Chapter 9: Chapter 9: The Consequences of Murder

Crap... what should I do?

I couldn't shake the feeling that I had messed up my second chance. As I ran away from the school, my mind was racing with doubts and fears. I had just killed Jason, Sarah's brother, and I had no idea how to move forward.

I was overwhelmed with fear and confusion as I fled from the school. The image of Jason's lifeless body lying on the ground kept replaying in my mind, causing my heart to race with guilt and regret. I had never intended to take a life, but in that moment of panic and self-defence, I had acted on instinct. 

As I ran, I couldn't help but think about the previous timeline and how everything had played out differently. I remembered the moment when Lily had come to the storage room after Jason had attacked me. She had shown me the cult and the sacrifices they were performing, and I had been horrified by the revelation. Now, as I struggled to make sense of my current situation, I wondered if I should go back to the storage room and try to find Lily. But then, I realized that she must have seen Jason's body by now and would likely be too afraid to show her face to me again.

I tried to convince myself that I didn't need Lily's help to defeat the cult. After all, I had already learned about their beliefs and practices, and I had seen the sacrifices they performed firsthand. What difference would having Lily involved make? Couldn't I just defeat them alone? It might be more difficult but it would be worth it. 

Enough thinking about this, I should try and focus on what is next. Mainly, Rachel. Rachel was a girl who had been sacrificed and burned alive by the cult in the previous timeline. I couldn't shake the memory of her kind smile and the way she had tried to talk to me in the clinic. I knew that I had to try and save her this time around. I couldn't just leave her to die.

With this determination fueling me, I set off towards the clinic. 

As I reached a crosswalk, I heard the sound of screeching brakes and felt the ground shake beneath me.

"Huh?"

I turned just in time to see a truck speeding towards me at high speed. My heart raced as I tried to move out of the way, but my feet felt like they were glued to the ground.

Oh shit.

I watched in horror as the truck collided with my body, throwing me a meter away.

The air was knocked out of my lungs and I struggled to draw in a breath. My lungs spasmed, demanding air, but I couldn't utter a sound. I was still alive, but I was barely conscious.

As I lay on the ground, I saw two men exiting the truck and making their way towards me. I couldn't hear quite what they were saying, but I could tell that they weren't distressed about hitting me. It was like they didn't care.

Before I knew it, the two men picked me up and threw me into the truck. I blacked out as the truck drove away, unsure of where I was being taken or what would happen next.

I woke up to a searing pain in my body, my head foggy and my thoughts jumbled. It took me a moment to remember what had happened, but then it all came rushing back. I had been hit by a truck and thrown into it by two men. I was blindfolded and unable to see anything, unsure of where I was or what was happening.

I had a feeling that I had been kidnapped, but by whom? Was it the cult? Had they started targeting me as well? But why? This didn't happen in the previous timeline.

I tried to move, but my arms and legs were tightly bound. I couldn't even lift my head off the ground. Panic started to set in as I struggled against my restraints, trying to find some way to escape.

"Damn it, why won't this thing come off?" I grumbled irritably.

"Is there someone there?" I heard a girl's voice in the truck with me. It was a familiar voice, a voice that I hadn't heard in days.

"Rachel? Is that you?" I asked.

"Huh? You know my name?" She asked, confused.

Oh right, she doesn't remember me in this timeline.

"Uhh, yeah, I guess so. Anyways, that's not important," I said firmly. "We need to find a way out of here."

"Where even are we?" She asked.

"Two men threw us into a truck. We're on our way to the forest by the shrine," I answered, my voice heavy with dread.

"The forest? Why would they bring us there?" She asked, fear lacing her words.

"To kill us," I answered, my own fear starting to take hold.

"Kill us?! Why would they do such a thing?" She asked, her voice shaking.

"I... I don't know," I admitted, my mind racing. "All I know is that they're a part of a cult that sacrifices people. They call people like us 'candidates'."

I had thought that the title of 'candidate' was given out at random, just a different name for 'victim' that the cult handed out to anyone unlucky enough to be labelled by them. But the fact that they were now targeting me as well, something that didn't happen in the previous timeline, made me think that there might be some specific criteria for becoming a candidate. If I could figure out what that was, maybe I could also figure out who their next targets would be.

"A cult? In town? I've never heard about that..." She said, clearly shocked.

"Never? Not even once?" I asked, surprised.

"No, unless I'm forgetting something, this town has been relatively normal for as long as I've been here, well, aside from the disappearances," she answered.

"Do you know when the disappearances started?" I asked.

