That morning, neatly dressed, bag slung over his shoulder and shoes polished, Andika headed to work. On the bus, he checked his phone. The office group chat was already buzzing—far earlier than usual.
Group: AAA
Today
AI 04:30: brooo, wake up brooo! @_@
AI 04:30: KA, KO—this is important, open your phone
AI 04:30: dude, hurry up, this news is getting cold
AO 06:30: why so noisy this early? Fena, huh? Just wait for KA, won’t even open his phone till half past seven. You should know that
AI 06:31: noisy for a reason, man—this is serious, about my dreams
AO 06:31: dreams of what exactly?
AI 06:31: wait for KA o.l. (~?_,~?) caterpillar invasion incoming!!!
AI 06:32: ............/
AI 06:32: ......╚⊙ ⊙╝
AI 06:32: ..╚═(███)═╝
AI 06:32: .╚═(███)═╝
—(a thousand swipes later)—
AI 06:32: ...╚═(███)═╝
AI 06:32: wkwkwk (^π^)
AA 07:26: Morning.
AA 07:26: What’s going on?
AO 07:26: no idea
AI 07:26: Hahaha, behold, humanity!!!
AI 07:27: bro, finally—my moment has come. You should be grateful to have a friend like me. I’m about to share VERY important information with you all, hahaha
AI 07:27: Forwarded Message
I am Lemi Natuna. Please share this if my theory succeeds. You all know about the news of mass disappearances. It is a hoax. They did not disappear—they went to another world. I will prove it with my own body. I will record my activity log as a guide to reach that place. Until we meet again, my friends.
AI 07:27: -picture- that’s the log, bro. Full version here:
English version available
AI 07:28: so… what do you think? ( ?° ?? ?°)
Andika fell silent, studying the message. After a few moments, AO replied with a theory he believed was more reasonable—some kind of mass-erasing bacteria that wiped people out without a trace.
Oh God, Andika thought. I didn’t expect them to react like this.
People really are strange.
AA 07:45: gotta go, arrived
AI 07:45: ok bro, enjoy overtime—sorry I’m on leave lol
AO 07:45: don’t forget the end-of-June report, nice bonus for the next three months. Good luck at work
Andika smiled faintly.
The walk from the bus stop to the office felt unusually quiet. Only a handful of people walked alongside him, their faces dull and tired—perhaps disappointed that their weekend had been stolen by unfinished reports.
Inside the elevator, Andika pressed 3, the floor where he worked. As the doors slid shut, his gaze drifted downward. To pass the time, he thought about his HSEA responsibilities—mine reclamation reports, updates on hazardous waste usage, tree-planting projects coordinated with partner institutions.
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Then suddenly—
The hair on the back of his neck stood up.
DING.
WHRRR.
1… 2… SHHH.
DING.
The elevator doors opened slowly.
The first thing Andika felt was a cool breeze wrapping around his body.
Oh no.
His eyes lifted.
Green. Vast. Alive.
No. No—this isn’t possible.
Before him stretched an endless field of lush grass beneath a bright, cloudless sky.
Andika stepped backward until his back hit the wall. His pupils widened, hands trembling, cold sweat dripping down his temples.
This was not the third floor of his office.
This makes no sense… where am I?
His legs gave way. He collapsed into a seated position, staring at the calming yet terrifying landscape. He breathed deeply.
Five seconds.
Thirty seconds.
Two minutes.
Ten minutes.
He didn’t move.
His thoughts drifted—to his father, his mother, his family, his friends.
And most of all—Salma.
As the reality before him began to settle, suspicion bloomed into certainty.
A place I don’t recognize… yet somehow know.
“Another world,” he whispered.
Taking a deep breath, Andika stood and stepped forward.
Salma, I promise I’ll find a way back. Wait for me.
He walked on, unaware that behind him, the elevator shimmered—flickering in and out of transparency—before vanishing entirely.
The grassland was only one part of this place. Behind him stretched a dense forest, dark and endless along the horizon. Andika didn’t know what lay in any direction—a city, perhaps, or a journey with no end.
He looked up, searching for the sun.
There was none.
His phone reads 08:11. Emergency calls only. No signal. The compass needle on the bag refused to move.
At least electronics still work, he noted. This really is another world.
He chose the forest, seeking shelter—something that could serve as a temporary base. Along the way, he recognized teak, damar, acacia, sea almond trees—and others unfamiliar to him.
He selected one sturdy tree with dense leaves, many branches, and a slightly hollow trunk.
Never thought my basic survival training would be useful here, he mused, inspecting his backpack.
A glass of water. A torn loaf of bread. Some biscuits. Three candies. Enough for one day—two if I ration.
He made a mental note to find food and clean water. A forest like this had to provide something.
Foldable umbrella. Pen. Report notebook. Lighter. Cable ties. Cotton gloves. Swiss Army knife. Phone charger. Phone battery at 92%.
Standard work gear. Unexpected lifeline.
With his inventory checked, Andika moved deeper into the forest.
“Please let this route lead to something,” he muttered.
An hour passed. No fruit. No water. No animals. Not even a shadow.
This forest was wrong.
After consuming half his water and bread, Andika spotted a tree ahead in a clearing. It stood alone, surrounded by open space—its branches heavy with apple-like fruit.
He stopped.
A bad feeling crawled up his spine.
Something’s guarding it.
Carefully, he advanced. Passing between two intertwined trees, his vision blurred—
And the forest vanished.
Before him rose towering ruins, shaped like the remains of an ancient temple. He stood on a stone courtyard. Behind him—only grassland again.
The structure resembled Borobudur, broken yet imposing.
This was the second time reality had twisted around him.
Steadying himself, Andika approached.
Something moved at the edge of his vision.
A human figure.
For a split second, they looked at each other—then the figure turned away and walked off.
“Heeey!!”
“Hello!!”
“Oi!!”
Andika shouted, desperate to be noticed.
Ignored, he chased after them, climbing the ruins—only to find a tunnel leading inside.
Curiosity outweighed fear.
The moment he stepped in, the light dimmed sharply, as if someone had flipped a switch. Darkness swallowed the passage, broken only by flickering torches lining the walls.
The murals seemed alive, dancing in the firelight.
BOOM.
A shockwave thundered through the tunnel.
Andika froze.
He moved forward.
BOOM.
CRACK.
The vibrations intensified. Rounding the final corner, Andika stopped dead.
In the domed chamber stood a massive stone totem—three meters tall, carved with stacked cubes and blocks forming symmetrical arms and legs.
It was attacking someone.
The totem turned its head toward Andika. Its green eyes flared brightly. The green glow in its hollow abdomen pulsed—then dimmed.
Every instinct screamed at once.
Oh no.
Run.
