1 Chapter 1 - Ryan

"Hey, are you really sure you'll be okay on your own? If you prefer, I'm willing to take you home" 

A voice echoed next to Ryan as he gazed at the starry sky from the porch. That night, he was at a party organized by his college mates, an event that would usually go unnoticed by Ryan. However, his only two friends, who were also a long-term couple, insisted persuasively that the three of them attend together. Reluctantly, Ryan eventually gave in.

His best friend's simple question had a clear reason; Ryan, who typically avoided alcohol and furthermore had no resistance to drinks, ended up overindulging. Ryan's current state certainly couldn't be called sober, in fact, he was far from it. However, somehow, Ryan could still make out what was happening around him, albeit more slowly and limitedly, of course.

"You two don't need to worry about me. I might have had a few drinks, but I still know what I'm doing. At least I can make it to the bus stop to go back home" 

Ryan responded decisively, leaving no room for objections. With a quick glance, he noticed his two best and only friends staring at him with concerned expressions on their faces.

"I'm not sure, you don't look very well to me. I still think it's a bad idea to let you go alone" 

A female voice scolded Ryan, and when he directed his gaze toward the source of the voice, he saw a stunning young woman in her twenties, her arms crossed as she observed him. Both of Ryan's friends were notably well-known in college, not only for being a couple but also for their attractive appearance. Moreover, unbeknownst to them, Ryan was not originally invited to the party.

At the time of the invitation, both of them were called, but Ryan didn't receive the invitation. His best friend managed to sort out the situation by asking the host who was organizing the party. However, even with the invitation in hand, Ryan couldn't forget that he wasn't initially meant to be at that place. It wasn't because Ryan was ugly or anything; it was his lack of social interaction with peers and his interests considered strange by others that made him unpopular in the eyes of others.

(Idiots) 

Ryan thought as he let out a sigh. To be honest, he didn't really care much about not being invited; what bothered him was people's hasty judgment, without even trying to get to know him. That's why Ryan valued his friendship with his only two friends so much.

"Look, you don't need to worry. I'll be back home in the blink of an eye, while you two can continue to enjoy the rest of the night"

Ryan said, stretching. Then, he headed towards the exit of the venue, accompanied by his two friends. Upon reaching the exit, he cast one last glance at his friends.

"Well, that's it. See you guys tomorrow"

Ryan said, turning around once more and starting to walk towards the bus stop, which was just three minutes away from the venue.

"Ryan, please don't forget to call us if anything happens"

Ryan's friend said, his voice, though sounding comical, also carried a visibly concerned tone.

"Exactly, you're terrible with numbers, so be careful when dialing not to call the wrong number"

Ryan's friend said, listening to both. He could only roll his eyes as he turned away with a sarcastic smile on his face.

"Don't worry, mom, dad, I won't let you down"

With these words, Ryan left the party venue and headed to the bus stop, the walk to the location was quite easy, although Ryan was a bit drunk, it was far from enough to leave him disoriented. If Ryan had to say he was feeling something, that something was sleep; for some time, Ryan has been feeling a strong urge to sleep. That was also one of the reasons Ryan wanted to leave the party early.

At the bus stop, it didn't take long for the ride that would take Ryan home to arrive. Taking the back seat, Ryan settled comfortably in the chair and started to watch outside the bus. Suddenly, a strong desire to sleep overcame him; his eyes were struggling to stay open as the landscapes outside the bus began to unfold in slow motion.

Despite trying to keep his eyes open, unfortunately, Ryan couldn't and ended up falling asleep. When he fell asleep, it felt like he was floating. The curious thing was that Ryan knew he was sleeping, which in itself was quite strange. Despite the strange situation, he had to admit it was surprisingly comfortable. Somehow, it felt like he was back in his mother's womb, a warm and cozy place, even though he couldn't fully grasp the meaning of this sensation.

***

"..."

Ryan could hear noises around him, but he couldn't distinguish them clearly. His senses felt strange, and when he tried to get up to assess the situation, he realized he couldn't feel his arms or legs.

(What the hell is going on?)

The thought of being kidnapped crossed Ryan's mind. He tried to open his eyes, but his vision was distorted. It was dark, and Ryan felt like he was seeing everything from a lower perspective, as if he were lying on the ground or something.

"Be very careful with this. What's inside is probably the most valuable thing in the universe"

Again, voices from outside caught Ryan's attention, but this time they were much more audible and understandable than before. Ryan wasn't sure what these people were talking about, but still tried to shout for help.

"Grrrr"

All that came out was a short growl, which quickly surprised Ryan. His voice sounded almost animalistic, not to mention strange. Or perhaps "gooey" was the right word? Ryan really couldn't tell, but one thing he was sure of, something was terribly wrong in that situation.