Chapter 1
Trust became the matrix of life.
An ethereal validation to welcome.
Would you choose to trust if it already thrust you at the beginning?
YEAR 2018
In the downtime of summer, the darkness folds and heaven’s tears damp the dry soil of the earth. The rage of heaven flashes lightning and a roar like a wild beast traverse into the ears. Droplets are falling on the window ceilings. The music ‘Monster by Ruelle’ plays and echoes in the house. A woman was running for her life, hiding, and seeking to survive. She was frightened, her right leg was injured, smeared in red. Her sweat continues pouring with the mixed blood. She has a hard time holding her breath. A shadow of someone is approaching carrying a knife. Thunderstorms are still roaring. The music still playing.
She keeps silent for a while until she was found. She was pulled on her hair and pushed to the floor.
“Of all people, why you?” she asked anxiously, “I trusted you… I loved you,” she continued with the hope of survival.
“That’s the biggest mistake of your life,” the killer replied.
“Please, I’m begging you, don’t kill me!” Even if there’s no hope of survival, and the chances of dying are certain, she never stopped begging.
“PLEASE NO!” A helpless scream echoed while the night sounds scary. Blood flows on the floor and is scattered on the wall. Her eyes were wide open with tears flowing while she was stabbed multiple times on her body. The music keeps louder and louder.
PRESENT DAY
I open my eyes and turn off the music. The sound of the siren wakes me up. I gazed outside the window; I saw the driver’s face being irritated while holding his head out of disappointment. I turned my gaze to the students inside the school bus. Twenty-five students including me, we’re having a special trip exclusive only for those who got the invitation from different universities.
The noises of these students chattering are annoying. I just don’t mind them; I go turn on the music again. Suddenly, I felt a sudden touch on my shoulder. Someone approached me. I turned off the music again.
“Hey, Alakin the great. What happened to you a year ago? We heard you were in a coma. What really happened, Alakin?” this man asked. I don’t know his name–even a single person in here is unknown to me. Probably, we’re in the same school because he knows me, and we have the same logo on our uniforms.
I pull on my earphones. “Sorry? What?” I pretend I didn’t hear anything he said. He just hissed.
“Never mind, weird boy,” he said. I just looked at him and he left me alone. I put on my earphones again and mind my own business. I didn’t turn on the music this time. I heard them talking about me being weird and laughter was circulating in my head. Yes, I’m weird, since I’m in a coma last year I don’t remember that I have friends. I don’t talk too much. I’d rather be alone than deal with a bunch of shit people.
A woman stood in front of the bus.
“Students, listen! We have trouble. We encountered a flat tire.” I heard everyone complain.
“What the hell is that, we spent hours traveling on the water and then we’ve been on the road for three hours!” The guy who has that weird mustache holding a book, said irritably.
“What the f*ck! It’s so annoying! I think I got to need a makeover after this,” the sassy woman complains, holding her mirror while putting on her lipstick.
Some complaints I heard from them.
“Okay, quiet! Quiet! Don’t worry it would only last for minutes. Just stay in here while we’re fixing the inconvenience,” she explained.
Out of the blue, I raised my hand to ask some questions. The attention was drawn on me.
“Why are we here?” I asked her.
“Mr. Serverse, you didn’t read the invitation?” She returned the question to me. I got the invitation from my shoulder bag.
“The invitation has only 3 words ‘You are invited!’” I showed her the invitation.
“Well, I guess that’s the reason you are here. To find out, why are you here?” she said. I wanted to ask her some more, but a random guy stood up.
“Ma’am!?”
“Yes?”
“Can I pee?”
The woman sighed. “Go. Those who need to pee, you have a minute.” She grimaces at her watch and gets out of the bus, leaving me without answers.
Other students followed. I sat and looked nowhere. Thinking why did I even join in here?
Silence.
I got my iPad in my bag. Honestly, I’m a technology-addicted person. I spend most of my time on the internet and playing video games. While scrolling on a portal full of news articles, I saw an interesting headline— Woman found dead leaving a love letter to the killer. I clicked on the article, and I saw the date. It happened a year ago and they haven’t given justice to it yet and weird cause the killer might be the love of her life.
I sighed, showing my sympathy to the woman. I pray for her soul.
“Hey!” Someone called me from the back. I turned to her.
“Did you know where we are going?” she asked while still reading her book.
“Are you talking to me?” I asked her, and she closed the book and focused on me.
“Yes, I am. Do you know?”
“Do you think I know? I don’t even know why I’m joining here?” I spoke.
“Well, I know.” She smirked.
“Then, why are you asking me?” I replied irritably.
“You’re so serious. Don’t you want to know?” I just gave her a confusing look. “So, this is it. We are going to a camp and then we will look for gossips.” She giggled.
I put on a serious face. “Informative! Thanks!” I muttered and went back to my thing.
“You’re ill tempered, maybe that’s the reason you don’t have any friends!” I heard her say, I turned to her again.
“I wonder if you have?” I said sarcastically while looking at her book.
Apparently, she’s a nerd, and as far as I observed she doesn’t have friends either.
I heard footsteps and familiar noises coming from the students. They entered.
“Everyone we are good, buckle up and we’re ready to go!” The woman earlier announced, who I think is one of the coordinators.
Some students scream in excitement. Some, because there are weird students here, count me in. I close the article and put on my earphones again. I don’t want to hear the annoying sounds on this bus. I lifted the cuff of my black hoodie and looked at my wristwatch. The time is 4:45 in the afternoon. I decided to take a nap.
A flash of a blurry girl looking at me and laughing with me in a slow movement. It was beautiful.
I heard voices whispering in my ear.
‘Alakin’
‘Alakin’
It was a beautiful voice until it slowly turned into a deep creepy voice.
‘WAKE UP!’ I felt a sudden touch on my shoulder. I woke up, frightened and bathed in a sickly cold sweat. I fell asleep.
“Mr. Serverse, finally you’re awake. Are you okay?” It was the coordinator.
“Where are we?” I catechized and she smiled.
“We are now here.” I looked outside and I saw the sign ‘Kampo Morte’
My eyes reprocess and its gaze slid into my watch. I was bombarded, an hour had passed.
“Let’s go? Your mates are waiting for you.”
