has gradually been replaced by the snowy fields of the Nibel Area. As the van rocks back and forth, I hear the sounds of crushed ice under our wheels.

Half an hour ago Wolf fitted the van's tires with snow-chains. It was a good idea too. A few paths have already been blocked off due to snow. WRO soldiers appear and currently guide people to safer routes with the use of flashing lights and barricades. They steer anyone away from the mountains up ahead. Their yellow-lit caution signs indicate avalanche warnings are officially in effect.

Gizmo is behind the wheel. She gives little fucks as she drives and text messages on her PHS. Beside her, Wolf gives directions. According to him, the Shrouded Village is beyond the patch of mountains. We're not far. A series of WRO outposts are stationed in this region though. They threaten our progress.

The Nibel Area still isn't registered as a safe zone on account of severe weather conditions, avalanches, and wild animal attacks. Even more, chunks of the land have given way to the Lifestream. Every year, someone goes missing or is found lobotomized. It's no surprise then that the Nibel region has limited public access. Security here is tight. It's because of this we take an alternate path not listed on the map.

Traveling through a forest, tall and massive pine trees offer us coverage from WRO's people. We manage to slip past the first set of outposts unnoticed. I can feel the van rattle again as the snow-chains keep traction. I prop myself between Gizmo and Wolf from behind and hold my PHS at eye level. It records the beautiful snowy scenery around us.

This is my first time out here in the wilderness, away from human civilization and modern day inventions. It's both peaceful and alarming to me. I never realized how small and fragile we humans are until now. I'm surrounded by the overwhelming presence of Mother Gaia. We're at her mercy. Anything can happen out here.

My PHS records a snow-white Chocobo in the distance. It scurries off when it notices us. Briefly, I order Gizmo to stop texting on her PHS and to keep an eye out for those goofy big birds. Chocobos may look adorable, but the wild ones have a tendency to chase away or attack those who intrude on their territory. They pop out of nowhere and have been the number one cause for fatal accidents on the road.

We continue northbound with a speed of only ten on the meter. Gizmo is still texting, despite my repeated warnings. She finally stops though and repeatedly shakes her phone. I've no idea what the hell she is doing, but I spot her annoyed expression on the overhead mirror.

"Bah, like, I'm totally losing my fucking signal, man," Gizmo blurts, "Consider me pissed off."

"Maybe it's a sign from your Goddess to stop texting while driving," I allege coolly.

Through the overhead mirror, Gizmo shows me her middle finger.

"We're reaching the dead zone," Wolf explains from his seat. He removes a stick of green gum from a pocket and slips it between his teeth. My guide looks visibly pale. I suspect it has something to do with his motion sickness. Barely, he mutters, "All mobile devices will be useless. You won't be able to contact anyone beyond this point…"

I check my PHS to confirm what Wolf has assessed. I'm still able to record and perform basic phone functions. However, all online-related services are down. I can't even call out. The electronic device makes another attempt at finding a signal but miserably fails. Shit.

Behind me, Frank pounds loudly on his laptop's buttons with his thick oversized fingers. The contorted shape of his mouth intensifies as he stares at his screen without blinking. He is offline too. Slamming his portal device shut, Frank slumps in his seat with arms crossed. The way his face reddens more as time passes by reminds me of a bomb ready to go off.

Sleepy must've noticed this too. Sitting across Frank, the cameraman notices Frank's very-pissed-off look and promptly lowers his hoodie to cover his eyes, forcing himself to go back to sleep.

Damn. We've entered a dead zone. I didn't take this problem into consideration. I naturally assumed telecommunication would be up and running in this area, especially with WRO's people here.

"The Lifestream…" Third-Eye suddenly proclaims nearby. His fingertips touch the glass of his window. "The Lifestream's signal is strong here. It's causing the electronic interference."

I nearly scoff. Despite what our spiritual guru claims, I come up with my own rational explanation. "WRO hasn't had the chance to restore power and telecommunication everywhere. Between their ongoing infrastructure projects and dealing with the riots, reclusive areas like this aren't a priority."

"WRO has their hands full," agrees Gizmo from behind the wheel. "The riots are getting worse. Too many disillusioned loonies out there. Lots of them still believe in that so-called Promised Land prophecy and want restore the mako reactors to their former glory. To them, the reactors act as a magical gateway to that place – some serious hocus-pocus bullshit there. Those same idiots also think WRO orchestrated Meteorfall as part of some New World Order plan. Consider me shocked beyond belief."

