Ruby Fridays

Chapter 21: Graywood's Gone

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N O W P L A Y I N G

» [ Crime Scene - Na Sang Jin, Park Sejun ] «

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───── ❝ R U B Y F R I D A Y ' S P O V ❞ ────

║ Gregorian Calendar ║ 01 - 08 - 2027 ║

║ Friday║ 2nd Midnight ║

Staring at the card laying in front of my perception — where a question yearning for my truthful words is, I can't help but to feel that the words it inject on me seemed to glow in the darkness, as if mocking me and leaving me with fear and tense, and as if taunting me with its demand for the hidden truth.

I sat in silence, knowing any words I chose would be twisted and used against me. The cold shadows in the corners of the room grew, crawling slowly towards me, making my whole body tremble with mixed emotions. In my peripheral view, I could sense the card dealer's dark presence watching, waiting eagerly to see what I would say. 

For some damn minutes, I just sat there immobilized, staring at the question, and the scarlet ink on the parchment shimmering in an unearthly light. The words on it seemed to squirm before my eyes, the letters twisting into strange symbols that I could almost understand.

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Truth or Dare

STUDENT 13 - RUBY FRIDAYS

Reveal the truth for the question:

"Has another's pain,

ever given you joy?

Be totally honest."

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The clock ticked, each second feeling like an eternity. A cold sweat broke out across my brow as a thought crossed my hazy mind. You knew that if you did not answer this truthfully, the grave consequences would be severe. That's exactly what the voice in my subconscious thoughts said. The darkness of lying surrounding me seemed alive, like a living thing waiting to swallow me whole. I could feel its icy tendrils reaching out, brushing against my skin and beckoning me into the void.

A part of me wanted to lie, to voice out a neat, "No," and be done with all this shit. But I knew that would be foolish, and that whatever force had delivered this was not to be trifled with. 

Pondering with my intrusive thoughts for a moment, my heart started to pound in my chest. That's right. I must knew better than anyone, the consequences of dishonesty. 

Specially for this game, for this night.

Whatever power had compelled me to answer this cursed question, I knew it meant me no good. No, lies would do me no good here, so as much as I wanted to avoid the truth, to keep it locked in the dark recesses of my soul, I knew what I had to do.