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GAME OF EXITS CHAPTER 23: KRIZ'S CHOICE
6:07
“She’s awake.”
“Oh. Thank God….”
“How is she?”
Mabel’s vision regains focus and sees worried faces huddled around her. She slowly gets up and sits on the edge of the soft white bed that Jeric has created for her. “W-where are we?”
“On the other side,” answers Shaira who’s sitting beside her. “How do you feel? Are you okay?” Shaira moves closer to Mabel and whispers to her ears. “I hate to tell you this, but I think you have to thank Jeric for this… comfortable thing….”
“Oh.” Mabel looks at Jeric with a grateful smile. “Thanks.”
“I don’t know what to say….” Jeric mumbles.
“Where’s my backpack?”
“Right here,” Jennifer says, showing Mabel her backpack.
“Thanks for saving us all,” Kriz tells Mabel. “That was splendid. You keep on surprising me…. But of course, we also have to thank Cristina.”
Cristina smiles with utmost pride. “Don’t mention it. Glad to help.”
“And… Ryan for the bridge.”
Jeric clears his throat.
“And… of course… Jeric, for safely driving us all here. Everyone helped, actually….”
“Except me, I think….” Vincent mutters.
“Stop talking nonsense, okay?” Joshua inaudibly tells Vincent. “You’ve done a lot.”
Not long, Mabel notices a towering wall just about ten meters away, which looks similar to the wall marking the start of the open field.
“See that steel door right there?” Kriz asks Mabel. That must be the entrance. “But we can’t pass through it right now.”
“Why?” Mabel finally stands up and then walks toward the three-meter high door. At its center, she sees glowing red numbers like those of a timer. All other players gather at the door and look at the numbers, too.
30 061…
30 060…
30 059…
30 058…
“No one can destroy this door,” Joshua tells Mabel. “We’ve all tried. Even Vincent can’t make it lighter. I think the door will open if the time runs out.”
“I think the door will explode when the time runs out,” Jeric tells Joshua. “Didn’t you consider that as a possibility?”
“It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Says who? You?”
“It just… doesn’t feel right. Also, we don’t have other choice but to wait out here. The wall is insanely high… and dangerous.”
“Whatever, genius. What time will it open, then?”
“Based on my calculations… 2:30 am.”
“So you’re saying that we shouldn’t go to sleep? Oh boy. I love this freakin’ game.”
“You can go to sleep if you want. Just wake up when it’s almost time.”
“I’m not an alarm clock. Why are there restrictions like this? Being here first doesn’t mean anything if others can just catch up. Stupid rules.”
“Just like you,” Shaira murmurs, rolling her eyes. “Exactly just like you….”
“Mabel, can you get us some water from the stream?” Jeric asks. “We all need to drink, but I can’t create water and some other things. Just do your water bending trick. We’ll just sterilize it. Fire is not a problem for Aeron….”
“But it will make her weak,” Kriz protests.
“It’s okay. I can do that,” Mabel says. “Simply getting water won’t tax much of my energy.”
11: 57
The players indulged themselves in eating as much apples as they could and in drinking as much water as they needed. At the moment, twelve beds and numerous kerosene lamps litter the place near the steel door. Some of the players have already crossed the threshold of dreamland while the others are getting a hard time to sleep. Shaira quietly walks toward Mabel and lies beside her.
“We shouldn’t sleep, you know,” Shaira whispers. “Sleeping is good, but not this time.”
“Huh?” Mabel whispers back.
“Remember the scary rule? At the end of every day, the last in rank will die. At 6:00am. I think they’re not asleep. They’re just faking it. Just like what we’re doing right now.” Shaira lifts her head a little and quickly scans the place. “Look! Ryan is still up. He volunteered to protect us while we sleep, and he’s really doing it right now.”
“And then?”
