Chapter 9 Nell the Psychopath
Half the time had passed, yet Aether still hadn’t flipped the hourglass. Nell was starting to suspect that she might have forgotten to flip it, otherwise, he couldn’t understand why, despise being terrified, she would still follow the miles of the game.
Terviously, there was someone who claimed that they had forgatten to tum the hourglass. They weren’t being honest, but rather, they were just too scared and nervous that they forgot to flip When he thought of this, he felt better.
“Five, four, three,” he continued counting down.
When finally reached “one“, the surveillance feed showed Aetheripping the hourglass and waiting allently
Nell found it hard to believe. She hadn’t forgelten. She had followed the rulesexartly
If amthing, he was the one chewing be watching heresy move thoughthe cameras, In the footage, the washliding inside the closet, trembling violently.
Well kept holding hits phone as he watched the live ferd “60 seconds are up. Here Frome. If catch you, you must let me dissect you.”
on the screen, Arther was crying from fear. But she kept her lips tightly pressed together, not daring to make a single sound even as the trembled. She clutched the hourglass tightly, was truly a pitiful sight to behold.
Meanwhile, Nell, who was still watching her from his phone, walked slowly to the closet and stopped right in front of it.
didn’t you flip the hourglass in advance?” he asked. “If you’d done it while I was counting, you might’ve tricked me. You won’t have to die then
However, Aether didn’t answer. Nell’s patience thinned. “I know you’re in the closet. Answer me!”
When she still refused to speak, he yanked the closet door open and shoved aside the clothes blocking her. Their eyes met. The hourglass was only half–empty. She
“I’m about to die anyway, so what’s the point of asking that?” Aether didn’t want to humor him, “Before you dissect me, can you at least shoot me first so that! won’t feel the pain?
“I’m asking you, why didn’t you flip the hourglass in advance? You had a chance to survive, so why did you foolishly wait until I finished counting to it?
“What do you mean why? Aether was baffled, “Didn’t you say that can only flip the hourglass after you’ve finished counting to do?
“But if you wanted to live, you could’ve flipped it earlier to buy yourself more time.“‘
Aether fell silent. She didn’t understand what he was getting at or what he wanted.
You were so clearly terified,” Neil’s expression grew even more solemn “Why didn’t you take the easy way out?”
I was just doing what you told me to do. I don’t know where I went wrong to make you upset.”
“You could’ve chosen not to follow my instructions.”
“What exactly do you want me to do? Should I have gone against your instructions then? How am I supposed to know what you’re thinking?”
This time, Neil was the one who went quiet
He thought that Aether was tight. What kind of outcome was he looking for exactly?
Neil used to think that everyone was a liar, so they would inevitably end up being dissected by him. But along came Aether, the only variable he had encountered
This FIT
He despised deception more than anything. He believed that everyone was a liar, all willing tolle for their own gain. Yet, Aether hadn’t done that
It was something he couldn’t accept. It felt as if his entire belief system was collapsing. Human beings were hypocritical, selfish, foolish, ignotant, vain, and afraid of death. These couldn’t and shouldn’t be any exceptions.
Standing before her was the tall, lanky Nell with messy hair and gloomy eyes. When he still didn’t make a move, Aether lost her patience.
“If you’re going to lil que, just do it quickly. Stop wasting time forturing my mind and willpower”
The wait for death was agonizing. At that moment, she just wanted it over with so she could reload and start over. She decided that she wouldn’t come to the first floor again next time.
[Neil Hubbard’s favorability +1. Coment favorability: -98.)–
Instead of attacking her, Neil turned and walked away.
Aether walled quietly in the clout, but after a full minute, he still hadlay’t returned.
The suspenar was unbearable, so she stepped out to look for him, only to find him back at the operating table, working on the hamster again
She didn’t know what was going on. When exactly was he going to dissect her? Or was he not going to note? Because, just now, his favorability had gone up for soulxplicable reason
“So, are you going to kill me or not?‘ Aether asked.
But Nell didn’t arower by
ther. Instead, lar kept extracting the haster’s orga
pano queasy at the sight, Aether turned away
Watching her back, Nell couldn’t help but share his tragic past as he courued to dissect the hamster.
Have you ever been lied to?” I asked.
“Everyone’s been lied to at some point. Sonte are just jokes, others are white lies, but you’re bound to non into them.”
Have your parents ever lied to you!
“I told you, there are wi
white lles.”
“Then why did my parents say that they were treating miles when all they wanted was to dissect me to study my munder gene? They strapped me to the table, drugged me, ou open my soli and abdomen, and pulled out my organs one by one to examine
“stop” Arther couldn’t stomach it anymore. “You’re clearly fine and alive right now, so why are you making up this story to see me? Are you trying to tell me that you’re going to dissect my stomach and brain? And do all those things to the like yön tald?”
