Chapter Text
The scream came from the western side of the village.
This time, nobody hesitated.
Doors slammed open.
Footsteps hit the streets.
Someone shouted for everyone to stay together.
Someone else ignored them.
Wemmbu ran.
He didn't know who screamed.
He didn't know why.
He only knew that everyone else was running, and that was usually a good enough reason to follow.
Eggchan caught up first.
"Wemmbu!"
"I'm coming!"
"That's not what I meant!"
"Then run faster!"
Eggchan stared at him for half a second.
Then ran faster.
They reached the western path.
Nobody was there.
Wemmbu slowed.
"Where is everyone?"
A voice came from behind them.
"Over here."
Parrot.
He stood beside a small storage building.
His expression was unreadable.
Wemmbu approached.
"What happened?"
Parrot didn't answer.
He simply stepped aside.
There was blood on the ground.
Not much.
Enough.
A dropped weapon lay beside it.
And beyond that...
Nothing.
Wemmbu's stomach tightened.
"Where's the body?"
Parrot looked toward the trees.
"That's the problem."
Jaden crouched beside the weapon.
"Someone took them."
"Or they moved," Mane said.
Jaden looked up.
"There was enough blood for someone to be hurt."
"Not necessarily killed."
"True."
Lomedy looked around.
"Who screamed?"
Nobody answered.
Spoke walked toward the edge of the forest.
"I heard it."
Mapic followed.
"So did I."
"From the building?"
"No."
Mapic pointed.
"From there."
Everyone turned.
A narrow path disappeared between the trees.
Wemmbu stared at it.
Something about it felt familiar.
He didn't know why.
Then he noticed something hanging from a branch.
A strip of cloth.
Black.
He stepped closer.
Before he could touch it, Flame grabbed his wrist.
"Don't."
Wemmbu looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because we don't know what it is."
"It's cloth."
"That's how evidence works."
Wemmbu pulled his hand away.
"I can touch a piece of cloth."
"Not if someone wants you to."
Flame's eyes stayed on the branch.
Wemmbu stared at him.
"You've gotten really paranoid."
Flame looked at him.
"Have you?"
Silence.
Then Boosfer walked between them.
"Okay, this is getting depressing."
He reached up.
Pulled the cloth down.
Everyone stared.
Boosfer looked at it.
"...It's a sleeve."
Minute immediately stepped forward.
"Whose?"
Boosfer shrugged.
"How am I supposed to know?"
Minute took it.
He examined the stitching.
Then froze.
"What?"
Jaden noticed.
Minute turned the cloth over.
There was a tiny mark sewn inside.
A letter.
F.
Everyone looked around.
Ferre wasn't there.
Wemmbu's eyes narrowed.
"Where's Ferre?"
Nobody answered.
Mapic slowly looked toward the village.
"He was with Spoke earlier."
Spoke frowned.
"Not anymore."
Parrot looked at him.
"When did he leave?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
Spoke's expression hardened.
"He was there."
"That's not what I asked."
Spoke looked away.
"I lost track of him."
Wifies smiled faintly.
"Convenient."
Spoke immediately turned.
"What?"
Wifies shrugged.
"Nothing."
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Say something suspicious and then pretend you didn't."
Wifies smiled.
"You're learning."
Parrot stepped between them.
"Enough."
Wemmbu wasn't listening.
He was staring at the cloth.
The letter.
F.
His stomach twisted.
"Could be planted."
Minute nodded.
"Very easily."
"Then why use his initial?"
"Because whoever did this wants us thinking about him."
Lomedy raised a hand.
"Or because it's actually his."
Everyone looked at him.
"...What?"
Minute sighed.
"You're not helping."
"I know."
A noise came from the forest.
Everyone froze.
Branches shifted.
Something moved.
Flame immediately drew his weapon.
Clown did the same.
Mane stepped in front of Wemmbu.
"Stay back."
Wemmbu frowned.
"I can fight."
"I know."
"Then stop doing that."
"No."
A figure emerged from the trees.
PrinceZam
Everyone relaxed.
Spoke looked at them.
"Why are you all staring at me?"
Jaden lowered his weapon.
"Where were you?"
"Looking for Ferre."
Silence.
Zam looked around.
"What's wrong?"
Minute held up the cloth.
Zam stared.
