“I’m not going to explain how to play the game. It’s pretty straightforward. If you have any questions, just ask Kyle.”
I glanced warily at the three people sitting in their cubicles, their hands awkwardly shifting between keyboard and mouse. It was clear from a single look that they weren’t used to games like this.
Not that I cared.
I just wanted to get back to my dorm and finally get cleaned up. I couldn’t smell myself, but I knew it had to be bad.
I also felt like shit.
“Once you boot up the game, there should be a multiplayer option. One of you creates a game, and the other two join. Simple.”
Just as I was about to leave it at that, something came to mind and I added, “Oh, right. Make sure you’re wearing headphones while playing. It’ll enhance the experience. You can also talk to each other using the game’s mic feature.”
That was the latest addition I made to the game.
I’d already tested it. There were still the occasional bugs and glitches, but it was playable and ran well enough.
With that, I also changed the old lady’s setting, making her appear whenever the conversation seemed to be most frequent. That usually indicated a certain level of nervousness.
With everything said, I gave a single nod.
“I’m leaving now.”
At the same time, I turned to Kyle. He stood by the side, alongside Zeoy, and a few others. Unknowingly, a crowd had formed around the area. It seemed like news of the bet had made its way throughout the entire area.
Just how bored were they?
I shook my head.
“You’ll be the one judging. If they make any reaction or scream, then eliminate them from the game. If they end up clearing the game without any reaction, then just give them their fragments.”
“Wha, wait—”
Having said all that I wanted to say, I turned around and headed for the dorms. Even as I heard Kyle’s voice from behind me, I ignored it and proceeded ahead.
’Ah, I can’t wait to take a shower.’
***
“He’s gone…”
Kyle’s hand dropped as he looked at Seth’s parting figure. He could tell that Seth had purposely ignored him.
’Okay, I need to relax. I need to stay calm. Seth is like this. Nothing has changed since the orphanage. Calm… Stay fucking calm…’
Taking a deep breath, Kyle silently clenched his teeth before turning his attention towards the exchange members as they loaded up the game and followed Seth’s instructions.
None of them were stupid. Although they weren’t familiar with keyboard games, they still knew how to follow instructions and managed to connect with each other.
Now, all that they needed to do was wait for Kyle’s approval.
He was going to be the ’judge’ of this bet.
“We’re ready.”
Looking at Kaelen, Serelith, and Sarah, who all stared at him at the same time, Kyle sighed to himself before nodding.
“Okay, you may start.”
The three didn’t waste a single second and began the game.
Immediately, the screen changed, and the surrounding noise faded as a subtle static noise filled their ears before they were suddenly brought inside a small estate.
—Has the game started?
All of a sudden, Serelith and Sarah heard Kaelen’s voice in their ears as they unconsciously turned towards him.
It was too bad that their view was blocked by the sides of the cubicle.
—Can you guys hear me? That guy did say we could communicate in the game.
At Sarah’s words, both Kaelen and Serelith understood.
—It’s not bad, I guess. Makes it feel a little bit more realistic.
Kaelen couldn’t help but praise the feature a little. That being said, looking at the graphics of the game and the generally dim lighting, he didn’t find it scary at all.
He laughed while looking around.
—You better not show any reactions, you two. I know for certain I will be coming out of this with several fragments.
As he laughed, Sarah and Serelith remained quiet, probably just not bothered to entertain him.
It was right as the three started to play around with the controls that a sudden change occurred.
Tak. Tak. Tak—
The sound of footsteps echoed in the distance, breaking through the silence and pulling them from their thoughts. A dim light flickered behind one of the open doors, casting long shadows across the hallway.
Then, an old figure appeared, her steps slow.
Something about her sudden presence felt off, enough to make the air feel heavier and the moment stretch uncomfortably long.
[I thought you wouldn’t have come, officers.]
The camera for all three of them suddenly panned down to display their uniforms as the old lady pulled the lamp down to display her old and wrinkly face, alongside her hollow eyes.
[…I have been waiting quite a while. I was starting to get impatient.]
—Wow, I guess we’re starting off with a creepy old lady.
Kaelen suddenly commented as he studied the old woman before him. She was kind of creepy, but far from scary.
“It hasn’t been long since my husband disappeared. Perhaps you might be able to find some clues if you look inside. I am happy to be of your assistance.”
The three immediately understood what they needed to do as the old lady stepped to the side to display the surroundings. Looking at each other, the three immediately headed towards the first room where they found the first letter.
[I think she is hiding something from me.]
[A lover? I don’t know. She just doesn’t allow me to enter that room.]
[She says that it was her ex-husband’s room. I’m not sure. She won’t allow me in.]
[It smells horrible in there.]
[Should I divorce her?]
—A domestic dispute?
Serelith commented while reading the letter. Kaelen shrugged.
—Might be the case. Anyways, let’s head to the next room.
Yawning, he headed out of the kitchen. He had yet to feel anything. Talk about scary, this game was actually quite boring.
The three eventually found themselves in the next room.
—Oh, this is a bit bigger than before.
—Looks like we’re inside a living room.
The three looked around the place when all of a sudden…
WHIM!
The record player sitting on the wooden table suddenly came to life, its needle dropping with a soft crackle that shattered the surrounding silence. A slow, creaky tune began to play, echoing faintly through the air, each note dragging into their ears.
Immediately, the three of them paused, feeling a certain something stir within them for a brief moment before snapping out of it.
—That’s annoying…
Serelith frowned, the sound grating in a way she couldn’t quite place, but she showed no other reaction. The same went for the other two. They frowned as well, but said nothing.
—Ignore the music, let’s just find the note.
As Sarah spoke, the two nodded and looked around the room. Given that there were three people, finding the arrow was rather easy.
At the very least, they were much faster than Kyle.
[The doctors say that I’m sick.]
[…I think I’ve been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.]
[I can’t remember things really well these days. What was I even so on edge about?]
[Right… Something about her ex. I am not sure. I am starting to see things these days. It all calms down whenever I close my eyes.]
[Could it be because of my sickness?]
[I wish I got better.]
—I’m kind of confused. So instead of a domestic dispute, it’s Alzheimer’s? He ran off, maybe?
Sarah said as she looked at the words in front of her.
Her question prompted a shake of Serelith’s head.
—I don’t think it’s that simple.
Serelith studied the letter.
—It’s more than that, but we don’t have information. Let’s go to the next room.
It was the only option they had. But as they stepped out of the room, each of them paused, just for a moment, as that strange tune echoed once more in their minds.
It was only for the briefest of moments, and they soon carried on with whatever they were doing, but the tune… unbeknownst to them, continued to linger at the back of their mind, slowly stripping away at their focus as they entered the next room and found the last words written in red across a shattered mirror.
The moment their eyes fell on the mirror, the atmosphere seemed to freeze. A heavy silence settled over them, and all three stood still, saying nothing.
Crack!
A sharp crunch broke the silence. It sounded like the sound of someone stepping on glass, and as though possessed, Serelith moved toward the mirror as she began reading.
—Something is definitely up…
She paused, her voice threading through the silence like a soft whisper that tickled their ears.
—I don’t remember. My brain is foggy.
Serelith’s expression changed.
—I can hardly think. It hurts so much. It hurts, it hurts, but…
Her tone hurried.
—Whatever you do. Don’t look.
And then—
—Don’t look.
She reached the last line. The room seemed to still.
Without realizing it, all three were holding their breath.