It was already two days ago when Sam was buried and three days ago since Karl disappeared. After a twenty-four-hour search with him by his teammates and relatives, they reported it to the police. He was then tagged as a missing person and they have carried a search out since then.

Allen Sanchez was also deemed to be the primary suspect for his disappearance and was also considered being the person behind Sam’s death.


“Is it alright for us to gather like this?” Herbert asked as he sat in a chair inside the café. He looked around cautiously, then immediately lowered his head and whispered, “Isn’t Allen Sanchez still on loose?”

Nelson and Troy, who were in front of Herbert, looked at him. They were sitting opposite Herbert. Next to Herbert was Dale, who seemed to be infected by Herbert. He also cautiously looked around them.

"Even if you lowered your head, Herbert, you're still visible," Troy remarked at the young man as the latter could not hide because of his height and size.

"Is that so?" Herbert asked innocently as he scratched his head. He immediately straightened his body and looked at Dale. "How’s the search, captain? Have they found any leads about Karl and Allen’s whereabouts?"

Dale sighed and shook his head. “There are no updates. Karl still can't be found and neither Allen.”

They slacked their shoulders as soon as they heard the bad news. They had a lead when a student reported he saw Allen once wandering outside their University. As a result, they had speculated that Allen had long been spying on their friends. But it was still not a shred of firm evidence. They need Allen in flesh.

“But what I was puzzled about is that why do we have to be the first people who have to tell the police about Allen and not Andrew? Shouldn't he be the first one to consider that?” Dale asked, as he was the one who informed the police about Allen Sanchez's potential involvement in Sam's death and Karl's disappearance.

When Karl disappeared, it was only then that Troy and Nelson dared to let their other teammates know about Andrew’s past. They thought that Andrew's best friend has something to do with what was happening. They waited for Andrew to speak about it first, but the more they wait for him, the more their safety will be compromised. Besides, they felt Andrew was not trying or didn’t have any intention of informing them. When Karl disappeared, Andrew just shut himself in the condo unit. He then never responded to any of them.

“I believe these things reminded him of the past. It still traumatizes him,” Nelson muttered in defense of his friend. “I still don’t get why he reacted this way, but everything happened because of him. I can't imagine what I would do if I was in his position.” He added.

Dale wanted to believe in that reasoning, but he wasn’t Sam. He’s not the type of person to look at every positive thing in all the weirdness. He still thinks that there was something more beyond it.

“I’m sorry, Nelson. But I just couldn’t buy that,” Dale responded in a stern voice.



*****



In a dim house with no sign of light, a scornful voice was buzzing repeatedly against its walls. The kitchen was neat, as if no one has been there to eat. The bed was too tidy, clear that it was never been slept on for days. If it wasn’t for the constant threatening words lurking in the room and the scratches made on the floor, people might think no one had been living in the house for days.

“I’m gonna kill you. I’m gonna kill you. I’m gonna kill you,” Andrew murmured as he plays the long sharp knife in his hand. He rotated it on his hand, wielded it, and stabbed the air as if he had done this several times. People who could see might think it was not his first time to hold such a sharp weapon.

He was crouching on the floor beside his bed, playing on the knife or scribbling on the floor of Allen’s name, using it. His phone laid on the floor in front of him as if he was waiting for someone to contact him.

“I’m gonna kill you,” He muttered, then soon cackled as if he has gone mad already.

“I’m gonna kill you.” Those words he had been repeating non stop have been making his mouth dry already. As if chanting these all over again would make someone die.

After pointlessly stabbing the air with his knife, a sound suddenly rang from his phone. He just stared at it without picking it up. It was not the first time he heard it after days of locking himself in the house. They have continuously tried to reach him by his friends, but Andrew made not a single reply. He ignored everyone. Their concern did not matter to him after all. He stared at the phone and suddenly a deranged smile escaped from his lips.

“Found you,” He muttered.



*****



In a dark alley, wearing a black hoodie with a white shirt underneath, Andrew walked straight on the road with both of his hands tucked in his hoodie pocket. There were few beggars on the side crouching and staring at him, but he ignored them. He ignored everyone who passed by and focused on his destination.

He walked past some closed buildings until he was in front of a closed warehouse. There was a stair beside it. He stared at it for a second, then started walking upon it.

