Chapter 4: The Mysterious Young Lady and Secret Diary

Chapter 4: The Mysterious Young Lady and  Secret Diary

Not long after, a booking was made. It was unusual for the resort to have guests, and this time, a single woman came to stay. She looked like a modern-day hippie, carrying a large bag and strolling slowly towards the resort. She appeared to be around 25 years old, the same generation as Phak.

She stood at a height of 170 cm, had an oval-shaped face, and a single pair of eyes that could melt hearts when she smiled, framed by long eyelashes. Her lips were a fresh, rosy pink, resembling rose petals, and her eyes resembled pearls, like the eyes of a young half-Chinese, half-Thai girl with Chinese-Thai heritage.

"Hello," the young woman greeted with a wave. Phak, who was sitting in the resort's lobby, suddenly straightened up.

"Uh, um, hello. Um, did you come to inquire about a room?" Phak stammered, not used to having guests. The woman in front of him laughed and smiled, leaving Phak somewhat stunned, especially by her beauty.

"Oh, I happen to be staying here as well."

"Um, I'll contact the person who takes care of it for me shortly. By the way, we know each other. They should be outside together."

"Well, no need to rush. You seem very polite. Haha, quite adorable."

"Oh, alright, I'll contact the person in charge of the rooms. We happen to know each other," Phak stammered, still surprised. The woman in front of him laughed and smiled, leaving Phak somewhat stunned, especially by her beauty.

Before they could delve into a more extended conversation, Phak quickly grabbed his phone to call the resort's manager, the person in charge of the rooms. He didn't want to appear more flustered than he already was, as that might make him stumble over his words and make a bad impression on her.

"What's your name, by the way? I'm Phak," he finally managed to say.

"I'm Rose. Nice to meet you," she replied with a gentle smile.

"Alright, I'll wait here," she added, motioning towards the counter.

Phak didn't hesitate to pick up his phone and call both of them before his nervousness made him appear even more awkward. Otherwise, he might just stumble over his words as he tried to get to know her.

"Um..." "About 5 seconds, I suppose. They're not too far from here."

"It's really quiet and peaceful here, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

"I really like it here."

"Me too. You might just fall in love with this place, too, you know. Hehe." "Are you here alone?"

"Oh, two of us..."

"Just kidding."

"Did you come here to mend a broken heart?"

"In this generation, there's no one with a broken heart anymore."

"Which generation are you from? You look quite young."

"Oh, forget about it. I'm not that old."

"Well, if you want something, just let me know. I'll be right here in the lobby."

"Alright, thank you."

"No problem."

"Before long, Nick and Night drove up just as Phak was about to return to the lobby. Shortly after, both of them entered the lobby, which was our usual spot.

"Good to see you, all smiles."

"Looking and knowing, huh? What are you thinking?"

"Thinking something crazy? she's a customer."

"Yeah, she's a customer, but you're quite a customer yourself, haha."

"Well, just got a bit too friendly with the resort owner earlier."

"she might already have a husband," Nick slyly asked."

"Cut the act. If you like any girl on the island, just say you have a husband. Everyone on this island does that. Keep to yourself."

"And you, little sister, aren't any different with two kids already, haha." (referring to a beach girl)

"Oh, you got me, haha."

While everyone was in the lobby as usual,

"What are you guys up to? I see you in the lobby every day."

"Oh, just hanging out at our usual spot. Um, you can use this space too." "Um, this is Nick and Night."

"Hello there, both of you," Night and Nick said simultaneously.

"Just chilling," Nick said to make Rose feel relaxed and not pressured. "Okay, I'm Rose. Age-wise, we're all quite close."

"Night is 25, I'm 26."

"And Nick is 28, the oldest among us, haha."

Before Nick gave a puzzled look...

