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2022-12-05 00:22:23The day I saw my boyfriend cozied up, I don’t remember driving but the next thing I know I am at home scrolling through our pictures and crying, I broke a few frames and rubbed myself against my bed. Blur blur blur and next thing I am scrolling through my social media handle and deleting our couple video. Then an ad pops out. It says
Stop watching the game, be in it
That was enough to spark my interest, clicking on it and in no minute I am in a site, too lazy to read or observe the complicated features and the image of what looked like two ghosts. I simply scroll until I get to some bold writings that said: all you have to do is uncover this mystery and lay the twins to rest to save the village
“What twins?” I muttered to myself, scrolling back up to see where the story started. I read
In a faraway town, surrounded by nothing but hills and trees, hot like in the summer and the rains never wet the floor, a woman married to a ruthless man lived in the only mansion in the town, her husband worshiped her and did everything he could for her and yet she only asked for more, today she wants the most expensive dress and the next she wants a pool all to herself. This made the villagers angry but still yet all they could do is mumble grumpily whenever she walked by. But one day she and her family disappears and nobody could guess why and where they went. Until the whispering starts to grow in the silence and shadows take a member of the village each time letting their cry grow with the cool night’s breeze.
I sniff out air with a hum sound, this looks like a fun game, what better way to get over my now Ex-boyfriends betrayal? I don’t let the doubt cloud my optimism about how this game is going to change my life.
I click the sign up button and I see the form, I put Bella for my nick name and smile at the number 56 I was giving. That one is for the voices in my head. The next page require I sign something, scrolling through the document, I figured it has to do with a realty game show so I request the documents and in minutes I have signed it.
Then the notification that says I will be staying there for as long as it takes me to conclude the game to the last level and I can’t leave until I have completed it. My mum will kill me at this rate but I accept anyway and I am sent an email to print and a weird looking ticket to what seems like an island because I can’t even pronounce the name.
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"I don't know the full story but I know it has to do with a witch tormenting villagers. I saw the game ad” I continue, noticing his striking gaze pierce through me, what on earth is going through his mind? He seems to be studying me for some reason, then his gaze shifts back to the road to my relief
“And you signed up, just like that?” he asks, just when I thought we had returned to ignoring each other“Yeah”His dark eyes had a scornful look in them when he shot his gaze at the mirror again almost glaring at me, maybe I am the one he hates and not his job. He must hate me for choosing to take part in this game making him ride for hours and hours non-stop."What if the story is true?” He stops, trying to think through his next words “like what if … this is you …. going into your … own death?” he asks, hesitating between his wordsWell.. tell that to someone that believes in voo-doo. I roll my eyes and cross my leg unintentionally lifting my floral gown to reveal my smooth laps but his gaze doesn’t linger, thankfully. It is true that like they said, nothing good comes easy.
That is if easy was quickly signing up for the game in few minutes, not having to pay a dime for accommodation, arriving on a private jet to the island and meeting only one cab driver whom I had to wait for a few long minutes. Maybe that was easy though but then – okay I have officially ran out of excuses
“it’s just like Scooby doo” I say, almost stammering. He scoffs in response, revealing a little white from his teeth and shaking his head sideways. His smile grew brighter then he looks through the mirror at my confused face making me squeeze it even further"we are here” he declares. my mouth hang open as he rides towards a town, it was the first actual significance of human existence I had come across since the airport – well apart from the wooden old house which was visually empty by the way.The roads is littered with nylon, clothes, cartons and a few household equipment, the homes are in bad condition it is like the occupants left in a sure hurry.
