BLOODSHED

The night is already deep, it was veiled in total silence. The others are probably asleep right now, but here I am, staring stupidly in nothingness as my mind busy contemplating the things that should not concern me in the very first place.

"Lei," I called my best friend but she just answered me with a snore.

I heave a deep sigh, pulled my hair in frustration before deciding to stand up. I grab the jacket hanging on the rack and wear it.

I open the door quietly, avoiding to wake Lei up. She will really bottle me up if I ruined her slumber, she hates being deprived of sleep.

Without making any noise, I climb down the stair while tightly hugging my jacket. I close my eyes to feel the sea breeze fondling against my skin.

I remove my slippers and walk barefooted on the sand. I sat on the same spot where Sloane and I were seating earlier. The calm waves are touching my feet as I continue to ponder with my thoughts.

After singing, Sloane left us right away without saying a word. Ethan cracked a joke to ease the awkward atmosphere hovering around us that time. The game resumed, but I am preoccupied the whole time. I didn't even notice that they were already done if Lei didn't nudge me.

Stupid it may sound, but what happened earlier is still bothering me. His face never leave my mind since then- like a picturesque scenery that I will never get tired to stare at, like a perfect melody that I want to hear before my sleep.

"What the fuck am I even saying?" I castigated my self.

"Having a trouble sleeping?"

I stiffened when someone speaks from behind. I turn around only to see the person who causes maelstrom of thoughts inside my mind now standing behind me.

He's looking down at me with his expressive orbs that seem to hold the ocean. He just stood there motionless while our eyes are interlocked. And for the first time, I found myself avoiding his gaze. I could not handle the intensity of his tantalizing eyes. I swallowed a lump and breathed deep, striving to calm down.

I heard him chuckled lightly before sitting beside me. "Why are you still awake? It's already past twelve," he asked while staring in the dark sky.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "Nothing, I'm just not used to sleeping in another house that's why," I explained, trying my best not to stutter.

I closed my eyes in irritation. Why do I suddenly feel embarrassed talking to him? I really need to get a hold of myself.

Silence rose between the two of us.

"How about you? Why are you not sleeping yet?" I asked to ease the tension.

"Hmm, let's just say that something is bothering me," he said, giving me a short glance. "Can I tell you a something?"

I was dumbfounded on what he said that's why I wasn't able to answer his question right away. This is probably the calmest conversation that we ever had.

"Forget about it, I know you're not interested in-"

"N-No!" I immediately cut him off. "I'm sorry, I'm just quite surprised. Go on, I'll listen," I muttered.

He smiled at me. "Back when I was a kid, whenever the mansion feels suffocating for me, I always go to the treehouse I built myself. I love my parents, I really do, but whenever they are being a control freak, I always wish that I have a normal life."

I look at him in bewilderment.

He feigned a smile after seeing the confusion in my eyes. "My parents are not as good as what other people perceived. They are obsess with luxury and lavishness, they will do everything just to keep our name sparkly and in spotlight, even if it means destroying someone."

He pick up a stone and throw it on the water nonchalantly. "Only few people know this, but I badly want to be a painter someday," he said.

I suddenly remember the sketchbook he always bring at school. I thought it's just his hobby- didn't have any idea that painting is really his passion.

"I have all the money to pursue my dreams. Hell, I don't even need to break a sweat to achieve it. Unfortunately, when I once told my parents regarding my dream, I'm telling you, they almost flipped the entire house while spitting degrading remarks towards me." He laugh bitterly while shaking his head.

"They wanted me to take a business related course and continue the legacy of our family, though they are aware of what course I want to take. It's kind of hard, really, being manipulated like a puppet, having no freedom to decide for myself. But I learned to deal with it, I guess," he said those with a subtle smile plastered between his lips.

For few moments, I was just there, staring at his face doing absolutely nothing. I feel like I've seen a obscure side of him through his story that he chose to hide from everyone else.

I sighed and look at the seascape in front of us. "You may not believe this, but I understand you. I know how hard it is to decide especially that you are stuck between where you should be and where you wanted to be."

I grab a handful of sand and shower my feet with it. "But someone told me before that our choices are the hinges of destiny, that our decisions will shape our future. That made me realize to stop looking for people's approval. You are the only person who's in charge of your fate."

