"Did we really have to leave?" Cel looked behind her while she lightened her steps. Her short, neck-length hair bounced with her head, while her brown eyes slid around her eye sockets.
When she was sure no one was there, she whispered to the other girl in front of her. "We were safe back there."
Michelle shook her head and brushed aside her long, black hair that flew in front of her face. "Think about it this way," she whispered back.
"If we take a risk and go into a place that the Seeker had already checked, then the Seeker won't go check that area again. At least, not for a while," she scanned the garden and dragged Cel behind a rose bush.
"Besides, what if we find some clues around here? Do you seriously believe in that Overseer? He kidnapped us and now we've become his entertainment. I want to ruin his fun," she sneered through gritted teeth.
Cel huffed, rolling her eyes. "Then by your logic, if we simply hid like we were told, wouldn't that be more boring?"
Michelle turned to face her friend. "What if Christopher is here?"
"Why would…"
Michelle smiled when she saw Cel's brows furrow. "See? You'd want to wander around like a headless chicken too. I won't force you to follow me, but I'm looking for two things."
Cel stared into Michelle's charcoal eyes. "And those are?"
"How to leave this place, and someone."
"John?" Cel smirked. "Even at this time, you're more worried about him? What if he's the Seeker?"
Michelle grinned. "If he's the Seeker, then even if I'm the Watcher, I'd still find him."
Cel snickered, but Michelle paid her no heed. She eyed the pale-white tree not far from them and followed its trunk upwards. Her eyes widened.
"Two people are already eliminated?" She gasped.
"Eh?" Cel looked at her, before she followed her gaze. When she saw whose names were crossed out, she couldn't help but grin. "Heh, Adam and Elizabeth?"
"What's so funny?"
The two girls froze and quickly turned around. Cel's grin fell, but Michelle breathed in relief.
"Class president, are you the Seeker?" She looked at Jeffrey, whose hair was dyed purple.
Jeffrey smiled at her. "I'm not, but… are you?"
Michelle scoffed. "You've clearly been listening to us," she mock-glared at Jeffrey, who shrugged his shoulders.
"Can you blame me? I had to be cautious."
"Wait," Cel gained the two's attention. She faced Michelle. "You knew he was here the whole time?"
Michelle shook her head. "Do you think I have a third eye? I just guessed."
Jeffrey blinked, while Cel could only nod. "You don't have the third eye, but apparently you have spidy-sense," she mumbled under her breath.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey walked closer toward them. "Have you seen anyone in the garden? I'm looking for Anderson."
"Anderson?" Cel raised an eyebrow, her voice tinged with something unnamable. "Since when did you like boys?"
Jeffrey's eyes remained at Michelle's face. The latter sighed, nudging Cel with an elbow before she replied. "We haven't seen anyone since this… whatever this whole thing is. Survival games?"
"I think it's like an escape room," Jeffrey laid out his theory. "Which area did you land in?"
Two voices sounded at the same time.
"Why should we tell you—"
"Well, we both landed—" Michelle looked at Cel, who had a nasty frown on her face. "Cel, can you let us talk?"
Cel turned toward her friend, her mouth agape. Though, in the face of Michelle's furrowed brows and tightened lips, she surrendered.
"Tsk."
"Thanks…" Michelle sighed and looked back at Jeffrey, who acted like the other girl was a ghost.
"You two…," she rubbed her temples. "We landed in an area that the clown called 'The Warehouse.'"
Jeffrey looked past her and eyed the entrance on the east. It had a metal gate, unlike the open entrance that led to the hallway of the Classrooms.
"Me and Anderson landed in an area called 'Classrooms', but we chose to hide separately," he pointed at the entrance to the Classrooms.
Michelle followed his finger and raised an eyebrow. "Anderson willingly hid by himself?"
Jeffrey's eyes wandered off. "Well… kinda. Anyway, I found some notes that told me that Anderson was marked by the Seeker."
"Really? Then he'll be eliminated after…" Michelle tilted her head up and stared at the time on the digital board.
[13:13]
"Two minutes?"
"I don't think so," Jeffrey shook his head. He heard someone snort, and it wasn't Michelle. "When I saw those notes, it was only nine minutes since the game began. But instead of Anderson, it was Eli that was eliminated."
"Elizabeth, huh?" Michelle glanced at the digital board one more time. "What's your—"
"And why should we believe you?" Cel butted in. "Michelle, why do you trust this guy so much? He could be lying. At the last second, he could eliminate one of us in an instant, and then mark the other one."
Three pairs of eyes met. No one spoke, and faintly, you could hear someone grit their teeth.
Jeffrey inhaled as deep as he could and closed his eyes, imagining a perfectly empty, white room. When he opened his eyes, he met Cel's gaze.
"Cel. Can you be proper for a moment?" He looked up and motioned toward the large digital board. "It's almost 1:15. You'll get your answer if I'm the Seeker or not soon enough."
He looked back at Michelle, who was still staring at the digital board. "Michelle. There's definitely some way out of this place. Will you help me?"
Michelle turned to face him. "Are you feeling guilty?"
Jeffrey said nothing, but he gnawed on his lips.
"You were the one who brought up the idea, but it was us who joined you," Michelle put up a small smile. "Besides, I ain't gonna wait for my death either. If you're innocent… Let's work together."
"Michelle???" Cel stared wide-eyed at the girl next to her, but Michelle only shook her head.
"Cel, what if Christopher was found in the real world, while you're stuck here? Working together is better, come on," she placed a hand on her hip and watched the short-haired girl look at her feet.
Jeffrey sighed. "Percival was eliminated."
Michelle looked at the digital board and saw another name get crossed out. "Well… that answers it. We're all safe," she grinned.
"Lead the way, mister president," she winked at the purple haired boy. Behind her, Cel scoffed, her face a twisted mess as though she just ate raw eggs.