Chapter 17 Pain of The Past

Sophie is in danger not only because of her fever but also because of her wounds, the poison. Liza, Kenn, and now Zoe are in the hospital. To protect Zoe, because she is injured, they decided that she will only search for the medicine once the Sirus are gone.

The Poison: “Shhhh…”
Kenn: “Can’t you use your ability?”
Liza: “He… can’t. I can only use mine for a short time… about three times… I tried it.”
The Poison: “For me, it’s even worse. I can only use it once…”
Kenn: “Why… so… what’s your ability?”
The Poison: “I can only use it once every 4 hours… if you’re wondering what it is… it’s stopping time.”
Kenn: “What?”
Liza: “I thought it was elemental powers.”
The Poison: “No… with me it was a different project… not Sirus… but neither the doctor… nor Sir Eisenberg knew that…”
Liza: “From what then?”
The Poison: “No idea.”

They kept going…

The Poison: “Hahh… listen to me… Liza… how often have you used your ability?”
Liza: “Today… about… three times.”
The Poison: “Why three? One at Hänsel, I know that.”
Liza: “I… wanted to try it… I thought I could always use it.”
The Poison: “Great… well… then…”
Zoe: “What’s the plan?”

The Poison pointed to a room.

Zoe: “I’ll distract them by going into that room there… while you use the chance to get inside that room… then the elevator, and after that up… that’s where most of the medicine is… in storage…”
Kenn: “Ok.”
Liza: “Take care of yourself.”
The Poison: “Mhm.”

He stood up.

The Poison: “…And go!”

He rushed forward. They noticed him and followed him. He leapt toward the upper room.

Kenn: “Now…”

They ran—suddenly one appeared in front of Kenn.

Kenn: “Ghhh…”
Liza: “Kenn!”
Zoe: “Kenn!”
Kenn: “Ghhh…”
Liza: “Ugh…”

She quickly grabbed a metal bar and smashed the monster’s head.

(Splach!)

Kenn: “Ugh…”
Liza: “Are you alright?”
Zoe: “Hhh…”
Kenn: “Yeah… quick!”

They ran all the way up.

Kenn: “There… the elevator…”

They got inside, just in time as the doors closed.

Kenn: “Hahh… hahhh… hahh…”
Liza: “Oh…”
Zoe: “What?”
Liza: “Nothing…”

It stopped, and right there The Poison was waiting.

The Poison: “Hey.”
Kenn: “Huh?”

(Meanwhile)

Sophie is still in pain.

Sophie: “Hahhh…”
Dante: “Hmm.”
Marlon: “…You know… after I heard her past, I realized it… how much she suffered… besides, she’s still almost a child.”
Dante: “She’s 19… still very young… hard to believe she’s been through so much at this age…”
Marlon: “Hmm…”
Dante: “…With these wounds… that hurt so badly… well… it must be a strong torture.”
Marlon: “I thought wounds closed over.”
Dante: “Not the deep ones.”
Marlon: “I remember… those wounds looked really… brutal.”
Dante: “No wonder she became addicted to those strong medicines.”
Marlon: “Hmm.”
Sophie: “Hahhh… hahhh…”

(A few minutes later)

(Sophie!)
(My child!)
(Sister!)

Sophie: “Hahhh…”

She opened her eyes—there they stood.

Sophie’s Father: “Hey… little one…”
Sophie’s Mother: “Hey, darling… are you alright?”
Sophie: “…Mom… Dad…”

Her mother’s name was Angelika, her father’s Thomas. Her brother was called Manfred, and her middle sister, one year older than her, was named Sandy.

Sophie: “Hahhh… Mom… Dad…”
Angelika: “…Sweetheart… you’re in pain, aren’t you?”
Thomas: “Hahh, little one…”
Manfred: “Just let go… and follow the path with us.”
Sandy: “Then we can play again, sis… you always loved that…”
Sophie: “…Hahhh…”
Sandy: “Just like Gretel.”
Sophie: “What?”

