Chapter 31: Onwards to the Medical Ward! (1/2)
The group fumbled around with Calvin at the lead.
Scarlette who was catching up to him suddenly collapsed on the stairs.
Hugo scooped her up in one fell swoop.
”Shit! They are catching up!”
Philip's panicked voice rang from behind.
”Jane! Zahra!” Scarlette cried out in horror.
The stairwell of the asylum mansion wasn't that wide. With a dozen people simultaneously crammed in one space, it was inevitable that someone would fall down. Scarlette saw that while Jane was trying her best to catch up to the others. Philip suddenly shoved her to the side so he could get a headstart.
”Jane!”
Zahra cried out in alarm and she stretched her hand out to help Jane stand up.
”Let the bones be burned!”
A grating masculine voice rang from behind Jane and Zahra.
Both simultaneously trembled in fear.
They were here already?
Too fast!
”Hugo!”
Calvin gestured for Hugo and before he could even complete his shout...
Hugo was already in the air.
He planted a kick on the face of the patient.
The force of his kick was too immense that the patient was knocked backward and even fell down the stairs.
”Curses!”
”God, oh god... Help me!!!”
”Eat the flesh, season it well with salt and pepper. Burn the bones like firewood!”
The patient that Hugo kicked rolled downwards like a bowling pin. He struck the other patients and all of them rolled down the stairs back to the flooded basement.
”Strike!” Philip screamed in excitement.
”Why did you stop moving? Go! Go to the bathroom in the left corridor!” Calvin fiercely scolded.
”Y-Yes!” Philip hurriedly straightened his back before dashing towards the bathroom in the left corridor like mad.
The others followed suit.
They didn't dare to breathe loudly until Hugo who was the last one to arrive closed the door shut.
”Wheeew...”
”We're saved.”
”That was intense.”
Nicholas collapsed on the bathroom floor.
Thankfully, for some reason, this particular bathroom was kept quite clean and neat so he had no reservations on sitting directly on the floor.
Roy let out a sigh of relief, while Ray commented with gusto and a smile on his face.
Meanwhile, Calvin had a serious look on his face as he stared at Philip.
He saw how Philip shoved Jane backward in order to escape. Philip could reason out that he was just in a panic at that time and that he didn't understand nor realize what he was doing. But for Calvin, a person like him was walking time bomb. He had no need for such a person who could quickly forget camaraderie whenever there was danger.
The solemn look on his face was noticed by Hugo.
He quickly saw through what Calvin was thinking, but he didn't say anything.
”Jane! Zahra... Are you okay?” Scarlette rushed to the two.
Jane and Zahra's faces were still pale from that close encounter with death. They stared at Scarlette with dazed eyes and upon realizing that they were now safe. Tears dripped down their eyes as the two of them tightly hugged Scarlette.
”I was so scared...”
”I thought for sure that I was going to die...”
Calvin maintained his silence.
It wasn't appropriate to speak when someone was crying.
But then, Jane suddenly raised her head and glared at Philip.
”Why did you push me?”
”Why did you push me down earlier?”
”You tried to kill me!”
”Wh... What?! What are you talking about? You're slandering me!” Philip's trembling voice came out of his throat.
He pointed a finger at Jane and even shouted as if he was mustering his courage.
”There's no need to lie, Philip. I saw what you did earlier.” Scarlette fiercely replied.
”What...? I didn't push her! I was just trying to escape!”
”Yes, you did!” Scarlette wasn't having it at all.
Everyone's narrowed eyes landed at Philip.
Under the immense pressure, Philip's mental faculties collapse.
”Yeah, I did push her, so what?! What are you going to do about it, huh?! Will you go ahead and blame me for trying to save myself from death? Does that even make sense?!”
Tears threatened to fall down Philip's eyes as he started his rant, ”Don't act like you're such a kind person! I'm pretty sure that if you were in my situation, you would also push her down to save your own life!”
Slap!
Zahra sent a fierce slap across Philip's face.
Silence descended.
”Scarlette isn't like that!”
”Don't you dare bring her down to your level, you asshole!”
”I...” Philip's eyes were wide with shock upon realizing that he was slapped across his face.
Seeing the condemning look on everyone's faces.