Sunset and Tim quickly jumped to the side, right when the giant's large hand reached in and nearly grabbed them. The creature viciously slammed its hand around the room. Its attempts were all in vain, however, when he peered into the room with its one eye and sees that both teenage girl and man are gone.
Little did it know, they were hiding behind an upturned desk to avoid its dreadful gaze. Sunset and Tim both crouched behind the desk, holding each other close, with Tim's paternal instincts kicked in and wrapped his arms protectively over Sunset's head. Sunset dared not to breathe and was struggling to hold her breath. Though, it's a task proven difficult when she cringes at the foul smell of alcohol coming from Tim.
The two looked at the floor to see the red glow of the monster's eye shining, before it moved to the side and vanished.
"Is it gone?" Sunset asked.
"Shhh," Tim hushed as he slowly peers over the desk and sees the monster was gone. "Yeah, I think so. C'mon, let's go! Into that hallway."
With that, both Tim and Sunset got up on their feet and ran into a hallway, where it was filled with more desks, printers, and a flight of stairs at the other end. Not too far behind, unfortunately, they can hear the eerie hiss of the monster as it breathes heavily, searching for its preys. Then, the sound of thunderous footsteps shook the whole building, nearly tripping Sunset and Tim to the floor. They looked to the left, out of the balconies, where they can clearly see the rotting, decaying fleshes of the monster, with its oversized hands hanging pass its waist, with gangling fingers. And the most unsettling sight for Sunset, its tiny southern area.
"Ew!" Sunset covered her eyes, but it was too late. The gruesome sight has scarred her for life.
Suddenly, an ear-splitting high pitch screeched in the air, causing both Tim and Sunset to cover their ears and cringed.
"What is that sound?!" Tim asked.
"I don't know!" Sunset replied. "But make it stop!"
After a brief second, the screeching stopped.
"Phew, glad that's over," Tim sighed, as he and Sunset resumed their journey. "C'mon, let's go."
The two arrived at the end of the hall, where they turned to the right and see a door at the end of a short hallway. Sunset ran over to the door, but it wouldn't open. Both she and Tim then ran down the stairs to find another door, but like the previous one, it won't open. They then backtracked up the stairs, climbing up to the top, where they find two more doors.
Sunset ran towards the door closest to her and Tim, in front of them, but like the last two, it was locked. Meanwhile, Tim went over to the door on the far left and turns its knob open.
"Sunset! Over here!" Tim called to the girl, who quickly followed the man close behind.
Soon, both Sunset and Tim found themselves walking outside of the building, walking on what appeared to be the ledge of a rooftop, with large tanks of gasolines and water towers along the way. To their left was a wall of steeled chain fences. Sunset and Tim walked outside to have a look, searching for any possible traces of Tim's missing wife, when Sunset looked ahead and she felt her colors drained away.
"Uh...uh...T-T-T-Tim?" Sunset tugged on the man's arm, before she pointed his attention towards a tall, shadowy outline of a skeletal being, with a single red light shining from its skull.
"Oh no..." Tim moaned as he turns his flashlight off, to avoid being seen by the creature.
Tim and Sunset both turned back to the door they came from, only for it to close on them, literally shutting them out.
<"Hey! Open up!"> Tim demanded in Thai, which didn't go unheard.
"Mr. Tim! Duck!" Sunset shouted as she pulls the man away from the door and they dove behind a crate, just as the giant came over to see what the commotion was.
The monster's eerie hissing and breathing can be heard loudly as its head looms over the two, shining its eye across the area.
"Follow me, and be quiet," Sunset whispered, as she and Tim moved on, being quiet as a mouse, and to avoid being seen by the monster's dreadful gaze.
All was going well, when something jumped out of the shadows from the left, rattling onto the chained fences, startling both Sunset and Tim.
"AAAAH!!!" They shouted in fright, which didn't go unheard.
"Uh oh!" Sunset looked back up at the giant, just in time to see it hurtling an electric box at them. "Look out!"
Both Tim and Sunset ducked behind a water tower as the steel box flies pass them and crashes at the fences. Soon, the monster lumbers over to the other end of the rooftop and continues its search. After a moment to regain their composures, Tim and Sunset resumed sneaking their way to the end, where they could see another door, beneath a bright lamp.
They had to wait until the giant looks away for them to make a beeline towards the door, entering into another building, and closed the door behind them.
"Phew, glad that's over," Sunset sighed in relief as she and Tim stepped away from the door.
