THE GAME

EPISODE 14: THE TENTH PLAYER

"When there's no room in HELL, The Dead will walk the Earth."

-Dawn of the dead (1978)

.

.

.

"This can't go out on the media yet." The administrator had therefore concluded to keep it a secret.

"Two missing students from class 11-5 namely Lee Scott and Regina Howard, one injured - Angelica Brown and one confirmed dead, Ford Jones. Four students from the same class had reckoned with disaster and had bet their lives on the brink of death, Miss Lopez! And we cannot let this happen to every student-"

"If they find out, they will be traumatized, Mr. Allison. And I can't risk anyone living with this fear and the school-"

"You still think about the reputation of the school, rather than attaining justice for these students?"

"What do you want me to do!? Have all of the reporters come inside my school and videotape everything-"

"The best is for us to keep calm, dear ma'am and sir, because if you both just run your mouths here, maybe we will all be too late to find out what is happening in that section. And I suggest, we cancel this activity, and to let the students go home this early, so we can sort things out with the police."

As what suggested, students were sent home to their own homes at exactly ten o'clock in the morning. All were having the same questions in their minds.

Do they have a general meeting?

Will they be attending to something?

What's gotten into them that made them sent us home and declared no classes until tomorrow?

On the other hand was the students from 11-5 class, talking about what had happened. And all of them.

"Bro, this is just mind-blowing you know? I mean, who the heck would want to kill us? And in such a short period of time, the mysterious killer had taken three lives from our batch but the police only knew that Lee and Regina were missing, only Ford's body was retrieved. And I don't even f*cling know where Regina's body is! Angelica's in the hospital, guys. This is really freaking me out." Kezee said as she sniffs the powder from the small plastic.

"I'm also having the conclusion that Lee's ghost just came back to avenge her lost soul from heaven," Caesar said in a mumble, still playing video games with Wilhelm.

"Dude, are you gay or something?" Heaven asks as his focus is still on the screen. Caesar gives him a death glare before getting his attention back on the flat screen.

"You actually believe In ghost, don't ya?" He teased as he pinches him on his hips.

"Knock it off, Heaven. Not funny". They continue playing as Kezee enjoys the feeling of having such illusions for the moment, later was back to reality when Wilhelm came, giving them a piece of news.

"Guys, I am just very curious about something." He said, going into the bar counter, reaching out for his bread and Nutella.

"We all do, Wil," Caesar said, pausing the game. "And we are all threatened here. And we don't know what will happen next." He sighed as he grabs himself a bread as well, facing Wilhelm. "This game is messed up." He said as he could feel the sadness.

At that moment, Wilhelm immediately remembers something, taking out his phone and scanning something. Caesar furrows his brows as he watches Wilhelm with curiosity.

"What is it, Wilhelm? Did that f*cking Black coward cat messaged you?"

"No. But I am just wondering." He said as he showed him the screen of his phone. "What is the list meant for?"

"What do you mean?" He asks as he gets the phone from Wilhelm's hand, carefully looking at the screen, still wondering what he could mean.

"Because the game encrypted top 11 players, and Lee died, leaving the top 10. But when Regina and Ford died, there's no change on the list."

"What are you thinking?" Caesar ask.

"I'm thinking that maybe, all these codes were not real? I don't know yet. Or maybe, they were marked as a sign or something, before killing the top 10."

"Are you on the top 10?" Caesar asks as Wilhelm went silent, looking directly into each other's eyes.

"I'll just go outside." Kezee excused himself, making all of their attention on him. No question has been raised, only looks that has been thrown towards him. He did get out of the room, finding himself into the terrace of the house. Luckily enough it's not that hot on that area, making him sit down and look over the view. The other buildings, taller and smaller. And he starts to think about everything, despite him drugging himself.

There he lies as he let out a long sigh, trying to remember such old but good times, with his classmates having fun and suddenly, falling in love with the most unexpected woman he could make his heartbeat, fast.

Angelica.

Breathing in air and out, he tries to close his eyes, suddenly feeling tired, as he starts reminiscing the past.

"Hey, um Angelica," Kezee asks as he tries to act cool, but ended up shaking out of nervousness. Angelica stops from writing her notes down as she smiles, which instantly melted his heart.

"Hey, Kezee! What's up?"

"I'm just wondering if you're busy. But, after coming here, my question had been answered. So, I'll leave you to it-"

"Wait!"

