Mysterious Phenomenon
"Hey! Did anyone hear?" Uncle Ben from the poultry farm whispered to the person next to him. He was very cautious when talking.
"Yeah, it's clearly the work of an evil spirit. How else could the whole hill of forest wilt in a day? Just hearing about it gives me the chills." The older person spared no trouble in pinning all the blame on the evil spirits and ghosts.
"That what's told on the surface, there is an even deeper mystery to it. Do you know it?" Asked uncle Ben cautiously.
"Don't exaggerate things, Ben. How mysterious can it be? We are not new to this kind of thing. Don't you remember the bird flu that caused half the poultry to die on your farm? It may have been some virus like that, that affected the trees. It might even be some kind of mutated animal killing off the trees." Another person joined in their conversation with his opinion.
"No… Don't make me remember that. I almost lost my job at that time. It was only due that the medicine that LIFE CORPS developed that we could save half the poultry. Or else we would have lost the whole batch." Uncle Ben was pained just recounting the incident.
"But this time it is not like that. I heard from some people that a mutilated body of a guard was found at the scene. It was a gruesome death, the poor guy didn't even have a complete face left enough to identify him. Maybe it was a mutant animal attack. But two mysterious things happening at the same time at the same place. There is bound to be some connection."
"Doesn't it seem that mutant animals are more restless these days? I even heard about mutated animal attacks happening all over the country in the past couple of months. It was not like this couple of years ago." Uncle Ben face showed little fear when talking about the incident. After all, he was a hunter before working in the Life Corps. Remembering the mutant animals he occasionally faced and the damage destruction they caused. He was panicking.
The older man was scared. It was right to say the older you are, the more scared you are of death. He was just fifty-six this year. How can he die so young? He even forgot to reply to uncle Ben.
"Anyway, don't stay late for work old friend. It is best to get home early and have a nice evening with your family." With a smile advised uncle Ben before walking away.
****
But unknown to them, a person was sitting silently behind them, eavesdropping on their conversation. At first, he was attracted by the mysterious events that they were talking about.
He was thrilled to know that all his plans worked smoothly. But the next second a nuclear bomb exploded in his mind hearing about the gruesome death of a guard.
He became tensed hearing about the mysterious death. He knew why the trees wilted and the whole hill became a death zone for plants. He was the one that sucked every one of the trees dry of its energy. So, how could he not know about the incident?
But his mind went blank just hearing about the death of a guard.
How could something like this happen?
He was in the hills for a couple of hours, sucking the trees dry.
Which also meant that he just brushed his shoulder with death that day.
Like what Uncle Ben said, the mutated animals are getting restless nowadays. With the increasing amount of animal attacks.
'There is something fundamentally wrong going on here.' Thought Alan.
'Now that things have gone awry. I need to keep a low profile. I can't gather unwanted attention onto myself.'
"Sigh…!" With a deep sigh, the scrunched-up brows of Alan relaxed.
Although he did go to the forest at night and did harm to the trees and company property. He was not involved in the death of the guard. That means there is something very odd happening behind the scenes. He shouldn't get involved in it.
'I can't let that weigh own my conscious. Besides, I didn't do anything.'
After completing his work. Alan went towards the cafeteria to get a meal. He was exhausted!
He ruled out the possibility of gaining energy from food. So, he ordered a small number of dishes like usual and began eating as soon as he got them.
That was when Mr Johnson trotted into the cafeteria with some men besides him.
"Alan, you are here!"
'Stop acting like you are surprised to see me, geezer. I know from the look in your eyes that you are specifically looking for me.' Alan was perplexed why this guy came to bother him again. Is he cursed?
"Now that some of you are here, I would like to announce it. From today onwards you are not permitted to go inside the forest. And some workers would be allocated to other jobs. It's for all your safety that we are doing this. So, everyone, please cooperate." Although there was a cold glint in his eyes. What he said made sense. It was for their safety, so everyone nodded in agreement.
Just looking at his complexion, you could see that he was stressed. This incident may possibly shake his position a bit.
Turning towards Alan, Mr Johnson smiled like a thousand-watt bulb and asked.
"Alan the herb fields are ready to be harvested, right? I presume you are free for a couple of days?" The cunning smile resurfaced on the manager's face. It looked like all his exhaustion was wiped clean away from his face. How happy was he by troubling others?
"Yes, I am sir." There were no excuses that he could use. Last day, he reported that he needed to stay late to prepare for harvesting the field. So now, he was stuck in a hard spot.
"Now that I think about it. You are a physically capable young man who has been working here for some time. You know the forest and places near to it. The herb field assigned to you is right next to the forest, right?"
"Ok, now that things are like this. I need your help with something. Would you be interested in it, Alan?" Walking towards Alan Mr Johnson questioned?
"I know you have a high school education and is pretty good at interacting with people. So, I would like you to help a team which is coming here from the research department. You just have to travel with them and help them with small tasks and help them locate some specific places in the forest. Nothing much, it's just a simple task of being a guide for a few days." Mr Johnson continued.
"Don't worry, they are very open-minded people. So, if you played your cards right. You could get hefty remuneration. And look at all the people around you, they are old and would have difficulty in moving with the team. I can only suggest you take up this job." With each sentence, the smiling manager closed in on Alan. He is now standing right in front of him, expecting Alan's reaction.
Alan was really at the end of the straws here. He couldn't forthright reject the manager. Although the manager made the offer look enticing and safe. It was not the case. He never once mentioned the risks attached to it.
For example, he said that the research department was coming here for something. He didn't give any details about how many or who is coming.
Next, he jumped into the good books of the senior workers just by saying Alan was apt to go to the forest. He didn't even consider Alan's opinion. While at it, he even made himself look like a sage by helping Alan.
He knew all too well that the older people would be afraid to go into the forest. And who wouldn't be afraid after hearing the news about the man-eating beast inside the forest?
The beast may even be a mutated animal.
There was no guarantee that those who entered the forest would come back alive.
With all these things weighing on his mind it was not easy for Alan to make a decision.
Even then, Alan chose to take on the offer.
'Fu*k! Although I have a system, I am not a superhero. Still, I want to go. It's just 400 units more to awaken the system. It's so close that I can't give up this opportunity. No pain no gain, right? For this once let me be me and do something for me. Live my life.' A firm resolution birthed in his heart.
"Mr Johnson! Thank you for the opportunity. I accept your offer." The blooming smile and the firm resolution in Alan's eyes were not hidden. Seeing this, even Mr Johnson felt like he did something wrong. His heartbeat rose, looking at the very ordinary boy before him.