“What’s going on?” Gina asked, her voice still groggy from sleep as she stood by the door of room 213. The corridor outside was bustling with people, yet an eerie silence hung over them. “Kiya, what happened?”
“A female medic on the first floor was attacked by a predator,” Kiya replied, her expression mirroring the tension around them. “Other staff members believe it happened about an hour ago while most of us were asleep. She’s running a high fever now.”
“The problem is,” Kiya continued, her voice trembling, “Block One is sealed off. They suspect if there are no predators here, then one of us might be a predator host. Only predator hosts can disguise themselves as humans and attack without being detected as predator.”
“A predator host?” Gina asked, confusion clouding her features.
“Like Lilia in Block Three,” Kevin chimed in from where he leaned against the wall near room 213. “They’re carriers of the predator virus—dangerous and cunning. That’s why Bayu and Danica are searching every room on the second floor now.”
Gina’s shock was palpable. “There can’t be a monster like Lilia among us. You guys are joking, right?”
Kevin and Kiya’s silence spoke volumes, their expressions grave as they exchanged looks with Gina.
“You—you’re serious?” Gina’s voice quivered with fear now. “You’re serious there’s a monster like Lilia here? But how is that possible? If there really is such a predator host among us, why have we been safe until now? Why did they attack the first floor instead?”
Kiya swallowed hard, her own unease evident. “We don’t have all the answers. What’s clear is the staff on the first floor locked themselves in their rooms out of fear, leaving us to deal with this. Captain Tyrell and Aslan are downstairs securing the female medic who was bitten. They had to lock her up before she fully transforms into a predator.”
As Kiya spoke, Danica emerged from room 213 and strode past Gina, who stood rooted in the doorway. Once outside, she immediately looked towards Bayu, who had just exited Igor’s room at the far end of the second-floor corridor.
“No fresh blood stains on any of the beds in this room!” she called out to Bayu. “This was the last one I checked. Nothing here.”
“Same here,” Bayu replied as he joined the group near room 213. “It’s bizarre. If someone from our floor attacked the medic downstairs, there should be blood on the perpetrator’s clothes. But everything here is clean, and there are no stains in the corridor or stairwell.”
“Could it have been someone from the first floor?” Danica pondered aloud, equally puzzled. “It doesn’t add up. Maybe the woman was injured by something other than a predator bite?”
“No, she was bitten,” Kevin interjected. “Bayu and I saw the wound on her neck. It was small but clearly from a bite, not a cut. She couldn’t speak due to the fever and shivering. People in Block One mentioned these are signs just before someone turns into a predator.”
“Damn it! We thought we were safe, and now this,” Daniel cursed in frustration. His and Somsak’s eyes were still red from being roused from deep sleep. “Can’t we get a break from this predator nightmare on this island? Is that why everyone’s armed even in here?”
The atmosphere turned silent after Daniel said that. However, the quiet was soon interrupted by approaching footsteps on the stairs.
“That’s Captain Tyrell and Aslan,” Somsak noted, nodding towards the figures of Tyrell and Aslan descending towards them.
Bayu turned to face them as they approached. “Has the woman downstairs been isolated in a separate room?”
Tyrell and Aslan didn’t immediately respond to Bayu’s question. Instead, they scanned each person on the second floor in silence for a few moments.
“We don’t want to breed suspicion among ourselves, but what the staff on the first floor mentioned has merit,” Tyrell finally spoke up. “They’ve always been vigilant about potential infections downstairs. Block One is sealed off. It’s possible one of us is now in the last stage of transformation after being infected.”
“Last stage of transformation?” Kiya asked, her brow furrowing with concern.
“The wound on her neck was from a bite, but she wasn’t eaten,” Aslan explained. “Before they isolated themselves, one of the staff downstairs mentioned that this kind of attack is typical of someone in the early stages of becoming a predator host. It’s likely they’ll start feeling constant hunger and begin to see others as prey.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Daniel exclaimed, disbelief etched on his face. “Are you saying what they said downstairs is true? You think there’s a predator host among us?”
“No one’s jumping to conclusions,” Tyrell quickly intervened. “They mentioned differences in brain structure between predators and predator hosts. Predators usually suffer brain damage and retain basic hunting instincts, much like wild animals. But predator hosts undergo changes in brain structure or neurotransmitter activity.”
“That’s why,” Tyrell continued, “in addition to the hunger and predatory instincts, predator hosts can become increasingly intelligent over time. That’s what makes them so dangerous. They can blend in, manipulate, and effortlessly deceive.”
“So, whoever attacked the medic downstairs could have immediately covered his or her track,” Aslan added. “That’s why we need to gather information from everyone here. Did anyone hear or see anything suspicious about an hour ago? We’ll also need to verify alibis.”
“I can vouch for us,” Daniel responded promptly. “After moving from room 213, Somsak and I went straight to sleep in our new room. Bayu woke us up just fifteen minutes ago. We didn’t leave the room at all.”
