《Dark Abyss Genesis》


 Phase 1.1 The Unsuspecting Party

    The rain is pouring down noisily, drowning other voices including the teacher¡¯s voice in front of the class. It was already a pretty boring class and this rain made Reza drowsier. The view outside the window was dark as cloud covered the sky and few times a flash of thunder would appear followed by thundering roar shaking the earth. It was a really heavy rainstorm.


    The school bell rung but there is nowhere to go in this rain. He just sat there after putting his notebook into the bag, holding his head with his hand as he sighed.


    ¡°Are you not going home?¡± a girl with bob hair approaches him. It was the vice class rep, Nia. ¡°I mean¡­ sure, it¡¯s raining. I suppose you didn¡¯t bring an umbrella. I can lend you one.¡±


    ¡°No need, thanks for the offer though.¡± Reza flashed a smile to her before dismissing her.


    ¡°Well, if you ever change your mind, I¡¯ll be in the library.¡± Nia went off on her own. She probably have her friend waiting in the library. There is quite a lot of homework for next week so they probably are working on it together. He entertained the thought of visiting them and get all the help he could but there is a sudden business he need to attend.


    It was cold and he needed to pee. Without much thought he took off with his bag to the bathroom. Seems like he is not the only one who thought to wait for the rain to ease off.


    And he¡¯s not the only one who feels the cold and needed to do their business. He cursed his luck as he stand on the line. The guy with square eye glasses in front of him seems to be holding up really well. So while waiting, he spoke to him.


    ¡°Oh, hey. Yeah, it¡¯s pretty darn long. Who knew everyone is going to take shelter in school.¡± Andre sighed.


    ¡°Why are you still here anyway?¡± Reza asked out of driving the conversation forward. He isn¡¯t particularly interested or curious, but it¡¯s a good distraction.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m with my friends at the library doing the homework mister Susanto gave. He is such an ass for giving us so many task.¡±


    ¡°Is it the one where you have to complete all of the practice section in the textbook?¡± Reza inquired as Mr. Susanto is the same teacher teaching him Math.


    ¡°Yeah, you got that as well? You should join us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come later.¡±


    After holding it for a while, he was able to let it all out. Once his business ended, he went to the canteen and took a tuna mayo-stuffed bread wrapped in plastic. As he turns back, somebody bumped into him.


    He is the mysterious guy. His name is apparently Dama. There is not much known about him, but he seems to be a really asocial person. He rarely talk and even after bumping to Reza, his voice was so quiet that Reza can barely hear his voice. It wasn''t a big deal so Reza just let it pass.


    Looking at him, Reza didn¡¯t know what to feel. The image of the weaker, less sociable version of himself sprung in his mind. That edgy junior highschooler would always walk alone on school corridor, bumping to pretty much everyone, eating in the most secluded place ever and thinking that he is the only person that understand him.


    What a time.


    He shook his head to forget all those memories. They are things from the past and he is just happy to be where he is right now, a normal senior highschool student doing senior highschool student things. No need to dwell in the dark past.


    He moved along the corridor before finally finding the library. After putting his bag in a locker, he put his note book, stationery, and his bread to a transparent totebag. It took no time before he finally spotted Nia and Andre in a discussion room tucked in a corner.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The room was filled by six people before Reza comes in. They were sitting before a large oval table that can accommodate ten people. After Nia and Andre greeted him, he noticed two of his classmates and other student that he didn¡¯t really know.


    ¡°You want to join us? That¡¯s awesome!¡± exclaimed Nia once Reza stated his intention coming here.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you are the kind of guy who would go into this kind of study group,¡± Rita greeted him while a girl wearing hijab named Jihan just say hi.


    ¡°Neither do I. It¡¯s better than just sitting in the class doing nothing.¡±


    ¡°That make sense, anyway welcome! I hope you don¡¯t come here just to get free answer!¡±


    It was what Reza had hoped but it won¡¯t hurt him to use a bit of his brain. ¡°Thank you. So where are we right now?¡±


    It was a nice study session. Reza didn¡¯t put much input but nobody really mind as long as they keep progressing through the homework. There is a lot occasional break where they just talk about anything.


