JINX

EPISODE 20 (pt.2)

BLAKE

I sharply inhale as I remember what happened a couple of days ago, and it felt as if I've been living the same day since then. The memory's cut is still fresh.

I took the time to think about where I should begin. Miguel and Kyle sit with me, patiently waiting for what I am about to tell them.

"Well, it all started when Melissa sent me a private message. Of course, I didn't even know her back then, but she didn't give up on sending me messages, even one emoji or an asterisk. Melissa even sent me my name typed in caps lock. She seems so mad and in a hurry. I thought she's just one of those random girls who would want my attention."

"So you're a womanizer?" Kyle asks with a small chuckle. All I did is to respond with a laugh as I nodded my head in agreement.

"Maybe? But hey, I'm not a two-time guy. When I already got myself a girlfriend, the others won't still respect that, and they would never stop flirting with me. Do I have another choice but to ignore their messages? But knowing myself, I don't do serious relationships."

"And why is that?" This time, it was Miguel who asks me. Maybe he's into a serious relationship knowing what happened to his family. But then, I shrug.

"For me, relationships nowadays are just labels and not to be taken seriously. I think entering a relationship in this generation is the only certification for a bunch of kids that they're not boring and that they're not virgins anymore. I may sound bitter right now, but I respect every woman I date."

"Well, I would only think of you as a playboy who only wanted to break women's hearts."

"I'm not like that. When I break up with my girls, I will not do it by phone. I would personally call them and meet up, or I'll drop off at their own homes. Then, we would have peace, and in the end, we will be comfortable with each other as friends. Hey! Do you still want me to tell you about Melissa, or are we headed somewhere else?" Kyle and Miguel chuckle at my question, me tagging along with them.

"Sorry... We didn't know you'd have an interesting love story... But go on, what happened to the message Melissa sent you?" Miguel asks.

"So basically, I don't really have the feeling of opening it, but she's persistent, making me a bit irritated. I open our message three days before she made the group chat. With too much irritation when she messaged me, 'yes! Finally, you decided to open my messages'. I instantly give her a call to tell her that I'm dumping her, but then, I was wrong."

Miguel and Kyle broke into laughter, making my mouth fall open. "What!? Can you blame me?"

"Bro, you're just too much of yourself!"

"Agreed! My gosh! I could already imagine her uncomfortable stare and your priceless expression!"

"Well, I just don't know, but you feel too confident of yourself!"

"You can't blame me! I'm just too handsome for it."

"Ha-ha. You're so full of yourself, bro."

But then, the laughter fades, getting us back into seriousness. I clear my throat, wanting to get this over with.

"So yeah, she told me about the Projex: Eliminate of the government, in association with an anonymous group of believers. I thought it was a joke until I get to see Pastor Roman today.

So, after that, we continue talking, sharing thoughts and links and reports about it, and in just two hectic days, we were able to connect the incidents. And we were sure that our country is next. I didn't know how Melissa got it, but she told me she knew you, Kyle. She told me that you helped her locate at least seven persons in our country that could have been a member of the Rainbow Community, leading us to make a group chat. Of course, we would expect everyone to have doubt still, but we were running out of time, and I had no patience left to give. I left the GC and talked to Melissa privately. She told me that we should meet up personally, hoping that we could convince you, Miguel.

A day before I got abducted, I talked to Melissa about meeting up. I send her the address of a coffee shop near my place for me to save time and not spend a single penny. But before I could even get there, a black van stops beside me. I thought they're just going to park, but I doubted my thoughts when they stop in a NO PARKING ZONE. Three guys then get out of the car, looking straight at me. Alarmed, I give her a call, telling Melissa, but it leads me to voicemail. I told her that someone is suspicious and that we have to cancel. I went in the opposite direction, hoping that I could lose the tail. I run as fast as I could, taking every turn I could muster that would lead me away from them. Just when I thought I lose them, I instead found myself being trapped in an end wall and that the guys could track me down. After that? I don't remember everything. All I could remember is that I woke up, feeling a massive pain in my head, I smell a very unpleasant scent lingering around, and that I'm lying on a f*cling wet floor. I then have come to realize that they locked me up inside a dirty bathroom. Minutes later, they take me out to meet Mister Clock."