“Are you sure Somsak was asleep the whole time?” Aslan questioned.
“What about you? How can we be sure you were actually asleep?” Daniel shot back. “People in single rooms are the most suspicious, right? You could have slipped downstairs while everyone else was asleep and no one would know!”
“That’s exactly the issue,” Aslan calmly continued. “Whether sleeping alone or in a group, deep sleep makes it hard to notice others’ movements. Even if briefly, most of us were exhausted and likely slept deeply, except for the perpetrator, who was alert and active.”
“So,” Aslan continued, his tone probing, “how can any of us be certain that our roommates were truly sleeping and didn’t sneak out? Are you confident your roommate was sound asleep while you were?”
Daniel fell silent, exchanging a glance with Somsak, who looked bewildered.
“M—me?” Somsak stammered, confused by the sudden scrutiny. “I was definitely in a deep sleep until Bayu knocked on our door. I’m pretty sure I even drooled. Want to check my pillow?”
“Disgusting,” Daniel muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed.
“If you were that deeply asleep, you wouldn’t have noticed if your roommate was moving around, right?” Aslan directed his question at Somsak, seeking clarification.
Somsak hadn’t responded yet when Daniel shot a glare at Aslan. “Are you out of your mind? Why do I feel like you’re suspecting me or Somsak?”
“Don’t jump to conclusions so quickly; I’m not accusing anyone. I’m simply pointing out that everyone here is under scrutiny,” Aslan swiftly replied, trying to defuse the tension.
Daniel, visibly hot-tempered, erupted again. “Then why grill us for alibis if you think anyone could have sneaked downstairs while others slept? You could be just as much a suspect! Who gave you the authority to interrogate us?”
“Because there might be someone among us who unknowingly witnessed or heard something relevant,” Aslan explained. “I admit I don’t have an alibi myself. People who slept alone like me don’t have solid alibis, but that doesn’t mean those with roommates are exempt either.”
“I slept alone too, so I don’t have an alibi,” Tyrell suddenly interjected. “I was sound asleep in my room until Kiya and Sofia woke Aslan and me to come downstairs.”
“I was asleep too until Bayu woke me,” Danica spoke up from beside Gina. “Sara seemed just as half-asleep when I checked on her room. So, neither Sara nor I have alibis.”
All eyes then shifted to Ivan and Igor, who were squatting in the corridor.
“I’m still sleepy, so I couldn’t care less if you suspect us,” Ivan said with a yawn. “I woke up when that guy, Bayu, banged on my door with his weapon.”
“Same here,” Igor said. “After showering and settling into a room, I crashed and didn’t notice a thing.”
With all attention now on him and Kevin, Bayu finally spoke up. “Honestly, Kevin and I haven’t slept a wink. After our conversation with Danica, we tried to rest in our room but ended up talking instead. We both went to the toilet before hearing the screams from the first floor.”
“Yes, on our way to the toilet, we bumped into Scholarship Girl and Sofia in the kitchen,” Kevin added. “But Bayu and I didn’t hear anything unusual from outside while we were discussing weapons in our room. Our attention was focused on our conversation.”
Igor suddenly scoffed. “Considering your history of putting others at risk, you two could easily be colluding, couldn’t you?”
“F*ck you! I was the one who saved you and your friend from Block Three!” Kevin retorted angrily, making a move towards Igor. Before any altercation could escalate, Sofia interjected.
“W—wait! My baby, Gergő… he might have heard something,” she suddenly exclaimed. “Gergő and I were sleeping, but he woke up crying for no apparent reason. Normally, once Gergő is exhausted and asleep, he doesn’t wake up for two hours or more. It’s unusual for him to wake up so soon without cause.”
“How do you know he heard something?” Mia questioned, her brow furrowed. “Your baby has cried without reason before.”
“I’m not completely sure, but Gergő is very sensitive to people’s movements, especially in a new place,” Sofia murmured. “But I could be wrong. There’s no way someone from our room could have sneaked out and attacked the medic downstairs, right?”
All eyes turned to the other occupants of room 213. Kiya, Gina, and Mia exchanged uneasy glances.
“It wasn’t me. Once I settled into the new room and got in bed, I slept straight through,” Mia said anxiously. She then pointed at Gina. “I heard this girl was taken to Block Two earlier. We all know they isolate people there suspected of being infected, and she had a fever.”
“M—me?” Gina stammered, growing equally anxious. “Yes, I did have a fever and was taken to Block Two, but it was because I was weak from being out in the rain and swimming all night. I honestly don’t know what happened while I was asleep.”
Feeling the weight of suspicion bearing down on her, Gina fervently shook her head. “I swear, it wasn’t me! Are you all suspecting me? I didn’t leave room 213 after I showered and ate. I wouldn’t dare go downstairs alone. Why won’t you believe me?”