“What happened to the occupants of this place?” I ask looking back at the driver. My brows suddenly light and hanging against gravity, on getting no answer from him I groan loudly and drop yet again on the seat, my back crushing on the it’s smooth leather.“Wow…. How creepy can this journey get?” I breathe the words out and rip out my phone from my handbag, my brows creaseWhy wouldn’t the occupants escape this place I wouldn’t even survive a day without network connectionI sway the phone around but still nothing. I dump it right back with a sigh. anyway my sad reality is the very thing that brought me to this place so a simple connection issue is not supposed to hurt a fly and on the bright side I can fully grasp this experience without the outside world ruining it for me
“I can turn around” The cab driver says and I blink away my thoughtsHe turns off the engine at the tiny metallic rods twisted into a gate, it is slightly open leading into a narrow leveled brown soil road with even more litters than outside the town“It’s ok” you don’t get to be Mr. nice guy after boring me to death. Thank the sky for home training, those words would have slipped right out. The Cab driver shrugs innocently“You should take me to the hotel” I demandedHe nods and sucks his teeth “Sorry ma’am, this is where I stop”“you know what? I am really going to rate you down” I half-yell. forcing the door open and slamming it shut. He cringes from the sound making me gloat.
The stench from the gutter send my stomach rumbling in aggression and I suddenly have the urge to ask him to take me back, but just like that the back of his car grew smaller and smaller till I couldn’t catch a vivid view of it. It was just the sound of the engine hanging on my ears
Another wave of the stench accompanying a slight breeze snaps me back to reality, the deep nauseating urge to throw up my breakfast drags my lips apart. What on earth will stench this much in an almost abandoned town? These gamers sure took this to a whole new level and just that thought excites me all the more.
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Beneath the whispers Chapter 3
The town’s outskirt would pass for an abandoned place but going further in, there were people going about their businesses, a small market with thin leaves substituting the roof of what seems like a tiny box. The house surroundings were a lot kept, the windows shut close and piercing eyes glanced contemptuously towards me mostly from the old women, what I couldn’t fathom was that some did look at me in pity. I don’t know how I manage to not shout ‘hey people. I, your beauty queen am here to save you’ out loud but I am shouting it in my head right now “Wow, this place is beautiful” I wide gazed at the flat roofed hotel building with my mouth slightly open. In contrast to the hut sized houses of the villagers, I am facing a building located in the middle of what seem like an empire of land, the fence is covered from the inside with fiddle leaf trees with stem stretching to half the length of the fence’s brick work and grasses cluster at the foot of the fence The house itself with has
Beneath the whispers Chapter 4
The sun had faded and the sky above the Millerton hotels gray with clouds creating what I would always call art, with another few clicks in my phone I smile at my sheer talent with pictures but my smile grows distant when I steady my gaze back at the sky. I have always wanted the opportunity to look at the sky quietly on a hill feeling the massage of cool breeze brush against my face and maybe going for a dip in the ocean every hour. But my last minute decision of signing up for this stupid game had eventually landed me in the middle of a town where everybody stared. “What are you doing out here?” his deep voice grows behind me. Did I forget to mention that Tony’s voice is a definition of heart tripping deep? I control my breath before tilting to face him briefly I hope he found time to cover up at least “A lot on my mind” I reply just as my gaze met his. disappointed, I heave a deep sigh turning back away from him, he walks up by my left, strolling closer until his spicy bergamot f
Beneath the whispers Chapter 5
My huge soft bed sank as Tony crashed on it with his butt, making my whole body wiggled from the effect of the bed bouncing back to form, frowning at him with the full brows that I carved last night raised “must you?” I blurt and he giggles in response squeezing my chicks playfully like I would my little sister and before I can react he is resting his head on a pillow that he placed on my laps. ‘Player’’I snort, as if reading my mind he winks at me. Rolling my eyes I shift my gaze from him to Rose, gracefully crossing her legs on the tiny couch by the bedside, her long sleek hair in a high ponytail pouring on the collar of her white fluffy gown, her warm skin tone shined from high up her lap down to her feet which were hanging from the floor – and again how is it that Tony is sharing a room with her and they don't seem to be romantically involved. “So – boss – the plan?” Thelma’s shrill voice breaks the mumbling from Rose making a snap chat video to Tony whispering some words I know
