The chapter 1 sleeping
19) 9:45 PM—The Knock at the Door. Just as the call with diya ended, a sharp knock echoed through the house.
I opened the door to find a delivery boy already walking away, his figure disappearing into the night. At my feet lay a plain, unmarked package—no label, no name, nothing.
Curious,
I brought it inside. The weight felt odd, shifting slightly as if
Something inside was... alive. With a careful tug, I tore open the box. And there it was.
A grotesque, skinless two-headed rabbit, its tiny bodies fused together in a twisted knot of raw flesh exposed. The air filled with the metallic tang of blood—fresh, unmistakable. My stomach lurched. Who would send this? (continue)
### Chapter 1: sleeping
The flickering blue light of the television was the only illumination in my quiet living room when my phone buzzed on the couch beside me. diya's name flashed across the screen.
I answered. "Hello, diya
Her voice came through, bright and energetic. "Are you ready? I will be at your house in five minutes."
"Yes, I'm ready." diya and I had made summer holiday plans to visit a mysterious village outside the city for a college project.
My name is Rimuru. I am seventeen years old, and my summer holiday had just begun. diya and I are childhood friends; ours is a long story, one I will save for later.
"Five minutes, Rimuru! I'll be outside your house, so come fast!" she urged before ending the call.
As I hurriedly grabbed my bag, excitement bubbled inside me at the thought of our adventure.
I ended up being the one to drive, navigating the car along the winding mountain road as dusk settled into night. The higher we climbed, the more the world below seemed to dissolve into a blanket of mist, isolating us in the eerie stillness.
"What is this mysterious village, diya, really?" I wondered aloud, peering into the impenetrable darkness beyond the headlights. "It looks like we still have one or two more mountains to cross."
"Yes, Rimuru," diya said softly from the passenger seat. "And you know tomorrow is my birthday, right?"
"Of course I know," I said with a smile, my eyes flicking to the digital clock on the dashboard. "Just wait… look at the time."
It was 11:59 PM.
The clock ticked over silently.
12:00 AM.
"Happy birthday, diya
I slowed the car and pulled onto the gravel shoulder. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I took out a small velvet box and opened it to reveal a delicate silver ring nestled inside.
A deafening impact shattered the silence—a truck slammed into our car, sending us careening over the edge of the hill.
The world tumbled in a violent blur of noise and motion before everything went black.