Suddenly, without warning, the door burst open as a large hand smashes through and breaks down the other door on the other side. Sunset and Tim turned around in time to see the hand retracting through the doorway it smashed through.
"If we don't find Jane and get out of here quick, it'll be over for all of us!" Tim panicked.
"Breaking news from the scene," A loud voice was heard, to which Tim turned his attention to a radio on the right, while Sunset went off to investigate the next room. "Mr. Pichai Manapaiboon, the leader of the bikers and the main suspect of the robbery cases, has now parted from the main group and the police are chasing him! We're staying with this event and keeping you live. This is Srisook Pongsawat reporting."
With that, the radio broadcast ends with the jingle.
"Hey, Tim?" Sunset called to the man, as she came walking out of the room. "Look what I found."
The fiery girl holds up a piece of a photograph to Tim.
"What? Can it be?" Reaching for his binder, Tim takes out the other piece of the photograph that Sunset had found earlier, back in his house. The man pieced the two together and was astonished to find that they fit together. "They fit!"
"Then something tells me we're on the right trail then," Sunset deduced.
"You may be right. Let's keep looking for more clues," With that, Tim followed Sunset into the same room, where she found the piece.
After their search turned up nothing, both man and girl went to another door, next to where the radio was sitting, and opened it to find a set of stair on their left, with another door ahead, and a label written on the wall, next to them to confirm they're on the 4th floor.
Sunset and Tim ran towards the other door, but finds it locked.
"Damn!" Sunset sweared. "It's locked. Let's go back and...huh?!" She exclaimed as both she and Tim saw that the door they came from had disappeared. "The door! It's gone!"
"We don't have a choice," Tim shook his head, shining his flashlight down the dark stairs. "We're just gonna have to go down to move on."
With that, both Sunset and Tim walked down the stairs, arriving on the third floor, where they heard a woman's voice screaming behind a door.
"AAAAAHH!!!"
Tim immediately recognized the scream, <"Jane! I'm coming!"> He shouted, running to the door and struggled to jiggle it open. <"Open! OPEN UP! DAMN IT!"> He said angrily in Thai.
Looking to the left, Sunset noticed a box of two keys hanging on the wall, next to a yellow post-it note, written in Thai.
"Hey, Tim?" Sunset spoke up, handing the man a post-it note, and holding two of the keys. "I don't know what it says, but maybe one of these could be the key to the door?"
"Let me see," Tim took the post-it note and reads: "I got to get through the 3rd floor at night a lot lately. If I didn't return the key, I'll leave it in the safe in my office. Signed, Sub-Inspector Buncha."
Tim then took a look at the two keys that Sunset was holding and finds the words written on one of them reading F01.
"That could be the first floor," Tim said. "Maybe that's where Sub-Inspector's office is."
"Then let's get down there," Sunset replied.
Both man and girl quickly ran down the stairs, until they arrived at the door and inserted the key in, which unlocks the door knob, granting them entry. Upon walking in, Sunset and Tim walked down a hallway, with a restroom on the left, in another hallway, and a wooden bookshelf on the hallway in front of them.
As Sunset and Tim walked in, the sound of a toilet flushing caught their attention.
"Hello?" Sunset walked into the restroom and asked. "Is someone there? Hello?" She opened up a stall and finds it was empty. She then walks over to the next stall, where it opens up to reveal a screaming ghoul. "AAAAHH!!! I'm sorry!" Sunset apologized, as she hurriedly ran out of the restroom and closed the door, with her face flushing red with embarrassment.
"What happened?" Tim asked the girl. "What did you see?"
"NOTHING!!!" Sunset squeaked, and regained her composure with a scowl. "C'mon. Let's just get that key so we can get Jane and get outta here."
With a snicker, Tim followed the flustered girl into the hallway, where they came upon a lobby, with two large desks sitting close by, with signs hanging above, written in Thai. There were more Thai words written on the walls, but thankfully, Sunset found two words written in english that she can understand.
"Police Station," Sunset reads. "We're in a police station?"
"Looks like one," Tim confirmed. "But without the police officers..."
Tim soon lead the way as he and Sunset entered an office room, with desks that have name tags of officers who worked in the station. It didn't take long for Tim to find the desk belonging to the Sub-Inspector, Buncha. There, behind the desk, is a locked safe.
"The key must be in there," Tim said. "Now how do we open it?"
