"A water monster with a long neck and a large body, reportedly seen in Loch Ness."
A newspaper from 1930.
"A winged creature, as tall as a human, with glowing red eyes. It appeared before the bridge collapse disaster in Point Pleasant, USA." A newspaper from 1967.
"A large red worm, capable of releasing poison or electricity. Frequently reported by locals in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia." Mystery edition headline.
I've always wondered, are such creatures real?
Not as bedtime stories or legends passed down through generations,
but truly real beings that once walked this earth.
If they did exist, then where did they all go?
Why are there so few traces left behind?
Maybe...
they're simply waiting. Waiting for the world to forget they ever existed, or maybe they're still out there, roaming, watching humans from the shadows.
"RRRRINGGG... RRRRINGGG... RRRRINGGG."
The alarm filled the entire room with noise.
"Yawn... What time is it?" Davorin mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"DAMN IT! It's already 9:30?! I'm so late!" he shouted, cursing as he rushed out of bed.
"This is what I get for reading all those stories late into the night," he muttered while running to the bathroom.
He sprinted into the bathroom, nearly slipping.
"If I knew this would happen, I would've set the alarm earlier. Dammit."
Brush teeth, splash water, half-hearted rinse.
"Nice... messy hair, and I haven't even put on pants."
He rummaged through his closet.
"Where's that shirt that didn't stink yesterday... ah, here it is. Half-wrinkled, but who cares. The boss can't tell the difference between a fresh shirt and one that's been draped over a chair for three days."
His phone lit up again. 9:50.
"Oh crap, I haven't even had breakfast."
"Screw breakfast. If I catch the train, I'll call it a win."
He burst out of his house, shoes in hand and tie still undone.
"OUT OF THE WAY, PEOPLE! A MAN'S CAREER IS ON THE LINE HERE!" he yelled as he tore down the street like a madman.
"Oh God, please just this once, let there still be a train."
Moments later, he reached the nearby train station.
"Whooooshhhh..."
The sound of the high-speed train echoed as it approached, the wind pushing forward with its arrival. A soft electrical hum followed, and the automatic doors opened with a hiss. The station's notification chime rang out. Davorin quickly boarded.
"Phew... thank god there's still a train at this hour. Lady Luck must be on my side today," he chuckled to himself.
Before long, he arrived at his destination.
As he stepped off the train, he glanced at the station clock 10:20.
"Damn, it's this late already... Hope that thick-browed monster of a boss doesn't kill me when I get to the office," he muttered, imagining his boss's face.
Davorin sprinted toward his office. Luckily, the station wasn't far just a five-minute run.
"Huff... huff... huff... F-finally made it," he panted, breathless.
He rushed into the building and quickly clocked in with his ID card.
"DAVORIN!!!"
A loud, piercing voice shouted from behind.
He turned around—and there he was, the one person he despised: his boss.
"I'm screwed," Davorin thought to himself.
"Do you even have a brain?! Look at the time! You're just now arriving? Even Kukang the sloth is more punctual than you, you idiot!" his boss yelled, spewing insults.
"S-sorry, boss. I overslept..." Davorin stammered.
"That's your excuse? Can't you come up with something better, you moron?! Your salary's getting docked for this."
"B-but boss"
"No buts! Be grateful I'm only docking your pay and not giving you a formal warning!"
"Y-yes, boss. I promise this won't happen again..." Davorin replied, head bowed.
"Get back to work! People like you should know your place," his boss snapped before stomping away.
"Well... that's life, I guess," Davorin muttered with a sigh.
Suddenly, someone tapped his shoulder.
"Yo, senpai."
"Ahhh! Dammit!" Davorin spun around, startled.
"So that's what you like, huh? Scaring me like that, Georgia?!" he barked.
"Hehe, wow... that was intense. I saw the boss rip into you like crazy," Georgia laughed.
"Hahaha, laugh all you want. Next time you're in trouble, I'll laugh even harder," Davorin said while pinching her cheek.
"And can you please stop calling me 'senpai'? It's cringe and embarrassing."
"What? Why not? 'Senpai' is super popular in Japan!" Georgia replied, rubbing her cheek.
"Yeah, in Japan not here, Georgiaaa..." Davorin groaned.
"Wleee~ I'll call you whatever I want, senpai!" she teased.
"Ugh, whatever. I'm going to my desk before that monster of a boss comes back and decapitates me," he muttered as he walked off.
"She's annoying, sure... but you can't deny how pretty she is. Shoulder-length hair, green eyes, small lips, a perfect nose, and that sweet smile... Yeah, I'm lucky to have known Georgia since we were kids. If it weren't for her, maybe everything would feel a lot... darker. Wait, what am I thinking?" he thought to himself.
Davorin then worked until late into the night.
"Ughhh... finally done for the day," he said, stretching his arms.
"Hmm... What should I do when I get home? Maybe I'll read more mythology Leviathan, Kraken, Amaterasu... hmm, which one first?" he wondered.
Not far from his desk, a familiar voice called out.
"Senpai, senpai!"
"Oh great, the little menace is here," Davorin groaned.
"Heeey, senpai! Let's grab dinner after this. There's a barbecue place I've been dying to try," Georgia said, full of excitement.
"Dinner, huh? Hmm... give me a sec."
"Yeah... those stories can wait. I mean, who would turn down dinner with someone that beautiful?" he thought with a small smile.
"Alright then"
"Sure, let's go!" Davorin said, finally giving in.
Georgia's eyes lit up. "Yatta! I knew you'd say yes! Come on, my treat this time!" she said, linking arms with him and pulling him along.
Davorin chuckled. "Well, if you're treating, how can I say no? But... are you sure? I eat a lot, you know."
Georgia turned to him with a mischievous smile.
"That's the challenge, senpai. Let's see who can eat more tonight!"