《Prison of Killing and Judgement》


 Chapter 1

    As I woke up, I found myself lying on cold hard concrete. I got up and checked my surroundings, but it was dim, I can''t see much in this state. I walked around and searched for the wall and perhaps the switch, but when I got to the walls I noticed something very disturbing. The walls were made of metal, cold solid metal.


    Why would the walls be made of metals? Where the hell am I? Why can''t I think of anything that happened before I was sleeping here? Suddenly something in front of me lit up a bluish light, two bracelets of some sort was cuffed on both my wrist. "What the hell are these?" I shouted, as I waited to hear my own echo.


    What have I gotten myself into? This doesn''t seem like a normal downtown place, not like cities would have places like these. Suddenly, I hear someone call out, "Hello? Is there anybody here?"


    Iresponded, "Yeah, over here! Can you call out again? I''ll follow your voice!" I followed the direction of the voice and saw a moving shadow, it should be her, the one who''s been calling out. "Hey! Can you see me? I''m wearing a pair of glowing bracelets! Call if you hear me!"


    "Yeah, I see you! I''ll hurry over!" I heard her voice and then footsteps nearing. I walked towards the sound and finally saw the person calling out. She was young, should be my age. Brunette and lets her hair fall over her shoulders, but her attire... it was something else.


    "Hey, where the heck are we?" The girl asked. "Idunno, I just woke up myself."


    "Do you think there''s more people like us in here?"


    I didn''t answer, but I''mvery certain there are more of us trapped in this place.


    Suddenly, the lights all flickered on, it revealed how high the ceiling is and illuminated the entire room. A door was on the opposite side of us, but there were nothing else inside the room except us. We nodded and made our way to the door and walked out, only to find a corridor that splits at the end.


    "Uh, which way should we go from here?" I asked, still not sure where are we.


    "I-I think we should head right. You know,right is alwaysright huh?" She joked, but even I could tell that she was trying to mask her anxiety


    We went right and saw a door at the end. "You think anyone''s beyond these doors?" She asked. I shrugged my shoulders and pushedopened the door. There we saw many people talking and arguing, but then they all turned towards us.


    "Are you guys the last?" A big guy beside the door asked. "Are there anyone else in that room?


    "I don''t think so. Where are we?" I asked, looking at the people around me.


    "That''s what we like to know. When I woke up, the room was dark, so I went to the only place that had lightand somehowended up in this hall," a girl wearing spectacles said.


    "Hall?" I looked around, only to agree with her. This place seems like a place for holding people, but right now only a handful of people are here.


    "Twenty-six, twenty-seven......" A guy was counting something.


    "Hey, what''re you counting?" I walked over and asked.


    "Thirty!" He shouted as he pointed at me. "There''s thirty of us in here, but why?"


    "Well then, why don''t I answer it for you?" A voice rang throughout the speakers.


    "Who the hell are you? And what the hell did you cuff on me huh?" A punk looking guy shouted.


    Yeah, it didn''t occur to me but all of us are wearing these things.


    "Nownow, calm down. No need to waste your energy getting riled up. I''ll lethertake over from here."


    As soon as he said that, a woman in business wear came from the door at the very end of the hall. "My greetings to all of you inmates. I am the head judge of this very prison. I will now begin explaining your situation."


    "Wait just a fucking minute! What didyamean prison!?" A buff guy asked. "Why the fucking hell are we in prison!?"


    Prison? This place is a frigging prison? I looked around, it seems everyone was shaken up after what she just said.


    "I''d assume you know full well of whatand whyyou are in this prison. After all, you all are heinous criminals thatshouldbespeciallyhandled," the woman calmly explained. "Normally, criminals such as you all should be given the death penalty but due to some......interference from another party, we have decided all of you should be sentenced to life imprisonment in this place," she continued on.


    "Also,mind thatall since all of you are underage, there may be a chance for you to be let off early, under one special condition."


    "So let me cutstraight to the point, this place is some sort of juvie for underage criminals?" A composed person spoke from the crowd.


    "Yes, all of you are certifiedcriminals, handled by the special investigation unit."


    "Well then, I think you have made a mistake. I have not done any deed worth being illegal or harmful to another, therefore I ask that you let me out of here right this instant."


    "Don''t play me for a fool, your crime was a worthwhile mentioning in the news. The adolescent whom killed over5000 people under his company by planting explosives at the very base of each corporate building."


    "What!? I would never do such a foolish act. My company has one of the highest securities in the world! They-"


    "Of course, TheStenvilecorporate has the most up-to-date security rivalling the government security. But alas, it would do nothing if the inside job was well done. Wouldn''t you agree, son ofMyodeinStenvile,CastianStenvile?"


    "What the- I would never do such a thing! And my company-"


    "Is history, my dear."


    The woman interrupted his sentence and threw a newspaper on the floor.The guy closest to her went and read the headlines.


    "H-headline: The heir of the corporate bared hissinisterfangs...." He said and passed the newspaper toCastian. He read the headlines and all thecolouron his face was instantly flushed.


