THE GIFTED

C H A P T E R 12

The next day, Joanna and Betty was both found dead. It turns out, Betty killed herself, as she left a note, apologizing for what happened to her sister. Not only them, but more students were putting themselves at risk, as the clock is ticking. Due to load of activities, their teachers were giving them, the students was not able to search at night.

The exhaustion in the day time, making them fall asleep early at night, keeping them from finding the rest missing puzzle. One more week, and those lucky 20 students will finally find their way out of the hell of a place, they were in.

When the dusk came, everyone in their dorm prepared as they will go for a search tonight. And wait for the evening to come. When the sky turned dark, covered with white stars, they all move out. Just like the previous night, they were in a team, when they go back inside the lab. Searching here and there, lifting, examining all the things they find, just to find nothing. Making them feel almost hopeless.

Clarice who was running out of patience, sigh running a hand through her hair. She clicked her tongue as she saw Jiro, walking out of the room. She shrug at him, but then stop as her head snap on his direction, eyes widened. "Jiro's left handed. Why is he carrying the kit in right hand, and why is he holding it—" Clarice run out of the room, Kenley who just got out of corner of the room furrowed his eyebrows, when he saw Clarice in hurry.

"Where do you think she's going?" He asked.

"Who?"

"Clarice." He rolled his eyes as he face the person behind him. "Who else, Jiro? When it's just us." He beckoned him to go with him, as they went after Clarice.

She ran on the hallway, and look down the stairs, there she saw Jiro walking in fast pace. She hurried after him, and using her mimicry gift, she mimick the school president's voice. Stopping Jiro. He turned around and saw Clarice, giving him a suspicious look. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Oh Clarice, it's just you." He laugh. Clarice didn't hesitate as she launch on him, hitting him using the thick and heavy book, she found on the way.

"You're not Jiro, who are you." He didn't answer her, but rather fight back. He push her, but she hold his hand, pulling him in the process. They were tackled on the floor, rolling as Clarice tried her best to grab his collar. The kit drop on the floor, as the content scattered around. Syringe, needles, medicines, scissors, bandages, and a medicine container roll on the floor. Jiro gritting his teeth, as he grab Clarice's shirt from the back, throwing her on the corner.

It didn't stop her, as she immediately stood up, wincing to the pain and push him hard, making him stumble on the ground. Swearing and cursing slip his lips as he kicked her on the stomach. Eyes burning in fury. Clarice drop on the floor, clutching her painful stomach. Her breathing started becoming rag as she saw him pick up the sharp scissors, and charge towards her. Her wide-eyes stare at the sharp thing on his hand, as he raised it aiming to her stomach. It was stopped midway, as another Jiro grabbed the hand, twisting it, making the other Jiro scream in pain. Dropping the scissors in the process.

The Jiro on the top of Clarice, stopped harshly pulling his hand, as he grasped to his neck. Gasping for air.  Kenley helped Clarice get off the ground, as they watch the two Jiro. "One thing I hate the most, was copying me." The Jiro who was standing, with cold dark eyes enunciate. "Get my face and identity out of you, or you'll die... lack of air." In an instant, the person in front went back to his original look. Jiro released his breath, and he regain some air on his lungs once again. The boy almost stumble on his feet, as he made his way out.

Using the flashlight on his right hand, he lights up the place, and Jiro put the scattered things back to its place. When he pick up the container, oddly, it's too light seemingly to have no content as he shakes it. With a quick raised of brows. Jiro open the lid, peeking inside. He poured the content on his hand, and smile as a piece of puzzle drop. Closing the kit, with the piece on his closed hand. He rose up, facing the two. "One more to go."

๑๑๑

"You found anything?" Jerald shook his head. He went to enter another room, while Alganier glance at Yumi. He walk towards her, watching how she struggle to pull a thick book out of the shelf. It was above her head, and she can't see what's above the book, that made Alganier's eyes widen. Another thick book is lying on the top of the book she's pulling, and once she make an aggressive move, it will fall on her.

He run in speed, enveloping Yumi in his arms as they fell on the floor follow by loud thud, beside their fall. They closed their eyes to the loud noise, body too close to each other. When they open their eyes, they were lost in daze as their eyes meet. That was when, someone cleared their throat grabbing their attention. Alganier get off her, and offer a hand to help her stand up. "Are you hurt?" He asked, checking up her arms, back, head for any injury.

Her flushed cheeks on the night added a color to her face. She cleared her throat as well, as she nodded reassuring the distress male. "There's nothing here." Jerald declared to them. He picked up the heavy book, and put it back to the empty space of the shelf. Yumi asked him to get the book she's been trying to pull, and when the book lied down on the table. Yumi, open the book, skimming through the pages.

"What are you looking for?"

She hum, knitting her eyebrows, flipping pages. "Something." She continue to flip the pages, reading the header silently. Maddie's team arrived, saying the same thing. They tiredly sat at the couch, resting their heads as they let Yumi do her thing. Her mouth move, like she's muttering something as the frown on her face went deeper. Swallowing the thick lump on her throat, Yumi closed the book rather harshly as the people who was resting, got startled by her sudden move.

Her unsteady breathing remain unnoticed, as she apologize to them. Asking another help to return the book. Alganier stood beside her, interlocking their fingers with no words. They got out of the room, making sure it's arrange and organize as before. The warmth of his hand, calm her at some point.

On their way, they met Jeffrey's team, and meet the other three on the lobby. They let out a relieved sigh as Jiro showed them the piece they got from the boy earlier, and plan of checking the last class tomorrow night.

Jiro can't check his own classroom, as they are all required to attend the class during daytime, and it was held on the hot field. Teachers giving them a hard time, leaving them no choice, but to follow despite their protest. "Let's call this a night." Maddie told them, and they all agree as it was already 2 in the morning. And they need more sleep for tomorrow.

"I hope this brain doesn't work at all, but it seems like it has due to pay, working double than it should. Frustrating how it made me understand many things, that leads to nothing, but misery."