Gretel appeared… without eyes, blood streaming from the sockets.

Gretel: “Hello… Sophie…”
Sophie: “…Gretel…”
Gretel: “…You killed me… and you don’t cry?… Did it make you happy to kill me, Sophie?”
Sophie: “…Hahh…”

She suddenly crawled toward her on hands and feet and leapt.

Gretel: “Didn’t it?!”

Her mouth opened far too wide for a human.

Sophie: “Hahh… no… gh… aarghhh!”
(Sophie!)

She woke up.

Dante: “Hey… Sophie…”
Sophie: “Hahh hahh hahhh… Da…nte?”
Dante: “Are you alright?”
Sophie: “Hahh… don’t know… I think it was a… dream…”
Dante: “Hmm… your eyes were open…”
Sophie: “…Hmm.”
Marlon: “Hey… Dante… is she okay?”
Dante: “Hmm.”
Sophie: “Hahh…”

(Meanwhile)

The Poison: “Hmm… this must be it.”
Kenn: “…Medicine for fever… and the pain.”
The Poison: “Paracetamol is enough.”
Kenn: “Hmm.”
Zoe: “Okay… good… but how do you know that?”
The Poison: “…My mother was addicted to it… after a severe accident… so addicted… that when I tried to take it from her… she threw boiling hot water on my face in rage… and my lower jaw burned…”
Liza: “Ugh…”
Kenn: “…Damn…”
Zoe: “Ugh… what…”
The Poison: “It’s fine… we need to hurry.”

(Meanwhile)

Sophie: “Hahh…”
Dante: “Sophie.”
Sophie: “Hmm?”
Dante: “Alright… may I ask… how it was back then… in the camp, where these wounds came from… you don’t have to talk about it.”
Sophie: “It’s… like this… after Sir Eisenberg… found me… he was still working on Project Human Sirus… I was test subject number 347… while The Poison was number 34… he was furious that so many failed… so he dealt with it brutally… and because I was a girl… he was even more furious… They tied you… to a chair… tortured you… that’s what they did to me… the people doing it… were allowed to do whatever they wanted… with me… they… touched me… I was 11 years old… when it happened… I… screamed… for help.”

(8 years ago)

Sophie: “No… no… please… it hurts!”

(Bzzzzz!)

Sophie: “Aaaaaaaaarghhh!”

Electroshock device to her head—Sophie was tied up.

Sophie: “Please…”

(Bzzzzz)

Black Eye Soldier 1: “…Hmm… she needs to get stronger… this torture will help.”
Black Eye Soldier 2: “That’s boring… how about we go further?”
Black Eye Soldier 3: “Hehe.”
Black Eye Soldier 1: “Hehehe… I see…”

They put the device away.

Sophie: “Hahh…”
Black Eye Soldier 1: “…Tie her down with ropes after you throw her to the floor.”
Black Eye Soldier 2: “Hehe.”
Sophie: “No..!”

They threw her down and tied her.

Sophie: “Hey… hey… what are you doing…”

He unbuckled his pants.

Black Eye Soldier 1: “Shut the door.”

(A few hours later)

(Door opens)

Black Eye Soldier 1: “Hahh… always good… to let out frustration… with fists, or other ways.”
Black Eye Soldier 2: “Ahh… definitely.”
Black Eye Soldier 3: “I’m tired now…”

(Back to present time)

Dante: “Hahhh…”
Sophie: “…Yeah… I guess I don’t need to tell you what they did to me… right?”
Dante: “…Damn…”
Sophie: “…Out of fear… I started doing what they wanted… I… killed people… they were prisoners… I… was scared… in that situation… you either hope… for death… or at least for it to stop…”
Dante: “…(Silent!)”
Marlon: “…Ghh…”
Sophie: “…(tears)… that’s why… I knew… that Liza… was also a victim of such violence… only worse… from her own parents…”
Dante: “…You pitied the children… and you risked keeping the prisoners alive.”
Sophie: “…Hahhh… I… don’t want… to make a child cry… every child… has the right… to grow up with their parents… I didn’t want to become like those… who killed mine… who did this to me… a mother’s warmth… can’t be replaced.”
Dante: “Good… you should rest now… okay.”
Sophie: “Hahh… okay…”

He left the room, Marlon as well.

