Chapter 12: Innocent Evil
Zein's Point of View..,
It's been a month since we landed here. Every day hasn't been easy for us; staying in this hell will never be easy. If you think about it, we're still lucky to be breathing until now.
"You know what? They're surprising me." Vanessa said, watching the students greet us.
They can already smile at us. That's what the Supremo ordered; they need to show us a good face, even though I know they are just forcing themselves.
"Let it go. You'll get used to it." I said.
We went straight to the library where I was going to help Vanessa find a book for her assignment. Mia had a headache so she was just in the dorm, and the boys? I don't know, probably wandering around.
My attention was immediately caught by the old librarian. She was grinning at me so I averted my gaze. What's with her grin?
We sat at a table where I was waiting for Vanessa to come back because she was still looking for the book. I glanced around quickly; it looked like an ordinary library, many signs of quietness, there were also a few students here.
"You are Zein?"
I nearly jumped in surprise because when I looked to my left, the librarian's face immediately appeared before me. She was still grinning at me. I didn't like her grin.
"Y-yes." I answered.
"The news is true. You quickly got a position and were raised to the ninth rank." She said, looking at my uniform.
I couldn't manage to answer because I still couldn't get over her startling me.
"It seems everything is repeating. I hope..." she said. "I hope this time, it succeeds." She added.
I couldn't take my eyes off her. She had long, curly white hair, her skin was wrinkled, and her eyes were covered by thick eyeglasses. The name 'Leonora' was on the nameplate on her left chest.
"W-what are you saying?" I asked. I really didn't understand. What did she mean by repeating again? What was she referring to?
"Is she your friend?" She asked, pointing at Vanessa who was rummaging through the books. "Do they know?" She asked.
"Know what? Wait, what are you saying?" I really didn't understand anything.
"They are studying hard to be included in the Highest 10, to get out of here. But you, you're already included. What are you still doing in this hell?" She asked with a soft laugh.
I swallowed when I realized what she meant. My mouth snapped shut.
"You know it, don't you? Did you believe it?"
She asked. "There's something wrong with every story, remember Zein, no one will help you but yourself. Not even your friends, don't trust them. Be careful. What happened before might repeat itself."
She turned around and went back to her chair at the end where her table was.
I still couldn't absorb everything she said. That's not right, they are my friends, I should trust them. She's just messing with my mind, that's right! They are just messing with me. I won't listen to them, I trust my friends just as they trust me.
"Oh? What happened to you? Staring blankly?" Vanessa asked, she was already sitting in front of me.
I just shook my head and watched her read the book. They can't betray me, they won't turn on me. They really won't.
"Vanessa? How much do you want to get out of here?" I asked.
She looked at me with a furrowed brow. Her left eyebrow was also raised as if she found my question weird.
"What kind of question is that Zein? Of course I want to very much!" she answered. "Why you? Don't you want to?" she asked back.
"Of course I want to!" I answered with a soft laugh.
It feels so tight in my chest that even if I really want to get out of here, I can't anymore. They won't let me go. They won't let me get out alive. Whatever I do, I will rot here.
I left the library and left Vanessa who still wasn't finished. I walked around and as usual, everyone I met smiled at me. I accidentally found myself in the music room where I heard someone playing music.
I peeked and saw a guy holding a guitar and singing. He also wore glasses like a nerd.
His voice was so beautiful that I couldn't stop myself from entering. He stopped playing when he saw me.
He quickly stood up and dropped the guitar.
"S-sorry miss." He said, bowing to me.
"No. It's okay, you play very well." I praised him.
He raised his head and looked into my eyes. His eyes were so innocent and seemed to have no trace of evil.
"S-thank you." he said.
"What is your name?" I asked.
"I am Nazzer Lumia."
I dropped my jaw after hearing his name. The smile on his lips still won't go away. I heard it wrong, didn't I? Nazzer Lumia? Wrong! He's not that! He's not the leader of the Black Blood Gang. Not this innocent guy.
