48 HOURS ⓔⓧⓞ

CHAPTER THREE

*This was a countdown, as the figures experienced the process of depreciation. Watching as time elapsed second by second, the house immersed into a deafening silence.

“They are telling us … there is no way out of here and besides, a knife lies beneath this ring. Chanyeol said as his face grew ghastly.

“In 2 days time, there will only be a sole survivor.” I skimmed their horrid expressions.

“Also, we are to be divided into 2 groups, the last two people who survive are to be from the same group.” Luhan said, “If there is a breach of the rules”, he pointed at his neck, “the knife would supposedly play it’s role, emerging from this ring.”

Everyone turned invariably silent, the only sound came from the countdown board, ticking ceaselessly, reducing.

“Teaming method...” Jongdae whispered, “the two people closest to the door will be the captains, they will start by choosing people, the chosen ones shall then proceed to elect the next and so on until everyone becomes a candidate.”

Everyone coherently turned, eyes on the two people standing closest to the door, Minseok and Zhang Yixing.

*

*“Insanity, will anyone believe this nonsense, it must be fans’ prank!” Minseok said as he shook his head and flung a chair against the window.

The window’s ability to withstand any blow is equivalent to tampered glass, yet Minseok who stood right beside the window had fallen to the ground. Chanyeol stumbled his way over to look and screamed, falling to one side, blood began oozing profusely from his neck, forming a pool around Chanyeol’s feet.

I plopped right down on the sofa, all of them had lost their pretense of nonchalance and erupted into chaos. Baekhyun ran up the 2nd floor screaming, Jongin flipped the tea set onto the ground while Luhan and Yixing paled as they watched the train of events unfold right before their sight, Sehun retched several times and clutched his stomach.

Jongdae was the most hysterical, not only did he run forward to hug Xiumin, he flipped him over as well. Panicky shrieks and running sounds, including mine, reverberated into the surroundings as the sight of the knife and the intricate deep red slash made its appearance into everyone’s visibility.

*

*“What is this! What exactly do you want!” Jongdae cried and rushed up to the front door, pounding his fist against the password lock. Kyungsoo and Junmyeon dashed forward while Jongdae continued bawling and trying all kinds of number combinations ….

“You still have two chances” the lock announced in a monotonous voice, Jongdae frantically tried again.

“You still have one chance” declared the voice.

“Stop trying!” Jongin adviced from behind.

“You are unlucky, bye bye.” Everyone stood deep rooted to the ground. Jongdae’s cries screeched to a halt. He fell to the ground and in that instant, a pool of blood surrounded his body.

The house momentarily became silent, only the noises of the persistent flowing blood could be heard.

“Jongdae?” Chanyeol whispered as he stood forward, scrutinizing the lock and then at the fallen candidate, unable to believe his eyes.

“Why would a person trying to break the passcode die?” Chanyeol flashed his intensely pale face, “WHY?!!” he hollered against the 4 corners of the room.

“No,” he mumbled, “I need to get out of here ….” And as he spoke, he circled the entire area, entered the kitchen, clambered up the stove and pounded against the rooftop window. It remained silent and still. He descended with heavy breaths, took a pan and made his way up the stove again with intentions to break through the rooftop window but one second before it, I rushed in and helped him down.