Bab 1: Broken HumanBab 1: Manusia yang Hancur

Chapter 1: Broken Human The air smelled like rain. Heavy clouds covered the sky above the university, blocking out the last bits of daylight. Thunder rumbled in the distance, low and deep. Nolan Drake stood outside the girls' dormitory, staring at the small velvet box in his palm. Inside lay a simple silver ring. Nothing extravagant. Yet it had cost him two months of late-night shifts at the convenience store and today was his last day too. His thumb brushed across the polished band. He could already picture her reaction. Lila, his girlfriend would pout, scold him for wasting money, then throw her arms around him anyway. 'I hope she likes it.' A quiet laugh escaped him as he slipped the box inside his jacket and pushed open the dormitory door. The hallway stretched ahead beneath rows of fluorescent lights. He had walked this corridor more times than he could count. When Lila was sick, he brought medicine. When she skipped meals, he showed up with takeout. When she couldn't sleep, he stayed until dawn. He reached Room 314 and raised his hand. Just before his knuckles touched the wood, a soft laugh drifted from inside. Lila's laugh. He smiled. 'Looks like she has friends over.' He lowered his hand. 'I'll surprise her another time.' He turned to leave. Then the bed creaked from inside. Nolan stopped. His brows drew together. He looked back at the closed door. Silence. Then another voice reached him. A man's. Everything inside him went still. His heartbeat echoed loudly in his ears. Slowly, he placed a hand against the door. It wasn't locked. The wood shifted inward, opening just enough to reveal a narrow gap. Nolan looked through it. And his world came apart. The room was dimly lit. Clothes were scattered across the…