Entry 82. June 20, 2009.
[x] Tell Roberta and Selest to leave and look for Melanie alone.
"You're right, okay. Finally. I can let Roberta deal with Selest for now. Trusting others has gotten me nowhere. I need to solve this on my own."
"Roberta, I want you to take Selest back to the car and wait for me," Felix demands. Selest immediately tries to protest, but Roberta agrees with the idea. "Selest, no. He's right. We need to get out of here... I can tend to your injury. Let's let Felix handle this," Roberta answers, pulling Selest away. "Be careful, Roberta. And thank you, for everything," Felix says, before turning around and rushing back into the maze.
From the comforts of his hotel room, Chad checks his watch. "Quarter to eleven. Excellent," he smiles. Chad has been watching the chaos unfold on the television with a great deal of enjoyment. Fully aware of what Nicholas plans to do, he can't help but laugh at how clueless the police are. "Rose Bevalli... It's only a week until our 'anniversary.' I wonder, are you happy..." Chad says to himself, his smile fading.
"Let's just hope your friend did what he was told," Nicholas says, threatening the already-terrified cameraman. "Ju-...kill...me..." Oscar stutters, choking on his own blood. "Like I'd really let you off that easy? I want everyone to see your pitiful final moments," Nicholas taunts. Oscar's body begins convulsing again, as the last of his life begins to fade more rapidly. Nicholas faces the cameraman once again and notices he is shaking more uncontrollably. "WILL YOU CALM THE HELL DOWN? GET READY TO GO BACK ON THE AIR SOON!" he screams.
"What...is that?" the FBI agent asks, hesitantly. The police chief rips the small package from the reporter's hands and begins to open it. "WAIT! STOP!" the FBI agent yells, knocking the package out of his hands. "ARE YOU MAD? Who knows what could be in there... We need to be careful..." he yells, terrified. The chief does not take kindly to being looked down on, and they start senselessly cussing and yelling at each other. In the midst of the fresh chaos, the reporter picks the package up off the ground and opens it. "Guys... GUYS! WILL YOU TWO STOP FIGHTING ALREADY!" he yells, catching their attention. They notice the package's wrapping on the ground, and then what the reporter is holding. Before either can flip out again, he says, "I think you two need to look at this. Now."
Felix races through the Arboretum de l'Harmonie's many twisting paths and corridors hoping for any sign of Melanie. His search eventually leads him to what he realizes must be the back. The wind outside is picking up strength and blowing in through an open door. Catching his attention, Felix rushes over to the door, hoping he isn't far behind whoever took Melanie. He steps on something that causes him to stop instantly: Melanie's cellphone. "No...Melanie...please be alright..." he wishes, picking it up. He carefully steps outside and readies himself for an ambush. However, there is no one and nothing waiting for him except disappointment. He examines the employees' parking lot but finds nothing save for a few empty cars. "DAMMIT!" he yells, admitting defeat.
Rose rushes around her room, frantically packing everything she can fit into her suitcase. It was just yesterday she was having a conversation with Oscar. It was just yesterday all of her plans were going perfectly. Rose was confident, if not arrogant, that everything was going her way and nothing could change that. Seeing Oscar's mangled and bloody body on the news was enough to throw her into a state of dire urgency. "No... No... NO! Damn you Chad... It wasn't supposed to be like this!" Rose curses, pacing back and forth. With only a single suitcase, Rose runs out the door and speeds away in her car.
"Hello again, everyone. Terribly sorry to keep you all waiting," Nicholas says into the camera, "but I had to give a present to my friends on the police force. I'm sure they'll share with all of you in time. First, however, we must get on with the show I'm sure you're all dying to see!" The cameraman pans over to Oscar again. "I truly am sorry for what I'm about to make you see, but I believe this pathetic man has suffered long enough. Wouldn't you agree?" he says to the camera, smiling. The cameraman stays on him like a hawk, as Nicholas walks over to Oscar and crouches down next to him. "Oscar Kurst...do you have any last words for our viewers?" Nicholas asks, mockingly. Oscar tries to speak, but all he manages to do is cough up more blood. The cruel smile on Nicholas' face widens. He takes out his pistol, pushes it to Oscar's forehead and leans in close and whispers, "And I really hate that coat you sold me."
