As the days crept by, Iyaan and Tenuk found themselves caught in a relentless cycle of routine and turmoil. Their daily lives unfolded with a monotonous rhythm, yet the events of that fateful night continued to haunt the recesses of their minds like lingering specters.

Seconds stretched into minutes as they navigated through their classes, their attention divided between lectures and the unnerving memories that lurked just beneath the surface. The passage of time seemed to slow to a crawl as they struggled to reconcile the normalcy of their everyday lives with the horrors they had witnessed.

Minutes melted into hours, each moment tinged with a sense of unease that refused to dissipate. In the quiet moments between classes or during study sessions, their thoughts inevitably drifted back to the dimly lit corridor and the gruesome scene that had unfolded before them. The weight of their shared trauma pressed down on them like an oppressive force, casting a shadow over even the simplest of tasks.

Hours blurred into days, the relentless march of time carrying them inexorably towards the end of the week. Despite their best efforts to bury their fears beneath layers of distraction, the events of that night continued to linger, a persistent reminder of the fragility of their existence.

Finally, the end of the week arrived. Although their busy lives kept them occupied at the edges, the events from their part-time job remained a constant source of torment, lurking just beneath the surface of their consciousness.

***
Water enveloped Tenuk like a shroud, its cool embrace clinging to his skin as he waded forward with hesitant steps. Each movement sent ripples cascading outwards, distorting the reflection that stared back at him from the surface below. With a curious tilt of his head, Tenuk bent down, peering into the liquid mirror that lay before him.

In the shifting depths, he saw himself, but not as he knew himself to be. The figure reflected back at him bore brown hair instead of his usual black locks, a subtle alteration that sent a shiver down his spine. As he watched, transfixed, the mirrored image drew closer, its features contorted in a silent murmur that eluded Tenuk's comprehension.

The water seemed to thicken around him, its once-clear surface darkening with an ominous hue. Suddenly, the reflection began to emerge from its two-dimensional state, the brown-haired version of Tenuk breaking free from the confines of the liquid realm. His drenched hair hung limply around his face, casting eerie shadows in the dim light.

Tenuk watched in horror as the scene unfolded before him. The brown-haired doppelganger shifted, its eyes locking onto Tenuk's with an intensity that sent a chill down his spine. Then, in a grotesque twist, the reflection's features began to shift, reverting back to Tenuk's familiar black hair and dark eyes.

But the horror was far from over. With a sickening lurch, the water around Tenuk's throat constricted, a vice-like grip tightening around his windpipe. He gasped for air as his black hair began to shed in clumps, the strands falling away like rotten tendrils. Beneath the surface, his limbs began to contort and decay, the flesh sloughing away in a grotesque display of disintegration.

Panic surged through Tenuk as he struggled against the suffocating grip of the water, his mind reeling with terror at the grotesque transformation unfolding before him. With each passing moment, his body withered and decayed, consumed by the relentless onslaught of the watery abyss.

***

The room was shrouded in darkness, the only source of light emanating from the lamp on the end table beside the bed. Iyaan, roused from his sleep by Tenuk's abrupt awakening, fumbled for the lamp's string, pulling it with a weary hand. The light flickered momentarily before casting a dim glow across the room.

"What is it?" Iyaan's voice was tinged with drowsiness as he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"...nightmare..." Tenuk's voice was barely above a whisper, laden with the weight of fear and exhaustion.

"What? Again? This is the third time today, Tenuk," Iyaan remarked, his concern evident.

Tenuk let out a heavy sigh, the tension evident in his posture. "What do you want me to do, Iyaan? That place traumatized me. Yet we just can't stop working there."

"You think it doesn't scare me? I don't get nightmares," Iyaan replied, his voice tinged with frustration.

"What are you trying to say, Iyaan? That I am too sensitive?" Tenuk's tone was defensive, his emotions raw.

"No, I didn't mean that-" Iyaan began, his words cut short by Tenuk's outburst.

"Whatever. We know who killed them but we can't even disclose it. It haunts me she might do something to us, Iyaan," Tenuk confessed, his voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.

"Tenuk, calm down-" Iyaan attempted to soothe his friend, but Tenuk's agitation only seemed to escalate.

"Just let it be. I'm the problem, isn't it?" Tenuk's words were laced with bitterness as he rose from the bed, clutching his blanket and pillow tightly in his hands. With a swift motion, he stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him with a resounding thud.

Iyaan sat there in silence, his heart heavy with guilt and concern. He knew Tenuk was struggling, just as he was. The weight of their shared trauma hung heavily in the air, casting a pall over their fragile peace. With a heavy sigh, Iyaan sank back onto the bed, his gaze fixed on the closed door.

***

The shrill tone of Iyaan's alarm shattered the tranquility of the room, ripping him from the embrace of sleep. With a heavy sigh, he reached out blindly, his hand fumbling until it found the source of the noise. Rubbing his eyes, he squinted at the glowing screen of his phone, the digits displaying an ungodly hour: five in the morning. Two hours and thirty minutes remained until the first bell of their classes.

Pushing back the covers, Iyaan swung his legs over the edge of the bed and rose to his feet. Memories from the previous night clawed at his mind, threatening to engulf him once again. With a determined breath, he strode to the door, his gaze scanning the room until it landed on Tenuk, his back turned as he stood at the kitchen counter, lost in the ritual of brewing coffee.

