Date: August 20-26
Place: Unregistered Island
[Noel]
A fire? No.
I glanced at the window where I saw something bizarre.
Green?
"Isn't the rain supposed to be clear?" I murmured.
People have been running to the fire exit and others in some directions I'm not familiar with. Some hold their ears while talking.
"Roger that"
"We'll be there in a minute"
"Copy"
Students have been running past us saying those words.
I stare back at Patrick who's shaking from whatever he sees on his phone.
"We have to go," as he stood up, grabbed my arm, and ran to the fire exit with a crowd of people.
"What's going on?" I tried asking him, and once was enough when he clearly wanted to ignore my question.
"Just run," he replied.
I did what he told me and ran alongside him. He still hasn't let go of me and clasps my wrist even tighter the further we go.
I tried to think of why we were running when the fire alarm or any other alarm wasn't even activated.
Running straight, turning right and left, running down some stairs, and bumping into people.
I can't see their faces quite well because it gets darker when we go deeper down the path I'm not familiar with. I haven't even seen this place ever before.
A cave? Basement? Underground room?
I can see a big white door lying far away in front of us. I let go of his hold and blurted something ridiculous to ease the situation even just a little.
"Why are you going to such lengths to skip class?" I exclaimed.
. . . . . ?
There was a long pause as Patrick just stood there, puzzled. Then he laughs.
"What are even you saying?" he says finally looking calm and taking a few breaths.
I sighed, relieved that he broke the anxiety that's been piling up.
"Just slow down," I said.
"Okay," he answers wearing his best smile, but the word troubled is written all over his face.
I followed him, half running and half walking. Until we arrived at a big metal door. People came to a halt and took a glance at me from time to time as we waited.
"What are you staring at? Am I that handsome?" I whisper.
He hands me a long piece of fabric.
"Can you put it on?" he says as he talks to some people around us.
I didn't know what to do with it. I put it around my neck and tied it like a cape. People started snickering, some hiding their laugh.
"Like this?" as I made Patrick turn to me. But he didn't look pleased.
"Your eyes. Cover your eyes, genius" he replied angrily as he smirked afterwards.
My eyes?
I did what he asked and put it on as a blindfold, totally blocking my vision. And the second I put it on I hear the doors open. Whatever their secret is, they don't want me identifying it. Footsteps and whispers are all I can hear as Patrick grabs a hold of me and runs continuously.
"I promise I'll explain everything, once we go somewhere safe," he reassured.
[Patrick]
He was really confused and didn't have any idea of what was about to occur. But still, he covered his vision and trusted me as I grabbed him by the arm and ran.
He took me by surprise when he said we were forgetting someone, at one moment I was hoping that maybe he managed to remember, remembered everything from the very beginning.
But it was just wishful thinking.
When I took notice of what was happening around me, I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw the announcement on my phone. I took a peek at the window where the problematic matter was after I read the new order.
- - Note / Text - -
DANGER!
This is not a drill!
Load yourselves, soldiers!
First group: Evacuate to the arsenal immediately. Make sure to load the planes and defend them.
Second group: Prepare your weapons and proceed to the main entrance. We are expecting unwelcome guests.
Third group: Secure the perimeter inside. Erase any visible threat.
Use the transmitter for further instructions and prioritize the safety of 1-227.
The Special Class: secure the last crux and advance to the underground basement.
- - End - -
These were some of the instructions that were given out to everyone.
If you are wondering, this is not any ordinary high school. This is a secret military base, or should I say a huge civilization on an unregistered island.
All of the establishments here are fake. The malls, schools, shops, movie theaters, everything. Which I think went too far, even his parent are robots that are programmed to take care of all of his needs.
That has only one purpose: To protect an experiment, the last crux, Noel.
There were a lot of them before but only one remained and is now being protected by some organization that wants to wipe them all out.
What did they ever do to deserve such harsh treatment?
I wish I didn't know the answer to that, but nothing can change how I view him whilst knowing their perspective.
And that is, he is someone worth protecting.
Not long, we finally arrived.