When he reached the top, a ragged, shabby wooden door faced him. He held the doorknob and opened it. He went inside and from there; he saw a man sitting on a chair. He has blonde yellow hair on top, flipped to the right side. His undercut and eyebrows are dark brown, a sign of his original hair color. His eyes are large, hooded, and slightly drooping.

Andrew closed the door and trudged straight to the man.

“Allen,” He called as he stared at the man sitting on the chair.

The man stood up from his seat and smiled at Andrew. “Andrew, I missed you,” Allen responded, with a hint of misery in his eyes.

Andrew clenched his left hand and gritted his teeth. He looked straight at Allen with intense displeasure. “Where is Karl?” he demanded.

“We just met, yet you're already looking for someone else,” Allen responded. But his tone of voice was not of annoyance but a voice of regret.

“I said… WHERE THE HELL IS KARL?!” Andrew bellowed, making Allen flinched a bit. He glared at the latter as his voice echoed against the walls of the warehouse. “Answer me while I’m still nice, Allen,” he added, shifting his voice to a kinder tone.

Allen slightly smiled. He has been preparing for this day. He knew for a fact what might happen to him. He wanted to live peacefully, but he couldn’t let Andrew go on like this, not anymore.

“I told him everything,” Allen confessed, mustering his courage. And seeing Andrew’s expression made him even more anxious.

Andrew was stunned. His eyes widen as he staggered on his two feet. He felt his hand trembled a bit. As his lips slightly parted, he tried to gather the thoughts running wildly in his mind. If there was an emotion that could describe what he was feeling, that would be terrified.

“Did you…” Andrew spoke as his voice tensed, “tell him?”

Allen nodded in response. “He won’t come back, Andrew. Do you think he’ll still go back now that he learns the truth?”

The thought terrifies Andrew. He doesn’t want to lose Karl too. Why does he have to lose every person in his life? He questioned in his thoughts.

But on his mind, Karl would never do such a thing. Emman, Karl, those people will never leave him if not for this man who he despised the most. Karl promised him he won’t leave him and will protect him at all costs. He believes him and will do anything in his power to get him back. If he had failed in protecting Emman from Allen, this time he will make sure that he’ll get Karl back. That’s what he was determined to do before deciding to meet Allen again.

“Why…” he muttered, "Why did you do that, Allen? Isn't it enough that you took Emman from me? Are you that obsessed with me?!" Andrew yelled as he threw his hand, pointing his finger at Allen.

Allen was in love with Andrew. Andrew was the only person who cared for him since they were little kids. And it broke his heart knowing what Andrew had become. He became just like his dad. Even though he firmly believed that Andrew will be different because that’s just how he saw him back then and that’s what Andrew thought he wouldn’t do as well, things could be inevitable most of the time.

The more you want things to change, the more it stays the same. And because of things that happened, he regretted every choice he made.

"It was to protect you," Allen muttered. It was the only choice he thought he had. But he was wrong, and it’s too late to regret what he had done.

"I told you! I don’t need any protection from you!" Andrew shouted. Tears fell from his eyes as he slowly knelt on his knees. "All I want is to be happy… Why can’t you do that for me, Allen? Weren’t you my best friend?" he questioned, as his voice cracked miserably.

Allen felt his heart drowned in misery. As if it was gripped tightly until it can no longer hold on its own. He believed that his love for Andrew had not protected him but ushered him more to the wrong place.

He trudged close to Andrew. He knelt on his knees and held Andrew in his arms. "Please stop. Stop this, Andrew. Please, I’m begging you," he murmured in Andrew’s ears. His lips quivered as he pleaded.

"I will..." Andrew responded with a stern voice.

Allen got startled by what Andrew said. He felt miserably happy. Even if it was too late for Andrew to stop, hearing those words gave him a little hope. He faced Andrew and stared at him. "Really?" he asked with a concerned expression.

Andrew nodded and smiled at him. "Yes."

But it was a hideous smile.

Allen’s eyes widen in shock when he felt a sharp object pierced him on his side. He stared at Andrew with an appalled expression as the latter smiled at him madly. He knew it. He knew for a fact what he’s getting into, but he never realized how his best friend can actually physically hurt him. For Andrew, he was not his best friend anymore, but a person who he could kill on his own hands just like anybody else.

Andrew pulled the knife from him, and blood started gushing from his side. He held the wound as tightly as he could. "A-Andrew..." he groaned, throwing his hand on the air as he reached for his best friend. He clutched onto the hem of Andrew’s white shirt, staining it with his blood.

