The sun rose over Avalon Resort with an eerie silence that blanketed the once vibrant retreat. It was hard to believe how much had changed in just a few days. The resort, once filled with laughter, music, and excited chatter, now felt like the aftermath of a storm. Staff members gathered near the reception area, their luggage lined up neatly beside them, eyes filled with concern and whispered farewells.
Karen stood on the balcony of her assigned room, still weak but awake. The events of the past few days blurred in her mind like fragments of a dream she couldn't place together. Her wrist still bore the faint imprint of the ropes, and though she said little, her eyes held stories no one dared ask her to tell yet.
Below, Carla gave one last hug to Luca, her brows furrowed with worry. "Be safe, okay? And keep an eye on them. I have a feeling this place hasn't shown its full face yet."
Luca offered her a crooked smile. "We'll be fine. Get back and make sure everyone knows the retreat is officially over. And Carla... thank you."
She nodded briefly and looked on ahead with an unreadable expression on her face.
Alex stood a few steps away, arms crossed, his face unreadable. He had barely left Karen's side all night, keeping vigil while she rested. He looked at the bus warming up, the driver already climbing into his seat.
"Everyone ready?" Dami called, checking names off a clipboard.
"All accounted for," someone replied.
Karen slowly made her way downstairs, Alex at her side. Whispers fluttered around the group, a mixture of awe, relief, and envy. Many of the female workers couldn't hide the way their eyes lingered on Karen, and even more so on how close she and Alex now appeared.
"Safe journey," Karen said quietly to Carla, managing a faint smile.
Carla's expression softened. "We'll be waiting to hear from you. Just... be careful."
The bus doors hissed open, and one by one, the staff boarded. As it drove off, kicking up a cloud of dust behind it, silence returned to the resort like a heavy fog.
Karen turned to Alex and Luca. "So... what now?"
Alex's eyes narrowed toward the thick woods beyond the resort. "Now, we figure out what the hell happened here... before it happens again."
And just like that, the real story began.