Elin: "I LIED."
Her voice tore through the room, echoing faintly into the hallway outside.
Ethan clenched his ears, clearly irritated.
Dylan's soul left his body. May he rest in peace.
Ethan: "I got that!"
He took a step closer,
Ethan: "I ment, what did you lie about?"
Elin's fingers tightened against her sleeves. Her gaze dropped to the floor.
Elin: "You know how I told you… I was with a group of people… and they left while I stayed behind?"
Ethan: "Yaaa…"
Elin gulped.
Elin: "Well.. I went with them."
A pause.
Ethan: "...And something went horribly wrong."
Elin nodded.
Elin: "Ya…"
She wrapped her arms around herself.
Elin: "We had only mapped out the goblins near the hotel..."
Her voice grew quieter.
Elin: "Because of that there were quite a few close calls."
A pause.
Her lips trembled.
Elin: "But the main problem… was at the bridge."
Elin closed her eyes. Trying to recollect the past events.
(Flashback)
The quiet hotel room faded and was replaced by the sound of an engine.
The soft hum of tires rolling over concrete.
The faint crash of waves in the distance.
Elin sat behind the wheel.
The early morning light painted the sky in soft shades of orange and pink. The ocean stretched endlessly beside them, reflecting the rising sun like molten glass.
The wind flowed through the slightly open windows, brushing against her face. Her long hair drifted gently with the wind, her expression distant—almost lifeless, like she was part of the scenery itself.
From the back Alex leaned slightly forward.
Alex: "We should reach the bridge in about… 15 to 20 minutes."
Yuki: "15 MINUTES?!"
The world itself seemed to tremble before the scream. With the sole exception of Satoru Gojo of course.
Elin flinched.
Alex: "Don't shout, you idiot!"
She pointed ahead.
Alex: "You can literally see the bridge from here.... Don't tell me... You were sleeping this whole time."
Elin let out a small laugh.
Before she could say anything else. Yuki leaned forward suddenly.
X: "Elin! Stop the car."
Elin suprised by the sudden request.
Elin: "Huh? Why?"
Alex immediately snapped.
Alex: "Are you stupid? It's dangerous. If those monsters spot us we would be dead in two minutes."
Yuki: "Relax. It's early morning. As long as we don't get too close, they won't wake up. Plus we have plenty of time left."
Alex clenched her jaw.
Alex: "We only have one and an hour left. In that we need to cross the bridge and somehow find a safe place to stay for the rest of the day."
Yuki turned towards Elin and suddenly wrapped her arms around her eyes from behind.
Elin's grip on the wheel tightened.
X: "Come on Elin.. won't you do this tiny favour for you friend. Please."
The car swerved slightly.
Elin: "Yuki, I'M DRIVING!"
The car drifted dangerously close to the edge of the road but Yuki continued to persist.
Elin: "Let go—!"
Elin gritted her teeth.
Elin: "Ok. FINE!"
She slammed the brakes.The car screeched to a halt.
Yuki immediately jumped out.
X: "Thanks! I won't forget this!"
She stretched her arms wide, facing the sunrise.
X: "Now this… is a view worth dying for."
Alex stepped out, visibly irritated.
Alex: "You almost crashed the car. Just so you could admire some STUPID SCENERY?!"
X turned, completely unfazed.
X: "Exactly."
Alex: "…"
Alex rubbed her forehead in frustration.
Alex: "If you are done, can you come back? We bairly have any time as it is."
X: "Not yet."
She ran back to the car and started digging through her bag.
Elin leaned back in her seat, exhaling slowly.
Elin: (What now…?)
Then, Yuki pulled something out a rare camera. She held it up proudly.
X: "Behold. The beauty is the latest model of—"
She started rambling about the specs no one cared about.
Alex: "Where did you even get that?"
Yuki smirked.
Yuki: "Don't worry about it."
Alex: "You stole it, didn't you."
Yuki: "I can disagree to agree that I may or may not have borrowed this, indefinitely."
Alex: "That doesn't even make any sense."
Yuki: "Forget about those useless details and let's take a group photo"
Alex: "You're joking. Seriously, we do not have time for this."
Elin: "One photo won't hurt."
She looked at Violet.
Alex groaned.
Alex: "Elin, you too?!"
Yuki: "That's two against one."
She sighed.
Alex: "Ugh. Fine, just one. Then we are getting out of here."
She turned towards Yuki.
Alex: "Got it?"
Yuki: "Yes."
Both of them stepped out and stood near the guardrails. The wind was stronger now. The ocean shimmered behind them.
Yuki set up the camera on a small stand.
Elin stood stiffly, awkwardly raising a peace sign. Meanwhile Alex stood sharply arms crossed together.
X: "Ok. Elin, move closer to Alex and loosen up a bit. Alex, is that supposed to be a smile?"
Alex snapped back.
Alex: "Shut up and take the picture."
The timer started.
5…
Yuki sprinted into position.
4…
She grabbed both Alex and Elin, pulling them closer.
3…
Elin, relaxed. Her heart felt strangely light.
2…
Everything around just felt soo, calm
1…
*Click.*
Yuki: "Now, let's take a couple more pictures."
Alex transformed. Her face resembling a demon.
Yuki: "Why do I her boss music?"
Before she could understand. She was picked up and thrown into the car, like luggage. Her equipment followed the same fate.
Alex: "Elin. Drive!"
Elin: "Yes!"
She instinctively responded.
Elin: (Alex sure is scary when she is pissed.)
She got in the car and began driving.