Rose, dressed in a red bikini, looked stunning as she played in the waterfall, leaving everyone in awe of her beauty and figure. However, Phak seemed different today, somewhat abnormal. He didn't appear as joyful as usual. Before long, Phak began to withdraw, unlike his usual self. These days, he seemed to go everywhere alone. When the day arrived for Rose to return, it seemed that Phak had been staying in his room throughout the evening. He only left when Rose checked out

at 6:30 AM the next morning.

Night woke up early as usual but didn't find Phak, who typically woke up early to run and prepare breakfast, before Nick came down.

"Oh, Night, good morning."

"Good morning."

"Where's Phak?"

"Don't know, just like that, big brother. He usually stays in the lobby."

"Alright, take it easy. Seems like I got a message from him this morning."

"It's urgent at home. I'll be back. See you soon." The message from the chat.

"Leave without saying goodbye, you crazy person," Nick said, shaking his head. 

Not long after, Night went in to clean the room, but it seemed like the room had already been cleaned and nothing was out of the ordinary.

One week later, Night checked in to clean the room as usual.

"Phak's room seemed to be infested with ants. Their trail led to a wooden plank that seemed to have a small opening for them to enter. Night had to lift the wooden plank to check what was inside.

It was a hidden notebook, a black one, placed next to some snacks and a piece of brown sugar.

"Nick!!! Phak seems to have forgotten this, it was hidden under the bed."

"What?! How could he forget it or something? I'll try calling him."

"....No answer from Number."

After several unsuccessful attempts to reach him, they had to call someone at Phak's home."

"Hello, It's Nick here. Phak left something behind."

"It will be fine wherever it ends up. No need to call."

Click... The abrupt response left Nick wondering what had happened.

"Night, hold on to it for now. If anything, I'll try to contact him."

"Okay." In the midst of this unfolding situation, Night's curiosity led him to read through the notebook, hoping to find something interesting.

  Island Exploration Journal

Day 1: Today, I arrived at this island. It's a tranquil and straightforward island for traveling. It's just as beautiful as I imagined, with stunning natural scenery.

Day 2: I began to explore the daily routines of the people in the island's area. In the evening, I drove around the island, exploring it like any typical tourist. I visited a Seven-Eleven store near the pier and encountered many tourists. Interacting with them somewhat lifted my spirits."

"Day 4: In the evening, I played soccer with the local island community. At 5:00 PM, I decided to drive around continuously until I found a soccer field. I asked for permission to join in, and the people on this island, who are generally welcoming and open to newcomers, allowed me to participate. I'm quite adaptable to the local culture, and before the soccer practice every evening, I manage to have conversations and get to know the people in the area reasonably well.

Day 6: Among the group of older athletes, a 50-year-old man initiated a conversation with me."

"Where are you from, young man?"

"I'm staying around here."

"Are you the owner of the resort?"

"Oh, no. I'm just here for a vacation."

"I thought you might be King's grandson," he might be referring to Nick and Night, whom the people on the island seem to know but haven't seen much of.

"Well, it's great to know you're into exercising. Nowadays, young folks, come and join us as a team."

"ok"

After the soccer game, the 50-year-old uncle invited me."

"Feel free to join me for a boat ride sometime, hehe," the uncle extended an unserious invitation. After all, who would genuinely invite a stranger for a boat ride?

"I'm afraid I won't wake up, sir, hehe."

"Young people these days, hehe."

"In addition, there was a group of island politicians discussing local elections on this island. One of them was a member of the municipal council. I could tell from their conversation that they were discussing politics and some local secrets about this place. They seemed concerned, but it was hard to hear them clearly since they were careful about what they said with me around.

In the soccer group, there were also government officials, police officers, teachers, and hotel staff. It seemed like this island had a diverse mix of professions, with almost every occupation represented here."

"On the 8th day, we made friends with the neighbors in the room next door, fellow tourists. Sometimes, it's a good sign of a pleasant trip. But who comes to stay in a remote area like this? She seemed relatively peaceful, but on the flip side, she didn't seem interested in interacting with us.

