Chapter 1: The Journey

"The picture on a not-so-clear day, anything that doesn't matter much, my arrival is for relaxation.

After going through many stories in life, The first night is always difficult, mourning over what happened. It's hard to close my eyes, but I tell myself how long it will take for this feeling to go away..."

  Chapter 1: The Journey 

The atmosphere in the underground room was filled with dust, and suddenly,

"Tap..."

"Tap, Tap."

"Tap, Tap, Tap."

The voices made the person trapped below the room restless, and the shadow of an anonymous woman who was pacing back and forth was disturbing.

"Tap, Tap."

The origin of the sound came from a mysterious man who was walking slowly. He wore brown leather shoes and walked to the front of the room. The room had a heavy iron door that was securely locked, and a large key was carefully inserted before slowly unlocking the door.

"Creak"!"

The sliding of the iron door on the floor allowed light from the outside to slowly penetrate into the dark room, revealing what was inside bit by bit. Before the sunlight revealed the beautiful woman with brown eyes, long hair that reached her shoulders, her body looked fragile and stained with dirt and dust. She had her mouth covered with a cloth, and her arms and legs were bound with large chains. She shivered and trembled before making fearful gestures.

"It's time, my dear."

The enigmatic man spoke with a soft and gentle voice before his tender words penetrated the woman's heart.

Even though she wanted to scream, she couldn't. She couldn't overcome what was binding her, no matter how she struggled.

"Hehe."

A joyous laugh.

"Are you going to resist me, my dear?"

Before the enigmatic man drew out a knife, a long, sharp blade used for cutting food, about 8 inches long.

"Muffled cry..."

The muffled cries of the young woman, despite the cloth covering her mouth.

"Muffled scream..."

"Prolonged muffled cry..."

Before the enigmatic man slowly scratched her wrist, and the blood that flowed from it was collected in a tray he had prepared for some purpose.

"Slam"

The sound of a car door opening loudly.

The reflection in the rearview mirror revealed a young man named Phak or Mr. Phak, 26 years old, standing at 180 cm tall, with a dark complexion.

The single-mindedness in his eyes, the brown eyes that were determined and unwavering, revealed his determination.

Time: 02:00 AM. He glanced at the dashboard clock and with the keys inserted into the car, checked the rearview mirror before spraying water onto the windshield slowly.

"Snap"

Before Phak slowly rolled down the driver's side window to make sure it aligned with his sight.

"Phak decided to quit his job and start anew, starting with a break. Escaping from a bad phase of life, he decided to travel to this remote island. With the financial impact of the pandemic affecting everyone, it seemed like there was nothing worse. It had been a terrible year, and he hoped he wouldn't encounter any more trouble this year. Phak didn't plan to stay for a short or long period; he intended to stay until things got better."

"Vroom"

The car's engine started, and he revved it for 5 seconds to warm up the engine for the long journey.

"Gear change"

The sound of shifting gears.

"Vroom"

The sound of the car's tires hitting the stone-paved driveway, designed for both practicality and aesthetics, scattered to allow grass to grow between them. The car was reversing out to embark on another village.

Upon arrival, Phak wasted no time in rolling down the left-side window to greet someone.

"Ready, Big Brother Nick?"

Big Brother Nick was Phak's older brother, living in the same area as Phak. They had known each other since high school and had reconnected after both breaking up with their partners and frequently partying together. Before Phak could ask what Big Brother Nick was up to, it turned out he was taking care of a resort. This piqued Phak's interest, and he decided to travel together with him.

"Big Brother Nick is a person with a strong inclination towards art and digital applications. He always sports a mustache and wears a hat, along with partially covering his hair at times. Big Brother Nick is 28 years old, working in design, and he's a night owl who enjoys heavy drinking. He lives life relatively recklessly because the year he broke up with his partner was equally disastrous. This is the encounter of two losers in one year."

"Phak embarked on a journey away from home to seek the tranquility of life. He traveled through various provinces in the cold December weather, realizing during the early morning journey that it was exceptionally chilly."

At 09:00 AM, the sun began to shine. As soon as he put on his sunglasses, he could feel the heat coming from the glasses.

