Flicker: The Game Of Chance

Chapter 9 | "Sincerely"

The murderer didn't kill anyone that night.

The medic, which was Miguel, was gone, so I guessed that the murderer just decided not to use their ability for that specific night, for some reason. I was in the state that most people had already passed through by now - the state where I was unable to speak to anyone, too traumatized and stressed to even carry out a simple task such as walking. I felt a rising urge to live, but simultaneously, a rising urge to die.

I was stuck. I didn't know what I could do. Remembering my past, and finally acknowledging how awful of a person I'd been, I really didn't know what to do; would it be better if I'd just killed myself here? Or would that be against the rules? What do the rules matter for, anyway? Just for the survivor clan members' entertainment? To hell with that.

I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked back slowly. The one who tapped me was Austin, but everyone was there with him - everyone was together, except for Colleen. "We've been looking for you, Veronica", said Austin, "we should stick together from now, you know. To minimize our chances of dying...". I didn't have the courage or energy to speak, so I just nodded and went along with whatever they wanted. Elaina suddenly took out a muffin and started eating it, so I guessed the muffin man was still alive.

"Hey, y'all! The muffin man is Mateo, I'm sure! He told me that he'd give me a muffin last night, yeah? And he did! Just as he promised". I looked at Mateo and he looked back at me, giving me a slight smile, still sad about Amani's demise. Elaina bit into the muffin slowly, enjoying and savouring the taste. She had a blush on her cheeks as she chewed the delicious muffin, and she looked happy as she ate it.

I was envious of her, I wished that I could've felt that kind of happiness at that time. My selfish nature... back then, just there was when it had finally vanished completely. I was starting to realize that I had more people who I had to live for than just Vinny, such as Colleen and Carlos. They were... they were apparently friends of mine, people whom I needed the most at the time, they were my purpose. They were the reason I had to live. I'd been coming to terms with that fact.

As we gathered around the table to discuss what'd happened to Colleen all of a sudden, Elaina finished eating her muffin and throws the plastic inside of a bin and started to speak, "so, I'onno what's up with Colleen, but we gotta get her outta here, wouldn't ya agree?".

Austin shook his head. "What if she's the clown?".

I felt the need to tell them, but I couldn't.

Elaina shook her head again in reply, "if she's the clown, she wouldn't wait so long". Austin fixed his hat and nodded, as if what Elaina said had made sense. I teared up a little due to the urge of wanting to inform them, but I held back. I was living right now mostly thanks to Colleen, I didn't want to go against her wishes. "What if she's just trying to be like Flavia?", asked Albert, "perhaps the trauma of losing so many people finally caught up to Colleen?".

Jamila giggled a little, then spoke, "it's catching up to her just now? After all this time?". Austin spoke next, "I don't think that's the case. But anyway, we should get Colleen outta here just as Elaina said. If she becomes a second Flavia, it'll only be a nuisance to us".

Carlos cracked his knuckle and stood up. "So, what you guys are saying is we should vote out Colleen with no evidence?". Everyone went silent, realizing the true insanity of what they'd been thinking. "What the hell are you guys saying? This isn't just some game, you know".

What Carlos said was ironic. It was, in fact, just a game to the clan.

Austin looked at Carlos carefully. "Carlos... don't you think it'd be better to just get out the troublemakers?". Carlos thought for a moment, then replied, "no". The blunt response with no further explanation made everyone go speechless.