Dictator

27. The Masque of the Red Death, Part Two

If this was Poe's hand, then so be it.

They had to follow through. It wasn't like they had a choice.

The tips of Tomie's index and middle fingers were doused in the red paint that acted as fake blood. It was so she can mark people's necks whom she targets for the ball game.

"Split?" Tomie asked Chuuya.

"That's right." Replied the ginger. "I have a feeling there's something else going on. If you're the one who's supposedly playing the role of the 'Red Death' then there has to be. We'll split apart. You do your part and I'll try observing everyone around here for clues."

Tomie raised a brow in disbelief. A taunting grin appeared on her face that she couldn't resist, "Eh? Since when do you do the smart stuff?"

Chuuya glared sharply. "Are you calling me stupid?—"

"Great plan, Chuuya! I better get going, then! Make sure not to let anyone slip under your radar!" Tomie sang as she sprinted away from the boiling ginger as soon as possible, leaving Chuuya cursing and grunting under his breath in anger.

Amongst the dancing, swirling and twirling of the happy pairs, Tomie had managed to sneak in between a bunch and mark them undetected. This was one of very few instances where she was grateful for her tiny figure. All she had to do was blend in with people's dancing, caress some, then eventually place an innocent tap on their necks.

For a brief, foggy second, Tomie caught a glimpse of a mysterious figure donned in a cloak and a mask, causing her to gasp. A couple blocked her vision for a short moment, then when the view was clear again, the figure was gone.

"What was that..." Tomie continued staring at the same spot. She assumed it might've been a figment of her imagination, but it felt too real.

One man admits the crowd yelped. "Ah, crap! I've got marked!"

There he had two dots on his neck, as if a vampire bit into the flesh, leaving a trail of blood dripping down the skin—fresh, red paint. And thus; the game began.

After the man was called off from the ball floor for the night, everyone else went back to dancing as the music performance began booming across the hall once again.

Elise and Kyusaku stood close to each other, holding hands, making sure the other didn't get out of sight. They also donned costumes and masks of their own in the ball, without an adult figure by their side. Being lost in such a massive crowd of people was a recipe for anxiety and panic for children that age, which perfectly explained the distressed look on their faces, as they had absolutely no clue where on earth they were, and where Tomie was. All they remembered was that they ran across a raccoon that they started chasing out of curiosity, only for that to lead them to a mysterious book that suddenly engulfed them both. And when they woke up, they found themselves in this weird era at this strange, uncanny abbey with so many people they didn't know. And no sign of Tomie.

Being a size that small was going to become a serious issue, as there were many people, and most didn't take notice of the small children whatsoever. It was so easy to get stepped on in a place like this where everyone danced carefree, taking up all the space in this grand room that was able to fit a thousand people. Elise and Kyusaku tried their best to make their way through, huddling up to each other to lessen the space, so that they're not forced to part by some dancing adults.