VILLAGE | "Dreadmoore"

2

As I approached the entrance sign of Dreadmoore, I was still reeling from the strange events that had transpired after the turbulent flight. I tried to forget everything to avoid further confusion and made my way deeper into the town, observing my surroundings. I needed to find the house I had rented online from Turkey, but I didn't have the key and wasn't sure how I'd get in even if I found it.

23rd Street, Lane, 78 Number, Dreadmoore.

Although the town initially seemed eerie, the people around seemed perfectly normal. No one was staring at me like I was an outsider, which I found odd for a small town. I thought newcomers would be noticed immediately.

Thanks to the address in my mind, I found the house quickly. There was a note from the landlord on the door in English.

"Welcome to your home, Ms. Nihan! The key is on the door. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any issues. My number is 111. There's a phone in the house. I hope you quickly get used to our very safe and quiet town!"

I may have come from another country, but I knew there were no three-digit phone numbers anywhere. The number 111 seemed quite strange to me.

I opened the door with the key and stepped inside. The house was very modern and tidy, but it also had a peculiar atmosphere. It felt like the house of a foreign country to me. The first thing that caught my attention was an old model phone standing in the middle. It was on a table and covered with a few layers of dust.

A voice inside me told me to try this strange phone. I pressed 111 in sequence and waited a few seconds before the phone started ringing.

A bit surprised, I put the phone to my ear. The voice on the other end was different from what I expected.

"Hello, Ms. Nihan! Have you settled into the house?"

I paused for a moment. I didn't expect such an energetic and friendly tone.

"Well... I just got inside," I said.

"Great! If you're looking for someone to show you around town, I'd be happy to volunteer."

"I wouldn't want to bother you."

"It's no trouble at all. I'd be happy to."

About five minutes after accepting the landlord's offer, I heard the doorbell. He must have lived nearby. When I opened the door, I found myself face to face with a short but charming man in an old suit standing on the porch.

"Welcome, Mr. Adam," I said, showing my hospitality.

"Likewise! I won't be coming in; shall we start our tour right away?" he said.

A bit taken aback, I accepted his offer and left the house.

"But first, there's somewhere I need to go," I said.

He looked at me in surprise, but I quickly told him where.

"Can we go to the police station? I think my belongings have been stolen."

He looked at me with a relieved expression and nodded.

"Of course. I'm sure they'll find your belongings soon."

A week had passed. I went to the police station every day, but there was no news about my belongings. Finding women's clothes that fit me perfectly in the wardrobe of the house also surprised me. I had been wearing them for a week, and they were all brand new. I kept trying to use the phone in the house to call my parents, but I couldn't hear anything on the other end. I dismissed it, thinking the phone didn't make international calls.

Adam had also shown me the school I was to attend. Though it didn't quite look like a university building, it was the largest building in town.

One evening, I was reading an article about the role of DNA methylation in Alzheimer's disease, which covered my major. Of course, I had to read from stapled papers because my laptop was among the stolen items. The phone in my house rang for the first time, startling me. I dropped the papers and ran to the phone, thinking it might be the police station.

"Hello?" I said. The response from the other end was an automated voice.

"Ms. Nihan, you are expected at the lab cars for a blood test. The last test time is 8:00 PM. Your health is of utmost importance! Have a good day."

A long beep followed, and I hung up the phone. What did a blood test mean? Were they randomly taking people's blood?

Curiosity got the better of me, and I stepped out onto the porch. What I saw surprised me greatly. Mobile carts had stopped at the end of the neighborhood, and people were lining up in front of them. Everyone was rolling up their sleeves and giving a tube of blood in turn.

-End of Chapter-

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