Sunset drummed her fingers on the desk, "Maybe he's written the combination to the lock, somewhere?" She looked around the desk, before she sets her sight on a set of numbers written at the bottom. "Hey Tim! Check this out!"
Tim looked where Sunset was looking at, and sees the numbers written. For some odd reasons, the numbers begin with 0, are underline, and they're drawn next to what appeared to be a picture of a circle, with a darker circle filled in, and an arrow drawn, pointing at the bottom.
"What does it all mean?" Tim asked, to which Sunset shrugged her shoulders.
Deciding to give it a try, Sunset and Tim went to work on decoding and figuring out the combination to the lock. At first, they tried out the first small numbers they thought were for the combo. Unfortunately, they didn't get it right on the first try. After a brief pause to look at the clue, then back at the lock, and the arrow drawn, Sunset realizes what it meant.
"Oh, I think I get it now!" Sunset clapped her hands.
"What? What is it?" Tim asked.
"The 0s aren't part of the digits. They're actually what the numbers looked like when they're upside down! The arrow is actually pointing towards the numbers at the bottom of the wheel!"
"Are you sure?"
"Only one way to find out. Uh, can I get a marker, please?" Tim handed Sunset a marker from a nearby whiteboard. "Thank you." Sunset quickly draws an arrow at the bottom of the lock, and turns the numbers, indicated on the clue. With that, the safe swings open, revealing the key that both man and girl were looking for.
"The key to the third floor!" Sunset said, handing the key to Tim.
"Jane! Here we come!" Tim said as he leads the charge.
"Hey Tim! Wait up!" Sunset followed after the excited man.
The two were running back through the hall they came from, when a large hand burst out from a hole in the ceiling and knocked the bookshelf over, nearly crushing the two.
"WHOA!" Sunset shouted, as she and Tim stopped to catch their breath. "That could've been us."
"Don't have to tell me twice," Tim panted heavily. "But we're not going that way now. We'll just have to find another way."
Sunset nodded in agreement as she and Tim looked around the area for another way around the bookshelf. They were passing a bench, when Sunset saw a piece of parchment, with an image of the creature she and Tim had encountered.
"Hey. What's this?" Sunset Shimmer picks up the piece of paper and gave it to Tim.
"It says: Special Edition: Preta Insight." Tim reads.
"What the hell is a Preta?" Sunset asked Tim, who shrugged his shoulder, before the man proceeds to translate the written Thai words.
"A Preta is a type of ghost widely known throughout Buddhism, Hinduism, and related religions. It is said to be a ghost that suffers with eternal hunger and thirst. There is a belief that those who committed deadly sins, such as thievery, while living will be reborn as a Preta. Thai people also believe that harming your parents will result in direct rebirth as a Preta. The Preta is usually depicted as a tall creature, as tall as a palm tree, a hand as big as a fan-palm leaf, a mouth as small as a pinhole. It will live its life suffering with all the sins it has done..."
"YEESH!!!" Sunset shuddered at the thought of herself being turned into such miserable spirit. "Can you imagine such torturous existence?"
"I'd rather not...hold on a second..." Tim had an epiphany. "Tall as a palm tree...hands as big as a fan-palm leaf...mouth the size of a pinhole..."
It didn't take long for Sunset to share Tim's realization, "I guess that explains what our ghost is now..." Sunset moaned. "A hungry ghost."
"And it's after Jane! We have to save her now!"
With the newfound knowledge aside, Tim and Sunset quickly searched the lobby for any alternative route that they could use to get around the bookshelf. They entered what appeared to be a storage room, where they found a vent on the wall, that could possibly take them around the bookshelf.
Tim tried to pull on the vent shaft, but the metal covering remained firmly in place.
<"Damn!"> Tim sweared in Thai. "We're gonna need something to unscrew these bolts, or we're going nowhere, and we'll never get Jane."
"Then let's look around and see if we could find a tool, or something we can use," Sunset insisted.
With that, the girl and man went back into the offices, searching for something, such as a wrench, or a screwdriver, that they could use to pry the vent shaft open. After their search turned up nothing, they went to the other end, where they found a set of stairs that takes them up to the next level. There, they found a room, possibly belonging to a janitor, or a maintenance person, with a toolbox sitting on the desk.
"A-ha!" Sunset said, holding up a screwdriver. "Got it!"
"Alright then," Tim nodded as he lead the way back. "Let's go unscrew that vent so we can get Jane!"