Dante: “…Hmm.”
Marlon: “…Now I understand… why women are often afraid.”
Dante: “…Hahh… damn… I forgot… she’s still almost a teenager…”
Marlon: “…Me too…”

(Ding!)

Dante: “Huh?”
Marlon: “Hmm?”

It was The Poison, Liza, Kenn, and Zoe.

Dante: “You’re back!”

They hurried.

Kenn: “How’s Sophie?”
Dante: “Not good… quick!”

They rushed in.

Sophie: “Hahh…”
The Poison: “Alright… alright… water… we need water.”
Marlon: “Here… take this bottle… it’s new… fresh water from a river nearby… we found it this morning.”
The Poison: “Good… Kenn…”
Kenn: “Yeah.”
The Poison: “Help her sit up.”
Kenn: “Okay.”

He helped her… they gave her the pill.

Kenn: “Easy now.”
Sophie: “(Swallow)… thanks…”
Kenn: “That’s it.”
The Poison: “…Now about your addiction… we can’t give you morphine.”
Sophie: “Hahh… I understand… but the pain…”
The Poison: “It’s alright… I got Paracetamol… in injection form.”

He took her arm and injected it.

Sophie: “Hahh…”
The Poison: “It’ll get better… you’re a strong girl, Sophie.”

She coughed.

Zoe: “Hmm.”
Sophie: “Thank you… really… how’s Hänsel?”
Zoe: “You care about him?… you’re asking about someone who almost killed you?”
Sophie: “…I killed his sister…”
Zoe: “…It was necessary.”
Sophie: “I could have aimed for her arm… her leg… her hand… but I gave her a painful death… a shot to the throat.”
The Poison: “It was necessary… she betrayed Hänsel, her own brother… anyone willing to shoot their sibling without blinking… is dangerous.”

She smiled faintly.

Sophie: “Maybe you’re right… but… still…”
Zoe: “Hmm.”
Sophie: “Well, anyway…”
Dante: “We’ll move on tomorrow if you feel better… we’ve decided—at least Liza, Kenn, Zoe and I—that you’ll stay. What about you, Marlon?”
Marlon: “I agree.”

Marlon looked at her.

The Poison: “As for me… I’m leaving anyway…”

The Poison looked at Sophie.

Sophie: “Leaving? Where to?”
The Poison: “Away from people… for a while at least… I want to find my mother’s house… and see if her grave is okay…”

Sophie: “Hmm.”
Marlon: “What about Hänsel…”

They looked at each other.

Sophie: “I’d like to stay… but only if he can stay too…”
Dante: “…Hahh… well… he has calmed down… so… we can try… agreed.”
Sophie: “Mhm…” 

(Same day, a few hours later)

Zoe: “Hmm…”

(Hahhh…!)

Something was watching her…

(Hahhhh…)
(Grrrrrr…)

A giant eye opened.
(Gulp!)
(Grrrrrr… humans…)

(Meanwhile)

Kenn was with Sophie. He entered as night was falling.

Sophie: “Hahh…”
Kenn: “…Are you feeling better now?”
Sophie: “…Why are you here?”
Kenn: “…Uh… I was worried about you.”
Sophie: “Hmm.”

She didn’t look at him.

Kenn: “Why… are you ignoring me? You barely talk to me…”
Sophie: “Hmm.”
Kenn: “Is it because of Mia?”
Sophie: “…H… hahhh…”
Kenn: “…It wasn’t your fault… I mean… Heinrich lied…”
Sophie: “…I’m sorry… but… I just find it strange that of all people, you, Kenn, are being so kind to me…”
Kenn: “Every person deserves a second chance… you’re still very young too… almost still a teenager…”
Sophie: “…Hmm…”
Kenn: “Do you really feel that guilty with me?”
Sophie: “…Hmm… mhm…”
Kenn: “Even if I tell you I’m not angry with you?”
Sophie: “…I… can’t say anything to that… Kenn… you shouldn’t be so kind… not to me… I killed your sister… or at least, it was my fault…”
Kenn: “…I’m not leaving… not until you look at me.”