Generals, scientists, and other soldiers who I think are too astounded by the current situation, or so I think are scattered everywhere in the lobby.
"Why did you stop?" he whispers.
"I'm just finding a place to sit, " I replied, leading the way to a corner where I saw a stool. There he sat as I saw my Commander walking up to me.
"Do you need anything?" I asked Noel.
"Water," he replied.
"I'll go get you some" just to earn a reason why I'll have to leave him for a minute as I took off and spoke with the Commander.
"Go and help the second group, I'll take care of him nowー," my superior said other things but I didn't bother to pay attention anymore.
I spoke in the transmitter where everyone is connected and can freely communicate with each other.
"General, I'd like your permission to guard the cruxー," I say, as my commander tries to stop me.
"He considers me as his best friend and recognizes me better than anyone here. I'm also a high-ranked soldier now so please let me do this job" I continued.
There was a short silence before the General could reply.
"You now have my permission, but do keep in mind that if something happens to him you will fully take the punishments that will follow," the General replied.
My Commander let go of my hand and took off when he heard that I got the permission.
As soon as I finished agreeing to the terms, I went back to Noel holding a cup of water and led him to a corner that had a bed that was surrounded by curtains.
No one could see us and we won't be able to see anyone.
"You didn't even take your blindfold off?" I said smirking as he took it off hesitantly when I gave him permission to.
"Well, you told me not to," he said.
"Did I?" I asked as I gave the cup to him as I wondered if I did. Although I'm sure I never told him that, I just let it go.
"I heard gunshots and screams, do you mind explaining something?" he said.
They did say not to spill out classified information that's too risky to share with him but to answer any questions within the scope of not spilling everything.
"I'm sorry," that's all that came out of my mouth even if I told him that I'd tell him the truth. And he read the room as he kept silent and just drank the water.
I do want to fill him in on the information he lacks, but I'm afraid that would be restricted.
Gunshots, footsteps, and screams. We can hear it clearly from where we are sitting.
He looks so calm and composed, sometimes I wonder, can I even do that if I were in his shoes?
New orders were given to me: Load the guns, get more supplies, or do patrols. It went like this for a couple of days. And sometimes I would answer his questions if it's not private ones when he asks me.
[Noel]
It's been days since I was here. I don't even know exactly where, but I'm safe at least and am eating three times a day.
Footsteps everywhere, dying screams, and nonstop gunshots. I've been left alone in the dark from the very beginning, but I got used to it pretty fast.
Sitting still in a bed surrounded by curtains, I was always left clueless and unarmed.
Everything was like a repetition of yesterday, until today. I think I might go crazy, not having the answers to a load of questions that I ask myself.
I always try and squeeze any piece of information I can get, even if it's just a simple one from Patrick when he gets back from what he does outside the curtains.
* * start * *
"What's this place?" I asked.
"We are in the school infirmary" answers Patrick.
"Oh good. Can you get me some headache medicines? My head hurts. Overthinking, I guess" as I tried to make lame excuses. Even though deep down I knew that an infirmary normally isn't located underground.
He couldn't do anything and got me the medicines. I always take a peek at what the outside looks like, but this time I can feel that he opened up the curtain more than before. Then he glanced at me and smirked.
I saw a couple of soldiers armed with guns, people in lab coats discussing something, and types of equipment that were out of my knowledge.
Surely we aren't just in an ordinary infirmary. Maybe a hospital or a laboratory is my guess.
I want answers.
Then the next day I asked again.
"When are we getting out of here?" I tried thinking of something that wasn't too private.
"I'm not sure, but maybe when this rain stops," he answered.
I think he's getting a clue of what I'm doing, and he plays right along without making anyone suspicious of our conversations.
It's still pouring outside and those green fluids must be bad news. I did think that it was weird for the rain to be that color.
* * end * *
Then today, he said goodbye to me like it'll be his last. Handing me a hot loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter, my favorite.
"Take care. And don't let anyone push you around anymore, I'll see you again" he said looking so worried, not about himself but me. When I saw him about to succumb to his emotions, I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him in for a tight hug which he returned just as warmly.
