"What? How did that happen?" I replied in disbelief. No, it is not possible. Why Tenth?
"Author said so," Third explained. He was stopped for a moment. "After the game, while you lost consciousness, Tenth lost control and she hysterically shouted in agony while hurting her stomach. We stopped her while she was crying. We didn't know why she was doing it. We asked her. She said she remembers her past on Earth. A reality that broke into her is the fact that she was carrying a baby."
I am stunned at what I heard.
"No one knows her condition except her and her boyfriend, who left her as well. She suffered, mentally, emotionally, and physically. When she checked with the doctor, she knew that she was ill. She couldn't save both her and her baby's lives. After remembering her tragic past, she couldn't bear the pain she was experiencing, which is why the hologram gave her a choice. Is she going to let herself be killed by Author or she will fight the circumstances that she is facing and live?"
I have no idea that Tenth suffered this much from her past. She seems like a lighthearted person. Her brown double hair bun has been iconic. But no one knows about her hardships. It must have been a rough journey, but here she is. She fought until she decided to give in.
"In the end, she gave up. Author killed her silently, and her corpse was taken a few minutes ago."
It was as if I were stuck in my seat, and my tears were welling up. Little did I know that Tenth had such a hard life. Just this morning, she greeted us, and I cooked breakfast with her. It was just last night when I was still playing board games with her. What a speed of events.
"We can't do anything about it. We tried stopping her suicidal acts, but she refused and has chosen death."
What is happening to us? Why is this happening to us? Why do I feel like I'd rather choose not to regain my memories after all?
***
I am here in my bedroom, and it is time for me to sleep. I was wearing sleepwear and sitting on the side of my soft bed. I hold my ballpen and notebook, on which I write down every incident that happened to us.
The game of volleyball was another extraordinary game played by girls yesterday. The ball we used had an image projected. Over the course of five rounds, eight of us fell victim to the recurrence of our memories. Of the four previous victims, there was a brain, and the image in the middle was different. This means, when the ball falls into a team's territory, the ball randomly chooses who will be affected, not physically but mentally. Here comes what the Author said.
"Only this time, it's more extraordinary. Boys can endure the pain of being physically hurt, while girls can endure the pain of being emotionally hurt. In this game, more unforeseen events will happen. Good luck."
If the boys have felt physical pain playing basketball, the girls have felt mental and emotional pain. The victims lose their focus on playing because something disturbs their minds.
The brain is an image inside the ball that represents mental torture. Everyone has a different image that is projected in the ball because we have different experiences on Earth.
Twentieth - with white paper in the center of the ball—that is a school card. She remembers how dismayed she was at her school.
Sixzen - with letter F—is a mark on an exam. She said she failed her major subjects before, and because of that, she studied so eagerly that she no longer has time to play volleyball.
Aeith - with a currency bill—a financial problem. Aeith had already told me about the hardship she went through until her mother was fortunate enough to be able to go abroad.
Forzen - there are some wrinkles in the middle of the ball—that is 'stress'. Forzen was overly stressed with issues at school, home, and her mental health.
On the other side, here are victims of emotional torture. A heart is the image inside the ball. It affects the victim emotionally.
Sixth - holding hands but with a crack in the middle—means friendship. Sixth had one of the most important people in her life lost.
Sectwen - leaf torn in the middle—that is a family. Sectwen's father and mother are separated.
Tenth – baby—this is the child Tenth was carrying.
Second - the image in the ball is heart-shaped, which is broken and bleeding. I didn't even see the ball itself. Fifzen said that's what he saw. I recognized that mine was the most different because the image of the other victims is animated, but mine was a real heart that was broken and bleeding. Similar to the reactions of the seven victims, my eyes also widened. I got confused, and I was unable to think and focus on the game.
With Tenth's death, perhaps all her memories came back before she died. She was depressed and we didn't want to lose her, but it was her decision. It was a tragic outcome, nonetheless, we respected and hope for her to rest in peace with her baby. After Tenth died and was declared that stage 2 had been cleared. Author announced the winner of both games.
In basketball, the silver team won. It was a surprise, but the boys did it unexpectedly. Author revealed that the silver team won because of First, which I don't understand. Author did not explain why.
In volleyball, it would have been almost a draw. The gold team won. I don't know how. As for my fainting incident, it seems that I missed a lot. When the other team scored and the ball fell on us, my head hurt, and I sat down. My whole body weakened because of what I remembered. There was one boy... At first, I thought he would be just an ordinary person in my life, but when he came and entered my life, I met him, I was able to talk to him, I was with him until he disappeared from me.
Until then, only those are the things that showed up in my memory. Maybe the image inside the ball was a bloody heart because I was hurt so badly. I felt the ache of a bleeding heart due to the extreme pain, but I did not know when, how and who that person was. Then I understood why Firstwen died. He became weak and could not resist the challenge, just like what happened to Tenth. It was fortunate for me that it wasn't me. By any chance... it could've been me. Maybe it is better to know nothing than to know everything that will hurt you. I sighed at the thought of it.
I left my room. I can't sleep after all. I have a lot of things going on in my mind. This is too much to bear but we have to. I'll just go to the art room to gather my thoughts. I'll look at my artwork and maybe alleviate the sadness I feel. I went up to the 4th floor and stopped for a moment in the music room. It was closed and I heard no noise. First came to my mind. I hope to hear him play the piano right now, but it's late and he might be sleeping. I went straight to the art room and was about to turn on the lights when the lights were on, and the door was slightly open.
Someone's awake? Maybe someone who can't fall asleep in the middle of a silent night after a rough day. I would like to have a chat with him or her then.
Out of curiosity, I immediately opened the door. I was a little surprised, not because I thought there was a ghost, but because he does not usually go to this room. He can't sleep either, I see. He gazed at the door as he sat on a chair. There must be something bothering him.