Sufian groaned as he slowly sat up, dust clinging to his jacket.

  "Nngh… Unnngh… Owww... Am I... safe?" he muttered, holding his side. "Am I... below the shrine? Looks like I got caught in a landslide or something..."

  He blinked and looked around.

  "Oh hey, everyone! Is everyone okay?!"

  His head throbbed. He reached for it.

  "Ouch! My head... it's pounding..."

  (I can't see anyone. Looks like they aren't here... maybe I should take a look around. That's all I can do for now, I guess.)

  Nearby, red spider lilies swayed in the breeze.

  (The ground’s collapsed all around here, but none of my friends are around. Maybe I should check another area.)

  He began walking into the woods, glancing around nervously.

  (They’re not here… What a relief. That means they weren’t caught up in the landslide.)

  He pushed deeper through the trees.

  (I don’t see anyone here... maybe I can find some trace of them in a different area.)

  As he approached the shrine, a low growling sound echoed nearby.

  (I can hear those sounds from before... is it those green lizard monsters?! Oh no, they're coming this way! I have to get the hell out of here!)

  Sufian sprinted toward the shrine’s main building.

  "Huff... huff... okay, I don’t think they’re following me."

  He leaned against the stone wall, catching his breath.

  (I made it back to the shrine somehow...)

  He glanced around.

  "...No one’s here? Not a single person..."

  He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted,

  "Heyyy! Ali? Malak?! Is anybody heeere?!"

  But only silence responded.

  (No response... where the heck did they...? Oh! Maybe I can get one of them on the phone! I’ll call Ali...)

  He fumbled with his phone.

  "...No service here?! Damn, my phone is useless."

  A sudden rustle from the lilies made him jump.

  "Wha—did something move just now?!"

  He squinted toward the movement.

  "Oh man, something’s in here! Is it that lizard again...?!"

  The sound stopped.

  "...The sound disappeared? Doesn’t look like it’s trying to jump me, whatever it is..."

  (Not knowing what's coming this way freaks me out... I'll try moving closer. I'll do my best not to set this thing off...)

  He crept forward slowly.

  "Huh...? It's gone?! Where in the world...?"

  More movement—off to the side.

  "...Hey, some of the grass is moving over there. Like something’s in there. I can’t see anything, but something’s there... isn’t there?"

  (Hmm... This reminds me of the last time. I remember Ali saying something back then... something about picking up weird stuff with his... That's right! His phone camera. Why don’t I take a picture?)

  He pulled out his phone.

  "Right... I’ll give it a shot."

  The moment he aimed his camera at the brush, something flickered on the screen.

  "Whoa! What the heck was that just now?!"

  (It was just a moment, but I definitely saw something... This will help me see it! Still, I don’t know what I’ll do if something attacks me again.)

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  He turned the camera toward a nearby statue.

  "Hmm... Nothing here, huh?"

  Then he saw it—something small darted from the bush.

  "Wha... What the heck is that? Another green lizard thingy? Doesn’t seem like the same one in the robe from before... Hope it's a bit friendlier."

  It vanished again.

  "Oh... it's gone? Don't tell me it plans to attack from the shadows somewhere... I’ll survey the other spots just in case."

  He moved toward another thicket, parting the leaves.

  "I found it! That thing from before! It's right over there, no doubt about it."

  (What should I do...? It doesn’t look hostile, but still...)

  But it bolted once again.

  "Man, did it vanish again? This thing’s quick on its feet..."

  A few minutes later, he pointed toward the brush.

  "BINGO! There it is!"

  A high-pitched yelp burst from the bushes.

  "Yaaap!"

  "Oh... I didn’t think it was this close."

  He had shouted on a whim, but somehow hit the mark. The creature fell on its backside, startled.

  "Hwhaaaaaa?!" the creature cried out.

  "AAAAAAAH! What is this thing?!" Sufian yelled.

  The creature bounced up, pointing.

