Beauty is your Curse

55th Curse

I look around. Looking for more weapons. But it is not a weapon that I found.

"Do not move."

Hawak ko ang mirror shard, at tinutok sa kanya.

Just behind the throne room, a lady is opening up the floors to reveal an armory of weapons.

"Should've known you are the wild card, detective."

[Glimmer's POV]

00:49:07

"Seriously Alli, next time na may pumana, umilag ka. Ako nahihirapan eh." Akay akay ko si Allison. Yung tela ay basang basa ng dugo, but somehow her wound starts to clot.

"Wow. Parang may choice ako. She shot me from behind. I didn't see her." Sabi pa nito.

Allison and I parted ways with the do gooder gang. I saw Kristine remained with Elmo, Alden and Alex. Psaricka? No where to be found. Ganun din si Dennis.

Whatever. Allison and I are better off without them.

"San ba tayo patungo Glim? How will we find the uninvited? And the letter."

Well, we are going to do it the traditional way. Scouring this hell of a place to find the letter. If time runs out, then I'll have two options.

"E di maghanap. Wala akong pake kahit baliktarin natin tong lugar na to. We must find that letter."

"Pano pag nagtimes up? May immunity ka, ako wala."

"Well, two options. One, press the immunity button and cross fingers na hindi ka mapili." I crossed my fingers, smiling, teasing her.

"Ayoko ng option na yan. Napakadumb. Aren't you the great Glimmer Hale Davidson? It's not showing."

She's right. That I am. A serial killer's daughter. His perfect accomplish. A murderer.

"Oh honey. You will not be ready for my plan B that will not only guarantee our survival for the next round, but will bring out the letter."

Tumingin sa akin si Allison.

"I'm listening."

Ngumiti ako sa kanya. We found a room sa higher floors. A room na tago, and we entered. Wanting to rest. The first thing I noticed about the room is that..

"Ang lamig." Banggit ni Allison.

Fake snow. Cold room. Matches on the floor.

I have a guess kung sino ang isa sa mga wild card.

Little match girl.

And where she is, that's where the partner she hates so much, goes.

Now I have a good idea who the wild cards are. And know their roles. It's easy for a deduction game.

I set Allison aside. Mentally counting in my head. Alli and I both have roles. Alli mentioned that Alden's role reminds her of who they are, so he must be Hansel. Dennis is not the uninvited. I learned that the hardway. The wild cards are not. It means...

It's either Alex, Psaricka, Elmo or Kristine. 4 left. Madali na to. And I know how to draw them out.

"Alli, can you get that. All the food in the table." Tinuro ko ang isang restaurant. It's just props, but it's made to look like a small restaurant. Makikita mo sa bintana that inside is a table, with plenty of food. Roasted chicken, meatloaf, even some alcohol. Fruits. Desserts.

Madaling pumasok dun si Alli. Dahan dahan pa rin dahil injured sya. Habang ako ay may hinahanap. And I found it.

"Stuff yourself Allison. We need the strength. And oh, kunin mo lahat ng alak."

[Kristine's POV]

Once I regained my strength, ay sinama ako nila Elmo, Alex and Alden. We should band together, sabi ni Elmo. Find the uninvited. Normally, I prefer to work alone. I prefer to be alone. Pero Elmo just saved my life, and for that I am indebted to him. So I went with them. Looking for the uninvited's letter.

"Nagaalala ako para kay Alli." Sabi pa ni Alex. Alden wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead.

"Ako din." Ani pa nito.

I heard so much crap in my life. 'I'm sorry for your loss.' 'Nakakaawa naman ang massacre survivor.' Heard all sort of empty compassionate words my whole life, kaya alam na alam ko ng basahin ang mga ito.

Alex didn't really mean what she said. It's just that. Empty compassion.

"Anong gagawin natin pag naubos na ang oras?" I asked them. Napatingin sila sa akin.

"Me? I'll push that red button. Ayoko pang mamatay." Sagot ni Elmo.

Tinaasan ko sya ng kilay. "You have immunity, we don't have it." However, di ako sure dun. Sabi kanina four have immunity. May dalawa pa maliban kay Glim at Elmo. It could be them. Or at least one of them.

"I mean, sa aming wala." Ani ko pa.

Alex looked at me. "Pray na hindi kami ang mapili?"

God, I'm with a team of losers.

"Never mind."

I do not have any motivation whatever, to win this, or to survive. Tama si Ceejay. I am a zombie. I am already dead inside. Just breathing, functioning, but dead.

But this life is the price I have to pay for losing my bestfriend. For hiding in that closet. For wanting to survive. The price I have to pay is to live miserably.

So, I will live. For Domina. For little Mina who loves me as much as she loves her torto stuff toys.

We spend almost the whole time, aimlessly walking, searching the rooms. Later, Psaricka joined us. She didn't tell us where she is from, and I'm quite suspicious of her.

45 minutes or more of searching and we found nothing.

Sirens began blaring at napatingin kami sa lugar kung nasaan ang timer.

00:02:59

Less than three minutes left. Ng mga panahong iyon, nasa higher floors kami. Biglang na lang tumakbo si Elmo pababa. I'm guessing that he is trying to push the button to claim his immunity bago sya maunahan ni Glimmer o ng iba pa.

I looked at Psa, Alex and Alden. All are weirdly quiet.

Well, that was when there was a loud scream. And a smoke.

Something is burning on the lower floors. East side. Alex, Alden and Psa run towards it, and so did I.

Until I realized that only the three of us are running towards it. And Psaricka is running to the opposite direction.