JINX

EPISODE 17

"Miguel!!!" His vision is a blur, as he starts to feel the pain from his head after colliding with the floor. It hit him real hard to instead of staying awake, he rather feels exhaustion all over him... Physically, Mentally, and Emotionally. He had never felt such tiredness before, but just by thinking of the first game, what more could the next games come in prepare with?

After Miguel runs to the other side of the area, the chain made contact with the blades before the chain could even forcefully pull him into the sharpness of the silver, shining blades. The chains were broken at that time, causing the blades to hit the metal, making the machines roar like a hungry lion who had just eaten after a very long time. All of them got alarmed the moment something from behind the blades starts releasing smoke. And in just a matter of five seconds, the smoke thickens, making them all panic out of the area. Mister Clock starts to click the remote, in hope that he could still manipulate the blades from stopping at spinning, and for the smoke to even evaporate quickly. But the disadvantage of the room having no windows made it much worse than with what the eyes see.

Miguel, who is still lying on the ground, manages to still get and focus on what is happening, only to realize what the outcome of what he did just to save himself. The place starts to get foggy, still, his ears were made to be deaf for the moment. Although his nerves are still reacting, he tries to stand up, only to feel strong arms gently pulling him up. He wasn't able to look up to see the person behind. A small hand touches him, only to realize it was Ash. The kid is continuously talking to her, but he couldn't hear a single word. The atmosphere is intense yet at a slow pace of movement. He doesn't know why it had to be that slow, but all his thought is giving importance right now is the relief of surviving for the first day he had faced the game, or so they prefer to call it "the mind of JINX,"

Soon, the room was left with only a thick amount of suffocating smoke. All had rushed out into a panic but remained to keep their eyes open to keep an eye on the players. But since things were getting out of control, they were forced to be located back to their respective cells.

And the feeling of being powerless for him to find no reason to why he felt so much exhaustion, he could still feel himself being dragged out into the place, back into his cell.

And at this moment, this made him realize one thing.

He was never the strongest.

•••

|Wednesday, 13 of February

I am happy to still be able to breathe. I am happy to still realize that I, just a nobody, was able to think of a way to run away from the door of death... But, that doesn't mean that I won't be opening more doors in the future.

It already felt like forever since I've been trapped in here, and now I haven't heard about my mother... Well, maybe that's the drawback of not having a television or phone to use here. Not only the fact that my body is aching, but my heart is also in pain right now.  I don't know why but all I could feel is longingness yet there's emptiness. I know I should still trust my mother that she's doing everything she can to save me.

Because my thinking about it is my only excuse to think that I can make it.

I'm in deep sh*t and I know that anytime now, Mister Clock would probably want to punish me after destroying his stupid machine. But I didn't even expect it as an outcome.

When I lie there, on the cold ground, I thought I was going to die. I don't know why I suddenly feel depleted when all I did is wait for the right timing for Ash to give me the key, or at least Kyle would have found the key a bit earlier than what I would have expected.

But, in this game of survival, as the fire met gasoline, what more can I expect?

I was never fond of predicting or expecting or all these kinds of bullish*ts I'm already feeling. But this situation made me realize how far I was from reality.

I was living in a world of cruelty and yet, I was dreaming of rainbows and unicorns and now, I start to doubt their existence.

Is there happiness? At all? Or am I just not seeing it while it is already in front of me?

I was just so blind to the things that matter and right now, the reality is starting to slap me, so hard for me to regain consciousness towards the truth:  that I am not capable of being strong.

After all this time, I was completely in a deep sleep until my f*cking head hit the floor real hard. Until my body collided with the harsh truth that I almost died and I was just too independent... Too independent to the others around me, thinking that I'll just succeed with their help. Am I too weak to save myself? Am I too scared that I expect others to carry the cross that I've been carrying?

I was hanging way long enough on their hands and I know that at this moment, I have to do something.

No matter who it is I have to face, no matter what the consequences beside it, I cannot be weak once more. It is a mistake to just talk about being strong but not proving it to yourself. And I don't want to be a disappointment. No, not anymore.

Because in this game of survival, I know I have to fight for myself.

I have to. I have to be strong now.

Sincerely,

Miguel.

•••

-previously on Carlo's point of view-

Sunday, 10th of February.  It only took four short words to distinguish who it is from. His heart rate starts to rise as if it's about to explode anytime. He could feel his hands sweating, a bit shaky, to say the least. But that wasn't enough excuse for him to not continue.

He starts to read with his eyes as he pays close attention to every word he is about to read. And as he continuously read the paper, he couldn't help himself but feel the sudden pain in his heart. The words written on it were like a newly sharpened knife, already targeting his fragile heart.

[But now, I am more terrified than excited. It is as if in a single day it has 24 hours but every hour felt like a day already and it is torturing me mentally. These gore thoughts are starting to get inside my head making me not have a proper sleep when night falls. All I want is peace but time doesn't seem to want to agree with me.]

His reading at this part makes him feel the pain the person is currently situated in. And the guilt starts to eat him up inside, starting to feel the 'self-blaming' feeling again. He knew that Lerissa told him to not panic and that Miguel would be just fine, but that being said wasn't enough for him to be convinced that the son of the woman he loves the most is in good hands.

Because he had this sixth sense of telling him the opposite: that Miguel is in danger.

[And today is the start of the REAL GAME. And if what I've seen yesterday is bad and tragic and traumatizing, what game today has to offer now that I am the one who is playing it? And that my own life is on the line?