"Did he tell you anything?" Miguel asks me, but instead of simple curiosity, I see something different in his expression. Is he hiding something?

"Nothing much. He just told me that if I want to survive, I'll have to play my cards right... and so far, I'm still alive."

•••

"What did I do!? Why are you treating me this way!? Pastor Roman!" He's been shouting ever since the moment they got out of the play area, but Pastor Roman didn't even seem to care and look at him. He is treating him as if he is thin air that he is currently inhaling and exhaling.

"Est-ce son bureau?" ("Is this his office?")

"Oui monsieur." ("Yes sir.")

"Ouvrez-le." ("Open it.")

Mister Clock isn't fluent in French, but he knew a couple of words, making him understand some of the dialogues.

"What... What are you going to do there? I am only allowed in my office!" He tries to forbid them but only to receive a fake laugh from the Pastor. He signals Valentine, who only knew the access code to the room. With no much choice, Valentine follows Pastor Roman's command. He presses eight numbers before hearing the sound of unlocking the door. A few seconds later, the door slides open, having full access to his personal space. Pastor grabs Valentine's arm and pushes him inside first. Valentine raises both of his hands as a surrender before walking inside. When he assures them that nothing harmful is waiting, Pastor Roman enters first, followed by the man who carries a shoulder bag. When they're inside, the man holding him pushes him to walk, making him follow. They stand a two-step away from the door as they watch how Pastor Roman observes the room. His hand touches every part of it as his eyes travel everywhere around the room.

"Pastor Roman, why are you doing this to me!? I deserve an explanation from you!" His rage is still there as his irritation grows, not wanting what Pastor is doing. But before he could even ask again, his eyes widen when he takes a seat on his swivel chair. Pastor Roman turns around once before his gaze meets Mister Clock. A grin forms on his lips when he sees the reaction he had imagined.

"What did you say, Mister Clock? You deserve an explanation?" Mister Clock is about to respond when his tongue suddenly repeats, making him silent at the time.

"No, Mister Clock, you don't deserve one; our God Rolan deserves more of the explanation you're talking about because he has given you enough time to explain yourself!" The sudden burst of anger from the pastor was unexpected, making him flinch and freeze in a split second. Pastor Roman gestures his hand for them to release Mister Clock before they leave the room. The only ones left in the place is Pastor Roman, Mister Clock, Valentine, and the kid. When they're settled in complete silence, Mister Clock waited patiently for the Pastor to talk.

"Aren't you curious and going to ask what we are pertaining, Mister Clock?" Pastor takes the opportunity to govern over the silence. He raises one eyebrow as his hand comfortably rests on top of the table. The ego of Mister Clock makes him feel mad for the man in front of him to sit on his property as if he owned it longer than him.

"Should I be curious about this? Because I know to myself that I didn't do anything wrong. You made me follow your rules, your decisions, your ways, and now, this is how you're going to repay me!?"

"Calm down, Mister Clock. But don't play dumb on me right now. We both know you did something, and one mistake can be a food stored without being reheated; spoiled. As the food spoils, the more pungent the smell it gets, until it reaches out into your nostrils. And that's what happens to you, lying to me about being pure." Pastor Roman stands up as he opens the book he has been holding as he opens it on a specific page.

On top of that opened page are three polaroids. He takes them all in his hands as he reaches them out to Mister Clock. His eyes grew more prominent, showing a hint of dread, anger, curiosity, sadness, all together in one scene. He stares at every polarized with different stories to tell. And he is certain that he still recalls the scenes that had happened with it.

Pastor Roman knows he had won the moment he shows him the pictures. He witnessed how his expression changed. He is already grasping the victory over an argument with Mister Clock.

"So tell me, Mister Briar Kapono, who is known to be Mister Clock, how can you sleep at night when you're betraying your own community? Your own kind?"