    ¡°Have you heard the news?¡± Rita, while her eyes wide open, excitedly recount the news that reported this morning. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there is a wild animal in our city!¡±


    ¡°The description was pretty gory, I¡¯d say.¡± Bambang, Andre¡¯s classmates along with Zion, replied just as excitedly as Rita. The news did take quite a buzz that everyone has been talking about it all day. ¡°This city might not be the most advance city in the country, but wild animal shouldn¡¯t be here! The zoo probably lost one of its collection.¡±


    ¡°But shouldn¡¯t there already be an announcement about that?¡± Jihan gave a really good point. The headline of the news should¡¯ve been ¡®A Zoo Animal Ran Away And Mauled A Passer-by!¡¯


    ¡°What kind of animal is that anyway? The one that killed a person?¡± Rita¡¯s eye is brimming with curiosity.


    ¡°Nobody seems to see or notice what animal attacking the poor guy,¡± answered Bambang. ¡°Considering our country, I¡¯ll say a tiger.¡±


    ¡°But, that doesn¡¯t make any sense? Not only this city is far away from any forest, tiger is considered extinct especially one that is endemic to our island.¡± Nia objected because exactly five years ago it was announced that the last tiger who used to rule this land finally died.


    ¡°Well, what if it¡¯s not just ordinary tiger. It¡¯s the white tiger?¡±


    ¡°But white tiger doesn¡¯t exist in this country?¡±


    ¡°No, No, No. THE White Tiger. The mythical beast of old kingdom!¡±


    Silent filled the air around us. The White Tiger is one of the legendary folklore from this country. It is said that in the age of sword and shield, people are actually able to contact the other world and draw power from it. Some are even able to summon entity from the other side. In this story, the king of old kingdom were waging war with colonizer from Europe. In order to repel them, they form a pact with the mythical being called the White Tiger to bring its army to help old kingdom repeling them.


    However, it is just a mere folklore. They probably just brought a tiger from India to fight those colonizer. Nia seems to be on the same train of thought. ¡°It¡¯s just a folklore. While we should respect it, as it is one of our few heritage left protected, doesn¡¯t mean we can believe every word of its story.¡±


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Andre finally speak up anxiously, ¡°we should take the news as a warning. This is the first of it, but since the perpetrator has yet to be found, I think there will be more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good! We don¡¯t need to go to school for the sake of our safety!¡± Bambang excitedly interject Andre.


    ¡°As much as I want that, I don¡¯t think the school are going to permit that unless they specifically ordered us to. The thing is, they aren¡¯t going to take a stance or anything until things get out of control.¡±


    ¡°So what should we do?¡± Rita, seems to be worried by all of this, asked a question in response to Nia''s statement.


    ¡°We should make a group to go home.¡±


    Reza thought the idea of going home in group is not a bad idea ¨Che just don¡¯t know who he is going with. His house seems to be the opposite of everyone¡¯s direction. So, it¡¯s not like he doesn¡¯t want to be together with other, it¡¯s just he can¡¯t.


    All of that is something to worry for later. Right now, they were able to come back to their study, or rather, redirecting their worry to their study. Reza, and probably everyone in the room, seems to be troubled with that piece of news. Rita apologized for ruining the mood but they just handwaved it and focusing more on the study.


    All of those talk and discussion made his throat feels dry, ¡°I¡¯m gonna get some water.¡±


    ¡°Could you check outside? If the rain stop or at least ease off a bit, we should end this early.¡±


    Reza just gave a nod of approval before taking his break. He walked down the corridor to canteen when he passed Dama again. This time they didn¡¯t bump and Reza just ignored him. After getting a water bottle he walked to the nearest window. The rain has subsided. He noticed there is no longer sound of rain hitting the roof of the school.


    For a second, he saw a man standing in the open before he blinked and that man is gone in an instant.