"...That's his."
Everyone went still.
"You recognize it?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"He wears that jacket constantly."
Minute looked down at the cloth.
"Then we have a problem."
A second scream came from deeper in the forest.
This one was shorter.
Then silence.
Wemmbu felt cold.
"Someone else."
They ran.
They found Ferre beside the river.
Alive.
Barely conscious.
His clothes were torn.
One arm was bleeding.
There was a knife embedded in the ground beside him.
Not in him.
Beside him.
Like someone had deliberately missed.
Wemmbu stopped.
Ferre looked up.
His eyes found him immediately.
"Wemmbu..."
"I'm here."
Ferre's eyes widened.
"Don't."
"What?"
"Don't come closer."
Wemmbu stopped.
Flame moved forward.
Ferre flinched.
"Not him."
Flame froze.
"What?"
Ferre looked toward him.
Then away.
"Nothing."
Minute crouched beside him.
"Who did this?"
Ferre shook his head.
"I didn't see."
"You were attacked."
"I know."
"Then who?"
"I said I didn't see."
Minute stared.
Ferre looked at Wemmbu again.
For half a second, something changed in his expression.
Fear.
No.
Not fear.
Recognition.
Then it was gone.
Wemmbu noticed.
"Ferre."
Ferre looked at him.
"Yeah?"
"What happened?"
Ferre swallowed.
"I heard someone behind me."
"And?"
"They said something."
"What?"
Ferre stared at him.
Then whispered:
"Finally."
Wemmbu's face changed.
"What?"
Ferre closed his eyes.
"They said..."
He stopped.
"What?"
Ferre shook his head.
"I don't remember."
Wifies crouched beside him.
"You're lying."
Ferre opened his eyes.
"Probably."
Wifies smiled.
Ferre didn't.
For once, neither of them seemed amused.
Ferre survived.
That was almost worse.
Because now everyone wanted answers.
And Ferre had none.
Or claimed he had none.
By sunset, the village had split into groups.
Some people wanted to search the forest.
Others wanted to search the houses.
A few wanted everyone locked inside.
Nobody agreed.
Which meant everyone started doing whatever they wanted.
Wemmbu sat on the edge of the fountain.
Eggchan sat beside him.
"You okay?"
"No."
"Good."
Wemmbu looked at him.
"That's becoming everyone's answer."
Eggchan smiled.
"I stole it from Mane."
"You should give it back."
"I'll consider it."
Across the square, Ferre stood alone.
Spoke approached him.
They talked quietly.
Wemmbu couldn't hear them.
Then Spoke suddenly grabbed Ferre's arm.
Ferre pulled away.
Spoke said something.
Ferre answered.
Spoke looked angry.
Then he walked away.
Wemmbu watched.
Eggchan noticed.
"Don't."
"What?"
"You're doing the thing."
"What thing?"
"Watching everyone."
Wemmbu looked away.
"I'm allowed."
"I didn't say you weren't."
Across the square, Ferre looked directly at him.
Their eyes met.
Ferre smiled.
Small.
Brief.
Then looked away.
Wemmbu frowned.
Something was wrong.
He couldn't explain it.
But something was wrong.
At 11:42, the lights went out.
Every single one.
The village disappeared into darkness.
Someone screamed.
Someone drew a weapon.
Someone knocked over a table.
Then:
Tap.
Tap-tap.
Tap.
Wemmbu froze.
"No."
The sound came from the walls.
Then the floor.
Then the ceiling.
Everyone heard it.
Wifies pulled out his paper.
"Nobody move."
The tapping stopped.
A moment later, a message appeared.
Not carved.
Not written.
Burned into the wooden wall.
Morse.
Wifies stared.
Minute moved beside him.
"Translate."
Wifies didn't answer.
"Translate it."
Wifies slowly read it.
Then his expression changed.
"What?"
He looked toward Wemmbu.
"I..."
He stopped.
Wemmbu stood.
"What does it say?"
Wifies looked at the message again.
Then:
-.-- --- ..- / .- .-. . / -. --- - / ... .- ..-. . / .-- .. - .... / - .... . --
Nobody spoke.
Minute translated it aloud.
"YOU ARE NOT SAFE WITH THEM."
Wemmbu stared.
"Who?"
Silence.
Then another line appeared beneath it.