Before the sunglasses could partially shield his eyes from the penetrating sunlight.

"The scenery is arid everywhere. There are almost no trees providing shade. Looking around, there are only dry yellow grass and brown soil. Flocks of birds are flying, and the sun is casting a scorching heat on the ground. This area is known for its dryness in the one-hour drive where there are hardly any trees or nearby rivers. The hands gripping the steering wheel are clearly darker."

Phak hoped for some rain to alleviate this intense heat and comfort himself, thinking, "I'm almost at the sea, which is said to be most beautiful during the hot season."

"It's lonely to be single..."

The instrumental music began playing in the car, breaking the silence. It was a remix of an old song, with a fast-paced beat, and it reminded him of his father's songs. Songs he used to listen to with his father as a teenager, along with typical Western songs.

"Big Brother Nick, nowadays your music is strange, just like mine."

"Oh, I adapted it to the times and kept it classic."

"If my dad were here, he would listen to it with me for sure."

Before the music gradually lost its focus as he continued driving, focusing on the road ahead and the next song playing, calm and serene, taking turns singing and alternating their favorite songs.

Phak's focused gaze, shining brightly on the journey he had longed for and waited for so long, a journey unlike the free-spirited kind, where he had a purpose.

The sunlight that hit his eyes created a strong urge to keep driving to reach the sea on this very hot day. Inside his heart, he contemplated new stories and experiences on this new path, the new landscapes he would encounter, and the adventures yet to happen. He held back the thought that the past might return or harm him again.

Before the panoramic view of the rice fields slowly transformed into hills and valleys, and finally, into the beach area, Phak reached his destination: the sea.

And, ultimately, the sandy beach, as Phak finally arrived at the pier after paying the fare. Without delay, he found a spot to take in the view as the boat departed.

"Vroom!"

The sound of the boat's engine starting to work.

"Clank Clang!"

The noise of chains and anchors being disengaged signifying the journey across the island was about to commence.

"Big Brother Nick, has this boat ever capsized?" Phak jokingly asked.

Nick replied, "Yes, it has."

Phak then inquired, "So, what about these life jackets?"

Nick chuckled, "Haha, they don't provide insurance for the sea voyage."

Phak raised an eyebrow, confused. "Huh?"

Nick explained, "What are you even asking? People are boarding the boat."

Phak grinned. "Haha, I'll go enjoy the view then."

Nick nodded. "Sure, I'll reserve our seats."

Before their conversation could end, Phak was already standing, gazing at the land he had just come from, slowly turning into the blue sea. Deeper still, it turned into shades of blue before he lowered his gaze to observe the waves splashing against the bottom of the boat.

" Splash, crash"

As it continued, it created a long wave that disappeared into the vast ocean. The back of the boat was where the waves were the most beautiful.

Phak didn't waste time and grabbed his iPad to capture the image of the foamy white waves contrasting with the blue and turquoise sea, created by the air bubbles from the boat's propellers. It was a stunning and beautiful image.

"It's the picture of the year."

And so, they embarked on a new path, as the ferry, quite large, took them away from the familiar land, kilometers away.

Soon enough, Phak returned to the seat that Nick had reserved, taking pictures of their journey to another island and the new people they encountered.

During the ride from the pier to the beach, something unusual caught Phak's attention.

"What the...?" Phak made a strange noise, trying to get Nick's attention as they both looked towards the side of the road together.

Then, Phak gently applied the brakes to slow down because something was blocking their path.

"A thorn!"

Phak exclaimed as he gently pressed the brakes to avoid running over the obstacle.

The large, red-painted wooden block with wires was like a barrier as big as a tanker truck, blocking their path entirely. The sight was eerie, especially for such a small island. Phak couldn't help but wonder what could possibly require such a massive barricade. He also couldn't fathom the dangers of traveling at night with such obstructions.

Nick asked, "What the hell is this?"

Phak replied, "Why would they set up such a massive barricade in the middle of the night?"

Nick remarked, "If they set up roadblocks at night..."

Phak interjected, "It's pretty scary."

Nick nodded, "Yeah."

