Dare You To Death: Solve the Mystery, See the Death.

Investigation Part 28

 

In the car, soft country music was playing in the background to make the driver feel less lonely at night. The cool air conditioning and the atmosphere of the road, which was starting to grow deserted, made the person behind the wheel keep turning to check whether the passenger he had picked up from the front of the hospital was still with him.

 

Jay sat looking out, not to take in the view, but to calm his mind from what was in his hand. When he received the letter, he had assumed it would be like everyone else's, and it was true. Only, what was inside wasn't just paper and photos. There was also a key.

 

"Um, what are you doing here?"

 

The driver asked as he drove deeper into the alley, the fewer streetlights and oncoming traffic there were.

 

"My friend made an appointment with me here."

 

"Oh, it's so deserted. How are we going to get back?" Jay didn't answer that question because he didn't even know if he'd have the chance to go back.

 

After driving for less than twenty minutes, the taxi stopped in front of a large white house. The fence surrounding the house, although overgrown with vines, did not make the house look intimidating.

 

“Wow, this house is beautiful. But it’s so far away.”

 

"Yes," Jay said, handing the money he had stolen from the police officer guarding the taxi driver's door before getting out of the car.

 

He watched the taxi drive away before walking over to open the gate of the house. The entrance was sparsely covered with grass. After the taxi's light went out, the atmosphere returned to darkness. Jay tried to feel his way to the front door. 

 

He picked up the key and held it before trying to unlock it. Of course, Jay already thought it could be opened because the person who had intentionally sent the letter had told him so.

 

TRUTH OR DARE

JAY

DARE

 

You try so hard to see the good in your friends, but to do that, you don't have to ignore their bad nature, do you? So, let's see what those who try to see only the good in their friends will learn. Come on, Jay, let's see and choose between CHERENE and CHAMP.

 

That's all Jay got from the letter: a group photo of them and the key he used to open the door. Inside, while it wasn't in new condition, it wasn't as run-down as some old houses. It had all the furniture covered in dusty plastic. There were no lights in the house, so he had to be careful walking around by brushing his hand. Suddenly, a light came on from one of the doors. Jay knew it was too inviting, but at this point, he had no other choice. The person in the hospital gown and flip-flops slowly walked towards the light.

 

Like a lured insect, as he walked down, he came across a wooden chair. In front of it were five television screens displaying alternating red characters.

 

TRUTH

DARE

TRUTH

DARE

TRUTH OR DARE

 

As soon as Jay's feet touched the bottom step of the stairs, the first screen that said TRUTH showed Tar's picture. Every action in the past, the image of Tar trying to rape Puifai, every low thing he had done was gradually shown to Jay, including the howling before he died, the confession, along with the final plea for life. The images in the club's storage room were captured by a camera mounted on the shelf. It showed how Tar was tortured before he died. Jay stopped his feet. Even though he didn't want to see these images at all, he couldn't turn back now.

 

When the first screen froze on the image of Tar's dead body, the second screen that displayed the word DARE began to show the story of the second victim, Bell. 

 

Jealousy caused others to suffer from injuries and disfigured faces just because of one person's bad temper. Including the clip of Bell in her own room on the day she received the letter. 

 

Every action, whether it was the cost of the money, calling Cherene, choosing the name of the person she wanted to give death to, everything was recorded. And it was Jay who had to know all of this. Another thing he learned was about Pui Fai's pregnancy. It was Bell who found out after going to sleep in the room and seeing the pregnancy test. So she told Cherene about this. 

 

The image of a young woman screaming and groaning because strong chemicals corroded her whole body made Jay turn his face away.

 

The third screen, lined with the letters TRUTH, slowly dimmed and showed the story of Tonkla's next victim. He thought he knew Tonkla's story, but he hadn't even gotten half of it yet. It wasn't just the fatal hit-and-run, but there was also the fact that he and Time had secretly filmed Puifai and sold it online. He had always thought that he and the others were drunk and had made a mistake. In reality, both of them were fully conscious. So much so that when he and Puifai went into the bedroom, instead of trying to stop them, they set up the cameras and let the story unfold.

