Chapter 2: Beginnings

  The dimly lit room with only one source of light at the bed revealed an image of a man sleeping. Before the man gradually transformed into "Phak" as he woke up, he found himself in a room shrouded in darkness, with light only around the bed. Eventually, even that light faded, leaving only darkness.

However, a sense of something approaching, getting closer, crept in until he felt that it had arrived. "There's something under the bed," he thought before he could touch and realize that it was indeed under the bed immediately. Its weight wasn't on the floor; it was lying under the bed on the opposite side of the person's back, as if their backs were glued together!

Before that awareness slowly revealed its true identity, it turned slowly in the same direction as the bed. Then it extended a dark, shadowy hand, darker than midnight, towards him. The hand that reached in made it impossible to resist, no matter how frightened he felt, before that shadow did as it pleased... It violently stabbed Phak from the back of the bed, piercing through to his chest.

Sharp!!

Repeatedly and relentlessly at the chest, until he felt the excruciating pain, an unimaginable agony. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't. His body couldn't bear the pain any longer and ultimately succumbed...

Chapter 2: The Beginning

At 6:30 AM, Puck woke up early and headed out to the beach before checking the kitchen.

"the sound of walking downstairs"

a loud noise came from the balcony of Night's room.

Night: "Hey, why are you up so early?"

Phak : "Oh, I just wanted to go check out the beach in the morning."

Night: "I'm actually heading to Seven, need anything?"

Phak : "Nah, it's alright."

Night: "Okay, the Motorcycle is available, it's the red Fiat."

Phak: "Alright, I'll take care of refueling it. I might take it for a spin tomorrow."

Night gave a small smile and reversed the car out from beside Nick's room.

Phak left the room at 7:00 AM, with his earphones for some relaxed music. He played a sad tune before the sound of his music was drowned out by his little dog.

"Woof, woof!"

It was their black dog, three of them barking.

When strangers came in, it wasn't unusual for the locals to greet them.

"SNiff, Sniff!"

The local dogs acted like they didn't recognize the stranger's smell.

With a friendly gesture, Phak wasn't hesitant to greet them back, trying to sit calmly and mimicking the small dog's behavior before making a sound that imitated their barking to show that he wasn't a threat.

Trying to get closer and act like the small dogs before making a similar barking sound, just to show that he meant no harm, and soon enough, the dogs gained confidence. One came closer first, and then two more followed.

"Haha, oh boy."

"Lick , Lick."

Their wagging tails and playful barking almost created a sandstorm, making Phak have to cover his face. The sand flying around like dust was unbearable, especially with the added risk of dog bites.

"Fine, fine. Hold on a sec, little black one, blacky, and blacky fertilizer," he jokingly gave them names.

Today, they had established a connection, and Phak spoke to them as if they were old friends.

"Next time, no barking, alright?" Phak said, addressing the dogs.

Phak patted each of them on the head before waving goodbye with a smile, then continued on his way. The dogs still seemed excited, wagging their tails and making small jumps as they watched him leave. Phak swept the leaves from the path as he walked.

"Hehe!"

A laugh with a smile on Phak's face, his first joy on this island, not from people but from these small animals. Their innocent, untainted faces were as refreshing as children.

Phak didn't hesitate to capture this moment on his iPad, recording a cute video of the dogs wagging their tails and playing around, preserving the memory.

Continuing his walk, Phak passed through other resorts and small paths with large trees and local houses until he reached a wide beach.

The scene before him was stunning. On his first visit, the cool morning breeze and the near absence of people made this small, mostly deserted beach even more special. There were tall trees washed up on the shore, just in front of the beach. Phak didn't hesitate to sit.

In the cool morning air like this, with not many people around, he could see the clear blue sea, with gentle waves, not too strong. The soft morning sunlight wasn't too bright. It was perfect for sipping coffee or contemplating. It was so calm and quiet that Phak soon got up and started walking, taking pictures of the beachfront atmosphere—the sun, the breeze, and the sea, capturing the morning beauty.

12:00 PM in the kitchen

"Sizzle."

The sound of pork stir-fried with garlic in hot oil in the pan, the smell was tantalizing for today's meal.