He sat down.

Sophie: “…Do you have a stick up your butt?”
Kenn: “Uh… no… I’m just sitting on a chair with my butt…”
Sophie: “That’s different…”
Kenn: “How’s your pain?”
Sophie: “Better… but by the way, you should say ‘are the pains gone’ and not ‘how are my pains’…”
Kenn: “Uh…”
Sophie: “…(Sighs)…”

She looked at him.
Kenn: “Aha…”
Sophie: “Satisfied?”
Kenn: “Yes.”
Sophie: “…Hmm… stop that…”

Suddenly he patted her head.

Kenn: “Hmm.”
Sophie: “Hey… hey… what are you doing?”
Kenn: “…Nothing… I’ll go now.”
Sophie: “…Hmm…”
Kenn: “But I’ll be back… just need to step out.”
Sophie: “Huh?”

He left the room.

Kenn: “Hmm…”

(Grrrrr)
Kenn: “Hmm?”

He turned around.
Kenn: “…Hmm… must be the wind…”

He kept walking into the storage room… a small storage.

Kenn: “Hmm.”

(…A human!)
(Yes… there are humans here…)
(Gulp!)

Kenn: “Huh?”

He left the room.
Kenn: “Hmm…”

(An hour later)

Kenn: “I’m ba—ck…”
Sophie: “Hahh…”

She was asleep.

Kenn: “Oh…”

He wanted to leave… but then he looked at her. He saw her face… cute, beautiful… such a lovely face, she really was a pretty girl.

Kenn: “Ugh… hmm.”

He slowly walked closer… stroked her hair… and kissed her forehead.

Kenn: “Good night…”
Sophie: “…Hahh…”

He left the room.

(Next morning)

Kenn: “Hmm.”
Dante: “Alright…”
The Poison: “I’ll accompany you for a while longer.”
Zoe: “Mhm.”
Sophie: “…Are you sure you want me with you?”
Dante: “Mhm… that’s decided.”

He looked at Sophie… he saw her looking at Hänsel.

Dante: “I know he’s dangerous…”
Sophie: “That’s not the point… why have you tied him up?”
Dante: “So he doesn’t do anything dangerous.”
Sophie: “Mhm… I see.”
Zoe: “Alright.”
Marlon: “All ready. Nice little camp we had… but too small.”
Liza: “Mhm.”

They moved on.

Liza: “Hmm…”
Dante: “What is it?”
Liza: “I… don’t know… I think I heard something…”
Kenn: “Yeah, yesterday I heard something too.”
Dante: “Must be the wind.”
Zoe: “Mhm.”
Marlon: “Hmm.”
Sophie: “…What kind of noises?”
Dante: “Huh?”
Liza: “…It’s strange… first last night I heard a mysterious sound… and now I feel like… someone’s following us.”
Sophie: “Hmm… I had that feeling too… thought it was just my fear again…”
Kenn: “How are your wounds?”
Sophie: “Not too bad…”
Kenn: “Good…”

Suddenly they heard something… a tree falling.

Dante: “Watch out!”
Marlon: “Ugh!”
Zoe: “Huh!”
Sophie: “Ghh!”
Kenn: “Sophie!”

He jumped to her… they fell into the river, the others too after they leapt.

Liza: “Bbbb…”

(Meanwhile)

Kenn: “Bbb…”
Sophie: “Guhhh!”

She had Kenn… she held him as she sank toward the bottom.

Kenn: “…(Silent!)”
Sophie: “Hey! Kenn!”
Kenn: “(Silent!)”

He had swallowed too much water.

Kenn: “(Silent!)”
Sophie: “Kenn… damn it!”

