The Peculiars’ Tale

Translated by: whosays25

Edited by: seiji96

/26/ Caught

-Morris-

It’s cold, especially the bars in this jail that I am holding. I withdrew my hands from it then went back to the stained steel chair. I eyed the food that was served on the table beside the chair I was sitting on. On the tray was a single bread and a gla.s.s of water which will be my lunch for today.

Well, what will be, will be. I grabbed the bread and started eating it.

I was caught as the ‘murderer’. And this is my punishment.

Mariah caught me.

I couldn’t help shaking my head and smile when I remember the event earlier…

Ireneo’s smile disappeared when I gave him a shy smile.

“Morris.”  Someone suddenly called my name.

“The ace of hearts was with you.” She pointed, “You are the killer.”

She caught me.

And I looked into her eyes.

“What is this for?”

“You’ll use that tomorrow. You will bet on the game, Morris.”

“What game?”

She was actually there. She was watching and she heard it all.

“You’ll know, tomorrow. You’ll have your chance to peek at everyone’s past.”

“For what?”

“We’re just in the first step. I want everyone to remember the past by staring. And… be ready for this.”

She saw Miss and I when were talking last night. She was hiding herself while eavesdropping. Just as I thought, her suspicion about us was taken to whole new level. Mariah is a curious cat after all.

But what puzzled me is…  if she heard what we were talking, why she didn’t catch me right away? Why she didn’t tell what she knew from the start?

I had a feeling… I haven’t seen her eyes… and I can feel that there was something with her. There was something odd about Mariah… She’s a gullible jolly carefree girl on the outside… but inside her thoughts were unknown.

“Morris, will you show us your card?” Miss asked even though she knew that I have the ace of hearts. I planned to continue prying her memories but was interrupted.

I flipped the card and raised it. I lose.

“Good job, Mariah.” She praised.

I looked at Miss and her face was saying ‘you failed’. I breathed deeply. I indeed lose this best chance to peek at each one’s memories.

I gazed at Jill. She’s not fine, she’s shaking. Penelope was beside her and the girl was whispering words of worry to her. I’m sorry Jill. I know this game was very difficult for you. Yeah, it should be stopped.

After announcing that the game was over, those from the outside were ordered to come in. Lily was still beside me and she was saying something to me which I of course ignored. She only stopped when Miss Karen went at the center of the circle.

Out of the blue, Ireneo raised his hand and stood up.

“I don’t get it.” He said. “This game doesn’t make sense at all.”

“You think?” Miss answered with her brow raising.

“Yes, I mean, what is this for? And what kind of activity was this ‘wink murder’? It’s senseless.” Ireneo had his point. Some agreed and expressed their violent reactions.

“We only looked silly staring at each other and speculating who that freaking killer is.” He emphasized the word and even looked at me. “I’d rather listen to boring discussions than do these childish activities.”

“Yeah, right.”

“How silly.”

“That was it?”

“What happened to this recollection?”

“Is that so?” That was what Miss said.

I don’t know what was going on her mind. I could feel that she has her plans to accomplish my favour. Sad to say, I could not predict what she will do next.

“Can I ask you something, Ireneo?”

Ireneo was silent. After a while he said. “Yes.”

Miss slowly walked towards him while speaking, “What was in your mind while staring at them one by one?”

He laughed, slowly. Our eyes were all focused on him and Miss and it seems a tension was being formed.

“What was on my mind while staring at them?” He sneered. “I was thinking about who was the murderer and on how to catch him.” He glimpsed again at me.

“Right. Maybe that was what on everyone’s mind, on who was the killer… However… whenever you looked at somebody… Ireneo, what did you feel?”

Ireneo didn’t speak. He was only creasing his forehead.

“The uses of the heart and the brain are different. What was on the mind was not the same as your feelings.” Ireneo could still not speak. “What… had you felt when you gazed at them per person… Didn’t something come into your mind about that individual?” Miss went back to the center. Then she roamed arond while her hands were at her back. “I know that while you were looking at each other… there were questions popping out… If you can still recognize them… If you can still remember them… Or… If you really know them… If you really know what’s inside their hearts and minds…”

Ireneo sat down and no longer insisted on speaking. Everyone went silent after Miss Karen uttered those words.

“Wink murder is not just all about finding who the killer is… It’s all about remembering too.”

That was how the game ended. That was the purpose of everything… Remembering… I hope everyone feels the same thing.

Miss Karen faced me, “Morris, you lost in this game and you must take the consequences for that.”

I furrowed my brows after hearing what she said.

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a punishment for you.”

And that’s what happened before I was dragged here. They jailed me in a place far away from the main house. On the way here is like a tunnel but it’s not underground. The tunnel-like structure was made from rocks and on the other end was the old storehouse where the cargos and old stuffs could be found. There’s even a room which looked like a jail. They confined me here and I have to stay here until three pm. The food was included from the punishment.

Now, I still have two more hours to wait before I would be freed.

It was difficult to say that just because of a letter, Ireneo had deceived and controlled everybody. I think it’s not that simple. But Lucille’s departure from this world had that kind of impact.

Lucille was everyone’s friend. Probably she had become an important part of each of us, especially for Jill.

When she had pa.s.sed away, Ireneo thought of replacing her… in a different way. I couldn’t tell how the caste started; it suddenly appeared on our first year in Senior High.

Now that it’s the last year in senior high, everyone had their own reasons to work hard. They focused their thought on planning for what would happen to them after graduation. That what was how the past was covered up and forgotten.

Our yesterdays were buried in the innermost memories. And everyone acts like nothing happened or lost.

It worsened when Miss Italia came.

She and Ireneo have the same sentiments.

“In this country, out of fifty people, only three will be happy.”