"Hmm, maybe around eight years ago? Something like that. It was a while ago," she said, uncertain.

Eight years ago? They've been active for a long time then. But that's at least a lead. Maybe something happened eight years ago that caused the cult to form.

"Do you know of any significant event eight years ago that could have led to the start of a cult?" I asked.

"Hmm... I don't think so. There weren't any big political disagreements or anything," she answered.

"I see," I replied, trying to think of other possible reasons for the cult's existence. There must be something that happened eight years ago, and if I can just figure out what it was, maybe I can understand the cult's true purpose.

"Hey, who are you, really?" She asked. "You seem to know a lot of stuff about all of this. It's strange."

"Ah, sorry, my name is John. I'm new in town," I introduced myself. "As for me knowing a lot, all I can say is that someone I know told me about all of this."

"Someone?" She said, her voice curious.

"Yeah, Lily Foster. She's a classmate of mine."

I was hesitant to call her a friend, given the recent altercation with Jason. I still need to confront her about the letter, but I need to focus on getting out of here alive first.

"Lily Foster..." Rachel seemed to be trying to place the name. "Where have I heard that before?"

Suddenly, I felt a bump in the road and the vehicle stopped. Looks like we finally reached our location.

I heard the sound of the truck door opening and the two men who had thrown me into the truck getting out. They were speaking to someone, but their voices were too low for me to make out what they were saying.

I spoke to Rachel, who was now audibly shaking with fear. "It's going to be okay," I whispered to her, trying to reassure her. "We'll find a way out of this, I promise."

I tried to sit up, but my restraints were too tight. I felt around the truck, trying to find something, anything, that I could use to cut myself free. I eventually felt a sharp edge on the side of the truck and I started to work on my restraints, trying to saw through them with the edge.

Suddenly, the door to the truck was thrown open and the two men were back. They untied me and Rachel, taking off our blindfolds as well and dragged us out of the truck.

So much for that escape plan...

We were in the middle of the forest, surrounded by trees. I could see the shrine where I met up with Lily in the distance.

"Please, let us go," Rachel begged, tears streaming down her face. "We won't tell anyone, I promise."

The two men didn't listen to her as they laughed and tied our hands behind our backs. A voice called out from within the dense forest, "Bring them out."

I was led forward and saw five cult members dressed in black, standing around an unlit campfire. My heart raced as I remembered how they had burned Rachel alive. Would they burn me too? I frantically searched for a way out, but there was none.

One of the cult members lit a match, about to throw it into the campfire. Memories of Rachel burning alive entered my mind.

Damn it! I can't let that happen again.

"Wait!"

The cult member looked at me, his face covered by a black hood.

"What?" He asked impatiently.

I wasn't sure how patient he was, but he was patient enough to at least listen to me. I wasn't going to let this chance go by.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked. "What qualifies a person as a candidate? And, what's going to happen at the festival?" I continued to ask all the questions that had been occupying my mind for the past few days. It felt good to finally let them out.

"..." The man was quiet. 

"Answer the questions." 

"Listen, boy." He said in a grave tone. "How did you find out about the candidates?"

I could hear the suspicion in his voice and I knew that I had to tread carefully. I couldn't let him know that I had been looping time or that I had any connections to Lily.

"I overheard some conversation about it." I lied. "I didn't believe it at first, but seeing all of this, I can't deny it anymore. Please, just tell me what's going on. What are you trying to accomplish with these sacrifices?"

The man seemed to consider my words for a moment before he finally spoke.

"Very well. I'll tell you, but only because I want you to understand the gravity of your situation. You see, we are a group dedicated to preserving the balance of the world. There are forces at work that seek to upset that balance, and it is our duty to prevent that from happening. The sacrifices we perform are necessary to maintain that balance and ensure the safety of humanity."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. They were sacrificing people in the name of some misguided sense of duty? It was insane.

"That's ridiculous," I spat out. "You can't just go around killing people because you think it's necessary. There has to be another way."

The man shrugged. "I'm afraid there isn't. We have tried other methods, but they have all failed. I'm sorry, but this is the only way."

"You're... sorry?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. These people were truly deluded if they thought that their actions were justified. I needed to find a way to stop them, but with my hands tied and surrounded by armed cult members, it seemed impossible.

"What about the candidates? What makes someone qualified to be a candidate? And why am I one?" I asked.

"A candidate is chosen based on whether or not they have been inflicted with the curse. Those who are inflicted with the curse are often emotionally vulnerable, and we try to take care of them before the curse can do any harm. It's all part of our mission."

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A curse? There's a curse now? That's ridiculous! It must be a lie.