Beneath the whispers Chapter 6
The chilly air in the city swayed the low grasses against our boots, I didn’t really want to go on my first detective mission a.k.a saving the village agenda with the grumpy ass mate that seems to be jealous of me. Not like I blame her though but I am still disappointed. Tony did want to go with me, I saw it in his squeezed face when Rose chose to go with him. I am pretty sure he glared at her to change her mind. It could even be that they shared a room because her ass was scared to go to bed alone in this weird ass town or just her obsession with unaware pictures and videos. “They just keep staring” Thelma says, dragging my gaze towards her, her voice is a lot more friendly and she is gazing helplessly at the old woman who hurried into her tiny house which I would argue is a freaking hut. Thelma was right though, from the looks of it, the villagers would stare and when we look back they would go back to whatever they were doing only to stare again after we had looked away. They wou
Beneath the whispers Chapter 7
Anthony On the other side of the hotel, the houses laid scanty and there were more trees on this side than the side Bella had taken with Thelma, the houses were mostly empty and the few we saw hurried in and locked themselves before we could reach them. From the look outside of most of the empty houses one could tell that inside was dripping with messiness. Speaking of messy, I wonder if the other girls had torn each other apart in a feat of rage “I live in an estate so I have a hard time adjusting to this place” Rose’s soft voice wallowed in the silent atmosphere while I and Olivia grunts at her in response. She is making a video with her phone for her fans, I wonder why she needs a response from us. She had been telling a tale that I wasn't following, the trees stood tall from the pathways and we could barely see the hills that led us here from this side. This is probably the most affected place in the town. “There seem to be only old people here” I mutter, dragging Rose’s atten
Beneath the whispers Chapter 8
The setting sun poured red lights on the narrow empty streets and the lights within the huts grew even brighter, the silent calm evening breeze brushing against the low grassing, swaying dry soil over them. My room had the white fluorescent flickering lights on too and everyone is present except Olivia, all their gaze focus on a group of teens hugging themselves on my bed trembling and whimpering. I sat by the side table opposite them with Thelma standing beside me holding a mean frown. I found them where I remembered seeing them the previous day but this time they didn't giggle or play games instead they shook with fear all forcing themselves on the wall when I tried to approach them and it did take me hours to convince them I am not a ghost kidnapper. Chuckling within me, I watch Tony pat the youngest among them, a girl who had not stopped sobbing her neat ponytail now loose and messy with her tiny hands covering her face on his chest. “How are you kids here?” Thelma’s typical co
Beneath the whispers Chapter 9
And just like that, it is morning again. Thanks to the hole in the curtain, the light from the sun rests on my eyes causing me to squeeze my face, using my hand as a shade, I slowly open my eyes. The fluorescent bulb in my room had tripped off, maybe during the night Come to think of it, I never really noticed the torn holes on the curtain fabric when I arrived. Something that was supposed to be a game vacation is starting to feel like a joke, with one day gone and not one prominent clue as to what happened to the mansion family and their relation to this kidnapping whispers. Scanning my mind through the movies I have seen looking for possibilities of some back story like a group of kidnappers using a horror story as a front. But that wasn't clicking – a lot of unsettling questions would arise. How will you explain the kidnapping shadows that whisper instigated by mere mortals? Even the gamers couldn't pull it off and worse still unless they sold them or their organs, conducting a k
Beneath the whispers Chapter 10
