JINX

EPISODE 26

It's already six o'clock in the morning when he arrives at the spot where his car screen's GPS led him. Carlo is already facing a gate made of plywood as it is poorly built, as if the person who makes it just right contented on overlapping big pieces of plywood together.

Carlo slides his phone out to see if the GPS brought him in the right direction, but only to see no signal on his phone.

"Sh*t.* he mumbles as he decided to walk his way, not to grow any suspicion to whoever might walk into him. He walks towards the gate made of plywood as he got there mistakenly. As soon as he's standing in front of it, he looks around to make sure that the coast is clear. When he is confident, he turns to the portico like a silent assassin before pushing the door open, expecting it to be locked. But as soon as he makes it lightly, he flinches and takes a step back as he sees the gate slightly open.

"Well, that's odd," Carlo mumbles under his breath before looking behind him again. This time, someone is walking towards him. Carlo then turns back to facing the plywood to close his eyes and compose himself. He's scared that he might mess it up, and the anxiety still decides to stay.

‘For Miguel.’ he exhales before hearing the man wearing dusty working clothes.

"Hello, Mister, can I help you with something?" The man asks with a country accent that makes him feel unease even more. "Mister?" The man asks again that makes him exhale before turning.

"Oh. . . Hi." He answers as he clasps his hands on both of his thighs and secretly slides it down to dry his palsied palms.

"Can I help you with something, mister? You look like you're not from here because if you are, I must have recognized you." He says with such intimidation on his voice. The adversity of the situation is growing, and that the pressure is starting to eat him up.

Sweat drips slowly from his forehead due to his nervousness, but also because of heat, it won't be a reason for the strange man to get pessimistic of him.

"I am, indeed, not from here, mister." He explains with a small awkward chuckle after his statement.

"Then what makes you stop here?" He asks, which makes Carlo feel a lump on his throat. It made him stop for a moment to recall every detail he has to remember to save him from getting caught. The man with an eerie aura seems to be like he can be a proper gentleman, but at the same time, his physique screams danger.

"Actually, I heard about the Rummu Prison being a tourist attraction? Then I guess a lot of travelers would want not to miss visiting the area because it's a destination worth visiting for." He explains as he remembers the site he visited earlier.

"You look tired, mister. Why would you visit the area this early when it seems to me that you are exhausted from traveling?" The man continues to interrogate him as Carlo starts to get impatient and, he's also starting to run out of answers to his unattended qualms.

"Well, I tried looking for hotels, even the cheapest ones just to stay for the night, but maybe luck is slipping into my hand because all rooms are unavailable already. So, I ended up sleeping in my car, which is A VERY uncomfortable place to sleep with. Who would enjoy sleeping inside a car, right?" He asks as he chuckles once again but soon fades after hearing his reply.

"I do."

Silence rapidly spreads like a murderer, killing the light mood in a snap of a finger. The man in front of Carlo is looking at him with narrowed eyes as if he still wanted to question him longer. But then, as Carlo couldn't wait any longer, he secretly slides his hand at the back of his jeans, raising his shirt a bit and ready to take the gun out when the odd man breaks the friction into loud laughter. Carlo decided to play along as he also laughs, but noticeable enough to realize it is a fake one. When the laughter died down, the man clicks his tongue and takes out a cigarette in the pocket of his jumper.

‘Strange mother*cker.’ He thought to himself

"You have a lighter?" He asks, which makes Carlo shake his head.

"I don't smoke." He replies with such uncertainty with the switching of his mood. The man just nods as he slides the stick of cigarette back to where he got it. When he's done, he looks back and focuses on Carlo's eyes.

"What's your name?" He raises the question that makes Carlo doubt more. He knows that he doesn't know anyone and might as well not trust any of them.

"Miguel." He answers back on short notice.

"Ahhh. . . Miguel. Well, I don't trust you with that name. It doesn't sound like you own it." He says straightforwardly before taking a step forward. Slowly he does it, the more the anxiety grows.

"Look, kid. I understand if you don't trust me, but getting in there is not a good idea." He says that makes him raise a brow.

"Haven't you heard?"

"Heard about what?"

The strange man weakly chuckles as he raises his gaze on the sky for a second before bringing it back to him. "Rummu Prison has been closed for almost three months now." He sighs with disappointment. This time, Carlo sees an opportunity to talk to him calmly, seeing that he's starting to become fragile.

"Why? What happened?" He asks.

"We, the people of this city, have the same question as yours. We wonder why, especially that this is the only reason why our city gets more visitors. More visitors means more consumers that could help us make a living. But because of closing it, we became poorer, and now, you showed up. Now I'm wondering, why aren't you aware?"

"I. . ."

"Listen to me Miguel, or whatever your real name is. . . We believe that what's happening today? The sudden disappearance and death of random strangers from different cities, countries, and whatever the sh*t it is, we predicted that Rummu Prison might have been their next location."

"Who?"

"The abductors, of course! Who else would bring kids to special places that build more suspicion?... I think they're doing this on purpose—"

"Wait. . . What do you mean special places?"

"Well, last month, one of my friends who worked on that place noticed that their amusement park closed for two months prior to a questionable reason. He told me that they hadn't known the cause until now when dead cold bodies start to scatter to different locations. The people then proceed to speculate that SOMETHING DID happen inside that famous amusement park."

"Then, why did no one reported? What if something really happened there?"

