"You have to run, Hyacinth! You have to live. You have to survive, even if it means giving up my life for you… I don't have any regrets. So smile for me…" Tears filled my eyes as I stared back at the bloodied Theodore.
"No! How could you say that? I'm not leaving you, Theo." My mind was in scramble thinking of ways how we could both survive. My hands were covered with his blood. They keep on shaking as I try to put pressure on his wound.
"We should go. You'll get killed if we stay here longer." A strong hand pulled me away from Theo. I tried to get away from that person. There should be a way to save Theodore. If only I hadn't given away the medallion! I have to get it back. It the only way! I thought to myself. My whole body is shaking, I couldn't think straight.
***
"Miss! Miss, wake up!" I groaned as I blinked myself awake.
"It's dark…" I murmured.
"Yeah. We must've passed out for a couple of hours." Lucas said as he stood up. "Where's the crew?! Aren't they looking for me?" He added irritated. I stood up, checking if I sprained myself. I sigh of relief escaped my mouth confirming that I'm still in one piece.
"That's quite a fall. At least 15-20 feet," I commented as I look up at the small cliff we fell into. "We can try climbing it up."
"If you didn't pulled me, we wouldn't be in this situation." Lucas shot back. The nerve of this guy to pin this on me! Does he think I wanted this to happen? There's no use explaining this to him. I just rolled my eyes at him, "I tripped. It's not as if I wanted to be stuck with you here."
"Unbelievable," he muttered under his breath. He was about to say something else when we were startled by a group of people that suddenly surrounded us.
"They must be the ones our Lord warned us about!" One man said.
"Look at that man, he has an unusual hair. It's suspicious." Added another one. His hair? I glanced at Lucas. "What's wrong with your hair?" I asked him quietly.
"How should I know?" Lucas answered me before turning his attention to the man at front that appears to be the leader. "Alright, is this some kind of a prank?" He asked.
"A what? Do you think we're kidding here?" The displease in the leader's voice eminent.
"Look, I don't know what you guys are planning but—" Lucas was cut off by a sword on his throat. "Whoa! Are you still in character? Are we filming right now?" He scoffed. "I know these are props, but it's still uncomfortable having this sword pointing at me." He swatted the sword, only for the leader to held it against his throat aggressively this time. I felt Lucas tensed up. Blood?! I gasped as I saw blood trickling down his throat. The sword is not a prop? How are they allowed to use real ones?
"Do you perhaps know someone by the name of Hyacinth June?" The leader asked in an intimidating voice. A cold breeze ran into my spine.
"We don't know anyone by that name." Lucas firmly said. The leader focused his gaze at me.
"Are you Hyacinth June?"
"N-no. I… I don't know that name." I can hear my own heart beating. I wonder if the leader could hear it too as he eyes me carefully.
"Commander Argus! We found a suspicious woman hiding in the nearby bush!" One of his people appeared dragging a screeching woman.
"You got it wrong! I'm not the one you're looking for! Please!" The woman begged. Commander Argus turned his attention to the woman. "I'm just a run away! This is all a mistake! Please! I'm not the one you're looking for!" The woman continues.
"Do you know Hyacinth June?" Commander Argus asked the woman. She hesitated before nodding her head. "According to our Lord, Hyacinth June has a long hair past her waist. Which coincidentally you also have…" the woman started to whimper more as she tries to escape the men holding her down. Like watching a movie coming to its climax, I couldn't turn away from the scene in front of me.
"Please, I'm not her! I only know her name but I am not Hyacinth June!" The woman begged as the commander walk slowly towards her as if she was some prey trapped in his claws.
"You may not be her, but I'm not taking any chances." Commander Argus said as he struck his sword towards the woman's chest. I covered my mouth with both hands to suppress the scream that tried to emerge as blood gushed out of the woman's chest before she completely collapsed on the dirt. Dark red liquid pooling around her corpse, her eyes staring lifelessly at me. The sight and the smell of blood overwhelms me. I feel like throwing up. I want to throw up. I could taste the bile forming up my throat, threatening to escape my mouth at any second. My eyes still fixed on the dead woman's eyes. She's really gone, isn't she? Oh god! What the hell happened?! I couldn't hold it any longer, I crouched down to empty everything that was in my mouth. Commander Argus chuckled.
"Seems like this is your first time seeing someone being killed." As if my throwing up convinced him that we don't have anything to do with Hyacinth June, he instructed his men to retreat.
"You should be careful. Do not associate yourselves with someone with the name Hyacinth June— or you will end up like her." He pointed nonchalantly at the woman on the dirt. "Let's go!" He commanded as they leave me and Lucas alone in the dark forest.