Neked wickedly. “I’m alive because they didn’t dissect me – they dissected a clone, Identical but not truly me. I watched it all through the surveillance fend, wering how giddy iny patents were as they tinte it.
so, I killed those two liars and did to them exactly what they did to my clone ”
He laughed maniacally before continering, “It felt amarine to kill them”
Hearing his were laughter, Aether fell fear and sympathy for him. At that monent,
she didn’t know mlu
“Why aren’t you surving anything?” Nell asked. “the yourbank I’m a monster for killing my parents? Did scare you? Are you more afraid of me reache
“You must have been in so much pain ”
try it lus nemotions. For them, killing is as ordinary as eating. They Neil clenched his fists, then retorted. “Do you know what a murder gene is? Teople who carry it don’t feel amabing, even if it’s their own parents they’ve killed 1 don’t regret idling them, so don’t feel any pain‘
” If you don’t feel any pain, why do you hate being lied to so much?” Aether asked, exposing him, “You hate that they lied to you because you still care about them You haven’t inily let go. That has always been your emotional baggage.”
“Don’t act like you understand me,” Nel snapped angrily. “Foolish, ignorant human–you should be worrying son They could wipe out their own family, and socant I’m no dillerent from thein.
g about your own situation instead. Like father, like
J“so what if you pity me? Are you trying to flatter and comfort me so I’ll forgive you? Well, don’t even think about it,
“I’m not trying to make you forgive me. I’m just speaking the truth,” Aether said calmly. “No matter who it is, no one would feel good being treated so horribly by their own parents, right?”
“Ny!” Neil walked up to Aether and grabbed her throat tightly. “Even if you say that, I’ll still kill you. Your pley and sympathy won’t work on me. I won’t spare you After all, I’m a monster who killed his own parents.”
all that suffe
suffering. You were just a child back then”
Arther bravely reached out and gently stroked his head. “Nell, you shouldn’t have gone through all t
Nell felt his nose tingle as tears streamed down his cheeks
He released his grip and crouched down, curling into a ball. He buried his face in his knees, unwilling to reveal his vulnerable side. Now, he was just lost, confused, and hurting
[Neil Hubbard’s favorability. Oument favorability: -93.)
Aether crouched in front of him, quietly patting his shoulder. “1 think that with your parents‘ abilities, they should have been able to tell the difference between you and the done. Could there be more to this than meets the eye!”
Aether had read the story to know the truth behind it all. But she couldn’t fly explain it to him, as doing so would only make Nell question her identity and suspect her intentions. After all, they hadn’t known each other for long enough to folly open up to each other.
Just then, a knock sounded from outside. Aether instinctively got up and canto open the door. She was taken aback to find Zachary standing there.
Henose immediately tingled. Just moments ago, it had been a life–or–death situatings for her. Now, when she saw him again, it felt like a glimmer of hope had appeared. Overcome with emotion, she rushed forward and gave him a tight hug
ht of guard by the sudden embrace. He tried to pull away, but Aether clung
Zachary breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she was okay. However, he was caught i tightly to his waist
Feeling a little embarrassed Zachary asked, “What do you think you’re doing hugging me like this?bet pol
Chapter 10 All Bark and Notte
Zachary Comer’s favorability – Current Fryerability: -101|
“What the hell. Why am I getting all excited from receiving a bug from a goy?” Zacharywondered.
Arthen let go of him and looked at hich with teary eyes. “For a second, I really thought that I was going to die in there.”
“You make it sound like 1 came to Lave you,” Zachary sapped. “Who told you to an off like that?
Arther lowered her head. “The elevator malfunctioned, and took the stairs. I didn’t immer that the Fabled Four lived in this building I’m sorry I worried you.”
“Me? Wenied about you? Zachary that backinstantnessly “Don’t flatter yourself why would ever be worried about a guy? That’s absent. –
Aether fell silent, She had gotten used to Zachary’s behavior by now. He was always saying the opposite of what he meant. And whenever he called like that, he’d get all flustered and trip over his words.
“is that the way mut? Aether changed the subject, pointing toward the end of the hallway.
However, Zachary didn’t answer. He just took the lead, Arther inilowed close behind, gripping the hem of Zachary’s shirt like a lifeline.
Zachary glanced back, porzded, when he felt the tug on his clothes. “Why are you holding on to my shirt?”
“You’re a grown man. What’s there to be scared of?
Aether lowered her head. “Even men can be scared sometimes”