I pat his shoulder. "You always get to choose on how to respond on every circumstances. You can lament and live with regrets or play the fuck out of the cards you're dealing, it will always be your choice, Sloane."

He looks at me with amusement.

I showed him a genuine smile. "People may doubt you, but to hell with everyone else."

I stand up and stretched my arms. "Goodnight, Sloane," I said before walking back to our room.

And before the night ends, a genuine smile made its way on my lips.

•••••

"For the record, you literally look like a walking zombie," Lei said when I went out of the bathroom after washing my face.

I didn’t even notice the time when Sloane and I were talking last night, that's why I slept late and woke up with a puffy face.

When we arrived on the dining table, Claire, along with two of our guy classmates, Grayson and Lincoln, are already serving foods.

"Good morning guys," Lei greeted them.

"Morning, ugly face," Ethan teased her.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Shut up, shit face. Don't you dare ruin my beautiful-as-me morning," she fired back.

I elbowed her. "I don't know if someone already told you to this, but you and Ethan are match made in heaven," I whispered with a smirk.

Her cheeks turned red. "You're so gross! Stop saying nauseous things, Lauren. I'm too beautiful for Ethan," she snapped at me and flipped her hair.

I chukled while shaking my head.

"Ash, can you please call Alice? I need to tell something urgent to her," Evan said while busy typing on his phone.

"Why me? Can't you see that I'm busy?" the latter replied.

"You're just probably scrolling through your Instagram. Just call her."

She rolled her eyes before. "Fine."

Claire suddenly emerged from the kitchen and called me. "Lauren, can I ask for your help?"

I nod my head. "Sure. "

I followed her, she just asked me to toast several breads.

After helping her with all the kitchen works, we immediately went back to the dining table.

"Guys, the foods were already served. Dig in!" Claire announced.

All of them run towards the table and grab their own plates. But we were stupefied when we heard a shout from the outside.

"That's probably Ashley," Amber said. She drops her plate and run outside apprehensively. All of us followed her after a while.

We are all surprise seeing Ashley stumbled on the sand, crying. She looks so terrified.

"Ash, calm down. Please tell us what happened," Amber hushed her while caressing her back. The others also try to calm her down.

"I'll get her a glass of water," Lei said from behind before dashing inside the rest house.

Ashley shakes her head and pointed at the room where Alice and Dencio are residing.

Ethan decided to walks towards the room, the boys are also trailing behind him. I wanted to stay here and just wait for them but my curiosity is getting piqued, so I followed them.

The unlit room looks so gloomy from the outside.

Ethan slowly opens the door, its rustle giving a slight shiver down my body. We heard the sound of an open television, but the place looks dismal and empty.

"Alice, where are you? Why did you guys turn off the light?" Ethan tried calling them.

I saw his hands crawling on the wall, probably finding the switch. When the lights are opened, we instinctively roam our eyes around. My forehead creased upon seeing some broken furniture on the floor. Fear is slowly creeping my system.

We walked some more, and the tension even intensified when we saw the entirety of the place. Everything is in complete chaos, it's as if a storm passed by to ruin the place.

"What the fuck happened here?" Sloane asked with a hint of apprehension.

I casted a wary glance around, and my eyes widened when I saw trail of blood on the carpeted floor.

"Bathroom." All of them look at me when I suddenly speak.

"What?" Pierce asked.

"Open the bathroom."

Without any questions, Ethan opened the door. And my sanity seemed to left my body with what we found out.

Alice and Dencio's body were hanging on the bathroom, cold and lifeless. Their bulging eyes are already white. Severe bruises and fresh cuts can be seen on their faces and exposed skins. Bloods are dripping profusely from their bodies. Alice's right arms are barely attached, I can almost see the bones from where I'm standing. Dencio's fingers, on the other hand, were cut. I grimaced when blood suddenly gush out of their necks.

Just like a nightmare, I saw the familiar black roses that I have seen before pierced on their mouths.

I covered my mouth as tears stream down my cheeks. I wanted to throw up at the gruesome incident in front of us. But the fear engulfing my system petrified me on my spot. My knees are literally shaking.

"Lauren, we need to get out of here." I felt Sloane's arms guiding me to walk outside.

"Evan, what did you see there?" Amber asked as soon as we got outside but he ignored her and turn to Pierce.

"Pierce, call the nearest police department," he told him. "Pack all your things, we're leaving."