    "N-no way.... It''s gotto bea lie... I-it has to be... My company its-its gone? A-a-and I did it?" His words are shaky, it seems like what the woman just said, were proven true on thenewspaper.


    "Well then, shall I resume?" The woman calmly said that sentence, like the fact the death of 5000 was nothing.


    "Then why the fuck am I here? I don''t even remember doing anything wrong!" A guy said as he walked over to her.


    "Hah, don''t remember? Or are you just denying the deed you done?" The woman smirked.


    "Uh, I don''t even remember what happened a few days ago. When I woke up, I was here," a girl wearing a hoodie said.


    "Hmm? You don''tremem- Oh! They did say they were going to wipe your memories! So that''s why," she said as seems as she just remembered.


    "Don''t fucking mess with us! I''ll kill you!!!" A guy shouted, then rushed ather.Shejust stood there almost like she was anticipating this would happen. Just before he reached the woman, the floor beneath him opened and he fell into it.


    "Waaaaaaaaaaarrgh!!!" We heard him scream and followed by a soft thud sound.


    "Oh my," I heard someone said. Then the woman spoke up, "I hope this acts as a warning. You got lucky this time.Next time you plan on laying a hand on me or the others, at least prepare to see some death."


    "Now back to what I was saying originally, you will be allowed free if you complete a certain condition."


    "Whatwouldthat certain condition be, might I ask?" A guy asked.


    "So glad you asked. The condition to allow you to befree will beto kill each other."


    "K-kill each other!?" I shouted."Don''t be crazy! Like hell anyone would do such a thing!"


    "you don''t have a choice. If you don''t startpreparingfor thekill, you yourself may as well be killed instead," the woman said it so calmly, like our lives are nothing.


    "If I''m killing someone, it''ll be you!!!" A voice shouted and he jumped out of the trapdoor. After he got his footing, he began to charge straight at the woman.


    "Huh, you really don''t learn, do you?" She sighed. "Very well, let him be the example of what will happen to you if you go against us!" With that said, she snapped her fingers.


    What happened next was right out of a nightmare. Bullets started hailing at the guy as he ran. The bullets were all fired from up above the hall, but it was to dark to see who or what was firing at him. He ran as dodged as many as he could but by the time he reached the woman, he was full of lead and was soakedwithhis ownblood.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Eh? E-eh?" He said weakly, he said it like he didn''trealisehe''s almostdead. Withholes in his body and his organs and muscles torn on the inside, it was a miracle he''s still alive right now.


    He slowly looked at his body and it finally occurred: he justrealisedwhat happened to him. He coughed up blood and struggled to no avail, he mustered the last of his strengthand crawled to her feet, blood splattering everywhere as he trieshard to move. Every motion sends a surge of pain and agony to his entire body. He managed to reach her and he said thosevery words,"Hargh, you b-bitch...... I''ll h-haunt you.... as a......ghost......"


    As he said his final words, he fell down and laid there unmoving, his blood flowing out of his countless wounds.Injust afewseconds, theguywhorushed atthewomanisnow alifelesscorpse, it happened so fast it took a while for me to comprehend it, even longer to accept it.


    "Aaaaarrrrgghhhhhhhhhhh!!!"The scream broke thesilence.I heard people screaming.I heard someone fell down behind me, but I just couldn''t do anything.I wanted to scream too, but the shock kept meparalyzed.I can''t move my body, Ican''tcontrol it, I was petrified.What just happened?


    Someone was just killed in front of my very eyes, and it all happened in an instant...Am I dreaming? I must still be dreaming right?


    "He really was stubborn, after I went and let him off with a warning he still came and defied me. Oh well, now you all knows what will happen if you defy us right? If you don''t start killing each other, we will start killing one of you every two weeks just to keep the spiceup."Noone said a word. Everyone just stayed still there, in shock and dazed no one could do anything now.


    "Y-you k-k-k-k-killed him... You seriously k-k-killed him..." I heard a girl muttered. We don''t know how to react, we couldn''t do anything to stop him, nor could we do anything to save him.


    "Alright, today''s assembly is now considered finished. You are all dismissed, you now gowhereveryou please, just keep in mind that some places are off limits, for now."


    We all just left the hall asfast as we could,the fear ofwho knows who will be dying nextwasinstilled deeplyinto us.Wedidn''t care, we just rushed towards the exit as fast as our legs allowed us to.


    Justas we reached the door, the woman over at the opposite door shouted," Ohyes before I forget, check your right cuff. It has a button to show you the map of the entire area showing where everyone''s exact locations of where each and everyone of you are. Also, headstraight to your rooms first, there''s a guidebook about the rules in this prison, I advice you to read it first before you go planning something."


    "Now then, tata," she said that as she disappeared, but no one was paying any attention to her.


    Weall checked our right cuff and touched the button. A hologram popped up and it showed a whole map of the place we were in, with everyone''s name listed on the right and lines pointing to the place they are at, right now all the lines are joined at the assembly hall showing that everyone was here, allexceptthe one name crossed out: DylanStanfrey. Guess this was the guy who was killed earlier.