Shaira lies on her side so that she’s facing Mabel while they whisper to each other. “You still don’t get it? He’s not going to hurt us, I think, but he’s not planning to wake up the sleepyheads, either. If we all race and go crazy just before six, things will get really ugly.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“The plan? Just don’t sleep. As simple as that. Jeric provided us with these… comfortable beddings for us to nod off. That sly fox.”
“Oh. I actually thought he was just… kind to us.”
“Stop it, okay? He’s not kind at all! Trust me. And… of course, that Cristina near Jeric is sly, too. I’m certain she’s awake. You think the door will stay open after it lets us through? Think about it.”
“Hmmm…. Maybe we should tell Kriz about this… or Joshua… or Vincent… or….”
“Seriously? Did you even listen to me? Don’t get me wrong. I like them but this is exactly the time to be selfish.”
“Thanks. Because you’re not selfish enough. What did I do to win your favor?”
“Nothing. I just like you. I don’t know…. Maybe I’d like to be your friend….”
“Thanks.”
“Okay, we’ll wake up Vincent and his best friend just in case….”
“I thought—”
“I still like that dumb one.”
“Oh. I guess first love never dies…. And you’re good at hiding your feelings.”
“He’s not my first love.”
“Oh…. Okay. By the way, I’m your friend from now on. You can count on me.”
Shaira lies on her back and stares at the glittering sky. “Just look at the stars…. They’re wonderful. The night here looks normal. And it’s not that cold out here….”
5:48
Morning lights are announcing their presence. Kriz opens her eyes, checks her watch, and bolts toward the steel door.
612…
611…
610…
“What’s happening?” Kriz mumbles. Panic starts cloaking her body as she realizes that almost everyone are gone. “How did I oversleep? How? I’m sure I tried my best not to sleep…. And I thought this door would open at 2:30? What is… happening?” It suddenly dawns on Kriz that the door indeed opened at 2:30, closed afterwards, and then its timer reset. “Oh my God, it’s almost six.” Kriz checks her watch once more, showing her that she’s rank 10. Since three are already dead, rank 12 should be the last rank. This makes her conclude that two other players are still under their sheets. Given the facts, Kriz thinks that her best chance to survive is to stay quiet at the door and let the two players sleep. The plan looks promising, until Aeron jumps out of his bed as if he sensed something life-threatening. In no time, he’s banging furiously against the door, realizing the problem he’s in.
“Why did they leave us! Traitors!” Aeron yells. “TRAITORS!”
“I understand them. If they wake us up and race against them, the competition will be great. They’re just being logical.”
“So this is okay to you.”
“No. I didn’t say that. Maybe, it’s our fault. We overslept. But I think… just maybe… someone has done some dirty tricks on us. I’m sure I tried my best not to sleep….”
“I don’t care. I will get even. Mark my words. They will pay for this!”
“Maybe we can survive this if you keep your voice low. We’re not last in rank. Someone is still sleeping. You know who’s under one of those sheets?”
“No…. I can’t remember.”
“It’s 5:51. All we have to do is to stay calm. I think the door will open at six.”
“Okay.”
5:57
Johnrey jumps out of bed, checks his watch, and quickly realizes how dire the situation is.
“Just stay there!” Aeron shouts to Johnrey. “Don’t come any closer!”
“No. Please!” Johnrey pleads. “We’ve been through a lot! That lady should be the last in rank.”
“No,” Kriz tells Aeron. “If you kill me, you’ll fight against each other afterwards. If you win, 24 hours will be deducted from your time for killing the both of us…. Think. And don’t ask me to switch places with him. Not gonna happen…. And don’t touch me. I can make you sick.”
“Stop lying, okay? Your desperation is making you funny….”
“I’m not kidding. Don’t you dare touch me!”
Johnrey steps closer to the door, trembling in fear.
“One more step and I’ll burn you down,” Aeron warns. He wants to save Johnrey and ditch Kriz, but Kriz’s logic is ironclad. He’s simply running out of options….