Tired of waiting in Felix's car, Selest starts to protest more forcefully. "Roberta! How can we just keep WAITING here?" she yells. Roberta eyes her suspiciously. "Selest...why are you so insistent on being inside? The Selest I know would be happy she's out here and safe," Roberta questions. "Sheesh, what the hell? I just want to help him! And that makes me a bad person now?" Selest argues. "No. I'm just saying. Something doesn't feel right. All of this doesn't fit together. What aren't you telling me?" Roberta demands, now more serious. Selest's eyes narrow in anger as she glares at Roberta. "I'm not hiding anything! Dammit, Roberta! Fine let's just wait here! But when Felix doesn't come out of there, it's your fault..." she concedes.
Oscar's final moments unfold on the television screen in slow motion. The police watch in horror, unable to do anything. Unable to do anything but scream or close their eyes as Nicholas fires his gun, launching two bullets into Oscar's head, ending his torment and splattering everything with blood. "BASTARD!" the chief yells, punching the screen. Oscar was well-liked and well-known around the Trissany area. Many break down in tears. Many want to rush in and end it themselves. Many officers curse their own helplessness. "FOCUS!" the chief shouts, "This isn't over! HE ISN'T DONE! We're going to stop this, NOW! What have you found out about what he gave us?"
Felix stares at Melanie's phone in his hand and breaks down in tears. "Damn it all... How could I be so stupid, so careless... How did my life get to this point? How could this all happen... I can't lose her now..." he cries, falling to his knees. The sky darkens and the wind grows ever stronger, almost in unison.
"Felix...listen to us..."
"No...leave me alone... Screw you voices... THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! DAMN YOU! GET OUT OF MY MIND!"
"Listen..."
[] "......................."
What are the voices inside Felix's head saying to him?
[x] Tell Roberta and Selest to leave and look for Melanie alone.
"You're right, okay. Finally. I can let Roberta deal with Selest for now. Trusting others has gotten me nowhere. I need to solve this on my own."
"Roberta, I want you to take Selest back to the car and wait for me," Felix demands. Selest immediately tries to protest, but Roberta agrees with the idea. "Selest, no. He's right. We need to get out of here... I can tend to your injury. Let's let Felix handle this," Roberta answers, pulling Selest away. "Be careful, Roberta. And thank you, for everything," Felix says, before turning around and rushing back into the maze.
From the comforts of his hotel room, Chad checks his watch. "Quarter to eleven. Excellent," he smiles. Chad has been watching the chaos unfold on the television with a great deal of enjoyment. Fully aware of what Nicholas plans to do, he can't help but laugh at how clueless the police are. "Rose Bevalli... It's only a week until our 'anniversary.' I wonder, are you happy..." Chad says to himself, his smile fading.
"Let's just hope your friend did what he was told," Nicholas says, threatening the already-terrified cameraman. "Ju-...kill...me..." Oscar stutters, choking on his own blood. "Like I'd really let you off that easy? I want everyone to see your pitiful final moments," Nicholas taunts. Oscar's body begins convulsing again, as the last of his life begins to fade more rapidly. Nicholas faces the cameraman once again and notices he is shaking more uncontrollably. "WILL YOU CALM THE HELL DOWN? GET READY TO GO BACK ON THE AIR SOON!" he screams.
"What...is that?" the FBI agent asks, hesitantly. The police chief rips the small package from the reporter's hands and begins to open it. "WAIT! STOP!" the FBI agent yells, knocking the package out of his hands. "ARE YOU MAD? Who knows what could be in there... We need to be careful..." he yells, terrified. The chief does not take kindly to being looked down on, and they start senselessly cussing and yelling at each other. In the midst of the fresh chaos, the reporter picks the package up off the ground and opens it. "Guys... GUYS! WILL YOU TWO STOP FIGHTING ALREADY!" he yells, catching their attention. They notice the package's wrapping on the ground, and then what the reporter is holding. Before either can flip out again, he says, "I think you two need to look at this. Now."
