JINX

EPISODE 12

"Please spare them, Mister Clock!" One of them shouts, not wanting to even witness another unexpected scenario. Both Camilla and Roderick were experiencing the adrenaline rush. Even if Miguel and the others are standing far from them, he could clearly see the desperation, the hunger to just survive. Even if they are, that still doesn't change the fact that they are both surprised to see what they have picked in their cards. Then, they stare at each other, measuring each stare to who would go first.

"f**k!"Miguel mumbles, still not getting what is happening. But just before his curiosity got even bigger, he then sees Camilla throwing a weak and petrified expression, still not wanting to move. But as reality kicks her, she then there her hand into the table, placing the Chef's knife just an inch above her hand.

"What... What are you doing, Camilla?" One of them asks, making her look at their direction. "This is the only way." She cries out loud, still trying to say her words clearly, but failed. "What... No!" They start panicking as what she's about to do is gore. "There no other way, Blake!" Roderick tries to explain as well but the same goes with Camilla, he failed. With no hesitation, Roderick pulls his foot up into the table, doing the same thing.

"No, no, no, no! Don't you dare do it!" Another guy tries to stop them but failed after they start harassing slicing their skin off.

"Oh my God!"

"No!"

They start shouting, not wanting to let the two continue any longer. Both participants were shouting for pain and at the same time, the desperation to survive.

Blood starts showering all over them but that didn't stop them. And to not prolong the pain, Camilla shouts, swinging her hand up high, aiming at her already bleeding fingers.

"Aaahhhh!" In just a snap, all three fingers we're totally separated from her body. More blood came out as they all watch how blood flows out. Roderick on the other hand is being delicate to not completely torn his foot. It was said to his card to only cut deep but not completely separating his body part. When they're both done, both of them could already feel the weakness kicking in. But the game isn't over yet.

When they're done, they start crawling up into the beaker. What's inside is a key to unlock the chains from their necks? Melissa puts her hand inside but starts shouting when she realizes it wasn't just water. The same goes for Roderick who did the same mistake.

It was acid!

Both of them start to suffer from the burn, intoxicating the rush through their skin. They both wince in so much suffering but they are willing to give their everything just for the syringe. But not both of them need it anyways. They just don't know who needs it the most.

While all of them were busy watching the two get their hands into the keys to remove the chain that has been keeping them a step away from the syringe.

There is only one who needed it," Miguel mumbles, giving enough sense to what Mister Clock is saying. Melissa was able to notice that, giving him a questioning look.

"Are you okay?"

"Mister Clock says that only one cup has poison and one of it is not."

"Yes, why?"

"That means, there could only be one needing it."

"Yes, but we still don't know who had taken the poison yet." She explains. His eyes immediately landed on Roderick and Camilla, trying to see anything strange. When he did, he then turns his attention to Melissa again. This time, Kyle notices their conversation.

"What is it—" Kyle was about to ask both of them when Miguel decided to talk again, after remembering Mister Clock's words clearly.

'That syringe will help you both spare your lives because the syringe falls into the wrong person or should I say, the person who didn't take any poison, it will be over... As I said, there could be unity or doubt. It will be your choice.'

"He said that there is only one cup that has poison and the other is not, right?" They nodded. "And if the syringe falls into the hands of the person who didn't take the poison, it would be over. Does that mean it will also have an effect on the person's body who didn't drink poison if he or she manages to take the syringe?"

"I'm not—" Melissa stops as she realizes something. "She mentioned about having trust or doubt, right?"

"Yes, he did."

"Oh my gosh! Does that mean they could both die if they don't exactly try to realize who must have taken it?"

"Yes." Alarmed, the three of them watch as Camilla and Roderick start to remove the metal in their necks. Their skin from their hands is totally peeled off, muscles showing up. When both of them are done, they start running for the syringe.

"Hmmmsmsmsms!" (Give me that! That's mine!)

"Nhh, rsssnhhttt!" (No, it's not!)

"Hmmps mhh thghh with tatt hhrrrrpp!" (Give me that! I want to survive)

They must have forgotten about it! They now think that both of them had taken the poison! Miguel talks to himself as he realized the reason behind the desperation of the two.

"Don't fight! Know first who might have taken the poison!" Miguel tries to call out but both of them didn't listen. They start tackling each other on the ground, still wanting to have complete authority over the syringe. And with a disadvantage of Roderick, Camilla makes sure he stays down, grunting from the pain caused by his foot. When she knew that she won, she took the syringe on her hands, giving a look at Mister Clock.

If red is bright, is blue not?

"No, no, no! Don't—" Miguel tries to stop her but only to know that she wasn't paying attention to them anymore. Her attention is winning at the game she doesn't know if she already won. Camille pushes the needle at the vastus lateralis, not knowing where to inject it anymore. When she's done, she laughs at her success.

'No! She's not the one who drank the—' Miguel's thoughts were cut off after watching Camilla suddenly acts like she's choking, same with Roderick who still lies on the ground. Both of them start scratching their own necks as if it is itchy, but it is because of something else. In a matter of seconds, both of them starts to turn skin into violet, like bruised or swollen, eyes are popping red as they start to shake as they have been electrocuted. And in just a matter of seconds, they're not moving anymore.

"BRAVO! BRAVO!" They all flinch after Mister clock decided to shout in a very silent atmosphere. He then steps forward, right beside the two lifeless bodies. "That is quite a game, to begin with, don't you think?" He asks, but they all shot him a death glare.