    Fuck, justrememberingit made my stomach churn, likeIwannavomit or something, I looked at everyone else''s face, their expressions shows that they are definitely grim right now.I turned around and looked for the woman, but she disappeared, like she was never there."Where did she-"


    I stopped midsentence, I felt as if I missed something else. Could it be my imagination? I thought that as I looked at the hall again.


    No,something''swrong,it''sreally wrong.It feels like something was supposed to be right there, out in theopen. Irealised, but I didn''t want to accept it.The cold feeling and acknowledgement of it bore right down on me.Thebody, the blood, the stray bullets, everything that happened just now...Itsall gone! The crime scene that took place just now suddenly disappeared!


    I tapped the nearest girl on her shoulder and asked," Can I ask you of something? Am I hallucinating or something because..." I didn''t finish my sentence, I pointed at the assembly that looked as good as new.


    She gasped and trembled, and suddenly let out a deafening shriek. Everyoneturnedand looked at us. The big guy I met in front of the assembly before asked, "What''s wrong? Did something happen again?"


    All I could do was shakily point at the assembly. His eyes widened and shouted, " Holy Christmas! T-the body is gone!!!"


    Once everyone heard him shout, they all turned towards the hall again, this time a guy with dyed hair stepped out and asked, "What''dyamean the body''s gone?"


    He looked over our shoulders and saw the hall, spotless as before the killing happened. "OhmyGo-" Before he could finish his sentence he fainted and crumpled down on the floor.


    The others, upon hearing his statement started to seem worried, they seem to be unsure whether or not if they want to see for themselves did that incident actually occurred, or was it all just one big dream.


    Alas, dreams are not reality as to reality are not dreams, once you grasp it all there is left is but how strong your conviction stands. And right now, our convictions are anything but standing strong.


    Panic is startingto rise among us, we can''t grasp what is actually happening here, nor can we actually grasp what should actually happen next. We''ve been removed from our usual lives, but can we really call our usual lives ''usual''?


    No, I shook my head. I almost fell with the others, my wits are wavering. Idon''t think I could stand thisanymore...


    Islapped myself in the face as hard as I could to bring back senses to me, but it seems the others haven''t recovered yet. I swear I could hear someonemutter, "We''regonnadie, we''regonnadie, we''regonnadie..."


    Suddenly, a voice shouted out from the group, it was so loud it rang throughout the hallway. "What are you panicking about!? Stand up and face the enemies straight on, don''t let their words waver you for even a second!"


    "S-sure it''s easy for you to say, but did you forgetthatthey''ll kill one of us every two weeks if someone doesn''t die? It''s either kill or be killed in this scenario," a girl whimpered.


    "Don''t be afraid! Everything will be fine. We can find the enemy and drag them out, them force them to set us free!"


    "Huh, you wish."


    "What was that? Who said that?"


    "Me, you passionate monkey," said the guy in a suit. "I admire your resolve to stand against adversity, but I rather not face them head-on. If anything, we should calm down and think things through and formulate a plan first."


    "Hold on just a second! Who areareyou to give the orders!? Name yourself!"


    "If you must insist, I shall tell you. I am the leader of anupbringing company that will rise upon others in the business industry---- I am Edgar Holste, the genius entrepreneur!"


    "Entre-whatnow?" It seems the motivated person has no knowledge upon the word.


    "It means I amresponsiblefor the lives and jobs of those beneath my wings. Should thatexplanationfit into the skull of yours?"


    "I see... Anyway, now that you have introduced yourself I shall too! I am RoderickSmith. I guess people usually call me a stickler."


    "I don''t give one damn about you, unless you cool your head and follow my orders," Edgar calmly said.


    We were baffled by thesidelines. Didn''tthat woman say that we were all underaged?


    I stepped up andasked, "Um, didn''t that woman said that we were underage? Are you really an entrepreneur?"


    He sighed and answered, "Yes indeed, I am an entrepreneur, as to the same as that cluster of mess right over thereis a scion," He said as he pointed atCastian.


    "We hold important roles in society,not that commoners wouldhaveany knowledge about us now would they?Think, what would the world do if they found out a company rising in ranks were handled and lead by but a mere child? It would make a lot of suspicion and that might make a lot of enemies out of the other companies."


    "I guessyou''reright, sorry I doubted you."


    "If that''s out of the way, then can we get back to the topic at hand?"


    Everyone perked at that sentence, but for only a brief moment, we almost forgot we were locked in some impossible prison.


    "First, we should explore our surroundings. It would be unwiseto move around in uncharted territory."


    "Very well, I shall agree with you! Come, let us scout our surrounding first."


    "Now hold just one fucking moment here!!!" A voice rang from the crowd.


    "Who died and made you guys leaders?" A guy in a biker suit asked.


    "No one, but that''s why someone must step up and take the role. It doesn''t seem to me you are fit for the role," Edgar said, obviously irritated with him.


    "Wellsoooorry, I don''t plan on working together with you all. I do my own businesshoweverI please so don''t and stop me, or else."


    "Or else?"


    "I''mgonnafucking kill you."


    "Try if you may, but I think you want to retract your statement."


    "Huh? And why would I do that?"


