Chapter 4: Suspicious

The night was rather silent, and my preparation is not yet complete. I could only gather a handful of vital pieces of information about a few of the participants. My hands will be tied up and a blindfold will restrict my vision. I could still run with my feet, but it would be bad if I were to be positioned lying down. 

Let's think this through, smell, touch, and voice…. These three are very important to identify them without a sense of sight, I also need to know their names. Would nicknames work? 

"Ah…."

To be safe I need to know their full names. Would they even tell me their real ones if I asked? 

I bit my nails to the point it bled because of anxiety. 

It was then that I heard a knock on my door. A brown paper envelope, just then slipped in the crevice under the door. 

"Wha—"

I hesitated.

I hesitated, yet I'm too bothered and curious about what it contains. I slightly opened my door and looked for anyone nearby, "Who brought this here?" 

Staring. Twitching. Slowly, I grabbed the envelope and opened it. Names are written with a picture accompanying it. There is another paper, a letter addressed to me but I decided not to read it for some reason. 

This is…. "It's too convenient…."

I thought for a second and decided not to bother and placed it back in the envelope. "This is useless."

Although, even if I said that, I actually don't know where I should start. There are too many variables to consider as the target. They could apprehend me as a group, does that mean I should name all of them. 

Isn't it just best to hide, and not to run recklessly. 

A bell rang that disrupted my thought process, then a synchronous march began to shake the ground for the second time. 

I took a quick peek outside and saw the other participants walk synonymously with one another. 

"Where are they going?"

Not later I saw Madam Blanchet following them behind. Our eyes met and immediately closed the door due to anxiety. 

A little later, someone knocked on my door. That made me quite alert. Although, of course, I still decided to open it. 

It was Madam Blanchet, as expected. 

"Haven't I told you already that an assembly will happen tonight?" 

I tilted my head indicating that I had no clue whatsoever about an assembly being held tonight. 

"The memo… I brought it to you 10 minutes ago, haven't you read it?" 

"Memo? Oh, the envelope!" I said as I was quite startled. 

"Of course the envelope… where is it?" 

She was obviously vexed.

I, then, instinctively pointed at the white bed and told her, "There is it," and walked back to fetch it. 

She snatched the envelope and raised the paper, only to bring it back inside abruptly. She glanced at me for a second and cleared her throat, "Are you sure you didn't read it?" she is now perturbed at something. 

I didn't answer immediately, and decided to lie, "I haven't even opened it," I said. 

I can see some relief on her part, "Anyway, the assembly is in the hall…"

I saw her back walking slowly away from me, she looked behind and scoffed in satisfaction. 

I followed afterwards when I finished changing into more appropriate clothing. 

As I was walking towards the chairs, I saw a familiar lady walking right past me, she was holding a stuffed animal. I looked at it intently, and spooked, as it already lost a left arm. Even it's cotton stuffing was already being squeezed out of the fraying textile like it was bleeding. It also had numerous cuts and wounds that were sewed unprofessionally with uneven stitches. 

However, the stuffed toy is still holding itself intact despite the damage. 

The lady went past me, and I felt a sudden pain in my head making me go in a sense of trance

I was in a dark place, and only a flash of light was entering the crevice of the slightly opened cabinet. 

I could feel a portion of my face being illuminated by the faint morning light. In my hands was a plushie, a stuffed animal, being pressed against my body. 

I could feel my heart pounding every second, faster and faster that I cannot hear any noise aside from my heartbeat. 

I was looking around feeling somewhat alarmed and saw very odd etchings on the cabinet doors. It's a family; a mother, three girls with different heights and a young boy… all holding each other's hands like a happy family. 

Not later a figure swooped by the crevice and the hairs on my arm was awoken by the pending fear. 

I covered my mouth, anxiety and horror made me sweat. When I closed my eyes the presence momentarily disappeared, it almost made me sigh in relief. 

But I opened my eyes… and the fear ended. 

I just stared at her, standing in front of me— staring back at me with a creepy grin on her face. 

The cold scream had brought me back to reality and I could almost feel my heart being squeezed. I wipe off the beads of sweat in my forehead and find a place to sit.

Madam Blanchet stood up in the front and played a movie entitled, "A Walk To Remember." 

The movie was sad and heart wrenching. Many of them cried. There is even someone who felt elated, like he was being drowned in holy water. 

As for me I felt jaded as the video continued for an hour. "Just die already," I whispered. 

The video ended and everyone seemed to feel gloomy, the malice in their eyes had disappeared, and now sadness is evident in their eyes.  I, on the other hand, felt no significant change on my part. To be honest I felt nothing. 

We were escorted back to our room and the night was tranquil like water. 

* * * 

I was running, my hands were tied and I could not see with the strip of silk on my eyes…. 

Tripping stupidly, I felt a hand grab my feet which made me squirm in despair. "No… I don't want to play, I don't want to play anymore!" 

I was screaming words I had no idea about… It was like I was there yet I'm not. Conscious without autonomy. I was in a dream with no control over the events. 

I kicked hard and felt someone being pushed back, grunting, I stood up and continued running for my life. 

I was flailing my arms to avoid any obstacle, anguishing for something I cannot even take to understand. 

