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Sorry for a pretty late update. Life and the lack of net connection just got in the way.


Phenomenon 3: The First Three

Sanity, for most of the time, has kept the world in perfect shape and order.

Sanity, for most of the time, has guided humans towards what is right and just.

If such is true about sanity, then what if it is lost,

What would be of the world and its inhabitant then?

Today my everyday walk going to school got a little…well…paced. With the recent turn of events, my alertness and sensitivity towards my surroundings was heightened. Every little sound and movement caught my attention as I walked through the neighborhood. I felt as if I'm was a Jew trying to run away from my Nazi oppressors. What's worse, despite all my damn anticipation of the supposed "inevitable", nothing happened all throughout the day.

Nothing unordinary, nothing extraordinary.

Seriously.

Where's the intensity? "She" was supposed to appear, right? Where is "she"? I haven't seen any sign of "her" yet. Has this prank reached its limit? Will physical contact between us be nonexistent? "She" started it, didn't she?

So many questions to myself after a boring day of school.

Sigh.

"I guess I'll keep myself in a casual pace, since it's only the first day." I thought to myself as I walked restlessly around the park.

Not long after, I encounter the letter. The letter was dried red. As I picked it up, the edges were sagged with...what seemed to be blood. The contents were normal though.

Dear prey,

Ten little Indian boys... no, I'm not that crazy devil of a sister.

I'm...how do you want it?

Do you want me to say that this is easy or hard for me?

Well, all I can say is that this isn't pretty fun.

What predator wants to catch its prey that isn't running?

Also, I'm right behind you.

Panicked? I hope you were~.

Your Sweet Predator

Hah. Thankfully, not scary the second time around.

As I carefully wrote my response, this blond girl bumped my right shoulder. She was in a rush, and her mob cap covered her eyes. All I saw of her was the back of her violet dress.

Normally, I would've chased after her, but I then realized that I was still in the middle of writing a response to a letter that was still in my hands.

"That sure messed up my writing."

Not wanting to be misunderstood by the messed-up writing, I put in a bit of erasures, which I've never actually done to a letter before.

Dear sweet predator,

Hold on, you were the one who proposed this "game" in the first place.

How should I know if its hard or easy for you?

How do I make it harder for you?

"_"

Now that I've been trapped into this "God knows what kind" kind of a prank, might as well make the most out of it and entertain myself. So, in all of my self-wisdom and judgment, I decided to do something out of the usual of something that's already unusual. I challenged "her" in hopes of frustrating "her" at the same time distracting "her". Though now that I mention it, challenging "her"may only encourage her more. So much for double-edged swords.

Though it felt good to be playing around a prankster's prank, I suddenly found it hard to sleep.

"What happens if "she's" actually real?" I kept asking myself as I tried to find a comfortable sleeping position.

I was not able to get much sleep at all last night. Still, I tried my best to keep a poker face as I walked through the park. As I walk by, I slowly scan said area for any of the hints she gave me.

Somewhere near, I hear someone commenting about her new parasol.

I quickly turn to the direction of the voice.

Losing all common sense and reasoning, instinctively replaced with survival, I tackle the girl from which the comment came from. Afterwards, I quickly give her face a strong punch.

As they would usually do, on-looking bystanders quickly tried to get me off her. I strongly shoved them off and proceeded to punch the girl some more.

In retaliation to my aggressive actions, she bats me using her parasol with surprising strength. As the laws of physics dictate, her force met a soon thrown-back me.

She immediately cleans herself up as soon as I'm on the ground. As I notice the bystanders from earlier calling the local police on the phone, I run to the letter. I pick it up, but then hit the ground as the girl slams into me, trying to reach and most likely steal the letter.

Trying to hold possession of the letter, I ask her who she is.

Despite what's happening and all, she responds coolly.

"Maribel Hearn."

Her blond hair floats around, even if there was no wind. Seeing as she noticed that, she told me that the winds are from a different place. Adding that the "boundary here has been tampered with."

I stare at her with mix dumbfoundedness and awe.

Not long after though, my staring is cut short and I found myself running away after hearing police sirens. Maribel told me that she will be handling the police and that she will be back.

After a lot of running around the small side streets, I finally reach home and deem myself safe, soon, I start reading the problematic letter.
Dear prey,

Nine days left~.

It's just a hunting game.

What do you think affects the difficulty?

Just run. Escape.

Don't be such a dull person.

I know there's more in you~.

Oh, I'm also right behind you.

Felt the chill~?

Your sweet predator

How the hell did I fall for that again when I didn't fall the second time?

I was uncomfortable for some reason. Wanting to avoid this feeling, I decidedly return to the park at night to leave my reply.

Yes, there weren't any police there anymore, thank you.

Dear sweet predator,

Sure. I'll run, but where to?

And after I do, what's next?

Just run?

"_"

Hopefully she loses her cool. If that happens, I could keep calm a bit more.

I do have my limits; I am still human.

I try my best to retain a calm composure. After all this long, I can't lose the battle of wits now.

I go to the park immediately. I maintain a respectable poker face as I reach for the letter.

Suddenly, as my hand touches the letter, I smell something rotten. The smell was so disgusting that anyone who sensed it would back away.

The smell came from the back of the tree.

As I went around the tree to investigate, there a sight of a dead body, a corpse, impaled to the tree by a yellow parasol was laid before me. The stab opening was fresh. The blood was somewhat dry but still retained its deep red color.

This has only been done recently.

I've had it.

I've lose it.

My mind starts shutting down all reasoning and logic. I stare at the corpse in bewilderment.

With my final ounce of sanity, I read the letter.

Dear prey,

Eight, making me wait.

I hope that answers your questions.

Feel the rush, why don't you~?

Your sweet predator

I run as soon as I read the letter, dropping it as I go. I run with no destination, but with a goal: to escape.


As the letter drops to the ground, the opposite side turns up.

Finally, I've gotten to him~.


And it was just several days ago when I kept asking when would everything happen.

Damn.