It was a strange and unsettling sight, entirely new and frightening in this unfamiliar land, making Phak think of issues like politics, corruption, and power struggles that plagued the government and the political arena. These were issues he didn't particularly want to deal with.

While the music played, Phak was interrupted by a voice on the radio.

"Crackle, crackle."

The voice on the radio interjected into their music, accompanied by a strange smell in the car.

Nick asked, "What's that new smell, Phak?"

Phak replied, "I don't know, it's strange."

Nick suddenly exclaimed, "Look on the left side! Hey, is that a fire or something?"

Phak corrected, "It's not a fire, it's my car."

He chuckled, knowing what was happening before Nick could react.

Nick exclaimed, "No, it's not, you son of a..."

Phak interrupted, "Just kidding! It seems to be a factory that's currently on fire. There are no fire engines yet. It's still burning, fresh."

The blaze was on the far-left side of the road, while their car was heading towards the resort.

Before the radio interruption could fade away, Phak had already spotted the incident from a distance and started grinning. He knew what was going to happen before Nick could even react.

Nick asked, "Is that my car?"

Phak replied, nonchalantly, "Oh, just my bad. Haha... It seems to be a factory that's currently on fire. There are no fire engines yet. It's still burning, fresh."

The fire was on the far-left side of the road, while their car was heading towards the resort.

Nick replied, "Maybe there's a short circuit in the electrical system, or perhaps some crazy person just decided to start a fire somewhere."

Phak chuckled, "You've been watching too many movies, Nick."

Nick retorted, "You're one to talk! You watch even more than I do."

Before the distance and time caused the smoke to become visible, they saw it as an image reflected in the rearview mirror. Phak continued to observe their surroundings cautiously.

Nick remarked, "People on this island don't seem to wake up, huh? Or is this normal, Phak?"

Phak glanced left and right slowly, still keeping an eye on their surroundings. "It's strange. Maybe they're not used to it here."

Nick responded, "Maybe the government agency should wake up. It'll be chaotic soon."

Phak added, "No matter where we go, there's always chaos. If we go drinking, there's a fire. It's like it follows us."

Nick pondered, "Chaos follows us everywhere, but it usually doesn't happen during our travels."

Phak agreed, "True."

Nick continued, "I miss those days when we used to drink, even though I can't remember much."

Phak joked, "Well, I was always the responsible one. If you got drunk, I'd drive you home. You couldn't remember anything back then, especially when you were drunk!"

Nick chuckled, "Yeah, I couldn't remember a thing."

Phak laughed softly and thought to himself that he had his moments like this too.

The steering wheel slowly turned to the left, and Phak cautiously kept an eye on all types of vehicles coming from both the left and right as they exited the main road toward the resort area, far from the main tourist attractions. They were headed to the village or community area of this island.

Before they could reach their destination, the sound of sirens blaring and the ambulance and fire truck from the nearby station passed them. They sped past them to address the fire incident they had just driven by a short while ago.

Phak remarked, "I guess this will be tomorrow's headline. It's really chaotic."

Shortly after, they encountered a police checkpoint.

Phak exclaimed, "What now?"

Phak displayed his irritation with a displeased expression and a less-than-enthusiastic attitude.

Before he could react further, he saw a police officer gesturing for him to slow down.

Phak greeted the officer with a forced smile, "Hello, officer."

Along with the police officer, who remained impassive for a moment, Phak finally noticed that the officer was starting to relax, and he gestured for their car to proceed to the final destination. Normally, they would be asked to show their driver's license before being allowed to go, but it seemed like the police officer was not concerned.

Phak was puzzled, "I thought I'd be fined for not having my driver's license, officer."

Nick replied, "The power of the Toyota Camry, I told you."

Phak muttered, "Just let it be, wherever it is."

He sighed softly from the fatigue of the journey, combined with the winding and steep roads they had to navigate. The challenging routes included uphill and downhill driving, sharp turns, and elbow-bending twists that he was not used to. Additionally, the locals on the island seemed to drive quite aggressively.

"Zooming"

Phak thought to himself, "It's like a race. No one cares about the passengers; they just want to make money. That's what it's all about, making money."

Nick commented, "Yeah."