I felt a blank floor and fell miserably for not noticing the staircase. Both my body and mind were screaming. I was terrified. I sigh, thinking that this is the end. 

I felt the presence standing in front of me. I could only barely see its feet with my blindfold slightly loosen. 

That is the first time I've seen those feet yet it feels horribly familiar. Those beige colored cuticles and veiny skin. 

"Yumiko Takahashi!" 

I announced indefinitely. The feet suddenly walked away and a tear fell off my face. 

I opened my eyes and saw the familiar white ceiling, "What a weird dream…" I said to myself. 

The morning was not as quiet as before. There must have been a commotion happening outside. I opened the door and saw a group of people gathering in one of the rooms. 

I went close and saw a young lady, about 17 years of age, hanging on the ceiling. Madam Blanchet and a few of her assistants were inside examining the scene. "She committed suicide," Madam Blanchet said rather amuse than terrified, "She even left a note to apologize for all the problems she had caused to her sisters and younger brother." 

I went inside without any care and snatched the paper from Madam Blanchet

It was indeed her handwriting. "Wait, how did I know that?" I asked my head. 

I shook off the thought and saw a map drawn on the paper as well. "I love you, I hope you can forgive me." Written at the end of the arrow pointing to an "X"

'She's telling you and me something.'

I thought. Although that didn't last for long since Madam Blanchet was now glaring at me at my sudden disturbance. 

I gave her back the paper and left. There is definitely something suspicious about this letter, I just can't tell what it is. Wait, here I am again with a misapprehending thought. 

"Everything seems to be confusing right now."

"Hello," I was startled since someone suddenly appeared behind me. I looked back and saw little Serine smile cutely like nothing is happening, "You're thinking about things too much. You know you should also focus on useless things like what's for breakfast…" 

"Tsk. As if that would change, last time it was Eggs and Toasts, for sure today will also be the same," I replied. 

"Hmmm…. The last time I was here, I remember it was still canned beans." 

"The last time you were here? What year is that again?" I suddenly became interested. 

She didn't answer and just looked at me, then she made a doubtful look. "Ah, nevermind…" she said and left, "Perhaps you need to be less observant, and just go with the flow." 

"As if I could do that," I said and was bumped by a certain guy. 

She looked at me quite baffled, "Ah, sorry… little miss," he said and left. 

I looked at Serine, who appeared to be curious for a moment, "He bumped me yet he apologized to you, why didn't he saw me?" I asked. 

Serine stared at me for quite a long time, "Perhaps it was the other way around," she smiled and then laughed, "Sorry, that was a joke… why so serious!?" 

I forced myself to laugh to humor her, "That's funny," I said, though it appeared to be obviously sarcastic. 

I cleared my throat and looked at her, "Anyway, are you sure about me being a target… I mean isn't that random?" 

I saw her sigh, as if she was bothered by my questions. "Fine, if you don't want to tell me then don't…"

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just that you won't like it," She said, adamant not to speak. 

"You know, telling me things like this only makes me more curious and confused." 

She already disappeared before I could even ask her where she was going. 

Questions remained unanswered inside my head. And I could only be relieved if I can piece out the information together. 

Promptly, the middle-aged lady appeared behind me and I was a bit startled, "Sorry," I impulsively reacted. 

She was silent for some reason and just walked past me after glancing a few seconds after. "Let's play," she whispered. 

My body shivered coldly after hearing her voice, it's shrill and compulsive. I stared back at her and noticed that she no longer had the stuffed animal she used to hold.

Instead, she was holding my Happy Meal Toy. Of course I felt more doubtful and tried to confront her, only to realize that I might have made a convincing reason to follow her, even if someone sees me following her I could just shrug it off with a viable excuse, after all, it is not the person that is suspicious…. the behavior is.

I followed her and walked mindlessly forward, even though I didn't know the direction she was heading. Still I wonder. 

She stopped in a certain room, "737," I read silently in my mind. 

'Perhaps this was her room?' 

I asked myself since I wasn't really sure. I went close and heard some rustling sound going on inside. I immediately panicked after hearing her going for the door. Quickly, I spotted the nearby toilet room and there I hid myself. 

Panting from running such a distance for a couple of seconds, I sighed in relief. After recovering, I looked back and saw her leaving the room with a box and my old things inside.

"Should she be returning it now?" 

Curious at her room, I rushed towards the slightly opened door, and sneaked inside. I gasped. Her room is definitely different from my boring white painted room, I could say her's was well decorated. 

There is a table made of redwood, a queen size bed, she even had her room painted in brown and her floor is installed with wood. 

Then I saw her cabinet. I examined it further and noticed an etching on its door once I opened it. It's a family. It's kind of sloppy as the etchings were created with a paring knife. 

I quickly closed the door as I saw nothing interesting inside.

I looked around to find something useful and found a music box lying on the table. I grabbed it and felt a lingering urge to touch it. Then slowly I played it, rolling the racket lever around. 

A very familiar tune played vibrantly around the room. The sound was sophisticated and good to the ear that I cannot help but form a smile on my face. 

~Ladybird, ladybird fly away home, your house is on fire and your children are gone, All except one, And her name is Anne, 'cuz she hid under the baking pan~

As the tune ended, I placed it back gently on the table and looked in the mirror. 

That was when I suddenly lost consciousness.