Chapter 2: Lady In Mystery

"Called off?" I asked, dazed at the sudden turn of events. 

The police officers immediately stole the knife in my hands and hid it behind their backs. 

For a moment, I glanced at the lady, wisps of hair almost covering her face. Her dress was shriveled enough that there are some unbuttoned portions, one from below her sternum and another above her belly button. You could already imagine the hassle she had gone through just to get here.

"I have no time to bother explaining why to you, let's go," she said while pulling me towards her red convertible

Her statement begrudgingly left a bad taste in my mouth, yet I cannot comment as I was disturb by the thought that her black lace's bra was peeking through her clothes. 

By the way, the car seat also smelled like it overdosed on fabric softener, which was awfully suffocating if I can tell. And the leather felt rough for my delicate skin. 

Virtually, the mix of dismay, curiosity, and uneasiness made my shoulder shudder beyond belief. 

The whole journey was silent, or perhaps because the radio is playing too loudly for a conversation to even occur. 

The car halted with screeching tires, which suggests that the deceleration happened so suddenly that even the wheels cannot react in time. 

I heard the locks click, and doors automatically opened.

"....."

Surely she didn't anticipate that there would be an awkward silence. Did she forget to say something important while thinking too deeply about it? 

"If you are wondering, you're going to spend the next few days here in this place," she said seconds before I could even point it out. This was the first time I felt frustrated from finally receiving an answer from my question. 

That came out of nowhere, although I commend her spontaneity for being able to make me feel absolutely nauseous. 

'It seems to me that something worse than death is waiting for me if this continues'

I faced her front, raised my eyes and tilted my chin ever so slightly upward. Only then she realized her shriveled clothes and wispy hair, of course, she consciously restored them back as soon as she did. 

I brushed my hair off the side to show my disbelief, but she just smiled it off like it was nothing. Subsequently, she now escorts me deeper in the forest. As a matter of fact, that was very mature of her to not mind my mocking glares. 

We were in the middle of the unknown. The trees were blackened yet still brown. Grains of soils begrimed the ground, which mystified like raw dust. Whispers of the wind haunted the sooty coppice of oak trees. There are a pack of wolves salivating over a wounded deer and some smearing it's blood all over the place. 

The suffocating air and sickening atmosphere were best suited for people who embraced darkness rather than light. Tarantulas spin their webs in the dim light. Their extrusive threads glistened like silver-dipped meshed steel. They hoped to eat bloated insect prey and gulp their icky blood, all while their many eyes glanced in the wild.

"We're almost there," she said as the whimpering sounds echoed through the trees, which I noticed. 

Only the scenery could determine whether it came from the predator or the prey. It was a location where your veins would literally ice over. This forest has no positive vibes for me. It simply left me with the same awful sensation that I can't explain. It was a place to avoid at all costs.

I was starting to see a secluded building, maintained well enough to be livable, I guess. 

The facility was obviously old. The darkness was only guarded by olden trees with sweeping branches that blotted out any sunlight. Their bark was mottled and splotched, as if boiling goo had been frozen in place on its surface over time. Their decaying foliage were dangling with clumpy tufts of moist moss. 

As we got closer, the surface of the building had toxic plum blossoms studded on it's mulchy concrete walls being covered with moss and vines. 

It will be an understatement to say this building hadn't had a thorough cleaning for years, "This is where you will stay along with the others," she announced, walking through the glass door

"Others?" I asked. 

She just looked back at me, and gave me an awkward smile.

I instinctively returned her smile and humor to her for a bit. "What am I getting myself into?" 

I followed her inside and the interior was much better than expected. It was clean and white, and a fruity scent could be smelled from the hallway. 

"Lunch will be served soon, don't expect much though… The facility's budget was exclusively tight." 

I didn't mind her comment and examined the place further, and just a few seconds after entering a group of curious people gathered around me. They definitely felt uneasy in my presence. 

They are wearing a hospital gown on top of their casual clothes, "Hi, I'm a serial killer." I announced and they all suddenly moved back like some kind of autonomous reflex. They are weary of me. 

I have been waiting to receive such a reaction from people, this is how serial killers should be treated. "Boo!" I can't help but say. 

They all screamed in fear as they were startled, "Are you alright?"

I was woken up from the daydream,  "Ah, that's not real…" I said and looked at the fair lady. 

"Ok, stop gathering around and go back to your rooms!" The lady announced and they all walked away. 

I was brought to her office, and there she finally looked at my eyes, "I'm Madam Blanchet… I run this place, so you should follow everything I said. And if something unusual happens at night, don't panic and just do what you are supposed to do." 

She's pretty straight forward, looking at her now more clearly, she does look like a smart lady. 

"Why did you bring me here?" 