She started pressing on his chest, then gave him mouth-to-mouth… then pressed again.

Kenn: “(Cough!) (Cough!)”
Sophie: “…Hey… hey…”
Kenn: “Ugh… what happened…”
Sophie: “…You made it…”
Kenn: “You… saved me?”
Sophie: “…Did I?… yeah, I did…”
Kenn: “…Where are the others?”
Sophie: “I don’t know… we were separated by that tree…”
Kenn: “That’s not good…”
Sophie: “I know.”

They stood up.

Sophie: “Hmm.”
Kenn: “…Ugh… are we that far?”
Sophie: “Not that far. You’re looking in the wrong direction—look there… about 150 meters away… that’s where the tree fell… so they should be nearby…”
Kenn: “But they fell into the river too…”
Sophie: “I know… but in the other direction. We need to hurry…”
Kenn: “Hmm.”

He saw they had to jump across to land on the other side.

Sophie: “Hmm… I don’t know… huh!”

Suddenly Kenn carried her in his arms, jumped, and landed.

Sophie: “Ugh…”
Kenn: “…Done.”
Sophie: “(Blushes)… what… was that?”

He gently set her down.

Sophie: “(Blushing)… mmm…”
Kenn: “Hey… so you can blush. That’s cute.”
Sophie: “…Of course… I’m still a girl…”
Kenn: “Thought you were too strict for that… oh well, let’s move on.”

They kept going.

Sophie: “…Hmm.”
Kenn: “Something’s strange.”

(Pump! Pump!)

Sophie: “Huh!”

She quickly turned around.

Kenn: “What is it?”
Sophie: “…Something… something is here…”
Kenn: “What, a mutant?”
Sophie: “No… no… something else… something more dangerous…”
Kenn: “What?”
Sophie: “I don’t know why… but… my Human Sirus ability… is warning me… about something…”

(Gulp!)
Kenn: “…Ugh…”
Sophie: “Huh… it came… from there.”

A deserted forest path… they looked.

Sophie: “Ugh…”
Kenn: “…(Silent!)”

(Patch… Patch…)

A gigantic figure slowly came toward them…

Kenn: “Ugh… hahh.”
Sophie: “Run!”

She grabbed his hand and hid behind a tree.

Sophie: “Hahh… hahh.”
Kenn: “Ghh.”

A huge figure appeared… in dark clothing… a creepy mask. It wasn’t human, not even Human Sirus. It had giant eyes, and its teeth showed because it had no lips.

Sophie: “Hahh…”
Kenn: “Ghhh…”

They held their breath in fear.

Sophie (thinking): (What is… that…?)
Kenn (thinking): (I’ve… never seen anything like this! Even Sophie is afraid…)

(Grrrrrr…)

It moved on…

Sophie: “Hahh…”
Kenn: “…Ghh… is it gone?”
Sophie: “I don’t know…”

Suddenly they felt… something behind them.

(Grrrr…)
Kenn: “Ugh… hahh…”
Sophie: “…Run!”

They ran— it chased them. They ran and ran.

Sophie: “What is that?!”
Kenn: “…That’s… that’s a monster!”

They ran until they reached a dead end.

Sophie: “Damn it!”
Kenn: “…Huh!”

Suddenly someone grabbed both their mouths.

Kenn: “Mmm.”
Sophie: “Mmmhh!”
(Shhhhhh!)

They hid. The monster came… looked around… then left.

Kenn: “Ugh.”
Sophie: “…Damn it… who are you?”

He took off his hat.

(My name is Jason.)
His name was Jason.

Kenn: “Hmm?”
Jason: “…Hey… let’s go quickly.”
Sophie: “Wait… why should we trust you?”
Jason: “Better than that monster back there, right?”
Kenn: “Hmm?”
Sophie: “Ghhh…”
Kenn: “He’s got a point…”
Jason: “Besides… we have your friends.”
Sophie: “What?”
Kenn: “Our friends?!”

(The Unknown!)