"What kind of curse?" I asked

"It doesn't matter. You're going to die whether you find out about the curse or not," he said, his patience clearly running thin. He lit the campfire, and the smell of smoke filled the air.

"Bring them here, we'll burn them at the same time," he said, gesturing to the men holding us down.

Rachel was sobbing next to me, and I knew that I had to do something to protect her. I couldn't let her suffer the same fate as she did in the previous timeline.

I had to think of something, and fast. I won't let my second chance end this soon.

"Huh? Who's that?" One of the cult members exclaimed. Everyone turned their attention to what he was talking about.

As the cult members prepared to burn us at the stake, a figure emerged from the forest. They were wearing a mask and carrying a knife, and they moved with a sense of purpose. The cult members, caught off guard by this unexpected attack, were easy targets.

The figure stabbed one of the cult members in the eye and dragged the knife through their face before the rest even had a chance to react. They were skilled and precise, their movements graceful and brutal at the same time. I watched in shock as the person in the mask took down another cult member, their blade slicing through the air with deadly accuracy.

Despite the chaos, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. If this person was on our side, maybe we had a chance of getting out of this alive.

The man holding me released his grip, his attention focused on the figure. I took the opportunity to burn my restraints in the campfire, ignoring the searing pain in my hands as I did so. I knew I had to act fast if I wanted to escape with Rachel.

As the cult members were distracted by the figure, I grabbed Rachel's hand and pulled her towards the safety of the forest. We ran as fast as we could, the sounds of screams and the smell of smoke filling the air behind us. My legs and body all hurt a lot after being hit by that truck, but I managed to push through and run anyway.

We didn't stop until we reached a clearing, far away from the chaos of the cult's camp. Panting and out of breath, we collapsed onto the ground.

"Is it over?" Rachel asked, her voice shaking.

"I think so," I replied, my own voice unsteady. "We're safe now."

As we caught our breath, I couldn't help but wonder who the figure in the mask was. They had saved our lives, but I had no idea who they were or why they had helped us.

Just then, the figure emerged from the trees. They approached us, their knife still unsheathed and covered in blood.

"Ah... thank you for saving us..." I said to them, still out of breath. They moved closer towards me, their white mask staring down at me.

"Who are yo-"

"John!"

Before I could finish my question, Rachel pushed me out of the way. I stumbled to the ground and looked back at her in shock.

"Rachel?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

She stood there, her eyes wide with fear as the figure loomed over her. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My heart raced as I scrambled to my feet, trying to think of a way to help her. But it was too late. With one swift movement, the figure plunged their knife into Rachel's chest. Blood splatters on the figure's mask.

I let out a cry of despair as Rachel fell to the ground, the knife still embedded in her body. The figure turned to me.

"Why?" I choked out, tears streaming down my face.

The figure didn't answer, instead, they picked the knife out slowly from Rachel's body and walked towards me.

"No! Stay back!" I shouted, but she didn't stop.

She eventually stood in front of me, towering over me. She raised the knife above her head, ready to plunge it down. But at the last second, I rolled to the side, causing the knife to plunge into the grass.

I got to my feet, ready to fight. "I'm not going to let you take my second chance away." I said as my foot connected with her head. She was thrown backwards, dropping the knife. She tried to reach for it, but I stomped on her hand hard, breaking it. She let out a pained screech.

I stood over her, panting and shaking with adrenaline. 

couldn't believe what had just happened. Only a few minutes ago, Rachel and I had been tied up and about to be burned at the stake by a group of cultists. And now, we had been saved by a mysterious figure in a mask, only for them to turn on us and try to kill us as well. It was all too much to take in.

But as I stood there, looking down at the person on the ground, I knew that I couldn't let my guard down. I had to make sure that they were truly defeated and couldn't harm us anymore.

I approached cautiously, my heart racing. The person was lying on the ground, moaning in pain. I saw the knife they had used to try to kill us lying nearby, and I quickly grabbed it, ready to defend myself if necessary.

But the moment I took the knife, the person on the ground reacted strongly. They charged towards me, tackling me to the ground. I tried to get them off me but to no avail. They snatched the knife out of my hands and brought it up above their head, plunging it down.

I felt a sharp pain in my leg as they managed to stab me with the knife. I let out a cry of agony. They struggled to get the knife back from my leg, but I held on tight, determined not to let them have it.

I gritted my teeth, trying to push through the pain. I knew that if I let go of the knife, I would be at their mercy. I had to find a way to defend myself and get away from this place.