Or am I playing the game the moment I step on this trap?]

After reading at this part, he furrows his brows with more and more curiosity he has to find out. "The real game? What does he suppose to mean?" Carlo asks himself, getting more and more worried.

[I am not certain in all stuff but this I tell you... If you want to live, then you might as well want to fight rather than just wanting to survive without even pushing a bit of effort for yourself... And this is what I am doing today because... Because I just want to go home... And being with my mom is the best inspiration I could think of now...

So mom, please wait for me.

I will be home soon.

I promise you.

Just wait for me.

Sincerely,

Miguel]

Reading the complete message sent chills down his spine. Not that he got scared for reading it, instead, he got himself pained over and over again. The fact that he knew that Miguel might not be on good terms with him is what makes him worry that it might be too late for him to sort things out with the kid. And it makes him feel worse to even witness Miguel's mom, telling him to not panic at all? This is not what he expected at all.

Feeling the urge to make a move to save Miguel, he rushed inside the house, but manage to open and shut the door calmly and silently, not wanting to worry Lerissa. But as soon as he closes the door begin and search for Lerissa in the two-story house, he stops in his tracks when he hears Lerissa in the kitchen. He was about to tell her what he has just got in his hand, he then starts to have the feeling of eavesdropping, after realizing that she is having a phone call with someone. With a bit of curiosity and determination to find out about the conversation, he starts listening over the wall separating his position to where Lerissa stands.

"What!? No, I need answers right now!"

There's a long silence that makes him wonder what they're talking about. He continues to wait, hoping to hear what his curiosity is expecting.

"Yes, yes he's not here. He's probably outside, picking up daily newspapers..."

There's that long pause again causing his heart rate to go faster. His patience is starting to disappear as if he had just a bottle of forbearance for the day. But still, he decided to wait.

"What!? Of course, he doesn't know... Wait, I'll just check on him."

With that being said, it ringed his bell, making him rush back into where he could be found with no suspicion.

"Carlo? Baby?"

That call sent chills down his spine, not knowing if it's because of what he had just heard that made him rush back into the door, or was it because he was just afraid of the letter after reading it.

Something in his guts tells him that he's starting to trace down clues to where Miguel could have been right now.

And that includes him getting wary of his fianceé.

"Carlo where are you?"

And before Lerissa could even pop out into his vision, he silently opens the front door, acting as he had just come in.

"Carlo I—"

"Hmm?" He responds as he closes the door the exact noment Lerissa pops up into the hall, phone in her hand. Lerissa's eyes travel into him from head to toe, eyeing him distrustfully. Instead of getting intimidated by her stare, he decided to take the acting further.

He starts looking at himself, still feeling nervous. He cannot deny the fact that his heart is thumping really fast, almost like his heart wanted to pop out into his chest, exploding out and destroying his bones, from ribcage up into his spine.

"What... Why are you looking at me like that?" He asks, trying to turn the attention back to her. This time, he was the one to stare at her questioningly. It took Lerissa a couple of five seconds before Carlo clears his throat. That made Lerissa snap back to reality.

"Babe?" He asks as he approaches Lerissa who had turn red.

"I'm... I'm sorry I was just worried..." She finds a good excuse, but still, she was obviously lying about it. And even if at that moment he wanted to talk to her face to face her about what he has eavesdropped on, he simply cannot admit that he listened to the skeptical conversation of Lerissa on the phone.

And it bothers him.

"Worried about me? Why?" He asks back as if he didn't know what she's talking about. He went past Lerissa, went straight to the kitchen. He could feel Lerissa's presence from behind, making him feel even more uncomfortable. When he reaches the dining table, Lerissa went back into the L-shaped kitchen to check on the food, about to be served in a couple of minutes. His eyes caught the attention of the wireless telephone that is still in Lerissa's hand. He acted like he's busy reading the newspaper,   when his ears are already detached in his body, listening intently to the next words Lerissa's about to menti

on.

"Yeah... Yeah, I'll call you back. Thanks." And with that, the call has ended. When he hears her placeing down the telephone, he went back to flipping the pages, his back facing the kitchen.

"Breakfast will be there soon," She announces, making him nod.

"Yeah... I'll just be here—" he was cut off short when the letter with a JINX on it slides down, making him think back to earlier that he clipped the envelope into the paper. But before Lerissa could find out about it, Carlo instantly bends down, grabbing the letter and sliding it inside his robe. That made him snap to make his next move. He stands up casually, still applying his acting skills.

"I'm actually, I remember I had to do something... I'll just go and check then call me when breakfast is ready?" Even if it is doubtful for her, Lerissa just nodded.

"Is there something wrong, Carlo?" She asks, almost made him caught off guard. But that didn't stop him from his growing suspicion towards her.

"Nothing is wrong. I just remember I have to tell my boss that ill be attending work tomorrow—"

"But—"

"I'll tell you later by breakfast, okay?" He asks, not wanting to lengthen the conversation. Not because he doesn't want to talk, but because he's starting to be terrified that he might slip his tongue.

"Yeah... Yeah sure, I'll be just here." She gave up, making him give her a nod and turn his attention to him. When she's sure that Carlo already made his way up into the room, Lerissa looks at the telephone beside her. She didn't end the call instead, she just places it there. Picking it up, she sighs.

"Now tell me... Is my son okay?"