IGNITION ARC: Devouring the Shell

“I didn’t know there were foxes here!” Ronjun exclaimed. He held onto his trekking pole tightly.

“This must be the news your girlfriend has told you,” Garvind whispered while staring at the 6 coyotes.

“W-What do we do? Should we calm ourselves and leave like we didn’t see them at all?!” Ronjun asked Windel.

“How should I know? I’ve never seen one in person until now. But they’re not foxes, they’re coyotes.” Widel retorted.

“Strange, coyotes aren’t native to our country.” Garvind muttered. “Maybe they are local foxes.”

“We have no time for that, Garv! We should escape them first.” – Ronjun

The 6 coyotes walked towards them. They sniffed them while the three remained standing.

The coyotes’ attention went to the flashlight Ronjun had thrown away.

“Run!” Ronjun screamed and ran.

Windel and Garvind followed him and ran.

“Ah!” Windel screamed. He ran last, so a coyote was able to catch up and bite his left leg.

“Windel!” Garvind yelled. He ran back to Windel when the two coyotes blocked him.

Ronjun climbed a small tree. He threw his trekking poles at the coyotes that blocked Garvind. “Get outta here!” he shouted.

But it angered the coyotes more. They attacked Garvind.

Garvind covered his face. “Whaaa!”

The other 3 coyotes remained standing below the tree where Ronjun climbed up. Ronjun threw the stuff inside his bag to shoo away the two coyotes that attacked Garvind.

Garvind stood up immediately. Left his backpack and ran faster. He runs so fast, he couldn’t care less if he can escape the coyotes. It was getting muddy, and he’s getting a cold sweat.

He slipped on a muddy slope.

“Ugh,” he grunted.

He broke his ankle. He tried standing but it gave him severe pain. He crawled down on his hands and knees on the ground.

*growls*

He panicked when he heard a growl. He saw a big animal’s gray furry tail beside a plant. He saw the head of an animal. He twitched and rolled over the slippery slope with loose rocks.

The next thing he remembered, he hugged a broken tree with its sharp trunk that pierced his heart, beating for the last second.

I should have bought that pair of shoes…

He thought that if he upgraded his hiking shoes, he wouldn’t slip easily into this tragedy. This was Garvind’s last thought.

***

Garvind opened his eyes gradually while squinting. His eyes are blurry. He saw a familiar face.

“Garvind!” a woman’s voice exclaimed. “He’s awake! Nurse, Garvind is now awake!”

“Mom?” Garvind mumbled.

His mother hugged him tightly while crying. “You’re here! Garvind is home.”

Garving heaved a sigh. He can feel his body numb with the warm embrace his mother gave him. He recalled the last thing he can remember and now realizes why he was in that situation.

“I-I’m alive…” Garvind whispered to himself. He’s in disbelief.

Not long after the news had spread, his two friends visited him.

“You’ve been sleeping for 3 weeks.” Windel, with a bandage on his left leg, greeted him.

Ronjun, with scratches on his face and arms, smiled. “Heaven’s mercy, the surgery was successful. I really thought you’d die.”

Garvind smirked. “I’m one tougher nut than you, haha.”

All of them laughed. And went silent.

“I was able to drive the coyotes off when I pulled the loud siren keychain. Ronjun and I searched for you. Good thing we found you right away. Then there was a rescue team that sighted us. They were looking for other hikers who were hiking after the news of the animal attack.”

Garvind is grateful for his second life. A little second later, he could be dead. It was like the coyotes led them to be found by the rescuers, but it also led them to a near-death experience.

“How’s my operation, Mom?” Garvind asked his mom.

“A kind man who recently died donated his heart. It matched yours, and here you are.” His Mom answered with a teary eye. “What a miracle.”

***

9 months later

Garvind placed his arms on each of their shoulders. “Would you like to join me?” Garvind asked the two.

“I’m not sure if it’s us who should be traumatized, but why aren’t you traumatized at all?” Ronjun frowned.

“It’s not like that,” Garvind smirked. “I simply love the thrill of it.”

Garvind invited them to rejoin another hiking. After the incident, the two refrained from the hiking activity; on the other hand, Garvind enjoyed doing it more than ever.

“Yeah? Which kind of thrill? The thrill of dying?!” – Ronjun

“Tsk, you’re no fun. How ‘bout you?” Garvind asked Windel.

“I have no intention of doing it again, Garvind,” Windel responded with a serious face, facing his desktop. “Besides, we should be working right now.” He didn’t stop typing while talking to both of them.

“C’mon, guys,” Garvind pouted.

“Garvind, the boss is calling you,” A male colleague called Garvind.

Garvind left the two for a moment.

Ronjun moved closer to Windel. “Garv’s been weird after he woke up, no? I feel like he's no longer the Garvind that I used to know. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but... Look, he’s now the most outgoing among us three. He’s smarter and refined. He’s now into various physical activities and muscular. The girls are crazy about him. And now, he’s our manager—all of these in just almost a year!” Ronjun whispered sternly.

“Shh!” Windel shushed him. “We are supposed to be working, remember?”

Ronjun sighed in frustration and left Windel’s desk to resume his work.

Windel remained silent, but he secretly agreed with what Ronjun observed. And that there was something wrong with Garvind.

***

It’s also been 9 months of searching for the heart donor’s relatives. Garvind didn’t stop to track the donor who donated their heart, who has become his savior. He would like to meet to thank the relatives in person and express his sincerity.

“Ma’am, please contact me immediately if there is any information about them. Thank you,” Garvind said to the receptionist of the hospital where he was admitted.

He went straight to the hospital after his work because someone told the receptionist that a friend of the donor might visit the hospital soon, that’s why Garvind goes to the hospital almost every day in the hope of finally meeting that friend.

He went out of the hospital and spent some time sitting in the hospital garden. He watched the children and elderly play and walked by the nurses.

A man in his mid-30s wearing a black coat with a black polo and pants sat beside him. He moved to his left to give space. He smiled at the man, but the man didn’t bother looking into his eyes.

“Garvind Custavo,” the man blurted.

Garvind turned his gaze on him. “S-Sir? Are you talking to me?”

“Who else would Garvind Custavo be?” The man continued looking at the people walking in front of them.

Garvind gulped. “Um, yes, that’s me. Sorry, but do I know you, Sir?”

The man looked at him. He can now clearly see the man’s face, marred by facial scars.

“The heart that was bestowed upon you shall devour you not long after that heart has enveloped your body. The organ that once served you will soon rule you. You will give birth to a reincarnated being who bestowed that second life upon you. The time is fast approaching when the debt must be repaid in full.”

“What are you talking about, Sir? I don’t understand.” Garvind frowned.

The strange man gazed at him like he was staring into Gravind's soul. “You will become the cradle of a spirit that defied death itself.”