Encoded

Chapter 51: Reunited

CHAIN

I don't know where I am but all I can say is it looks like a pent up hospital room. Like someone caused a scene and-

I looked up. This room's camera is broken. Who ever was in here found a way to break it without anyone being suspicious.

Napangiti ako nang ma-realize kung sino pa ba ang mayroong sapat na talino para magawa iyon.

"Mhorein..." I breathed in hope. She's not here but I know Im closer to her.

Lumapit ako sa kahoy na pinto, Nakaawang na ito kaya hindi na ako nahirapan. Siguro nakalabas na si Mhorein ng silid.

Sana nakalayo na siya. Sana wala na siya sa lugar na ito.

Pagbukas ko nang pinto bumungad sa akin ang isang normal ba hallway. Parang normal na bahay lang ito.

My eyebrows met with confusion. I realized that this building is compromised. It's specifically created for this very reason.

"Ano bang nagawa namin sa mga taong 'to at ang laki ng ginugol nilang pera at panahon para lang masaktan kami..." I whispered to myself.

I coughed cause of the smell of alcohol.

I stepped out of the room and entered another. This one is much dimmer and relaxing than the one behind me.

I looked around and saw someone surrounded by knives, stoves, pots and pans.

Dalawa sila.

The one with a tall and lean figure dressed in a black suit has their back against me. The wide upper back and muscled arms gave the impression that this person is a man. But I know the figure in front if them.

Si Mhorein.

I didn't see it at first but her hands were on this person's lower back. My eyebrows met with confusion, Confusion turned into a sharp pang in my chest. Are they kissing?

Before I jumped into conclusions I saw Mhoreins other hand slowly reach for a knife.

With one swift move, Mhorein slashed this person's face.

"Mhorein!" She faced me with relief and ran towards me.

"Let's go!" I held her hand and dragged her in a random direction.

"Alam mo ba kung saan tayo pupunta?" She asked.

"No. But we have to go."

We stopped infront of another set of stairs.

"God, Eto na naman..." I said panting.

Mhorein started to drag me up the stairs. A couple of steps in and I stopped moving.

"Mhor, Hindi na tayo pwedeng umakyat.", I gripped her hand tighter.

"Ano? Bakit?" She asked, Catching her breathe.

"We'll have a hard time escaping if we go higher." She stared at me.

"We have to go where ever this leads."

"No..." I said and gulped. It's that look in her eyes again. It's like she's begging me, At the same time she's disappointed that I won't do as much as she would.

"Mhor... Im sorry. We have to go." She just continued to stare at me.

"Chain, I know." My heart dropped.

"What?" Binitawan ko ang kamay niya.

"Chain, I've always known. You really think you can lie to me?" I gulped.

"Then you understand why we have to go." She shook her hand and walked closer to me, Caressing her hand on my face.

"How long do you have?"

"At this point... Three months." Tears started to fall down her cheeks. I looked away when she fell on my chest.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered and kissed her hair.

"Chain, We have to go in there. Please." She pleaded. I shook my head, My eyes started to water too.

"Mhor. I really wanna spend the rest of my life with you." She lifted her head and stared directly at me. I let the colors of her eyes sink in mine, Accepting how this may be the last time.

"God damn it..." I let out a bitter laugh. Ngumiti ito nang mapagtantong panalo na siya.

"Before we go..." I said softly. I got a ring out of my pocket and slid it on her ring finger.

"Mhorein, Tandaan mo,''

"I will sacrifice anyone for your safety. I'll save your life if it's the last I save in mine." She heaved out a silent cry.

"Let's go." I said and intertwined my fingers with hers before leading the way upstairs.

"This building has a lot of floors... Bakit wala manlang nakapansin nitong buildind na ito?" Tanong ni Mhorein.

"That means we're in a secluded area. We're in the middle of nowhere." Sagot ko.

I groaned and covered my ears when a deafening scream banged in my eardrums.

Mhorein looked at me, Worried as if she just realized something.

"Chain, Boses ni Aiden iyon." Mhorein ran up the stairs without hesitation, I followed when it registered to me that what we heard was Aiden.

"Aiden!" I saw Mhorein banging her hands on a chained wooden door.

"Ano naman ito?" I looked around while Mhorein focused on somehow opening the door.

The whole floor looked like a movie set where they had to make a prop house.

Half the floor was just a cement wall.

"Mhor? Ikaw ba iyan?! Tulungan niyo ako!" Aiden's screams broke my heart. He sounded so scared.

"Damn it..." Mhorein fell on the floor when she tried to kick the door open.

"Anong gagawin natin?" Mhorein asked.

I placed the chains on the inside of my arms. I saw Mhorein follow my lead.

"When I say go, You pull as hard as you can." I said and filled my lungs with air. Mhorein nodded.

"Go!" With a fast motion and as much strength as I can muster I pulled. As soon as we did that, I heard cement and wood cracking.

"It's working... One more. Go!" We repeated the action. I can see the last inches of cement and wood holding on.

"Last one..." I breathed in.

"Go!" We fell to the ground when the chains broke free. I heard loud a loud clang when it hit the floor.

"Ai? Is the door locked from the inside?" Mhorein asked. The other side of the door was quiet. Not a single sob or cry.

My eyebrows met and I saw Mhorein frown.

"Well. Fuck it." Mhorein kicked the metal lock, Causing it to break.

"Aiden? Aiden, Nasaan ka? Naririnig mo ba kami?!" We screamed.

I stepped inside the room and stopped in my tracks.

I saw Mhorein on my peripheral vision do the same.

"Chain, This kinda..."

"Look exactly like Aiden's old house..." I said.

"Where did you wake up in?" Mhorein asked while we sneaked around an exact replica of Aiden's old house.

"Asylum..."

It smells like burning pie and something metallic in here.

"Chain! Mhor!" I heard Aiden cry from the second floor of the 'house'.

We ran up the stairs and saw Aiden sitting in a pool of dark red liquid.

Next to him is his lifeless mother, Slit in the throat and bruised.