I think about my options, questioning the reason for choosing these two specifically, then say to myself,

  'Well, let's not worry about that now.'

  'I think the first thing I should do is sit down and wait for the remaining pain to stop.'

  But as soon as the thought crossed my mind, it happened again.

  'It hurts. It hurts. What happened to me? Why is this happening to me?'

  I asked myself these questions trying to make sense of this unexpected occurrence, but the pain was too much; my head felt as if it'd explode at any second, adrenaline-filled blood flooded my veins to the point of expansion, and breathing became challenging; however, suddenly in the midst of the pain that earlier question slithered its way into my thoughts, though this time it was posed by an unfamiliar and eerie voice,

  "The clock is ticking; choose or you will lose the pleasure."

  GO MEET CALEB or KEEP ON WALKING

  I y down on the graveled roads of the campus. Bewildered, struggling to grasp the current situation, weighed down by pain and ck of air,

  "Five"

  I hear the voice again.

  "Four"

  It's counting down to something.

  "Three"

  Without thinking, I got up and started running as fast as I could towards Caleb.

  'Does this mean I chose?'

  "Two"

  'I guess no. Does that mean I have to reach her or...'

  I take my phone out of the pocket where I had previously pced it and call Caleb.

  Ring

  Ring

  'Pick up, pick up, pick up.'

  Ring

  "Hey, Takuto, what do you want?"

  "Nothing. I just want to ask which room you're in."

  "Huh, you sound weird. Are you okay?"

  "Yeah, I am just telling you where you are."

  "I was supposed to be in room 444, but since you sound tired, I'll ask if we are allowed to take a club room close by."

  "Ok, what club?"

  "The former chess club. The professor in charge was mumbling that they disbanded."

  "Great! I'll be there."

  As I hung up the call and took a deep breath and slowed down a bit, checking if it had worked, but since the countdown stopped and the pain ended, that means I chose, right?

  Now that the rush and urgency faded, my body rexed, and though the walk from where I was to the psychology department was barely ten minutes, it took me twenty-five to reach there.

  "Then what did you mean?"

  "I was worried."

  "Why?"

  "Why! You literally called me while you were panting and grunting like an Olympic athlete. I thought you might have encountered those strange men."

  "I'm sorry I didn't know you cared that much. I'll try to stop worrying you from now on, okay?"

  "Of course I care; we've always been together."

  After she said that, I tried my best to comfort her and make her ugh, but it only made her feel a little better, at least to the point where she insisted it's about time we start studying.

  The rest of the day was retively normal; nothing else unusual happened: no more voices, no more pain, and no more making anyone worry.

  Would it be different if I kept on walking or left the choice up to the voice? I don't know, but what I do know is that I will keep my promise to Caleb and to myself.

  I will find out the truth, keeping the people I love and care about in mind.

  {However, unbeknownst to them, an incident had taken pce not far from where HE had been; a man had died at the hand of one of the strange men. He was discovered with three stab wounds to the forehead, heart, and stomach, respectively, ultimately dying from a bullet to the brain.}

  [SAFE END]