"Hmm?"

"I am just done writing my notes... So, what's up?"

"Well..." he paused as he takes the empty chair beside her. "Trish is having a party tonight in her place, and I was gonna ask if you're going."

"I'm not actually close to Trish and it'll be awkward for me to go without her inviting me in person, you know."

"But he invited me."

"Good for you." She chuckles.

"Well, I want you to come, actually."

"What? Why?"

"Because I'll be telling you something tonight?"

"Well, you're talking to me now so, why not as well tell me right now?"

"It's a surprise... So, I'll be expecting you to come?"

"But-"

"See you tonight!" And with that, he stands up, leaving Angelica there, with a smile crept on her face.

But night came, and so is the face to face that all of them never expected.

On the other hand, was Franz ringing the bell, after Wilhelm gave her a call to come and meet them.

"So, what happened?" She asks.

They start to talk about the discovery awhile ago and Franz has no idea as well.

Kezee instantly woke up after an estimated ten-minute drift off as he could feel the buzzing of his phone inside his pocket. Without hesitation, he takes it out, a message delivered coming from the last person he wished to hear from.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

BLACK CAT IS HERE TO FULFILL YOUR GRUESOME BLACK DESTINY. PLEASE EMBRACE YOUR DEATH TO AVOID COMPLICATIONS. -BLACK CAT

Alarmed, he immediately stood up as he looks down the neighbor, trying to capture anything suspicious. But, everything was every other day- normal.

He never felt so alive at that moment for he is probably awake like an owl. It may be because of the drug he had taken, or because of the message he just receives.

And he knows that the killer is after him. He opens the door from there and locks it in, heaving a breath. Nervousness, anxiety, fright was painted on his face, all at once.

The killer won't be able to come to him. Just relax, Kezee. He assured himself as he slides down, sitting on the cold floor. He messed up with his hair as he leans his head back into the door.

The killer won't kill you this time.

He then decided to stand up and about to open the door that leads downstairs when suddenly, it was locked.

"Heyyy." He said as he knocks the door, to alarm his friends from downstairs, but no response.

"Hey, guys??" He asks as he continues knocking. Every second and the silence of his friends give him the willies. "Guys, what the f*ck is this? Stop messing around!" He started to feel like shouting but still, no use.

"GUYS! COME ON! THIS IS NOT THE F*CKING TIME TO MESS AROUND OKAY? THIS BLACK CAT'S ALL IN MY HEAD AND YOU ARE ALL NOT HELPING!" He shouted while still knocking. He could feel his blood boiling, wanting to just destroy the door but couldn't.

"GUYS-" He was put into a pause when he hears a horrid creek of the closet. He steps backward as he realizes something was written on the headboard of the bed, just facing the closet. He gulps as he carefully read what's on the wall.

Just when you thought

You were so damn safe,

Kezee

And by the looks of it, he knew that the killer had made its way inside the house. He gulps as he tries to unlock the door, but failed. And when he had no choice,

He needs to open the closet to find out what or who made the noise.

Slowly walking and facing the closet, he had found himself a weapon of protection- the stick broom. He stops right in front as he breathes deep, convincing himself that the drug was just on him.

Come on dude, you got this. You're just being paranoid because you had taken drugs!!!

He shook off his head as he slaps himself twice, making himself alive. The adrenaline is kicking inside, making him do it, now.

"Aaaaahhhh" he shouted as he widely opens the closet, about to swing the broom when he realized that the closet was only filled with clothes. But it is not that, that makes his knees weak.

Something was written inside the closet door.

"Boo"

"What the-" he wasn't able to answer when the bathroom door of the room opens, making him freeze. And just like that, before he could do anything else, he was taken by surprise, a sharp knife right at the back of his head, the sharpness exited into his left eye. Screaming in pain, he falls as he held his blind eye. The blood was spilling out desperately into his eyes as he couldn't see clearly.

"F*ck! Help me!!" He shouted as he crawls away, ended up hitting the end of the four walls. He gulps as he tries to recognize who the killer was.

The killer was wearing a cat mask that made him shiver. He was freaking out but at the same time, he wanted to not let the killer see his weakness.

"What do you want!!!" He shouted as he contains himself from crying. The killer stood victorious in front of him. The killer turns around as he takes something out of the closet, revealing a cute doll, but have no face, but with three marks on each cheek, and a hole into its nose. He groans as he could feel himself starting to get cold. While busy turning on the doll to male a sound, he attempts to get back to his feet, as he grabs the expensive vase they had from Venice, attempting to throw it at the killer wearing all black.

