3. Vengeful Spirit: There's something out there, right?

Orientation Week.

Many exciting events were held and prepared for the new students. And, the most memorable one among those events that the students participated in was these two. It was The Night Walk and The Cultural Night.

Whether it is lucky or unlucky, Fakhrul is stuck up with Izzat, almost in every event. They are also in the same group. Fakhrul had long suspected that Izzat had done something fishy with their group selection member since Izzat refused to choose a stranger as a partner. And he, without a doubt, will pack his stuff and go back home if Izzat is pressured himself to stay with others without Fakhrul around him. The thought warmed his heart, but, right now, he deeply regretted it.

He is begging his best friend to shut his golden mouth during their Night Walk. He sincerely hoped for them to walk around confidently while ignoring certain things.

Izzat shrugged his shoulders, and he has nonchalantly agreed to his wish.

"Please, Iz! Promise me, or we broke up our ten years' worth of friendship!"

"Just suck up and walk, will you?" Izzat said in an irritated tone. "Don't worry, I will shut my mouth, for your sake. I promise."

Fakhrul's dimmed eyes brightened immediately.

"Thank you, Iz. You're my best friend!"

Later, 12.30 am.

For the Night Walk, these new students are gathering in an empty and desolate area. In this case, they chose an empty four-way intersection and divided them into a group of ten people. Then, every member is left behind in each specific spot for thirty minutes, alone. The purpose of this event is to test the courage of the new students. They also analyzed how well those students will handle themselves in a state of emergency.

Every student gets a small torchlight with a wristwatch, and each wristwatch is equipped with the latest GPS technology. These kinds of things are prepared for safety purposes. They are advised sternly by their facilitators to stay at their spots until they are picked up by them later, approximately at one o'clock in the morning.

"Be a good boy, and stay still, new kid." Zamri is a third-year that took charge of their small group of members. Right now, he has kindly warned them with his menacing smiles. "Don't trouble us, especially me, do you understand?"

Izzat returned his senior's smile with his stiff smile.

As long as Fakhrul stays still during the Night walk, he can assure anyone that he will not go anywhere. Izzat felt a bit relieved that his friend is a coward, despite his cool look. But, why did he felt, a problem will arise and that something wrong will happen? He usually neglected his gut feeling. But, from the moment he stepped on this place, he could sense a large amount of unhealthy energy dispersed in the air. This night, something is bound to appear.

***

The bright sky is light with the appearance of twinkling stars.

Hanna, a new student, is shuddering under a tree. She looked around with a worried expression. Hanna is hoping that this terrifying event to end soon. She hates this kind of thing so much. Hurry up. Time, please move faster!

Crack!

"Oh, my g...!" Hanna shut her mouth with her hands. She smacked her mouth multiple times for cursing loudly, and after she calmed down, Hanna turned around cautiously. She heard a movement from behind the bushes. Something is hiding over there.

I probably shouldn't check, right everyone? Her logical mind whispered. Hanna nodded her head. Yeah, please ignore it. You definitely will regret it later if you go over there and stupidly checked the bushes.

Crack!!

Hanna flinched. She is feeling anxious as something is approaching her spot.

"Is...is somebody...out there?" She asked after the silence ensues for a while. "If you...if you a human, then you can come out. However, if you're not p-please leave me alone..."

The sound suddenly stopped. Hanna gulped down her saliva nervously.

"Sis...can you...help me?" A voice of a young woman sounded that almost makes Hanna shrieked in fright. "My leg...I cannot move my leg. Can you help me, please?"

"Where...where are you?" Hanna asked.

"Behind the tree. I fall onto the ground, and my legs are unable to move. Please help me..." The voice sounded so pitiful that Hanna felt sympathetic in her heart. She slowly approached the tree, intending to help the girl. Maybe, she did need help. As a human being, shouldn't you lend your assistance to those in need?

"It's okay. I will help you..." As she took a peek, Hanna felt her throat retching with something. Damn it.