Why exactly did I fall for that? I should be ashamed of myself not smiling like a fool. He just teased me and I fell for it – like a good old plane crash. Now forcing a frown “I will show him” I mumbled within myself, looking up at him who had now stuck out his head from the curtain since I haven’t followed him in but the look on his face forces my lips to cringe so I rush into the house hoping my fearful thoughts were just a mere expression of exaggerated worrying. “Olivia” I mumbled, barely hearing myself as the words slipped from my red glossed lips, his head disappears into the hut as I got close. Swinging the beads to my right I badged into the tiny house hoping nothing bad happened to her, she must have not slept in the hotel yester-night maybe she ended up in this hut and then the shadows – “Olivia” my voice deepens this time, with a huge sigh of relief I drop my shoulders. Tony stood watching Olivia hold the paper she was looking at. After the bout of relief I felt was a rush
Latest Chapter
- Beneath the whispers
Epilogue
Its morning in France, the duplex vacation house on the hill reflects the sun away from the lawn The huge sized swimming pool at the back yard is blue with sit outs in pairs of twos lined up in one side of the pool and a huge fence on the other. I come out from the bathroom in a white robe and my wet brown curly hair falls on both sides of my shoulders.I get to the dressing table and with my finger collect a little potion from the cream can and apply on my legs. The flat screen television behind me has a blonde American woman on it“the increased rate of suicide within the country had pushed the government to consider closing the Sheetan bridge since it is considered the place with the highest record of suicide attempt over the past year. In comparison, other countries has reported growing rates of suicide attempts also and social media has been proven to be one of the major cause of suicide so the union government has decided to draw the lines on things permitted online”I appl
- Beneath the whispers
Chapter 57
“that day, Rose had ran out of the bar when I was out. I looked for her throughout the bar and surrounding parks and when I didn’t see her, I went to her house… the door was open so I rushed in and found some men taking her, I saw the face of one of them because he didn’t have it covered When they saw me, I ran away and they chased and chased me until they caught me… A blow to the head and blank blank” Tony narrates and we nod. We were able to find some edible snacks on the shipI don’t know how long it had been but I do know that we didn’t have to wait with anxiety, instead we decided to use that time to bond since we would have to go our separate ways when we get back to civilization It is really sad though but I have learnt not to use the uncertainty of the future to stain an opportunity for good memories.Talking about our families and how much they will be happy to finally reunite with us, that is…when we have torn down this organization The boys on the other hand had no
- Beneath the whispers
Chapter 56
The interior of the ship is a definition of luxury, from the wood brown furniture to the white beddings and curtains Inside the boat are four long couches arranged around a round center table. A curtain opposite where we entered from covering a king sized bed with white beddings and a brown wood frame structureThe inside smells of strawberry and mint and the cupboard has shelves with spare towels, toothbrushes and robes Beside the bed area is a bathroom, with an oval bathtub and a waterproof curtain. If anything, this cruise boat is the highlight of my stay in this island. Would you look at that? I don’t know Harem but this?The pain in my head suddenly disappears as I look through the boat, even the tension of waiting for them to leave had completely disappeared. I need a cold bath and to sleep on an actual bed and I didn't need get back to civilization to experience all these. I love my lifeI sink into one of the couches rubbing myself against the smooth fabric and beaming
- Beneath the whispers
Chapter 55
“we need to move” Harper announces. The sun is kissing the hills now, its red light dimming by the minute making the forest darker and the shade from the trees aids this A day ago we would be wary of the shadows but with them gone we only have to worry about the group of men aiming for kill shots at us Sincerely, this is a lot scarier than the shadows. At least we had a fighting chance against the shadows and now? Even Willow has lost his weapon – imagine that He walks over me and takes out some white handkerchief from his pocket and gives Tony “tie something on that”I really should look at the mirror at this rate because the way everyone is looking at my head feels like my brains are out and Tony is already talking like he is scared for me. I smile weakly at Harper and he smiles back before hurrying to the othersTony folds the hanky and places it on my head, his rips out his inner shirt and wraps it over the hanky on my head, hitching it behind my head He fastens it tight
- Beneath the whispers
Chapter 54