I don’t know how life became a compet.i.tion. And I also don’t know why out of fifty, only three will be happy. That’s just how life is, said Miss Italia.

For people like me, people who were also Peculiars, being happy were not that simple. In my situation, almost all my life, my sister and I lived fleeing, fleeing from the bitter reality. Maybe I’m actually agreeing on Miss’ sentiments. That life is like this.

I closed my eyes and tried to take a nap…

Unfortunately, even in my sleep, I could still see what I peeked in their eyes. This was the pain of gaining this power. Even on my sleep, I couldn’t escape. The events flowed as if everything was connected to one another… Like an incomplete puzzle… The pieces came together by itself, but there were still missing links. I should be looking for those.

I was awakened due to the sound of footsteps nearing me. It was because no matter what noise was made, it will surely echo out. I rubbed my eyes until the figure standing in front of the ‘cell’ became cleared.

“It’s 3 pm.”

“Mariah.”

“You know, you’re the only one who calls me by that name, Morris.” She stated while unlocking the chains. “Sigh, why was I the one ordered to get you. It’s much colder here. Tss…” She acted like nothing happened. I watched what she was doing. “Oh, get out. You looked so pitiful here, eh. Woooo… The iron was so cold!”

“You knew it.”

She was startled.

“Ha?”

“Don’t act as if you don’t know, Mariah. You saw everything last night, right?”

She sneered. “I don’t know what you are talking about, Morris. You are really forever weird. You know, you just have to get out here, or, do you want me to pull you out? You’re so eww, you’re giving my beauty some stresses.”

I was annoyed. So I walked towards her.

“That’s how you should be. Good. You are actually easy to talk to, eh. Come on, they have been waiting for long  –  H-HEY!” I suddenly pulled her inside the cell.

“W-what troll are you pulling here? Let go of me!” I grabbed her both shoulders then pulled her face near to mine. “H-hey!”

“Shut up!” I shouted at her which silenced her. I actually don’t have any bad intentions towards her. I only wanted to confirm what’s behind her eyes.

I concentrated to looked at those eyes until I was absorbed to the past.

“Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.” Laughter greeted me. It was dark.

She was blindfolded.

“Hey, I know a pretty hairstyle, let’s try it on you.” They cut her hair.

“Pour it all!” They soaked her.

“Boom! Three points!”

“Mariah is a certified loser.”

There were faceless monsters around her. She couldn’t do anything but cry. I knew it, that her past was not the same as her present.

She was an outcast. She doesn’t have any friends at school.

And she was a victim of bullying.

“Please, stop…”

“Stop…”

I could hear nothing except her cries…and pleads. Why… did the past bring me here?

I-I could not bear seeing it anymore. I didn’t expect to see this…

“DON’T!!!”  She pushed me away, which resulted for the visions to disappear. We’re both breathing heavily. I looked at Mariah, and she was hugging herself…

“W-what’s your problem, Morris!?”
I was still very surprised… at the same time… My heart was beating so loud due to the fear. My body was feeling cold but I was sweating all over…

“I…” I don’t know what to say…”I’m sorry…” I couldn’t face her. “I didn’t mean to do that…”and my voice was even trembling.

“… you must take the consequences from your actions.” Miss’ voice suddenly echoed in my mind. I was really not ready for that outcome.

I can feel Mariah’s pain… I don’t know what to do. But I feel that my hunch is right.

“I can’t understand you!” She deeply inhaled. “Let’s go back.” She went out and I followed.

“You were that person, right?”

She didn’t look back at me. “Please, Morris. Don’t talk to me.”

“You were the one that put the letter under Lucille’s desk.” Mariah was my suspect, and is still now.

She paused and stared behind her this time. “What are you saying?! Are you really nuts, Morris?!”

“Tell me! Tell me what the truth is!”

“Enough, Morris!” We both eyed the direction where the shout came from.

“Jill…”

“Morie!” Mariah broke and run towards her.

“How dare you say her name!” The fury could be seen from Jill’s eyes. “Mariah had nothing to do with her! So stop this nonsense!”

“You’re just running away, Jill.” I went towards her.

“No, I’m not!”

“Then face me! Look at me!”

“Morris, just stop!”

Call me desperate or what… I was being consumed by my own self when suddenly a hand slap my face. It wasn’t Jill… or Mariah…

“Come back to your senses, fool.”

“M-miss!” Mariah blurted.

“Jill and Mariah, go back to the main house. I’ll deal with this fella.” Jill and her hurriedly left. Now, we’re alone by ourselves.

“What now?” I asked.

“You’re going crazy, Morris. You don’t know what you are doing.”

“Fine. Then call me crazy.”

“If you continue yourself being like this, nothing will be resolved. You will only be eaten completely by the past and you won’t be able to escape forever.”

When I thought about what she said, that I’m losing myself, I knew she was right.

“Remember, this is the last chance for what you’ve been wishing and a single wrong move could ruin it. Think carefully.”

“Sorry… I feel sorry for Mariah… I actually didn’t know tha – “

“Return.”

I silently followed her. Fine… I’ll leave everything to you, Miss.

I stopped from walking when I saw them crowding outside the main house. Miss was just behind me so I let her go first.

“What are your instructions?” I weakly muttered while tailing her.

“Later.”

When we arrived there, they arranged themselves and waited for what Miss will say.

“Because I am the one in-charge… I decided to turn this whole recollection into a game.”

A game? Didn’t we just play a game?

“What kind of game this time?” asked by Ireneo.

“A survival game.”

“Survival?” The cla.s.s chorused.

 ***

T/N Note: Gosh, forgive my green mind while translating this. I actually screamed ‘Morris, Rapist!’ at you know-what- part-of-this-chapter. >.