Chapter 1 : Am I Dead?

[Welcome to Valandria] 

In Langit’s all-dark vision, the texts flickered. There was no sound, no scent, not even could he feel the tightness of the muscles in his body. 

"Am I dead?" 

Langit replayed the last moments that were drawn in his memory. 

      *** 

Langit has just returned from school where he works even though working hours are not over yet. A letter of layoffs (Termination of Employment) flew to his desk this morning. And that means no more work today, nor tomorrow. 

“You are fired, Sir. It’s been a pleasure to work with you." 

"Of course you guys are happy. My pay is no more than a cleaning service officer at the mall.” 

Langit worked as a teacher in a private school. People thought that the expensive private school fees would definitely provide a large salary for their employees. But in reality, it was not. Langit's wage isn't even worth it. Not only is it barely feasible, it doesn't even obey the government regulations. The workload and working time rivaled that of a unicorn (corporation), but the rewards given to its employees were like that of donkeys. Every employee's complaints would only be answered with the same words: "You must be sincere." If they are fed up with the complaintnts, they would surely respond with a love letter containing a termination of employment. Just like what Langit had received this morning… 

The life of a teacher in the Republic of Indonesia was indeed like that. Only suffering. The lowest caste that suffered the most were honorary teachers, then followed by private teachers—especially private teachers at schools whose foundations often borrow God's name to legalize their uncivic treatment of employees. Ironic. The more God's name they mentioned, the more natural it seemed to treat their employees like martyrs. 

"Be sincere! Sacrifice your soul and body for the sake of God." Sounds like a cult, doesn't it? It's just that they use the name of God, instead of idols. 

Langit spurred his motorbike as fast as possible to vent his frustration. Around a corner, his eye caught an interesting advertisement for religious activities. "Have you been sincere today?" the inscription was written on the big board. A man in that poster wearing formal attire gave a questioning gesture, looking as stupid as Langit who had lasted a long time at the school where he worked before. 

“Trash,” Langit grumbled. "Why always sincerity? How come people never talk about justice? Why is it always us teachers who must be sincere, while we always get paid unjustly?” 

When Langit's gaze returned to the street, the roadblock was already in front of him. His vehcle hit the very same roadblock. Langit (which means sky) toppled and soared into the sky—what a poetic and ironic scene. 

Life review. Flashback before death. A phenomenon widely reported as occurring during near-death experiences, in which a person rapidly sees much or the totality of their life history. They said that life flashes before the eyes upon death. Langit also experienced it. He saw the happiest event in his life: his childhood. 

Strict, but caring parents. Small but comfortable house. The room he always tidied up. Study table full of magazines. Shelf of consoles and collection of RPG games. 

Ah, those games . Since he was an adult, Langit had never played them again. If Langit could repeat his life, he would play them more often. Oh no. It doesn't really matter. If Langit could repeat his life, he would be more forthright. Langit will not allow people to abuse the word “sincere” to take advantage of others ever again… 

BANG! 

Langit’s body slammed into the bottom of the abyss. Langit (means the sky) was down to earth. Quite literally… 

                    *** 

[Welcome to Valandria] 

Lisa, mahasiswi tingkat akhir yang menyambi sebagai asisten kurator ditugaskan untuk memilah barang-barang antik di sebuah villa. Sesampainya di sana, tidak ada penghuni vila yang menyukainya atau tak disukainya. Ada Kris, pembantu lalki-laki seusia Lisa; Katemi, pembantu perempuan paruh baya; Bram, sang majikan dan pemilik vila; serta Anne, putri sang majikan. Setiap penghuni menjebak dirinya sendiri dalam masa lalu dengan cara mereka masing-masing. Dapatkah Lisa memecahkan kemelut yang berusaha menelannya?

Sabtu Malam Lisa adalah bacaan sekali duduk yang sengaja disusun sebagai sebuah puzzle.

The text was still flickering in his vision. Langit thought he was lying in a coma and was numb, but it turns out he could actually move his body. It's just that it felt a bit different. His hand touched something hard in front of him, but he could feel neither its texture nor its temperature. Like a wall, but seems lighter. Then he pushed it up. 

KRIIT 

A squeaking sound. Then a beam of dim light entered through the gap. Langit pushed against the wall again, this time with all his might. The wall turned out to be a board, more precisely, a coffin lid… 

Langit took a sitting position and looked around. The sight was so foreign to Langit. The space around him was not made of concrete or cement, but of stone or hard earth hewn in such a way that it was so smooth and flat. On one side of the room there is a door made of wood. The four corners of the room were perforated as places to put candles. There was no adequate lighting in the room other than small candles with a reddish yellow flame. The ceiling of the room was also flat as the surrounding walls. No windows. No ventilation. 

“Is this a morgue?” 

[Welcome to Valandria] 

The text appeared again in his field of view, much like an augmented reality. As he paid more attention, the text was not written in the language of the Republic of Indonesia. However, somehow, Langit could understand the text’s meaning.. 

Langit tried to get rid of the text from his sight by waving his hand. The text disappeared, but then another text soon appeared. 

[What's your name?] 

A transparent green window appeared below the question. That green rectangle was meant for Langit to put his name. 

“Hey, this looks like a scene from a video game!” Langit was genuinely impressed. 

Langit stroked his beard as usual as he was seriously thinking about something. Langit really thought hard for a suitable name in every game he played. But before that, he felt something odd when his fingers touched his chin. He could not find his thin beard! He felt his chin again with both hands and it became more awkward. No beard there. Not even skin! 

Langit then raised both hands and looked at his palms. 

“Uwaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!” 

Langit was shocked to half-death. Oh, wait, isn't he already dead? 

 ~To be continued~