DREAM OF THE ROTTEN APPLE: PART-1

“I SMELL ROTTEN APPLE IN THIS SITUATION.”

Shaun, giving a terrified look to me, asked, “Really? Then what should we do?”

“That is what we are going to ask the staff boy now.”

“But isn’t the owner also there? How will you ask in front of him?”

“The owner is on the 4th floor right now — this is our chance.”

“What?” Shaun took a pause and asked, “How do you know?” Shaun’s expression was puzzled.

While talking, we reached the ground floor. In front of the lift, there was the reception — it was empty. Both the main gates were locked, and the typhoon raged without mercy.

“The hell! Both gates are locked,” Shaun screamed fearfully.

“I see... the running path is blocked. This was the only exit in the hotel, I guess.”

The staff boy emerged from behind. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We don’t have any plates. Please give us some plates,” I asked politely.

He took a pause for a second, understanding the situation, and left to fetch plates for us. While typing something on the phone, I answered Shaun's question.

“When we got out of the room, I saw a red light for a second from the keyhole of a room. Most probably, the owner is watching our movements from inside that room.”

Shaun’s expression went pale. “But how are you so sure?”

“My writer’s instinct is always right,” I answered in a cool way. At least I tried to make it sound cool.

While we were talking, he got us some plates. “Here are your plates.” His expression was sad while giving the plates.

While having a normal conversation — like what would be for tomorrow’s breakfast and so on — I showed him my phone, on which I had typed a question, asking him about the situation and the real identity of the owner.

A wave of shock crossed his face, but he regained the light in his eyes and took a pen and paper, continuing the normal conversation with me.

It’s good that he understood the assignment. Most probably, these workers are also held captive here and always have a microphone on them — which is why, even if he wants to help us, he can’t help us openly. Plus, this is the owner’s territory. If he has such kinds of devices to use, then we can’t be sure what type of weapons he might use, even if all of us were to charge at him at once.

Also, we can’t run away with these locks and a typhoon going on outside.

Shaun was silent, trying to process the situation. This was the first time I had seen him make such an expression. I typed again on my phone:

[Are we alone in this hotel right now?]

[Yes, you are the only group in the hotel,] the staff boy answered by writing on paper.

[You are being targeted by the owner; he is a psychopath.]

[Can you tell me more about the owner and the situation we are in?]

“Well, where are you from?” Shaun asked with a straight face.

Both of us stared at him for a few seconds. I was going to burst into laughter, but it seems that Shaun has adjusted to the situation, and of course, it would seem suspicious if he didn’t talk at all. The staff boy continued writing.

[At first, when I came here looking for a job, I didn’t notice anything until a night when I saw the monster inside the owner]

[He was cooking girls, who were the only customers at that time, same like you]

I gulped some saliva through my throat. I knew this was something bad, but to the extent of a psychopath to meet in real life? I hesitated to ask what he did with boys then, but Shaun asked instead.

[What does he do with boys then?]

[Nothing..]

We somewhat got relaxed..

[Nothing. He just cuts their penis and eats it as a side]

Our souls left our bodies. They were ready to give up.

[We are also all kept captive here; we are all too afraid to run away]

I had gotten the gist of the situation a little. Now that I have confirmed that we are in danger. I have to think of something.

[The food that we have been given — is it drugged?] I typed.

[Yes, it has a paralysis drug that will make you unable to move. But you can sense and understand everything in that situation.]

[According to the owner, the pain, suffering, and craving to scream when he cuts off their limbs is one of the main ingredients to make the dish delicious]

I sure want to run away in this situation. Maybe I’ll prefer death in a typhoon rather than this.

“Well, then, we will meet later,” I said. I had to leave, as staying here for more time might make the owner suspicious.

[If possible, I will also try to save you]

He seems like a good guy at heart. I would not like to use him to escape and leave him here. He smiled at me in relief, as though he had successfully warned us about the danger — which might give us a chance to survive. The three of us looked at each other. All of us made a determined face and nodded collectively.

While coming from the lift, Shaun asked, “So, what are we going to do now?”

“I guess we have to live through this tonight somehow,” I said, making a ‘shit man’ expression.

“Typhoon’s fault, or is there a jammer turned on in this building? The network is also not working — we cannot communicate with the outside.”

“Maybe the only way left for us is to somehow survive this night, and run away in the morning when the typhoon is over.”

Shaun was making an unknown expression — I’ve experienced this a few times before. Generally, I’m good at reading people, but many times I can’t predict or guess what he’s thinking.

We reached our floor. Not looking at the suspicious door, we entered our room. Both of us were processing what to do. We locked all the locks there were to lock and sat down in a circle with everyone.

