CURSED VALLEY – The Beginning.

Chapter 3:

Ryan walked along the bustling sidewalk, his hands in his pockets, the world around him moving in a blur. He stopped in front of a small shop, its window lined with colorful displays of snacks and treats. The woman behind the counter, an elderly shopkeeper with a warm smile, noticed him immediately.

"Hello, sir," she greeted, her voice sweet. "What would you like?"

Ryan, looking at the variety of chocolates in the display, made his decision. "Could you give me a chocolate, please?"

The shopkeeper nodded and quickly grabbed a bar. "Of course, sir. That'll be one fifty."

Ryan fumbled in his pocket, pulled out some coins, and paid her, taking the chocolate with a polite nod. "Thank you."

"Come again!" she called after him as Ryan turned to leave.

He slipped his hand back into his pocket, pulling out the remainder of his change—a few coins and a crumpled note. He glanced at it, a small sigh escaping his lips. This is all I have left… He shrugged and stuffed the money back into his pocket with a nonchalant grin. Oh well, no big deal.

___

Scene changed: A Looming Threat

A few miles away, inside a dimly lit military facility, a soldier stood before his superior, his expression tense.

"Yes, sir," the soldier said, clicking his heels. "We did manage to trace him, but the signal was lost. He moved out of range. We're trying to locate him again."

The superior officer's face darkened. "Track him as fast as you can. This is turning into a massive problem. If we don't act now, people will panic even more. This is not just a public threat—it's a threat to us too. Find him!"

"Understood, sir," the soldier said, snapping to attention.

___

Scene changed: secret meeting

In a secret room somewhere else, a group of six individuals sat around a sleek conference table, the air thick with tension. A projector hummed to life as an assistant officer stepped forward, holding up a stack of photographs.

"There's something I want to show you," the assistant officer said, voice steady but laced with urgency. "Take a look at this."

The photos flickered onto the screen, showing disturbing images of a creature spotted in a park in Tokyo. The figures on the screen were unrecognizable—half-human, half-beast. The assistant continued, his tone grim.

"As time passes, these curses are multiplying. The attacks are getting worse. We're losing control, and it's harder to hide them from the world. These images are from a park in Tokyo where several people saw a strange creature. It didn't look like anything we've ever seen—neither human nor animal. Multiple people captured it on their phones. Shortly after its appearance, two men and a child were found dead. Their bodies were… well, let's just say no one could identify them."

The photos clicked onto the screen, showing the gruesome aftermath. The room fell silent, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

"Look at this," the assistant officer said, his finger pointing to a photo. "This is the child's head. And part of one of the men's body. The rest of the child's body is still missing."

A man across the room, his face lined with age and worry, spoke up.

"If I'm not mistaken," he said, his voice low, "all of this started happening after that meteorite crash. Am I right?"

Another man across the table frowned. "That could be the case, or it might not be. No one has found that meteorite."

A third voice joined in, calmer yet just as concerned. "But after the incident, a massive crater appeared at the site. Destruction spread for miles. That wasn't a meteorite—it looked like something far worse."

The Head of the table slammed his fist down, his voice firm and commanding. "No, it was not a meteorite!"

The room fell into silence as the others exchanged confused glances.

"Then what was it?" one of them asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

The Head's eyes narrowed, as though he had already come to a chilling conclusion. "It's something beyond our understanding. This is no coincidence. We have to face it."

He turned to a woman standing at the back of the room. "Atashi, did you speak to them?"

Atashi nodded, her expression resolute. "Yes, sir. I spoke to them. They'll send warriors, but it will take time. These kinds of warriors are becoming rare. They're hard to find."

"Alright," the Head muttered, frustration lacing his words.

Just then, the door to the meeting room burst open, and a soldier entered, eyes wide with panic.

"Sir!" the soldier shouted. "We've picked up the creature's signal again. It's inside this building—right now. It's in this very room!"

Instantly, chaos erupted. The members of the secret meeting exchanged panicked glances, realizing the creature had infiltrated their ranks.

One of the men, who had been sitting near the door, suddenly began to convulse. His body twisted and expanded unnaturally, his eyes turning an eerie shade of black. He morphed into the very creature they had been discussing.

The others jumped back in horror, some screaming in panic. The sirens blared, echoing through the building as the creature lunged forward, slashing at anyone in its path. The soldier at the door fired his weapon, but after a few rounds, another creature appeared behind him. It attacked with terrifying speed, decapitating the soldier in one swift move.

The room descended into chaos. As the creature continued its onslaught, another one attacked the man who had transformed, severing his arm before killing him instantly.

___

Scene change: Family Ties

Meanwhile, Ryan had arrived at a hospital, stepping through the sliding glass doors into the sterile, quiet atmosphere. He approached the reception desk, where the receptionist looked up and immediately smiled.

"Hello, Ryan! How are you today?"

Ryan smiled back. "I'm good. How about you?"

"I'm doing great, thanks for asking!" The receptionist quickly scribbled something down on a piece of paper. "Your dad's in room 204, on the 5th floor. I'll write down your name for you. You can go up now."

