Chapter 2: (Trip before death)
I looked at my phone when I heard it ting!, a message just arrived in the group chat.
- "Faster, the bus will come soon. Don't be late."
My blood pressure rose the moment I read it. I grabbed my things and hurried toward the university where the bus would pick us up. "Hypocrites!" I muttered under my breath. "Not only did they plan this trip at the worst possible time and place, they also made us pay for the transportation and the damn food. And if one of us doesn't show up, our professor threaten to fail us."
"College was already hard enough. The subjects, the endless projects, everything drained me. I was in my third year of agriculture, and my instructor treated us like slaves. He made us do things that weren't even part of the course, fixing his fences, planting in his rice field, catching frogs and fish for him, even cooking his meals. He knew we couldn't fight back because our grades depended on him. One of us once reported him, but the principal didn't care, turns out, they were cousins."
"And today, of all days, they scheduled the trip, on a three-day holiday. I should've been sleeping by now, but no, those people are a special kind of annoying. A breed trained to ruin my peace."
"Haah… I hope a rally happens at that university," I grumbled as I walked faster.
Then I paused. "Wait… if that actually happens, they might shut the university down. I'd have to transfer, pay another tuition, more meals, more transport... and other universities around here charge even higher."
I sighed, tightening my grip on my bag. "Guess I'll just endure it, for now, until I graduate."
I ran toward the university, holding my bag close so nothing would fall out. My shoes slapped against the pavement, echoing through the crowded street. Then suddenly, a thought hit me.
"Did I close the window?"
"Wait, did I turn off the gas?"
"Is the fridge even shut?"
My chest tightened as I ran.
"What if the place catches fire? What if someone breaks in and steals my things? What if the fridge breaks again and all the food I bought get spoiled?"
It happens every time I leave, my head just won't stop worrying.
I pulled out my phone and glanced at the time.
9:49.
"Ah, shit," I muttered and started running faster.
When I reached the university gate, it was 9:55. The bus was still there, an old model white one, a bit worn out but still looking neat and sturdy.
As I approached, the door opened with a soft hiss. The driver looked at my uniform and smiled.
"Morning. You're the last one?"
"Yeah," I said, still catching my breath.
Inside, everyone was already seated. My classmates were chatting, laughing quietly, and even our professor was there near the front, scrolling on his phone.
"Morning, John," one of my classmates called.
"Morning," I replied with a tired smile as I made my way to the only empty seat by the window. I set my bag on the floor in front of me and leaned back, still trying to calm my breathing.
The driver looked in the mirror and said,
"Alright, everyone's here. We're leaving."
The door closed with a thud, and the bus slowly pulled away from the university.
The bus rattled as it rolled down the road, the air thick with chatter. Our class president, standing at the front like some overpaid tour guide, clapped his hands and announced, "Everyone! Let's enjoy our time on this trip!"
I stared out the window, watching the trees whip past. In my head, I muttered, "Shut your mouth, teacher's pet. Or should I say teacher's dog. You're the reason we even got dragged into this trip, running to the office, wagging your tail, saying, 'Yes sir, the whole class agreed.' Yeah right."
Then, from the back, one of the so-called clowns of the class piped up, "Yeah, let's enjoy it, until we can't get home!"
I sighed. "Shut your mouth, attention seeker. Nobody's laughing but you."
And then -oops-one of my intrusive thoughts slipped out, a little louder than planned. "Morons."
The word bounced in the air like a pebble hitting still water. Everyone's heads turned in my direction. My slit eyed seatmate betrayed me instantly, pointing without hesitation. "It's John!"
The class burst into laughter. One guy snorted, "Oh, please. As if John would say that. Look at his innocent face."
All eyes fell on me. I smiled weakly, still glued to the window, pretending to admire the scenery. "What a nice day," I murmured. "I hope we arrive soon."
On the outside, I was sunshine and daisies. On the inside, I was a human shape machine gun of insults, mowing them down one by one. *Idiots. Clowns. Morons. Every last one of you.*
And yet they still thought I looked too innocent to ever say such a thing. A perfect disguise."
Finally, after six long hours on the road, the bus came to a slow stop. The door opened with a hiss, the air is dusty mixed with the faint scent of the pine forest outside. One by one, the students rushed to get out, some stretching their stiff legs, others greedily inhaling the fresh air as if they had been suffocating inside the bus.
