The afternoon light filtered through the half-closed curtains, illuminating Rachel Bennett's small and cluttered apartment. She sat on her couch, a cold cup of coffee in one hand and the remote control in the other, distractedly watching a Korean drama while her mind wandered between thoughts about Silver Ridge and her parents' constant reproaches.
"Rachel, you're thirty-two years old already. If you're not going to work, at least find a husband," her mother had said that morning, as if it were a daily reminder.
Rachel rolled her eyes at the memory. It wasn't that she didn't want to work; it was just that no one wanted to hire her after what happened two years ago. She had been a reporter for one of the most important newspapers in the city until she decided to investigate what really happened in Silver Ridge. Her bosses warned her to drop the subject, but she couldn't. "Orders from above," they had told her. When she persisted, they fired her without hesitation.
But that didn't stop her. She decided to continue investigating on her own, though much more discreetly. She knew something big was hidden behind that incident, something someone didn't want the world to know. And now, living in her parents' house and working occasionally as a freelancer to make ends meet, she remained obsessed with uncovering the truth.
As she watched the K-drama, her phone buzzed on the table. She picked it up quickly, hoping it was an interesting contact for her investigation. On the screen appeared an encrypted message:
"Do you really want to know what happened in Silver Ridge?"
Rachel sat up on the couch, her heart racing. She looked around, as if someone might be watching her.
"Who are you?" she murmured to herself as she typed a response.
The stranger replied almost instantly:
"If you're willing to take the risk, I'll give you answers. But be careful. They're watching."
Rachel swallowed hard. She knew "they" probably referred to those who had silenced all information about Silver Ridge. Despite the fear beginning to grow in her chest, she also felt uncontrollable excitement. This could be her chance to uncover the truth.
Rachel: "How do I know I can trust you?"
The stranger took a few seconds to respond:
"You can't. But if you want answers, you'll have to take the risk."
The message ended abruptly. Rachel stared at the screen, her mind full of questions. Who was this person? What did they know about Silver Ridge? And most importantly, how dangerous would it be to move forward?
Before she could think more about it, her mother shouted from the kitchen:
"Rachel! Stop watching those nonsense shows and do something productive!"
Rachel turned off the TV and sighed deeply. She knew this wasn't going to be easy, but she was determined. Whoever this stranger was, they had something she needed.
She decided to review her old notes on Silver Ridge. She opened her laptop and began navigating through files filled with blurry photos, contradictory testimonies, and fragments of official reports she had managed to obtain before censorship took effect. Meanwhile, her phone buzzed again. It was another message, accompanied by an attachment:
"This is just the beginning. If you proceed, prepare for what you'll find."
Rachel opened the attachment cautiously. It was an encrypted video. When she played it, she saw chilling images: soldiers in military uniforms carrying mutilated bodies and grotesque creatures, twisted as if pulled from a nightmare. The creatures seemed to move even after being captured, emitting high-pitched sounds that echoed in the background of the video. At one point, one of the creatures turned its head toward the camera, as if it knew it was being watched.
Rachel felt a shiver run down her spine. This was too real. Too close. But also too intriguing to ignore.
"Who are you?" she asked aloud, though she knew no one would answer.
She decided to send one last message before closing her computer:
Rachel: "What do you want from me? Why are you sending me this?"
There was no response. The stranger didn't write back. Rachel stared at the screen for several minutes, processing the words and images she had just seen. Finally, she closed her laptop and got up from the couch. Her mother entered the living room at that moment.
"What are you still doing here?" her mother asked, crossing her arms.
"I'm working," Rachel responded, trying to sound convincing.
"Working means going out and earning money, not sitting around watching foreign dramas."
Rachel sighed.
"Mom, I'm investigating something important. Something that could change a lot of things."
"The only thing that's going to change is your life if you keep this up. You're not a child anymore, Rachel."
Rachel didn't respond. She knew arguing with her mother wouldn't lead anywhere. Instead, she went upstairs to her room and lay down on her bed, thinking about the message she had received. Whoever it was, they knew much more than she had managed to discover on her own. And although fear was present, so was the adrenaline. This was what she had been waiting for.
---------------------------------
The training field was enveloped in artificial fog, designed to simulate the real conditions of incidents related to the true fog. Niel and Emily stood face to face, armed with combat swords made of a strange material that seemed to vibrate with energy. These weren't conventional weapons; they had been specifically designed to fight the creatures.
Harlan, accompanied by a group of scientists, observed from an elevated platform. Before they began, he gave them one final warning:
"Remember, this creature is a controlled clone. But don't underestimate its strength. If you fail, there won't be a second chance."
Emily nodded calmly, while Niel remained impassive. Both knew this wasn't a game.
A guttural roar echoed through the air, and from the fog emerged the cloned creature. It was grotesque, an abomination that seemed torn from a nightmare. Its body was twisted, with limbs too long and joints bending at impossible angles. Its skin was a mix of scales and exposed flesh, and its eyes, too large and black, seemed to absorb the light around them. It emitted a constant, high-pitched sound that resonated in their ears like a distorted echo.
Niel was the first to move. He ran toward the creature with superhuman speed, his sword vibrating with energy as he tried to cut off one of its limbs. The creature blocked the attack with an arm, throwing Niel backward with brutal force. Emily seized the moment to attack from another angle, but the creature spun with unexpected speed, striking her with one of its claws.
Emily fell to the ground but quickly recovered. However, just as she was about to counterattack, something in her mind shifted. A fleeting image appeared in her head: a sunny park, a blue balloon floating in the air, and someone beside her, someone she couldn't clearly distinguish. A voice calling her name.
"Emily..." whispered a distant voice.
The distraction was enough. The creature seized the moment to lunge at her, its claws extended to pierce her.
"Emily!" Niel shouted, running toward her in an instant.
With a swift motion, Niel placed his sword between Emily and the creature, blocking the attack just in time. The creature momentarily retreated, allowing Emily to regain control.
"What the hell happened?" Niel asked.
Emily shook her head, trying to clear her mind.
"I had a memory... a park, a blue balloon... I don't know what it means."
Niel looked at her intently but said nothing. He knew Resonants often lost fragments of their memories due to experiments or trauma. Perhaps seeing the creature had triggered something in her.
"We can't afford distractions," he finally said, turning his attention back to the creature. "Let's finish this."
They both launched into an attack simultaneously, moving as a perfect unit. Niel distracted the creature while Emily searched for a weak point. Finally, she found an opening in its defense and plunged her sword into its torso. With an agonizing scream, the clone collapsed to the ground, slowly dissolving into a viscous substance.
The scientists applauded from the platform, but Harlan approached them with a serious expression.
"It was almost perfect," he said, looking at Emily. "But you can't afford distractions on the battlefield. Next time, you might not be so lucky."
Emily nodded, though her mind was still on the memory she had experienced. Niel noticed her discomfort but said nothing. He knew something was affecting her, but he also knew it wasn't the time to push her.
As they returned to the gym, Niel heard the voice in his head again, the same one that had been silent for months:
"Don't trust them."
Niel frowned, stopping for a moment. Emily noticed and turned to him.
"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.
Niel shook his head.
"Nothing. Just... stay alert. Not everything here is what it seems."
Emily looked at him curiously but didn't ask further. She knew Niel had his own secrets, just like she did.