The Peculiars’ Tale

Original story of: AnakniRizal

Translated by: whosays25

Edited by: seiji96

/30/ Commemoration

Part 1

-Morris-

“h.e.l.lo?”

It was Jill’s voice.

“Morie!”

She didn’t reply after a while. But we’re all in alert to what she would say.

“How are you there, Morie?” Penelope asked worriedly.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine here.”

“Where the heck are you? We’ll go there to fetch you!” – Cris.

“I – “  The call abruptly ended.

“Why did it disconnect?” Mariah complained.

But the phone rang once again. Sabina didn’t hesitate to press the answer b.u.t.ton and make it in a loudspeaker for us to hear.

We’re already at the fourth clue and I have this feeling that the telephone itself is the key to Jill’s location. However, I still has some suspicious about the other team. Everything was strange but none of my comrades noticed.

“Team number two.” Finally the speaker from the other line was heard. It’s Karen Italia. “I will now tell you the very last clue. But before anything else, press the record b.u.t.ton.” She ordered which Sabina followed. A beep noise was heard and then the red light dot appeared, a sign that the recording has started.

We waited for her to give and speak the next clue but only a beeping sounds were produced by the speaker “Here. Come. Dots.” Those were all what Miss said and then the line was cut, leaving us dumbfounded.

“What’s that?!” Mariah hit Baldo due to shock.

“I don’t know if that teacher is fooling around us.” Tamaki has finally spoken and seems it was an indication that he’s losing his screws again.

“There must be a reason why she made us record those noises.” Sabina replied then she repeatedly presses the replay b.u.t.ton of the telephone recorder.

“Lexi, stop that.”

“Don’t touch me, Baldo!” she pushed Cris  away who was grabbing her arm.

“What does she mean by ‘Here come dots’? – Lily.

“I’m thinking… but nothing came to mind.”

Here come dots… It’s familiar. I feel like I’ve heard this before, but fate only knows how to toy with people. I could not recall from where and when I encountered those terms.

“The sounds are not secret codes, right?” We stared at Tadeo who acted seriously. Secret code? Right! I finally remember what ‘here come dots’ is.

It’s an anagram.

I refused to tell them since I’m not yet sure. I only opened the cabinets one by one.

“Morris, what are you looking for?”
“Pen.” Tadeo helped me and fortunately, we found one, though it’s a very small pencil. I took away the paper from Sabina’s hand. She became puzzled with her brows twitching while I was only looking to what I’m sribbling.

H E R E   C O M E   D O T S

T H E   M O R S E   C O D E

“The Morse Code?” Mariah read it aloud and her voice hinted shock. Her face mirrored someone who suddenly remembered something. I was grinning because I knew that she remember the hidden meaning behind ‘Here Come Dots’. I’m sure she also knew since we have been taught by the same person.

“This is an Anagram.” I said, “So Tadeo was right when he said it was a secret code. The codes are called ‘Morse Codes’.”

“Then how do we know the hidden message by those sounds?” asked by Lily.

“Do you know how to read morse codes, Morris?” Penelope followed her question.

“I don’t.” I looked at Mariah, hoping she will say anything and volunteer herself to read the codes. However, she appeared to be hesitating. When she finally decided to open her mouth, that’s when Stephen spoke.

“I can slightly remember those that I’ve studied before. But I can only distinguish the dots and dash.” He said, “I’ll try.”

When I turned my eyes at Mariah, her countenance remained still. My companions didn’t notice that though since their attention was focused on what Stephen is doing. He repeatedly hit the repeat b.u.t.ton, listened to it carefully while writing something on the paper noting. After a few minutes, he showed us the paper.

H E R E   C O M E   D O T S

T H E   M O R S E   C O D E

.-.. ..–. ….-….—..-… .

“What’s that?”

“I told you earlier, I only knew how to distinguish the sounds for the dots and dashes. I can’t remember how to interpret letters.” Stephen scratched his head feeling dismayed.

Mariah, I know you’re hesitating, but we need to win, to find Jill.

After a while, she finally s.n.a.t.c.hed the paper and pencil from Stephen.

“Hey, Aya, don’t tell me…”

Not even a minute pa.s.sed when she showed the paper where she wrote,

H E R E   C O M E   D O T S

T H E   M O R S E   C O D E

.-.. ..–. …. – …. — ..- … .

.-..   l

..   i

–.   g

….   h

–   t

….   h

—   o

..-   u

…   s

.   e

Lighthouse

“Are you sure? You know how to read morse codes?” Lily was the one who asked.

She nod as a reply.

“How?” Penelope asked what Mariah don’t want to hear.

“Geez! If we’re only going to gossip here then nothing fruitful will happen!” She reacted and managed to change the subject. Good. You’ve escaped huh.

“Tamaki, can you also lead us to the lighthouse?” Sabina said while showing difficulty in moving due to the wounds.

“What if you just stay here at the moment? You can no longer walk, Lexi.” Cris’ voice showed concern but Sabina ignored that.

“Not doable. The rule is, all of us should be together while searching for Jill and still be together until we get back here.”

Wasting no time, we hurriedly went to the lighthouse according to the map. Actually it was far when compared to the other places we’ve been to. We had almost exited the lobby when I paused. Automatically they also stopped.

“Morris! What the heck!”

“Why did you stop?”

Right. Something was wrong but they didn’t notice. I didn’t answer them and instead went behind the huge doors where I found a cla.s.smate from team one, hiding. I pulled his sleeve and dragged him out there without caring if he protested or what. I held him up by the collar and stared at his eyes directly.

