A GIRL FOR THE BEASTS

Disappeared

001 Disappeared

Somewhere in time, a family was seen on an outing. They were enjoying their FAMILY TIME in the shallow river waters, in a mountain range.

''Mom, give it to me!'' Andra shouted to his mother who was busy taking out the groceries, ''Let me clean it...''

His mother smiled as she gave Andra a pack of fresh fish to clean on the riverbank nearer where they were gathered.

''Look, there are lots of prawns!'' Dira shouted happily.

''A lot?'' asked Raffa, who was helping his father set up a tent, ''I'll help you look!''

The father was busy assembling the tent, and the mother was focused on cooking over firewood, but her mouth kept humming. A married couple was happily enjoying their free time after being trapped with files and documents for several months.

''Raffa...'' called his father, ''Help dad first!''

''Come on Dad, there's only a little left. I want to look for shrimp. It's good for an additional snack...''

''Okay, I'll let you go this time...'' his father replied. He gave in because he couldn't bear to see how much his son wanted to look for shrimp.

''Thanks dad...'' Raffa replied cheerfully.

Raffa immediately went to the river, following his younger sister who had already collected shrimp hiding behind the rocks.

''Mom, I think there's not enough firewood. I'll look for more...'' said Gavin, the youngest of three siblings.

''Don't go too far Gavin!'' his mother shouted, immediately stopping her humming to warn her youngest son.

''No Mom, just over there,'' Gavin replied while showing it to his mother, ''Look, there's a bamboo grove. Bamboo wood is easier to burn even when wet...''

''Okay, be careful!''

''Okay, Mom!''

They did their respective tasks happily.

They were busy chatting and joking around without leaving their respective tasks, but their joy was suddenly diverted by the scream of Anindira, the youngest.

"ARGH... BROTHER!" Anindira screamed, she shrieked, calling in a voice that sounded hysterical.

"AKH... BLR... URRPP..." she screamed again with a scream that continued to be held back. It happened because she swallowed water repeatedly, her hands looked like they were constantly reaching out trying to find something to hold on to.

"What are you doing, Dira?" asked her mother, shocked to see her youngest child's behavior, which was considered joking, while continuing to stir the food in the pan. She did not suspect a bit of what was happening.

"She's just kidding, Mom..." replied Raffa, her brother, who was busy looking for shrimp while laughing. He also felt that his little sister was playing around and was just being naughty and wanted to tease them.

"Just messing around!" Andra exclaimed, who was cleaning the fish while shaking his head, adding to the scolding for Anindira's behavior. Like the others, he also did not realize that there was something strange about his little sister, who was fighting for her life.

They all ignored the youngest while giggling, thinking that she was free and wanted to tease her family. They never expected that the youngest was struggling as hard as she could to get to the surface of the water, because her body was sinking, being pulled by something invisible.

The river in front of them was very shallow with a current that was not too strong. Therefore, even though they all knew that Anindira could not swim, they did not feel that it would be a problem, especially for the tomboy Anindira.

''Dira!!!''

Among them all, was only Gavin, Anindira's twin brother. Only he realized that Anindira was in trouble. Maybe because they were both twins, the connection between them was so strong.

Gavin immediately ran towards Anindira with a panicked face.

"Help Dira, she's in trouble!" Gavin shouted as he ran as fast as he could to tell his other family.

They were silent for a moment because they were shocked, but a moment later they all immediately let go of whatever they were holding and ran in response to Gavin's panic, as if being chased by a demon.

*****

The scorching sunlight began to dim.

Slowly the sun began to set and would soon be replaced by the beautiful full moon that would soon rise tonight.

The police, SAR team, and residents were deployed.

But what could they do?

Let alone other people, Anindira's family who were there, witnessed the incident before their eyes. But it was still hard to believe it.

Right before their eyes. The only daughter of the family disappeared without a trace, without warning. Leaving a thousand unanswered questions, who knows when?

**********

**********

''Uhuk uhuk uhuk ... '' Anindira choked on water in a panic until she coughed, '' UEKKK ... '' Not long after that because of the turmoil in her stomach, she finally vomited the water that had partially entered her stomach.

''Huft huft huft...'' The rapid events made her gasp after she was satisfied vomiting the water she had swallowed.

DEG DEG DEG DEG DEG

Anindra's heart beat rapidly.

It took her a while to calm down.

''Huh!'' Anindira screamed in surprise, seeing what was around her, ''Where's the river?!''

''I'm sure I almost drowned in the river just now...'' Anindira said firmly while trying to remember what had happened to her. Anindira was afraid that she had made a mistake, considering the place she was now seeing was very different.

Just as Anindira had calmed down, now she was panicking again.

''What is this?!''

Her head turned to the right and left.

''Where is this?!''

Looking forward and backward.

''No, I've never been here...''

She even raised her head to look up and down.

''Where is this?!''

She looked back and forth almost without a break.

''I don't know this place... I don't recognize this place!''

Various questions and arguments were uttered several times accompanying her anxiety about facing the situation.

''It's impossible... I must be dreaming... maybe I'm still unconscious because I fainted.''

Anindira closed her eyes for a few moments, hoping that she was dreaming and would wake up soon.

''It's impossible...'' Anindira complained in a trembling voice because, after she opened her eyes again, she was still in the same position.

After standing still, closing her eyes, then opening them. Several times she repeated it, but she finally gave up because the situation remained the same.

Between her memory and the place where she was standing now, there was no match at all.

Standing dumbfounded, the surrounding situation aroused horror in her. At first, she panicked and tried her best to save herself from the shadow of death that had crossed her mind a moment ago. But now, she could barely think of anything except the feeling of horror because of something that could not be explained.

The heartbeat that had subsided after panting, slowly but surely returned to racing because the tension slowly but surely began to approach Anindira. She was confused, even almost crying when she found the strange sight around her.