"Hey, are you okay?" Lucas came to my side, handing me his handkerchief.
"Yes…no," I murmured. I squeezed my eyes shut but the scene from earlier seems to be engraved behind my lids. I opened them only to be met once again by the gruesome scene in front of me. "Shit!" I exclaimed as the severity of the situation dawned on me.
"Get up. We should keep moving," Lucas asissted me to get on my feet. His hand felt cold.
"She's dead isn't she, Lucas?" I asked.
"Yes— I don't know! I don't know what the fuck is going on. We have to find the crew." He said trying to compose himself as well. I followed him throughout the forest until we found a spot where we could get a sleep for the night.
***
I didn't know you smoke," I commented as he lights his cigarette.
"I don't usually but now's the best time for one." He chuckled as he keep the embers of the firepit going. "Do you need one?" He offered.
"No thank you," I say.
"Once the sun is up we should get out of this forest. We might run into those men again if we stay here any longer." I nodded in agreement. "What's your name?"
"Danielle,"
"You should try to get some sleep, Danielle."
"Okay… how about you?"
"Yeah, after this." He raised his hand holding the cigarette. I closed my eyes praying that all of these were just a dream. A nightmare.
Waking up in the same position as I slept in last night, Lucas and I started our way out of the forest. We've been walking side by side silently for about an hour, an hour and a half by now. I can't stand the silence any longer.
"Do you think this is part of your series' promotion?" I asked reluctantly.
"Guess so. Maybe the woman last night was an actress," he answered. But the blood... the blood was too much. Was that part of the set-up? I couldn't ask him this directly. No matter how much I try to make myself believe that what happened last night was part of a grand prank by the crew, I know deep inside that it was not a joke. I'll be gaslighting myself if I do that. I thought.
"Hey, you should put on your wig."
"It's too hot. My head will overheat if I put it on." Lucas was getting irritated. We've been walking aimlessly since last night so I'll give him a pass.
"I know but didn't you hear one of Commander Argus' men said? Your have an odd hair. Cover it up or we'll be in danger again." I shot back at him.
"He said 'unusual' not odd," he said as he fixes his wig.
"Potayto-Potahto." I utter mockingly. I turn around to be met by my bias, "Theodore!" I squeal. He stopped on his tracks, annoyance on his face. I caught my breath by the sight of him. The sunlight grazes his face lovingly, as if he was made by the sunlight itself. "Wow..." I mumbled. I was completely entranced by this man. I have to capture this moment! I thought as I struggle to get a photo of him.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Lucas without his wig said.
"Oh... I was trying to get a photo of Theodore. He looked so divine under the sunlight." I shyly said.
"And I don't look divine under the sun?" he spat out vexingly.
"Well... it's not the same without the wig." Lucas let out an absurd laugh at my answer.
"Are you saying that I don't look good to you if I'm not Theodore?" his eyes squinting.
"I'm just saying... that I like Theodore for a reason." I walk past him after saying that. I have a feeling that he'll be offended had I told him I like his character better. After walking a few more minutes, we were out of the forest and there's a small village ahead of us. "Finally!" I exclaimed. Lucas grabbed my arm before I even run towards the village.
"Wait!" he said as he pulled me back into the forest. "Let's not be hasty. I have a feeling that something's gonna go wrong, we have to be careful." he's back being Theodore as he finished his sentence. Furrowing his brows, he added, "Stop looking at me weirdly! You're going to mess up if you don't stop that!"
"Yes," I was trying to manage my erratic heart as he held my hand going outside the forest. My bias is holding my hand! I'm trying so hard not to trip as I cannot focus on walking.
He was still holding my hand as we enter the village. Everything in the village looks... old. Every structure looks outdated, the people's clothes, the hairstyles, and even their faces. Everywhere she look seems unreal. It reminded her of something.
"This looks like the set from the opening scene of Moon Flower." I turned to Theodore. Even him was looking around with a concerned look.
"You're right. But could the crew built this set overnight? It doesn't make any sense." he let go of my hand as he walks towards the village. "This is not funny! Come out now, all of you!" he shouted. Every eyes of the villagers turned at him, silence fell around us.
"Director Lee! You can cut the cameras now! The scene from last night was enough for the promotion of the show!"
"Shelly! I need my makeup to be retouched!"
"Manager Bing! I need my iced coffee!"
Theodore continues to shout. The villagers are starting to murmur to themselves. I can feel every eyes on me as well, I'm starting to sweat. We have to get out of here! I thought as I struggle to run towards Theodore.