Andrew leaned on Allen as he held onto the latter’s arm that was holding onto him. "That’s for Killing Emman and for taking Karl away from me," Andrew whispered in his ears.

Tears fell from Allen’s eyes as he clenched Andrew’s shirt, but the latter pulled his hand away from him. Allen then fell on the cold floor, holding the stabbed wound tightly. He couldn’t describe the pain. This was probably the pain Lev, Ralph, and Sam felt while holding for their life in front of the man they thought was a friend. Allen pondered.

"If you had let me and Emman be happy, this will not happen, Allen. What gave you the right to take precious people away from me? You are just my best friend," Andrew said with a grim expression as he stood up, looking down at Allen. He smiled deviously as he held his knife. "This is your fault."

Before Allen could lose his consciousness, he tried to move his hand on his pants. He fished his last resort out of his pocket. There’s nothing he could think of to help Andrew aside from this. With his remaining strength, he slowly reached for a recorder from his pocket. In his fuzzy vision, he tried to push the play button and laid it on the floor.



“Allen."



Andrew’s eyes widen the moment he heard a familiar voice. A voice that he longed for so long. A voice that he could exchange his life for. His heart raced as soon as he heard Emman’s voice that came out from a recorder.



"Can I come in?"



Andrew then heard Allen’s voice. His lips parted a bit as his face turned to a confused expression. He heard a sound of a door closing, then seconds later, a thumping sound as if something was also shut closed.



"Sorry, I only have water in the fridge."

"It’s alright."



There was a bit of silence. Andrew anticipated hearing more of Emman’s voice but, he felt anxious listening to the silence.



"You don't seem to answer Andrew's calls. You don’t show up to him either."

"I’m sure you didn't come here to force me to meet Andrew."

"Then... You probably know."

"You probably know him more than I do, but Andrew is my boyfriend for three years now. Even if he doesn’t tell me, I’ll be stupid if I don’t."



Andrew’s expression hardened. The thought could have been blissful. He did share lots of things with Emman more than what he shared with Karl. But he had his reasons for keeping things from him. He thought that once he shared the same things with Karl, he’ll end up just like Emman.



"I want to die... I want to face Lev and Ralph and asked for forgiveness. I brought it upon them. If I hadn’t..."



“Why are you saying that? No. It was not your fault,” Andrew muttered. “S-Stop… Stop crying,” he went on. His voice trailed off as if Emman could hear his pleas.



"If I hadn’t like Andrew, this wouldn’t happen. Andrew will stay as he was and… And our friends wouldn’t have to die…"

"I-It was my fault. I can’t live with this. I deserve to die..."



Tears shimmered in Andrew’s eyes as they softened. His dark and grim expression and his soulless eyes faltered as tears fell on his cheeks, gradually melting the dark soul inhabiting his mind.



"I-I’m sorry."

"Do it, Allen."

"W-Wha-"

"You came here to kill me, right?"

"H-How did you know?"

"You won't meet me just to confirm if I know. You want to save Andrew, that’s why you are here. You want to take the responsibility for what he had done."

"I... I can’t..."

"Do it. I don’t know what you will do once you do it, but I don’t care. Just... Just kill me, Allen,"



“No… Don’t…” Andrew uttered shakenly as he fell on his knees. He slightly raised his hand, but it trembled, trying to grasp the air as if he could stop the things that had happened.



"Do it. I want to die. I can’t live with this."

"I can’t..."



Allen coughed off some blood as he tried to grasp for air, holding his dear life. He tried to look at Andrew’s expression, but it was hard for him to do so as he felt light-headed at the moment. His ears were buzzing and for the first time, he regretted being so talkative on the recording. He could die at any moment.



"W-What are you doing?!"

"Do it, Allen. Even if you don’t. I will just kill myself and there will be no one you could save for."

"N-No, I-I-"

"That’s a recorder. I record everything from the moment you got here. I don’t know how you will use it, maybe to save yourself? I don’t know. It’s up to you."

"S-Stop-"

"I’m sorry, Allen."



Andrew flinched as he heard a gunshot. His tears came rushing out of his eyes as if the guilt and his hidden self that have been locked up inside his body finally escaped from oblivion. His mouth opened as he tried to process everything he heard, everything he had done. He remembered his promise to Allen. He won’t be the same as his dad, but he lost it. He had lost it.