CH. 2

The next morning I started to find the video again. All I could feel at that time was curiosity, a driving force that kept me from thinking clearly. I logged into the dark web and surfed the web in pursuit of finding the video once more. The feeling was almost like an itch I couldn’t scratch, a thirst for something I couldn’t name. The events of last night, the disturbing images, were still fresh in my mind, gnawing at me like a persistent echo in the back of my skull. I couldn’t just let it go. I had to know what was real, what the truth was behind the monstrous creature and those men’s last moments.

The dark web was a world I had never ventured into before, and navigating it felt like being on the edge of something far too dangerous, yet irresistibly compelling. For hours, I sifted through disturbing forum posts, threads, and encrypted sites that reeked of the forbidden. It was a labyrinth, a world hidden from most eyes, a place where anonymity thrived. Every click felt like a small risk, but the deeper I went, the more it felt like I was getting closer to something—something that would finally answer all my questions.

Finally, I found the video at night. It was on a site I hadn’t seen before, a nondescript place with minimal users. It felt like a needle in a haystack, but somehow, I stumbled across it. The sense of victory I felt when the video started playing was short-lived, because as I watched, a heavy weight began to sink in. These 12 hours, this obsessive search in the dark sea, had changed me. They had irrevocably altered how I saw the world, how I saw humanity.

The video was far worse than I could have imagined. My stomach twisted as I watched the men in it, their last breaths, their blood mixing with the dirt beneath them. The sight of them dying was not what haunted me most, though—it was what they were running from. That creature, that towering figure that appeared just as the gas overwhelmed them, filled me with a deep, primal fear. There were no words for it, just the undeniable sensation that I was seeing something from beyond this world. And the green smoke… I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What was it? Was it some kind of weapon? A toxic gas? Or something more?

The horrifying images of the men’s final moments replayed in my mind constantly, each new viewing revealing more than the last. Every time I watched, I noticed a detail I had missed before. But then, something clicked. The video wasn’t from February 20th, as I had initially thought. The footage had been filmed on the 18th of February, the day the tremors had occurred. And it was posted two days later, on the 20th. The implications hit me like a ton of bricks. The three men in the video had succumbed to whatever was out there. They had been in that moment, fighting for their lives, only to be overtaken by the chaos.

But that meant the Australians from the crash… they survived. They had made it. I could feel the realization slowly dawning on me. The answers I sought weren’t lost; they were still out there. The men from the crash were the only ones who could tell me what happened—what that smoke was, what that creature had been.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of urgency. It was like a glass of cold water at 3 AM, the clarity that came with knowing I could finally get in touch with them. They were the key to unlocking this mystery. They had to be. The thought of getting answers about what had happened to them, about the strange creature and that green smoke, made my pulse quicken.

I knew I had to find them, but how? How could I track them down in a world so vast and so hidden? I had no answers, only questions, but the fire of curiosity that burned inside me now was unstoppable. I had to know.

The next few days passed in a blur. I couldn’t focus on anything but the hunt. Every second I spent away from the computer felt like a wasted opportunity. I scoured the forums, diving deeper into the dark web, trying to find some connection to those men. My eyes burned from hours of staring at the screen, my mind growing more and more frayed. But the more I searched, the more I realized that this wasn’t just about a video anymore. It had become an obsession.

The world of the dark web was like nothing I had ever imagined. It wasn’t just a place for criminals or hackers; it was a breeding ground for things I could never unsee. Every search I conducted led me deeper into a place I couldn’t escape, a place that felt like it was consuming me. The horrors I found there were like fragments of nightmares that I could never wake up from. Yet, amidst it all, the video remained the only thing that felt real—as real as anything could be. I watched it again and again, searching for any clue, any hint that might lead me to the answers I so desperately needed.

I couldn’t stop.

Every time I thought I was on the verge of something, the threads would slip away. Frustration mounted. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was just one step away from a revelation that would change everything. But as the days dragged on, it felt like I was getting nowhere. I began to feel trapped in the search, locked in a loop with no way out. The more I searched, the more it seemed like I was chasing shadows.

I needed help. I needed someone who knew this world better than I did. I needed someone who understood the intricacies of the dark web, the ways in which information could be tracked—or hidden. Someone who had the tools to dive into this world and pull out the truth.

That’s when I remembered Jonah’s brother. He was someone I had known for years, but it was only now that I realized how much he could help me. He was obsessed with technology—no, it was more than that. He lived and breathed it. If anyone could help me trace the video’s origins, it was him.

I didn’t waste any more time. I threw on my jacket, grabbed my bike, and headed toward Jonah’s house. The cool morning air bit at my face, but I barely noticed. My mind was still racing, consumed by thoughts of the video, the creature, the green smoke. I felt like a different person now—someone who had glimpsed the darker side of reality and couldn’t turn away from it.

