Hanako grinned,
raising her right hand.
Black smoke began to emerge from her palm.
From within that smoke, a black serpent took form—its eyes glowing bright red.
The snake slithered and hissed, then suddenly shot forward with a thunderous force, lunging at the people there.
Then, slowly, she descended to the ground.
She raised both of her hands high into the air.
"Ha ha ha ha! Die, all of you!"
"DARK OCEAN!"
She shouted as she unleashed her attack, slamming both hands forward!
At the same moment—
Thick black smoke roared up from beneath her feet, surging forward like massive ocean waves toward everyone in the area.
In an instant, the entire campsite—within a two-hundred-meter radius—was covered in dense black smoke.
"RISE! ATTACK THEM!"
From within the thick black haze, dark creatures emerged. Their heads bore horns like those of a buffalo, and their eyes glowed red.
They immediately charged at the people there, trying to drag them into the ground.
Everyone ran in terror, screaming hysterically as they tried to escape—but one by one, they vanished, pulled into the earth through the thick black smoke.
Hanako laughed maniacally, watching the chaos unfold.
And finally—
The entire place fell silent.
All that remained was an empty campsite… and the remnants of destruction.
***
Fatheema opened her eyes. Her consciousness slowly returned to the real world.
The morning air felt cool, fresh air flowing in through the vents of her room. Living in the countryside had its advantages—one of them being peaceful mornings with clean, unpolluted air.
Slowly, memories of her dream came back.
"What a strange dream… it felt so real."
"Everything was so detailed… the sensations felt completely real."
"Even after waking up, I still remember everything."
She got out of bed and walked toward the front door, then stepped outside into the yard to enjoy the morning air more freely.
After doing some light stretching, she took a deep breath.
She glanced at the wall clock—it was only five to thirty a.m.
Once she was done, it was time to head to school.
Usually, Fatheema was taken to school by her mother on a scooter, and picked up the same way afterward.
Sometimes she went on her own, either riding her own scooter or using her mountain bike.
This time, she chose to go with her mother again.
The trip to school didn't take long—about ten minutes.
As she entered the school gate, other students were already arriving.
But that morning felt… off.
There was a strange, cold atmosphere—as if an unexplained anxiety filled the air.
And sure enough—
On the school field, where the scouting camp had been held, a large crowd had gathered.
Students and teachers were already there, as if something terrible had happened.
She also saw several police officers walking around, questioning people—apparently gathering information.
Police tape stretched across the campsite.
"Hey, what happened?" she asked a student nearby.
"All the participants of the scout training camp are missing. They've completely disappeared," one student replied.
"Mr. Mamat, the school janitor, came early this morning to clean the area. He found the campsite empty—with signs of chaos.
But no one was here," her classmate Bagas added.
"Oh—Bagas. By the way, where are Anik and Odah? Have they arrived?" Fatimah asked.
"That's the thing—they're new scout members!" he replied anxiously.
"Oh no… don't tell me they were attacked by Hanako!" she exclaimed.
"What?! That ghost is real? That can't be—it's just a myth, Fatty," Bagas said skeptically.
"It's real, Bagas! I was attacked too—and luckily, I managed to escape!"
"I have to tell the teachers!" she said, hurrying toward the teachers' room.
She knocked on the already open door. A man inside looked toward her and nodded.
Fatheema entered and walked toward him.
"Good morning, Sir," she greeted, bowing slightly.
"Good morning. Please, have a seat. What is it? How can I help you?" the man said, inviting her to sit.
Inside the room, several teachers had already arrived. Among them was Mrs. Yuyun, her homeroom teacher.
The desks were arranged in a square formation, while the principal's desk stood at the front, with a large whiteboard behind it.
"Sir, is it true that the students who were camping have disappeared without a trace?" Fatimah asked.
"That hasn't been confirmed yet," the teacher replied carefully.
"We are still conducting a search, and the police are assisting us."
"For now, we cannot conclude that your friends are missing."
"But don't worry. We will do everything we can to find them."
"Sir, I want to tell you about some strange things I experienced," Fatheema said.
"There might be a connection to what happened."
She then recounted everything she had gone through.
The teacher listened, nodding repeatedly.
"What you're describing is very unusual… and difficult to accept logically," he said.
"These kinds of supernatural matters are beyond human reasoning."
"It's not that I don't believe you—but I need time to process what you've said."
"As the principal, I must act according to procedures and rational judgment."
"Sir, we need to find someone who understands the supernatural—like a paranormal expert—to save them!"
"Before it's too late!" Fatheema said urgently.
"I understand. We will do our best," he replied.
"For now, go back to class and continue your lessons."
"Let us handle this, alright?"
"Don't overthink it."
He dismissed her gently, signaling for her to leave.
Fatheema stood up and walked out of the room.
As she passed the door, she saw two police officers entering.
After taking a few steps away, someone called out from behind.
"Fatheema, wait!"
It was Mrs. Yuyun.
Fatheema stopped and turned around.
"Yes, mrs. Yuyun?"
"I heard everything you said," Mrs. Yuyun said softly.
"There's someone who can help us—his name is Mr. Drajat."
"He understands supernatural matters. He's at the front of the school right now."
"Go to class for now, like the principal said. I'll call you when everything is ready."
"Alright, mrs. Yuyun. I hope our friends are found soon," Fatheems said anxiously.
"I've been suspicious since the flag ceremony incident," Mrs. Yuyun added.
"Something wasn't right—especially what happened to Nurul, Hesti, and that mass possession. You even fainted back then."
She looked off into the distance, deep in thought.
"Alright, I'll excuse myself now, mrs. Yuyun," Fatheema said, bowing slightly before heading toward her classroom.
Mrs. Yuyun nodded and returned to the teachers' room.
As Fatheema walked, her thoughts raced.
What was really happening?
More than thirty students had vanished overnight—without a trace?
No one could be reached by phone—and it all happened at school?
Nothing like this had ever happened before.
Previously, Hesti and Nurul had suffered psychological disturbances—but their bodies were still there, still alive.
Now, everyone had completely disappeared.
Was this really Hanako's doing?
And what about her dream last night?
Did it truly happen… just like the vision she saw?
If that was true—then Hanako was an extremely dangerous entity.
"My friends… where are you?"
She let out a quiet sigh, overwhelmed by the mystery unfolding before her.
***