I looked around frantically, trying to find something I could use as a weapon. My eyes landed on a nearby rock, and I reached for it, hoping it would be enough to fend off my attacker.

"Agh!"

I swung the rock at the person's head, hoping to knock them unconscious. They fell to the ground, groaning in pain. I took the opportunity to get on my feet, limping away as quickly as I could.

The pain in my leg was excruciating, and I could feel it starting to give out. I knew I wouldn't be able to run far, but I had to try. I had to get away from this person and get help.

I stumbled to my feet and limped towards the road, "Help! Someone, please help!" I screamed, hoping someone would hear my plead.

My vision was starting to blur and I knew I was going to pass out. I collapsed onto the ground just as a car drove by, its headlights blinding me. The last thing I remembered before blacking out was the sound of tires screeching to a stop.

---

I slowly came to, my head throbbing and my body aching. I opened my eyes, trying to make sense of my surroundings. I was in a hospital room, with machines beeping and whirring around me.

"I'm such a failure."

I groaned, feeling a sense of defeat wash over me. I had failed to rescue Rachel, and now I was lying in a hospital bed, injured and helpless. Unable to prevent the cult from going after Emily next. So much for a second chance...

I closed my eyes, trying to push away the memories of tonight. The cultists, the burning campfire, the figure in the mask. 

I opened my eyes again, staring at the ceiling. I couldn't shake the feeling of fear that had settled in my stomach. Who was that figure that had attacked us? Why had they tried to kill us? I had so many questions, and no answers.

I sighed, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. My body was still weak from the injury, and I knew I needed to rest. I closed my eyes again, drifting off into a fitful sleep.

"..."

I could hear breathing. I woke up to the feeling of someone sitting on my stomach. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt heavy and I couldn't seem to lift my eyelids. I was disoriented and groggy, and I had no idea what was happening.

I felt a sense of panic start to rise in my chest. Who was this person, and what were they doing in my hospital room? I tried to sit up, but my body felt weak and I couldn't seem to move.

I could feel the person leaning over me, their weight pressing down on my chest. I could hear them rummaging through my things, their breathing heavy and agitated.

I tried to speak, to ask them what they were doing, but my mouth was dry and my words came out as a whisper.

Eventually, I managed to open my eyes.

"!"

I opened my eyes to see a terrifying sight. A blue eye, inches from my face, seemed to be staring straight into my soul. My body froze in fear, unable to move or speak. I could feel its gaze piercing through me. My mind raced with panic and terror. 

I let out a terrified shriek as the blue eye hovered inches from my face. My voice was barely above a whisper, but it was enough to let the person know that I was terrified.

The eye seemed to be studying me, its blue iris swirling with mystery and malevolence. I couldn't tear my gaze away, even as my body shook with fear.

"Goodnight," I heard the person say, their voice familiar and yet chilling. I racked my brain, trying to place where I had heard it before.

"Sarah?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

The moment I said that I could feel a sharp object squeezing itself into my stomach.

The pain was intense, like a hot knife was being plunged into my flesh over and over again. I screamed in agony, my body writhing on the bed as the pain overtook me.

Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot___

As I opened my mouth to scream, I tasted blood. It was foaming up at the corners of my mouth, and I could feel it running down my chin.

I tried to fight back, to defend myself, but my strength was completely gone. My fingers were numb, and I could feel my body starting to shut down. The heat from my core was excruciating, and I felt like I wanted to tear it out of my body just to make the pain stop.

"W...hy?" I gasped, trying to make sense of what was happening.

But Sarah didn't stop. She kept stabbing and stabbing and stabbing and stabbing

Over and over and over and over

I could hear her maniacal laughter filling the air. I begged for her to stop, to make the pain go away, but she didn't listen. She just kept going and going, and I couldn't do anything to stop her.

As the darkness closed in around me, I knew that I was going to die. And all I could think was, Why? Why did this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this? 

But no one answered.

—=Initializing Soul Transfer=—

—1 Soul Fragment Lost

"We have received reports of a terrible tragedy that occurred tonight. Rachel Thatcher, a young woman, was found dead in the middle of the forest near the shrine. An investigation has revealed that she died after bleeding out from a deep wound in her stomach. The other victim is new town resident, John Fairfield, who died in his hospital bed after being stabbed an estimated 20 times by an unknown intruder."

"We are also searching for three missing students, Sarah Astor, Jason Astor and Lily Foster. The Astor family estate has been notified of the two siblings' disappearance. We will continue to search for all students involved and will provide updates as more information becomes available."

---

To Be Continued ⇒ Chapter 10: Third Time's The Charm.

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