A flash of blurry lights hit my eyes and dims down again, the throbbing pain in my head slowly increases and a banging sound erupts in my head, I raise my hand to hold my head but my arm hurts too so I let it lay still. The light comes back clearer and leaves again“How many more are still alive?” I heard Harper sayI struggle to open my eyes but my whole body aches and I grunt lightly, a hand scoops me up into some huge body, the scent is familiar so I sniff harder and it is mixed with smoke and blood – blood! I shoot my eyes open but it only slowly breaks apart and I am looking at Tony, there is blood on his head and his arm has a deep cut that is bleeding. I gasp and try to get up but he holds me down“stop, you are hurt” he says“where?” I manage to say, my whole body aches so I cannot pinpoint where exactly is hurtingHe looks at my head and smacks his lips reluctant to answer my question “just stay still, we are trying to get the survivors out before they figure out how t
- Beneath the whispers
Chapter 53
We had rode and rode through the sandy road as the afternoon sun heated up the bus, sweating and anticipating the sight of the beach even though we didn't know where it was. We don’t even know if we are going the right way – at least we are going at allThis journey reminds me of the journey that got me here and how I wondered if the experience was worth the long journey and yet even in returning I couldn’t wait for the journey to end“guys” I call their attention “isn’t the length of this journey familiar?” they all laugh Olivia smacks her lips “well, I for one... I was excited but that excitement turned to fury when the cab man wouldn’t talk to me” Olivia saysThelma claps “the snubbing cab man, I thought I was the only one”“he did talk to me eventually, I didn’t keep quiet” I boast. Beaming at myself“wow, I don’t even know what his voice sounds like” Olivia complains and we laugh“he also asks me what if the ghosts haunting the village was real” I say“wow, he did. You d
- Beneath the whispers
Chapter 52
I step back, and stood transfixed staring as she stumbled and fell to the floor, my mouth drop open and my lids break apart“Thelma!”The girl wipes her broken bottom lip with a finger and look at me, her red strands that she had hidden away in a hair tie falls loose on her shoulder“I am sorry Bell” she almost stammer in breaking voice“don’t call me that!” I fume at herShe breaks down in tears and falls again on her butt, crying her eyes out “I shouldn’t, you just destroyed my only ticket for a better life!” She yells back at me“we were going to escape, we were going to finally be free and you, what did you do?”“I made a deal that would have helped me live normally. The way I could”“so we should all be damned so you live well, we were going to give each other that, that is why we connected”“you don’t get it do you? All you faced was a cheating boyfriend and you got yourself drunk. I freaking drove off a bridge. How did you think I would want to return to that same worl
- Beneath the whispers
Chapter 51
We had intentionally not used the tunnel to get to the mansion given that it already was an obvious route and we plan on sneaking up on the shadows, if that is even possible We also needed to set as much on fire as possible and the tunnel will be our major route of escape but the moist weather in the forest area was going to be a problem so we switched to plan BWe head fast towards the mansion, the sun had just barely risen and the morning still had the flare of last night’s chill breeze. the mansion slowly comes into view We excitedly hurry towards it but stop when we notice that the door was closed. We raise our weapon and point it towards the doorWith slow calculated footsteps we stroll closer and closer to the door, when we get to the door, I gently push it and it strides open. Cool air hits my face and I freeze, aiming my spray can inside. I snap the lighter and slowly enter into the building“Rose, you will wait out here, find the back door” I say and Rose nods and leav
- Beneath the whispers
Chapter 50
AnthonyWe had arrived at the border not long after we left the hotel, the bus is not there as we saw it earlier. So we decided to wait. In the process of waiting we had slept through the night at the border and it is the morning nowI grunt “what should we do now?” the sun is barely risen but the light of day is upon the island“check out the brick house” Willow suggests and I nod along with himWe slowly make it for the brick house, one step at a time until we are leaning at the wall of the house. We walk slowly along the wall till we got to the rusty front door that was already slightly open“when will they arrive?” a huge man with chest tattoos and a tiny nicker says in a grumpy cracking voice“I think in fifteen minutes time. They are an hour behind us” says the younger one looking at his wristwatch, he is better dressed and has glasses on “oh, the package?” he asks looking from the chest tattooed man to another similar sized man“it's ready” the similar one answered“wha