They look at him in confusion.

I just stared in the empty air in front of me while tears are streaming down my cheeks.

After a while, police vehicles and cops poured in the secluded island after a few moments.

Evan immediately lead the police on the crime scene and cooperated with them. Since Ashley was the first one who saw the bodies of the victims, she was asked to underwent an interview.

All of us are in complete silence while sitting in the living room. No one dared to speak, our heavy breathing thickened the tension hovering around us.

We look in the doorway when Ethan, Evan and Ashley emerged from outside, the latter is still pensive and lost in thought.

Amber stood up and guided her to the couch. "Are you alright, Ash?" she asked.

She nods her head and let out a deep sigh. "I-I'm fine, they just asked me some questions."

A deafening silence filled the perturbed atmosphere once again. Everyone are still apprehensive with Alice and Dencio's death.

"What now?" Ethan asked breathlessly.

Evan sighed. "The police said that they will solve the case. But we have one problem."

Our eyes were fixated on him.

"Since this is a secluded place, they have no primary suspects aside from the people who are inside this island when the crime took place."

"Which is us," Pierce said as a matter of fact. Our forehead creased as our current dilemma finally dawned us.

"Great, just great. Now we are imprisoned in this fucked up situation," Amber exclaimed.

"You know what? This is getting stupid, just admit who killed those two and spare us with this bullshit," Amber stood up and look at every one of us suspiciously with doubtful eyes.

Sloane chuckled out of the sudden. "Stop being cretinous, Amber. No criminal in the entire history admitted their crimes."

"And we're not even a hundred percent sure that the killer is one of us. Who knows, maybe someone we don't know is the person behind this. Stop pointing a finger," Lei added.

Amber just rolled her eyes and slump on her seat.

"Also, do you really think someone from our class can actually kill? We're maybe terrible students but we're not murderers, right?" Aeron asked.

All of us nodded in response.

"Anyway, we're about to leave so pack up your things already. Stop worrying and let the police handle this case," Evan announced.

I close my eyes and let out a deep sigh. There are so much things that happened in a span of two days and I think my head will about to explode.

"Lauren, accompany me to our room, I need to pack up my stuff," Lei said. I nod my head somberly and let her pull me.

•••••

"Bye, Lauren! See you tomorrow!" Lei bid as I went out of the car.

"Take care, Lei," I said. I was about to turn around when Sloane suddenly peaked from the window.

"Don't you have something to tell me?" he asked. The sun lits up his face, and I feel like I'm staring at God's magnificent creation at that very moment.

I shook my head. What the fuck am I even saying?

"Lauren, I'm waiting."

I gulped hard and smiled at him. "T-Take care, Sloane. Stop being a hard-headed jerk," I said, chuckling a bit.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Take care, don't miss me too much," he said while smirking.

I grimaced. "Now you reverted back at your arrogant self," I snapped at him before waving my hand. "Go now, I badly want to rest."

I watched them as they fade within my line of sight. I look above and saw the blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily in the gentle breeze. The afternoon sun bathed the buildings in its warm light, creating mysterious shadows on the ground.

I sighed heavily before walking inside the silent and gloomy house.

"I'm home," I said somberly. My mother, who's currently watching a television with a liquor in her hand, just gave me a short glance and didn't even say a thing. Not surprising, though, I'm used to this kind of treatment from her.

I laid down my bed as soon as I reached my room. I momentarily closed my eyes before staring outside. The light of dawn seeped into my room through the window.

The recent occurrence is still disturbing my peace. I badly want to rest because of the exhausting drive but the horrid images of Alice and Dencio keep on flashing through my mind.

The supposed to be fun and relaxing trip that we planned turned to be a complete disaster. It's also not helping that all of us are the primary suspects of the crime.

"If one of us is indeed the killer, then who?" I whispered. I know that it is not a good thing to point fingers at someone, but the prospect that the killer is one of us could be true.

I closed my eyes and tried to get rid of those disturbing thoughts. I just hope that their death will not hunt me in my dreams and turn it into a nightmare.

•••••

THIRD PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW

"Why did you kill them? It's not in the plan," the lady asked the man while playing with a knife between her fingers.

"I know, but that old witch overheard our conversation. It's only sensible to kill her, who knows what would probably happen if she was able to tell Evan about it," he replies.

"We need to eliminate every hurdles in our way,"