 

And what made Jay feel like his legs were going weak was the image of Tonkla's death, his face so disfigured it was almost unrecognisable. Before the camera panned to him, who looked shocked, Time was raising a log and hitting it with full force behind him. The events that happened that day were the work of someone he had always thought of as a friend. He only realised this today.

 

Jay collapsed at the bottom of the stairs before looking at the next screen, where the word DARE faded in and out, revealing Time instead. The one who always cracked jokes to make his friends laugh, the one who always had stories to make them smile, was opening his own letter, looking terrified and not hesitating to take up the challenge instead of confessing to the police. The next image became Time's lifeless body, like everyone else.

 

All the screens went black at the same time, leaving only the last screen with the red letters TRUTH OR DARE. But before he could do anything, the sound of a door behind him made Jay quickly turn around.

 

“What do you say, TRUTH, the last one?”

 

"You... that doctor." Jay stood up and regained his composure before looking at the person in a white shirt, slacks, and black-rimmed glasses.

 

"Yes, it's me. Or should I introduce myself as Puti?"

 

“Why are you doing this?!” Jay reached out and grabbed the iron bar leaning against the wall to protect himself.

 

“Think carefully about why I did it.”

 

"We've never done anything to you!"

 

“That’s true, but it just so happens that you hurt my lover.” His large hand pushed up his glasses slightly. The smile that had been on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a cold expression. His eyes stared down at Jay without hiding anything. 

 

“Shall I tell you a story?”

 

Jay was about to walk up to the person above, but he was stopped when a black gun was drawn and pointed at him. With just a slight move, he thought that the person in front of him would not hesitate to pull the trigger.

 

“You'd better listen to the end so you can clear up any doubts. This story is about a young woman who dreams of a great college life. She strives to be liked to make that dream come true, until she finds herself in a group of friends who seem like the ideal group for many. But it turns out they aren't.” Jay listened to it all in confusion, not knowing what it meant to them.

 

“Her body and mind were devastated, and one day she herself begged for death. What I offered her was just a sliver of hope. I told her, “Wouldn’t it be better to watch the person who ruined her life slowly suffer the consequences of their actions?” And that was about to end soon.”

 

The smile on his lips, as if he owned someone else's life, made Jay feel goosebumps. The screen that was once black behind him lit up again, along with a picture from the bars of a room. Inside, various weapons were hung all around, but what Jay was more interested in were the two unconscious humans in the middle. They were his two remaining friends. Cherene and Champ.

 

“What do you plan to do!!!”

 

“Me? Hahaha, it’s not me. What are you doing?”

 

“What do you mean?!”

 

“There are choices in the letter, so choose,” Jay looked at his own letter tucked into his waistband before looking back at Puti. “This game is really fun, isn’t it? People don’t usually tell the truth because they think it’s easier to dare.”

 

“I choose the truth!”

 

“Really? Then it’s okay.” Puthi smiled again before lightly tapping himself on the head with the muzzle of the gun and starting to laugh. But instead of him asking, someone walked out from behind the door.

 

"Is it true, Jay? Don Tar and Champ planned to rape me to act like a knight in shining armour, pretending to help me, hoping to impress me and make us lovers. You heard what Champ said on the phone to Eser about dragging me into an abortion. You heard it too, right?"

 

The stick in Jay's hand fell to the ground as the person who walked out shouldn't have been a dead person. It was someone he didn't think he'd see today. It was someone he didn't know he'd seen with such crazed eyes and a face full of rage before.

 

"Cotton"

 

"Surprise"

 

Inside a room surrounded by bars, the unconscious person slowly woke up as the drug wore off. The two shook their heads to dispel the dizziness, then looked at each other before retreating in different directions.

 

“Where are we? What happened?” Cherene asked with apprehension.

 

“I don’t know.” Champ looked around cautiously before he saw the various weapons hanging there.

 

“Is anyone there? Help!” Cherene tried to get up even though she was dizzy. She shouted for help even though she couldn’t see a way out.

 

“Shut up! Do you want the murderer to know that we’re awake?”

 

"Then do you want me to stay quiet?!" Everyone raised their voices. No more sweet words that they used to say to each other.

 

Cherene felt something in her trouser pocket and picked it up to look. The same thing happened to Champ, who reached into his shirt pocket and found something similar.

