Chapter 2

The girl was shot by a mysterious person. Stanley closed his eyes as he felt scared of the gun's sound.

(.....)

When he opened his eyes, he was shocked by the blood-smeared in his hands. He looked around but he couldn't find where the body of the girl who had been shot.

*He looked left and right*

Stanley decided to walk somewhere in the forest "W-WHERE ARE YOU!" he shouts while looking around.

But, could not find the girl anywhere. And unexpectedly, he found a necklace with a pendant where "Ruth'' is engraved.

He heard a weird noise. And searches for it. It's a strange sound as if someone is digging the ground. He saw a big figure. It was a mysterious looking tree with red leaves, he approached and touched it.

*The tree moved*

"WAAAAAAAHHHHH!" he loudly shouts, out of sheer shock.

Suddenly, the unknown creature appeared with a human body figure with glowing eyes behind him and covered his mouth then he lost his consciousness.

*************

Harris noticed that Stanley seems to be out of his mind "Stanley! Stanley!" he said as he tapped Stanley's face tightly.

Stanley looked at Harris "Ah! Yes?!" he said with a little surprise on his face.

Harris touched his shoulder "Are you okay? Why you seem something is bothering you? is there anything wrong?" he asked with mixed concern.

"Ahh... Umm...N-nothing. Don't mind me. I am okay..."

"Ohh, I see. So, let's go? Let's eat?"

"Sure!"

*************

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Yosef fell asleep while holding the hand of the woman named Ruth.

*Ruth's left finger moved*

She slowly opened her eyes as she wonders where she is, she looked at sleeping Yosef "W-where am... I...?" she asked.

Yosef moves his head and looked at Ruth

"You're awake! Wait! wait! I'll call the doctor!"

Ruth grabbed Yosef's hand "W-who are you?" she said with a mix of astonishment written on her face.

Yosef wondered what's happening and why she does not remember him "I-it's me... Your boyfriend... You know that right?" he said as he brought his face closer to Ruth's face and stared into her eyes.

Rose slowly pushed Yosef "I... I don't know... I don't know who you are..." she said and tries to stand up.

*She loses her balance*

Yosef supports her "You are not well yet, you need to rest..." he said as he slowly lay her on the bed.

"I... I'm okay... Don't worry about me. You can go home now... T-thank you for taking care of me..."

Yosef sits on the chair near her "I will not go home... I'm not going to leave you here alone." he said with a serious look on his face.

"You don't need to do that... We don't have any connections."

Yosef felt hurt "Don't say that! We both know each other!" he said and embraced Ruth.

**********************

*Harris looked at his wristwatch*

"Geeez! I am hungry... What makes the food so long to be served?!" Stanley upsetly said while looking at Harris.

"Shhh! Don't be so loud. They might hear you. Just wait for it okay?"

The waiter approached them and said that in just five minutes their food will be ready to serve.

"I think he heard you!" Harris whispered.

"And sooo, what?"

*Cellphone's Ringing*

Stanley looked up at his phone and the unknown number has appeared on his cell phone.

Stanley showed to Harris his phone's screen and they are both wondering who's that caller is.

"Should I answer or just reject it?"

"You should! Go, answer it. I'm also curious to know who that is..." Harris said while looking At his phone and seems to text someone.

Stanley clicked the answer button on his phone.

"HAHAHA!" A laugh from an unknown caller approach Stanley's ears.

"Who are you?!"

"How are you, baby boy? Regards to your friend that is with you right now. You two look so happy! I'm jealous... HAHAHA!"

Stanley looked around as he feels like there's someone who's watching over them somewhere, but he couldn't find it.

Harris looked at Stanley because he seems to be looking for someone in the restaurant where they are.

The waiter approached them with the food they had ordered "Here's your order, sir..." he gently said while placing the dishes on the table "Just call me when you need more sir. Excuse me." he said and turned away with a strange smile on his face.

Suddenly Stanley stood up from his seat "WHO ARE YOU?! TELL ME! WHERE ARE YOU?!" and ran out while holding his cellphone attached to his ear.

Harris decided to pay their bills on the table even though they did not touch the food yet. He also stood up "H-HEY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING? STANLEY! STANLEY!" he yelled and follows him.

It was already dark and the rain poured. Stanley stumbled and accidentally dropped his phone, then there's a man walking wearing a cap and black leather jacket carrying an umbrella who picked up Stanley's cellphone near to his feet.