Felix races through the Arboretum de l'Harmonie's many twisting paths and corridors hoping for any sign of Melanie. His search eventually leads him to what he realizes must be the back. The wind outside is picking up strength and blowing in through an open door. Catching his attention, Felix rushes over to the door, hoping he isn't far behind whoever took Melanie. He steps on something that causes him to stop instantly: Melanie's cellphone. "No...Melanie...please be alright..." he wishes, picking it up. He carefully steps outside and readies himself for an ambush. However, there is no one and nothing waiting for him except disappointment. He examines the employees' parking lot but finds nothing save for a few empty cars. "DAMMIT!" he yells, admitting defeat.
Rose rushes around her room, frantically packing everything she can fit into her suitcase. It was just yesterday she was having a conversation with Oscar. It was just yesterday all of her plans were going perfectly. Rose was confident, if not arrogant, that everything was going her way and nothing could change that. Seeing Oscar's mangled and bloody body on the news was enough to throw her into a state of dire urgency. "No... No... NO! Damn you Chad... It wasn't supposed to be like this!" Rose curses, pacing back and forth. With only a single suitcase, Rose runs out the door and speeds away in her car.
"Hello again, everyone. Terribly sorry to keep you all waiting," Nicholas says into the camera, "but I had to give a present to my friends on the police force. I'm sure they'll share with all of you in time. First, however, we must get on with the show I'm sure you're all dying to see!" The cameraman pans over to Oscar again. "I truly am sorry for what I'm about to make you see, but I believe this pathetic man has suffered long enough. Wouldn't you agree?" he says to the camera, smiling. The cameraman stays on him like a hawk, as Nicholas walks over to Oscar and crouches down next to him. "Oscar Kurst...do you have any last words for our viewers?" Nicholas asks, mockingly. Oscar tries to speak, but all he manages to do is cough up more blood. The cruel smile on Nicholas' face widens. He takes out his pistol, pushes it to Oscar's forehead and leans in close and whispers, "And I really hate that coat you sold me."
Tired of waiting in Felix's car, Selest starts to protest more forcefully. "Roberta! How can we just keep WAITING here?" she yells. Roberta eyes her suspiciously. "Selest...why are you so insistent on being inside? The Selest I know would be happy she's out here and safe," Roberta questions. "Sheesh, what the hell? I just want to help him! And that makes me a bad person now?" Selest argues. "No. I'm just saying. Something doesn't feel right. All of this doesn't fit together. What aren't you telling me?" Roberta demands, now more serious. Selest's eyes narrow in anger as she glares at Roberta. "I'm not hiding anything! Dammit, Roberta! Fine let's just wait here! But when Felix doesn't come out of there, it's your fault..." she concedes.
Oscar's final moments unfold on the television screen in slow motion. The police watch in horror, unable to do anything. Unable to do anything but scream or close their eyes as Nicholas fires his gun, launching two bullets into Oscar's head, ending his torment and splattering everything with blood. "BASTARD!" the chief yells, punching the screen. Oscar was well-liked and well-known around the Trissany area. Many break down in tears. Many want to rush in and end it themselves. Many officers curse their own helplessness. "FOCUS!" the chief shouts, "This isn't over! HE ISN'T DONE! We're going to stop this, NOW! What have you found out about what he gave us?"
Felix stares at Melanie's phone in his hand and breaks down in tears. "Damn it all... How could I be so stupid, so careless... How did my life get to this point? How could this all happen... I can't lose her now..." he cries, falling to his knees. The sky darkens and the wind grows ever stronger, almost in unison.
"Felix...listen to us..."
"No...leave me alone... Screw you voices... THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! DAMN YOU! GET OUT OF MY MIND!"
"Listen..."
[] "......................."
What are the voices inside Felix's head saying to him?
Spoiler
Spoiler