He sprinted. His feet hit the stone with a heavy thud—no longer the light tap of an arrow key, but the desperate weight of a man running for his life. A sharp turn appeared. In the digital world, he would have pressed 'D'. Here, he threw his shoulder into the air, skidding on the slick moss, his fingers grazing the edge of a bottomless abyss.
The path narrowed. Ahead lay the broken walkway, a leap that looked impossible. The screeches were closer now; he could smell the sulfur and wet fur. Jump.
Leo launched himself into the void. For a heartbeat, he was weightless. Then, his fingers caught a jagged stone ledge. He hauled himself up, lungs burning, and looked back. The monkeys stopped at the edge, their glowing red eyes fixed on him, frozen in a glitching loop.