    Edgar let out a long sigh. "How you even checked the rules yet? If you kill someone, make sure you kill him without letting any loose ends."


    "Huh? The hell you getting at?" The biker guy said almost furiously.


    "Once someone dies, we will undergo an investigation. If the party responsible for the murder is found, he will be executed for ''disrupting the peacefulenvironment''. Got that?"


    "Hmph, then I''ll just have to kill you without getting caught."


    "Are you still going to bluff your way through?"


    "Who''s bluffing? If someone''s bluffing, it ought to be you! Iain''tstaying any longer, play your own wimpyparty for all I care."With that statement, he left through the west corridor.


    Roderick shook his headwith a disappointing expression. "Why can''t we just get along? We are all in this situation together, why are we fight each other?"


    "Y-yeah, we should s-stick together, so n-nobody get any weird thoughts okay?" A girl at the back said shakily. I guess she is afraid, I mean who isn''t?


    "Okay, with that all settled, let us begin the scouting. Since there are 28 of us here, let''s split to five groups. Six people per group, each group will go down each corridor and check all the rooms and make their report back at the dining hall down the back. The rest will prepare some food for the lot of us. I believe a handful of us can cook?"


    "Um, I can. But are you certain there''s ingredients for us to cook?" A big guy approached Edgar.


    "I believe so, otherwise the lot of us will starve to death before their entertainment begins."


    "Huh? Entertainment? What are you saying?" The girl I was with at the beginning asked.


    "Did it not occurtoyou why were we forced to kill each other? All this should be a showto satiate the boredom of the people who are watching. I think we were chosen, then forced to bea scapegoat for a deathconvict, and sent all the way to here."


    "Wait, so you''re saying I didn''t destroy my company? I-I was framed!?" ShoutedCastian.


    "I believe so, unless you actually did it?" Edgar sentenced his words in a questionable manner.


    "N-no, I would never do something as outrageous as that."


    "But we will triumph, we will show themthat we will not give in to their silly game. Once we get out, we will report this case to all the investigating company and expose their heinous deeds."


    "Yeah, we will get out no matter what," I said confidently.


    "Butbefore that, let''s begin the scout. I will go east, anyone willing to come with me?"


    "Ooh me, me! Iwannago with you!" A cheerful girl raised up her hands.


    "I believe I should go as well. If anything does happen it would be wise to depend on me." The buff guy raised his hand as well.


    "U-uhm, I think it should be safe for me to go with you as well," a meek girl raised her hand.


    "I should go too," the girl I was with raised her hand.


    "I think I want to go there too. There''s a library there, I want to check it out," I raised my hand.


    "Wise choice, I wasplanningon going to the library as well. What about the others?"


    "I shall lead the north side then! Come, follow me!" Roderick shouted and marched towards the north corridor.


    "Well, I will head west. Perhaps I could persuade the bloke who went off to join us," the mature girl said.


    "I''ll go south then. No use standing around all day. Anyone wants to watch my back for me?" A carefree guy said.


    "Well, I hope we all find something useful once we gather. Serve us something good by the time we get back!" Said Edgar to the four standing.


    "Sure, you can count on us!" The big guy answered confidently.


    After that, we all went our respective ways to search for information.

 Chapter 2

    As we searched the east corridor, we spent the time talking while searching, I learned that the girl I was with before isRosvinaArniasand she worked asastylistpart-time while attending school. She lives with her family of five, her parents and two older brothers, one working the other in college. We spent all our time walking and searching each room for any sort of exit or information about this place. Of course, all our search up till now was of no fruition, we didn''t find much that could be useful in the least.


    "No luck huh? I already guessed so," saidRosvina, slumping her head squatting on the floor.


    "Let''s try further in, there might actually be something useful."


    "Mhmm, let''s go then, maybe Edgar and his group already foundsomethin." With that, she got up and walked out the room we searched just now.


    We went and checked each room ahead, we entered another room but this rooms seems out of place in thisentireplace with walls made of steel. A styling room, the kind where actors or famous peoplegettheir makeup done before they go on TV, but why is this room here in thefirstplace? This is a prison, right?


    "Uooh, these areprofessionalhairtrimmer, and this an extremely expensive foundation and this and entire box of fake eyelashes!OhMy God, is that theluxuriousmakeup box from Venus!?"Rosvinawent on for a few minutes before she remembered our situation.


    "Sorry, I always get excited about things like makeup and hairpins, it''s in my blood you see, my family is a family of stylist, my parents were makeup artists, and my brother is now working as a hair stylist." She explained to me, I listened intently about it and thoughtso,it''sa family business.She kept talking about how her family members taught her all the thingsa stylistshould know, but I half-heartedly listened to what she said partway. I was still trying to see if there''s anything useful here, but the few things that came up were just basic makeups and a few leaflets and girls'' magazines. Wait, magazines? I saidout loudwhen the thought occurred to me. I flippedthroughoutthe pages to see if there''s any article, even the slightest hint about this damned place, but as such to no avail. I notice that one particular article when nearing theend:envious stylist kills competition. The nameRosvinaArniaswas bolded under the title, with a portrait of her glamorous face at the side. I-it''snot true, right? This got to be another article those people made to fool us, I thought to myself, but deep inside somewhere, I began to doubt even my own thoughts.


