Episode 18

"Mew, mew, mew."

Imitating a cat's meow, Dimas hoped to keep his presence undetected. He quickly darted off to find cover, avoiding the watchful gaze of Mr. Wongso.

He was fortunate to have found a cat in the kitchen earlier that day. Cats had become Dimas's current source of inspiration.

Mr. Wongso reached the door and flung it wide open to ensure no one had spotted him inside. He had forgotten to replace the offerings yesterday and grudgingly did so today.

Generally, he switched out the offerings when the three young men were at work. He had failed to do so yesterday due to Mr. Fakih's unexpected interference.

"Must've been just a cat," Mr. Wongso mumbled to himself upon noticing a shattered vase in the hallway. Without a hint of suspicion that one of his keys was missing, Mr. Wongso locked the door once again.

After sealing the room, Mr. Wongso tidied up the scattered vase fragments to prevent anyone from getting hurt. His job done, he bid farewell to the three guys lounging in the living room. "I'm off for today, young sirs. It's getting late," said Mr. Wongso to the trio.

Their attention shifted to Mr. Wongso, who stood near them. "Okay, take care on your way home," replied Dimas with a sweet smile, still secretly afraid that Mr. Wongso might have seen him earlier near the mysterious room.

"Goodbye, sir," Riko and Satrio said, smiles on their faces, giving Mr. Wongso the go-ahead to return home so they might discover what really lay within the mysterious room.

With his departure, Mr. Wongso made his way home. Once he was out of sight, the three young men sat up to resume the conversation interrupted by his arrival.

"So, did you really get the key?" Riko sought confirmation. Dimas nodded, showing the key he held in his hand.

"Let's make sure Mr. Wongso is truly gone," commanded Dimas, peeking outside. Mr. Wongso had indeed vanished from view. "It's clear," Satrio affirmed.

"Now!"

On Dimas's signal, they quickly shut the windows and drew the curtains, also locking the door just in case Mr. Wongso returned.

They now stood before the enigmatic room. Dimas drew and exhaled a deep breath repeatedly before inserting the key into the lock. Satrio and Riko awaited the turn of the key, their hearts pounding.

Click, click.

Twice, the sound of the lock disengaging echoed. It was time to open the door. Dimas looked to his friends for confirmation. After receiving their nods, he grasped the doorknob.

Again, he took a deep breath and cautiously turned the handle. Gently, Dimas pushed the door open, revealing the room's interior.

They were all astounded as the door swung fully open. The sight shocked even Dimas, who had only glimpsed the room before. It resembled a shrine, laden with many offerings.

The trio stepped further in, gently closing the door behind them. The room's dimly lit atmosphere was dominated by yellow lighting.

A sprawl of offerings lay across a table, but Dimas focused on a coffin-like chest beside it. "Do you see that? I'm curious about its contents," said Dimas, pointing at the peculiar chest.

"We must look inside to solve this mystery," stated Riko, approaching the chest and crouching to its level, with Dimas and Satrio doing likewise.

Together, they heaved open the heavy chest lid. When it fully opened, they all gasped and stepped back.

Their faces went ashen at the sight within. Silence fell among them as they caught their breath, their shock deepening until Dimas finally broke the quiet. "We need to uncover the truth here. Call Mr. Fakih, Rik. We could use his help," Dimas commanded with unwavering certainty.

Riko nodded and fished the all-purpose flat device from his pocket. Grasping his phone, he dialed quickly.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The third ring was cut short as Mr. Fakih picked up. Riko, still staggered by their find and at a loss for words, handed the phone to Dimas to explain their situation. "Hello, Grandpa," Dimas greeted first.

"Hello, what's prompting this call?"

Before answering, Dimas sucked in a long breath.

"We have discovered something daunting in this official residence. What should we do next, Grandpa?" Dimas asked with urgency.

"Did you find many books laid out on the table? If so, start by reading through them for clues. Don't forget to pray. I'll pray for your safety from here," advised Mr. Fakih.

Dimas nodded gratefully. "Thanks for the advice, Grandpa. We will follow it properly,"

"One more thing, destroy any items that empower that entity. Find any small green bottles filled with liquid, and smash them!"

After imparting his wisdom, Mr. Fakih ended the call to perform a ritual to safeguard his grandsons in their difficult undertaking.

"Did you get all that, Rik? You both know what we must do?" asked Dimas, looking at his friends sternly.

Riko and Satrio nodded in unison. Together, they had to act. First in their plan was to scrutinize the instruction book sprawled out on the table.

The book was titled "Resurrecting Souls & Taking Control" next to another named, "Returning Spirits." Dimas immediately started reading the latter for useful insights.

“We don’t have much time. We need to find that green bottle fast. Riko, destroy all the offerings. Satrio, search for the bottle. I'll look for the item described in this book," ordered Dimas as they strategized.

Riko and Satrio agreed with the plan. They instantly scattered to search the room's every nook and cranny.

Just as they were about to start, a chilling laugh pierced the air—a woman's cackle coming from nowhere.

"Hihihihihihi."

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