Arya ran in a frantic hurry, pushing through the thick fog that swallowed the streets. Around him, old, empty shophouses stood like silent witnesses to a time long past. Weeds had begun to creep up the crumbling walls. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body drenched in sweat despite the biting cold.
Through the fog, faint shapes began to emerge. A small figure with a bald head and gray skin darted past the edge of his vision, clutching a worn cloth sack—a tuyul. Not far from there, a lanky creature with impossibly long arms stood motionless, its face unclear but its presence suffocating. A soft laughter drifted through the cold air, cutting through it like a blade—a kuntilanak. Her voice was like a song that beckoned, making Arya feel as though he was being watched.
*"I feel like I've seen them before,"* Arya thought. But he pushed the familiarity aside. There was no time to dwell on strange things. He had to keep running.
His steps finally halted in front of an old Dutch-style house, a relic from the forties, now overgrown with weeds. The building looked fragile yet still stood stubbornly upright, as if daring anyone to come near. There, Arya felt an oppressive aura that made the hairs on his neck stand on end.
From inside the house, a thin but clear voice drifted out, like wind turning into words.
"Are you human?" the old woman's voice asked, high-pitched and sharp.
Arya swallowed hard, confused and afraid. "Of course. What, do I look like a ghost?" he muttered under his breath, trying to steady himself.
Suddenly, the gate swung wide open with a sharp creak, as if inviting him in. But there was something more than an invitation—an invisible pull began dragging Arya toward the house.
"What the—?!" Arya tried to fight it, planting his feet into the ground.
But his legs weren't strong enough to resist the pull. In his panic, he slipped and fell to the ground. Arya squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back the fear that kept crashing into him.
"Hey… would you be my friend?" A soft female voice sounded very close, right in front of him.
Arya slowly opened his eyes. Before him sat a beautiful woman with copper-red hair, wearing a dark blue dress. Her face was adorned with a wide smile, her eyes sparkling bright like someone who had just found something delightful.
"Wh—who are you? Aren't you the woman I saw jumping from the campus building?" Arya asked, his voice trembling.
He was still shaken and terrified by this absurd situation. The woman's smile only widened.
"Isn't that a bit much? I'm Alena. Rika Alena. Who are you?" she answered cheerfully, her voice so warm it strangely put Arya a little more at ease.
Rika extended her hand, offering help to Arya, who was still sitting on the ground. Arya stared at her in bewilderment, studying the bright smile plastered across her face.
*"Where did she even come from? She wasn't there before,"* Arya thought, trying to process what had just happened.
Everything felt like a nightmare that was far too real.
"How did you sneak into my place, you cursed creature?" The old woman's shrill voice suddenly rang out, full of rage.
The voice was clearly directed at Rika. But Rika ignored it completely. Her eyes remained fixed on Arya, and her smile never wavered.
"So, what do you say? Would you like to be my friend?" Rika asked again, her tone full of hope.
Arya let out a long breath, trying to push past his confusion.
"Mmm… how should I put this? First, appearing out of nowhere in front of someone is rude because it's startling. And second, what was that about? You jumped from the top of a building? I clearly saw you sprawled on the ground floor. You had me worried, you know!" Arya answered, half-teasing, half-annoyed.
Rika furrowed her brow, confused by Arya's reaction.
*"What's wrong with this guy?"* she thought to herself.
"Ignoring your elders when they speak is incredibly rude," the old woman's voice came again, sharper this time.
From inside the house, her form slowly began to appear. At first, the old woman looked like a blurry shadow merging with the darkness inside. But as she stepped out, her body changed. The shadow stretched, her skin turned sleek and shining, and her body transformed into a massive white serpent.
The serpent's eyes blazed with fury, glaring sharply at Rika and Arya.
"Unfortunately, we're only passing through, so we can't stay for the feast. I hope—"
Rika didn't get to finish her sentence. Arya suddenly grabbed her hand. The movement was so abrupt that Rika stumbled, trying to keep her balance. But Arya didn't care. He kept pulling Rika away from the old house, as if his life depended on how fast they could escape.
Behind them, the hiss of the great serpent grew louder, echoing through the fog.