Infernum

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"We always reap what we sow"

. . . . . . .

[ JIRO ]

EVERYTHING IS messed up — that's what I kept thinking while looking at my friends. There was a noticeable distance between us. Jensen, Hideo, and Nyle were a few steps away from us. I saw my friends fight a lot before, but this time, I could see na they're really doubting one another.

"Pakyu, Nyle! Ano ba'ng pinagsasasabi mo?!" Johan groaned. Hinila ko lang ang braso niya para awatin siya.

He looks so frustrated about this whole thing. He's doing everything he can just to keep us whole. But right now, the group seems to be finally falling apart.

"Kuya, think about it! Hindi na tumunog ang alarm last cycle. Tumutunog lang 'yon kapag pinapatay tayo ng halimaw. Kung hindi 'yon tumunog, ibig sabihin hindi halimaw ang pumatay sa 'tin! It all makes sense!" Nyle declared, looking at Hideo desperately.

"Wow. I don't—" Johan raised his hands, an unamused expression plastered on his face. "You know what — Wow. Just wow. Ayoko na lang mag-talk. Pakshet." He stared at everyone like he was so done with everything before sitting on a vacant chair near us.

"Nyle, we're telling the truth. It was the monster that killed us last cycle. It used Silas' face. Johan and I saw Silas' corpse in the CR's cubicle. When we met back then sa pool area, the 'Silas' that you and Hideo were with was the Red Man," I explained. "Please, listen to us."

"That makes sense..." Jensen looked at us with furrowed eyebrows. "The 'Silas' that killed me didn't feel like it was really Silas. There was something odd about him. It wasn't the same Silas I knew."

"Also—" Johan clapped to get our attention. "Hindi niyo ba napansin? Jensen, tinawag akong 'Johannes' no'ng Silas na kasama natin no'n. Never akong ni-real name basis ni Silas kahit magsakalan pa kami kapag nag-aaway. Doon pa lang sa CR, nakaramdam na ako na parang may mali. 'Di ko naman alam na posibleng napalitan na pala ang best friend ko ng bwakanangshet na halimaw na 'yon."

Soren took a deep breath and faced us. Napansin kong he hid Silas behind him. "Maniwala kayo sa 'min. Nakikita ko na kung bakit ginamit ng halimaw na 'yon ang mukha ni Sil — It was to make us lose our trust at each other. Gusto niya tayong pag-awayin. Mukhang gumana naman dahil tingnan niyo tayo ngayon. Please, don't let this place destroy us."

Hideo sighed while Jensen lowered his head. I saw Johan smirked at what Soren said. Silas just watched us helplessly. Meanwhile, Nyle only stared at us in disbelief.

"No one in this group will hurt us," Johan said. "Magkakaibigan tayong lahat. Pa'no niyo nagawang isipin na kaya nating saktan ang isa't isa?"

Umiwas ng tingin ang lahat.