-.-- --- ..- / -.- -. --- .-- / .-- .... ---
Wemmbu's breathing stopped.
Minute translated.
"YOU KNOW WHO."
Everyone started talking at once.
"Who is it?"
"Who knows?"
"Is this about Ferre?"
"Why Ferre?"
"Who said Ferre?"
"Nobody said Ferre!"
"I did!"
"Why?!"
Wemmbu backed away.
Too many voices.
Too many people.
Too many eyes.
Then someone grabbed his shoulder.
He flinched violently.
It was Ferre.
"Come with me."
Wemmbu stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because you shouldn't be here."
"Why?"
Ferre looked around.
"Because they can hear us."
Wemmbu frowned.
"Who?"
Ferre didn't answer.
He simply pulled him away.
They walked through the dark village.
No one followed.
For once.
Wemmbu noticed.
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere quiet."
"Why?"
Ferre kept walking.
"Because you need to hear something."
"What?"
"Not here."
They reached the old storage building.
Ferre opened the door.
Wemmbu stepped inside.
The door closed behind them.
Silence.
Wemmbu turned.
Ferre was standing with his back to him.
"Ferre?"
Nothing.
"Why did you bring me here?"
Ferre's shoulders moved.
A quiet laugh.
Wemmbu's stomach dropped.
"Ferre?"
Ferre slowly turned around.
His face was different.
Not angry.
Not afraid.
Not confused.
Happy.
A small, strange smile sat on his face.
He looked directly at Wemmbu.
And whispered:
"Finally."
Wemmbu didn't move.
Ferre's smile widened.
Then the lights came back on.
And on the wall behind Ferre...
someone had written:
YOU TOOK LONG ENOUGH.
For the first time in hours, Wemmbu wasn't there.
Neither was Ferre.
The village felt different without them.
Not safer.
Just quieter.
Which, somehow, was worse.
Eggchan
Eggchan stood in the kitchen staring at a cup of water.
He had been staring at it for nearly a minute.
Lomedy walked in.
"You good?"
Eggchan didn't answer.
Lomedy followed his gaze.
"It's water."
"I know."
"You're staring at it."
"I know."
"Why?"
Eggchan finally picked up the cup.
"Because Wemmbu usually complains that I don't give him enough."
Lomedy went quiet.
Neither of them said anything for a few seconds.
Then Eggchan put the cup down.
"He hasn't eaten properly."
Lomedy frowned.
"He ate."
"Three bites."
"You counted?"
Eggchan looked at him.
"Yes."
Lomedy slowly nodded.
"Right."
Eggchan turned toward the doorway.
"He shouldn't be alone."
"He isn't."
"Ferre's with him."
"Exactly."
Eggchan's expression tightened.
"That's what worries me."
Lomedy blinked.
"Why?"
Eggchan didn't answer.
Instead, he walked past him.
Lomedy watched him go.
Then noticed something on the counter.
A second cup.
Already filled.
Still warm.
Lomedy frowned.
"Eggchan?"
No answer.
He picked it up.
There was a tiny symbol scratched underneath.
A crown.
Lomedy's smile disappeared.
He put the cup down.
He didn't tell anyone.
Not yet.
Flame
Flame was outside.
Alone.
At least, he thought he was.
He stood beside the fountain, staring at the water.
Something floated beneath the surface.
He crouched.
A piece of black cloth.
Flame reached for it.
Stopped.
He stared.
Then slowly pulled it out.
The cloth was wet.
There was writing stitched into it.
Not Morse.
Not words.
A single symbol.
A circle with a line through it.
Flame's fingers tightened.
He looked around.
Nobody.
He slipped the cloth into his pocket.
Then someone spoke behind him.
"You're hiding something."
Flame spun around.
Mapic.
Flame's hand moved toward his weapon.
Mapic raised both hands.
"Relax."
"What do you want?"
"I saw you take something."
"You didn't see anything."
"I literally watched you pick it up."
Flame stared.
Mapic sighed.
"Look, I'm not accusing you."
"You're following me."
"So are you."
"That's different."
Mapic smiled.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Flame's expression hardened.
"What did you see?"
"Nothing."
"Then leave."
Mapic didn't move.
"Why are you lying?"
Flame's eyes narrowed.
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
A pause.
Mapic looked at Flame's pocket.
