THE GAME

EPISODE 13: DEAD SILENT

"When I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die"

-Leonardo Da Vinci

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FRANZ

I could already hear chatters from the outside as if they were hunting us. My heart's beating twice the normal rate, feeling that it could explode any second now. and I can't still identify what will happen after this. Will we all die here? Will all of us attain that freaking death maker we were engaged with? Now to come and finally realize it, Lee was the maker of the game, and he is the only one who can do programming, there's no way we can delete the app.

"Tone down your voice guys, we need to be very quiet or else, they'll find us here!" He accosted the others as they tried so hard calming themselves, stopping themselves from bursting out from crying while me?

I was dead silent.

I look at the other line formed, where I see Paul being silent on the corner as well. He's been silent since we found out about Lee and he's been avoiding me at some point. I don't know what gotten into him, but I could feel that something is bothering him.

"CLEAR!!" All of us almost stop breathing when someone shouted from the outside, making me look at my phone.

12:00

How long does it take for us to wait here? Because if not for my family, I got home, lock myself into my room, snuggled into my cover.

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Just as Franz wake up, she was startled to see her grandmother in front of her.

"Aunt Lei!" She shouted, sitting straight into her bed. She massaged her temple as she heaved a sigh, relieved that it was all just a dream.

"You were panting from your dream. Everything alright?"

"Yes, yes I am. Wh-what time is it? Am I late for school?" She asks as she stares at her wall clock, surprised to see that it was already nine o'clock in the evening. "Sh*t."

"Sweetie, are you okay?"

"What time did I sleep?"

"You've been asleep for like thirty minutes now."

"But... How?-"

"I've saved dinner just in case you wake up and suddenly, I heard you groaning, screaming, and panting. Are you really alright?"

"Y-yes! Yes, I am. Really."

"I just thought that maybe the death of your janitor from school bothers you or something-"

"Wait. Did you say, did- someone? Oh my goodness."

"Honey, I know it's shocking but the school dead called me, informing me that you're the one who saw the body and reported it to them-"

"No no no no no... Aunt Lei, we have to go to school."

"But it's already night. Everyone's asleep already."

"No Aunt Lei! You don't understand!"

"What do you mean, sweetie?"

"Someone's..." She paused as she doubted to tell her everything yet.

"Someone's what, sweetie? Tell me."

"No! No, I can't. Not right now."

"Franz Blake Simone!" Her auntie yells, making her widen her eyes. Not once would she raise her voice, for she is known to be gentle and calm and now, she's a surprise as well from her actions?

"Franz, sweetie, I've had enough of your bullsh*t, okay? I am done with your lies! And right now, in this very room, you're going to tell me what is going on."

She knew that everything's a mess, and there's nothing she can do to undo everything, and Aunt Lei has her patience had been exhausted. the only option she has is to tell her auntie about it. she cupped her face to both of her hands as she inhales and exhales, before telling her everything.

"Someone is after us, aunt Lei. Someone wants to kill us."

"Wha- what does that mean?'

"We were celebrating Halloween when one of my classmates, Lee, introduced a game to us. I don't but we played, then suddenly, morning came, Lee's dead! And so is Regina!! " She explains as she starts to cry. "And if I hadn't joined that stupid game, I would be alive by now!!" She starts to tremble, remembering her classmate's lifeless bodies, with three marks on each cheek, and a hole in the nose. Her eyes widen as she looks at her auntie.

"Black Cat."

"what?"

"That's what we call it. That's the killer's nickname!"

"calm down sweetie, calm down."

"You must take me to the school right now, or all of us will die, including all of our families!

Upon arriving at the school, all of the lights were off. there is total silence, only the whistling of the wind, and the creepy sound the bats make at night.

"No. No, this can't be. No no no no!" She tries to unlock the door but failed miserably.

"Franz, we need to go now.'

"No! We can't! The killer will find us all!"

"NO ONE! No one will come and kill us, okay? You're just so caught up by the consecutive happenings from your school and you're stressed. Okay? Dr. Wilson also said that you're stressed and have anxiety attacks, basing from your physical appearance, and when you have sessions with him. Now, let's go."

"But-"

"No buts, Franz. Let's go."

She had no choice but to follow her auntie, as she surrenders, going inside the car. At that exact moment, she received a message from a private number. She opens it, surprise to see the message.

PRIVATE NUMBER

So tell me, Miss Franz, how does it feel to be played?

ONE HOUR EARLIER

After all of them were sent home, Ford decided to not go home in an instant, deciding to just have a smoke from the public market, to the rooftop where no one possibly can see him. He was there, all alone, inhaling the smoke on his inside. He wasn't an expert on it, yet it was said that cigarettes can actually reduce stress, somehow makes you fly, forgetting about the present, even for just a bit of moment. And that is what he needed right now.

"Hey, stranger." Someone called his attention, making him filled with fear. Immediately, he hid his cigar as the person sits beside him.

"What the f*ck are even doing here, Erika?"

"I followed you, obviously."

"Were you stalking me!?"