    This might be just his imagination so he ignored it and went back to the library. After telling the group that the rain has stopped, they pack their things up and went home immediately. They went in group except Reza. He thought it would be fine as long as he open his eyes on the surrounding. Luckily, nothing happened to him. On his bed, he hoped that the news was just a one time occurrence.

 Phase 1.2 Who Lurks in the Dark

    ¡°It happened again,¡± said Nia whimpering. The prospect of serial killer wandering around her is terrifying to say the least. Even when she go home together with Rita and Jihan yesterday, she can¡¯t stop looking behind and that freak the other two out.


    Even going to school this morning was not exactly a pleasant journey. It felt like someone is watching her. Now that she is here, it should be safer, not that the anxiety wears off. The news reported another animal attack in the same fashion of the last one.


    ¡°It should be fine. What¡¯s the worst thing that can happen in class?¡± Reza who were sitting in front of her replied nonchalantly. He seems to be as listless as always and she couldn¡¯t figure out what¡¯s in his mind. He is not exactly the most convincing person but she is just happy to be able to talk with somebody and take her mind off the news.


    "I guess you are right."


    They talked a bit before the class finally started. It went pretty normal and uneventful. She wasn¡¯t really paying attention to it since her mind is going awry. Andre seems to notice it while they were sitting in school¡¯s canteen at break time.


    ¡°You look troubled.¡±


    ¡°Was it obvious?¡±


    ¡°To me at least.¡±


    Her face slowly turns red. It was embarrassing for her to be read like a book. ¡°Yeah. The news really bother me. And it happened again last night.¡±


    ¡°If you are worried, I can accompany you going home.¡±


    ¡°Really? Are you sure? Our home is in the same general direction but we¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll keep you company until you are home.¡±


    It was heartwarming for her to see someone trying to protect her. She was always worrying other people, helping them in the time of need. Never before she felt the need to worry about something other than others. Worrying about herself was ¡­ unpleasant. This feeling of vulnerabilty was something new and invasive. Growing anxiety pervades her body as she thought about her being in a dangerous situation.


    So hearing Andre saying that he is going to protect her was reassuring. He reminded her of her brother since he is all she had after her parents died in a car crash. They both smiled at each other before moving on to talk about something else. Their conversation is drowned among sea of students talking with other students. The noise might not be a problem for them, but some people prefer place with less noise. That¡¯s the reason why Reza chose to stay in the class. After his friend lend him their notebook, he refused to join him in canteen and stay in his own seat.


    ¡°Still the same mister lonesome from junior highschool?¡± Rita along with Jihan come approached him. It¡¯s the first time she approached him directly even though they kind of knew each other since junior high, so he was taken aback.


    He just ignored her remarks and replied, ¡°what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like having lunch with the boys, what about with me and Jihan?¡±


    ¡°That was sudden.¡±


    They¡¯ve just started talking yesterday and Reza was a bit baffled that now he was invited to lunch by a girl. All of this is happening pretty quickly so he thought she wanted something from him. However, seeing that there is nothing else worth doing, he agreed with a condition.


    They arrived at quieter part of the school. It was somewhere in the back of it. Before them is a small garden and a wall that gave off the impression of authority. It erected pretty high so that no student shall ever tresspass.


    ¡°Really? You bring us here?¡± Rita complained as this place gave off a rather chilling presence to her. Jihan seems to be a bit bothered too albeit not as much as Rita.


    ¡°This is my condition.¡±


    ¡°You look like an edgelord here you know?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, I just like quiet place. So you wanna talk or not?¡±


    ¡°Before that, where is your lunch?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡±


    ¡°What?! I thought we are having lunch?¡±


    ¡°If I wanted to have lunch I will go to canteen and buy something first.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡­.¡± Knowing that arguing further won¡¯t solve anything, Rita instead opened her lunch box. ¡°Here, take a slice.¡±


    Reza took a look at the box before eyeing her, ¡°Salad sandwhich?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°Is there mayonnaise in it?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it¡±


    As he bite into it he can taste all the ingredient despite all of them tasting the same. Lettuce and tomato is the two ingredients that stood out to him. The real spotlight is mayonnaise. He just loves it that he put mayo to pretty much any food he eats.