A few didn't even make it past the first step before gagging. The long ride had taken its toll.
And one of those unlucky few was me.
The moment my foot touched the ground, my stomach twisted. I stumbled to the side of the road, clutching my bag tightly, and then,
"Bluuurrggg!" I vomited, nearly falling to my knees. The sour taste hit my tongue, and the world around me spun.
"I swear…" I gasped between breaths, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "I will never ride a bus again… this is why I hate bus"
The ground beneath me felt like it was still moving. My head throbbed, my stomach churned, and the heavy bag on my back didn't help at all.
"Hey, you okay there?" a boy from my class asked, his voice mixed with concern and disgust.
"Yeah… just dizzy," I muttered, trying to stand straight.
"Dizzy? You threw up like you were dying."
"Thanks for the observation," I said dryly, still wobbling a bit.
Before the teasing could continue, the class president clapped his hands loudly. "Alright! Everyone, listen up!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chatter. "That open area near the trees, that's our campsite. We'll be staying here for three days. But before you rush over, pay first for the tent. The university didn't cover the cost this time."
A collective groan echoed among the students.
"Ten dollars each," he continued, holding a small notebook to record payments. "No pay, no entry."
I sighed, rummaging through my bag until I found my wallet. The coins rattled as I handed over a wrinkled ten and a crumpled five. "There. Now can I go collapse somewhere?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just don't vomit near the river," he said, marking my name.
The campsite was smaller than I expected. The ground was uneven, and the tents were already crowding the space like colorful mushrooms. Some students argued about where to pitch theirs; others were too tired to care.
I found a small open spot near the riverbank, not too close, but close enough to hear the sound of running water. The air there was cooler, softer. I set down my bag and unrolled the small tent they give, the metal poles clinking as I assembled them.
By the time I finished, the sun had begun to sink behind the trees, painting the river with orange light.
Inside my tent, I placed my bag at one corner and took out my clothes, folding them into a pile. One for a cushion, one for a pillow. I sat down and stretched my sore back, feeling every bone crack.
I stared at the thin fabric of my tent and sighed. "I forgot to bring a blanket… or a pillow," I mumbled to myself, lying down on the rough ground. "My back's going to hate me again…" and whispered under my breath, "Three days… I should've stayed home."
The night came slowly, the sound of insects echoing softly across the camp, blending with the faint murmur of tired students. The teachers handed out portions of food, but the amount was barely enough to fill anyone. A small plastic bowl with a scoop of rice and a few thin strips of meat. No one complained out loud, but their faces said enough.
"Are they serious with this?" a guy muttered beside the fire, turning his bowl slightly as if the angle would make the food look bigger.
"Guess they think we're on a diet," another said dryly, his voice low and rough from exhaustion. "Six hours in a bus, we also pay for the entrance fee just for the professor to feed us some cheap cat food?"
Someone across from them sighed, "Just eat. Complaining won't make your portion bigger or the taste better."
I sat a little apart from the others, on a smooth rock beside my tent, the lantern light casting a soft orange hue over my food. The rice was cold, the meat dry and flavorless. It wasn't much, but my stomach didn't protest. I was too tired to care.
A classmate walked by, his bowl half-finished. "You done already?" he asked, noticing I was just staring at my food.
"Yeah," I said, pushing the rice around with my spoon. "Not really hungry." He snorted. "You say that now, but you'll regret it later when everyone's asleep and you start smelling the professor's food from his tent."
"I'll survive," I replied. "I've eaten worse."
"Still," he said, glancing around at the professor campfire shadows. "First day and it already feels like survival training."
"Maybe that's the point."
He chuckled faintly, shaking his head. "If that's the point, they could've at least given us water that doesn't taste like rusty tap water."
After cleaning my hands with the edge of my shirt, I crawled back into my tent. The air inside was cool, carrying the scent of damp grass and river water. I lay down on my folded clothes, one acting as a pillow. For the first time in years, there was no ticking clock, no fan, no loud mechanical hum. Just the open silence of night.
Outside, the voices of my classmates lingered softer now, a few of them sitting by the camp fire.
"Hey, we're actually out here," one said quietly. "No phone signal, no noise. It feels… different."
"Different?" another replied. "It feels like hell."
A third voice laughed quietly. "You complain too much."