Johnrey breathes heavily as he stares at the two. Then, he cracks the silence with his daunting threat. “Aeron, if you don’t help me, I’ll create a tornado to blow you away. The two of you!” Johnrey points his palm at the two. “I’m not kidding!”
“You can’t kill us!” Kriz says. “If we die, you’ll still be the last in rank.”
“Who told you I will kill the both of you? I’ll just knock you down.”
“Oh my God,” Kriz mumbles as she realizes another possibility. “Johnrey can just drag them away from the door after he…. This is not good….”
“Goodbye to you,” Johnrey says.
“I’m sorry but I still have one last card to play,” Kriz says. Suddenly, green smoke emanates from her hands. It quickly creeps on the ground and finds its way into Johnrey’s nose and mouth. Seconds later, Johnrey falls off his feet, writhing and screaming in intense stomach pain.
“What did you do?” Aeron asks, threatened by Kriz’s presence. “WHAT DID YOU DO!?”
“I’ve told you this already. I can make someone sick. My power is ‘health control’, and I’m not just a miracle doctor you think I am. But don’t worry. I won’t use my power on you. I don’t want to be the last in rank.”
“How can I be sure that you’ll not use your power on me after this?”
“I won’t.”
“Liar!”
“I actually can’t! I can use my smoke once a day only. Once a day…. I’m telling the truth.”
“Okay. But don’t move a muscle,” Aeron warns Kriz, his palm pointing directly at her head. “I won’t hesitate to blast your head off the moment you move. Then let me see if your body can recover….”
“What are you doing?” Kriz asks.
“If Johnrey dies before six, you will be the last in rank.” Aeron checks his watch to double check his status. “Just stay where you are….”
Aeron’s words terrify Kriz. She realizes that, this time, the logic is truly against her. Kriz checks her watch: 5:59. Johnrey is still screaming in pain, convulsing and sweating all over. If she moves, Aeron will shoot her. If Johnrey dies before six, she’ll die next for being the last in rank. Worse, she has already used her green smoke. If Johnrey survives until six, Johnrey will be the last in rank and she’s safe. Kriz can’t bear the pain of watching someone’s life waning away because of her. Guilt envelops her body as Johnrey screams at the top of his voice while greenish muddle of puke and saliva spurts out of his mouth as his sweaty face presses against the blades of grass. Kriz screams in anguish as tears flow down her cheeks. She abhors seeing someone dying, but then she finds herself standing before a terrible sight. She has tried her best to save everyone, but she’s now watching the poor victim of the wicked side of her power, writhing in excruciating pain.
“You’re gonna pay for this!” Aeron tells Kriz. “THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU’RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS!” Aeron rarely shows pity, but he finds himself bursting out in tears as he looks at Johnrey’s misery. Suddenly, Johnrey’s body turns into ice, and the steel door swings open at the same time. Silence quickly descends on the place….
Since the curse of being the last in rank is finally lifted, Aeron bolts toward Johnrey’s ice body and wails while embracing it. Kriz tearfully approaches Aeron and tells him how sorry she is. Aeron stands up and walks toward the entrance. Without looking at Kriz, he utters a heavy threat. “You will pay for this.”
Confusion and desperation take over Kriz’s mind once again.
“Will Aeron blast my head off?” Kriz thinks. “What did he mean by that? What will he do?” Kriz checks her watch, and it shows that 12 hours have been deducted to her time since she indirectly killed Johnrey. Aeron’s words keep on ringing in her mind, giving her unexplainable dread. She suddenly remembers the rule that a day starts and ends at 6:00am. Then, something snaps and Kriz runs after Aeron. “Aeron wait! I have to tell you something.”
Aeron halts without turning around. “What?”
“I want you to know that I didn’t lie to you. I can use my smoke only once a day.”
“And then?”
“This is another day. And I won’t give you the chance to make this day my last.”
“What are you talking about?”
Green smoke comes out of Kriz’s hand and quickly enters Aeron’s nose and mouth, giving him the shock he has never experienced before….
