TO THE SAFE SIDE

"She's here." Someone grumbled loudly but Ming Zhu did not know who it was. Her eyes were tightly shut as she ran through the door only stopping when she presume she must have gone through it.

As she came, those standing in the way immediately cleared the way for her in other not to get in contact with her.

After hearing that voice although it was an unknown deep voice, she slowly opened her eyes after that.

When her eyes were just half open, she gasped and immediately widened her eyes and took in her surrounding.

Now she was really curious about where she was. It was driving her crazy now.

From the ceiling to the floor is glass shelves with all sorts of guns on them.

She kept on turning around to see it all, at the extreme end of the room was, there was a seeming invisible table there. It was very transparent that if nothing was on it then you would definitely walk right at it and hit it.

But fortunately, the swords on them made it quite obvious that there is a thing like a table there to support them and keep them from the floor.

There was nothing else around so her attention went to the people watching at her which she had totally forgotten about.

She looked around at the faces and realize that they were much more than before.

In fact she couldn't even see the man she had been questioning a lot before.

Most of the people there were looking among each other with a perplexed expression on their faces.

There's also something she noticed, most of them were not dressed as the previous people she had seen earlier expect for two guys with the tattoo to a snakes all over their arms.

The Jacket they wore were sleeveless so it not only exposed their muscles but also their strange tattoo.

Some girls were eying them but they paid no attention but stood attention and looked ahead.

Their tattoos were identical and they also wore the same Jacket with the head of a woman with snakes for hair.

This place was strange.

She felt it deep down in her guts that this was not normal, something really serious is going on.

Well she knew something serious is going on but she has come to understand that it might be a little more than a little serious from her expectation.

Suddenly an entrance opened up from the shelves of gun and a guy walked in with his eyes closed.

The entrance disappeared behind him with a big bang and his eyes sprang opened immediately.

He looked around, puzzled as well.

He was dressed casually like the rest of them there including Ming Zhu expect for the two guys with the snake tattoo.

Ming Zhu noticed it. She looked down at her attire.

It was the first time she was doing that and she realized she was wearing a red dress.

Her hair was lying freely around her shoulders and back but she wondered if it was messy.

That wasn't the important thing although looking at the other female women in there with her, she felt she needs to be somewhat curious as their hair seemed like it hasn't been combed nor watched for days.

But first what was she doing here? Obviously she wasn't the only one who was brought here without their will and is as shocked and curious as she is.

What was the meaning of all of this? What did they want from her, from them?! What did the symbols they showcased mean?

Who were they?

Lots of questions ran through her mind and she needed someone to ask ASAP.

But no one was coming to offer being asked any questions. They all just stood there waiting and looking at one another without saying anything.

What is this?

She wants answers to her questions, at least someone to ask.

She knew that everyone in the normal clothing with no cult symbol on it would definitely not have any answers for her expect for the two guys in the sleeveless Jacket with snake tattoos all over their arms.

For some reason they began walking to the almost invisible table at the extreme end of the room.

The place was rather spacious and it took them quite a while before they reached there but they stopped immediately they got close enough then turned around to face the crowd of people watching them.

Their faces were not friendly the slightest bit. They had no given expression on their faces, they didn't even directly look at anyone much less made eye contact.

She sighed heavily.

They would be very difficult to talk to that she knows for sure. Although they might have answers for her but she wonders if they would they her a thing.

Regardless, she could not stand here any longer in silence and not understanding a thing.

Everyone was just standing there in silence thinking on their own. She couldn't do that anymore. She had no answers to give to her questions nor have the capacity to figure it out on her own. She needed someone to listen to her questions and that will be them.

The thought that she might lose her life if she's the odd one out of everyone here. Everyone was quiet and did not approach them, if this is some kind of a test to continue that way then she might fail.

Seeing as no one has come to address them makes what she's thinking to make more and more sense but... Curiosity, standing still is weakening her.

She should be the odd one. They had promised that if she passed that test that she might not lose her life.

So why should she die now?

Beside it was just a question of what was going to happen next, that was not bad.

She convinced herself that there was no other way than to go talk to those guys regardless of how intimidating they look.

She took in a long deep breath like she was preparing herself for a fight under water then she started her journey towards them.

But what she suddenly stopped and was in shock as she saw many of them just standing by and looking around also began walking at their direction and they all stopped as well as her and looked at each other in confusion.

But some were still where they were and did not move a muscle.

A loud boom was heard from nowhere and many people got down in fright but Ming Zhu did not and instead her eyes went over to the people who did not walk towards the tattoo guys.