There was a pin-drop silence in the room. Everyone’s eyes were on me as Shaun and I were giving off a vibe that something had happened.

Angel was calm and ready to listen. Drake and Milly had worried faces, with Drake holding Milly’s hand. Arnolt’s expression — I didn’t see.

I said, “Everyone, we have bad news.”

….

Shaun and I explained the whole situation — from what we know to what we think is happening here.

I was sure everyone had a hundred questions swirling in their heads. Doubts. Fears. Panic.
But no one said a word.

They were all trying to process it — trying to convince themselves this was real, not a nightmare.
Not a single voice dared to break the silence.

Just as I was about to speak, Arnolt did.

“Hehe… are we supposed to laugh?”
He let out a shaky chuckle. “We’re supposed to laugh, right?”

He looked around with an awkward smile, still clinging to the idea that if he acted like it was fine, it might actually be fine.

“No matter how circumstantial things feel… let’s just look at this rationally.”

He had lost it.

The way he spoke — jittery, uneven — it wasn’t rationality. It was desperation in disguise.

I lowered my head and shook it slowly.

Arnolt looked around again, glancing at each of us.
He was searching for someone, anyone, to back him up. To smile. To nod. To make him feel like he wasn’t the only one slipping.

But no one met his eyes.

“Whose idea was it to come here anyway?” Arnolt burst — couldn’t handle the situation. “It was you, Alex, wasn’t it? Now take the responsibility!” He grabbed me by the collar, fists trembling.

“Calm down, Arnolt,” I said in a calm tone.

“Fuck you! I am running away while I still have time — now is the chance, when he thinks we are eating,” Arnolt said, standing and preparing to run.

He turned to bolt, but Shaun and Drake grabbed his arms to stop him.

“Arnolt, calm down!” Drake said, trying to restrain him.

I stood up and punched him in the face. “This is no time to panic, you idiot.”
Arnolt shook off their hands — and swung back.

“You’re the reason we’re trapped!” he yelled, slamming his fist into my jaw.

“How the hell would I know about this?!” I shot back, landing a punch in his gut.

“Why the fuck did you book such a cheap place?!”
Uppercut.

“You told me to keep it cheap!”
Uppercut returned.

We kept hitting each other — not like trained fighters, just like two guys too overwhelmed to think, letting their fists do the talking.

Maybe this is just how boys get things off their chest — punch now, talk later.

Finally, Shaun and Drake pulled us apart, panting and shaking.
Our adrenaline slowly faded, and so did the rage.

“What should we do, babe? What should we do?” Milly hugged Drake, trembling in fear, on the verge of crying.

Drake, embracing her tightly, finally made a serious expression. He was ready to show why he’s the biggest motherfucker in our group. Shaun also had a determined face. Angel was shocked by how things had turned out, but she was managing to keep her calm. Arnolt’s expression — again, I didn’t bother to see it.

“So, what’s the plan?” Drake asked, as all of us finally sat down again.

I took a breath.

“I think we have to survive this night somehow,” I said.

“Hmm, I agree — but what should we do?”

Silence spread in the air, as all of us were desperate, thinking of some way to stay safe.

Then Angel spoke up.

“I think we should reinforce this room with all the furniture. Then move into the bedroom and barricade that too.”

“Also... we should each keep something close. Just in case,” Milly added. “Something we can use to fight — if he gets in.”

We all took a pause to think. Everyone was desperately thinking about something, but couldn’t think straight in this situation.

“Anyway, we don’t have much time, so let’s start reinforcing the door,” Drake said while he started moving the furniture.

Once he started pushing furniture, the rest of us followed. Even Arnolt had calmed down and joined in, helping stack chairs and shove tables.

Finally, we finished bombarding all the furniture in front of the door and were ready to make a fortress for the bedroom. We might not have much time, as he might be thinking that we would be paralysed by now.

As I took the first step toward the bedroom, Angel collapsed.

I wasn’t directly looking at her, but maybe I got the gist of the situation. I didn’t want to turn. The situation got noisy behind me. I was processing the calculation in my head, but was unable to think — blanked out from the chaos in my mind. I was only hearing the voice of Shaun screaming.

And then… silence.

Maybe others also got into the same situation. I turned to look — only to see that the entrance had blown. Dust filled the air — and through the cloud, something pushed all the furniture aside at once, like it was nothing.

And then he stepped through.

Tall, buck naked man. Ripped muscles from top to bottom— worthy enough to slap the face of a Greek god twice. Just wearing a panda mascot head on his face. I got the gist that he is the owner at the first touch of his aura.

Strength in my legs vanished, and I fell to the ground. Unable to move — we were all paralysed.