Phak took another deep breath, and Nick asked, "What's wrong?"

Phak replied, "The driving is difficult."

Nick joked, "This is like the level of Drift King of this island. Maybe you'll become the Drift King. Practice ahead."

Phak muttered, "Sure."

As Phak continued to observe their surroundings, he noticed that the road signs, people, houses, hotels, and resorts were gradually becoming older and less maintained. It was surprising to see such lush greenery and dense forests on this island, and it seemed like they were leaving behind the touristy areas. The traffic on this stretch of road was also significantly reduced compared to the earlier touristy beaches.

As they drove on, they would soon encounter an area covered by forests and surrounded by high mountains, making it almost impossible to see the sea from the road due to the tall trees. It was hard to believe that this island had such rich and dense natural surroundings. The atmosphere at the end of the island was tranquil.

Phak continued to drive, passing through treacherous routes, steep ascents and descents, sharp turns, and winding roads that spelled out the letter "S," all of which contributed to the challenging drive. And this was not to mention the elbow-bending curves that were particularly tricky for drivers. It was a mix of all these conditions that made the drive a daunting one.

Anyone unfamiliar with driving on such challenging terrain should avoid attempting these routes, as it was easy for their car to get stuck or be at risk of toppling over. Driving into the forest was also an option if you were not careful.

After a long journey that took a lot of time, eventually, they encountered the most beautiful view along the entire drive...

"Swoosh"

The sound of the wind gently entering the car, which was moving at a slow pace, around 30-40 kilometers per hour. Phak opened the window intentionally, or perhaps without realizing it, before slowly sliding it down to let the air in. It made him feel as if he could control time, slowing it down. But he knew it was just a feeling. However, the scent of the real sea was intoxicating!

The song by Black Bean, a melancholic and soothing tune, played softly by Nick. The volume was just right, not too loud and not too quiet. Nick and Phak harmonized with voices that were undoubtedly not very melodious.

The fresh air and the scent of the sea made Phak feel better. The atmosphere rejuvenated him, filling him with energy despite his fatigue. Traveling with a friend like this was truly enjoyable; it kept loneliness at bay. If he had come alone, he would have definitely felt lonely. Throughout the journey, Phak was lost in thought, but he soon turned back and smiled. Not long after, he felt a surge of energy and looked around.

Nick said, "Kiminotoh..."

Phak responded, "Haha, come on."

Before long, raindrops began to fall lightly.

"Rain."

"Rainfal!!!"

The sound of the rain was a gentle reminder to hurry along the journey. Raindrops were catching up as they continued. Soon, they saw the resort, their destination, but the only way to reach it was...

"You can make it up this slope," Phak said, hesitating when he saw a very steep incline.

It meant they had to take a risk and drive up another hill, a steep one, something Phak had never done before. He wasn't very confident.

"You can do it," Nick reassured him, his expression oozing confidence.

"Other cars have made it up and down," Nick added to boost Phak's confidence.

"Hurry before it starts raining harder. The road will get slippery, and we might get stuck," Nick urged again.

"Alright, let's give it a try," Phak replied, his face indicating that he was determined to take this one last challenge.

So, they took the risk, driving up another hill, ascending another mountain. This was a path where, in the previous moments, when the rain was just starting, you wouldn't have been able to drive at all. It was incredibly dangerous.

"Why does the resort have to be located like this?" Phak muttered silently, his frustration growing as he drove for hours to reach this point.

"jerk, jolt.."

"brake squeak..."

The car was shaking and swaying from side to side as it navigated the bumpy, dirt roads, signaling the end of the developed area. Clearly, the road leading to the resort village wasn't paved, and if you had never been here before, it was easy to get lost. The path was surrounded by dense forests.

Phak drove slowly, trying to avoid sharp rocks that could puncture the tires. A flat tire here would definitely not be a good outcome.

"stone hit"

The sound of small rocks being crushed beneath the car's wheels echoed.

Before long, the sound of rain drowned out the noise from the car's undercarriage.

"heavy rain"

Accompanied by a surprising sight, there were sharp rocks on the right side and a large pit on the left.

