Annoyed, Time opened his eyes only to find ants, insects, and even a slimy snail gliding right past the tip of his nose.
"WAAAAAHHHHH!!"
His scream echoed through the forest. The broad-shouldered man sprang up from the ground, jumping wildly as if his backside were on fire. His large hands flailed frantically at his body. Long legs kicked into gear as he bolted forward without looking, charging deeper into the forest without realizing it.
"Monstersssss! Help! Chet! Help meeee!!"
He ran for his life in a thoroughly undignified state left hand swatting at bugs, right hand blocking branches. There was no trace left of a wealthy heir. His short hair puffed up into a bird' s nest, eyes bulging as if he were fleeing a tiger.
Time sprinted blindly, arms flailing, not watching where he was going never noticing the thick tree root jutting from the ground until.
Thunk!!
He went flying, limbs splayed, and crashed face-first into a mud pit with remarkable elegance.
Splat.
His broad body sank into the mud from head to toe. When he resurfaced, his face was completely coated in brown sludge. Only the whites of his eyes showed above the muck as his lips trembled, quivering on the verge of tears but producing no sound. The large man scrambled on all fours, crawling out of the shallow pit.
"Waaahhhhh!!"
His wail echoed through the vast forest. Mud-caked hands wiped helplessly at his filthy face, smearing it even worse.
"Hic…Am I going to die out here…?"
Once he caught his breath, Time turned left and right, scanning his surroundings. No matter where he looked, there was nothing but dense green towering trees and thick bushes. No sign of people. Only the hum of insects and the rustle of leaves in the wind.
"Oh, come on! There' s no one here! Where the hell am I? It' s so dark and gloomy. So many mosquitoes, so many bugs ewww, I' m covered in mud… But wait… they' re not biting where there' s mud…"
He shouted at the trees before plopping down again. His eyes swept over the wet ground. It looked like this forest saw frequent rain; everything was damp and saturated. Large hands scooped up mud that seemed relatively clean and carefully smeared it along his arms and legs.
"Mosquito repellent first… It' s basically a natural mud spa… right? Boohoo…"
He stood still beside the mud pit for a long moment. Then he noticed a narrow trail where the foliage had been parted. Slowly, his long legs began to follow it, unsure whether anyone might be able to help him.
"Where is this place? How am I supposed to get home? No passport, no phone… I' m stuck in a jungle this thick will anyone even see me?"
His mud-smeared mouth kept muttering as he walked, using a stick to push aside the long leaves that crowded over the narrow path.
"Boohoohoo… Mom… Mommy, help Time… I want to go home… waaahhh! I don' t want to die in the middle of the forest!!"
His bizarre, wailing cries echoed through the trees, startling a flock of birds into flight from the treetops.
Crack…
Soft footsteps rustled from the bushes ahead. Time' s heart jolted violently. He stumbled back on instinct, eyes wide, hands trembling as he raised a dry stick in front of him. The tip shook so badly it wobbled like a broken compass needle.
His mud-covered body quivered as he forced himself to speak.
"W-who' s there…?"
The bushes shifted again, as though something moved through them with deliberate steps. Not an animal. A dark silhouette slowly emerged from beneath the shadows of the trees.
For a fleeting second, light from the sky pierced through the canopy, falling upon a tall figure dressed entirely in black.
A large man wearing a black mask stood there, a pack slung over his back rifle raised and aimed straight at Time.
The stick slipped from the city boy' s hand. He immediately threw both hands up in surrender.
"Y-you' re not… a bandit… a forest bandit, are you?"
>>>
Two Days Later
The sky was still heavy with clouds after the storm that had just passed. Shredded leaves lay scattered across the dirt clearing in front of the guesthouse by the stream, and the damp air carried the thick scent of wet earth.
"Waaaaah… Mom… Mommy, save Time! I want to go home! I don' t want to die in the middle of the forest!!" His bizarre wailing echoed through the woods, startling a flock of birds into flight.
A faint rustle came from the bushes ahead.
Time' s heart lurched. He stepped back automatically, eyes wide, hands trembling as he grabbed a dry stick and pointed it forward.
The tip shook like a broken compass needle.
Caked in brown mud, his broad body quivered as he forced out a shaky voice.
"W-who' s there…?"
The bushes shifted again.
Not an animal.
A dark figure slowly emerged from the shadows beneath the trees. For a split second, pale light filtered through the dense canopy and fell across a tall man dressed entirely in black. He wore a balaclava beneath a rain hood, a backpack slung over his shoulders. In his hand was a rifle aimed directly at Time' s chest.
The stick slipped from Time' s grasp. Both arms shot up at once. "Y-you… a robber? A forest bandit or something?"
The tall man closed the distance, the muzzle hovering just inches from Time' s chest. There was the scent of mud and metal, and something that felt unmistakably like killing intent.
The sharp eyes beneath the mask were like a tiger in a wildlife documentary Time used to watch from the leather sofa of his luxury condo cold, unblinking, relentless.
"Who are you?" The low, icy voice sent chills racing down his spine.
"If you' re going to ask someone that, you should introduce yourself first! Don' t you have any manners?!" His voice trembled, but his bratty edge remained.
The rifle pressed closer.
"I asked… who. are. you."
Each word fell with deliberate weight.
Time swallowed hard. "M-my name' s Time.
I came to Malaysia with my friend, but we got separated after being robbed and dumped out here. My friend' s name is Chet have you seen him?
Fair skin, tall, slimmer than me, handsome, looks rich you know him?"
Click.