Cruelty

Before returning to Andrew, Edward called Leonardo, who immediately picked up. "Edward! You are alive!" Emma's voice came through.

"Oh, hi Emma?" Edward greeted, raising one of his eyebrows. "Did Leo die? Why do you have his phone?"

"Don't worry about him. He is doing great, Right Leo?" Emma asked as a strong huff and puff from Leonardo.

"Ok. Andrew and I managed to shake off the King Hydro slime. We are at the coffee shop. Hurry before the deadline." Edward informed, watching as a pregnant woman entered the cafe.

"We are on our way. With some of our classmates, even." She replied before telling Leonard, "Turn right."

"Well, be safe," Edward said, hanging up. Walking back to Andrew, who was sitting on the counter, resting. "Leonardo and the others are coming. It might fill up the 100-person requirement."

Hearing what Edward said, the homeless man blurted, "I hope there aren't more than 100. If that happens, we will have to kick out some to make it exactly 100."

"So, only 100 people can teleport? No more, no less?" Andrew asked, staring at the homeless man, making himself another coffee.

"How do you know all this?" Elizabeth asked, suddenly appearing beside Edward.

Seeing her, Andrew's calm expression turned to that of disdain as he scoffed. The homeless man looked at the newcomer, inspecting her body before smiling.

"If you had walked down the ally where I sleep at night, I would have raped you." He proudly proclaimed, handing her a cup of coffee, "Coffee?"

"I am flattered," Elizabeth responded, shaking her head to the coffee. "So, how do you know about all this?"

"I was the first to enter after the last batch left. The system God gave me all the information about this place and placed me in charge of the red button." The homeless man explained, sipping his coffee.

Edward, Andrew, and Elizabeth stared at the man weirdly before exchanging glances. A new religion is about to be born.

"There you are, Edward," Emma said, running up to Edward. She noticed Andrew and glared at him, "And Andrew, the betrayer."

"What?" Andrew asked, confused. "The betrayer? What is that for?"

"Well, you left us when the plan went south," Leonardo said, walking up to him. "Or was it part of the plan?"

"It was." Edward nodded, drawing both of their attention. "Well, not running away, but the plan was to distract it and let you guys escape if things didn't go according to plan. Running away with me seems to get the job done."

"Well, whatever," Emma said, looking around the coffee shop. "Why is this thing not teleporting us away?"

"We need 100 people before we can get teleported," Elizabeth said, using her eyes to count the people in the cafe. "There are now 97. So just three more."

Just as she finished her sentence, three students ran into the cafe as the man at the door shouted. "Ready!"

The homeless man immediately dropped his coffee and pressed the button. Suddenly, a bold red number appeared on the ceiling and wall of the cafe, reading 101/100.

"I thought you said we just needed three more?" Andrew mocked, grinning. "Three more, you say. It was two, dumbass."

"I am right. There is no way my counting was wrong." Elizabeth shook her head and folded her arm, refusing to believe she had made a mistake in simple counting.

"You are right." The homeless man said, pointing at the pregnant woman. "The child she is carrying counts as a life."

Suddenly, everyone received a system counter, counting down from 59. The deadline was coming.

"Fuck! Kick someone out!" A man shouted.

"Why don't you get out, fucker!" A woman screamed back at him.

"Someone should be a gentleman and leave." A woman shouted, causing all the men's eyes to turn to her.

"Kick her the fuck out!" Edward shouted, which caused all his classmates to turn to him. "What? She dug her own grave." He said with a shrug.

"Kick that bitch who said that out!" A heavy-built man shouted, pushing himself through the group and moving to her.

"WAIT!" Andrew shouted, his voice echoing through the cafe and shutting everyone up. He stood on the counter and pointed at the pregnant woman, "Lady, you count as two because of your baby. We can't kick you out as it would reduce the number to 99. But we can--" He paused, unable to finish his sentence.

Seeing this, Edward took the initiative. "Kill the baby you are carrying." Edward finished, gasps and mummers running through the cafe.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Edward!" Emma shouted, taken aback by his calm. "How could you say that?"

"Seriously, Edward?" Leonardo snarled, he too disgusted by what came out of Edward's mouth.

"He is right." The heavily built man who wanted to throw out the gentlemen woman shouted, supporting Edward. "Kill that baby."

"Support that." A man said, lifting his hand.

"Me too, homie." Another man raised his hand.

"I don't want to die." A young girl raised her hand.

"What the fuck is wrong with you people?" Emma shouted, disgusted.

"Then, bitch, get the fuck out!" An African American man shouted. "If you want to save the baby, leave this fucking place!!" Seeing Emma look away, he spat, "That's what I thought. Stand there, and stay quiet, hypocrite."

"Edward, hold her," Andrew commanded, noticing the timer reach twenty.

Edward started walking toward the woman, and Leonardo held his arm. "Don't do it, Fratello."

Edward pulled his arm away, pushing away anyone that got in his way. Andrew got down from the counter and followed Edward to the pregnant woman.

"Please. Have mercy on me and my child." She cried and begged, moving back. "Please, I beg you." Snorts and tears flowed down her eyes as her back hit the wall.

Everyone knew this was wrong, but they didn't want to die. It disgusted them, but they didn't want to stop it. In the end, they were all hypocrites that cared more about their life than an unborn child.

Edward pulled her from the wall, going behind her and holding her still. Just then, the timer reached five.

"Hurry up!" The heavily built man roared.

Andrew stood in front of the woman, muttering in a shaky voice, "I am sorry." Cocking back his fist, he punched the woman as hard as he could in her stomach, and the numbers on the wall immediately reduced from 101/100 to 100/100.

Seeing this, the homeless man pressed the red button just as the timer reaches zero.