The following day, Laras, Tissa, and Alya arranged to meet at Alya's house to buy supplies for the expedition.
They planned to visit a supermarket near their residential complex to purchase food, instant meals, cooking seasonings, and some medicine they might need.
Fortunately, Laras lived in the same residential complex. She did not need to ask anyone for a ride and could simply walk to Alya's house.
When she arrived, she found that Tissa was already there.
Laras flashed a teasing smile as soon as she saw her friend sitting casually in the living room.
"Well, well. Tissa, you're actually here early for once. Usually, you're the hardest person to get to show up on time. Don't tell me you're this excited about the hike?" Laras teased.
Tissa immediately glared at her.
"Oh, please! Even I'm surprised, you know. I've been feeling impatient to leave since this morning."
"Even though we're only going hiking," Laras replied with a laugh.
"Exactly! I don't even know why. It feels like we're going somewhere special. I mean, it's just a hike, but for some reason, I'm incredibly excited just thinking about it."
Laras laughed at her answer.
Not long afterward, Alya appeared from the kitchen carrying a small bag.
"Are you two ready? If you are, let's go now. We can grab coffee and gossip after we finish shopping!"
"Now, when it comes to gossip, I'm always first in line!" Tissa immediately exclaimed.
The three of them laughed together before setting off for the supermarket.
Along the way, they chatted about all sorts of things, from the food they would bring and the clothes they needed to prepare to which one of them would be the first to complain about being exhausted during the hike.
Everything seemed so ordinary.
So enjoyable.
And perhaps that was precisely why none of them felt the need to suspect anything.
They still had time to laugh, joke around, and enjoy one another's company before their long journey began.
They had no idea that one day, one of them might wish they could return to that very moment.
The day when everything still felt normal.
The day when there was nothing to fear.
⸻
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
The long-awaited day had finally arrived.
Since early morning, Laras's house had been filled with the little sounds of preparation. She woke up earlier than usual, took a shower, and put on the clothes she had laid out the night before.
Her bag, packed with her personal belongings, was already placed near the door. She checked its contents once again, making sure she had not forgotten anything.
Once she was satisfied that everything was ready, Laras walked into the living room to say goodbye to her mother.
Her father was in Switzerland on a business trip, so that morning, only she and her mother were at home.
"Mom, I'm leaving now, okay? Riki and Alya are picking me up, and then we'll head straight to campus," Laras said as she approached her mother.
Her mother stopped what she was doing and looked at her daughter with a concerned expression.
"Take good care of yourself, Ras. Don't do anything reckless out there. If anything makes you uncomfortable, don't force yourself to keep going."
Laras smiled faintly.
"Yes, Mom. Don't worry. There are seven of us going. Keenan and Hasan will be there, too. They've been hiking many times before."
Her mother nodded, but she continued holding Laras's hand for a few moments longer.
"Just be careful. I only want you to come home safely."
For some reason, those simple words made Laras fall silent for a moment.
She then kissed her mother's hand.
"I will, Mom. I promise."
After saying goodbye, Laras quickly stepped outside.
A car was parked not far from the gate. Riki was in the driver's seat, while Alya sat beside him.
The moment Alya saw Laras approaching, she rolled down the window.
"What took you so long, Ras? I thought you were going to make us wait until noon!" she called out with a laugh.
"I just got here. Good grief, you're already complaining before we've even started," Laras retorted before opening the back door and getting inside.
Riki merely gave her a faint smile before turning his attention back to the road.
The car pulled away from the residential complex.
At first, the journey went as usual. Alya chatted excitedly about their plans for the expedition, while Laras occasionally joined in with a joke.
However, there was one thing that felt different.
Riki had barely spoken since they left.
Normally, he was the liveliest among them. He always had a joke, a teasing remark, or some pointless story that could make any journey more entertaining.
That morning, however, he was unusually quiet.
Both hands gripped the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead. Every now and then, he let out a long sigh, as though something was weighing heavily on his mind.
Alya eventually noticed the change.
"Ki, what's wrong with you? You've been quiet this whole time."
Riki did not answer immediately.
Alya glanced at him and frowned.
"Seriously. Is something bothering you? If there's a problem, just tell us. We're going on a holiday, not attending a funeral. Stop looking so gloomy."
Laras, sitting in the back, also watched Riki through the rearview mirror.
"She's right. You're being unusually serious today," she added.
Riki remained silent for a few moments before finally speaking.
"I actually had a strange dream last night."
Alya turned toward him.
"A strange dream?"
Riki nodded slowly.
"Yeah. And for some reason, I can't stop thinking about it."
Laras leaned forward slightly.
"What was it about?"
Riki took a deep breath before beginning his story.
"In the dream, all of us went hiking together. At first, everything seemed normal. We left together and joked around throughout the journey, just like we're about to do today."
He paused for a moment, as though trying to recall every detail of the dream.
"But after we went deeper into the forest, everything changed. The trail felt unfamiliar. The fog became so thick that we could barely see anything. Then, all sorts of strange things started happening, and we struggled just to stay alive."
Alya, who had seemed relaxed at first, slowly grew more serious.
"And then?"
"The strangest part was that, throughout the dream, I felt as though I had experienced everything before. It was like I was reliving something that had already happened."
Riki shook his head slowly.
"It felt like déjà vu. I knew we were supposed to be there, but at the same time, I also felt that we shouldn't have gone there in the first place."
The car suddenly felt much quieter.
The sound of the engine and the tires rolling against the asphalt became the only noises between them.
Laras and Alya exchanged glances through the rearview mirror.
Something about the way Riki described his dream made both of them uneasy.
Perhaps it was because the dream sounded too real.
Or perhaps it was because they all knew that they would soon be heading to a mountain that had been surrounded by mysterious stories from the very beginning.
"Ah, maybe you're just tired," Alya finally said, trying to sound casual. "You've been thinking too much about those creepy stories about the mountain, haven't you? They probably got into your dreams."
"Maybe," Riki answered briefly.
However, his expression suggested that he did not entirely believe that explanation.
Laras tried to smile, even though a sense of uneasiness was beginning to creep into her heart.
"Come on, Ki. Dreams don't necessarily mean anything. It could just be a random dream."
Riki nodded slowly.
"Yeah. I hope that's all it is."
He returned his attention to the road ahead.
A few seconds later, he tried to lighten the mood.
"Anyway, let's just pray that everything goes smoothly. Hopefully, we'll all leave safely and come back in one piece."
"Amen," Laras and Alya answered almost simultaneously.
The conversation came to an end.
The car continued toward the campus while the three of them tried to put the nightmare out of their minds.
Outside, the morning sun shone brightly. Vehicles moved along the streets as usual, and life carried on without any sign that something terrible was about to happen.
Yet, beneath that peaceful surface, a strange feeling lingered.
Laras did not know why, but Riki's words kept echoing in her mind.
It was like I was reliving something that had already happened.
She turned toward the window, watching the buildings slowly disappear behind them.
Maybe it really was just a dream.
Maybe there was nothing to worry about.
But for the first time since they had made their plans, Laras found herself wishing there were a reason to cancel the trip.
Unfortunately, she said nothing.
And the car continued moving, carrying them closer to the campus, where their five other friends were already waiting.
Toward a journey that would change their lives forever.