2017, June 18 – 9:00 PM
It had rained all day, and though the downpour had ceased, the scent of rain still lingered in the air. I''ve always found comfort in the rain—it soothes my soul like a lullaby. Perhaps that’s why I slept the whole day away.
Oh, and I had a strange dream today...
---
2025, March 17
The announcement was made, and some students began breakdancing on the classroom''s concrete floor. Naturally, they were punished, but their joy remained untouched, as if consequences didn’t exist.
In the back corner, near the window, I stared outside, my face devoid of expression. With a sigh, I rested my chin on my folded hand and muttered, "I don’t belong here."
---
2025, March 25
Today was the school trip. I didn’t expect much. Our class wasn’t large enough to fill a bus, but we still got one to ourselves.
As I stepped in, I was struck by its size—it felt enormous. The air inside carried a faint scent of damp vinyl, dust, and exhaust fumes drifting in through the open door.
I paused in the aisle, contemplating where to sit. The back seats were traditionally claimed by the boys. For a moment, I considered sitting there—they might join me. But then doubt crept in: What if they told me to move? It didn’t matter in the end. I chose a seat by the back window on the left.
As expected, the boys gathered in the back, their laughter and shouts rising in chaotic harmony. The girls settled in the front, their chatter creating a rhythmic backdrop.
Brumm! The bus engine roared to life, signaling our departure. Just as it did—
Tap... huff... tap... tap... huff... huff...
Hurried footsteps. Heavy breathing.
Curious, I turned to the back window, pressing my knees into the seat for support.
Behind the bus, a thin-looking boy was running. He wore our school uniform, but what caught my attention was his long bangs, falling over his face. Can he even see through that? I wondered.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Stop!" His voice trembled with exertion.
I turned back and pointed toward the side mirror, silently urging the teacher’s attention.
She frowned, likely thinking my gesture was disrespectful, but I didn’t care. I pointed again.
The whole interaction lasted no more than three seconds.
Noticing the boy, the teacher quickly ordered the driver to stop. The chatter and laughter died instantly as everyone turned, trying to piece together why the bus had halted.
Huff... huff...
The boy reached the bus, his legs shaking, his bangs damp with sweat. He gasped for breath, exhaustion clinging to him like a second skin—something the teacher immediately noticed.
"Student, sit down," she commanded.
Thud! He collapsed into a seat, too drained to hold himself up. Whether it was from exhaustion or fear of the teacher, I didn’t care. I slowly drifted into sleep.
---
2017, June 18 - 9:00 pm
I had a strange dream today... I met a strange guy...
Thud!
I jolted awake as the bus hit a small pothole, a sharp jolt running through my spine.
"Ah, my back," I muttered.
It seemed everyone who had been asleep was now awake as well. I glanced out the window. The sun was setting, casting a breathtaking scene. White clouds fractured the golden light into fragments of a rainbow. A gust of fresh, earthy air passed over my face. It felt cold, so I shut the window and tried to gauge how far we still had to go. Realizing we weren’t close yet, I let my eyes drift shut again.
Before sleep claimed me, I caught a glimpse of the side mirror. The boy from earlier sat upright, staring out the window. His expression wasn’t joyful or sad—it was empty, completely devoid of emotion. His bangs no longer covered his face.
He looks familiar, I thought before drifting off again.
---
I had a strange dream today... I met a strange guy named—
Thutt! (The bus engine shut off.)
"Wake up, student!" The teacher’s voice rang through the bus like the judgment of a god, jolting everyone from their sleep.
I rubbed my eyes and looked outside. The sun was still setting, but the scenery had changed. A moment ago, it had been a village filled with red-soil huts and the fresh aroma of wet earth. Now, towering trees surrounded us, thick with shrubs and creeping vines.
A thought crept into my mind: It feels like the set of a horror movie. Unnerved, I quickly brushed it aside and turned my attention to the teacher.
The students were watching her expectantly, trying to make sense of why we had stopped in such an isolated place.
"Students, there is a small mechanical problem," she announced. "But don’t worry, the driver says it will only take a few minutes to fix."
Her reassurance did little to calm the growing unease. Complaints erupted, voices overlapping in frustration at our eerie surroundings.
But the teacher quickly quelled the unrest, displaying the authority of her years in this profession.
"Teacher, can we relieve ourselves in the woods?" a boy asked.
Laughter erupted, mainly from the girls. The sound spilled into the trees and echoed back strangely, as if the forest itself were laughing with us.
"You can, but you must take a friend with you," the teacher replied, keeping the mood light.
By now, the sun had fully set. Groups of students began forming, heading off into the woods.
I raised my hand. My only close friend, Josh, had already gone outside with others, but it didn’t bother me. The teacher was pairing up those who didn’t have a group.
"Who else wants to go?" she asked.
My eyes drifted—almost unconsciously—toward the long-banged boy. He had raised his hand.
We walked a little further away from the bus’s light. Neither of us spoke at first. Maybe, like me, he didn’t feel comfortable doing his business too close to the others.
"Are you from another class?" I asked, my voice hoarse from disuse.
"Y-yeah," he answered. His face looked pale, sweat visible at his temples.
He must be nervous. This atmosphere… yeah, it’s unsettling, I thought, acknowledging that even I was starting to feel uneasy.
"W-what’s your name?" he asked.
The full moon had just begun to rise, casting a red glow over the trees. The air grew colder. I shivered.
"Subba. And yours?" I asked casually.
"R-Ryan."
The world fell silent.
Laughter, footsteps, rustling leaves—all sound died. Even the insects and birds had stopped. It was as if the darkness itself had swallowed everything.
The moon’s glow deepened, turning crimson. My body tensed stopping my pee completely. A sudden memory surfaced—no, not a memory. A dream. A meaningless fragment from years ago, buried in my old diary.
2017, June 18 – 9:00 PM
"Oh, I had a strange dream today... I met a strange guy named Ryan..."
"He killed me."