Beauty is your Curse

51st Curse

He must be dead. And that is what he deserve.

No. He deserves much more. At kung hindi pa sya patay, I'll make sure na mamatay sya. Kahit sa kamay ko pa.

Hindi para sa akin kundi para sa lahat ng mga naging biktima nya.

[Elmo's POV]

Nanatili ako sa tabi ni Kristine hanggang unti unting nanunumbalik ang kanyang lakas. Nagawa na nyang ikilos ang mga daliri nya at makasalita ng konti. Hindi ko sya iniwan. Sinamahan ko sya hanggang nanumbalik na ang control nya sa katawan.

Hindi ko man naligtas si Christine noon, I was able to save this Kristine.

Nagagawa na nyang tumayo ngunit hirap sya, kaya binuhat ko sya at bumaba kami, joining the others.

"Maybe you are doing it wrong. Oh my god." Boses iyon ni Alex.

"Can someone cancel this game!! Someone is dying!!" Psa? Psaricka is screaming.

Pababa pa lang kami ay dinig na dinig ko na ang boses nila. We made our way towards them. Si Ceejay, hiniga nila sa mesa. Psaricka is screaming. Si Dennis, may hawak na tela at tila pinipigil ang dugong lumalabas kay Ceejay. Si Ceejay na buhay pa. Nilaglag ko sya mula sa second floor. On the looks of it, he might have broken ribs and bones. But his head is fine. Di man lang nabasag ang bungo.

Somehow, this monster is still alive.

"Elmo? Elmo! Thank God you are here." Psaricka saw me. She gave a glance to Kristine on my arms, concern evident on her open face.

"Anong nangyari kay Kristine—"

Marahan kong binaba sa isang tabi si Kristine.

"Buhay pa ang gagong yan!" Hindi ko mapigilan ang pag sigaw. Tinulak ko si Dennis at sinuntok ang paralyzed na si Ceejay.

Tilian ang sunod kong narinig.

"What the hell?" That is Dennis pilit na umaawat, ngunit sinuntok ko sya.

"Elmo, anong ginagawa mo!" Boses iyon ni Psaricka.

Diniinan ko ang parte kung saan nagdudugo si Ceejay. Tatlo na silang umawat sa akin, Psa, Alex and Dennis.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Sigaw pa ni Psa.

Tumigil ako at tumingin sa kanila.

"Nililigtas nyo ang buhay ng gagong iyan! Nilaglag na kita, bat di mo pa rin magawang mamatay?" Baling ko sa paralyzed na katawan nito.

"Ikaw ang naghulog sa kanya? Bakit?" Is that disappointment I heard from Alex?

"Look at Kristine. Look at her. Yang gagong yan, injected a paralyzing sedative sa kanya. Tore her clothes off. To rape her. And you know, that is not all."

Nagpatuloy ako.

"This psycho killed our Christine. Not just killed her. Hinukay nya mula sa sementeryo ang bangkay nito, iniuwi at patuloy na ginagahasa. This sicko is a necrophile."

Natahimik silang lahat.

"You don't believe me. Perhaps nakita nyo ang kwarto na puno ng kabaong sa baba. Ang dami hindi ba? Yun ang bilang ng mga babaeng pinatay at ginahasa nya. In that order. At isa sa mga kabaong na yun. Naroon ang bangkay ni Christine. Ang bangkay ni Christine na gabi gabi nyang binababoy." Dumura ako sa direction nya.

"Kung ililigtas nyo ang buhay nya, you are just like him."

Dennis stepped away from Ceejay. Psaricka is looking at him with disgust while Alex is checking up on Kristine.

"Kristine is alive dahil sayo. Tama ang ginawa mo Elmo." Sabi pa sa akin ni Psaricka.

Si Dennis naman ay nakatingin sa akin. His looks, calculating.

"Niligtas mo sya. Napakaknight in shining armor mo naman. Typical Prince Charming, with a savior complex."

And that is what I am.

[Mira's POV]

Nagising ako na nakahiga sa isang tabi. Napatingin ako sa damit ko. Ridiculous. In this tinkerbell costume.

Tumayo ako at naglakad lakad. Everything that I am wearing is ridiculous. This costume. May fairy wings ako sa likod. And I am literally leaving glitter on my wake.

The last thing I remember ay nasa isa sa mga lab sa eventyr ako. We were missing, Erin and I. That's what everyone is thinking. Dad's excuse ay nasa vacation kaming dalawa.

All those speculations, not true. I am inside Eventyr. Hiding in one of the dorm rooms. And as for Erin.

Bago ako mawalan ng malay ay nasa lab ako. Isang lumang laboratory sa Eventyr na walang gumagamit. May nangyari dito during Daddy's games. Kaya pinasara to. These days, isa itong parte ng school na sinasabi nilang pinaliligiran ng multo. Might be true. But I don't believe in ghosts.

Because if ghosts were true, Erin would be screaming on top of her ghostly lungs as I chop off her body.

It's pretty hard to kill Erin. Binagok ko lang sya gamit ang beer bottle. Dinala sa lab ang walang malay nyang katawan. I am able to find something as sharp as a saw and I use it to chop her neck. Which is not easy dahil the moment I put the blade on her neck, she woke up screaming. Blood sputtering out of her neck wound and out from her mouth. She tried to fight, but I already tied her body dun sa malamig na metal table. I saw off her neck. Hindi ito clean cut. Paa kang naglalagari ng kahoy. Back and forth. Back and forth. And she is still alive. Her body trashing, combulsing. Till it stills and she is dead.

Afterwards, chinop ko ang katawan nya into little pieces. Put them in small bags then into a very large duffle bag. I went out of the lab, carrying chopped up parts. I made a quick trip sa isang dog center where I regularly volunteer. A couple of lies and smiles, the receptionist let me in.

I regularly go here. Bringing dog food, sometimes bone scraps from the universities cafeteria, sometimes dog food, sometimes fresh meat from the market. Yung iba kasing aso dun ay hindi sanay kumain ng dog food, so sometimes namimili talaga ako ng fresh meat. Kaya hindi nagtaka ang receptionist ng may dala ulit akong karne.

In a couple of minutes, I managed to feed Erin's body to 53 dogs. Savoring every flesh. Every bone.

Of course, I am not able to feed them all parts of her. Like her skull. And other bone parts that are too big, to hard for them to chew on. On my way back to Eventyr, I am thinking of ways to dispose her skull. I entered the lab again, some parts of her in the body bag and looking at different chemicals that I can use to dissolve her. Wala akong kahit na anong alam dito, kaya naghahanap ako ng paraan sa lab.

That's when I lost consciousness, and now I am here.

I reached the balcony, and it somehow appeared like I am on the 3rd floor. Sa baba, may mga tao. I can make out the voices. Alex, Psa..

I look down and saw a commotion. Ceejay's body on the table. Kristine on the floor. Si Elmo na nagwawala. Si Dennis. Si Alex at si Psaricka.

That's when it dawned on me. I am in the game. In the middle of it.

But why?

Why am I here when I am already eliminated?