    "Did you find anything useful?"Rosvina''svoice sounded from behind, I panicked and quicklytucked themagainesbehind my back. "N-nothingusefuloverhere."


    "Guess so, well I''ll do one more round of search before we go the next room. Is that okay with you?


    "Sure, I''ll help, maybe we missed some stuff under all these cosmetics." I quickly hid the magazines underthecreakedfloor of thelocked table I found earlier.


    After a round of scouring the room, we went to another room.But there''s no doubt the mood between us has changed, especially from my side, but I want to believe, I want to believe that magazine isn''t true. I kept holding to that thought as we wentthroughroom by room.


    After a long time searching the rooms, nothing useful turned up. Looks like they took out all the important info and sealed off all signs of exit. "Urgh,it''sno use, there''s nothing here or exit anywhere. We''re trapped here and no one isgonnahelp criminals like us."She sat on the floor and sulked. "What do you mean criminal? Do you seriously b-believe that bullshit they spouted?"


    "But if I''m not a criminal, then there should be no reason for me to be in this place! But if I really am a criminal, then staying here should be just fit for me." I said nothing, more like I could not conjure the words I wanted to say.


    I get where she''s coming frombut unlike her, I don''t wish to give up so easily, even now I still desperately believe that she''s not a bad person, there''s no way she would do something as low as killing of the competition.


    "HeyAsh, do you know what kind of crime did I do to get myself landed in this place?" She asked me, the light in her eyes fadingquiclky.


    "N-no idea, but I think you''re no criminal, at least not to me." I lied, I hesitated to tell her about the magazines, about the articles I found, about the grave sin shecommittedherself, if she was really theone who did it. In theend,I didn''t tell her about it.


    "Come on cheer up, we''re still not done yet. Don''twannaget our ears chewed on by Edgar now do you? I bet he''s the mean kind that gives his all to a good scolding."


    "Haha, you''re right, I shouldn''t be thinking about stuff like that. Work comes first, I can sulk all I want later." She got up and patted down her skirt. We walked back to the corridor and went on to the next room.Rosvinaturned her head before we entered and whispered to me, "Thanks, Ash." And then went back to searching.


    Partway in our search, the bracelet rang and Edgar''s face popped up. "Uaaarghh!!!" The sudden appearance made me jumped back and screamed. It took me a few seconds to gather my thoughts and listened to what Edgar said, "It''s just a hologram you idiot, don''t give me a heart attack from over a screen!"


    "Anyway," he continued on, "Did you find anything useful at your side?" I gave him my honest answer. "I see, same here. Some doors areinaccessible, and the ones that are have nothing useful at all."


    "Huh? But isn''t the library at your side?" I asked, but I have a feeling I already got my answer. "Sigh, that''s the one. Apparently, the library is one of the doors that''s locked. I wanted to break the door down but as the rulebook stated: do not break down any doors, windows orcurtains unless you plan to commit a murder."


    I tapped the button on thebraceletand the map appeared besides Edgar''s holographic face, below it is the stated rules in this place. I scrollthroughthem and found it: No. 17, do notbreak down any doors, windows orcurtains unless you plan to commit a murder."


    "Now that you know we can''t enter, we''ll regroup back at the front of the start of the corridor. If you still haven''t finished your checking please do so fast. Edgar out." With that, the hologram disappeared, the map showing thattwo spots at the east corridor started moving again.


    "Let''s finish our rounds and go back, ok?"


    "Yeah, let''s do this." We continued to search the rest of the rooms, only to come across nothing useful. We decided to head back to the main entrance of the east corridor, there we saw the other four waiting by the entrance.


    "Hheeyy!!! What took you guys so long? Was your side interesting?" The cheerful girl yelled, making her already loud voice unimaginably louder.


    "Ohfor heaven''s sake, pipe down your voice, you''re going to give me a heart attack!" The scrawny girl snapped.


    "But my voice is the only thing I''m confidentin. .." She sulked her head and sat at the door.


    We approached them only to hear a good scolding from Edgar, "What took you so long? I hope you were not doing anything suspicious behind our backs."


    "No-no way! We''d never do that right?" I looked toRosvina,and shenoddedinagrement. "Yeah, we wouldn''t do something like that nor do we plan on in the future."


    "Sigh, fine. Any useful findings fromyoursidesince you took your time?"Rosvinatold him the rest ofurfruitless search. "And here I thought there''d be something useful from your side. Guess they don''t plan on making this an escape game any time soon." He hit the door with his fist.


    "Well now let''s all just calm down, why don''t we go check in on the others now that we''re finished?" The big guy proposed. "Sure, that sounds fine.Notlike we cando much here."


    "Do you think there''s going to be any hints or clues from their side? I for one doubt that." The scrawny girl said.


    "Information or not we promised to meet up atthe dininghall once we finished, let''s just head there for now then we can continue our chatter." Everyone agreed and walked to the main plaza and then to the dining hall.