"No, but you're all alone and I am too."

"So?"

"I don't want to be alone, If I were you, Ford. At this moment?"

He takes out his cigarette and continues sipping it, not knowing what to respond.

"Ford, we should be careful at this time. We don't know who's the next target, we don't know when will the killer attacks. We don't know anything-"

"I'm not afraid of that motherf*cker." He scoffs, making Erika shook her head.

"Unbelievable."

"What do you want me to say? That I feel sorry because you've lost your b*tchy friends!?"

"What do you call yourself, Ford? Aren't you b*tchy yourself, huh!?"

"They probably deserve it because a murderer doesn't kill for no such reason. Only a psychopath can do that-"

"You know what? Maybe this is wrong. Following you, hoping that nothing bad happens to you because we need to stick together. But you know what, f*ck you."

"You're utmost welcome."

She stood up as she throws him a disappointed, disgusted face. "You know what Ford? I feel so sorry for you because no one cares about you. And it sucks that you only gained friends because of your trashy attitude. Oh let me correct that, they don't because who would want to be friends with a person so heartless as you?"

he chuckles as a response, making her insulted. "You are done talking?"

She was about to leave when she stopped, looking at him straight in the eyes, with anger and disappointment. "You'll know the worth when you lost someone too. And I hope, you do feel it soon. But, it would be better if you die yourself." She shoves the cigarette off of his hand, making him gasped. She just rolls her eyes as she exits the place.

"Unbelievable." He hissed as he decided to take a nap from that place.

He woke up, surprise that the moon had set up, as well as the stars twinkling from above.

"Oh, sh*t! I am doomed!" He said as he fixes himself, running down the long stairs. His place was a bit far from the public market that made him curse to himself from not going straight home. He checked his time as it read 19:23. he decided to take a walk. he decided to call his sister.

[Where the hell is you, Ford!? We've been trying to contact you for like, three or four hours straight!]

"I slept and I'm sorry okay? I'm on my way home."

[How can you find a tricycle now or something to ride home? It's already dark.]

"I'm walking."

[What!? That's dangerous, now that everyone knew what happened to your school.]

"Gosh! Gossip is like a virus now huh? Easy to spread."

[Whatever. I'm telling dad to come to pick you up. Where are you?]

"Don't bother. I can walk."

[Don't be like that Ford and tell us where you are!]

he then remembers what Erika told him earlier, making him frightened. "Okay fine. I just passed this drug store from the public market."

[What!? That's just beside your school and far from us! You seriously are walking?]

"Yeah. So tell dad to pick me up because it's getting cold in here."

Soon, he decided to hang up the call, as he stops by the waiting shed, beside a parking lot. He did wait there for almost three minutes until he could sense that something is not right. So, he dialed his sister's number once more, but she wasn't able to answer.

"Sh*t."

he was about to give his sister a call when he got one, from a private number. 

"They must've run out of calling services." He said as h received the call.

"Hey sis where the hell-"

All he could hear is slow breathing from the other line. Filled with great vexation, he decided to end the call, as he rubs both of his arms. "I should probably get going."

he starts to walk-run phase, trying to get rid of his discomfort, making him worried for his own life. He was startled to feel his phone vibrates, making him stop and take out his phone. it was his sister calling, as he excitedly answers the call.

"Thank God you answered."

[dad's been asking where the hell are you.]

"I started to get away from the waiting area because someone is following me."

[What?]

"Yes."

[Okay. Just wait for dad, okay?]

"What do you think I'm doing-'

"Time's up, Mister Ford." Someone talks from behind, sending chills down his spine.

[Ford, who is that? FORD!]

He slides his phone away from his ears without ending the call, as he turns to see a person wearing a cat mask.

"Who are you?"

"The one who will fulfill your greatest destiny."

And with that, in a swing of the person's knife, his neck starts to bleed. His eyes widen as he holds his neck, bleeding like a fountain.

"No!" He yells as he starts to run for his life. Tears start to roll down from his eyes as his vision got blurry, having the feeling as well that his body is getting heavier.

"You see, Mr. Ford, you will only know what life is worth until God decided to take back what he gave. And I am doing Him such a good favor, you know?"

"F*ck you!"

"Why do you claim yourself a victim, huh? You've never been a victim, Ford. And I am helping you to stop hurting others because I am SO SICK OF YOUR ATTITUDE. And tonight, your wish will be granted."

"Please... Please let me go." He said as he had given up, lying on the cold cemented road. The killer stood above as the killer removes its mask. His eyes widen when the killer reveals its face.

"YOU1? YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS THE WHOLE TIME!? WHY!!! YOU LYING PIECE OF SH*T!!"

"Let's just say, I am doing everyone a huge favor to change, hm?"

"Then let me change, please. I promise I'll do anything."

"What's funny is that you decided to attain change when it's already too late. Sorry, I hate second chances. Goodbye Ford, welcome to hell."

"NOOOOOO!!!!"

Like a savage, the killer plays with his dead body, assuring that no one will recognize him.

Because that is what he wished for.