“I’m so sorry. But I still want to live and see my brother….
“She’s awake.”
“Oh. Thank God….”
“How is she?”
Mabel’s vision regains focus and sees worried faces huddled around her. She slowly gets up and sits on the edge of the soft white bed that Jeric has created for her. “W-where are we?”
“On the other side,” answers Shaira who’s sitting beside her. “How do you feel? Are you okay?” Shaira moves closer to Mabel and whispers to her ears. “I hate to tell you this, but I think you have to thank Jeric for this… comfortable thing….”
“Oh.” Mabel looks at Jeric with a grateful smile. “Thanks.”
“I don’t know what to say….” Jeric mumbles.
“Where’s my backpack?”
“Right here,” Jennifer says, showing Mabel her backpack.
“Thanks for saving us all,” Kriz tells Mabel. “That was splendid. You keep on surprising me…. But of course, we also have to thank Cristina.”
Cristina smiles with utmost pride. “Don’t mention it. Glad to help.”
“And… Ryan for the bridge.”
Jeric clears his throat.
“And… of course… Jeric, for safely driving us all here. Everyone helped, actually….”
“Except me, I think….” Vincent mutters.
“Stop talking nonsense, okay?” Joshua inaudibly tells Vincent. “You’ve done a lot.”
Not long, Mabel notices a towering wall just about ten meters away, which looks similar to the wall marking the start of the open field.
“See that steel door right there?” Kriz asks Mabel. That must be the entrance. “But we can’t pass through it right now.”
“Why?” Mabel finally stands up and then walks toward the three-meter high door. At its center, she sees glowing red numbers like those of a timer. All other players gather at the door and look at the numbers, too.
30 061…
30 060…
30 059…
30 058…
“No one can destroy this door,” Joshua tells Mabel. “We’ve all tried. Even Vincent can’t make it lighter. I think the door will open if the time runs out.”
“I think the door will explode when the time runs out,” Jeric tells Joshua. “Didn’t you consider that as a possibility?”
“It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Says who? You?”
“It just… doesn’t feel right. Also, we don’t have other choice but to wait out here. The wall is insanely high… and dangerous.”
“Whatever, genius. What time will it open, then?”
“Based on my calculations… 2:30 am.”
“So you’re saying that we shouldn’t go to sleep? Oh boy. I love this freakin’ game.”
“You can go to sleep if you want. Just wake up when it’s almost time.”
“I’m not an alarm clock. Why are there restrictions like this? Being here first doesn’t mean anything if others can just catch up. Stupid rules.”
“Just like you,” Shaira murmurs, rolling her eyes. “Exactly just like you….”
“Mabel, can you get us some water from the stream?” Jeric asks. “We all need to drink, but I can’t create water and some other things. Just do your water bending trick. We’ll just sterilize it. Fire is not a problem for Aeron….”
“But it will make her weak,” Kriz protests.
“It’s okay. I can do that,” Mabel says. “Simply getting water won’t tax much of my energy.”
11: 57
The players indulged themselves in eating as much apples as they could and in drinking as much water as they needed. At the moment, twelve beds and numerous kerosene lamps litter the place near the steel door. Some of the players have already crossed the threshold of dreamland while the others are getting a hard time to sleep. Shaira quietly walks toward Mabel and lies beside her.
“We shouldn’t sleep, you know,” Shaira whispers. “Sleeping is good, but not this time.”
“Huh?” Mabel whispers back.
“Remember the scary rule? At the end of every day, the last in rank will die. At 6:00am. I think they’re not asleep. They’re just faking it. Just like what we’re doing right now.” Shaira lifts her head a little and quickly scans the place. “Look! Ryan is still up. He volunteered to protect us while we sleep, and he’s really doing it right now.”
“And then?”
Shaira lies on her side so that she’s facing Mabel while they whisper to each other. “You still don’t get it? He’s not going to hurt us, I think, but he’s not planning to wake up the sleepyheads, either. If we all race and go crazy just before six, things will get really ugly.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“The plan? Just don’t sleep. As simple as that. Jeric provided us with these… comfortable beddings for us to nod off. That sly fox.”