    On thewayI kept talking to the loud girl (by loud I mean speaker-volume loud), though she''s the one who does most of the talking. "GwenlynSonica, 19, hobby is singing whenever bored, currently work as a full-time singer at Jezz Music Production Company, or I like to call itJizzM. You know,jizz''em? Get it?Wahahahahaha!!!" This might the first time I see someone laughing at their own jokes by themselves.


    "Um,Gwenlynyou say you work as asinger,right? I know that company of yours isn''t a big-shot, but it''s still high up in the ratings, but I''ve never seen your name up in thechartboard."


    "Just call me Gwen like my friends do," she insisted. "Anyway, back to yourquestion:of courseyou''ve never seen myrealname on the chart, I use an alias to hide myself. I heard this from a friend but she says that once you get famous and let the world know who you are,You''llbe crowded with fans till you can''t do anything."


    "I guess that''s true, but at least it means that you gotlotsof people who appreciateyousongs."


    "Yeah, that might be true but it''s a pain to deal with fans." She continued, "I mean, just because I''m Fuzzy Wuzzy, that doesn''t change how I like singing solo, and I absolutely hate it when my fans call for a duet with someone else."


    "WAITWAITWAIT,Yo''reFuzzy Wuzzy!? All your songs are always up in the charts, every new album has high sales than its previous ones, and the empty booth for the hand-shake and autographs events? That was YOU!?" Now it was my turn toyell.A superstar was standing beside me the whole time!? No, that''s not the point, one of myfavouritesinger was beside me? It''s like a fan''s dream come true.


    "Um, Gwen- I mean Fuzzy Wuzzy, can I getyourautograph later?" I clapped my hands together and begged.


    "Sure, why not? But only at the condition that you call me Gwen, ok?" She said, as if she really doesn''t want her name to be known to the public. Regardless I promised her anyway. "Thank you so much! I''mgonnahangyourautograph in a frame when I get back!"


    "Uh, you don''t need to overreact like that, it''s a bit creepy that you can get so hyped just talking to me."


    "How can I not be!? You are THE Fuzzy Wuzzy! Your songs are so good it reaches the heart of many."


    "Anyway, if it''s an autograph you want, come swing by my room tomorrow and I''ll have it done for you."


    "Hey you two back there, keep itdowna notch, your voices are like running through a speaker." Edgar snapped at us. "Soooorrrry, I can''t help it with my naturally loud voice."Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "Sorry, I got you scolded along as well." Iapologizedto Gwen. "Ahahaha, don''t worry about it, I''m used tobeingscolded." The way she said that statement sounded a bit off, but I didn''t have enough time to think it through before she yanked me into another conversation.


    "Hey what about you? You don''t plan on keeping yourself fromlil''olmenow would you?" OH yeah, we didn''t even introduce ourselves to each other, or more accurately saying, I didn''t.


    "Uh sorry about that. The name''s Ash Norton. Unlike you, I''m just a regular college student with nothing to show."


    "Uoh, college life! Did you have plenty to drink? Hot babes to bang? Projects to cuss for hours and hours?" She sounded like an oldmanwhen she said it. "No, no and yes. I''m a virgin who can''t really handle his alcohol, not that I need to anyway."I said it without a shed of dignity. Was it wrong not being able to handle alcohol? I think not.


    "Aww, how sad. If you were good with alcohol we could go over my life story with a few bottles of whiskey. . . Oh well, not that you need to anyway."She said, slightly pouting her cheeks


    "Oh yeah, got any dirty jokes to tell? I make learning dirty jokes as another form of hobby." Um, now that''s a seriously weird hobby to have. I told her a few that I learnt from my friends, she took out a small notebook and wrote it all down.


    "To be honest, the first reason I got into music was actually because of dirty jokes. I mean, myfavouriteband from when I was a kid wasSthap, the ne that sings all those stuffs, since then I tried to make my own lyrics and sang along with it. In theendI made my own debut and here I am now, in the middle of a prison. Cool life huh?"


    "I-" Before I could say anything, a loud thump echoed through thecorridor of the dining hall. "What was that?" The scrawny girl asked, trembling behind the big guy.


    "Sounds like it came from the dining hall."


    "One way to find out," Edgar said and walked with an increased pace towards the dining hall.


    Once we reached the hall we pushed the door open and saw a bizarre scene ahead: Two guys were on adining table punching the lights out ofeach other; a few people were at the side cheering them on; Roderick spinning around trying to calm the chaotic atmosphere; the rest are either eating at the corner or haven''t showed up yet.


    "What is the meaning of this!?" Edgar grabbed the nearest girl and demanded an answer.


    "Hiiii!" The girl shrieked when Edgar grabbed her, causing a few eyes to turn over this side. "It''s um, well, they''re fighting for whoever um,gets thenext dish." She said, stuttering between words.


    "Huh? All this commotion only for food?" Edgar replied with an irritated expression. "Sigh, this is why commoners stay commoners," he sighed.


    "Then what about the thumping sound we heard just now? Was it from them fighting?"Rosvinaasked.


    "Yeah,they were thrashing here and there, um, but it seems like they, umcooedldown a little."