"Oh, which way should I go?" Phak muttered with beads of sweat forming on his forehead, while Nick sat calmly by his side throughout the journey.

"Flop." Suddenly, the rain stopped.

"Yeah! We've reached the resort. Fantastic! Just in time, the rain has stopped," Nick exclaimed, doing his usual annoying gestures.

Phak, on the other hand, responded with a blank expression, looking like someone who was about to fall asleep.

Before Nick could give directions to the parking area, that is, the house of Julius, the foreigner who co-owned the resort but had left the country earlier, Night, Nick's younger brother at 25 years old, came out to welcome them. Night was a Bangkok boy, having graduated with a degree in International Relations. He was slightly on the chubby side, with a little bit of a beard, and he liked to experiment with different hairstyles. He had a sweet, island-style face.

Night preferred to wear Hawaiian shirts and shorts, and he was there to look after the resort along with Nick. Both of them would take turns caring for the place.

Night said, "It seemed like it was about to rain earlier, Big Bro."

Nick replied, "Today, I've experienced all four seasons."

Night chuckled and politely said, "The weather has been changing frequently lately. Allow me to help with the bags."

Phak expressed his gratitude, and before long, they had everything stored in the kitchen and their respective rooms.

Night informed them, "It's going to rain heavily next week, so be prepared, Big Bro. Last week, it rained so hard that we didn't have internet for three days. Only now has it returned, and it's been raining every day, along with strong winds. Some of the posts you passed by earlier have fallen."

Phak asked, "What about the travelers?"

Night replied, "Well..."

Night replied, "We're waiting for someone to come and cut down some trees and move the poles."

Phak said, "Oh, life is tough here, and to make it worse, we can't even use electricity."

Night added, "Actually, everything returned to normal right after you guys arrived."

Nick chimed in, "I still think it's a mess, not back to normal at all during this period."

Night agreed, "Yes, it's true, Big Bro. Next week, the weather department warns of heavy rain and possible storms."

Phak asked, "What if there's flooding?"

Night explained, "Well, last year, there wasn't much flooding, but the road was damaged, and there was a lot of debris from the forest. We stocked up on food just in case, like we do every week. Seven-Eleven is close, but it might be difficult to reach."

Nick added, "At that time, it took over a month to get it repaired. No electricity, it was hell. We had to cross the damaged road to reach Seven-Eleven."

As we chatted, Phak realized that Night was an acquaintance from before. He had almost forgotten because he rarely complained about the hardships in this remote area and the delayed assistance. It was clear that if anything went wrong or if he fell ill, it would be challenging here.

Before the conversation ended with the handing over of the keys to Room 305, which had the resort's logo with the name "Hunts," a name Phak had come up with, possibly inspired by the idea of being hunters hunting tourists as prey.

After unpacking and having a beer with Nick, who had bought a few bottles, it was time for bed. Night joined them, though he didn't drink beer or alcohol unless it was a special occasion. Before saying goodnight, he said, "See you tomorrow."

They each headed to their respective rooms.

Before going to sleep, Phak experienced a sudden wave of bad feelings or what is commonly known as bipolar disorder or bipolar mood swings. This could be due to fatigue or stress from recent events. It affected his mood and emotions, and he couldn't control them. All he could do was talk to himself.

Phak entered his room and suddenly burst into tears!

This led him to search for something to occupy his mind and thoughts during the twilight hours before sleep. He grabbed a beer and went to sit by the beach, gazing into the dark ocean, trying to discern if anyone was around.

"Surf"

The sound of the sea in the darkness filled the air, but it soon became eerily silent, and Phak strained his eyes to see if anyone was nearby while he sobbed.

Before the silence became too much, he heard the sound of rustling leaves!

Phak looked towards the dark corner, but there was no one there.

"What was that? Or was it just my imagination?"

Before his mood gradually returned to normal, he sensed something in the darkness that he couldn't explain.

"Blow"

Suddenly, the wind picked up in the middle of the night, and the sound of rustling leaves became so overwhelming that it was almost indistinguishable from the sound of footsteps. It was as if the sound was working on Phak's mind to the point where he had to get up from that spot. The strong wind was to blame for this phenomenon.