“Oh. I actually thought he was just… kind to us.”
“Stop it, okay? He’s not kind at all! Trust me. And… of course, that Cristina near Jeric is sly, too. I’m certain she’s awake. You think the door will stay open after it lets us through? Think about it.”
“Hmmm…. Maybe we should tell Kriz about this… or Joshua… or Vincent… or….”
“Seriously? Did you even listen to me? Don’t get me wrong. I like them but this is exactly the time to be selfish.”
“Thanks. Because you’re not selfish enough. What did I do to win your favor?”
“Nothing. I just like you. I don’t know…. Maybe I’d like to be your friend….”
“Thanks.”
“Okay, we’ll wake up Vincent and his best friend just in case….”
“I thought—”
“I still like that dumb one.”
“Oh. I guess first love never dies…. And you’re good at hiding your feelings.”
“He’s not my first love.”
“Oh…. Okay. By the way, I’m your friend from now on. You can count on me.”
Shaira lies on her back and stares at the glittering sky. “Just look at the stars…. They’re wonderful. The night here looks normal. And it’s not that cold out here….”
5:48
Morning lights are announcing their presence. Kriz opens her eyes, checks her watch, and bolts toward the steel door.
612…
611…
610…
“What’s happening?” Kriz mumbles. Panic starts cloaking her body as she realizes that almost everyone are gone. “How did I oversleep? How? I’m sure I tried my best not to sleep…. And I thought this door would open at 2:30? What is… happening?” It suddenly dawns on Kriz that the door indeed opened at 2:30, closed afterwards, and then its timer reset. “Oh my God, it’s almost six.” Kriz checks her watch once more, showing her that she’s rank 10. Since three are already dead, rank 12 should be the last rank. This makes her conclude that two other players are still under their sheets. Given the facts, Kriz thinks that her best chance to survive is to stay quiet at the door and let the two players sleep. The plan looks promising, until Aeron jumps out of his bed as if he sensed something life-threatening. In no time, he’s banging furiously against the door, realizing the problem he’s in.
“Why did they leave us! Traitors!” Aeron yells. “TRAITORS!”
“I understand them. If they wake us up and race against them, the competition will be great. They’re just being logical.”
“So this is okay to you.”
“No. I didn’t say that. Maybe, it’s our fault. We overslept. But I think… just maybe… someone has done some dirty tricks on us. I’m sure I tried my best not to sleep….”
“I don’t care. I will get even. Mark my words. They will pay for this!”
“Maybe we can survive this if you keep your voice low. We’re not last in rank. Someone is still sleeping. You know who’s under one of those sheets?”
“No…. I can’t remember.”
“It’s 5:51. All we have to do is to stay calm. I think the door will open at six.”
“Okay.”
5:57
Johnrey jumps out of bed, checks his watch, and quickly realizes how dire the situation is.
“Just stay there!” Aeron shouts to Johnrey. “Don’t come any closer!”
“No. Please!” Johnrey pleads. “We’ve been through a lot! That lady should be the last in rank.”
“No,” Kriz tells Aeron. “If you kill me, you’ll fight against each other afterwards. If you win, 24 hours will be deducted from your time for killing the both of us…. Think. And don’t ask me to switch places with him. Not gonna happen…. And don’t touch me. I can make you sick.”
“Stop lying, okay? Your desperation is making you funny….”
“I’m not kidding. Don’t you dare touch me!”
Johnrey steps closer to the door, trembling in fear.
“One more step and I’ll burn you down,” Aeron warns. He wants to save Johnrey and ditch Kriz, but Kriz’s logic is ironclad. He’s simply running out of options….
Johnrey breathes heavily as he stares at the two. Then, he cracks the silence with his daunting threat. “Aeron, if you don’t help me, I’ll create a tornado to blow you away. The two of you!” Johnrey points his palm at the two. “I’m not kidding!”