"It's been two hundred years since Meteorfall," I explain, "A lot of information has been muddled or distorted by conspiracy theories and fables. No one knows what to believe anymore. Given how shitty the economy is and the escalating gas prices, the people just want to take the piss on WRO."

"I knew a great WRO soldier once," Wolf mentions offhandedly. He keeps his eyes on the forest ahead and adds with a chuckle, "He wanted to protect the Planet and people. He thought he could change the world. He wanted to be… a hero." Wolf stops laughing. He goes quiet and, for a moment, I think that's the end of his story. Then in a monotone voice, Wolf reveals, "That soldier is dead now. He died protecting the very people who killed him in one of those riots."

I lower my PHS. Quietly, I say, "I'm… sorry for your loss, Wolf."

"No need to be." Wolf smacks on his stick of gum. As usual, he smiles. "It was a long time ago. It was silly of him to believe in heroes anyway. They don't exist. Not anymore."

I sit still in my seat.

"There're a lot of disgruntled, reckless people out there," Third-Eye remarks shortly and scratches his finely trimmed, pepper-colored beard. "Shinra sympathizers still exist. They believe this company held the key to the Promised Land. In truth, though, they refuse to accept change. Not everyone was ready for the change that came after Meteorfall. Not everyone wanted to let go of their fanciful lifestyles and convenience. Even now, with our growing dependence on gas, I fear we're still clinging to past habits."

"As we always do…" Wolf mentions with a snort.

Third-Eye returns his attention to the snowy scenery outside his window. "That all aside, the fact that two hundred years have passed and this entire region still isn't secured is very alarming. The Lifestream's signal here is strong. Very strong."

Third-Eye's claim of spiritual signal interference seems unlikely, but he does make a valid point. It's been many decades since Meteorfall, yet, the Nibel area remains unstable. Why is that?

Wolf glances back at me from his seat. A strand of hair covers his right eye. "Last time to bail," he tells me, "We're close to the mountain road. Beyond it is a bridge and forest that will take us directly to Nibelheim. The village is half an hour away from here. Not far. The mountain path is a narrow one, though, with a three-hundred meter drop – quite the view. There's no going back until we reach the end of it and turn around."

The final WRO outpost comes into view just as Wolf discloses this information to me. A barricade blocks a mountain road that winds around the largest mountain. As Wolf described, it's a long uncomfortable path with a frightening drop. I overhear Gizmo mutter a prayer to Mother Gaia when she realizes there is no metal railing. There's nothing to prevent us from tipping over should we drive too close to the road's edge. A feeling of vertigo hits me and I collapse back into my seat to collect myself.

We've reached an important threshold, I realize. This is the point where we either go all the way or go back home. I can't help but feel anxious.

The assembly of trees keeps us hidden as we drive closer to the mountain road we need to take. I know at some point we'll need to cut through this forest and run past that barricade. We risk getting spotted or having our van's engine heard. Thankfully, most of the WRO soldiers stationed at the final outpost stay inside a wooden cabin. They must've thought no one would be crazy enough to come this far. Only two officers actually stand guard outside. They smoke their cigarettes, pace the snowy grounds, and keep their attention on the mountains than the forest, no doubt looking for any signs of avalanches.

"Maybe we ought to think this through…" I mumble, not realizing I said that too loudly.

I notice Frank uncross his arms and sit forward in his seat. His voice sounds low but carries a rough tone in it. "You having second thoughts? Now? Pft."

"I didn't think we'd be entering a dead zone," I confess and absently stare at my PHS, unsure if I should keep recording.

Frank rolls his eyes. "You should've anticipated it though. We're a long ways from the registered safe zones. This is your pet project anyway, Mercury. You got us out here and we spent a shit-ton on gas. Now you want to quit? Sheeit."

I quickly shake my head. "No. I didn't say I wanted to quit. I still want to do this. But…"

"But you're having second thoughts."

Taking a dry swallow, I explain, "The loss of signal is going to be a problem for us. We won't have online access or a way to contact anyone. It's… a risk. I want to make sure you guys are okay with this before we move any further."