"Theodore, stop." I whispered to him.
"This is getting ridiculous. Are they really trying to push this through? This prank has done enough. They even involved someone like you. Do you know how pale you looked like last night?" I know Theodore's getting infuriated by the tone of his voice. I couldn't look at him. We have to get out here. I have to get out here. Holding the sleeve of his coat, I tugged him away from the forming crowd. I could feel my knees weakening. My breath is starting to shallow. I'm feeling lightheaded. Once we were out of the prying eyes of the crowd, I started to breathe normally. I composed myself before speaking what's on my mind.
"You look pale again," he commented before I even start talking.
"I'm fine. I just hate crowds." Shaking my head, "Theodore... I think it's real."
"What do you mean?" before I could answer him, a kid bumped into me hard that I took a knee. Theodore tried going after the kid when I called him back. Lifting my skirt up to my knee, I see red. I took sharp intake of breath as I see the scrape that I got.
"That's not good. Do you still have my handkerchief?" he asked me. I fished out a piece of cloth that I have inside my pocket. Theodore carefully used it to wrapped my knee– I blushed as I feel like the female lead of his. A small smile escaped my lips that wasn't gone unnoticed by him.
"Stop smiling," he scold. I nodded as I thank him.
"We should go after the kid," I told Theodore. One of his brows shot up.
"Don't you think he'll be long gone by now?"
"Let's just go where he went. I have a feeling we'll catch up to him." I insisted to which he just sighed and supported me back up.
"Thank you," I said once more.
Ah, my knee hurts. I took a bad fall earlier. I tried to ignore the seething pain coming from my leg.
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to catch you earlier," Theodore said noticing my pain.
"It's okay. I didn't expect to be pushed down that hard by a kid." I laughed it off. It's hard not to feel giddy when he shows concern like that. Suppressing a smile, I tried looking for the kid that was the cause of my pain. "That's him!" I pointed not far from where we were standing. The kid was playing with something on his hand, it was rectangular in shape. I gasped out loud.
"He's got my phone!" I immediately checked my pocket where I keep my phone, and it was gone.
"That punk! Hey, kid!" the kid startled by Theodore's voice, start running away again. He was about to cross the narrow road when a speeding carriage ram into the him. He was about to be crushed by the horses, hadn't been for Theodore carrying him away from the spot. I held my breath as I thought I would be witnessing another blood bath.
"Theodore!" I shouted as I dart towards him ignoring the pain that I have. "Oh gosh, are you okay? D-did you get hurt?" I asked him hurriedly.
"I'm fine, but this kid..." the kid in his embrace was unconscious, he was not bleeding but from what I witnessed, he landed on his back pretty bad.
"There's no blood but he might've hurt his head badly. Put him down carefully," I instructed Theodore. I don't have any knowledge about first aid, but I'm sure it's a bad sign that he's not bleeding especially after that fall. "He might have a concussion." I added.
A roaring voice behind us made us look back. A raging, stout middle-aged man alight the carriage, angrily pointing his finger at us.
"What kind of imbeciles dare to stop my carriage, huh?!" the man was so red in the face that he resembles a tomato. I could see the veins on his head and neck trying not to burst out. "Do you want your eyes to be plucked out? You dare to look at me like that?!" aiming his finger only at Theodore this time.
"You ram your carriage into this child," the suppressed anger in Theodore's voice is palpable. I gulped seeing how hard he clenched his jaw.
"Ha! It was that peasant child's fault! If he was not a moron, he would not be standing in the middle of the road!" taunted the angry, stout man.
"You were driving too fast in a narrow road! Anyone who has a common sense knows it is not safe to drive that fast!" I couldn't stand the brazen attitude of the man. He was the one at fault, but he has the audacity to put the blame of his action to the kid unconsciously laying on the dirt. I could feel the angry tears forming in my eyes.
"Ha! How dare you shout at me, you wench! Do you want to be whipped?!"
"You don't want to do that," Theodore warned as he rise up. Seeing how tall he is, the angry, stout middle-aged man, was lost for words. Never in his life was he humiliated in public not once, but twice. People were starting to gather around more. "For someone who prides themself as a nobleman, what you're doing is not noble like." Theodore added. Gulping and sensing the ominous aura he was emitting, the nobleman took a step back and had no choice but to let go of the situation.
"Let's go! We've wasted enough time here." He instructed his knights as he got in his carriage.
Closing my eyes hard and letting out the breath I didn't know I was holding in, I slowly opened them to be met with Theodore's eyes. This scene... this place... this dialogue... it's exactly like the second half of the first episode from Moon Flower.