Wierd Experiences Pt.1

Chp.5: A Painful Death

    "Oh my---"

    Blood was everywhere...Now I knew where that weird odor came from. Dried blood stained the stone walls and the cement floor. I was sure this part of the passage was where they killed those who wouldn't 'cooperate'. Some of us could even smell rotting flesh. All the girls were terribly frightened, including me.

    "W-what if Michael's already dead?" Mark asked, his hands shaking with fright.

    Jerimee calmed him down. Suren and Alvin was quiet, backing towards the exit. I understand what they were doing.

    "Going somewhere, Suren, Alvin?" I said out loud for everyone to hear.

    They all turned around.

    I could see they were feeling embarrassed. They should be.

    "Uh, we had somewhere to go to...Later!" Suren quickly replied.

    Afterwards, him and Alvin ran off back outside. I assumed they were going back to school.

    "Good riddance." Jerimee spoke out. "At least we don't have to worry about those two."

    "True." Ayeza commented.

    Two down, nine to go.

    The hallway was far from its end, so we went on without Alvin and Suren. It'll really do me a favor if they got caught by one of the demons lurking in the school. Useless crap, I remember what Ayeza said. It became colder when we went deeper. I felt my teeth chatter with the chill of the cold air. We came to a halt when we saw two dark figures sitting on the stone wall. The shadow hid their identity, until it became clear. It was two familiar faces. Joey and Michael. The two were in critical condition, both severely wounded. 

    "Michael!" Mark cried with joy, happy to see his good-old friend once more.

    Michael mumbled sleepily. Then his eyes focused on Mark. "Wha--?"

    "I can't believe you're still alive!"

    Francis was having his own reunion with Joey.

    "Are you okay, Joey? What did they do to the others?"

    "I-I don't know...I don't remember anything..."

    Joey groaned in pain, which alarmed Francis.

    "We better get them to safety. Someone will have to help them get there."

    Rosie and Anne were quick to volunteer. Either it's because they were dying to get out of here without chickening out, or they just wanted to help. And so, they went off with Joey and Michael back to school.

    Four down, seven to go.

    "Damn...sooner or later, it'll be just one person left if this goes on. You girls wanna back out while it's still early?" Jerimee spoke.

    We girls looked at each other, thinking, What's Jerimee trying to get to?

    "None of us are backing out. Just because we're girls doesn't mean we're all scardy-cats." Michelle snapped.

    "Suit yourselves..."

    "Aw, just let them go, Jerimee. Soon, they'll be clutching on our arms for protection." Francis teased.

    "Maybe, but not in your arms, stupid." Carleen shot back.

    "We'll see..."

    Carleen scowled.

    Jerimee finally ended the ridiculous discussion. The passage seemed never-ending. For a few moments, we could see the end of the passage. It was very dark up ahead, darker than ever. Only a bit of light illuminated the area. When we finally exited the long passage, we realized that we were standing on a bridge roughly made of rocks. beside the bridge were dark, bottomless pits. It was dark as black. We felt petrified. I thought I was going to be dizzy and fall into those pits.

    "So, I assume you want to save your other friends, rather than surrendering to me. Correct?"

    A familiar, female voice was heard nearby. All of us looked and saw a cloaked, petite figure standing in front of us. Her hood covered half of her face.

    "Who are you?" Jerimee asked.

    "More like 'what?'."

    We looked at each other confusingly.

    "My name doesn't matter to you all. Sooner or later, all will be clear."

    "Let us pass. We don't mean any harm." Jerimee requested.

    "I'm sure you don't. But that's not the point. If you want to save your friends, you'll have to get through me."

    Of course, the bridge was so narrow, yet so small in width. It was impossible to get around without dealing with her. Francis let out a growl then dashed towards the mysterious being.  To our shock, he body slammed her to the side, then both of them fell to the pits. The pit was so deep, we couldn't even hear a crash. Tears welled up in Carleen's eyes. She ran to the side of the bridge where he fell, then dropped to her knees. She pounded her fists on the dirt ground in misery. It was bad enough that Shannon died. And now this...

    I began to flashback suddenly. And all did became clear...

     The two were sitting on the green grass, talking peacefully to each other.

    "Which high school are you going to?" she asked.

    "Somewhere far from here..." he replied.

    She bit her lip nervously. "Are we still going to be friends?"

    He looked at her intently. "Of course."

    Both of them hooked their pinkies as a sign of their promise.

    Carleen wept quietly. We tried to comfort her, but the pain could not be eased. I closed my eyes, and another scenario played in my head:

    "It wasn't my fault!" she cried.

    "Oh, then who was it then?" he replied accusingly.

    "I don't know..."

    "Exactly. You don't know anything."

    He left hastily, leaving her standing by the oak tree that they used to sit down and talk to each other. The place where they had made their promise.

    The two used to be friends. Grade 7, I think. They ended their friendship over an argument. After that, they became bitter enemies. But somehow, I knew that both of them still had a bit of care for each other. I could tell that this was true, by the way Carleen was weeping. 

    Jerimee began to talk softly. "He sacrificed himself to let us pass through."

    "Francis..." I heard Mark whisper into space.

    A slow death is the most painful, I remember Ayeza say eventually. We continued our journey, deeper into this eerie underground darkened place, hoping to find the other captives, and maybe some answers. I hoped that everyone back at school were safe, even the ones who chickened-out. We're all that's left now.

    Once more, we had lost one of our comrades. But soon, I know--we know--we'll see him again, somehow.

-->>Chp.6: Reset