My hunched was confirmed. They plan to hide and follow what we are going to do. Then they will run to the final destination first. We thought we’re getting ahead of them but we were wrong. They hid themselves while we’re solving the clues. Now, it’s not surprising that their bottles remain untouched.

“Morris! We can still talk about this. How about you let me go first? Hehe.” I only tightened my hold on his collar. Tadeo went beside me.

“Men! Let’s leave.”

“Tell them that team one has been spying us since the beginning of the game. Now they already knew the destination so all of you should run!” I ordered. “I’ll take care of things here first.”

“F-fine, men!” Tadeo sprinted back in a hurry towards our companions.

I returned my gaze to this person.

“T-this is just a game, Morris. You’re too serious!”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Tsk. You think you can win against us? We’re twenty-nine while you guys are only nine people. We will still come ahead of you. We’ve already surrounded you without you knowing. Moreover, what will you gain if you find Morie?”

Conversing with this guy no longer hold any importance so I pushed him. I was already leaving, when told him, “And what will you get if you follow and choose Ireneo? You are just letting yourselves forever be controlled by a person you’re mistaking as a saint.”

It seems winning is not that important anymore. What matter is to find Jill and go back together with everyone else to the main house.

 

Original Writer: AnakniRizal

Translator: whosays25

Editor: seiji96

/3o/ Commemoration

Part two

-Jill Morie-

It had been two hours since we were thrown into this room.

Yeah, we.

Ireneo is with me and even if there’s a ten meter distance between us, I can still feel the tension between us. Our hands and feet were bounded.

We haven’t talked to each other since earlier. Only the sounds of the crashing waves could be heard from the surrounding. I’m was not aware of how far this place from the main house and I don’t know how they will find us here.

Mr. Romulo, the one in-charge to watching us, had just left. I saw his eye earlier that’s why I immediately recognized him. From the beginning, I’ve felt that something is different with this recollection after seeing the eyes and futures of my cla.s.smates. However, since the visions were all fragmented, some even jumbled, it only made my head ached. Since I saw something like this would happen, I purposely didn’t answer the exam. Unfortunately, I didn’t foresee what will happen next.

Honestly, staring at them made me nostalgic. It made me feel sad and happy, giving me desire to go back in time. To when all of us were still happy, to those moments when I felt being human, a normal one, with lot of emotions and colors.

But I know there’s no way to bring that back.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Then I remember something.

I was really surprised when Lily stood up. Why did she choose me over Ireneo? We hate each other, she knew that, but why me? I thought of Morris. Ah, maybe it’s because of that guy.

“Tsk.” I glanced at him, the founder of the stupid caste system in our cla.s.s. I can’t help but grin at this person.

“What are you  laughing at?”

“Nothing.” I replied. “It’s funny because of nothing.”

Ireneo stopped paying attention to me. Weird, he’s not actually trash-talking me now, unlike what he did earlier. Perhaps, he’s feeling nervous?

“Say what, James.” I smirked again when I remember how Sabina called him ‘James’, the name that we’ve all forgotten. I know he’s gets annoyed whenever we called him like that. “All this time… I’ve been wondering… on where and how you got her letter.”

Even without facing his direction, I know he’s looking at me, and even without elaborating. I know he understood what I implied.

Her letter.

“I can’t understand how you stomached using Lucille’s letter to manipulate things.”

No reply.

“She died because of you and Morris.”

I balled my fist. Yes. For so many times, people threw the blame about her death to me and Morris, because of our love. It’s painful. The two people I trusted the most hurt my feelings.

“She killed herself because of you.”

Two years pa.s.sed but I still couldn’t forget that day. That day, the cla.s.s learned about Lucille’s letter that he read. I felt my life started darkening, and I even got into an accident.

“More than you, I knew Lucille.” I tried hard not to sob.

“I knew her too.”

I glanced after he said that.

“It’s awesome, right. After that day, everything had changed.”

Yeah, especially me.

“It was Jill’s and George’s fault. They cheated on me… That’s why I need to do this… Good bye…” After he had read the last paragraph to the whole cla.s.s, I was frozen. I felt like I could hear nothing, only the ever repeating voice of Ireneo which was echoing inside my head. Accompanied by my tears streaming. I felt like collapsing, and no one would bother to catch me. Morris approached, but I ran away.

“Jill, wait.”

“Let go of me, Morris.”

“I will explain it to you.”

“No! I don’t want you to. Enough!”

“Jill. Please! You promised you will believe in me no matter what!”

“SHUT UP!”

That time, I felt my whole being crushed. I couldn’t face anyone because they said one of the most important people in my life died… and I am the cause. I couldn’t believe it. I called Albert to pick me up but instead of him, another driver came. Then on the way home, the event occurred so fast, a girl tried to crossed the street so the driver turned the steering wheel but another car had b.u.mped against us… after that, everything went blank.

I thought that maybe having this power is my karma, a power which I couldn’t identify where it originated from when I woke up in the hospital two years ago.

“Do you think you’ll win against me?” He asked. “The caste I built will never break. It is the commemoration of her existence, do you understand? The caste is the commemoration of Lucille.”

‘What — “

They rushed to him. His rescuers finally came. I guessed already that they will come here first since they have the advantage in number. They freed Ireneo.

“You deserve to suffer, Jillianne.”

Yeah, probably.

They left. I closed my eyes, wondering until when will I have to be bounded. Do I deserve this?

Suddenly, someone came and embraced me. I don’t want to open my eyes since I knew who he is.

“Jill,” the voice that I’ll never forget.

Morris.

“Let’s get out of here.”

T/N note:  Karma – dictionary said it’s the law of cause and effect but Filipino people usually said the term to imply ‘misfortune as result of a bad deed or bad character’.