JINX

EPISODE 30

"If only I could just f*cking turn back time and didn't let that seductive food and that calm voice fool me!" Blake groans in irritation as he wipes the remaining unwashed particles and stains from his chin.

"F*ck! I now smell like feed chicken!" He added as he harshly wipes his face clean off.

"Don't worry. . . You're not the only one frustrated of choosing a foolish decision today, Blake. . . And even if we know what will happen beforehand, don't you think we'll select the same choice? We get hungry too, guys." Melissa exhales as she made a clear point of her intention to agree to Blake's complaint but, at the same time, trying to rationalize as she pinpoints the other side of what happened earlier.

"Aren't you done yet? I'm still here, guys. I haven't started washing my face either." Chris weeps after raising his hand as if a teacher just asked a question that the teacher needed students' participation.

"Oh, sorry. . . Here, use this sink. I'm so done with this stinking bathroom anyway." Miguel absentmindedly stares into the running water when he snaps back to reality after hearing Chris complain. He earns enough water on his joined palms before washing his face one last time, hoping it could help him less spacing out and more awake. Miguel walks away from the sink to give Chris space for himself.

"Oh, thank goodness! Thanks, Miguel." He says before starting to wash his face with stained sauce and oil.

"At least that f*cking Ruther even gave us the opportunity to come here and wash our faces because if not, then he's most likely be treating us like f*cking animals by now." Blake continues to rant as Miguel, Kyle, and mister Valentine enjoy their moment of silence. Miguel secretly throws a glance at Kyle's side as he sees him looking down as he taps his left foot lightly while his other feet keep him balanced. Miguel then felt the urge to talk to him, but a part of him tells him that he shouldn't. Although he kept it a secret to himself, Mister Valentine notices it but decided not to talk, for it wasn't the right moment to discuss something that he felt is too heavy to do talk about in a crowded area.

"If only we decided to think like Miguel and didn't budge from our position." Chris sighs as he turns his cheeks from left to right to inspect any dirt remaining.

"You kids should deeply understand that ranting our emotions now is too late." This time, as mister Valentine had enough of their gripes, he leans his back on the door frame and wraps his forearms across his chest. After voicing out his insight, the rest of them turns to give mister Valentine a look. That is enough of a cue for him to continue talking.

"You know. . . When I was a kid, our mother would always lecture us to value every moment." He starts to talk; his eyes find their's way into the ceiling as he starts to recall his past. Blake, Melissa, and Chris decided to turn off the faucet as Kyle, and Miguel leans their back on the concrete wall; a large amount of space between them makes it a bit awkward for the two of them, but attentions are all on mister Valentine.

"If I remember it correctly, I think it all started when something happened in our village that I was involved in with." He says as he goes back to memory lane.

[Flashback]

Valentine and his friends, all at the age of seven, decided to play hide and seek on a sunny Saturday night. . .They didn't burden themselves with requirements now that their teachers didn't give a single one, giving these kids some considerations to enjoy a day without worrying about school.

At an early age, Valentine's parents lectured them every day about how they could handle inevitable situations by dealing with them in different techniques.

If they can't deal with it physically, they all have to use their critical thinking skills to handle a problem correctly.

Valentine starts counting numbers slowly from numbers one to ten as the other players start running to get themselves a place to hide. And when he is over with the digits, a bug smile forms on his lips, and he turns around.

"Okay, time's up, you guys! Be sure that you're in a good hiding place because I'll make sure to find you all in a small amount of time!" He announces with such confidence. Of all the kids in their village, Valentine's known to be the greatest player in hiding and seeking. If he's hiding, you'll only have a long time before he eventually gives up and shows himself. And if he's the one catching them, he's got impressive senses that he could immediately sense drama or fight.

Nobody answered what he just announced. With that silence as a reply, Valentine clears his throat and pulls his long sleeve only an inch above his shoulder.

"Okay, I'm starting to come and find you guys!" Valentine shouts once again before excitedly rushing his way towards the woods. And with a few more turns, he already got his first prey.

"Got you, Hefter!"  He shouts in excitement as the adrenaline starts to kick inside his system." Have you seen where the others went?" He asks Hefter, but only the poor man gave a shake of his head. Valentine, even if he wanted to cheat by asking Hefter where they could have hidden, decided to play fair once he got nothing.

Valentine continues to let the game going as he runs like someone is chasing him, but felt like he's been going in circles when after realizing he couldn't find any of the remaining two of his friends who are still hiding somewhere. . . And he starts to get leery.

"Have you found them yet?" Hefty asks as the worry starts to build inside him.

"No. . ." Valentine replies shortly as they're both focused on their surroundings. They even look up to see just in case they both decided to climb to hide.

Soon, Hefter decided to join Valentine is looking for them until they both stop at a particular spot after hearing almost in a faint voice that someone is calling for help.

As they approach the area, the same as the vision of five taller and bigger guys come into a clearer view.  Both Hefter and Valentine froze as they watch their other friend, Roco, smashing something using a big rock that's almost half the size of their school backpacks.

They both watch him do it as red liquid splatter into his face, as the five tall guys stand there and watch in amusement as if it's normal to watch someone like that.