“You can’t kill us!” Kriz says. “If we die, you’ll still be the last in rank.”
“Who told you I will kill the both of you? I’ll just knock you down.”
“Oh my God,” Kriz mumbles as she realizes another possibility. “Johnrey can just drag them away from the door after he…. This is not good….”
“Goodbye to you,” Johnrey says.
“I’m sorry but I still have one last card to play,” Kriz says. Suddenly, green smoke emanates from her hands. It quickly creeps on the ground and finds its way into Johnrey’s nose and mouth. Seconds later, Johnrey falls off his feet, writhing and screaming in intense stomach pain.
“What did you do?” Aeron asks, threatened by Kriz’s presence. “WHAT DID YOU DO!?”
“I’ve told you this already. I can make someone sick. My power is ‘health control’, and I’m not just a miracle doctor you think I am. But don’t worry. I won’t use my power on you. I don’t want to be the last in rank.”
“How can I be sure that you’ll not use your power on me after this?”
“I won’t.”
“Liar!”
“I actually can’t! I can use my smoke once a day only. Once a day…. I’m telling the truth.”
“Okay. But don’t move a muscle,” Aeron warns Kriz, his palm pointing directly at her head. “I won’t hesitate to blast your head off the moment you move. Then let me see if your body can recover….”
“What are you doing?” Kriz asks.
“If Johnrey dies before six, you will be the last in rank.” Aeron checks his watch to double check his status. “Just stay where you are….”
Aeron’s words terrify Kriz. She realizes that, this time, the logic is truly against her. Kriz checks her watch: 5:59. Johnrey is still screaming in pain, convulsing and sweating all over. If she moves, Aeron will shoot her. If Johnrey dies before six, she’ll die next for being the last in rank. Worse, she has already used her green smoke. If Johnrey survives until six, Johnrey will be the last in rank and she’s safe. Kriz can’t bear the pain of watching someone’s life waning away because of her. Guilt envelops her body as Johnrey screams at the top of his voice while greenish muddle of puke and saliva spurts out of his mouth as his sweaty face presses against the blades of grass. Kriz screams in anguish as tears flow down her cheeks. She abhors seeing someone dying, but then she finds herself standing before a terrible sight. She has tried her best to save everyone, but she’s now watching the poor victim of the wicked side of her power, writhing in excruciating pain.
“You’re gonna pay for this!” Aeron tells Kriz. “THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU’RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS!” Aeron rarely shows pity, but he finds himself bursting out in tears as he looks at Johnrey’s misery. Suddenly, Johnrey’s body turns into ice, and the steel door swings open at the same time. Silence quickly descends on the place….
Since the curse of being the last in rank is finally lifted, Aeron bolts toward Johnrey’s ice body and wails while embracing it. Kriz tearfully approaches Aeron and tells him how sorry she is. Aeron stands up and walks toward the entrance. Without looking at Kriz, he utters a heavy threat. “You will pay for this.”
Confusion and desperation take over Kriz’s mind once again.
“Will Aeron blast my head off?” Kriz thinks. “What did he mean by that? What will he do?” Kriz checks her watch, and it shows that 12 hours have been deducted to her time since she indirectly killed Johnrey. Aeron’s words keep on ringing in her mind, giving her unexplainable dread. She suddenly remembers the rule that a day starts and ends at 6:00am. Then, something snaps and Kriz runs after Aeron. “Aeron wait! I have to tell you something.”
Aeron halts without turning around. “What?”
“I want you to know that I didn’t lie to you. I can use my smoke only once a day.”
“And then?”
“This is another day. And I won’t give you the chance to make this day my last.”
“What are you talking about?”
Green smoke comes out of Kriz’s hand and quickly enters Aeron’s nose and mouth, giving him the shock he has never experienced before….
“I’m so sorry. But I still want to live and see my brother….
