Having just left the CEO's office after a twenty-minute meeting, he felt a pang of disappointment. His story had gone viral, and he had been the talk of the town for the past three months. Yet, it seemed everyone had forgotten his significant birthday today. He couldn't spot anyone else in the office. Where had everyone gone?
Ranu Inten walked slowly to the pantry to refill his water bottle from the dispenser. Passing by the infamous mysterious room, he smiled, recalling the absurdity of his fabricated story.
There was someone there!
Ranu Inten jolted and froze in place. He rubbed his eyes to see more clearly.
Indeed, there was a human figure---dressed in a worn-out blue janitor uniform---facing the wall. Its head was bowed beside the tool cabinet, with long cables dangling above.
Ranu Inten couldn't believe his eyes. But the figure was undeniably real.
How could this be happening? Wasn't his story just a lie and a mere fabrication? Or could it be that Dedeh Komariah's and the others' stories were actually true?
The figure in the janitor uniform slowly turned around.
Ranu Inten still couldn't move. His body felt rooted to the ground.
The appearance of the figure, originally a creation of his imagination and falsehoods, was now vividly clear. The man's face was ghastly pale. His tongue protruded, and his eyes bulged as they stared at Ranu Inten.
Ranu Inten collapsed to his knees. His legs gave way beneath him. The figure slowly approached, then suddenly lunged at him.