Jonah’s brother was hunched over his desk when I arrived. Books were stacked high on one side, papers scattered across the other. The room smelled of coffee and sweat—his own personal chaos, and it suited him. He was typing furiously on his keyboard when I stepped in. He didn’t look up at first, but then his head snapped up, and he took one look at me. His eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“You look like you’ve been through hell,” he said, his voice tinged with disbelief.

I didn’t answer immediately. I wasn’t sure how to explain what had been happening. I hadn’t even fully processed it myself. How could I convey what I’d seen without sounding insane?

“I need your help,” I said, finally. My voice was low, strained.

He didn’t hesitate. “What’s going on?”

I explained the bare details—the video, the crash, the strange creature. I didn’t go into the deepest parts of what I had felt. I couldn’t. But I could see the skepticism in his eyes. He wasn’t stupid; he knew something was off. But he listened, carefully, as I told him what I needed: help tracking down the origin of the video.

Jonah’s brother didn’t say much at first. He just looked at me, and I could see his wheels turning. Finally, he spoke.

“You’re playing with fire,” he said, his voice calm. “The dark web isn’t a game. People go there for all sorts of reasons, and you never know who’s watching. If you’re not careful, you could end up way over your head.”

I nodded. I knew he was right, but I couldn’t stop. I had to know.

“I just need to find out where this came from,” I said. “Please.”

Jonah’s brother sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Alright. But I’m helping you once, and that’s it. If you find the answers you’re looking for, you walk away.”

I agreed without hesitation. That was all I wanted—answers.

He taught me a method of finding from where the video was uploaded but there was a discretion that it won't work on the dark web or if uploaded using VPN . Not of complete help but it was still great help . I came back to my room and started to watch the video again to see if I could get a clue . The brainstorming was mad for this video . I then started watching some Youtube videos and suddenly a Geoguessr popped into my feed in which, The location of stars in the sky was enough for finding the location. This was like a straw to a drowning man. I was tired and just went to sleep. The whole night the curiosity was killing me but I was too tired to brainstorm or think about something.

I couldn't sleep the whole night and the next day was something very tiring and my brain was high on anesthesia due to lack of sleep. I went to sleep without questioning any of my needs. I started to dream that I myself was in the video and it was something of a lucid dream or something. I was in sleep paralysis like it felt. I knew it was a dream and I can do whatever I want but not leave the dream.

I was just trapped and I needed to get out of this eerie dream . Suddenly I flew to the crash site and I could see the three aussies fainting. I saw a giant creature appear above their head and he saw me. He approached me and suddenly spoke something which I couldn't understand and all I could understand was the term “ EST LUTA” . He suddenly punched me in my gut and I couldn't breathe in my dream . I felt like there was a hole in my chest and I wanted to wake up but to no avail. Suddenly the background became black and there I was lying . It was suffocating, I was trying to breathe but to no avail and I tried very hard to snap my neck and wake up from this nightmare but to no avail. It was an eerie ,horrific and appalling feeling. I knew I was dreaming and all I needed was to wake up but I couldn't. I could feel my consciousness but my body was laying there. I tried to shout but my throat dried, teeth clenched and mouth shut like a shutter. I tried to snap my neck and after all the efforts I was able to wake up from my dream. Drenched in sweat , I was just happy to be awake and had some sort of somniphobia for sometime.

“What was the creature I saw ?” What did it look like is something I can't describe ? Was it an owl or a vulture or was it a horse or an octopus ? I just can't recall or I just couldn't understand what I saw at that time. Sun seeped through my window and I decided to take a break from my curiosity and went for a walk. I walked past my school to the riverside . The cool breeze from the river is something you need at such times as it dries the sweat and brings cool and fresh air to your mind. Time passed and I went to my room .

Had lunch and then sat in my room. I uploaded the picture of the sky from the video in a geoguessr expert stream and not one but three streamers gave me the same answer . The answer I expected is AUSTRALIA and they gave it to north east Aus. Though the reason for my answer was those 3 men, I still felt like something was missing my eyes and I can get the answer only if I come in touch with the original poster. Like what was the creature and that green gas ? Also the curiosity increased after the dream as it felt like my survival instincts and I really needed those answers.

I started watching youtube tutorials and even bought some courses online just so I can learn more about networking and how to contact someone who posted a video on dark web . This was the one time I felt powerless like this was the first time I felt the technology is far above something we can understand.

This was the 1st time I felt powerless to my curiosity and my skills . I would watch some motivation and pick myself up thinking of myself as some Einstein yet in the other 15 mins all I felt was powerless and had no idea where to look up for it. WIth all my efforts I started to search and I got some knowledge about metadata . Suddenly it clicked , I found the username a bit interesting and one thing followed another and it was of someone who just uploaded it . He was not trying to maintain animosity and just uploaded the video.

Suddenly I found the same video on youtube with 0 views . Suddenly it felt like god was helping me and with the help of some sites I found the email address of the uploader . I mailed the address regarding my curiosity. Now I had done all I could try and all it was needed was the reply. After quite a long time I slept . It was a deep sleep as I was proud of myself of no lingering doubts that the reply will come as God was on my side.