Upon arriving back into the storage room, Sunset quickly went to work, with the screwdriver in hand, turning the bolts loose from the four corners of the vent shaft, until both she and Tim were finally able to pass through, and into the hallway they came from. The two quickly raced towards the door and were on their way, back up to the 3rd floor.
On the way up, however, the eerie roar of the Preta can be heard outside of the doors.
Sunset and Tim were standing outside of the door to their destination, with Tim holding the key. He turned to look back at Sunset, who returns his nervous glance. The girl chattered her teeth as she nodded her head.
Tim nodded in response, as he inserted the key into the doorknob, turns it to the right, unlocking the door. Upon entering, both Tim and Sunset caught glimpse of a woman, in a white dress, running down the hall.
"Is that Jane?!" Tim exclaimed. "Jane? JANE!! JAAAAANEEEE!!!"
But the woman didn't respond. Worse still, both Sunset and Tim's progress was barred by a stack of upturned desk and chairs. They turned to the left and saw another door, which they opened and entered into an office.
Upon entering, a loud clinking noise rang in the air, causing them to look in its direction to see that a small bronze goblet had fallen and rolled across the floor. On their right, they noticed a glass case of trophies, next to another door.
Tim was on his way to the door, when Sunset Shimmer looked to the desk in the middle of the room and sees a piece of paper, written in the familiar handwritings of Jane.
"Hey Mr. Tim!" Sunset called. "Check this out!"
Tim backtracked to see what Sunset had found, "It's another of Jane's diary!" He confirmed, as he shines his flashlight on it to read.
May 4, 2013
Front
Every time I lay down, I found myself in that strange place over and over again... I figured that the sleeping pills might be able to help me sleep through the night and stop me from having this creepy nightmare...
Back
There must be rats inside that stair cupboard, was that where the noise came from? ...If you keep this up, you'll end up in a mouse trap, I swear!!
"Yeesh, she's definitely got these paranormal...paranoia worse than we thought," Sunset frowned in sympathy.
"And now we're experiencing them for ourselves, just as bad as she did," Tim frowned sadly, as he clips the page into his binder, before giving it back for Sunset to hold. "C'mon. Let's get going..."
Sunset followed Tim into the next room, where it appeared to be a large meeting room, with a huge table in the center, for all staff members to gather. It was there that Sunset found what appeared to be an arrest warrant, complete with a mugshot of an unfriendly looking man.
"Looks like someone's been a bad boy," Sunset commented.
"They'd definitely be bad for them to get an arrest warrant," Tim confirmed as he reads what the arrest warrant says.
Arrest Warrant
Civil Registration Information
ID Number: 2-3502-00698-36-5
First Name / Last Name: Mister Pichai Manapaiboon
Age: 24 years old
Gender: Male
Date of birth: 11 April 1978
Nationality: Thai
Address: 99/3
Moo: 8
Trok: -
Soi: -
Street: -
District: Sai Mun
Sub-district: Dong Mafai
Province: YasothornMr. Pichai Manapaiboon, a suspect in many robbery cases, a member of a motorcycle theft gang in Yasothorn and surrounding area. There are also charges of illegal racing on the highway and a brutal robbery act. An inner source reported that Mr. Pichai is involved in illicit activities and automobile theft with other local gangsters as well.
"Hey, Mr. Tim?" Sunset called out, drawing the man's attention up, and pointed it towards a white board, with a photo of Pichai posted on the top, with several arrows drawn out, connecting him with several other photographs of bikers.
Tim walked over to have a look at the whiteboard, while reading some of the Thai words writting around the photos.
"This was a capture plan for the motorcycle theft gang," Tim reads. "And in according to these notes, the police were aiming to capture Pichai alive so they can get the informations they need to arrest the other members of his gang!"
"Wonder how that went?" Sunset asked.
“Latest report from Yasothorn police radio station on Mr. Pichai Manapaiboon’s chase," The voice of a reporter boomed, outside of the room, to which Tim and Sunset ran out, to find themselves on the other side of the stacked up desks, turning to the left, and into a large area, where they found another radio box. "The police says that Pichai, the suspect of robbery cases and leader of the gang, has run into a truck, which resulted in a sharp steel rod piercing through his left eye.”
Sunset and Tim immediately covered their left eyes and cringed.