On the 10th day, I decided to do something crazy. I had been swimming at the beach in front of the resort for 2-3 rounds until I thought it was getting monotonous. I needed a challenge, something more difficult. So, I swam to a liquor store!!! And Nick was waiting for me there.

I started swimming from the beach, and halfway through the 2 km journey, I took a break in the middle of the sea, which had a reasonable depth. There were rocks, seaweed, and even some fishing equipment beneath. The water was quite cold, not as warm as when there was sand to step on. It was so cold that it felt like it was numbing my feet. My legs felt like they were covered in seaweed or something similar. I had to exert a lot of effort to kick and had to swim at a diagonal angle to save my energy. I was so exhausted that I almost lost consciousness."

"After exhausting myself to the point of almost losing consciousness, I accidentally dozed off for a minute. The first thing I saw when I woke up was like being in a nightmare—a dark, eerie world, swaying and dimly lit. It was like a trance. But then I noticed a woman waving her hands in front of me, breaking the trance, and finally, I regained my consciousness. I saw her wrist, which had a rainbow-colored bracelet. I couldn't remember her face, as it was distorted by the reflection of the sea and the overly bright moonlight. I could only recall the greeting before a man who had come with her called her back..."

  I just came up from the beach, looking all cool like a character from Fast and Furious, before the girls and guys gave me curious looks, wondering what this guy was up to. I walked into the liquor store and went to see my brother. The store owner recognized me from that day onwards, since no one had ever done something like that since they opened the shop.

On the 12th, there was a lot of commotion early in the morning at the resort. While I was coming out of my room in the morning, it seemed like the monkeys had started to invade the resort. Normally, they would stay in the forest, and they probably didn't have much food there, so they came looking for food here.

On the 13th, and it seemed like there was something happening every day. While everyone was in the first-floor lobby, suddenly, there was the sound of a dog barking from the neighboring resort. Before everyone came out, before my brother Nick said, ...

Snake!!!

he seem quite knowledgeable about snakes because he used to raise them in high school.

"This one's not venomous," you said, as you skillfully handled it with a stick, looking like a pro. But when it started to approach "Mae Bia" 1(Snake hissing), just before your supposed expertise turned into doing nothing, the band fell apart.

Cobra snakes!!!

Yeah, not just your regular snakes. Not long after that, when the snakes came down from the trees, they were attacked and killed by the resort's dogs.

Two snakes, one bitten in the head, and the dogs didn't get injured at all. Those cute little dogs turned into something terrifying and ominous in the blink of an eye. Professional snake killers, indeed.

On the 14th, it's normal for there to be some rain, storms, and occasional power outages. The reason is usually due to fallen power poles, which often require electricity crews to come and repair them.

On the 16th, there's various news about events on the island. Weather warnings regarding heavy rain and landslides, marital issues, criminal cases, and the disappearance of a young woman make it hard not to wonder if this place can be so scary.

On the 17th, the electricity crews go to repair the fallen power pole, and they stumble upon the bodies of two individuals who had died in a remote curve less than a kilometer apart. What's peculiar is that they were island workers, and they had been missing for 1 year and 3 years respectively before they were found dead. Normally, when people go missing, we actively search for them.

Here, no one seems to care that much, and even the police in the area don't give it much importance. Perhaps it's due to the dark influence of this island. If you don't have money or power, they won't pay much attention to you.

On the 18th, I started exploring the area by driving around the island, following various tourist spots. I came across interesting things and conducted many investigations. This island seems to have a history worth exploring.

On the 25th, after continuous exploration of the island, I became curious about an old-looking sailing ship that we first encountered on the first day. I wanted to capture beautiful shots from a high vantage point on the beach. The ship was indeed old and appeared to be unused for many years. Climbing up to take pictures, I found something more than expected. I noticed that the entrances to each level and each room inside the ship were heavily locked. Being skilled in picking locks, I couldn't resist the urge and used my tools to gain entry. Inside the ship, the air was quite humid and dark, so I had to use the flashlight on my phone to illuminate it. I came across something fascinating.