  "Heyhey! That be Bobbie’s line, yessir! ...Waity-wait... you’se be—!"

  Sufian froze.

  "...It talks?!"

  (It's wearing clothes...)

  The creature stepped closer, grinning wide. Sufian raised his hands defensively.

  "Shoo! Back off, dang it! I’ve never seen anything like this before. What the heck is it?!"

  The creature grinned.

  "Bobbie not be a thing, no-no! Bobbie be Snagglix Loudboots, clompity proud!"

  Sufian blinked.

  "Loud... boots?"

  "Been waitin’ for ya, ole soul link, ole soul link! Bobbie’s ears been twitchin’ for moons!"

  "Sorry, but that 'link' talk rubs me the wrong way. The name’s Sufian, okay?"

  (What a way to talk...)

  "Anyway, just back off for a sec, will you?!"

  (He smells...)

  Snagglix gasped and beamed.

  "Oooh! Sufian-name, that your name-name? Big happy meet-meet, yes-yes! Sufian-friend, shiny you!"

  "That doesn’t answer my question! No, more importantly... what do you mean, you were waiting for me?"

  "Yessy-yes! Long-long timey-time, like forever-clock, Link-friend! Tick-tock, no stop!"

  (The longer I talk to it, the harder it gets to understand it...)

  "Why? How?"

  Snagglix paused dramatically.

  "Easy-peasy, simple-dimple! You look-look, see-see, uhhh… brain-fuzz comin’, waity-wait!"

  The creature scratched its head.

  "Hey-hey! Why Bobbie-waitin’ wait-time?! Who stole the go-go, huh?!"

  Sufian stared at him, blank.

  (What’s with this thing...? It understands me, but I wouldn’t call this a conversation... Anyway, it doesn’t seem to mean me any harm... I think.)

  "You took the words right out of my mouth," he muttered sarcastically.

  "At any rate, I see you’re not human. That’s what I am. A human. And a young one at that."

  Snagglix tilted his head.

  "Ooooh… youngy flesh-face? Not teeny-tiny Lalafellkin, no-no! You all long-limby and squishy-weird-lookin’, huh?! Still-still, meet-meet was sparkle-good! Bobbie heart do happy-flip! Mmm-hmm, yes-yes!"

  "Grumbling...? What do you mean?" Sufian exclaimed.

  Snagglix’s eyes sparkled.

  "You! You the linky-one, sparkle-match for Bobbie-heart! Been waitin’ you forever-times—like Snagglix: fate-fated, tick-tock destined, yes-yes!"

  "What do you mean? I don’t get it... Listen up, uh... Loudboots, was it? Well... never mind."

  (What a headache...)

  "Rrrk! Anyway! My point is I don’t know! I am older than you!"

  Snagglix stomped a foot.

  "Why-no-not, huh?! You actin’ like babble-baby, tantrum-pants! Big huff-puff over teeny-tiny nothings! Bobbie sees through pouty-face, yes-yes!"

  "Shut up! I’ve had enough! Back off, already!" Sufian said angerly.

  Sufian turned away and started walking.

  "Waity-waaaaait, Suuuufiaaaaaan-friend!! No go-go yet!!" Snagglix cried, chasing after him.

  (First things first... I’ve gotta shake off this stinky critter somehow. I’ll try and get away from the shrine.)

  He sprinted again into the trees, ignoring the crunching of twigs behind him.

  "Huff... puff... Okay, I think I finally lost it," he muttered.

  But the questions swirled.

  (Still... What was that thing...? I wasn’t all that scared of it... I mean, it was small, it talked like a kid... Almost buddy-buddy. And the fact it talked at all is weird enough, right?)

  "Maybe I was... sleepwalking or something?"

  He shook his head.

  (Hmmm... maybe I should look around more.)

  ?????

  his words go all wiggle-wobble and my brain does the same...

  but he's also kinda my fave now? hehe~ :3

  hope you liked the chaos! more soon ;)