"Maybe. But admit it, it's kind of peaceful. No deadlines, no alarms, no traffic."
A pause, then: "Yeah. Peaceful… and a little too quiet."
I turned on my side, still listening. Their laughter rose and fell with the wind.
"It's… so peaceful," I murmured, my voice fading. Outside, my classmates were still awake laughing, talking, their shadows flickering through their tent's thin fabric. I could hear the soft rustling of leaves, and the wind brushing against the river's surface. The sounds mixed together, calm and natural. "Finally…"
I closed my eyes, and before I knew it, I drifted into the deepest sleep I'd had in a long time.
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of birds and the faint gurgle of the river. The sunlight slipped through the tent's flap, painting lines across my face. I stretched my arms, letting out a long yawn.
"Ahhhh~ That feels good," I said aloud, smiling for no reason. My body still ached from the hard ground, but somehow I felt lighter. Maybe it was because I finally slept peacefully.
After changing shirts, I grabbed my fishing rod from the bag. The hook still had a piece of bait from yesterday, so I didn't bother digging for worms. I made my way to the river, the cold morning air brushing against my skin.
The water shimmered faintly under the rising sun. I sat on a smooth rock and cast my line, watching the ripples spread out slowly.
One minute passed. Nothing.
Two minutes. Still nothing.
By the fifth minute, I sighed, lowering my rod.
"I can't get any fish," I muttered. "I thought fishing was easy…"
My stomach growled, reminding me of last night's small meal. I gave up, reeled in the line, and headed back to the camp.
By midday, the teachers gathered everyone. "Alright, everyone! It's swimming time!" the president shouted, his voice echoing across the riverbank. "Let's enjoy our time here, swimming or kayaking, your choice!"
Excited cheers filled the air. Students ran toward the water, some already splashing each other before the teachers even finished explaining.
I stood at the edge, watching. The river looked calm, but there was a sign nearby:
WARNING - 13 FEET DEEP. STRONG CURRENT.
A few wooden boats were tied to the shore, each with a single-seat kayak attached. The sunlight reflected off the clear river water.
I wanted to swim, but I couldn't. I didn't know how. The thought of sinking, of feeling the water closing in around me, made my chest tighten.
So I sat down on a rock near the boats, hugging my bag close. I didn't want to get splashed, and I definitely didn't want my clothes soaked.
"Hey, John! Come on, join us!" one of my girl classmates called from the water, waving her arm. Her hair clung to her face, and her smile was bright.
I shook my head quickly. "No thanks! I'll just watch!"
"Aww, boring!" she laughed before diving back into the water.
I watched them play, their laughter echoing across the river, while I sat still, trying to enjoy the view. The sound of the river mixed with their splashes. Time passed slowly.
Twenty minutes later, most of them were still swimming. My back started to hurt from sitting too long, so I stood up and walked toward the boats. I was curious about how the kayaks worked.
As I approached one, I heard footsteps behind me. Before I could turn, someone shoved me hard on the shoulder.
"Whoa!!" I lost balance and fell straight into the boat. The rope that tied it to the post snapped with a dry crack!
"Wait! Hey!!!" I shouted, reaching out, but the current had already taken me.
The boat drifted quickly, spinning slightly as the water pulled it forward. On the shore, I saw the one who pushed me, my seatmate from the bus.
"You bastard!" I shouted, but my voice was lost to the rush of the water. He just stood there, grinning. He must think I'm just acting.
The current grew stronger. I grabbed the paddle and tried to steer, but I had no idea how. Every time I moved it, the boat tilted.
"Come on, come on!" I muttered, trying to turn the kayak, but the current only pulled me faster. Panic crawled up my throat. My hands trembled.
I can't swim.
My heartbeat pounded in my ears.
"Am I… gonna die like my father?" The thought came uninvited, cutting through the noise in my head.
The river narrowed ahead, filled with sharp rocks. Before I could react, the boat slammed into one.
CRACK!
The kayak flipped over. The world turned upside down. I hit the cold water hard. My bag sinking with me. "Help!!!" I gasped, but water filled my mouth. I thrashed, trying to reach the surface, but the current kept dragging me down.
My lungs burned. My chest screamed. The light above me blurred, fading little by little. "Please… someone… help…" The last bubbles escaped my mouth, floating upward. The sound of the river started to fade. The light became smaller… smaller… Until all that was left was darkness.