    "Oh, one more question: besides us which groups have finished their exploring?"


    "Um, I think it waserr. . . North and west, south side hasn''t shown up yet." She answered honestly.


    "Thank you, you may go on with whatever you were doing." Shespirntedto the other end of the dining hall the moment Edgar let go of her wrist.


    "Now that we know what''s causing the ruckus, let''s just proceed with eating. No use worrying about two monkeys fighting over something trivial." He walked up to the platters of food lined neatly at the left corner.


    "Well guys let''s just go eat, I guess." We followed suit and took a dish we find satisfying and ate in at another table. We spectated the two of them fight until they ran out of energy, so did Roderick.


    "Are we really heinous criminals? Looking ata grouplikethat, youwouldn''t think of them capable ofmurder,do you?" The big guy beside me asked. "Of before I forget, my name is LeeHyoukJu, aprofessionaltailor, or at least self-proclaimed I guess."


    "Huh? You''re a tailor!? I thought you''re somerugby playerof some sorts!" I really did not expect that.


    "Haha, I get that a lot. Despite my looks I''mactuallyharmless. In fact, I never had any intentions of playing stuffs as violent as that."I guess he''s the kind people call a sensitive and gentle giant.


    "Anywayback to my first question, do you think they''re people who are capable of committing dangerous or heinous crimes?" I looked at the group that was still fighting on the tables. I gave the question some thoughts before I answered."I guess they look violent as a bunch of wild monkey right now, but in thefuture,I''m not sure. Theenvironmentchanges people, especially insituationsdire as this. One day they might be normal, the same as you know them;then next they might snap suddenly and you wouldn''t know who''s that anymore."


    "Hmm, you make it sounds like you had experience with this kind of situation." He said. "ButI have to agree. People are flexible, but not always ina goodway."


    "Yeah I know. I gotfirst-handexperience on that. You know, people snapped and they change their personality entirely. It''s kind of scary, even now just remembering it sends a shiver down my spine." Crap! I said too much!


    Did something similar happen to you before?" Thetone of his question lingers with suspicion.


    "I guess you can say that, though it''s nothing as bizarre as this one. But the fact that something of sort happened to me before might be the reason I am who I am right now."


    "Oh? Could you please elaborate on that? I''m interested in what kindof person you are."


    "I-I don''t want to talk about it right now. Not in this cheerful mood," I declined, I don''t want to rain on their momentary happiness, because if what they saidbefore is true then it''s only a matter of time. . . and the people.


    "Hmm, that''s too bad. Then how ''boutif I ever got the chance, would you care to tell me during your free time?" Lee said with anexpectatingtone.


    "Sure, I guess." He gave a gleeful smile, like he''s really expecting a good story out of me."Buthere''s a little advice first: fix your habit of sounding like an open book. Your emotions show on your words."


    "Hm? What''s wrong with that? It just goes to show I''ve got nothing to hide." I was taken aback by that honest reply.


    "Even if it means that someone might take advantage of it? Someone like me could, you know."


    "I don''t mind. Though it''s only been a few minutes talking to you, I feel like I can trust you to take good advantage of it for the sake of good." He said it with a confident smile.


    Ismirked, "Maybe that''s all just a farce to make you think I'' an easygoing person?"


    "No, that is not possible. If you truly are someone poisonous to the heart, you wouldn''t react like that when you heard that Gwen was Fuzzy Wuzzy."


    "You heard that?" He nodded. "I might not be someone who can tell what lies beyond their heart, but at least I can tell the basics of a good person.Believe in yourself Ash, doubt will get you nowhere in life, especially not here."


    "What do you meanb-"


    "Well, thanks for the food." He got up and left before I finished my question. I am a little speechless, to think such a simple man still existed. I continued eating until I was full then got up from my seat and washedmydishes in the sink in the kitchen. When I got out, it seems the situation on the table mellowed down and they''re eating at the table now, withfootprintsall over it. Guess they''ve exhausted all their remaining energy in that useless hackle.


    I let out a yawn, seems like I also exhausted most of my energy, especially on trying to cope with the current situation. I said my farewell to the others and left for my room. I checked the map to see where my room was located---South corridor sixth door to the right. I headed there and crashed on the bed once I got there.I didn''t care one bit, or more like I didn''t have any spare energy left to care. I fell asleep almost as soon as hit the bed.


    I didn''t know how long I slept, but I woke up when I heard someone ringing on the doorbell. I got up sloppily and pulledmyself over to the door. I rubbed my eyes before checking who the visitor was. A girl in black skintight jumpsuit was standing outside with her arms crossed. I opened the door a little and asked, "What is it? Do you have business with me?"


    ''Hm? Oh yeah, they told us to round upeveryonewilling and able to go to the dining hall. We''re about to start sharing the information gathered yesterday." She explained. "By the way, the name''s SophieStryke, remember that. And you are?"


    "Um, Ash Clarent. Nice to meet you I guess."


    "Yeah same here. Can you do me a favor and get the others up? Only a handful of people showed up."