He offered help to Stanley by handing his hand for him to hold to get up "Are you alright?" he gently asked while lifting him.

"Y-yes. Thank you..."

"I think it's yours. Here you go." The man handed it to Stanley.

"Yea, it's mine. Thank you again."

A man smiled "Umm, Here... take this umbrella. The rain is strong." he said while handing his umbrella to Stanley.

"N-no! I'm okay... It's yours." Stanley handed back the umbrella to the man.

"My jacket has a hood. I'm okay with this. So, take the umbrella." the man said while he shoved his hood to cover his head "So, I should go now. Take care..." he said and walked away.

"Wait..."

The man stops walking and turned back to Stanley.

"Yes?" the man responded with a smile on his face.

"U-umm... May I know your name?" Stanley said while looking at him.

"I'm Mark Harvey Smith. But, you can call me Harvey for short..."

Stanley smiled at him "O-okay... I'm Stanley. Nice to meet you Harvey." he responds and shook hand with him.

"Nice to meet you too. I should go now... Take care, Stanley. See you around. Goodbye..." Harvey said and walked away from Stanley again.

Suddenly Harris came behind Stanley

"Hey! I was looking for you everywhere! what happened to you?" he breathlessly asked after running all over the places just to find him.

Stanley turn to him and shared the umbrella "I'm sorry... you have been worried..." he said with a sad and worried expression on his face.

"Hmmm? Why do you look so sad? Is there something got wrong?" Harris curiously said and touched Stanley's right shoulder.

"Nothing..."

Harris pinched his cheeks left and right with both hands "Are you sure?" he asked while looking at his eyes "You seem to lie!"

"No, I'm not lying... Come, let's go home now, I'm tired." Stanley said with his low voice and started walking.

"H-hey! Wait for me! Let's sleep in my house! Hey!" Harris responds while following him.

*******************

*Cellphone Ringing*

"Oh! Lance is calling. Yes! Hello?"

"Hi, Jasmine! Are you free now?"

Jasmine wonders because it's already 1 am

"Ummm... where are we going at this time?" she said while combing her hair. She just finished taking a bath.

"I just want to hang out with you... Oh, C'mon! I'm expecting that you're not going to ignore me or else let's end our friendship..." Lance said as he's trying to convince her.

"Hahaha! how dare you... Fine! I'll get dressed!" Jasmine said and she couldn't refuse him.

"YESSS! Hahahaha! Wait for me there then. I'll fetch you." Laun said happily and excitedly.

*Someone is knocking on the door sound*

"Oh! wait! I'll call you back. My brother is here already!" she whispered and hung up the phone.

"HEY JASMINE! OPEN THE DOOR!" Harris shout at the top of his lungs while knocking repeatedly "Geez! I forgot my Key... What is she doing! She's so slow. Open it!" he angrily commands.

"Maybe, your sister has fallen asleep already?" Stanley said while looking around because he heard something that seems a walking sounds.

I don't think so... Wait! I have an idea on how to open the door." Harris said and went to their warehouse to find tools that can help him in opening their house door while Stanley walks around towards the side of the house, and searching on what he heard of sounds of walking.

Suddenly someone falls from the window from the second floor of the house.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

*Stanley caught it*

"J-Jasmine?!" Stanley shockingly said as he recognized the one who fell from above.

Jasmine stared at Stanley and seems her cheeks blushing to him.

"Are you alright?"

"U-umm... Yes!" Jasmine answered and averted her gaze to Stanley "Umm... Can you take me down?" she added and she worried that Stanley might experience cramps.

Stanley then, slowly put Jasmine to the ground.

"By the way, Your Broth---"

Jasmine didn't let Stanley to finish his statement and covered his mouth with the use of her hand "Shhhhh! Don't be too loud ... he might hear you." she whispered.

"Stanley! Stanley! Where are you? I've finally found the wrench..." Harris shouted from the front door of their house.

"H-hey! don't tell to my brother that you saw me okay?" Joy said while still covering Stanley's mouth.

Stanley grabbed Jasmine's hand and removed it from his mouth "But your brother is--"

"Shhhhhh! Please... I'm begging you. I just want to go out with my friend. If he found out about this, he will gonna stops me." she said while bowing her head.

*A car near on their house horn*

Jasmine heard the familiar horn of a car "I need to go now. Don't tell this to my brother okay? Thank you! Thank you!" She said and rushily runs from Stanley. And it went up to their fence to get escape.