Hotel Jeontu: The Five Survivors

Chapter 5 - Playing With Fire Pt. 1

Ethan Cho

Killing people really isn't my thing.

Okay, I mean, I did kill Joseph, but that's different. I only killed him because he was trying to kill Jenna. It cancels out, so really, I didn't kill him. It's more like I saved Jenna. Otherwise, I won't try to murder anybody if they don't attack me first. There really isn't any reason for me to take their life, if I'm being honest. There's a high chance they'll be killed by somebody else in the Hotel anyways, so sparing their life then may give them some hope.

I'm just nice like that. One could even say I'm altruistic.

Since I've known the kids trapped in here with me for quite a while, in a choice where I could kill or not kill them, I'd rather let them live. Even in this life or death situation I still care about them. They're my friends and classmates; there's still some affection towards them left inside me.

I know, I sound crazy. Why would I pass up the offer to kill another student in this competition that meant for killing other students? I'm placing myself in a worse position that way.

Well, there's a better alternative. One where I can still enhance my abilities while not harming other people.

What could it possibly be?

"Killing monsters!" I exclaim. I look at the jellyfish floating beside me. Without Soie around, there's nobody to talk to, so making a little jellyfish friend out of water was the next best option. Her name is Hestia, named after the Greek goddess of the hearth. It's quite calming having her around. Hestia the jellyfish's presence makes me feel like I'm cozily snuggled up next to a warm campfire on the beach, listening to the waves crash onto the shore as I ramble on about my altruistic behavior.

In fact, we actually are situated on a beach right now. The Tier 4 door opened up smack in the middle of the ocean, which I had no trouble traversing to reach this mysterious island (the waves quickly pushed me onto land). On the beach is a path of flattened rocks, which I'm following to what I presume will be the home of the Tier 4 monster. Right beside the beach is a strange formation: a tall cliff with neon blue trees sticking out of the side towers over me. The cliff stretches all the way down the beach as far as my eye can see, trapping me between it and the ocean.

What this means, I haven't got a clue. Yet I can infer that it has some connection to the monster I'm approaching.

But, anyway. Back to the point.

"Killing monsters," I repeat. "Killing monsters is much more entertaining and poses much more of a challenge than kids who only received their powers a few hours ago. While slicing the head off of a basketball player would take at most two minutes, finding monsters that I've never encountered before takes far longer and requires far more thought. Right?" Hestia seems to agree, as she circles around my head and tickles my nose with her tendrils.

"That's how I'm going to survive the Hotel," I say. "And fulfill my mission."

As I say that the atmosphere's tension lowers. The wind stops blowing and the waves crash quieter. Blue leaves from the cliffside trees begin to fall all around me, as a dark, unpleasant sensation passes over me. Almost like I'm falling into the shadowy depths of the ocean; descending as the pressure intensifies to a point where I can't breathe. My eyesight blurs. My brain pulsates exceedingly. My stomach tightens up.

"Killing only when necessary..." I mutter under my breath, staring at the ground.

Fulfill your mission. A voice inside me follows.

My heart drops as a sudden memory flashes through my mind. Something I don't want to and don't need to remember. The same feeling I experienced back then plagues my stomach as moths seem to flutter around inside it. My arms tremble as I collapse onto my knees, grasping the sides of my head as panic overtakes me. Before the flashback proceeds, I punch myself and snap out of it.