“Mr. Pichai was pronounced dead on the spot. The police are now collecting all the evidence for further investigation. There are still a number of bikers fleeing, please call 02-650-8XXX," The radio malfunction for a moment with statics, making it impossible to hear the last three numbers. "If you have seen anyone suspicious. The line will be available 24 hours a day. This is Srisook Pongsawat reporting.”
Once again, the news broadcast signs off with a jingle, before the radio went silent.
Sunset and Tim were both aghast at the revelation.
"Oh my Faust!" Sunset Shimmer shuddered in fright. "Pichai's dead...wait a minute," The girl began to have an epiphany. "Do we still have that article on the...the Preta?"
"You mean this piece of paper?" Tim asked, holding up the said paper.
"Yeah, that!" Sunset nodded. "What does it say again, about becoming a Preta?"
"Well," Tim looked back at the article and reads: "Its says by committing an act of thievery is one. Hurting your parents is another. And...oh!" Tim exclaimed, catching on what Sunset was suggesting.
"Thievery, harming a parent, and missing left eye...it all fits!" Sunset nodded. "No doubt about it. Our hungry ghost is Pichai!"
"But still, what does that have to do with Jane?" Tim asked. "Even if we know for a fact that it's him, why is he so intent on going after Jane?"
"I still don't know," Sunset replied. "But whatever the reason for Jane's hauntings may be, I think it's time we put an end to all of it."
"You're right. But first, we gotta find Jane!"
"I'm with you there, Tim," Sunset puts a hand on the man's shoulder. "But first thing's first," She pointed to the wooden crate that was blocking the next door. "How are we gonna move that?"
Tim sighed, "It's one after another, isn't it?"
"But you know what they say," Sunset replied, in an attempt to lift up his mood. "When there's a will, there's a way."
"Yeah," Tim nodded. "Well, let's see have a look around."
Looking to the right, Sunset and Tim found another set of stairs that took them to the next level. The fourth floor, no doubt. Upon arriving at the top, Sunset and Tim looked to see it was currently under constructions, with stacks of paint cans in the corners, a tub of cements, and other building utensils in the area.
"I'm gonna go look for clues," Sunset pointed to the other side, close to where another door is.
Tim nodded in approval, "Just be careful, Sunset," He said, sounding like a father granting his daughter permission.
Sunset walked away, while Tim went over to investigate an electric crane that was perched over a balcony. Tim went over to look at the railing, then looks down over the sidings to see that the hook is hanging directly above the crate that was blocking his and Sunset's path. With that, Tim started to formulate a plan, when–
"AAAAUGGGH!!!" Sunset Shimmer screamed in fright.
"Sunset?!" Tim shouted, running towards the girl. "Sunset, what's wrong? OOF!!!" He grunted, as he came crashing into the fiery girl herself, when she came running out of a dark room.
"TIM! GHOUL! GHOST!" Sunset hyperventilated.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Sunset," Tim coaxed the girl. "Calm down. What happened?"
"It scared the living daylight out of me!" Sunset panicked. "I was just in there, looking for clues, when one of those dark ghouls, or goblin things, jumped out and scared me!"
Tim looked around to see himself and Sunset were alone, "Well, there's no one here but us now," Tim assured. "But anyway, any luck finding a clue?"
"Yeah, here's one," Sunset holds up a piece of a mysterious photograph.
"Another piece," Tim noted as he clips it in a page of his binder. "Hopefully, this means we're getting closer to solving the mystery behind all these supernatural happenings."
"Same here," Sunset nodded. "Anyway, found anything we can use to move that crate out of the way?"
"Yes I have," Tim answered as he brought Sunset over to the electric crane. "If I can get this to hook up with the crate below, then you will press this button to lift it up, away from the door. And then we can be on our way."
"Sounds like a plan to me," Sunset nodded as she got into position, pressed a switch to lower the crane down.
Tim then ran down the stairs to hook the crane to the crate's suspensions.
"Okay! Hoist her up, Sunset!" Tim said to the girl.
"You got it!" With that, Sunset pressed the button which lifted the crate up.
While this was all happening, a sudden tremor shook the building and made the lights flicker above them.
"What was that?" Sunset asked, as she ran down the stairs to regroup with Tim.
"Oh no!" Tim shuddered, as another tremor shook the building. "It's coming back! We gotta get out of here now!"
With that, both Sunset and Tim made a hasty retreat through the unblocked door. Upon entering through the doorway, Sunset and Tim were shocked to find themselves in what used to be a hallway, with the walls torn off on the right, completely exposing them in the open.