Without a word, Iyaan crossed the room in a few swift strides and wrapped his arms around Tenuk from behind, pulling him into a tight embrace. Tenuk stiffened for a moment before relaxing into the warmth of the embrace, pouring coffee into two mugs as if nothing had happened.

"If you're feeling guilty about last night, let it be," Tenuk said calmly, his voice cutting through the silence.

"You poured coffee for me too, even after how I treated you yesterday," Iyaan murmured, his voice muffled against Tenuk's shoulder.

"What do you mean 'treated you' and I'm not that childish, you know," Tenuk replied, turning to face Iyaan and pushing a mug into his hand. Iyaan held onto the kitchen counter, his grip tight, as if anchoring himself to reality.

"But I am childish," Iyaan admitted, his voice tinged with remorse.

"Hmm?" Tenuk questioned, confusion evident in his expression.

"I disregarded your pain, your feelings, your thoughts, your perceptions—" Iyaan began, his words choked with emotion.

"Shh, I get it," Tenuk interrupted, reaching out to gently grasp Iyaan's neck, his touch a comforting anchor amidst the turmoil.

Taking the mug from Tenuk's hand, Iyaan took a sip of the dark brew, the bitterness coating his tongue.

"Yeah... you know, Iyaan," Tenuk started, his voice heavy with resignation. "I know we can't do anything about Nur because no one would believe us more than her about this but.."

Iyaan did not utter a single word and only gazed at Tenuk as he continued his piece.

"...and I don't really care about that... we can stay quiet about what we saw. I just don't have the strength, the confidence, or the calm like you to keep working there," Tenuk confessed, his eyes searching Iyaan's for understanding.

"I get where you're coming from," Iyaan replied, his voice soft with empathy.

"When we first joined that place as part-timers, we heard about the suicides from the other workers. They seemed untimely and infrequent, easy to label as suicides," Tenuk recounted, the weight of their shared burden heavy on his shoulders.

Iyaan picked up the thread of the conversation as Tenuk paused. "But something forced her to kill consecutively, three women in a row, attracting the attention of the authorities that she cleverly managed to avoid."

"She would frame them like suicides, considering Nur is the one who killed the rest of them too... but for Melacca and..." Tenuk's voice faltered, his words catching in his throat.

"You don't have to say it," Iyaan reassured him, reaching out to rub Tenuk's back gently. "It's clear. Something drove her to frame it like a psychotic serial killing."

"Which she is, Iyaan. She is..." Tenuk's voice trailed off, his gaze dark with the weight of their shared truth.

***

[Saturday the same week
Evening
'Mind and Heart' ]

The atmosphere in the building was heavy with tension as Iyaan and Tenuk stepped through the entrance. While Iyaan maintained a composed demeanor, Tenuk's entire being seemed to tremble with the weight of dark memories swirling in his mind. As they approached the reception, Adam, their supervisor, greeted them with furrowed eyebrows, his tone laced with concern and frustration.

"I told you both shouldn't be here. How many times must I remind you that things are as worst as they can get in this building!" Adam's voice boomed, causing Tenuk to shiver involuntarily.

"Adam Abang, hear us out," Tenuk managed to say, his voice quivering with apprehension.

Before Adam could respond, Iyaan spoke up, his tone tinged with annoyance. "Adam Abang, we came here to tell you that we are quitting. Here are the uniforms." With a decisive gesture, Iyaan placed two paper bags on the reception table, the loud rustle drawing the attention of the other staff members.

Tenuk nudged Iyaan's hand nervously, his eyes darting around the room as if seeking an escape. Adam blinked in surprise at the action, his gaze shifting to the casual attire of the boys. Iyaan stood before him in a black turtleneck, blue ripped jeans, a white leather jacket, and white sneakers, while Tenuk wore a blue shirt tucked into black jeans adorned with silver chains, paired with black sneakers.

"You... want to quit?" Adam's voice held a note of incredulity as he processed the unexpected announcement.

"Not just us. Our university won't be working here anymore," Iyaan stated, presenting a sheet of paper with various names scribbled on it.

Adam scanned the document, his expression shifting from surprise to understanding. "You can't just quit without a proper write-up," he began, but before he could continue, Nur's voice cut through the air.

"These are their resignation applications with signatures, fees payment for resigning as per the contract, their uniforms in the bags Tenuk is holding, and finally, recorded messages. Does that do it?" Iyaan interjected, his gaze meeting Nur's with a steely resolve.

Adam nodded in surprise at the thoroughness of their preparation. "Resignation letters were enough... Have a good day then, and I hope for you all a healthy and happy life," he concluded, offering them a parting blessing.

Nur's glare followed them as Iyaan led Tenuk past her, his grip on Tenuk's wrist tight with determination. As they exited the building, a sense of relief washed over them.

***

Tenuk's voice trembled with a mix of fear and frustration as he spoke up, his eyes still fixated on the building they had just left behind. "Did you have to mess with her-"

"One last time, Tenuk. One last time," Iyaan interjected, his tone firm yet tinged with a sense of urgency. He turned to face Tenuk, his expression grave. "Since we are running away from her because we have no other authority to confront her..."

The weight of their decision hung heavy in the air as they stood on the sidewalk, the bustling cityscape continuing its usual rhythm around them. Tenuk's mind raced with conflicting emotions, torn between the relief of escaping Nur's grasp and the lingering fear of what repercussions their actions might bring.

Iyaan's words echoed in his mind, resonating with a sense of finality. This was their last stand, their final act of defiance before they severed ties with the ominous presence that had haunted them for so long.

*2103 words*