"You're so nice. You come here to help me." The girl gives Hanna a chilling smile. "I cannot move because my legs are limping. Hey, will you help me walk?"

Hanna shrieked. Her screaming is resonating in the place. She turned around and scrambled off in a panicky state.

"Why didn't you help me?" The girl asked her again.

"Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

***

Izzat stared at the sky and yawned for the nth time. He blinked his eyes again, which is glistened with an unshed tear. He is not a sentimental person. He didn't care whether the stars are pretty or not. He heard many ambiguous and dubious sounds, yet, he ignored those voices. As long as 'they' leave him alone, he gladly becomes a blind and deaf person, momentarily.

Fifteen minutes passed in an excruciatingly slow manner. A startling scream is sounding from behind, and it is a girl's scream. Rather than a scream, it's more like a desperate wailing. He felt shivers running down his spine. That scream spelled trouble for him. Should he investigate? He shouldn't, right?

He didn't have any desire to become a hero and save a damsel in distress. But, his coward friend had a troublesome curiosity. Despite his cowardice, his instinct to fulfill his curious feeling is at a higher level, and, without a doubt, he will go and check the source of the scream.

He glanced at his wristwatch. There are ten minutes until one o'clock in the morning.

Izzat is grudgingly standing up while dragging his feet slowly to the source of the loud noises. He saw a group of students, boys, and girls alike, surrounding something in the middle. Izzat found his friend and tapped his shoulder.

Fakhrul looked back with a scared expression. When he saw him, he released a relieved breath.

"What happened?" Izzat asked.

Fakhrul tugged his arm away from the crowded mass.

"A girl from our group gets possessed. Somehow, it affected another two students, which also girls. Then, the screaming match started."

"Oh, that's all?"

"It's creepy. The eyes are red and bulging, like, you know, they might pop out of the sockets or something?"

"And, you went here, for what reason? To sightseeing the situation?"

Fakhrul scratched his head, which felt itchy for no reason.

"I got curious."

They get startled by Zamri"s sudden shouting.

"All the students go back to your dorms! Facilitators, please check your groups, make sure they are all here before heading back. Understand, everyone?!"

Chorus of "Yes, sir!" is ringing in the empty intersection.

Izzat's group, minus the three possessed girls, are escorted to their apartment. The students are talking about the matter but in a low voice. They are afraid of the senior's scolding.

While they are walking, Izzat suddenly spotted a silhouette of a young girl in a bloody white dress, is appearing out of nowhere in front of them. The girl's limbs are twisted itself into a scary angle with a broken neck. Her head is dangling dangerously, with excessive bleeding from her backside. Her white dress is tainted with blood. With her appearance, the awful stench of rotten corpses wafted in every direction and contaminated the air. The girl walked like a zombie, with a crack sound that faintly heard every time she moved.

Izzat muttered a prayer repeatedly. He closed his eyes when the figure bypassed his group. Pretending not to see is better.

Izzat grabbed Fakhrul's sleeve to lead him away. Fakhrul is realized his subtle hint and helped his friend without fuss. Fakhrul also felt goosebumps all over his body for no reason, and he disliked the unease feeling so much, yet, he endured them silently. Asking Izzat right now is not a good idea.

Until Izzat can no longer smelt a disgusting smell of a rotten corpse and thickly smelly blood, Izzat carefully opened his eyes. They have already arrived in front of their residential building. Right now, they are waiting in line for the elevator.

"Are you okay?" Fakhrul asked, concerned about his friend's mental well-being.

"No. Later, takes a quick shower and wuduk before you go to sleep. Don't forget your usual prayer." Izzat reminded him with an earnest look.

"Okay." Fakhrul nodded his head.

Izzat didn't say anything after that. Nevertheless, the scary figure of the girl is still wandering in front of their residential building while choking her mournful cries.

And, Izzat cannot sleep even a wink on that particular night. That girl's horrifying face kept rewinding in his mind, along with her cries.