"Good luck," I smiled and waved my hand after. As he went out, I didn't bother to peep outside and just ate as my portions had gradually decreased in the previous days.
I don't even have the appetite to eat but after a few hours, my stomach started to punch me.
I heard growls and screams, not from a human being but something ferocious, like a beast. Although I knew that those things were far from where I was, my legs started to tap the floor continuously.
My stomach kept growling as I took my next bite where unexpectedly, there was a paper that I luckily didn't chew yet.
- - - - -
I don't want to lie anymore.
There's something under your bed.
Please stay alive.
- - - - -
I threw the food away and impatiently went on my knees and took a peek under the bed, just like the note said. I saw two items: a gun and a small black round thingy. I took both and sat back on the bed.
I played around the round thingy and accidentally turned it on.
"Squad one is down. I repeat. Squad one is down"
"Pull back. Pull back. There are too many of them"
I was so stunned and almost threw the thing away when I started to hear some voices, hearing everyone scream at the last words they delivered.
I understood immediately that it was a tool to communicate with others and put it in my right ear as I gritted my teeth and checked the gun.
Six bullets.
I was about to step outside the curtains when I heard Patrick's voice.
"The last plane is secure. My squad is already in there and got trapped because of the number of unOrdinary lurking outside. Permission to engage General," I hear him say catching his breath and loading his gun.
And after hearing all that, I know this is something serious.
I'm not sure why they're hiding this kind of information from me. Are they trying to protect me? Or trying to hide everything so I won't leak out anything from anyone.
* * start * *
"I could've protected her!" I see myself yelling.
I was alone in the bathroom, looking at the mirror, and smashing the things I saw everywhere.
"I could've done something," Blood rushed out of the wound that I got from punching the mirror.
"Anything," I saw my tears were starting to appear but they didn't fall as I looked at myself in the broken mirror.
* * end * *
I somehow feel guilty about something. A nostalgic feeling, that I can't quite recall.
But I'll put it aside for now.
"Just stay put, I'm sure you're injured pretty badly," I said in the thingy when I figured out how these things worked. I remembered the soldiers holding their ears while they were running from the very first day when this all happened.
I couldn't hold back anymore and stepped out of the curtain. Someone pointed his gun at me and I did the same at him.
"He has a gun," the soldier's eyes were focused on the gun as his eyes were bewildered probably wondering where I got it from.
I recognize him. He's a classmate.
It's Janus.
"I'll kill myself," I said changing the direction of my gun, pointing it at my head with confidence when the first option of my theory earlier matched his actions.
He lowered his gun and took a stance, trying to convince me to drop my weapon.
I only know that I'm important and they're trying so desperately to protect me if they want me out of anything dangerous as I heard an order to cease fire regarding me.
I heard people scream and announce their situations on the transmitter but I didn't care, all I want is to help my friends in their situation.
"Don't be an idiot! Where did you get that gun?" I hear someone say in a big deep voice which sounds like a woman.
My head started to ache as my other hand started to rub it to ease the pain. I've heard that voice before and my head keeps aching when I try to recall where I've heard her before.
"I want to help," I simply declared without a plan.
Looking at the soldier in front of me, he changes his weapon into something I don't recognize. Until I saw a liquid inside the bullet, I was positive that it had some drug in it.
I didn't hesitate and pulled the trigger on his right foot. Leading him to kneel and scream as his blood floods the floor.
My hands shivered from the recoil as I took several deep breaths to calm my nerves and forced myself to walk towards him.
I took the drug and on close inspection, it's just as I suspected: a drug that puts you to sleep when it instantly sinks in your skin. I dropped it and broken pieces of glass scattered on the floor.
Even I was shocked by how I was able to tell what it was. But that didn't really matter right now.
"That won't work anymore, give me what I want," I demanded loading my gun and pointing it back on my head, as I saw a camera looking at me.
I smiled.
"You win. But only on one condition," the woman gave a deep and irritated sigh as she let those words go.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Whatever happens, live," I couldn't take my eyes off of the camera when I heard that condition.