I glance at the others for their feedback, but no one else is speaking up. Gizmo drives in silence while Sleepy stays hidden in his hoodie. Third-Eye keeps his eyes outside, muttering about a signal again.

"It's a bit too late to ask for our input," Frank asserts and crosses his arms again. "A lot of us took time off from our regular jobs to do this shit. Now you want to turn back? When we're miles into this?"

That flushed color on Frank's face brightens more. He looks ready to chew my head off. I sigh and turn off my PHS, shoving it into my jacket's pocket. There's no point in still recording since this is about to get nasty. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know we'd be entering a dead zone."

"And you didn't think to ask about that ahead of time?" At this point, Frank glares at the man sitting in the passenger seat. "Hey. Wolf. Did it ever occur to you that this bit of information might've been important to share with us yesterday or before we left this morning?"

In his seat, Wolf shrugs his shoulders. "None of you asked. You guys wanted a way to Nibelheim, so I've provided you the route. Whatever comes of it isn't my problem."

The van comes to a halt. Gizmo keeps the engine running but turns around in her seat to face Frank and me. "So what the sparkles are we doing? We're close to the mountain road. Any closer and we'll get spotted. We doing this or not? Consider me dazed and confused."

"Maybe we can try this another time," I suggest, staring at the barricade meters away. "According to the weather reports I checked earlier, there's an incoming blizzard headed this way. If we run into trouble…"

Frank shakes his head. "It's not gonna hit until later in the evening. We got lots of time. Wolf said we're only half an hour away from Nibelheim. We do this now and we'll salvage this project with more than enough time to avoid that blizzard."

"But if we run into trouble, there's no way we'll be able to call for help…"

Frank's voice rises in volume as he spits out, "Oh, for fuck's sake, you were the one who wanted to come here. You planned this trip. You should've done your homework and figured this shit out ahead of time!"

I grip the edge of my seat with both hands. "Damn it, Frank, I know I screwed up. You don't have to keep pointing that out to me. I'm also not the only one running this ship; you have as much say in these projects as I do. Hell, I wasn't the one who suggested we not tell anyone where we were going. You did."

The other man waves me off. Frank turns to Sleepy who is fully awake on account of our yelling. "Can you believe this, man?" Frank tells him. "We're in the Nibel area, deep in restricted area, and now he wants to turn back? Fucking ridiculous."

My skin flares with intense heat. I struggle to keep my composure, refusing to take Frank's bait and escalate things into a screaming death match. Gizmo stares but only briefly. She turns around and checks her phone again. The cyber-hippie girl has always hated conflict and prefers to steer clear of it whenever she can. It's the same for Third-Eye. Looking at him now, he is still too busy staring out his window, likely caught up in Lifestream signals or whatever.

As usual, the hard decisions are entirely mine to make. No one else wants to take the ball. No one else wants to be liable. I spare a glance at Wolf who looks back at me with an unreadable expression on his face. I want to be pissed at him too; I wish he had mentioned the dead zone to me earlier. Then again, I never asked. He was also the one who warned me not to come out here in the first place.

In the end, I fucked up. I should've done my homework. My gut feeling tells me we should turn back. Perhaps we'll return when weather conditions are ideal. Granted, everyone will be annoyed by this decision. And I've already spent my entire paycheck on travel expenses. Frank will see this as yet another example of my incompetence. Still, it's dangerous to push ahead. We might avoid the blizzard but we'll be completely on our own during our time in Nibelheim. If something goes wrong…

Wolf's blue eyes find me. He chuckles. "I definitely sympathize with you, Mercury. Being the leader of a rag-tag team and making hard decisions is a royal pain in the ass. But no more dilly-dallying. Time to make the call: are we doing this or not?"

Ready to tell Gizmo to take us home, I pause when Third-Eye interrupts me. He points a finger at a particular spot outside. I growl. I don't want to hear about any more stupid signals. However, the old man's brows furrow and his words sound deeper and more rushed than usual.

"This is bizarre, Mercury," Third-Eye begins, "Look outside. What do you make of this?"

We all stare at the direction he points to. Blinking several times, I instantly turn on my PHS and record an odd occurrence happening outside.

A large pack of white Chocobos race together, running in the same direction. They scurry deeper into the forest. There's another pack of big birds doing the same thing in the opposite direction. I can hear the sounds of their loud squawks even from this distance. Confused, I turn to my group for a possible explanation. Then the entire van shakes.