"You killed them both!" Blake stated, disgusting look thrown to him. But that made his grin grew bigger.

"Oh, I didn't kill them, Mister Blake. In fact, I actually tried to save them. But they just don't listen, do they?" He pauses as he picks the syringe beside Camilla's cold body. "This is the key to unlock second chance and them not paying close attention is what killed them. I didn't kill them because I even give the hint. But wait, I remember... I wasn't able to make myself clear earlier. You see, there's only one of them who needed this and they totally forgot about it. And now, no one lived." He then turns his gaze to Miguel. "And I tell you, never ever, ever forget about the rules."

• • •

Carlo didn't have the chance to talk to Lerissa any longer. She is persistent in not asking for any help, especially to the police. Then, he had no choice but to call someone else, the only person he could think of trusting at the moment. On his first two dials, the person on the other line didn't respond, but on his third attempt, the person answers.

[Carlo?]

"Hey... Are you busy?"

[Ummm.] The guy takes a second of silence before he answers back. [I'm not busy... Yet. Why?] He was the one who kept silent for a moment, thinking of whether to trust his desperation or not.

[Carlo?]

"Oh right... Look, I'm just in a very complicated situation and I don't know who to talk to." [Okay? You can tell me anything. You know, that's what friends for.] "Yeah, I know... But, I don't know..."

[As I said, you can tell me anything.] The persuasion his tone of voice is making and the guilt of calling his friend is what makes him close his eyes, deciding to just tell him.

"You still remember Miguel?"

[Miguel. The kid from your girlfriend?]

"Fianceé."

[Wow, that I didn't know about but yeah, I still remember this Miguel kid. Why?]

"Well, he is missing."

[What?]

"Yeah, really surprising."

[B-b-but... How? Why? Did he just skip a night at home? Maybe she's just staying with his friends—]

"That's the problem. We don't know who his friends are."

[Since when did you notice his disappearance?]

"Yesterday."

[Then, call the police already for investigation already! He's been missing for 24 hours already an—]

"I can't." [Why not?]

"Because..." He pauses, not really wanting to lie about it, but having this feeling of not trusting anyone else is crawling inside of him.

[Carlo, you still there?] the sound of concern is present in his tone, but the doubt he had in him is far stronger than anything else.

"Because I need to be sure first that he is either kidn*pped or he's just with a friend that we weren't aware of."

Lie.

He knew to himself that he knew what actually happened. He saw how things got crazy inside their place and he knew that he wasn't able to protect both of the most special persons he had in his life. He sighs, not really wanting to lie, but he had no choice but to not tell the whole truth.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I just needed someone to talk to. Maybe I'm just too worried about Miguel, maybe this 'father thing' is kicking in me, I just..."

[It's okay, bro. I understand...] He pauses as Carlo pays close attention, hearing it clear that there is a person talking to him. But he wasn't sure of what the person said. Not because it is not clear, but because it was said in a different language.

[Hey Valentine...]

[Hmm, yes?] He whispers, intriguing Carlo even more.

[Le patron the cherche.] (Boss is looking for you)

[D'accord, je serai là dans une minute. Dites-lui que quelque chose vient de se passer.] (Okay, I'll be there in a minute. Tell him that something just came up.) [il te dit de te dépêcher](he tells you to hurry)

[Oui](yes I will)

And just by listening to their conversation, he knew something is up. Since when did he know how to speak another language? When he hears footsteps marching away, he waited for another response.

[Carlo, look. Something came into the plate and I have to go.]

"It's fine. I guess it is important."

[Yes it is... Look, just call me when you need help, okay?] "Yes, I will." [Remember, I'll always be here for you, no matter what. You can tell me anything.]

"Thank you, Valentine. I really appreciate it. Just having this conversation makes me feel a bit calm."

[I'm glad to help. So, I'll hang up now okay?] The call ended longer than he expected. But just when the call ends, he had this curiosity about what he has eavesdropped earlier. It wasn't intentional but he is somehow happy that he had heard it. Because something tells him to investigate.

He rushes through his personal computer, waiting for it to open. Minutes later, he finds himself opening google.

"Now, what should I search about?" He asks himself, still holding his mouse. He tries to recall the words he heard. "Oh right... Was it depths or di, de, Oh great. I don't know. I should have just recorded it. But I know for a fact that the other person mentioned his name... And oh, did he just Oui? Isn't that..."

His eyes widen with the realization that he has just identified what language they were using earlier.

French!

He starts searching for a dictionary but then got alarmed after hearing approaching footsteps.

"Babe?" He instantly puts his PC on sleep mode, turning his swivel chair to Lerissa who just pops into his door frame, the exact moment he turns.

"Yes?" He asks, trying to hide his nervous side.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I'm just thinking... About things that have happened."

"Oh, baby..." She pauses as she walks near him, standing in front of him. He gulps as the tension between then is rising.

"Don't worry too much, okay?"

"I mean... I don't know if I should stay calm either—" "Listen to me, Carlo." She paused again, snaking her both feet on each of his sides, as she sits comfortably and seductively on his lap. She then wraps both of her hands around his neck, giving him a small smile. "He'll come back, okay? He will be back. I promise you." Before Carlos could even say another word, Lerissa closes the gap by catching his lips, kissing it hungrily. It took him a few seconds to process everything before deciding to kiss her back, his hand traveling around her body, down until his hands landed on her butt, squeezing it gently. He'll come back, okay? He will be back. I promise you.