    "Sure, just give me a few minutes," I said opening up the cupboard. Most of the clotheslooks like the ones I''m wearing right now. I grabbed the neatest one and changed into it and put the old ones into a bin next to the cupboard. I then walked to the washroom to get myself freshened up a little. To my surprise, there''s run water, there''s even toothbrush and paste in a cup. I hastily brushed my teeth and washed my face and left my room. The door automatically locked up the moment I shut it. I didn''t give it much thought and went to the next few doors and give them a wake-up call. Most of them didn''t respond, those that did gave the same reply I did.


    After I think I finished going through all the rooms here, I left for the dining hall to gather with the rest. When I entered the aroma of food surroundedme, I gulp down amouthfulof my own saliva. Priorities first: I checked who was in the hall. Sophie was right, only a handful of people came compared to last night. I took a seat at the furthermost back of the main table where thirty seats were prepared. Edgar waved to me and signaled me to come over to his side. Once I got there he told me that there were names embedded to the back of each seat so it''s best to follow the givenseatings. I complied and sat at the chair with my name on it,seventh onthe left.


    It took some time for all 29people to gather at the dining hall, once the last person took his seat, the wall behind me rang with an electronical sound. I turned my head to see that the wall itself opened up and well-prepared food were emerged on a table. "Seems like today they intend to serve us instead of wasting our time cooking."


    "Cooking isn''t a waste of time," someone muttered.


    "Anyway, let''s discuss about our findings. I''m sure some of us have some sort of useful clue to where we might escape from?" No one responded. "W-well even if it''s not useful it would be helpful to share any sorts of information." Edgar tried to inch everyone to give some info.


    "Like I said, I don''t care about joining your small lump of na?ve group. If you still think you can escape you are dead wrong. I''m out of here, and I don''t need the food, not now anyway."Hegot up from his seat and began to leave before the mature-looking girl asked, "Whatmakesyou so sure that we won''t be able to leave?"


    "Because I said so! Got a problem with that?"


    "Then prove it. Prove that we cannot leave this place."


    "Iain''tgotnothin'' to prove to you lot! If you still want to waste your time searching around for empty hope, I''d rather suggest you prepare to plan a perfect kill instead." After he said that, it felt like everything stopped.


    Empty hope? Plan a kill? Those things struck a nerve in everyone, simply because it''s the truth. Maybe we didn''t want to admit it, maybe wewejust shying away from the truth, maybe we deliberately not thinkthat way. But what if we did? Would someone get out? Will the rest of us die? Will the killer die in a futile struggle? At these thoughts, all the methods to kill started to pour into my mind with these words as the base of it: I want to get out, I want to get out, I want to get the fuck out of wherever here is!!!


    Iheard a sound that brought me back to reality- someoneslammed her hand on the table. She looked like a model, or perhaps a diva, but what''s more important is right now she looks absolutely furious. Her teeth are gnashing, her nostrils are flaring, her eyes are glaring daggers, even her veins have popped out. "Outrageous!!! Outrageous I say! I might admit our actions may be empty hope, but what gives you the right to say so!? You''re notdoinganything, if anything you seemed like you submitted to defeat."


    "Huh? Try saying that again, bitch! I''ll make sure your pretty little face isgonnabe messed up so bad it''s not evengonnabe considered human!!!"


    "You are just a big dog that''s only has size going for you. You''re all bark and no bite, you''re just basically admitting your resignation and stay here."


    "Okay that''s itbitch! Say one more word and you''ll lose all your teeth!!!"


    "Try me then," she challenged him and he charged straight for her. I didn''t dare look what happened then. But even after I shut my eyes I didn''t hear any physical contacts, I gradually opened my eyes and saw Lee grabbed the guy''s hand.


    "Let go you fucker!" He shouted, but he couldn''t get free. I underestimated Lee----I thought he''s just a gentle giant, but in actuality he''s buffto the core. He gripped the guy''s arm with a vice grip. "Now, now, let''s calm down. I prefer if violence isn''t the method used here."


    "Wanda, stop provoking him! You''re just going to get into trouble with him," the girl beside her warned her.


    "Hmph, I suppose I could do with preventing a killing happening here, but the things he said left a horrible aftertaste in my mouth."


    "I get what you''re saying but please for all of our sake just stand down."


    She satthere for a moment and then crossed her legs, "Fine, I won''t go further with that but I think I cannot harmonize with thatmaneven in the future." She took a deep breath and sighed.


    "You done holding my hand fucker!?" The guy shouted at Lee. "Oops, my bad," Lee let go of his arm, he rubbed his wrist and glared at Lee.


    "I''m out of here, good luck with your little fun group. Hope you guys drop dead without me doing anything." He said that and walked out of the dining hall.


    "It seems the nuisance has left but the atmosphere now is. . . um, a little tense now," Roderick remarked.


    "We can deal with him at a later time but don''t you think we should begin sharing our information?"


    "Well then, since I provoked him from the start, why don''t I startfirst?" Themature-looking girl volunteered to go first.


    "Well then, you may begin tell us your side''s information."


    "Very well then." She took a deep breath before she spoke. Once I heard her speak, itmade my searches feel meaningless.