THE GAME

EPISODE 8: BROWN FOLDER

"I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory."

-LIN, Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

.

.

"Hey guys, have you seen Regina anywhere?" Angelica asks out of nowhere. All of them shrug as they kept silent, waiting for the bell to ring, so they would take the opportunity to go home, and not to attend this afternoon.

Panicky, Angelica couldn't control herself from sitting-standing-walking movement.

"Guys, she told me she'll just go somewhere, and it's been thirty minutes since she's out!"

"Can you just calm down, Angelica? We also have something to think about and you panicking here is NOT HELPING!" She responds with such irritation, not knowing what to feel anymore.

"At least I still worry about one of our classmates. Not you who only thinks of herself-"

"Classmates? Really? Then tell me when where you even worried about Lee, huh?"

"Guys, can you both shut up!? You arguing doesn't resolve anything okay? You are fighting is worthless!" Franz shouted at them, as she releases a long sigh, massaging her temples, trying to calm her head that's about to explode.

Ring!

All their phones chime, making them look at each other.

Opening the message, all of them gasped as they couldn't last long on seeing the attached picture.

Above it was a message coming from the same user who sends the picture of Lee.

GOOD DAY PLAYERS!

I AM HAPPY TO INFORM YOU ALL THAT SOMEONE DECIDED TO TAKE THE SECOND STRIKE AND IT WAS @brokenballerina_12. AND WE ARE HUMBLED TO GRANT HER GRUESOME DESTINY. WANT TO COME NEXT? JUST LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL DO THE JOB IN AN INSTANT.

*click OPEN to view attached image*

They didn't hesitate to click the image only to see a woman who has her bones dislocated. Her hips are perfectly bent like a perfectly bent paper that is folded in half, her knee below twist were both twisted beyond limitation, her head perfectly rotated in a 360 angle and had her three fingers flayed. The woman swims at her own blood, making it more gore than they could have expected.

"She killed Regina!"

"Oh my goodness!"

"We need to tell somebody now! The killer still killed her, and we kept our mouth shut!" Angelica cries out loud, making the others make her calm, but it was no use.

Just before someone could take a call for help to the police, Graciella's phone plays a random song, making them look at her.

"Sorry. Someone's calling. She said as she read the caller ID.

"Guys, Regina's calling."

"What!?"

"How's that even possible?"

"ANSWER IT!" Iriss grab the phone as an answer in an instant, opening the speaker.

"You b*tch!"

An eerie voice was the only response they get, sending chills down their spine.

"You want to play this freaking game!? Fine! Cause we're going to play your stupid game-"

"Iriss don't" Franz whisper as she approaches Iriss, trying to retrieve the phone.

"And you know what? You're nothing but a coward psychopath who tries so hard to get inside our head, ruining us-"

[Haven't I achieved that, Miss Iriss?]

She did stop herself from answering upon realizing what the person on the other line said.

The person laughed devilishly, making her tremble by just holding the phone.

[How I love when you all think you're fierce. Do you think all of you are smart? Because if you count yourself as one, why would you drag yourself inside, this hell hole?]

Now, Franz could remember what had happened before.

"Guys! I don't feel so good about this."

"Me too," Regina said that enlightens her.

"You do?"

"Yeah. Because I can't WAIT TO SEE HOW MY DEATH STYLE WILL BEAT ALL OF YOURS!" She shouted back that made her expectation gone wrong.

"If you don't feel so good about this Franz, you can just not join okay?" She nodded. But at some point, she felt outcast and party pooper if that happens because of its Halloween, and this is a part of their party.

"No. I'm fine. I just got chills looking at the cat's eye."

And now she regretted not being the killjoy of the group because if she just decided to trust her instincts, she shouldn't be in this situation.

[Now that two of your classmates had achieved their gruesome destiny, you've only got one strike to hit. Or things will get pretty, ugly.] The person from the other line paused, then a creepy childhood rhyme song plays, creeping them out of their insides.

[And I know, someone will still be choosing to regret everything.]

And with that, the call ended. With so much desperation, Angelica violently pulled the phone out of Iriss's grip, then start typing.

"What the hell are you doing, Angelica?" Franz asks.

"I'm going to give that sh*t other calls because I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! THIS KILLER'S MIND GAMES WILL BE THE VERY DEATH OF ME-"

She called the number once more and opening the speaker, sliding it into her ears. It took three rings before the receiver receives it. Just as Angelica was about to talk

"Come show you-"

They weren't expecting the person from the other line.

[911 what's your emergency?]

"Why'd you call the police!" They all shouted in unison as Franz hung up the call herself, looking at the recent phone history.

"You son of a gun! Why the police!"

"You're causing us so much trouble!!!"

Still arguing, Franz furrowed her brows, puzzled to what she's seeing.

"She didn't call for the police. The killer must've connected this number to the police." She explained, showing the screen of the phone.

"How's that even possible!?"

"We don’t know! This killer must've been a great hacker or something."

In just at that moment, Franz was able to realize something she wished she could think wrong.

"Guys?" She asks as tears were about to fall from her eyes. She took a deep breath before speaking up. And in a trembling tone, she managed to say

"We had our third strike. And the killer made it on purpose..." she pauses as they all realize what she's saying.

"Because she knew someone would call the same number. And…and,.. the killer wanted us all to just die."

And just as she mouthed the last words of her realization, all of them startled because of the bell rings,

Indicating that the clock had struck noon.

"Miss Franz Simoné, you weren't telling me something." Her therapist asks as he looks at her intently. "Something is deeply bothering you."

"I'm fine, okay? I'm just not feeling well."

"I can determine a lie and truth, Miss Simoné. And I am your companion, not just your therapist and I can help you if you let yourself be open. Okay? -"

"Well, that's the point, Doctor Wilson. I can't be f*cking open because I have no choice, okay? I don't. "

"Why can you say you don't have a choice? Like something was able to give you this impact like threatened you for the truth?"

That made her shut up. Her mind is blank, and she doesn't know what to say anymore.

I know we've got the third strike but what if, that's not just 'it'? I still need to be careful with my words.

"Miss Simoné, tell me what is going on." He asks again, making her drew her chair closer to the table. She rests both of her hands into the table as she calms herself first, before speaking up.

"What will you do if the only choice you've got is to keep your mouth shut, drew yourself away from the truth just to save lives? Will you do it?"

"Why would I forbid myself to tell the truth if the truth will set me free?"

"But you'll kill others. You'll still choose the truth?"

He wasn't prepared for that question, making him just wonder why she would ask a very, very random one.

"Never mind the question doc. I'm feeling great okay? I am just so coping up with this celebration. And about the nightmare? Don’t worry about it. Guess I'm just so used to it."

And with that, she steps out of the office, making him a bit more worried to his client. As soon as the door closes, he takes out his phone, dialing a number. In just three rings, the receiver accepts.

[Hello doc. Wasn't expecting you'd call.]

"Can I come to your place? I need to talk to you about something."

[Sure.]

"Great! When will I be able to come?"

[I had a day off tomorrow. You can come anytime by tomorrow.]

"Okay, that'll be great."

Doctor Wilson sighed as he ended the call, opening the brown folder, reading the paper inside, whom he read earlier that day. And he couldn't believe his eyes.