    ¡°So, what do you want to talk about?¡± Reza turned his head to Rita as he finished his food.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know actually. Don¡¯t get me wrong! I actually wanted to talk about ¡­ something. But now that we are on the quieter side of the school, I have other things in mind that¡¯s bothering me for a while.¡±


    Reza wasn¡¯t too keen to listening what she has to say. He wasn''t really a social person and as much as he has evolved from the edgy loner he was in junior high, he''s still not acquainted well with social life especially listening to other¡¯s problem. Sticking his nose in somewhere he shouldn¡¯t be is the last thing he wanted.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    ¡°Because ¡­,¡± Rita¡¯s voice was held at that moment. It was as if she is trying to search the right word or she didn¡¯t know how to say it. ¡°I am worried about Nia and you seems to be close to her.¡±


    ¡°Depends on what you mean by ¡®close¡¯. We do talk pretty often but it was mostly her doing the talking. I¡¯m not much for one. Regardless, what makes you so worried about Nia?¡±


    Rita, again, hesitated. It felt like a really big secret that nobody should ever heard. As she tried to speak, the silence around them are heavy. Very rarely student or even teacher come here. It was the opposite of the cheerful atmosphere the canteen has where Nia and Andre were together.


    The breaktime is almost up. Student started to scatter all over the school making the canteen less noisy than it was. Nia, noticing it, say goodbye and went into her classroom while Andre sat for a bit while holding something in his hand before finally making his way to his own classroom.


    He hold onto it like his life depended on it. After what happened a year ago, life has never been the same for him.


    It was a bit past midnight when he woke up. He thought of going back to sleep but figures out maybe a little bit of water would help his dry throat. As he were drinking, he heard something rustling outside. It might¡¯ve been a thief, he thought.


    So he wait.


    For a while there was no sound at all. There was no movement. It was just silence in the dead of night. He thought he was just imagining things but the moment he turned around, somebody knocked on the window. He hurriedly went to see who it is and was greeted by the face of a woman, black in eyes. It¡¯s face was pale and she was smiling; showing rotten tongue and teeth.


    And she laugh.


    He was frozen in place and lost his consciousness right then and there. It was in this unconsciousness he had a dream. This was a dream, or nightmare, where the city fell into the ruins and swallowed by darkness. Behind the veil of darkness, he can sense something unearth lurking, stalking him.


    They still lurks even in reality. A pair of eyes glowing in the dark.


    Everytime he looks at the dark, they are there not doing anything except watching. Wanting it or not, he always notice them wherever he goes. It was eating his consciousness slowly as he encounter them every night. He needed a light to guide him, to save him.


    And Nia was that light.


    She was brimming with it. Cheerful and easy going. It all started just when they sat side by side in a bus. He started a conversation as they wait for the bus to arrive at the school. It was nice to hear her talks and see her smile. The energy she gave off was heartwarming. It was all good until two days ago.


    Those who lurks in the dark were waiting the chance for them to strike. He was going home from his friend¡¯s house. With his parents away, he thought he can go home a bit late since he held his house key. But then, he saw that. Something out of darkness taking its form under the moon light at the edge of his vision.


    He instinctively ran passing a drunk guy on the street. As he looked back, that guy was shredded to pieces. His scream was caught in his throat. He kept running until he didn¡¯t see that thing again.


    He got home safely. As he close his eyes, he hoped that what he saw was just a nightmare. The next morning was the usual one except nobody is turning on the TV. He woke up too late and was in a hurry. It was a normal day until Rita brought the news in group discussion at the library.


    It was real and it is making its moves. He then went home with Bambang and Zion before part ways as they go to a ramen shop. He walked alone. There was the nagging feeling of something following him. He turned around occasionally hoping he didn¡¯t see anything by the time he looked back.