Slowly but surely they start to fade in her eyes.

"Ahhh!" She screamed then pointed at them.

Everyone looked at her then looked her finger to see what was going on.

Everyone watched in bewilderment as they soon disappeared like they never were there in the first place.

Ming Zhu heart started pounding loudly in her chest.

She could not only feel it but she heard it and she wonders if everyone could hear it too.

She was so scared and terrified now.

What happened to them? Are they dead? Did they lose and now they paid with their lives? She questioned in her head.

Why? Why was she only asking these questions inside her? She thought to herself. She need to face someone and confront him.

"If you all want to live then finish what you've started and walk towards us." One of the tattoo men spoke.

Ming Zhu start to tremble.

This is indeed far more serious than her initial thoughts.

"Why?" She cried out, "Why are you doing this?" She shouted as her hands shook.

She was shivering like she was cold. Although she did not see any dead bodies, she feels like she just witnessed murder.

"Everyone, to us." They did not mind whatever she had just said and gave their order. "That's our final warning." They concluded with their eyes not meeting with anyone's.

Why were they like this? This she did not know at all.

She felt a knot tied in her stomach.

Everyone still alive were trembling as well but with the guys finally warning they quickly rushed towards the extreme end of the room.

Ming Zhu had mixed feelings about everything going on in the room.

What was she to do now? Follow the crowd?

Just now she was so rudely ignored but that doesn't mean anything, what she was more worried about is that those people died just now for remaining the way they were, continuing to follow the crowd of people by remaining immovable object fixed on their spots but she along with the people still with her decided to move and because of that, they did not vanish.

She contemplated about joining them.

After witnessing the disappearance of those people, her questions seems nothing now.

She could lose her life for sure right?

Suddenly a hand took hers and she turned to the direction to see a young man with a smile on his face for her, looking down at her with his unique blue green eyes. His heart shaped lips were up in a beautiful smile.

"Who are you?" She asked immediately with alarm bells ringing inside her head.

"That's not what's important right now. We need to get to safety." His voice was small and almost feminine. His voice was calming as he shrugged off her question and pointed above them.

Ming Zhu followed his hand and for the first time saw flashing red lights coming from something that looks like a surveillance camera.

They kept flashing after a two seconds, they were in a single roll at the center of the ceiling.

"I did not notice them before." She voiced out.

"Seriously?" He asked shocked like they were very obvious and impossible to miss. She nodded. For her, they were not very noticeable and she would have surely missed them if not for the young man that pointed it out for her.

She took a closer look and observed them. She realized soon enough that if you pay close attention, the lights were pointing at different directions. One to the right then the second to the left and the next one to the right again. It went on like that until it the last of it. But oddly, none of them were at the side where the two guys with tattoos are.

That was it! That was what she was to figure out! She happily danced inside with the realization and then turned to the guy who had showed her.

Her eyes widened with realization and she did not know how to express herself anymore.

"The flashing lights, did you... Did...did you notice it too?" She questioned.

The guy was not interested in her realization and he seemed to be in a hast.

"You idiot. You have not figured it out completely! If not you'll realize there's no time."

"Why?" She asked. She didn't seem to see any timer anywhere. "Is there some sort of a timer that I missed?"

He closed his eyes and clenched his fists beside him. He was getting impatient with her and she is starting to sense it too.

But he was the one who wants to help her and Ming Zhu has no idea why that is so. At of everyone here, he decided to come and help her.

"I'll rush this through once so you have to listen carefully and be smart please." He began and he talked really quickly and impatiently. "Look, the flashing lights or whatever it is, there were a hundred and fifteen when everyone was still here and I noticed that fifteen were not flashing unlike the rest then twelve of people disappeared and twelve of the flashing lights disappeared as well but three are still remaining and are still not beeping so from my gathering I think they are the number of people here and also the none flashing lights are the num..." He went on to explain but was short when Ming Zhu began running to towards the other side of the room.

I don't want to die. She said to herself as she ran.

The guy also followed suit and in no time caught up with her. He took her hand again.

"I think we'll be save if we pass all the flashing lights before three people." He said to her again as they ran in fear.

Lots of people were still strolling over to the other side and Ming Zhu thought she might be safe but that only lasted for seconds as soon the others started running to the other side as well.

It must be because they were running and realized something was up.

Ming Zhu cursed herself for not being smart about this.

They should have walked faster not ran!

She cursed herself as they both were the two last people behind.

Only five other people were still behind with them but they were still ahead.

Ming Zhu thought this was the end.

Why did she waste time asking questions and instead of listening?