"Whatever you found..."
He stepped closer.
"...someone wanted you to find it."
Flame stared at him.
Then Mapic walked away.
Flame waited until he disappeared.
Only then did he pull the cloth back out.
He turned it over.
There was another symbol.
One he'd missed.
A tiny arrow.
Pointing toward the village.
Flame looked up.
His expression changed.
"You're kidding."
Parrot
Parrot had been watching the entire village from the roof.
He saw Flame leave the fountain.
He saw Mapic follow.
He saw Mapic leave.
He saw Flame smile.
He also saw someone else.
A figure crossed the street.
Slowly.
Casually.
Nobody else seemed to notice.
Parrot narrowed his eyes.
The figure stopped outside the old storage building.
Looked around.
Entered.
Parrot stood.
He jumped from the roof.
He landed badly.
"Ow."
He immediately looked around to make sure nobody had seen.
Nobody had.
Good.
He approached the building.
The door was open.
Parrot stopped.
That was wrong.
The storage building was always locked.
He pushed the door.
It creaked.
Inside, everything was dark.
"Hello?"
Nothing.
Parrot stepped inside.
A box fell behind him.
He spun.
Nothing.
"Very funny."
He kept walking.
Then he noticed the floor.
Dust.
Footprints.
Three sets.
One entering.
Two leaving.
Parrot crouched.
The first set was fresh.
The second was older.
The third...
Parrot's expression changed.
The third set had stopped halfway across the room.
No continuation.
No return.
Just ended.
He stared.
"That isn't possible."
Something moved above him.
Parrot looked up.
A rope hung from the ceiling.
At the end of it was a key.
He reached for it.
Stopped.
The key had something engraved on it.
17.
Parrot slowly smiled.
Not because he was amused.
Because he finally had something useful.
Then a voice came from behind him.
"Found something?"
Parrot froze.
He turned.
Wifies stood in the doorway.
Parrot's hand remained inches from the key.
"How long have you been there?"
Wifies smiled.
"Long enough."
Parrot stared.
"Did you follow me?"
"No."
"Then how did you know I was here?"
Wifies tilted his head.
"I didn't."
A pause.
"I guessed."
Parrot didn't believe him.
Wifies walked past.
He looked at the footprints.
Then at the key.
Then at Parrot.
"Don't touch it."
"Why?"
"Because I don't think it's meant for you."
Parrot frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Wifies reached for the key.
Parrot grabbed his wrist.
"No."
Wifies looked at his hand.
Then at Parrot.
For once, neither smiled.
"Let go."
"No."
"Parrot."
"No."
Wifies's expression became unreadable.
Then he laughed quietly.
"Interesting."
Parrot released him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Wifies walked away.
Parrot watched him leave.
Then looked at the key.
He didn't touch it.
Jaden
Jaden was sitting on the steps outside.
He'd been sharpening his weapon.
For no reason.
At least, that's what he told himself.
A shadow fell across him.
Clown.
"You've been doing that for twenty minutes."
Jaden didn't look up.
"Counting?"
"Yes."
"You're becoming like Minute."
"That's unfortunate."
Jaden smiled faintly.
Clown sat beside him.
Neither spoke.
Then Jaden said:
"Do you trust Flame?"
"No."
"Zam?"
"No."
"Mapic?"
"No."
"Wifies?"
Clown looked at him.
"Absolutely not."
Jaden laughed.
"What about Eggchan?"
Clown thought.
"More than the others."
"Why?"
"He lies badly."
Jaden looked at him.
"That's your standard?"
"Right now?"
Clown shrugged.
"Yes."
Jaden continued sharpening.
"What about me?"
Clown smiled.
"No."
Jaden laughed.
"Fair."
Then Clown's expression changed.
"You?"
Jaden stopped.
"What?"
"Do you trust yourself?"
Silence.
Jaden slowly looked toward the village.
"No."
Clown nodded.
"Good."
"Why?"
"Because I don't trust anyone who answers that question too quickly."
Jaden looked at him.
"You're weird."
"I know."
MinuteTech
Minute was losing his mind.
Not visibly.
That was the problem.
He sat in the village hall with twelve sheets of paper spread around him.
Names.
Times.
Locations.
Symbols.
Every disappearance.
Every suspicious interaction.