There were many old photos from the 18xx era, and I got lost in one of the rooms that contained photos taken with what appeared to be old wooden cameras from around 1836. These photos included a group picture and the faces of some individuals that had almost faded away. They seemed to be people who had traveled on the ship, and it was a photo taken at a particular location. In the background, there was a flower garden, and it was written, "Joseph Norfolk." Underneath that collection of photos, there were several sheets of paper with a peculiar message:

"The land that seems like a paradise built with true beauty, it is the land of Heaven and Hell. It is the price one must pay for having a life."

Joseph Norfolk, 1836 

I discovered something hidden within the sailing ship, a wooden box surrounded by locks. I used my best efforts to open the box and see what was inside. Inside the box, I found books, old books that compiled stories and knowledge about this island. They spoke of mysteries and secrets hidden beneath the island's forest. As I read and explored further, I discovered that there is something concealed here. It wasn't long before I encountered a man who seemed to be wandering, resembling someone who had lost his mind.

"Do not meddle with the cursed ship. It is a vessel of evil and malevolence. It will bring doom to this island. Beware! Haha."

"you're going to die!

you're going to die!"

I couldn't enter another locked room on a different floor in time because the noise might have awakened someone, so I had to run out.

On the 26th, during my evening run, there was one day when I ran and felt a strange and frightening sensation, as if someone was watching me. And that day, while I was exercising in the evening, I noticed a person in the caves, just gazing. It was a feeling like when someone stares at us for a long time, and I felt pressured every time I was watched. This made me move away from that spot as if it were an omen, much like how I felt when I first came to the island, unsure if it was a person or something else, a feeling like that.

On the 27th, normally, I would go for a drive, but today, I decided to drive deeper into the forest trail that I had previously run through. I went deeper until I reached the private area of the island's owner. I passed a mysterious waterfall, entered a small concrete road, and then reached a private area where there were security guards not allowing outsiders in. There were barriers, gates that could be opened and closed to prevent anyone from driving in, along with a peculiar-looking caretaker who said, "Go back, kid. This is a private area. No entry."

On the 28th, something strange happened with Rose. One day, while we were having a meal together, I accidentally cut my hand, and blood started flowing. Not long after, I used a tissue to stop the bleeding and left it behind. I noticed Rose looking irritated and moody, and she requested to return to her room before I could go back to my room. That's when I heard her heavy breathing loudly from the room next door, accompanied by a faint scent. Then, not long after, she seemed calm and came out as if nothing had happened. It left me bewildered by what she did. Sometimes she paid attention to us, sometimes not, and often she disappeared from the island, which was quite strange. This made me not want to pay too much attention to her, but I couldn't help but wonder why she behaved that way.

On the 30th, I felt like distancing myself from others and spending some time alone with nature. I visited the waterfall on the island, wrote, drew, and did various things to enjoy the tranquility. I frequently visited this place because it was quiet and allowed me to do many things. However, I discovered something odd in the forest and near the waterfall—things that shouldn't have been there, as if they belonged to someone familiar. It was the profit from the rainbow-colored woman who paddled the kayak.

On the 37th, I had a strange feeling that I was being watched by a mysterious man ever since I arrived on the island. It was as if he didn't like the fact that I had previously raided the old ship and driven near his house. He seemed to be hiding something, and I began to suspect this enigmatic man.

On the 38th, my mind kept pondering the rainbow woman and what she really was. This led me to think about a locked room on the old ship. I went there alone, quietly, and found something unexpected. The room was dusty and dark, filled with various items—pictures, a table set up like a meeting, and a dusty map on the table. The dust on the map had been disturbed, indicating recent activity. It was a map of the island from the year 1836. I took a picture and planned to visit the location marked on the map. I decided to leave this record today in case something happens to me, hoping that if I go missing, someone will look for me.