Some people love summer, while others prefer the cold embrace of winter. Somehow, it always felt like winter lovers were more in number. This story begins on such a chilly winter morning. Alita's school had announced a winter break—classes would be closed for the next month. Excited beyond words, Alita and her friends immediately began planning a winter camp deep in the jungle.
Everyone was mostly excited, except Rihana. Rihana was a brave girl, but she had always been scared of the jungle ever since a childhood accident. However, pressured by her friends' insistence, she finally agreed to join them for the winter camp.
The next day, Monday, they were all set to head to Ubining Jungle. Locals whispered strange stories about the place: some said it was cursed; others claimed that long ago, the indigenous people had performed dark rituals there, and for some unknown reason, everyone had mysteriously disappeared in one night. Some believed the gods they had worshiped had taken them away, while others thought they had fallen victim to their own evil.
Even after hearing all these tales, Alita and her friends were unfazed. They laughed off the rumors, confident and eager to explore the jungle without fear.
The next morning, Alita packed her bags, said goodbye to her parents, and left home straight for her best friend Arshi's place. Arshi, as usual, was still getting ready—a habit Alita was already used to. About thirty minutes later, the two of them finally stepped out, and at the foot of Arshi's house, the rest of their friends—Rihana, Faj, Sami, Fabvi, and Marvin—were waiting.
Together, they set off toward Ubining Jungle. The forest lay far from Abshara City, and it took them almost until noon to reach its outskirts. Once there, they busied themselves setting up their tents, eager to claim their little corner of the jungle. By midday, everyone had collected fruits from the surrounding forest to prepare their lunch, and the simple meal brought them a sense of shared joy.
After eating, they all sat in front of the tents, talking and sharing stories about the old indigenous village that had once existed deep in the jungle. The tales, eerie and mysterious, made Arshi increasingly uneasy. Unable to join in the conversation, she wandered a little away from the camp and found a small pond, sitting there alone. From the camp, the village of the indigenous people was far in the jungle's heart, but the strange feeling of the forest seemed to pull Arshi's attention toward the water.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group were so engrossed in their stories that they didn't notice Arshi's absence. Lost in her thoughts, Arshi gradually leaned closer to the pond—and without realizing it, slipped and fell into the water. Though the pond was shallow, she was completely submerged. Panic surged through her, and she screamed for help.
Hearing her cries, Faj and Marvin rushed to pull her out, but nobody could understand why she had fallen in. When asked, Arshi herself could not explain why she had jumped into the pond. The group, assuming she had simply been too lost in thought, let it pass without much comment. That night, Arshi could not sleep a wink. Her mind was consumed with a single question: why had she fallen into the pond? Something had been there… something she could not see or name.
The next morning, everyone woke and stepped out of their tents—but Arshi stayed behind, still hesitant to leave. Seeing this, Rihana quietly made her way to Arshi's tent, concerned.