Nick was busy cooking 

"Pop."

The sound of the beer cap being opened, placed on the counter next to a tablet with a menu recipe.

Phak didn't hesitate to come over and pick up a beer from the fridge. Everyone was ready to eat, as Night came down.

Night: "What are you up to today, Chef?"

Nick: "Oh, Chef what? Just making some regular home-cooked food. Haha. Not sure if it's edible yet."

Phak: "What are you making?"

Nick: "Stir-fried chicken with galangal."

Phak: "I'll take one."

After eating, not long after, everyone returned to the living room to spend their free time doing various activities.

Phak was reading a book, but the book didn't seem to hold much interest for him.

Nick was drawing graphics, even though he could only draw a little when he was drunk.

Younger brother Night would watch the news and YouTube. He would always stay updated and had his older brother help with things he didn't understand or needed advice on, which often led him to ask Phak.

Phak himself was reading a book and trading stocks, or looking at various things to keep himself occupied.

Everyone would find topics to chat and update each other, spending a reasonable amount of time in that room.

"Flick."

The sound of a cigarette lighter, from Nick.

"puffing on a cigarette"

After the first few puffs, he handed the pack to Phak, who was reading.

"Whoa, I haven't smoked in a long time, not since high school."

"Well, I've returned to some old habits lately. It doesn't hurt to do things I used to enjoy," Puck replied promptly, accepting what was offered to him.

"Flick Flick."

Being away from the scene for a while, Phak had to try three times to get it right.

"puffing on a cigarette"

The act of lighting up produced a certain kind of smoke, allowing one to savor the taste of the rolled cigarette. It was a way to get nicotine into the bloodstream quickly, as well as some cancer-causing substances, something he might have to trade off in the future.

" Cough , Cough."

"Coughing until you get used to it. Haha," Nick encouraged his younger brother.

Phak: "Haha, I'm not used to the smoke, it's strange, my little brother!!!"

Nick: "I haven't smoked for a long time. It's a good thing, right? You can grab one if you want, but you'll have to buy your own pack next time."

Phak: "Okay, just one is enough. Night, do you smoke?"

Night: "No, brother."

Phak: "It doesn't smell."

Night: "No, it's bearable. Haha."

Before the laughter gradually faded away, it turned into the sound of a lighter and a cigarette being lit.

Smoke was rising, passing through our common room where Phak had placed his coffee while we were brainstorming.

Some of us were writing, practicing literature, and at some point, during a break, while smoking a cigarette, the breeze blew some of the cigarette ashes into the common room.

Phak used his middle and index fingers to pinch the ashes and flick them into the ashtray.

"Oh, what happened to that scar? It's too cool, young man, a scar all over your body," Nick commented as he was smoking and glanced at the scar on Phak's chest in the middle of his chest.

"Since I was a kid, it's been more than 10 years," Phak replied.

"It seems like it hit right at the heart, isn't it a deep wound??? ... Otherwise, it would have healed long ago, even though it's been several years," Nick continued to ask, almost smoking himself to oblivion.

"The wound isn't deep. I fell when I was a kid, can't remember how. All I remember is that it hurt so much when I got home, but I had to endure it, afraid of my mother scolding me, and let it heal without telling anyone. I only realized I had a scar all over my body when I grew up. Haha."

"Oh, that's what makes the scar stick with you then. Idol did it," Nick said as he blew out a phrase along with the smoke.

Phak remained calm and blinked a few times.

"Too cool, who is this guy?" Phak teased smoothly.

At 3:30 PM, while the sun was shining just right and there seemed to be some tourists passing by.

"Hey Nick, want to go to the beach?" Phak didn't hesitate to invite.

"Sure, wait a minute,"

Phak said, "Night, are you coming?"

"Um... sure, brother, I'll grab some stuff first," Night seemed hesitant before agreeing, but he probably understood because the person who had been on the island for years was probably tired of seeing it.

4:00 PM...

"What are we doing here?" Nick asked with curiosity about the hot sun and the scorching beach, along with the relentless waves.

Everyone was sitting on sunbeds or beach chairs.

"Now is the time, brother, did you get a bottle of beer?" Phak asked about something that Nick was definitely interested in. If there were no girls, this was the backup plan.

