I quickly turned my head to see what was written on the wall
"Congratulations on completing and winning the game. Your friend will heal in 5 seconds."
While I was reading, I heard Jack cough multiple times.
When I turned back, the cut I made had nearly closed.
He continued to cough until the cut was fully sealed. Then he opened his eyes and looked around.
"Jack, Jack! I am here. You okay?" I asked panically.
He lifted his hand and took the shirt out of his mouth. Then took a deep breath and made a sour face.
"I am feeling all right. Except for the smell," he said sarcastically.
"I am glad," I said with relief.
As I tried to hug him with a sudden burst of happiness, he pulled himself back.
"Hey, do not touch me with those hands! Wash them first!" He shrieked.
"This is your insides," I said, "you know that, right?"
"It does not matter. Do not," he replied as he slowly stood up.
"Jokes aside, thank you, man! You saved me. I owe you a big one."
I didn't reply.
I just lifted my hand and turned my palm towards him for a second, meaning there is no need for that.
"What do we do now?" he asked.
"We rest. You were about to die, and I just performed a surgery. I think we both deserve a rest." I said, momentarily forgetting where we were.
At that moment, we heard the writing noise again. The text was changing.
"Again, congratulations on your win. I did not expect you to perform the surgery successfully, considering how scared you were at first.
Since you saved your friend, he will not be harmed, and if you answer the question correctly, he will leave this place together with you. If not, then he will go to another room, waiting for your next answer.
Now, it is time I ask you again, dear Daniel.
Who Am I?"
Even before I said anything, I heard Jack's voice.
"Despair fetishist," said he.
"What?"
"Despair fetishist. It means he doesn't need to hurt you himself. He just sets the fire, locks the doors, and watches you burn."
"I know what it means, but that can't be an answer."
"Well, it is not. But it is a phrase that would help us to find the answer."
"How so?" I wondered.
"I will give it to your shock, but you had to understand this from the start. We are probably in a show."
"What do you mean? What show?" I panicked a little. "Will you explain, or should I pull everything out of your mouth one by one?" I asked annoyedly.
"You know what the dark web is, right?"
I nodded slightly.
"In the dark web, there are special shows that allow viewers to make performers do anything they wish to. You pay money, and you see people doing stupid shit. And the worst part is, there is no limit to what they may ask. If you are rich enough, you can make people burn themselves, eat each other, skin others alive, rape, abuse children, or do anything you could and could not think of.
And there is no way to stop these shows since they are done by people at the top. Showrunners make money out of it, and clients satisfy their deepest, darkest desires.
Where do they find people to do these horrible acts, you may ask? Simple. Your everyday people. Why do you think some people get lost and are never found? Even if they find them, they are mentally done.
Or wars. They kidnap people, including the elderly, women, and children, and use them in any way you can think of. Some of them become clowns for their shows."
As he talked, his words became darkness and started to crawl under my skin. I froze in my place and couldn't even react for a minute or two.
Was I really in one of the shows?
Was I really tortured for other people's desires?
"But…" Jack continued, "...there is a problem."
"What kind of a problem?"
"First of all, this instant healing, your other games, a corridor that leads to the same room…
You said these happened, and you were revived multiple times even after elephants crushed you. I didn't believe them until, well, it actually happened to me. Now, the things you said make sense. Kind of. How do these things happen? Is this magic or a technology that we have never heard of?"
Then Jack took a step toward me and bent slightly.
"Second and most problematic thing is, why did they choose you?"