Their nightmare was only realized, however, when the familiar eerie hissing and heavy breathing filled the air, that they looked up to see the silhouette of the Preta, now identified to be Pichai, shining his red light from his eye.
"I don't think he knows we're here yet," Tim whispered. "Let's be very quiet and try to sneak past him."
Sunset simply nodded as she and Tim crouched low to the floor, to avoid being seen.
In the meantime, Pichai, the former motorcyclist-turned-Preta, lumbered over to where Sunset and Tim were crouching. Both man and girl barely had time to duck behind a desk to avoid being seen. Even though the giant ghost has a mouth the size of a pinhole and an insatiable hunger and thirst to add insult to injury, it's still dangerous. They just can't take the chances of being seen.
Up close, the eerie heavy breathing and hissing made by the Preta ghost sound close. Sunset could practically feel it running up the back of her neck, sending goosebumps all over her body. Just like before, on the roof, Sunset and Tim watched the red light from the Preta's eye, shining across the floor. They had to wait for the demon to look away, before they could crawl to the next desk and crouch behind it, to avoid being seen.
"Dad, I'm scared..." Sunset whimpered.
"Shhh, it's gonna be okay, sweetie..." Tim consoled, in a fatherly tone. "We can't give up now."
The Preta's heavy breathing was just next to Sunset's ear. It's practically a game of cat and mouse, with Sunset being the mouse. Soon, the Preta started to look in the other direction, allowing Sunset and Tim a chance to sprint away.
They were a few feet away from reaching the end, when Sunset accidentally knocked over a cup, off its stand, and it fell onto the floor with a thud, which didn't go unheard, unfortunately. The Preta immediately snapped his head in the direction of the noise and sets his eye on Tim and Sunset Shimmer.
"Uh oh!" Sunset Shimmer yelped.
<"Oh geez!"> Tim exclaimed.
Pichai immediately let out a bloodcurdling roar as he reached his monstrous hand towards both girl and man.
"Sunset! GET BACK!!" Tim screamed, as he pulled Sunset away from the hand, and they backed up against the corner, just barely out of the demon's hand.
Pichai let out an earsplitting scream as he pulls his hand back and tries again. Reacting fast, Sunset and Tim both barged through a doorframe on their left, and into another part of the hallway, with Pichai hot on their toe. The hungry ghost swung his monstrous hands after them, tearing up the bookshelves, chairs, and desks that were in the way.
"AAAAAH!!!" Sunset screamed as both she and Tim quickly hit the deck, barely evading the attack.
Tim looked up, amidst the splintered woods, and sets his sight on another door at the end, that was opened ajar for them.
"QUICK, SUNSET! IN THERE!!" Tim shouted, helping the girl up, and together, they made a mad dash towards the door.
Pichai lets out a scream as he lunges forward to grab them. But at the last second, Sunset and Tim leapt forward, diving into the tiny door and quickly ran down the narrow hallway.
"Phew, I think we're safe now," Tim breathed a sigh of relief, only to realize he spoke too soon, when a hand reaches down and nearly smashed them.
Tim and Sunset held each other close, as they look up to see Pichai reaching for them, through the opened roof, and smashing his hand in vain. This went on for a while, until the Preta finally gave up and went off, leaving Sunset and Tim alone to catch their breaths.
"I really hope that's the last we'll ever see of him," Sunset panted heavily.
"But just to be safe, let's watch our heads," Tim suggested, as he and Sunset walk through the hallway, while keeping an eye out for anymore of the Preta.
On the way, however, they were treated to a rather unsuspecting sight. It appeared to be one of the same black goblins from earlier, sitting on a shelf, taking a dump.
"That's disgusting," Sunset grimaced as she and Tim walked away, and continued their way down the hall.
It was at that moment that Tim noticed the sudden changes to their environment.
"Hang on," Tim looked at the walls, the floorboards, noting their familiar wooden structure. "It looks like we're...we're back in that wooden house we were in earlier!"
"What?" Sunset exclaimed, taking noticed. "But how?"
They didn't have time to ponder, when they came around a corner, just in time to see a woman in white dress, leaving through a door.
"LOOK!" Sunset pointed.
"Jane?!" Tim exclaimed as he took off, running towards the woman, only for the door to suddenly close shut on him and Sunset.
Tim quickly grabbed the door knob and turns the door open, only to find the woman has disappeared. Instead, Tim and Sunset found themselves in a tiny room, with a lantern sitting on a desk, in the corner.
