Ghost Hunt: Panic in the Country
Vol. 0: I Lost | 1. Come Again

One day, on a cold night. Under the rain, a long-haired woman decomposed, wearing a blue T-shirt and long black pants, ran in a hurry by carrying the boy on her back. Passing through a small street with the ground beginning to soften, the trees danced as the wind let out its music. Every now and then the woman looks back, making sure that the figure of the adult male chasing her is not visible. In fact, sometimes he stepped on a dry twig, but still ran even though his feet were bleeding.  He looked so messy with his breath agitated and tiredness made his steps incorrect. It made the boy move a little.

“Calm down, everything will be fine.” He said by patting the back of the boy.

Faintly, a male voice around 40 years old was heard calling out to him. However, he still ran as hard as he could to see the asphalt road ahead. He stopped his steps while stepping on the asphalt road. He exhaled slowly to calm himself. After he calmed down, he walked without looking back. He walked until he could catch an old mansion. He walked over to the old house that looked spooky with a slight illumination. Curved old iron is attached with a wooden board that says 'Rose Orphanage'. Slowly he pulled the boy down from the sling and began to change his standing position, making both knees a pedestal. His right hand was stretched out to touch a boy's head. A smile was painted on his face as he looked at the boy who rubbed his eyes.

“See Mom, Astan has to get into that big house. Later, Mom will follow. Astan understand?” He held the face of Astan—the boy's name. Astan nodded his head as a sign of understanding.

The woman who was Astan's mother stood up from sitting down. Gently gazing at the pair of Astan eyes. He tightly grasped Astan's small, soft hand. Walking closer to the iron gate, he slowly opened the unlocked iron gate until a loud creak rang out in the rain. Along with the voice of the man who kept calling his name. With a sigh of abandon, he told Astan to enter. He tightly closed the iron gate by constantly asking Astan to stay away. He who saw Astan began to cry, making him sit down in a row in front of the gate. Put your hands through the gap in the gate. For the second and last time. He rubbed Astan's head gently.

“Astan should stop crying. I promise, I'll be back,” she said softly with a small smile on her face.

“Mother appointment?” Astan asked by wiping away the tears using both hands.

“Ya, mother promise.” After saying that, he stood up and moved away from the iron gate. However, he realized that the figure of the man had been standing behind him.

In one second, a sharp object can be felt, penetrating the skin of the back abdomen to the front. Fresh red liquid came out so heavily from the stomach and mouth. With a feeling of shock and fear, Astan was still standing with his trembling body, cold sweat began to appear. Clear water comes back out of the eye without causing a sound. Astan could see so clearly, a curved line on the woman's face. The lips filled with the red liquid moved.

“You must run,” he said in a weak voice.

The red liquid came back out when the sharp object was pulled. Without having any more energy, his body fell instantly with a smile on his face. Astan could only be silent in tears without making any sound at all. Afraid Astan looked up slowly, until he faintly saw the face of the male figure piercing his mother. Their eyes stared at each other for a moment. The air blows slowly, making the man's hair move a little. Astan was surprised when the man pulled something out of his pants pocket.

It felt like Astan wanted to run away, but it was hard to do. He remained standing in silence as a gun was pointed at him. The man pulled the trigger of the gun making his loud voice clearly heard by Astan. He was silent in a thousand languages, Astan did not move from his place. The sound of knocking on the door pierced both of his hearing devices. He moved his head to the right and left looking for a sound, but found nothing. Only the voice of the woman who kept calling her name a few times then disappeared. A moment later a female voice called out her name. Unknowingly the gun bullet had been in plain sight. His eyes stared in shock. However, the voice of the woman calling out his name continued to be heard.

When Astan felt a hand touching his shoulder, he woke up with a shocked face and an irregular breath. For a few seconds he held his breath with his eyes closed. When he opened both eyes, Astan caught the figure of a long-haired, oval-faced woman, and dark-brown eyes, standing to the right of the bed.

“Iya," Astan replied briefly with an uninspired face due to her nightmare. Even though he was already 18 years old, memories and nightmares always came to him. 

“Hurry out, it's time for breakfast.” He quickly left and closed the door.

The wall-mounted calendar made Astan look at him blankly. He rushed towards the light blue calendar, stood up and continued to pay attention to it. There are four numbers written on the top right, '2027'. Astan exhaled a bit harshly, he walked towards the door, took a white towel and went to the bathroom. He put a towel in a plastic bag. Instan quickly opened the entire body cover and turned the faucet, immediately warm water flushed against him.

Not long after the bathroom door opened, showing Astan using a towel on the waist. He stopped when he saw the figure of a woman who was cooking. The sound of the window opening made him turn and stare at the moving curtain cloth. A white-clothed female figure with long hair was sitting in the open window, playing with flower-patterned curtains. Astan annoyedly closed the window, but the figure was still able to play the curtains. Astan's departure after closing the window made the woman confused.

Astan walked towards the closet and picked up a set of clothes. A long white shirt is paired with black pants that are slightly above the ankles. He wore it with a dark blue tie. His reflection was visible in the mirror, Astan pulled both corners of the lips in a forced manner. He drew and exhaled to calm himself. After feeling calm, he opened it with a look of spirit eyes.

His wide feet went towards the door of the room and picked up a black backpack. He rushed out and sat down at the dinner table. With a careful face Astan looked at the dishes on the table. There were about five kinds of side dishes for two people, Astan thought that it was very exaggerated. However, all kinds of cuisine that always make Astan can not resist to spend it all. Astan's gaze turned away from the table and paid attention to the woman who was carrying the place filled with rice. He stood up and took out a tool containing rice from the woman's two tiny hands. Put it in the middle of the table and they start eating breakfast in silence.

“Do you eat the medicine?” ask the woman by chewing food in her mouth.

“Iya,"Astan replied quickly.

“Later, Brother. Rui is coming. Go home early, not too late.” He said with a little emphasis at the end of the sentence.

“I know," Astan replied by chewing food. He raised his head and showed off a thin smile on his face, but it was slightly forced.

“Remember! By 06:00 pm should be home. If it is one minute late, you will get the result.” He pressed every word he said.

“I know I know. I won't be home late.” Astan spoke quickly and continued his breakfast activities.