"Roco!" Hefter calls out that makes Roco stop what he's doing, and the five men turn their gazes to both Valentin and Hefter.

"Oh, look who it is. . . your friends decided to join the party." The man in a white shirt with already red liquid stains on it.

"W-what are you doing, Roco? Why is there red splashing from the ground every time you hit it?" Hefter asks as he's too dumbfounded to realize what's happening. On the other hand, Valentine slowly realizes what truth lies before him.

"Where is Joanne, Roco?" This time, Valentine starts to feel his heart thumping faster, not because of running, but because of the fright that's beginning to build inside him.

Their laughter sounds like a background to Valentine as he feels something different from how Roco stares at both of them. His stares scream hunger and pain.

"You see, dumb kids. . . Your friend here, Roco, is not hitting a plain ground because why would the base bleed, right?"  This time, it was the man wearing a neon green shirt talks.

"Then, is he hitting an animal? " Hefter asks, still not getting the whole point. Valentine already knew what is happening now, but his body seems to freeze as if it forbids him to make a move. To run away and seek help, to run away and hide, or just to run away to get out of the situation. But it seems so difficult at that very moment.

"Hefter?" Valentine asks as he takes the courage to fight his fear and takes a step back.

"Where's Joanne, Roco? What are you hitting on that ground? Why there is a lot of blood—"

"Hefter!" Valentine calls out as Hefter turns to him with a confused look.

"What?" He asks, which makes Valentine shakes his head as if he's giving him a sign of something that he couldn't figure out what. And as the moment came where Valentine takes another step back, he steps onto something that makes him look down. Eyes are now wide open and mouth agape; steam didn't find its way to escape into his throat. He steps away as Hefter noticed it, and when he figured out what it is, he turns to them.

"That's. . . That's—"

"Well, Joanne is a bit loud for my liking, you know? And I've been ENDURING that since this stupid motherf*cking squad is created, thanks to you, Valentine! That's why I have to cut her tongue out first."

"You—" Hefter couldn't contain her sobs as he legs it out, not being able to continue what he's about to say. Valentine then steps closer to Hefter as his hand finds its way into his back. Rock then pouts as he let go of the rock due to its heaviness.

"Oh, thank goodness! Now you've realized what is happening! You see, these boys behind me, they're the REAL deal. They'll make you stronger so that other kid won't even dare to lay a hand on you. . . While you guys? You're all just a bunch of losers." He pauses as the five men chuckle.

"You're all easy to trick, guys. . . And if I want to survive this sh*tty town, I know I have to be with someone who would help me. And those weren't you." He says before the man in a red shirt grabs the rock.

"Roco behind you!" Hefter and Valentine shout, which made Roco scoff.

"Tsk! You're not going to fool me!" He says confidently as the man behind him decides to talk.

"Actually, Roco. . . We realize that we don't need you anymore." He says as he lifts the rock, ready to swing it in his head.

"What—"

"No!"

In just one forceful swing, blood flows immediately out of Roco's head that causes Valentine and Hefter to scream.

"W-what the f*ck, man—" Roco manages to curse, but it only made the man smirk.

"Yeah, you're like your friends. . . And you shouldn't have turned your back on them." He says before he starts hitting his head.

It was brutal. Too brutal that made Hefter vomit. Valentine feels his stomach-turning, head spinning, heart crumbling, eyes sore to what he's just watching. But before it can be too late, he pulls Hefter by the arm and runs for their lives.

"Now, what are you waiting for!? DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE THE WOODS, OR WE'RE DONE!"

[End of flashback]

All of them are silent. They weren't expecting mister Valentine to confess a past, nor the story that he's about to disclose. In short, they weren't ready at all.

Nobody decided to talk. . . Nobody knew what to say next. Nobody knew how to react. Should they ask more? Would they want to know more? These questions do end in question marks and are still unanswered.

Mister Valentine sighs as he stands erect, body away from the wall.

"From that day forward, I became hungry for justice that I did the most terrible things a man could imagine. . . While my friend Hefter? He didn't take it nicely. . . Who would, right?" He asks as he looks up, trying to stop the tears. Mister Valentine sniffs as a sad chuckle escapes his mouth. But before he could even continue, they hear a knock from the door.

"Sir Ruther a besoin de votre présence cette instance." [Sir Ruther needs your presence in this instance.] The man from the outside announces as they all look at Melissa.

"He just said that that kid Ruther needs us this instance." She announces.

"Needs us? But why? Is he going to feed us again? Because if yes, then I would rather hit my head into this bathroom wall." Blake complains, not moving a muscle.

"I don't know. . . But maybe his boss arrived already? And I just wish he's not the reason we're going back to that 'Last supper' themed dining area. Gives me the creeps."

But then, they didn't have any choice but to follow, yet again.

As they walk into the same hallway, Miguel could feel goosebumps that he couldn't seem to distract it from anything else. His mind is still on the story monster Valentine just told them, and that he has to know more, even if it kills his sad emotion to hear the whole story. . . He has to listen to it all.

They stop at a different door. And as it opens, they were all surprised.

"Hello, my little lambs. Have you eaten yet?"