IGNITION ARC: The Uproar Begins

It’s 5:00 in the afternoon where the sun is about to take its break. The same goes for the three salarymen who have now completed their today’s shift. They sat on their respective working desks 1 meter away from each other.

“Yohoo! My parcel just arrived at home!” Ronjun exclaimed. He’s browsing his phone when a notification pops up.

Windel checked his wristwatch and looked at Ronjun. “What did you order this time?” he asked.

“Here,” Ronjun went near Windel and showed his phone. “See?” He scrolled further on his phone. “This was on sale last week, and when I saw their post, only 3 stocks left! Glad I went for it immediately.” He smiled excitedly.

“Bro, you really went for it, huh?” Windel scoffed. “But I admit, that looks tempting.”

“Yeah, right? Well, at least I got it for 20% off.” Ronjun explained.

“Still expensive though.” Windel shrugged. “You could still use your old one, which was still in good shape.”

“Not to mention, you just bought a pair last month, and it wasn’t even on sale.” Garvind joined the conversation. He was still finishing his work by typing on his keyboard.

“Tch, I saved up for that one,” Ronjun answered.

“And for this one?” Windel asked.

“I didn’t…”

“Saw it coming”

“Okay, I had this one for installment, okay?”

Windel and Garvind shook their heads.

“Anyway,” Ronjun looked at Garvind. “How about you? When are you going to change your hiking shoes? I know a lot that are on sale until now.” He sat beside Garvind. “Look, this was actually my second option, but the color’s cooler on this one…” Garvind stopped typing and they browsed for more.

“I like that one.” Garvind pointed at the blue green.

“You should get this one,” Ronjun suggested. “Windel, what do you think?”

Windel looked at Ronjun’s phone with the blue-green hiking shoes Garvind liked. “That one has breathable materials, lightweight with deep lugs. Long hikes can wear out your feet, so I usually go for boots that are lighter but still tough enough to handle rocks and rough trails.”

Garvind nodded. He stopped typing and turned off his computer. “Sounds good to me.”

“Want me to order it for you? That would be great when you wear it on our hike.” Ronjun said.

“Nah, not now. I still have a good pair.” Garvind refused with a smile.

“Man, what a waste,” Ronjun replied.

“Geez, you just want to claim another discount by referring someone to buy in that shop, haha!” Windel laughed at Ronjun.

The three of them were planning to go on another hike in four weeks. Ronjun has been hiking for 4 years. He invited the two to it, and now, the three of them have been hiking for almost 2 years. This time, it is more challenging, that’s why Ronjun prepared his equipment and is enthusiastic about it.

“Let’s go,” Garvind called the two.

The three of them bid their goodbyes to their colleagues who left the office. They walked and stopped by a nearby fast food. After getting their orders, they sat and ate.

“We won’t be joining a group. This is more thrilling!” Ronjun exclaimed.

Windel took a bite of his potato fries. “That’s right. This will be our first time to do it ourselves, so listen carefully.” He brought out his newly printed hiking plan and showed it to them. “I booked us the flights last night. We have accommodation and a free breakfast on our first and last day there. It will be a 3-day traverse climb. I talked to one of the local organizers already, we’re almost ready to set. Just let me know if you want other attractions to visit after the climb.”

“Oh, I want to visit a restaurant there,” Garvind responded. He took a sip of his soda.

“Sure, I’ll take note of that.”

After they finished their food, the three of them waved goodbye to one another. Windel went back to their office building’s parking lot and drove his car home. Ronjun took a ride-hailing service to visit his girlfriend. Garvind rode the train.

It was now rush hour, and the public vehicles were crowded with mostly students and workers.

Garvind arrived at his apartment at 6:45 PM. He put his backpack below his desk table. He took a half bath to clean his body from the smoke and sweat while outside. He wore his new set of sleepwear. He checked his refrigerator and cooked something for dinner. What he ate at the fast food earlier has left his stomach wanting more.

He stood up and looked at his old hiking shoes. He held the soles.

“Yup, you’ll do good. You just need a bath. I’ll buy a new one after this hike,” he said, patting it. He went back to his dinner table and ate.

***

4 Weeks After, Hiking Day

“Why are the 3 absent today?” A work colleague who had just arrived asked another colleague. He’s referring to Ronjun, Windel, and Garvind whose seats are empty.

“They are on leave until Monday for a hike.” A female officemate replied. “They even sent a picture in our group chat before they left the city.”

“Hey, guys! Watch this.” Another male colleague intervened. He gripped his phone upward so the two could watch.

The three gathered to watch what the second guy was referring to. As he was scrolling his social media news feed, he stumbled upon a headline posted today.

“An adventurous hike in Mountain Poa turned tragic when the group of hikers fell into a ravine in Adova, leaving the five people injured, and 2 are in critical condition.” A male news reporter continued. “The group started hiking 2 days ago, when they suddenly encountered an accident this morning around 4:15 AM. The 2 members reportedly plunged about 24 meters and hit a giant rock when they saw a wild bear and 5 foxes chasing them. The 3 were able to outrun and hide, but caused severe injuries due to panic. The authority strictly implied an immediate caution and action to prohibit hikers and tourists from visiting the mountain until further observation.” 

***

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