"F*ck! Stay away or I'll call the police!!" He threatened but was scared to death after seeing the killer stand up after placing down the doll, now with an eerie laugh. He gulps, thinking of nothing. He doesn't know how to escape.

"What do you want?"

"Throat". The killer mumbles, making him curious because he didn't hear it, and no one can hear his need for rescue. He tries to go for the door, but the killer was intelligent enough to throw the other knife, slicing his skin from his ankle. He whimpers in pain, crawling to the stairs. He starts to cry, shouting for his freedom.

"Please don't.. Have mercy." But the killer is ready to have his sinful soul. The killer lifts Kezee's head as the killer breaths, finally pointing the knife into his throat.

"Goodnight, pretty boy."

.

.

"Where's Kezee by the way?" Franz asks as she noticed that he's not around.

"He got upstairs. Probably deciding to sleep since he had taken drugs. I don't know if it was cocaine? Well, I don't know." Heaven stated.

"I'll just check upon him." She said as she stood up, as they continue thinking about the killer's plan.

It took Franz for about ten minutes before coming down, telling them that he just passed out from the terrace.

"Didn't you woke him up? " Wilhelm ask.

"He sounded pretty asleep. And I can't just wake him up because he's on drugs. He might do something unpleasant." She said as she sits back, continues on their conversation.

It was already eight o'clock and still, Kezee's parents haven't yet home from work.

"I think I should go now guys." Franz bid herself goodbye as Caesar was about to walk out of the house as well when Wilhelm felt something strange.

"What about Kezee? Shouldn't we be waking him now?" He asks.

"Oh right. It'll be rude if we go home without him knowing." Franz said as they walk upstairs. She was about to open the door when they realize it was locked.

"Kezee?"

No response.

"Hey dude, were leaving now," Heaven shouted but still, no response. That made them turn heads on each other, with an alarming look.

"Kezee!" They start banging the door but still, no response. They were about to knock again when a song starts to play.

Three blind mice, three blind mice

See how they run, see how they run

They all ran after the farmer's wife,

Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,

Did you ever see such a thing in your life

As three blind mice

The music was on repeat, as all of them start looking to where it comes from. Caesar was the one who finds it, lifting the phone up from the lamp table.

"It's his... Kezee's phone."

All of them approach him as it had dried red stains on it.

"What the hell is this!?" They all complain, not knowing what it is. Franz tries to smell, realizing it was blood.

"It smells disgustingly metallic guys. So I think its blood." She said. Disgusted, a video pops on the screen with the title "CLICK ME." They all look at each other before doing it.

The video was black at first, then they were all startled seeing themselves sitting at the kitchen.

"Sh*t!" Heaven mumbles as they realized that they're being watched earlier. They look around and there were no cameras. They start to panic as they stand up and look around, deciding to stick together or the killer will pick on them one-by-one. Walking down to the kitchen, nothing is suspiciously odd. They couldn't even locate the camera anymore, making them all wonder why would it happen. But still, kept on looking, until one of them found out that the camera was as tiny as a lens of a mobile phone.

"What the heck!?"

Walking into the living room, the TV had a note attached to the black screen. They take it off as they read the note.

"BCA"

"Holy sh*t" They all mumble.

"WE NEED TO LOOK FOR KEZEE NOW!" They all panicked as they start running back into the room they knocked on.

"Move back!" Wilhelm volunteered as he went on the door, his body colliding with the door. And with so much force, the door came open.

"What the heck!?"

"F*ck!"

"Holy Sh*t!" Franz tries to calm herself, well all of them were trying to... They all look at each other before Heaven decided to approach Kezee. Heaving a long breath, he decided to tap his shoulder, but his hands only met a stone-cold body. And with a light push, the body starts to move, sliding slowly into the floor.

"Oh, sh*t!"

"What the-"

"This is..."

The body was left inside the room, was Kezee's lifeless body, his head was twisted backward as his body faced the opposite. The throat was pretty twisted like it was smoothly done, like when you twist your clothes from drying them out... All of them look at each other once again. At that very moment, their phone vibrated, receiving a message.

THE 10TH PLAYER HAS BEEN JUDGED. AND IT IS INDEED, HIS TIME. - BLACK CAT

And at that exact moment, the front door opens.