"I won't entertain any question from anyone," she replied, "The information you'll need will be sent appropriately." 

"Here is your room key." I received a regular looking key with my room number printed on it. "014"

I guess that's the end of it. She dragged me here, and brought me to a building in the middle of the woods, won't tell me anything and left it at that. Seriously, why did she even bring me here? 

I stood up completely unsatisfied, but I will completely outgrow this place. If there are things you want to know, you need to find it out yourself. That's common sense. 

This is probably what she is planning to entail. Thus, I left there with no care in the world and just walked in the hallway towards "014".

* * *

I cannot settle myself. There is hardly anything to do here, it was like I was back in prison. I mean, this place might look like it gives you limited freedom, but let’s face it, this place is boring, that Madam Blanchet is boring, the lifestyle they’ve chosen to preserve is boring, and if there’s anything I hate, that is living a boring life. 

Ah, I wanted to do something…

As I trashed myself in the bed, a bell rang, footsteps suddenly marched synchronously toward the hallway. 

I almost thought that it was probably an earthquake. I slightly opened the door and saw a flock of people in their hospital gowns march forward towards something.

I also wore the hospital gown lying on my bed earlier, as well as a fresh set of clothes provided for me. 

"I wonder what the commotion is about," I asked myself and followed along the moving march. 

As we walked I finally realized the time and it was already at the height of noon. It's lunch time. 

I felt a bit saddened by the fact that my last meal earlier was not the last meal after all. Thankfully I was able to bring the toy with me, so that meal was still somehow more special than the meals that will follow it. 

We all gathered systematically in the canteen and trays of food were now provided, with each tray containing a number similar to our rooms. I guess that indicates who shall get what. 

I located mine in the far corner, and just like you expect it was a typical meal of two slices of shokupan and a pickled mayo spread. There's also a complementary corn salad and a pudding for dessert. For drinks I guess we should settle with water. 

The place was awfully quiet, and only the clanks of utensils and ceramic plates made noises. Everyone was weary of each other, glaring to the point of bloodlust. 

I examine every nuance and face, and the demographic is pretty random, although there is no one older than 60, and younger than 10. Whatever the purpose of gathering us here. I truly sense danger everywhere. 

As I was deducing my theories, a little girl suddenly sat beside me. I sneaked a peek, and then decided that she's the youngest I've seen. 

"Hello…" she said almost comfortably. 

"What gives?" I asked since I don't find any reason that a conversation with me will result in something fruitful. 

"Nothing… I just felt at ease with you, like you're familiar or something. What's your name?"

"Eliza…" I answered.

"Ah, mine's Serine…. Hey, do you know that Serine is a hydrophilic amino acid that is essential for plant metabolism, growth, and cell signaling?"

"Really, good for you…" I replied timidly. 

"Pfft… I guess that had been too much for an introduction." 

"Is that all?" I grunted.

"Well, this one is important. Since you're new you might not know this, but everyone here is playing a death game. An assasination and survival game to be exact."

"A 'what' game!?" I almost raised my voice, "What do you mean?" now saying it softer. 

"A game will occur tonight, so better be ready, don't worry the rules are simple." She said and glanced around to spot anyone nearby, "Killer and Targets, that is the most important thing you need to take note of. Killers will kill, Targets will run and hide. The Killers will be given a random assasination weapon and a target's information, while the Target will be blindfolded and tied on the hands. Each round of the game will end in three ways, first is if the target was able to name the killer in front of them, second if the killer was able to kill the target, the third option is if at 8 a.m. no one was able to kill the target or the killer in front of the target wasn't named until then. The game happens every other day. The game will continue until all of the participants except one survive and win the entire game."

"What's in it for the winner?" I asked since that part is very important. 

"Well, that I don't know…."

"Figures…" I replied. 

"Termination Game, that's what it was called, quite a gamble I could say.  You'll receive a letter tonight at 8 p.m. stating the mission later, that's all I know for now, I hope you'll be able to stay alive a lot longer…" 

The little girl walked out and the food started to get a bit bland. I did wish for a development to happen, but that kind of development is too much even for me. There is a possibility that she is just spouting nonsense. That must be it. 

The lunch had ended and we were instructed to go back to our rooms. 

The rest of the day was quiet, and everyone seemed busy with something. My heart is pounding unusually. It seems that I'm excited for something to happen. 

I've been constantly looking at the clock, it's ticking slowly when I stare at it. I'm starting to get conscious of everything. 

Few hours had passed by and it was only a matter of seconds before 8 p.m. 

7:57…. 7:58….7:59…. 

I heard someone knock on my door and a tray of food was delivered. "Eh?" 

My anticipation had significantly dropped. And only a sense of consternation was left. 

It was then that the night was disrupted by a loud scream….