"Where did she go now?" Tim asked as he and Sunset looked around the room. "Jane? Jane... are you in here?"
"Come out, wherever you are," Sunset joined in. "We're not going to hurt you. I'm Sunset Shimmer. And I'm with your husband. I'm helping him find you and get you home. Then we can get some stir fried ice cream together. Does that sound good to you?"
But there was no reply. So both Tim and Sunset kept on searching the place, when Sunset Shimmer took notice of a paper that was sitting next to the lantern.
"Hey, Mr. Tim?" Sunset called to the man, who walked over and proceeds to read the paper Sunset has found.
"Special Edition: Preta Insight Chapter 2." Tim translated. "A Preta is a lost soul trapped in the eternal limbo from its sin. The agonizing hunger and thirst cause it to mourn painfully and creepily all night long. A food offering is the only way to calm the wandering Preta. Set up an offering on the table with colorful tablecloth and one lit scented incense."
1. Put food on the tableware.
2. Put a scented stick on one of the tableware.
3. Light the scented incense.
Suddenly, a door creaked open, causing Tim and Sunset to look behind them to see that the door to the next room has opened up. Peeking through the gap in the doorway, Tim and Sunset can see that a woman in white dress was standing on the other side of a huge room.
"Jane?!" Tim shouted, as he bursts into the room, with Sunset behind him.
"Tim!" The woman called out, upon turning around to face the man and girl. "No! Don't follow me!"
"Jane! It's me!" Tim shouted.
"Miss Jane, we're not going to hurt you!" Sunset added.
"KEEP AWAY FROM ME!" Jane screamed, just as two large hands crashed down and nearly got her.
"SWEET CELESTIA!!!" Sunset shouted, as she and Tim looked up to see the Preta that had been hounding them for some time now.
Sunset was shocked and disgusted to see the Preta, formerly Pichai, in his entirety. In appearance, the miserable creature is just as the texts described he would look. He stood as tall as the tallest palm tree, with long gangly arms, hands as big as a fan palm-leaf, a small shriveled skull at the top. But the most prominent feature of it all was an oversized stomach, covered in what appeared to be warts, boils, cyst, or bumps.
The Preta unleashed an agonizing roar before turning its head in their direction. Sunset and Tim quickly ducked under a wooden table to avoid being seen.
“That monster just doesn’t know when to quit!” Sunset remarked.
“There’s no way we can get through with that Preta out there,” Tim observed. “We can’t possibly fight something that big.”
As they crawled under the table, Sunset Shimmer felt something brush against her fingertips. She looked down and found a box of matches. A gasp escaped her lips as if she suddenly had a spark of inspiration.
“Maybe we won’t have to fight!” Sunset spoke. “I have an idea! But I need you to stay hidden.”
“Are you crazy?!” Tim whispered harshly. “You can’t just go out—"
“Trust me! I know what we have to do!”
Against his better judgment, Tim nodded his head as Sunset Shimmer slowly started to make way toward the other side. Tim struggled to hold his breath as he watched the fiery haired girl sneak past the monster while it wasn’t looking. The man silently prayed to a higher power to let this girl live or else there was no telling how he will feel about this.
While Tim remained in his hiding spot, Sunset Shimmer crawled until she found a plate surrounded by lit candles. Sitting in the center is a hot steamed dumpling, slightly hot to the touch. But necessary for what she had in mind. Then, as she quickly crawled over something shiny caught her eyes. Looking behind an overturned box was a key, which appeared as if it could fit a cupboard.
“Don’t know what this is for,” Sunset thought. “But this could be useful.”
Sunset Shimmer had just placed the key in her pocket when she leaned up and hit her head under the table.
“OW!” Sunset cried out.
“SHIT!” Tim whispered harshly.
Sunset Shimmer saw her surroundings glow a faint red, as she realized the Preta was onto her. She laid perfectly still while the monster searched for her, silently breathing heavily while the monster kept searching. Every so often, while the light wasn’t on her, she crouched and crawled through one space in the floor after another. Occasionally, she ducked back into hiding when the beam of light heard a commotion in her path. But fortunately, the creature couldn’t spot the fiery haired girl as the tension increased by tenfold.