"Oh, interesting. Night, you want something?"

Phak asked Night.

"It's okay, brother."

"Let's go then," Phak didn't hesitate to order some beer.

Oops!!! Phak was startled while he was dozing off in the middle of the sun.

Suddenly, the sea, which had risen so high that it touched Phak's feet, due to the hot weather...

Phak: "Oh, why did the sea rise so high at this time of day? It wasn't this high in the morning."

Night: "It might be because of the heat and the cold, brother. It was cool in the morning, right? The molecules in the water don't expand as much during the noon heat. Factors like the polar ice caps also play a role. If the weather is hot, the melting ice causes the sea level to rise."

Nick: "Wow, that's a theory, bro. It was murky when I came in the morning, and when it rains..."

Night: "That's right, when it rains, the water from the rain and the runoff from the land flow into the sea, making the sea muddy. If it doesn't rain and the sun is shining brightly, the sea is clear, naturally."

Phak and Nick: "Got it."

Before the interesting discussion about the sea turned into the sight of foreign girls sunbathing, everyone had prepared one thing: sunglasses.

Nick: "I know, wear sunglasses, and it will hide your glance."

Phak: "You crazy. It's hot."

Nick: "Damn, don't complain."

Before Phak could regret his words, he decided to bury himself in a book on the beach while Nick drew on his iPad, and Night sat gazing at the view while wearing headphones. They were enjoying the beach when the atmosphere around them signaled it was time to move around.

Nick: "Shall we take a walk along the beach?"

Phak: "Sure, let's go, bro."

Night: "Alright, let's do it."

Phak almost didn't want to look around while they walked past foreign girls.

Nick: "Wow, look at that" 

"Don't" blushed Phak from being teased.

Night, who had been playfully engaging in a psychological battle with Phak and Phee Nick, burst into laughter. He laughed softly, lowering his head and using his hand to cover his embarrassment.

They all glanced at the girls, blushing, but Night didn't show it. That's because he had never had a girlfriend.

"Night, why don't you try to find a girl around here?" Phak asked teasingly.

"No, not interested, bro. I'm not ready yet. I believe the right person will come at the right time without us having to do anything," Night replied.

Phee Nick chimed in, "Help our little brother find true love, you bastard. Save yourself first, haha."

"Alright, alright, let's drop it," Phak concluded.

Before they continued walking, they spotted an abandoned boat docked in a secluded area.

"What's that?" Phak showed his curiosity by wanting to explore the boat.

"No idea," both of them replied.

"Okay," Phak decided to stop thinking about it due to his fear of boats. However, he had a thought in his mind that it might be an unused pleasure boat.

The guys continued to look around and noticed a small cluster of houses in the distance. It appeared to be a village, but in reality, it was a resort located on the farthest island.

"Do you see those houses over there? Whose property is that?" Phak, with the farthest gaze among the three, observed and questioned before anyone else.

"Who knows? No one's ever walked this far,"  Nick replied.

"It might belong to the owner of this island," Night suggested. "This is the only place he has."

"Oh, the guy who rented us the place?"  Nick teased.

"Yeah, the 'chabu' guy," Phak added with a grin.

"Speaking of 'chabu,' I'm getting hungry," Phak mentioned.

Phak, who could see from afar, was sure it must be incredibly beautiful. Moreover, being far away and quiet, but who would want to live that far? This was already the farthest island, and there could be people living even farther.

Before the three of them continued, they collected many photos of the evening atmosphere with the sun slowly descending into the sea, creating a beautiful scenery. It made everyone, including the people in that other area, excited with the picturesque view.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Nick mentioned, referring to the magical time when his gaze stopped at the image of the setting sun.

"Same here," Night added.

Before the guys could respond to Phak's question about today being the most beautiful day ever, the scenery answered for them.

"The sun, shining brightly, is gradually sinking into the sea, as if it wants to venture into the mysterious depths. Everyone saw the beautiful image as the way of the sun, which was about to disappear into the sea. This image became a collection of memories: the freshness of the atmosphere displayed on the sea, and when the orange sunlight began to fade away, the sun was swallowed by the sky and the sea. The beauty of the sun changing from orange to other colors, the sea resembling blood. A beauty that touched both awe and fear. A time when no one noticed, Phak felt that it was like the color of blood glowing and the sea filled with blood. The unique beauty of change was only the red line of the sun turning into other colors, transforming into a symbol of evil and darkness.