"W-what?"
"Nazzer Lumia." He repeated.
He lifted a part of the fabric on his polo shirt where the number 3 was written.
It was him. He was the leader of the BBG. But why? He's so innocent? You wouldn't think he's a demon too. Shit!
"Is there a problem?"
"You're the leader of the Black Blood Gang?" I asked.
He laughed softly. A chilling laugh. A laugh that's hard to forget. Innocent evil. You shouldn't belittle people based on their looks because we don't know what's inside them.
"It's me, miss."
My throat went dry. Now I noticed the tattoo on his right arm. A nailed snake. Is this it? Is this the symbol of the BBG? The nail is venomous. That's why it had that effect on Matt.
"Not everything you see is true, not everyone who is good to you is true because sometimes... they are more demonic than who you think are demons."
I couldn't move from where I was standing when he approached me. He fixed his eyeglasses and stared me in the eye.
Those eyes! The eyes that were innocent earlier now look like Nicky's eyes. You can't stare at them for long because they seem to absorb all your strength. It's too chilling.
"Number 9 huh? You're amazing. But you're useless to us and to them, you'll die too, it might be me or someone else who does it. What a waste, I'll ask you." He said.
His eyes remained on me while I don't know what to do anymore. The real demon is now coming out of him. A demon hiding inside this innocent guy.
"Join us. I'll make you a queen. I'll save you myself."
I dropped my jaw. "I don't want to." I said firmly.
I don't want to be a queen of a demon. I'd rather die than join evil. I will never join any demon.
"What a waste. You'll die anyway. Want it now?"
I went pale when he pointed a nail at my neck. I can't breathe properly. It's tight and I feel like just one move could kill me.
"You're a demon too, you're more demonic than us." He whispered.
I can feel the tip of the nail on my neck. It's cold. Chilling. I'm trembling too.
"Kill me now..." I said.
He burst out laughing and removed the nail from my neck. He laughed at me as if what I said was the funniest joke he'd ever heard.
"They were right. You are not afraid of death and it seems death is afraid of you. But, you won't die yet. Not now while you still have a purpose."
The door suddenly opened and three men came in.
"There he is!"
I went cold when they rushed Nazzer and started punching him. I was frozen where I stood.
Why isn't he fighting back? He is a monster too but why the hell is he not fighting back?!
"Stop that!" I shouted.
They stopped and faced me. They were obviously surprised to see me. They probably didn't recognize me earlier.
"S-sorry miss."
I ignored them and went straight to Nazzer who was smirking. His lip was busted.
"Why aren't you fighting back?" I asked.
"He's trash!" A guy behind me shouted. "Miss! Stay away from that nerd guy! " . I have a sudden realization. Could it be that... They don't know that this guy is part of H10 because he's hiding the number on his polo shirt.
Shit!
"That's right miss. They don't know me, they don't know that I am a demon."
I stepped back when the guys rushed him again. I don't know why but I left the music room.
That's why. That's why they are treating him like that because they don't know who he is. That he is the leader of the BBG! That he's a demon! They don't know him!
I don't know who to pity. Nazzer or those three guys.
"Are they done beating him up?"
My eyes landed on the red-haired guy. I remember him. He's the one Mia told me about, the one she saw when Rouge Silvenia's murder happened.
He has a tattoo of a small nail on the side of his arm that seems wrapped in a crown of thorns.
"Are you one of them too?" I asked.
He peeked slightly at the door and shook his head no.
"This is boring. They're still not done beating him up." He said stretching as if sleepy.
"Help him." I said.
He stared at me for a moment and laughed slightly. He fixed his red hair before shaking his head no.
"I can't. But remember the faces of those three guys... they will be the next to follow in the footsteps of the others who died."
I felt a chill. I'm sure what he said is true. Those three guys will pay for their audacity.
The nerd they are beating up is the leader of one of the most feared gangs here. Black Blood Gang, Nazzer Lumia. The third highest in this hell...