Along the way, Sunset Shimmer found another cupboard key in her path as she kept crawling her way to safety. She spotted an open doorway and raced over there giving a silent thumbs up to Tim as he remained in his spot and returned the gesture. She worked her way down the corner till she found a cupboard. Using the two keys she found, she unbolts the locks and opened the doors simultaneously. She picks out a stick of incense. Among the piles of old books and magazines laid out, she found another piece of a ‘mysterious photograph’ and added it to her collection. She just turned back to leave the door, when a crate was shoved through the way she came blocking her only means of escape.
“Damn!” Sunset cursed silently.
While looking for another way out, Sunset Shimmer spotted a screwdriver lying on the floor and picked it up. Though she knew this won’t be enough to keep the monster at bay, it was better than nothing at this point. It was then she saw some wooden planks along the wall and as she looked down at the screwdriver at hand another idea formed. She dug the screwdriver between the planks and with all her strength pulled the bottom ones off to provide an opening. She had to wait when the monster’s red gaze hovered over that spot, but otherwise she kept herself hidden in the shadows.
In the meantime, as the monster was distracted, Tim used this opportunity to sneak away from his own hiding spot and made his way toward a nearby table. Sunset slowly made her way toward him, all the while avoiding the monster’s gaze. She nearly got caught when the monster lifted one table to find her, but she slipped away as silently as a mouse. The man and girl eventually regrouped, as Sunset took out the matches to light the incense and the dumpling.
“You sure this will work?” Tim asked.
“If the instructions we found were correct,” Sunset explained, setting up the supplies. “The only way to tame a Preta spirit is an offering. Hopefully, this will be more than enough—”
A growl rang in their ears and the red light hovered over them. Slowly, the pair looked up as the Preta, former Mr. Pichai, loomed over them. They stood silent and frozen as the monster eyed them for a moment, Sunset Shimmer gulping nervously at the sight before her. But mustering up whatever courage she had, she slowly stood up before the beast.
“I know who you were, Mr. Pichai!” Sunset called out. “We know of the crimes you committed and what you did was unforgivable. But don’t take it out on my friend’s wife; don’t take your anger out on us. Please accept this offering we have prepared for you and just let us go in peace!”
Looking down at the table, the Preta spotted the steamed dumpling that Sunset Shimmer offered it. The monster reached down, took the dumpling, and proceeded to gobble it up in its mouth. The pair looked on silently as the monster ate, hoping it will be more than enough. Then, with a satisfied moan, the Preta lumbered away and vanished into the darkness. With the monster gone, Tim and Sunset released a sigh of relief.
“I’ve got to hand it to you, Sunset,” Tim sighed. “That was very brave of you.”
“All those years working in a restaurant certainly paid off,” Sunset replied.
“A Thai restaurant?”
“No… a sushi restaurant.”
With the danger passed, Sunset and Tim turned to the right and resumed their search for Jane. Upon walking out of the room, Sunset and Tim found an old newspaper, which reads:
Illegal Race Ends with a Steel Bar Through an Eye!
October 5, 2002
At 2 AM tonight, Yasothorn police force was chasing illegal racers through Yasothorn highway. The capture took place with some had fled the scene. One of those is Mr. Pichai Manapaiboon, who ended up with a steel bar piercing his left eye through a skull when crashing into a truck. Mr. Pichai or Tae was the main suspect in many motorcycle theft cases and the police are gathering the crucial evidence for further investigation. The body of Mr. Pichai has been sent to his family to proceed with the funeral as should.
Both Tim and Sunset simply shook their heads as they resumed their search.
"As should?" Sunset asked. "Even after he attacked his own mother, they'd still go on with these funerals as should?"
"It's sorta of a tradition, I'm afraid," Tim shrugged. "But let's focus on finding Jane. Where did she go?"
The two continued walking down the hall, littered with worn desks, chairs, and boxes, when Sunset looked to the right and saw a piece of paper, lying on the floor. The fiery haired girl walked over it, picking it up to see it was another page to Jane's diary, written in her handwriting.
Tim walked over to look at the page and reads:
May 5, 2013
I was up during the night again...not in the bedroom but in the middle of the house...seems like I couldn't get a hold of my senses...I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched from outside the house, it felt as if it was that thing that tried to kill me in that nightmare! JANE!!! WHAT IS IT!!! WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS???
"Well, after everything we've been through, I'd be scared to death more than she is," Sunset commented.
Tim simply nodded in agreement, "C'mon, let's find Jane and get outta here..."
The two resumed walking down the hall, searching for Tim's missing wife, when they came across a familiar hatch.