It ended with real darkness, and the absolute silence was surrounded and filled with death."

"Sandy is really annoying," Phak grumbled as he wiped his feet on the floor in front of the room.

"Ugh, I don't like sand," Phak mimicked in a joking tone.

"Because sand makes cleaning difficult."

Why didn't Anakin like sand today? It made sense now. It messed up the room and required cleaning again. It felt irritating.

Before he grabbed a broom to clean and assumed that Nick and Night were probably in the same condition.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."

A sound that seemed like someone whispering in his ear or people talking quietly, and Phak felt like he could hear where the sound was coming from. The origin of the sound led Phak to look at the bathroom door, slowly opening it.

  "whizz" 

Before he realized that the sound was coming from the bathroom's ventilation shaft, coupled with the room adjacent to the various beaches and corridors to different beaches, allowing sounds from outside to penetrate. It was the sound of cars and tourists passing by for sure. It passed through the room without keeping any sound. At night, he thought someone might be walking past or talking, but he couldn't hear it. It didn't accumulate sound. The wind sounds from the outside room didn't make him feel like there was something supernatural going on. It might be the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves or the sound of waves.

7:30 PM, dinner time.

"What does Night usually do on the island? Eat?" Phak asked as he noticed Night frying eggs multiple times.

"Fried eggs, brother."

"Usually in the morning. Fried eggs. Don't tell me fried eggs in the evening."

"Haha, yes, brother."

"You're such a night owl. You make this all the time."

"2 years, brother. Since I finished school, I've been living at the resort."

"Wow."

So, this guy Night eats fried eggs all the time, for over a year, and he's not even overweight. He must be really into exercising or something, Phak thought. He decided to cook dinner for today and prepared a meal that Night praised as delicious. It was something that impressed both Im and Phak.

While eating, they talked about general tourist attractions and places worth visiting on the island.

As the evening went on, they played card games provided by Nick. It was a card game with heroes, items, and buffs that made it quite enjoyable. Phak, who had never played before, managed to compete with Nick for several hours before they decided to split up and go to their respective rooms.

Phak returned to Room 305. The room number itself didn't bother him. He didn't believe in ghosts, numerology, or fortune tellers. He believed in his own feelings and intuition. However, that didn't help him overcome the fatigue that had started to set in. He hadn't even had a chance to use his own intuition. Just opening the door was enough to make him feel exhausted from the long day's journey.

"Phew."

The footage cut as Phak was checking the time, which showed 12:00 AM.

"Tap ,tap ...."

""knock, knock"

"Knock  !!!!!!"

The strong shaking and tremors increased.

"Dammit."

"Oh no."

"Who's knocking at this hour?" Phak realized that something was knocking on the door. He reached for the device with a built-in camera, glanced at the time (02:00 AM), and turned on the flashlight to see if there was anything outside or to chase away whatever was causing the disturbance.

The noise subsided for a moment before Phak decided to turn off his flashlight and go back to sleep.

  "Thunderous rap "

Alright, he had to get up and check what was going on. Phak, who had forgotten to close his eyes, was jolted awake, annoyed by the interruption in his rest.

His irritated expression quickly changed when he discovered that the source of the noise was a small cat.

"Hello there," Phak's tone changed, "What's a little cat like you doing here? Are you here to sleep with me today?"

Without hesitation, the two little cats rushed to his bed and settled in as if they owned the place.

Phak decided to name them based on their appearances. The black one was named "Black Panther" because it resembled the king of Wakanda, and the orange one was named "Tiger" because it looked like a tiger.

It might enjoy coming to knock and sleep with him. Phak himself would have to get used to the occasional late-night interruptions, but he was secretly glad that they were there.

"Lucky that the meowing cats came to be friends. It's not always easy to fall asleep soundly at night, but not always impossible. Sometimes, they may help stop our nightmares," Phak mused.