Every person who had been alone at the wrong time.
He drew a line between two names.
Then another.
Then stopped.
He stared at the page.
Something didn't fit.
He crossed out three names.
Added two.
Then stared at one particular name.
Lettuce.
Minute leaned back.
"No."
He crossed it out.
Then hesitated.
He uncrossed it.
"Absolutely not."
He crossed it out again.
Someone spoke behind him.
"You're doing it again."
Minute nearly jumped out of his chair.
Lettuce stood behind him.
Minute stared.
"How do you keep doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"Appearing."
Lettuce smiled.
"I walk."
"Quietly."
"Apparently."
Minute gathered his papers.
Lettuce watched.
"Still investigating?"
"No."
"Still lying?"
Minute stopped.
He looked up.
Lettuce's expression hadn't changed.
Minute smiled.
"Maybe."
Lettuce smiled back.
"Good."
Then he walked away.
Minute watched him.
Something was wrong.
He didn't know what.
That was what frightened him.
Boosfer
Boosfer was doing what Boosfer did best.
Making everything worse.
He had somehow convinced Lomedy to race him across the village.
"Three!"
Lomedy crouched.
"Two!"
"You're cheating."
"ONE!"
They ran.
Eggchan watched them pass.
"Why?"
Lomedy shouted back:
"HE STARTED IT!"
Boosfer yelled:
"YOU AGREED!"
Eggchan sighed.
Then something slammed into the side of the building.
Everyone stopped.
Boosfer turned.
A wooden sign had been thrown through the window.
It landed on the floor.
Nobody moved.
Boosfer walked toward it.
The sign had one word carved into it.
WRONG.
He stared.
Lomedy appeared beside him.
"Wrong what?"
Boosfer shrugged.
"Wrong person?"
"Wrong place?"
"Wrong sandwich?"
Lomedy stared at him.
"Why would the Director care about sandwiches?"
Boosfer looked serious.
"You don't know."
Lomedy paused.
"...Fair."
Then Boosfer's grin returned.
"But seriously."
He looked around.
"Who threw it?"
Nobody answered.
Boosfer's smile faded.
"Yeah."
He picked up the sign.
"That's what I thought."
Zam
Zam hadn't moved for ten minutes.
She was sitting beside the fountain.
Watching people.
Not Wemmbu.
Not Flame.
Everyone.
Her eyes followed Eggchan.
Then Boosfer.
Then Clown.
Then Minute.
Then Wifies.
Then Parrot.
She smiled faintly.
Someone sat beside her.
Mane.
"You're quiet."
"So are you."
"That's because you're watching."
"So are you."
Mane glanced at her.
"Who?"
Zam smiled.
"Everyone."
Mane looked toward the village.
"You're looking for something."
"Maybe."
"Found it?"
"No."
A pause.
"Yet."
Mane studied her.
"You scare me sometimes."
Zam laughed softly.
"Good."
Mane frowned.
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I know."
The sound
It happened at 3:42.
No warning.
No buildup.
No footsteps.
A scream ripped through the village.
Everyone froze.
Then came another.
Shorter.
Closer.
Clown was first to move.
Jaden followed.
Flame drew his weapon.
Parrot jumped from the roof.
Minute grabbed his notebook.
Boosfer ran toward the sound.
Lomedy shouted:
"WAIT!"
Nobody waited.
They reached the eastern road.
Nothing.
Boosfer turned in a circle.
"Where?"
Parrot pointed.
"There."
Behind the abandoned house.
They ran.
The door was open.
Inside...
Silence.
Then Minute saw the blood.
His stomach dropped.
Someone was lying on the floor.
Dead.
And beside him...
Wemmbu.
Somewhere else
Someone was watching.
Not the village.
Not the bodies.
Not even the people running through the streets.
Wemmbu.
Always Wemmbu.
The figure sat in a room that shouldn't have existed.
There were no windows.
No doors.
Only walls covered in paper.
Hundreds of them.
Maps.
Names.
Times.
Drawings.
Notes.
Some were old.
Some were fresh.
Some had been crossed out so violently that the paper had torn.
In the center of the room was one page.
Wemmbu.
His name had been written over and over.
Not neatly.
Not obsessively enough to look organized.
Just repeatedly.
As if the person writing it had forgotten how many times they'd already done it.