    ¡°You can feel them, can¡¯t you?¡± said someone who suddenly appeared right in front of him. He was an old man with weird accessory and jewelry all over him. One thing that stood out from him is the agate stone rings on his finger. ¡°I can grant you a way for you to repel them.¡±


    Andre hesitated. This old guy was, after all, a stranger. He doesn¡¯t know him. For all he know, he might have one of those who lurked in the dark. ¡°My mom said to not talk with a stranger, so good bye.¡±


    ¡°So you would prefer to talk with those from the abyss, hmm?¡±


    Andre halted. He can see them too. Was he really one of them or someone like him?


    ¡°I understand your distrust, young man. So, to prove my good faith, I shall lend this Akik stone to you. It won¡¯t hurt you and in fact it will help you repel them. Please take care of it.¡±


    Andre turn around to see the man is extending his hand. On it, a polished agate stone rest on his palm. This old man¡¯s motivation is unknown to him. What will he benefit from this. But even with all that doubt, Andre reach for the gemstone and took it. The old man smiled, ¡°very well. I hope the stone would prove to be useful to you. We¡¯ll meet again but for now, we have to part ways.¡±


    And with that, the man walked away. He held it but nothing felt different. It felt like holding a normal stone. His grandpa also have obsession in collecting the so called Akik stone. It is said that Akik stone can contain a Djinn, or hold somekind of supranatural power. Of course, he didn¡¯t believe that. He still don¡¯t believe that.


    This is just stone after all. He didn¡¯t see the need to overthink it so he just hold it in his pocket and walk home.


    It was 3 A.M. when he woke up to a laughing noise inside his house. He stood up half naked as he investigated the sound. He took a peek through his bedroom door and saw a woman in white just stand there. Her hair was black, tangled, and dry.


    He started hearing a woman¡¯s laugh and in a blink of an eye, her black eyes stared right to his. He jumped back knocking several things off his desk. The door slams open revealing the Kuntilanak. She hover closer to him as he back himself to a corner. That¡¯s when he noticed the Akik stone on the floor near the leg of the table. He rushed to pick it up as the Kuntilanak fly to him.


    The moment he grabbed the stone, darkness enveloped him. He looked around only to be greeted by a voice, "I wonder what business you have with me, son of Adam?"


    "Who are you?" Andre instinctively replied.


    "Who am I does not matter. What matter is your heart''s desire," the voice answered. "Tell me, and I shall grant it."


    "I don''t trust you."


    "Very well, I shall help you for this once. We shall meet again and then you will know what is it your heart truly long for."


    As he blink, the room is now empty. The Kuntilanak vanished without any trace.


    It took him a long while before finally able to register what had just happen. It was ghost, a demonic presence. It was supposed to be just a story to scare children. A folklore. A myth. If creature or entity like that would be roaming this land, turning what supposed to be a place for the living to live into the land of scary things, what would this world be?


    The nightmare he had. The city falling into ruin and enveloped by the darkness.


    Was it a premonition? But how did he stop that? How to stop the nightmare he had to not turn into reality. There has to be a way. He doubt the ability to defend himself even though it seems he has the power. The power to protect him and everyone dear to him. When the day of the dark where sun no longer shine arrive, he will have to rely on this sketchy power.


    When that time comes... No, that''d be too late. Even now, he has to protect Nia. He stood in front of the gate after the school ended. He saw her smiling along with her friend Rita. She wave at him the moment she noticed him. That smile, that smile is something worth protecting.


    "Hope you don''t mind me tagging along for a bit."


    "The more the merrier." Andre answered Rita. "It would be safer especially at times like this. But where is Jihan? Usually you two are inseparable."


    Rita just shrug off the question. "She needs to meet Miss Andri. She is with Frida last time i see her, so she should be safe."


    He may not be well acquainted with Jihan but she is, after all, Nia''s friend. He wanted to wait for her. Nia and Rita seems to agree and head back to school waiting for Jihan. The sky this afternoon is clear and bright. There shouldn''t be problem to go home a bit late.