Second time. The present instance is the second time this has happened to Ruth. She pondered deeply for a moment and then wiped her face.
Thalia was surprised after using the restroom. Suddenly, she started walking alone in the dense forest. She had been with Jasmin earlier. Thalia thought they would return to their respective tents together.
She blames herself because she neglected Ruth, and Jasmin got caught up in her foolishness.
The security measures implemented by their teacher became even stricter, because even now, she is still worried that something might happen to them again.
They have been at the campsite for two days; if she hadn't joined, nothing unusual would have happened. It seems that luck is following her, and it keeps coming one after another today.
Even though she doesn't know Jasmin very well, she is still worried. Until now, there is still no report on whether she has been found or not.
The teachers continued with the activities. However, it became even stricter for them, especially for women like them.
Thalia notices that the surroundings still seem alert. Despite the ongoing activity, the environment remains alert. Women are no longer allowed to go out or venture into the dense forest alone.
Tonight, I will search for Jasmin alone. That was the sole thought that resonated in her mind at that moment.
Even though Ericka was quiet, even though they weren't talking, she had a strong feeling that she would sneak out tonight to look for her missing friend.
She didn't want to be blamed or carry the burden of guilt; there was nothing wrong with trying to find Jasmin.
She looked at Ruth then, just shaking her head; she always seemed to forget the things she did.
Thalia didn't blame Ruth; she was always puzzled by her actions.
It got dark quickly, and she knew that their teachers were checking each tent one by one to see if any students were missing because of what happened. They can no longer just leave their tent unless they have a valid reason and a teacher chaperone.
Thalia can only sigh, wondering how she will sneak out later to find Jasmin on her own.
Where should I start looking for her? She found herself questioning her thoughts at that time. She had no clue where to start in her planned search for her companion.
Trust your instinct. She thought to herself.
After the students ate, they still had a small program to cover up the fear of some students.
At nine o'clock, they have their curfew; they need to have used the restroom or prepared themselves for sleep. She was right; their teacher was indeed accompanying them wherever they were going.
"Go to sleep now." Back then, their teacher looked at them and said, "Go to sleep now." They had no choice because they wouldn't be left alone if no one would sleep with them.
Thalia will just wait until she falls asleep and her surroundings quiet down. After a while, she dozed off while waiting for her surroundings to quiet down.
A rustle or movement from her companions woke her up a little later. She was startled awake and looked at the clock; it turned out the clock in their tent wasn't set correctly.
It was still set to nine o'clock. She looked at her wristwatch; it was already midnight.
Thalia saw a shadow; she didn't know who owned the shadow she saw. She even saw it walking out.
The surroundings were quiet then; she heard not a single sound, only nature whispering in the silent midnight.
She quietly left without letting anyone know she had done so because she was curious. She saw the woman hiding in the forest.
She followed her.
Maybe I have a lead in finding Jasmin. Thalia thought to herself.
She didn't notice that she had brought the ribbon their teacher gave them yesterday. It's a thin ribbon. Thalia was about to throw away that ribbon, but someone whispered to her not to throw it away.
So, she just tucked it into her pocket and quickly followed the shadow of the woman.
She couldn't make out her face; she just mustered the courage to follow her. With the help of the moonlight, she could see the path she was taking. Thalia thought they were already in the heart of the forest.
The shadow she was following suddenly stopped; she even saw it looking around, as if checking if anyone was following. She frowned when Thalia recognized the woman's face.
She immediately pulled it. The woman was about to scream when she recognized who it was.
"Ericka?" Thalia asked in surprise.
"Thalia," Ericka said, surprised as well.
"What are you doing here?" That's all. Thalia asked questions of Ericka.
Ericka immediately looked around, her gaze alert as if searching for something in the surroundings.
Suddenly, Ericka pulled her.
"Why?" She only had one question back then.
"Shh."
They walked quickly as if they were being followed. Her curiosity nagged at her even more.
"Who are we following?" She asked her companion softly.
"Yes, Ruth."
"Huh?"
"She's sleepwalking."
Thalia didn't know what to answer.
"Whether you believe me or not," Ericka swallowed hard before continuing to speak. "There's a woman with her that you can't see."
Her hair stood on end, and it seemed like a cold breeze was blowing.
"Where is she going?"
"I don't know either." That's all Ericka said to her.
She noticed a familiar place that she had seen in her dream that seemed to be happening for real.
They noticed a warehouse that had been vacant for some time. Thalia suddenly felt a chill. It seemed like her mind was telling her not to proceed to the warehouse they were seeing.
She saw someone suddenly pull Ruth's hand, and she hid in the shade of the tree. She noticed the light of a flashlight, as if someone was looking for something. They were also hiding at that time.
"Where is it now?" They heard the conversation.
They exchanged glances, and Ericka signaled for silence. With the help of the moonlight, they saw two men whose faces they couldn't recognize.
Her body and mind were alerting her not to attract the attention of the men they were watching. They were wearing a mask and a black jacket.
"Let's find it. Stop complaining."
"It hasn't gone far yet. That's a woman, and they can't escape us."
There, she understood where they were. They really need to go back immediately so their teacher will know the situation.
The two men who were talking immediately left. They are still listening to the receding footsteps.
"We need to leave."
"Are you crazy? What about Ruth?" She asked her companion.
"Our teacher needs to know that."
"I'm not leaving without Ruth!" Thalia said firmly to Ericka.
They noticed that they could hear some noise. They were scared and confused about where to hide.
The footsteps of the men they saw were getting closer and closer; it seemed they were walking quickly towards where they were standing and arguing.
Suddenly, someone pulled them. That's why they were hiding in the garden back then.
"What are you talking about? There are no people here." Thalia heard the complaint.
"I heard some women talking."
"You might be haunted."
A man has been standing still for quite a while.
"Let's go; let's not waste time." Said the companion.
After a while, the men they saw started walking away. They didn't talk for a while.
They looked to see who pulled them.
She was surprised by what she saw.
A woman with messy hair, wearing a hooded jacket and casual sleepwear.
"Jasmin," Thalia said.
She breathed a sigh of relief then. She even saw Ericka hug Jasmin, clearly worried about her.
"Come on, this place isn't safe." Jasmin whispered back then.
She noticed that Ruth was surprised, as if she were processing what had happened. She quickly pulled Ruth, and Ericka followed them, silent. They wanted to escape back then, and the only thing on their minds now was safety, as they traversed a dense forest back then.