“I believe you,” Daniel spoke up after a tense silence. He glanced around at the others. “Gina wasn’t the only one taken to Block Two; I was also sent there. Gina had a fever, and I was treated for a calf injury from a coral at the beach. This isn’t fair. If we’re discussing this, aren’t you all from Block Three more likely to be infected than us?”
“Enough, let’s stop this,” Tyrell firmly intervened to quell the rising tension. He turned to Sofia. “When you woke up earlier, did you see everyone still in their beds?”
Sofia paused, considering. “I wasn’t paying close attention to others because I was focused on calming Gergő. When he finally settled, Kiya woke up.”
“I’m not defending Gina just because she’s my friend,” Kiya addressed the group, “but when I woke up, Gina and Mia were both asleep. They didn’t seem like they were pretending. And their clothes were clean, no bloodstains.”
“Um… could the predator host be someone from the first floor?” Somsak suddenly interjected, breaking the heavy silence. “If they’re supposed to be smart and manipulative, wouldn’t it make more sense if the perpetrator came from downstairs?”
“Everyone on the first floor was isolating themselves in their rooms,” Somsak continued thoughtfully. “Why would the medic who was attacked leave her room? It’s unlikely she’d step out just because someone from the second floor, whom she doesn’t know, called her, right? So, it makes more sense if the attacker was someone from her own colleagues on the first floor.”
“That makes sense,” Daniel murmured. “If one of them is a predator host, the stairs to the second floor, which are easily accessible to those on the first floor, should be immediately barricaded.”
Somehow, the group erupted into a heated discussion over this theory. However, Kevin, standing beside Kiya, noticed a change in her expression, as if she had just realized something.
“Scholarship Girl, what’s wrong?” Kevin asked, studying her closely.
Kiya met Kevin’s gaze, then glanced at the others deeply engaged in their conversation about the first-floor people.
“Kevin, the hallway was empty when you and Bayu passed by the kitchen,” she whispered. “There are vacant bathrooms in rooms 212 and 214, so why did you both choose the toilet at the end of the hallway?”
Kevin frowned, thinking back. “We agreed the bathroom in room 214 was for Danica, Sara, and any other girls. The men decided to use room 212’s bathroom, but it was closed and seemed occupied at that time, so me and Bayu decided to use the one at the end of the hallway.”
“That’s odd,” Kiya pressed on. “If most people were asleep, who was using the bathroom in room 212, forcing you and Bayu to go elsewhere?”
Realization slowly dawned on Kevin’s face. “Are you suggesting the perpetrator was in room 212’s bathroom when Bayu and I went there?”
“Yes, the perpetrator could have been there before you guys switched to the other toilet,” Kiya replied. “And about the clean clothes—Captain Tyrell brought spare clothes from storage, placing some in room 212, right? Many items from the emptied rooms were moved there too.”
“If my guess is correct,” Kiya urgently continued, “someone could have quickly changed clothes and cleaned up in the bathroom in 212. There were already bloodstained sheets and blankets from my injured hand when I made the rope. Many others who came up here were also injured, so if anyone saw bloodstains on the floor or walls of 212, it wouldn’t have raised suspicion.”
Kevin’s heart raced as he processed Kiya’s words. “But if there’s suddenly a piece of clothing with fresh blood stains on the shoulder or chest in there…”
Kiya briskly nodded. “It means the real attacker just left it. It could also mean there’s a predator host among us.”
Kevin was silent for a moment. Then, without hesitation, he and Kiya hurried towards room 212. But before they could open the door, a piercing scream erupted from behind Block One.
Aslan, standing in front of his own room, instinctively swung open his door and rushed to the small window. Danica followed closely behind. As they peered outside, both of their expressions turned to shock.
“Some people are still alive back there!” Aslan’s voice carried urgency as he called out to Tyrell, who had stepped out of his room. “Two medics are coming from Block Two.”
“I recognize them,” Danica chimed in. “It’s Mei Ling and Jared, the lead researchers from Block Two.”
Tyrell moved swiftly to join them at the window, his gaze scanning the scene outside. “What caused them to leave Block Two all of a sudden?”
Just then, the sound of gunfire echoed from the direction of the first floor. Bayu, still in the hallway, dashed into room 213, which was still open, to peer out of the window. Moments later, he hurried back to Tyrell, who had returned to stand in front of Aslan’s door.
“The people from Block One decided to abandon their infected colleague and returned to their rooms, correct?” Bayu asked Tyrell, glancing at his watch.
“What about that?” Tyrell asked, looking confused.
“Captain, they didn’t abandon their infected colleague out of indifference,” Bayu urgently replied. “I just recalled hearing that a ship is supposed to dock at the island before evening. The medics on the first floor are racing against time—they’re planning to flee the island using that ship, leaving us all behind!”
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