Ryan nodded. "Thanks."

He stepped into the elevator, greeted by a child and his mother. The child smiled up at him, and Ryan returned the gesture. The elevator doors closed, and the ride to the 5th floor was quiet.

When the elevator finally stopped, Ryan stepped out and wandered down the hallway, muttering to himself.

"I always forget which room it is," he said with a small laugh.

Finally, he found room 204. He knocked lightly before entering.

Inside, his father was sitting on the hospital bed, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. A doctor stood nearby, preparing an injection.

"So, you finally showed up, huh?" the doctor said with a chuckle, noticing Ryan. "Your dad's a little upset with you."

"Upset?" Ryan raised an eyebrow. "What did I do this time?"

His father, grumpy and sitting rigidly, glared at him. The doctor sighed. "He's upset because you haven't visited in a while."

Ryan grinned and rolled his eyes. "Oh, is that all? Dad, you do know I'm a busy man now, right? Tons of work. You wouldn't understand how hectic my life is."

His father groaned and waved him off. "Doctor, tell him to leave."

The doctor chuckled. "I'll let you two handle it. I'm stepping out."

As the doctor left, Ryan took a seat next to his dad, still holding the chocolate bar he had bought earlier.

"Come on, Dad, don't be mad," Ryan said, offering the chocolate. "Look, I brought you something."

His dad, still frowning, shook his head. "I don't want it."

Ryan smirked. "Really? Fine, I'll eat it myself."

"Do whatever you want," his dad muttered, still sulking.

Ryan placed the chocolate on the bedside table and sat beside him. He hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"Anyway, forget the anger. You know, yesterday, I saw an old man getting harassed by a gang of thieves on my way home."

His dad's eyes narrowed. "Huh... I hope you didn't try to be a hero."

Ryan smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Well, you know your son is already a hero. I took on all of them by myself and saved that old man."

"What did you say?!" His father yelled, his voice rising in fury. "Who told you to play hero?"

Ryan winced, covering his ears. "Easy, Dad! This is a hospital. If you shout, the doctors will come running. This is why I don't tell you anything."

His dad, now glaring, scolded him. "Who told you to be a hero? You should've called the police!"

Ryan sighed, rubbing his neck. "Yeah, you're right. I could've called the police, but by the time they arrived, those guys might've hurt him or gotten away. That's why I handled it myself."

"Still," his dad growled, "what you did was wrong. Are you hurt?"

Ryan shook his head with a reassuring smile. "No, Dad. I'm fine. Don't worry."

"If you ever do that again," he snapped, "just wait and see what happens."

Ryan threw his hands up in surrender, a grin tugging at his lips.

"Okay, Dad! I won't do it again," he said, trying to calm the storm before it grew.

His father huffed and slowly leaned back against the pillow, letting his arms fall beside him. His eyes stared straight ahead, not looking at Ryan anymore.

"…So, Ryan," he finally spoke, his tone softer, edged with hesitation. "Have you thought about it?"

Ryan stayed silent, pretending he hadn't heard.

"Ryan!" his father barked.

Ryan turned, caught in the act of unwrapping the chocolate bar he had brought earlier. He looked genuinely surprised.

"Oh! Sorry, Dad," he said quickly, holding up the half-unwrapped treat. "I was just opening my chocolate. Go ahead, I'm listening!"

There was a pause. His dad's voice wavered slightly as he asked,

"I was asking… if you've thought about taking me with you."

Ryan bit into the chocolate, the sweetness melting on his tongue as he mulled over his answer.

"Dad…" he began, the words slow and deliberate. "I have thought about it. And honestly… I think it's better if you stay here."

His dad's eyes flickered with disappointment, but Ryan quickly continued.

"I'm gone all day for work. There's no one at home to take care of you. Here, you've got full AC, round-the-clock staff, and doctors who treat you like royalty. If I were you, I'd never leave this place!"

His attempt at humor didn't quite land. His father looked away, the weight of his loneliness creeping into his voice.

"But I don't feel happy here anymore," he said quietly. "I want to be with you…"

Ryan paused, his expression softening. He looked at his dad—this once-towering figure now frail, eyes filled with a childlike yearning.

"…I don't feel happy being alone either," Ryan confessed under his breath.

A moment passed.

Then, with a playful flicker of energy, Ryan straightened up.

"Hold on! Let me figure something out."

He reached forward and placed the rest of his chocolate into his dad's hand.

"Here, have this," he smiled. "And I promise, I'll come back soon. But right now, I've got to go."

His dad took the chocolate without protest.

"Alright, go," he murmured. Then, as Ryan neared the door, he added with mock sternness,

"But don't show up again after weeks!"

Ryan laughed as he reached the door, turning his head to glance back.

"Got it, Dad!"

"And don't go playing the hero again!" his dad added, wagging a finger.

Ryan raised a hand in farewell.

"I won't!"

As he stepped into the hallway, he called out without turning back—

"And you take care of yourself too!"

The hallway echoed with the sound of his footsteps… and the faintest hint of a chuckle from room 204.

___

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