"What the hell?" Frank places his hands against the roof to steady himself.

I can't hear his next words. A massive horn sounds off close by. It catches all of us off-guard. At first, I think WRO has spotted us. It's only when Third-Eye points outside again and addresses the chunks of ice sliding off the mountain above us that the situation becomes clearer. My PHS captures this terrifying revelation in high definition.

Those Chocobos… They weren't just racing together in a pack. They were running away from danger.

Another horn sounds off. Then another. One by one, each of WRO's outposts alert the whole Nibel area of an incoming avalanche. I can feel the van tremble more in its wake. We don't know which direction it's coming from. Only when a giant chunk of ice falls meters away from our van does Gizmo panic and take action. My young tech-head blurts out a series of incoherent words while putting the van into motion. The wheels whirl to life and we all hold on.

Gizmo speeds down the road as fast as she can with the snow-chains still fixed. I hurriedly secure my seatbelt but keep recording – if I should die today then at least they'll be a record of it. Twice, we nearly hit a tree. I order Gizmo to slow down, but she isn't having it. The chains on the wheels protest and sharply scrape against the icy ground. I fear they'll wrap around the drive axle or rupture the tires.

Wouldn't that just be fucking fabulous? To be stuck out here in the middle of a damn avalanche?

As more rocks and ice fall around us, I notice Gizmo head straight for the barricade that blocks the mountain path. In her blind rage and fear, she heads to the route we originally planned to take. But we need to head in the same direction the Chocobos ran to. We need to move away from the mountain and back to human civilization.

"Turn around," I order, "We're going the wrong way."

"No, no! Just floor it!" barks Frank next. His eyes grow wild. "Run through the barricade! Run it, run it!"

I'm trying to convince Gizmo to listen to me, but the sound of my voice gets drowned out by Frank's frantic yelling and mountain vibrations. None of my words are getting through to her.

The van bounces hard when we finally leave the forest area. I spot the two WRO soldiers from before. Their people are already retreating. Some have taken to the skies on their helicopters. The area is too dangerous. The two soldiers notice us and frantically wave their hands in the air, demanding we go another route. It's the path I want to go.

"Keep going!" Frank yells from across the van, "Run it, run it!"

Gizmo follows his advice. She runs through the barricade and we trek down the unforgiving, rocky path that will inevitably take us to the Shrouded Village – Nibelheim.

I glance back at the guards we just evaded. Too concerned for our safety, neither of them notices the boulder of icy rock coming their way. It crashes not far from their position and rolls down. I instinctively flinch back in my seat when the boulder reaches them. I see a trail of red instantly appear as it rolls over the men. Shutting my eyes, I cover my mouth with a hand, suddenly feeling nauseous.

We race along the base of a giant mountain. Its entire structure is so massive I can only see halfway up. My ears start to plug up as we ascend higher and higher in elevation. Below, the forest gets smaller. The horns blare loudly again and Gizmo freaks out. She accidentally reacts by slamming on the brakes hard. We skid across the road and nearly lose control. Each of us hangs onto something until gravity finally takes hold and we come to a halt.

"Well, that was fun," Wolf comments dryly. He must've accidentally swallowed his gum because he takes out another stick from his pack.

Before I can ask if everyone is all right, the van's windows shake more violently. I see blocks of ice tumble down from the mountain nearest us. One is nearly the size of our van. My heart races fast.

I've never been in the middle of an avalanche before. It's a terrifying experience, as terrifying as all those tornado dreams I have from time to time, the ones where I drive straight toward the deadly disaster instead of away from it. At fifty miles per hour, I hope we're able to outrun this death trap and not accidentally tip over in the process. Being buried alive would suck, but accidentally plummeting to our death would suck even more.

Small particles of ice crash down on the van's roof. While small, their long descent from atop has built enough momentum to actually dent the metal. Some cut through the hood of our engine. I blink, shaken up. Gripping my camera, the video feed shakes non-stop. Sleepy is visibly freaking out. Third-Eye reassures him everything will be fine. Frank barks at Gizmo to go now. Gizmo retorts with a colorful response and gets the van moving again. And Wolf orders everyone to shut up, relax, and smile.