 

TRUTH OR DARE

CHERENE

DARE

 

My own life or the lives of others, I also want to know how much you two love each other. CHERENE OR CHAMP

 

TRUTH OR DARE

CHAMP

DARE

 

My own life or the lives of others, I also want to know how much you two love each other. CHAMP OR CHERENE

 

When they both finished reading, fear gripped their hearts. It wasn't that they had just seen the letter for the first time; they had seen it before, and they knew the message in their hands was the same as in the other. Cherene was holding a letter addressed to Champ, and Champ was holding a letter addressed to Cherene. They knew immediately that if the message were the same, the attachments would be the same.

 

“Did you drug me?!”

 

“And you?!”

 

Attached to the letter was the same medicine that Pui Fai had taken that night.

 

“Cherene!” Champ was about to rush towards the trembling woman, but stopped when she chose to pick up the knife hanging behind her back and pointed the tip at him.

 

“Don’t come any closer!” Champ used his tongue to push his cheek to vent his anger before turning to look at Cherene again.

 

“Put down the knife and let’s talk.”

 

"Didn't you say you didn't get the letter?"

 

"Tee, wasn't it you who said it hadn't been opened yet? That's a complete lie."

 

"I dare you to say it, Champ. You're not much different."

 

"If you want to die here, go ahead. I won't stand for someone to come and kill you." Champ turned around to pick up an axe and tried to smash it against the bars. Seeing that, Cherene attempted to find a way out as well, but she still couldn't let go of her suspicion of the person behind her. She couldn't trust anyone anymore, not even Champ.

 

Bang!!!

 

The sound of a gunshot made both of them stop what they were doing, and they grabbed the weapons they had and held them close to their bodies, looking at each other with worry. The sound of footsteps outside the door made both their hearts beat wildly with fear. Then the door slowly opened, and a man walked in.

 

"Putti? Doctor Putti! W-wait... hurry up and help us out!" Cherene was the first to shout out with relief and joy, not knowing that death was walking right in front of her.

 

“Help? Why help?”

 

"Who is it?" Champ asked curiously.

 

"Aren't you going to tell him, Cherene?"

 

"W-well, he's the doctor that Fai and I hired to trick everyone," Cherene replied to Champ without looking back before walking over to hold onto the bars again. 

 

"Help us out and I'll give you whatever money you want."

 

“You talk as if you’re going to give me a lot of money.”

 

"Then what if it were me? You know whose son I am. No matter how much you want, I'll give it to you," Champ said.

 

“Do you remember this house, Mr Champ?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Ah, what a pity.” Putti shook his head slightly before pulling a chair over and sitting down, looking at the two with a cold gaze. “Let’s play one last game.”

 

"What the hell is this game? I'm not playing it. If you don't let us out, we're going to get it!" Champ walked to the front of the bars angrily.

 

“Haha, take it easy. How about we have someone else play this game instead?” The two looked at each other in confusion.

 

All doubts were cleared up when a person in a white dress stepped into the room, her gentle smile in contrast to eyes filled with resentment and amusement.

 

"I haven't seen you in a long time."

 

"Cotton! W-why..." Cherene said in shock. Champ was also stunned by the person in front of him.

 

“Are you that surprised that I’m still alive? I thought you wanted me to die and be gone. You’ve talked to Bell, Cherene.”

 

He didn't hold back. 

 

"What is this..." Champ didn't know how hoarse his voice was. The people standing there listening could only laugh.

 

“Hahaha, were you that shocked? The day I nearly died from bleeding, the day I called for help, you weren’t this shocked, were you, Champ?” 

 

The sweet smile turned into a smirk in a few seconds. “Since we’ve come this far, why don’t we finish the last game? But this time, you guys have no choice. There’s only DARE and DARE for you.”

 

Pui Fai looked at the two with a cold gaze before giving them the final choice of the game.

 

"You love each other so much, don't you? You love each other so much that you hurt me. Then I'll wait to see how much you love each other. Come on, Champ. Come on, Cherene. This final game is yours," Pui Fai said, emphasising every word as if it came from the pain deep within her heart. "I challenge you... whoever survives until the end, I will let them go."