Meanwhile, far removed from the growing tension and urgency unfolding elsewhere within the resort, Ilyas remained entirely unaware of the danger that had already begun to close in around him.
An hour ago, he was seated comfortably in his room, the soft glow of his phone screen illuminating his face in the dimly lit space. The quiet atmosphere, which should have been restful, instead carried a faint sense of melancholy. It was not overwhelming, nor was it particularly dramatic, but it lingered persistently in the background of his thoughts.
After returning to his room earlier that evening, Ilyas had done what had gradually become a habit for him, he reached out to his online friend.