The mountain grumbles louder than before. It practically roars. We make a curved turn. The van skids for a few seconds. Gizmo struggles with the wheel. My eyes widen in horror as I see us moving toward a deadly fall. Immediately, Wolf leans over and helps her with the wheel. Both pull. Rubber, chains, and ice grind and shriek together. The snow-chains gain traction again at last. My fingers tightly clutch onto my camera, as if it is the only object in this world that can keep me alive.

We thankfully don't tip over.

With control of the van returned to Gizmo, we reach the end of the narrow path. A bridge that has seen better days leads us to a clearing on the other side. Its metal beams quiver as our van travels across. By miracle, the bridge remains intact. We finally exit it and enter another forest area. Wolf instructs Gizmo to go west. She gradually relaxes her fingers from behind the wheel.

The van's engine sputters, but we're too elated to care at the moment. We made it. We fucking made it. Sleepy is fully awake now and stares at everyone with wide-opened eyes, soon laughing loudly. Frank shakes his head in disbelief but chuckles as well. Third-Eye takes a deep breath and fully collapses in his seat. Indeed, we fucking survived. Even more, we got exciting footage to show for it.

This segment, alone, could go viral. As I rewind parts of our terrifying ordeal in my PHS, I immediately imagine the types of online articles that'll be written about us. Online Creators Survive Natural Disaster. Wonders of the World Wins Best Documentary of the Year. How Mercury Defied the Laws of Nature.

"That's interesting…" I suddenly overhear Wolf say, sounding neither worried nor excited.

His words briefly interrupt the fantasies playing in my head. Still reviewing the footage I captured in my PHS, I mumble back, "What's interesting?"

Wolf pauses. His eyes stay locked onto his passenger's rearview mirror. "Well. I have good news and bad news to share…"

The mention of bad news prompts me to look up. "I think we've had enough bad news for today…"

"What's the good news?" Spooky wants to know first.

Wolf looks at his rearview mirror again. "The good news is that the avalanche occurred on the other side of the mountain. What we experienced was its aftershock. It's why we're still here and breathing."

"And what's the bad news?" I ask next.

"You can see for yourself."

Wolf turns around in his seat. He points at the back windows of the van. Gizmo briefly stops the vehicle. I look outside, as do the others. Instantly, I stop breathing.

From our current position, we get a good look at the windy mountain path we just came from. Certain sections of it are… gone. They've collapsed on account of falling debris and giant chunks of ice, all caused by the avalanche. There's no way we can take that road again.

"Please tell me that was not the only path back home…" Frank breaks the uncomfortable silence, thinking exactly what I'm thinking.

Wolf doesn't reply right away. He studies the collapsed parts of the rocky path for a moment before murmuring, "Not really. But it's the fastest and safest route to take."

"The safest route?" I scoff and glare at the extremely narrow road with a dangerously high drop.

"The forest is another way to get around, including to the village," informs Wolf. His eyes linger across our current environment. "I don't recommend it though. It's too easy to get lost and there are plenty of dangerous beasts that stalk these premises."

I frown and observe the lifeless trees surrounding us too. "It doesn't look too bad."

"It's no big deal," Frank claims afterward. "We got flares. We'll be all okay. The village is close. Right?"

Wolf nods.

"Then, let's just reach Nibelheim and do what we came here to do." Frank sits back in his seat. "We'll worry about that other shit when we get there."

"Suit yourself…" Wolf turns around.

I sense there's more our guide wants to say. However, Wolf isn't elaborating any further. He props his legs on the dashboard and leans back in his seat. Through the overhead mirror I notice a blank look on his face. The blue color in his eyes goes dim as he stares at the forest ahead of us. It's the same forest where dangerous beasts supposedly reside.

As Gizmo puts the van into motion again, I check my cellphone again. There's still no reception. My eyes wander back to the collapsed mountain path. I can't help but feel like we should've gone back when we had the chance. As exciting as it will be to show the world our great escape and documentary, the situation we're in puts me on edge. We have no means of contacting the outside world. No one knows where we are. And we're about to enter a forest that may or may not host dangerous predators.

Wolf must've read my mind. Through the overhead mirror, I notice him watching me. A smile appears on his face. The words he spoke to me on the first day echo in my mind: These days, I can only smile at misfortune.