The Se7en

3: MYSTERY

    The seven men exchange punches and kicks. The two are trying their best to just avoid the attacks from their opponents to reserve their energy. One of them get a tube beside him and attacked Alex from his back while he’s busy fighting the other goon. “ALEX!” Kyle shouted to warn his friend, but unfortunately Alex didn’t manage to avoid the tube rather he just made use of his arms as shield. “Damn” he said softly and felt the pain. “ALEX!” Kyle shouted again. Alex looked at his friend and just smile to say that he’s fine. Alex focused on the man that hit him and punch his face until he gets unconscious. As another man tempted to hit him again, Kyle stopped him and kicked him in his stomach. “One down.” Alex said proudly referring to the man who hit him. “Four more to go” Kyle said and they had their fist-bomb. They continued to fight until they manage to bring down the men until only 1 is left. “Actually, there’s another one.” Alex said while pointing his finger to Victoria’s boyfriend which seemed to be amazed by their skills. “H-how did you do that?” The man said with shaking voice. “Did what?” Kyle asked sarcastically but with a serious face. He feels frightened and just ran away from the two. “Okay…What just happened?” Alex said controlling his laugh. “Let’s go. I’m tired” Kyle said and tap his friend’s arm. “Aww” Alex complained but Kyle just giggled and said “Fine huh?” and giggled again. “Yah! I was hit by a tube just so you know” “I know. I saw it.” Kyle answered and started walking to the streets.

    “Let’s stop by. I think I’m hungry” “You’re full of complains, Alex” Kyle said and tap his friend’s arm again. “Yah!” “Plus, there’s no restaurant that’s opened in this hou---” Kyle didn’t finish to say his words because they saw a 24-hours restaurant. “What were you saying Kyle?” His friend said and tap Kyle’s shoulder as well. They went to the restaurant and ordered foods.

    “Does it still hurt?” Kyle asked his friend that’s currently massaging his arm. “What do you think? You tapped it several times” Kyle just giggled and requested for some ice cubes to the waiter. “Aaahhh! I just want to have fun tonight. Why did this happen” Alex complained again. “It was fun. Why do you keep on complaining over small things?” Kyle asked and handed over the ice cubes he requested. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one that got hit.” Alex said and get the ice cubes hardly from Kyle’s hands.

    “Here’s your order sir” the waitress showed up and put down the foods they ordered. Kyle helped her and fixed the foods on the table. “Thank you” he said plainly to the waitress and as it leaves. “Here. Eat this.” Kyle offered the meat he ordered to Alex. “No. take it. That’s your order I’ll just have what I ordered.” Alex said but Kyle put it on Alex’s plate so he couldn’t do anything.

    “What?” Alex asked Kyle when he saw him smile. “Nothing.” Kyle said plainly and continued to eat. “I just realized, it’s been a long time since you got hurt that much. Aren’t you supposed to get much stronger and not fragile? What happened to your workouts?” Kyle asked his friend that seemed to be startled and drinks his beer continuously. “I-I stopped my workout sessions” Alex said straight that made his friend stop his eating and looked seriously at him. “You what? Why? Since when?” Alex stopped and think if he should answer his friend honestly. “Since you stopped working out as well.” “It isn’t because you stopped, it’s just that… I just don’t feel it anymore. I got bored” He looked at his friend’s reaction, when he saw that Kyle isn’t convinced and still stayed serious, “Plus, there are too much girls. I hate it every time they come near me and takes pictures of me.” He added that made his friend looked convinced even though he isn’t.

    “Why didn’t you tell me then?” Kyle asked. “You didn’t ask” Alex answered. Kyle felt guilty because he knows he’s the reason why his friend stopped working out and it made him weaker. “Kyle. You good?” he asked when he saw Kyle spacing out. “Uh? Y-Yes. I-I’ll just go to the comfort room” and he left right after. Alex just followed him through his eyes.

    After a few minutes Kyle didn’t come back yet that made Alex think and was about to follow him in the Comfort Room but he was stopped by some shouts and noise outside the restaurant. “What was that?” he asked his self. People from the restaurant are also looking outside through the window, wondering what’s going on. There are people running and cars kept on bumping each other. Alex feel nervous and doesn’t know what to do until one man came inside the restaurant and shouted them to hide. “Sir. what’s going on outside?” One man asked. “I-I don’t know. Pe-People are acting weird. They started to…to…to…AAAHHHHH!” the man didn’t continue what he’s saying because of the loud explosion of cars outside. They started to panic and Alex remembered his friend. “Kyle” he said and rush to the Comfort Room to find his friend, but he failed because he was pushed by the people rushing outside to run off. “KYLE!” he shouted.

    Kyle was about to go back to Alex but he suddenly heard shouts and noises outside the comfort room. He rushed and run outside, he saw his friend being dragged outside the restaurant. He, as well was dragged out by the crowd through the fire exit. He tried to call his friend’s phone, but Alex isn’t answering. He run to the entrance of the restaurant and looked for Alex. “ALEX! ALEX!” he shouts and shout at the top of his voice, looking desperately for his friend. He kept on looking around, he saw people running everywhere and chaos was all around.

    “Okay, Kyle. You have to relax. Just relax. You have to find Alex.” He tried to relax his self. He suddenly stopped when he saw a man standing in front of him and is looking straight on him. “Uhm? Sir?” He said with a shaky voice. He slowly walks near the man. “Are you okay mister?” Kyle asked the stranger, but it just stood where he is and not moving. He tends to walk nearer to the man to be able to see his face clearly because his face was covered with the dim. When he was few steps away from the man, he was about to reach him when he heard a voice shouting his name.

    “KYLE!” Alex shouted from behind, Kyle looked back and happy to his friend. “Alex! Where have you been? Are you okay?” Kyle asked. “Kyle! Stay away from there! Stay away from that man!” Alex warned his friend. “What? Why? He seems like he needed some hel---” Kyle didn’t manage to finish what he’s saying because of the creepy feeling he felt behind him when the man suddenly talked. “He-help me” the man said with a creepy and soft voice. He looked back nervously and the man was trying to reach him. Kyle was shocked on what the man looked like. He’s trying to avoid the man’s touch by swaying the long umbrella that he picked from the road. He looked on Alex that doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do. “Alex! Go! Stay away from here!” Kyle shouted to provoke his friend not to come near them. Alex couldn’t do anything and was just frozen into where he is. Unfortunately, his attention diverted to his friend that made a way for the man to grabbed his arm. Kyle was more shocked when he saw what the man looks like with his face near him. “Alex! Go!” Kyle shouted again to his friends’ name that is still in shock. When Alex isn’t still moving, Kyle put his strength to push the man. He manages to free his self from the man and run towards his friend. Kyle grab Alex’s hand and together, they run to hide from the street.

    “Damn! What were you thinking!? Why didn’t you run when I told you so!” Kyle madly told Alex. “I-I can’t. I-I do-don’t like to” Alex answered shivering. “Why!?” “Because I don’t want to leave you there! I-I am afraid of what may happen to you if I looked away. I’m afraid you’ll turn into just like them!” With those words of Alex and with his tears flowing from his eyes, Kyle felt guilty and hugged his friend. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.” Kyle said comforting Alex.

    “But what are those things? Where did they came from?” Kyle asked confusedly. “I don’t know also. All I know is that they look cursed and when they touch something, it’ll look like them.” Alex answered. Kyle stopped into what his friend said and looked at his arm and into his friend. “What?” Alex asked. “N-nothing. We should find a safe place. Away from the streets” Kyle suggested and grab Alex’s hand. They tend to walk the other way when suddenly a person jumped right in front of them that made them startled.