"Well, that's because after ten bodies were found dead in different areas, but not only in the city, they counted for more days to see if how long will it will take. . . One week later, the park that became the source of happiness opens. . . Just when the manager feels like everyone is enjoying, they are NOT. Instead, more and more came not to enjoy but to investigate. . ."

"Oh my goodness."

"Then one day, a tourist kid, probably at the age of thirteen, reported that she saw a pool of blood. But when the police came to check it up, it's already too late because they've cleaned it up already. Luckily, the kid took a picture of it and decided to post it on her account. Then, they decided to ban the kid's account together with the article she posted, but citizens were smart enough to save and share the post to different platforms. The issue spread quick, that is why they were forced to close it again, and up until now, it's still closed. . . They're probably cleaning the area thoroughly." He says before sliding his hands inside his pockets.

"But, why are you telling me this? Why didn't I hear the government making an action if this issue trended in a short span?"

"Because they're also behind this mission. . . And if I heard it right, the religious team is also one who collaborated with this mission."

"B-but, I don't understand. . . H-how could they do this? W-why did they do this if what you hear is legit?"

"Well, the world became wicked when humans became evil. So, if you're investigating too, you must walk away now, or things would get uncomfortable for you and your life." The man warns. "Okay, I must go to work now. . . It's up to you if you would like to follow me or not. Just remember that your next move will always be your choice to make." The man says before walking away from him.

Carlo stood there with a clear mind to what he has to do next.

"I'm sorry, mister stranger, but I didn't come here for no reason. My life is already uncomfortable because of them, and I am not afraid to fight for my son's freedom."

As he is assured that the man is already out of his league, he Is about to enter when he sees a black canvas. He approached it and used it to cover his car for anyone not to notice. When he's ready, he takes a deep breath before walking his way into the plywood gate. He closes his eyes for a second before pushing the door and sliding himself inside as the wind howls in the silence.

He's already in.

Carlo could quickly feel his heart thumping faster and more robust, as if any time soon, it will destroy his ribcage and rip his flesh to explode in fright. He is indeed scared, but he doesn't want to longer stay in his comfort zone. He doesn't want to wait any longer and that he has to make a move before it's too late.

But then, the vast space and deadly silence greet him the moment he turns to face the area. The sun striking from above made him cover his face as he narrows his eyes to inspect the surrounding.

"Have I come to the right place?" He asks himself as he takes out his phone from his pocket to look at the picture he saved from the internet. The expanse to where he is standing doesn't match in the photos, but he didn't give up. Instead, he continues walking, still playing it safe. There's no one suspicious round, only the sound of soft water running and whistling of air that carries dust, making the area a bit foggy and itchy.

Carlo starts walking around until he stops for a split second with his eyes wide open as he sees, not from afar is a tree and a car that's still smoking, but the smoke coming out of it is already dying out. He runs his way through, hoping he could see anything that he can hold onto.

"Miguel? Miguel—" him calling for Miguel's name got interrupted when he realized that the van is empty. The chairs inside are burnt, while the others have only half portions of it are damaged. He looks into the front to see any signs, but the hood is too wrecked for him even to Inspect.

One newly burnt car is enough to build suspicion, but not enough to assure that something chaotic happened in there.

"Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!" He curses as he punches the driver's door, only to whim in pain after realizing it's still hot. He swears as he checks up on his fist, reddening and showing slight bruises already. "F*ck!" He curses once again as he hears the flowing of water. He immediately looks for it as he successfully found it. But when he's about to rush and dip his irritated fist into the cold water, he realized that he's standing at the end of the ground (like a mini cliff) that made him eye it over to see if he can figure out how deep it is.

It wasn't shallow, nor too deep to drown a person, but the water force is enough to drag a person on its flow. Although there are pebbles and bug rocks on it, you wouldn't wish to fall into it. It made him crumble his hands in a fist as frustration starts to grow faster inside him. He then closes his eyes again and inhales sharply before turning away from the water, revoking his choice of immersing his fist into it.

"Where the hell is that f*cking prison—" he snarls and lowers his gaze to pick a rock to kick, only for his eyes to land on an intriguing item. He steps aside not to cover the thing with his shadow and to catch a hint to what it is. As soon the sun hits the object, it immediately shines that makes him avert his eyes away from it. He stands back into the position to cover the item as he kneels to catch a closer look at it. When he's bent enough, he picks it up to inspect what it is.

Bullet. . . One bullet made him gasps as he covers his mouth, which's now agape open. Tears start to formulate into his eyes as he lifts his head immediately, trying to figure out if there is something that could help him figure out—

"Help. . ."

His eyes widen as he sharply turns his head into his left side. He keeps silent as he maintains a sharp ear as he what's patiently to hear it again, an assurance that he is not hallucinating.

"Please. . . Help me."

That's when Carlo stands up, tracing where the voice is. "Hello?" He asks. "Keep talking."

"Please. . . I'm here." The person talks again and coughs, making him rush to the voice. He went straight into the edge of the ground and gasps to see someone in there.

"Holy sh*t!" He says as he finds a way to save the kid. "Here. . . Grip on my hand." He says as the kid weakly reaches out for his hand but successfully managed to grip on it. Without any pause, he pulls the kid up and lands it on the ground. When he's got a full glimpse of the person, his eyes widen even more.

"You're a girl."