This was the end for her now, nothing is going to save her.

She thought as she continues running no the less.

Her heart was pounding fast but she knew it was not because of the race only.

Everything went in slow motion for her.

She was getting dizzy and couldn't see anyone anymore. All she wants to do is get to the other side away from the flashing lights.

"Ouch!" A cry suddenly filled her ears.

Her vision got a little better and she saw a girl on the floor crying in pain.

The guy had let go of her hand and was running ahead of her. She hadn't realized it before.

"You bastard!" The girl on the floor shouted after him and at that moment Ming Zhu passed her.

The girl got up again and started running but Ming Zhu was already ahead.

"Hey hurry up will you!" The guy shouted at Ming Zhu behind.

He stretched out his hand for her to grab behind and she reached out to get it.

She stretched her hand forward like her life depended on it but got distracted as the girl running ahead suddenly stripped on her own shoe and fell face flat on the floor but she also pulled down the girl boy running with her. She screamed and cried in pain.

Because of that fall the guy passed them both and Ming Zhu got her focus back and she reached out to grab his hand as they both ran.

Seeing it was a bit difficult for her, he slowed down a bit and she grabbed it. She intertwine their hands.

She looked up and saw that they had passed the flashing lights with one other guy.

They both stopped but he did not until he was at the table.

Ming Zhu turned back saw the first girl who had fallen first dragging a guy in front of her back and making him fall.

She got ahead of him because of that and she soon passed the flashing lights but she only stopped when she got to the table as well.

The guy quickly got up and ran with the two other girls remaining and made it past the flashing lights and over to the table.

They were all panting like crazy, breathing like dogs and gasping for air.

Everyone was still safe after three minutes and Ming Zhu got confused. Did she just run like a mad person all for nothing?

Shit! She cursed inside but immediately after that, the guy and the two girls who had both striped stood attention and still.

"What's going on with them?" Someone asked and after, they all start to fade away.

"Ahhh!" A girl screamed. "What's going on here!" She was completely terrified.

Ming Zhu start to shake again. Soon the three of them disappeared like they never stood there in the first place.

"I want to leave this place. PLEASE!" She cried then fell on her knees. "PLEASE!" She repeated.

Everyone stared at her not knowing what to do themselves.

A guy suddenly walked over to the tattoo men by the table and grabbed one of them by his jacket.

"I want to get out here!" He yelled at him.

"Wait. Soon." Those were his two words only.

"What do you mean by that? Will I leave this place?" He asked again.

"Wait. Soon." The guy repeated.

That irritated the guy.

"What is wrong with you people!" He yelled then punched the guy hard on his face.

That did nothing to the tattooed guy and he stood his ground unmoved like only a strong wind just passed by.

The guy was stunned.

"Are you a robot?" He asked.

"Hey you, Bastard!" A girl suddenly shouted.

The girl walked over to the guy that helped Ming Zhu. She was furious and she looked like she wanted to murder the guy.

Ming Zhu recognized her as the girl that called him a bastard before while they were running. She was the first to strip over.

She walked over to him and gave him a slap on his face. "You bastard! How dare you!" She continued.

"Hey what's wrong with you? Why are you hitting him?" Ming Zhu quickly rushed in front of him and pushed her back.

"Hey are you his girlfriend? Well your boyfriend almost made me disappear that Bastard!" She shouted at Ming Zhu with murder in her eyes.

"What are you saying?" Ming Zhu could not believe her hears.

That can't be but she couldn't stop her mind from going back to that time. It really seemed like that's what he did now that she's looking back at it.

"Shut up bitch, you are not my problem." She pushed Ming Zhu to the side.

Ming Zhu fell flat on her butt and she realized that the floor was really hard and it hurt badly.

It was also cold.

Did he really pushed her? Ming Zhu thought.

The girl was already in the guy's face again. "Why did you do that? What makes you think you deserve to live and not me?" She talked in his face.

The guy looked away pissed and Ming Zhu stood up immediately and pulled the girl away.

"You have been helping me since. Why? We don't even know each other." She asked him.

"Hey you bitch!" The girl shouted again.

Ming Zhu ignored her and focused on the guy.

"Because you're pretty." He simply said.

"Hey! What is with you? Do you realize you could have caused her death?"

"Is that my thank you? I saved us."

"You fool, you could have become a murderer!" Ming Zhu shouted in his face with lots of her strength. She was really furious and angry but she had no idea who it was for actually.

"And what's wrong with being a murderer?" A feminine voice echoed in the room and a light suddenly appeared from a corner, a pair of high heels appeared.