The Director touched the page.
A finger traced the letters.
"Wemmbu."
A pause.
Then a quiet laugh.
"You keep running."
Another page.
Wemmbu talking to Eggchan.
Another.
Wemmbu standing beside Flame.
Another.
Wemmbu laughing with Lomedy.
The Director stopped.
That page stayed beneath their hand.
For a few seconds, there was no sound.
Then the paper crumpled.
"No."
The Director dropped it.
Another page was pulled from the wall.
Wemmbu sitting beside someone else.
Another.
Wemmbu being hugged.
Another.
Wemmbu smiling.
The Director stared.
The smile slowly disappeared.
"They keep doing that."
A hand tightened around the paper.
"They keep touching you."
The page tore.
"They keep making you trust them."
Another tear.
"They keep making you forget."
The Director looked toward the wall.
A dozen tiny marks had been carved into it.
One for every time Wemmbu had moved somewhere without them.
One for every person who had gotten close.
One for every time someone had made Wemmbu smile.
The Director walked toward the wall.
Slowly.
They pressed their palm against it.
"Wemmbu."
Silence.
"I know you don't understand yet."
A quiet smile returned.
"You will."
The Director turned toward a table.
Something was sitting there.
A piece of black cloth.
A knife.
A key.
And a small wooden carving of a bird.
The Director picked up the carving.
Turned it over.
On the bottom was one word.
MINE.
The figure stared at it.
Then laughed softly.
"No."
They placed it back down.
"Not yet."
A pause.
"That would ruin it."
The Director picked up the key.
Number 17.
They rolled it between their fingers.
"You'll find this."
Another pause.
"You always do."
The smile returned.
"But you won't understand why."
The Director walked toward the wall.
And stopped.
Because there was a new sound.
Tap.
Tap-tap.
A smile slowly spread across their face.
"Good."
He moved toward the hidden door.
Then stopped.
One final thought.
One final glance toward the papers.
Toward the hundreds of pieces of evidence.
Toward every person surrounding Wemmbu.
The Director whispered:
"Let's see who breaks first."
The door closed.
The door closed behind them.
Wemmbu looked around.
Dust covered the shelves.
Old tools.
Broken crates.
Nothing unusual.
Ferre stood near the door.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Ferre said:
"You know, I've been waiting for this."
Wemmbu turned.
"For what?"
Ferre smiled.
"For you to finally be alone."
Wemmbu's stomach dropped.
"What?"
Ferre didn't answer.
He simply stared at him.
That smile again.
Small.
Wrong.
Wemmbu took a step backward.
"Ferre?"
"Yeah?"
"Why did you bring me here?"
Ferre's smile widened.
"Because I needed to talk to you."
"About what?"
"Everything."
Wemmbu's fingers tightened.
"What does that mean?"
Ferre laughed quietly.
"You really haven't noticed?"
"Noticed what?"
"How everything keeps happening around you."
Wemmbu froze.
Ferre continued.
"Every disappearance."
"Every message."
"Every piece of evidence."
"Every time someone gets hurt."
Wemmbu stared at him.
"You think it's me?"
Ferre tilted his head.
"I think you're at the center of it."
Wemmbu's face fell.
"So you brought me here because..."
Ferre laughed.
"No."
The smile disappeared.
"I brought you here because I trust you."
Wemmbu blinked.
"What?"
Ferre sighed.
"I've been watching everything too."
He leaned against one of the shelves.
"And every single time something happens, somehow you're there."
"That's exactly what you just said."
"I know."
"That's not helping."
"I know."
Wemmbu stared at him.
Ferre smiled again.
"But that's why I needed to know."
"Know what?"
"Whether you were involved."
Silence.
Wemmbu's expression slowly changed.
"You thought I was the Director?"
"For a while."
Wemmbu stared.
"Seriously?"
"Very."
"Ferre."
"I know."
"You thought I was killing people?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"Helping them."
Wemmbu frowned.
"Why would I do that?"
"I didn't know."
Ferre shrugged.
"That's the problem."
Wemmbu stared at him for several seconds.
Then laughed.
Just once.
"You are an idiot."
Ferre grinned.
"Probably."
"You dragged me into an abandoned storage building because you thought I might be secretly helping the Director?"
"Yes."
"You're insane."
"Also yes."
