There was the sound of heavy rain pouring down on the old city. Elenor, the Capital of the Lateron province still always emits a majestic golden glow when seen from the highlands. Tall buildings towered over this city. There is a giant clock that became an icon in the center of the city. This city is the most populous city that can be found with residents who are always busy filling every corner for a money to eat.
That night it rained again, filling the streets and alleys with puddles of water. The heavy rain that night made the woman who was walking on the path of the town hall run over to the side. There was a beautiful young girl with white skin, around the age of 19, straightening her straight black hair that was tied into a ponytail. While patting her "Golden" branded jacket and her long black skirt which hit the ground while running through the field at the town hall that every townsman used to jog. The teenage girl stroked her hair again while looking at her leather watch, then she frowned until the skin above her high nose creased.
"Damn, I might be late"
Said the girl and then she looked back at the rain that was constantly hitting the busy street passed by cars and other vehicles. The woman took a deep breath and then ran into the rain while taking off her jacket to protect her head from the rain. The girl ran past several people who were walking on the path.
"Sorry…sorry, I want to pass"
She continued to run through the alleys and started walking slowly when she came to a supermarket with the name "minion market" plastered on the building. The girl sighed and started to go inside.
"Selly!"
The girl gasped and turned towards the voice near the cashier.
"Oh...Uhm hello Jack"
She smiled until her eyes were closed, it seemed she was trying to relax even though her face looked pale.
"What time do you think it is now?"
Jack who was the manager of the place walked up to Selly. His body was big and stocky making Selly's body look small in front of the man. The middle-aged man was wearing a blue work shirt with minions written on the back. he has brown hair with a shortcut.
Jack quickly patted the head of the girl in front of him.
"Why do not you answer?" he said, staring intently.
Selly's eyes turned to the right as she walked backward so that her head could be out of Jack's hands.
"Um… ten o'clock? But earlier…" she replied hesitantly while continuing to think about the reasons in his head.
He stopped making excuses when Jack glared at her and chose to remain silent.
"change your clothes! jeez, you are so wet!"
Selly looked down quickly and then walked. He kept her head down until she entered the female employee's changing room because she was embarrassed to be seen by some of the buyers who were there. Jack sighed when he saw that.
"Actually, why do you always walk? jeez, this child did not bring an umbrella again"
He grumbled while staring at the dirty floor from Selly's boots that had passed through the muddy ground.
Selly's house is a bit far from her workplace, it takes about 15 minutes by car. Even so, Selly always chose to walk even though it was far. Jack always asks why he does that, but Selly always replies that he doesn't have a car and doesn't use taxis to save money. Sometimes he also evades by diverting the conversation.
"I'm ready," Selly said casually after leaving the changing room wearing her work uniform. He was still trying to smile after what had happened.
Jack shook his head in disbelief at the "princess" in front of him.
***
The night grew darker, darkness began to cover the city of Elenor to every corner. The fog that night was very thick, and the heavy rain that had ended left puddles of water on the city streets. The thumping sound of the giant clock "World Time" filled the silence of the night. The sound of the giant clock signaled that it was already midnight. Right after the thumping sound of the clock stopped Selly came out of the back door of the minion market towards the side alley. Her tiny hands carried a large black plastic bag filled with trash from the supermarket.
"Don't forget to take out the trash," said Jack from inside.
"Yes-yes" Selly's face contorted when reminded again. She was annoyed because she had always been lectured by his manager ever since she started working on a minion market. About the importance of "Discipline", "on time", "tidiness", and the others. She knew she was wrong, but things like that still annoyed her. Selly slightly slams the door she came out of in annoyance and made Jack yelp loudly.
"Yes. Keep doing that until we will say goodbye to the back door."
Jack continued to nag from inside but Selly ignored him and started walking toward the trash can in the alley. When she started to pour the garbage into the plastic suddenly there was a scraping sound. It was as if someone nearby was walking dragging his feet.
Selly looked right and left looking for the source of the sound. In the alley beside the minion market, a man can be seen with a cloak that covers all parts of his body. He staggered, dragging his feet out of the alley. His blank eyes stared ahead. The light of the street lamp on the side of the road shone on his body. There were several large cuts on the back of his body which was covered with tattered clothes as if they had been torn apart by something. When he heard the sound of trash hitting the trash can, the man looked back. His face was covered in blood and there was a deep cut on his left cheek. The red eyes that were covered with a bit of black hair stared at Selly making this teenage girl freeze for a moment. Little by little the person's mouth moved as if to say a few words. Selly fell backward while holding her mouth as if she couldn't believe what she saw. She saw an indescribable horror at the sight of the man. After being stunned for a while she began to realize that the man began to stagger toward her.
"Jack!" The girl shouted as she continued to back away with her hands. She couldn't stand it. Her legs kept shaking non-stop.
The black-robed man got closer and closer until he stood right in front of her while holding on to the alley wall so he wouldn't fall. His eyes looked down at Selly.
"Co-de 12U-132-5T0-0023" He stammered in a horrible hoarse voice. The man continued to stare at Selly.
Selly was silent while involuntarily shedding tears of fear. Her body kept shaking violently from experiencing a horror she never felt before. Her mind told her to move back and run but her body seemed to refuse and choose to be petrified.
"Ru-n, Run, Everyone will..."
"Stone... "
The man's red eyes began to close, his body could no longer stand upright, and began to fall slowly from his knees. He fell towards Selly and his head hit that scared woman's shoulder until some of the blood on the man's face stuck to Selly's clothes.
"Aaah!" Selly screamed in shock and pushed the body of the man who was lying down in front of her.
When Selly pushed the man's body an object fell from the red-eyed man's hanging bag.
"Ring?" she surprised. As if attracted by great curiosity Selly picked up the ring and looked at it. A silver ring with a beautiful dragon's head engraved, right on the dragon's head's forehead was a fiery red round stone that gleamed in the moonlight. There were several holographic writings on it that the girl couldn't understand.
Jack came out the back door with a Fire Extinguisher.
"What happened little girl? Was there another fire that suddenly lit up in the trash can?" Jack said as if he had experienced it many times. He held the Fire Extinguisher in the style of a firefighter.
"Jack!" Selly shouted with teary eyes.
"Oh my goodness! What's going on here?!"
Jack was shocked and confused by what was happening in front of him. A teenage girl was sitting languidly with a robed man lying beside her covered in blood and covered in wounds. Jack and Selly stared at each other for a while because neither of them understood what was going on.
"Calm down Selly," Jack said calming Selly as he walked closer and helped support Selly to stand.
"Try to stand up, let's go in first"
Selly tried to stand with her legs still shaking.
"What about that person?" he said in a low and lethargic tone while wiping the tears that continued to flow.
Jack looked at the lying man and replied to Selly with just a look and a nod as if to say that everything was fine. At that time, Jack prefers not to say anything or ask Selly something first because Selly's condition still looks shocked. Then they both went back inside.
"Here, have a drink," said Jack while handing Selly a glass of warm milk after they reached the staff room.
Selly just held the glass and put it on the table without saying anything.
"Tonight we will close earlier, let me take care of the rest, so try to rest. I've already contacted Diane to accompany you here tonight" said Jack while placing the minion market key on the table right in front of Selly sitting.
Jack stepped out of the staff room until slowly the sound of his footsteps disappeared after the door was locked several times from the outside.
Selly kept staring blankly at the glass of milk that Jack prepared. She was silent for a long time because his thoughts were mixed. Confused by what had happened tonight. Fear and curiosity become one. She held his forehead and massaged it as if he still couldn't believe what was happening. The silence continued until only the ticking of the clock on the wall continued to sound.