Wemmbu shook his head.
"I can't believe you."
Ferre smiled.
"But now I know."
"Know what?"
"You're innocent."
Wemmbu stopped.
Ferre's expression softened.
"You're the only person I trust right now."
Wemmbu stared at him.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
A pause.
"You're terrible at lying."
Wemmbu laughed.
"Thanks."
"I'm serious."
Ferre looked toward the door.
"I don't trust Zam."
"I know."
"Or Flame."
"I know."
"Or Wifies."
"Nobody trusts Wifies."
"Fair."
Ferre looked back at him.
"But you?"
He smiled.
"I trust you."
Something in Wemmbu's expression softened.
For the first time in days, his shoulders relaxed.
"Okay."
Ferre smiled.
"Okay."
They stood there for a moment.
Then Wemmbu started laughing again.
"I still can't believe you thought I was the Director."
Ferre shrugged.
"Honestly, you have the face for it."
"What does that even mean?"
"I don't know."
"You're terrible."
"I know."
Wemmbu shoved his shoulder.
Ferre laughed.
"Ow."
"That didn't hurt."
"It emotionally destroyed me."
"Good."
They both laughed.
The sound echoed through the empty building.
For a few seconds...
everything felt normal.
Wemmbu eventually sat down against one of the shelves.
Ferre dropped down beside him.
Neither spoke.
Wemmbu's exhaustion finally caught up with him.
He slowly leaned sideways.
His head rested against Ferre's shoulder.
Ferre went still.
Wemmbu didn't notice.
His eyes closed.
"I'm tired."
"I know."
"Don't tell anyone."
"I won't."
Wemmbu smiled faintly.
"Thanks."
Ferre looked down at him.
For one second...
his expression changed.
A small smile.
Quiet.
Sharp.
A smile that looked almost exactly like the Director's.
Wemmbu's eyes opened.
He immediately shot upright.
Ferre blinked.
"What?"
Wemmbu stared at him.
"That smile."
"What smile?"
"That."
Ferre stared.
Then burst out laughing.
Wemmbu stared for another second.
Then started laughing too.
"You're an idiot."
"I know."
"You looked terrifying."
"I was trying not to laugh."
"Why?"
"Because you fell asleep on me."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
"I was resting."
"Sure."
Wemmbu shoved him again.
Ferre laughed.
Then the lights flickered.
Both stopped.
Once.
Twice.
The room went dark.
Wemmbu's smile disappeared.
"Ferre?"
No answer.
He looked beside him.
"Ferre?"
Silence.
Then...
THUMP.
Wemmbu froze.
His eyes slowly adjusted.
Something was lying on the floor.
"Wha..."
He stepped closer.
Ferre.
He was on the ground.
Blood spread beneath him.
Wemmbu stopped breathing.
"Ferre?"
Nothing.
"Ferre!"
He dropped to his knees.
"FERRE!"
Nothing.
Wemmbu stumbled backward.
"No."
His hands were shaking.
"No, no, no..."
He looked toward the door.
Then back at Ferre.
"I was right here."
His voice broke.
"I was right here."
Then he heard it.
Tap.
Tap-tap.
Wemmbu froze.
The sound came from the wall.
His eyes slowly lifted.
The tapping continued.
And then the message appeared.
Not carved.
Not written.
Just there.
-.-- --- ..- / .- .-. . / -- .. -. . -.-.-- / -- .. -. . -.-.-- / .. / .-- --- -. .----. - / .-.. . - / .... .. -- / - .- -.- . / -.-- --- ..- -.-.--
Wemmbu stared.
He couldn't breathe.
"What..."
Tap.
Tap-tap.
He backed away from the wall.
"No."
He looked at Ferre.
Then at the door.
Then at his own hands.
"I didn't..."
His voice cracked.
"I didn't do this."
Footsteps.
Outside.
Wemmbu's head snapped toward the door.
Someone shouted.
"WEMMBU?"
His face went white.
The door burst open.
Eggchan.
Flame.
Lomedy.
Clown.
Jaden.
Parrot.
Minute.
Boosfer.
Mapic.
Zam.
One after another.
They stopped.
Nobody spoke.
Their eyes moved from Wemmbu...
to Ferre.
Then back to Wemmbu.
Wemmbu stood frozen beside the body.