He hung up and followed after everyone else. He ran into a lineup of his companions. Hime was staring at a new flight of stair that was not there before.
“Another flight of stairs? Should we go up?” Hime asked.
Chero nodded and smiled encouragingly, “Just…don’t freak out…ok?”
Hime nodded and led the way. Chero took Dino’s hand and squeezed it as they entered an entrance way that was covered with bloody handprints and splatters.
“Creepy!” Kiki shivered.
“I HATE HORROR FILMS!” Jenny cried.
Francis took Jenny’s hand and gave it a light squeeze.
Hime took a deep breath and led the way into the next room. There was a circle of numbers on the floor, like a clock. 1-12 all written in what looked like blood. A large blue button sat in the middle.
Chero closed her eyes.
“Er…I remember how this room works. Do you want me to tell you the answer?”
“No. If our past selves can figure it out, we can as well. You can sit this one out, Cher,” Hime said.
Dino nodded, “I want to solve this without your help, ok?”
Chero gave Dino and Hime a small smile and nodded, “Ok. Just ask if you need a
hint.”
Hime looked around the room and saw a picture on the wall. She walked over to get a close up look. It was the full moon with an X made of blood slashed over it.
Mocha looked at Hime.
“There is an X on the moon,” Mocha said.
“And numbers on the floor. Are they representing a clock? If so…we have an X on the moon and a clock,” Hime mused.
“It means the time when there is no moon?” Dante asked.
“Right. But that seems too broad. Maybe the seasons are involved?” Dino suggested.
“Maybe the moon tonight—Dammit…Our past selves did solve this, right?” Kiki asked.
“Hm…yeah…sorta…”Chero said.
“Being outsmarted by my past self is out of the question! Hey, Chero? What’s that switch at your feet?” Jenny said, walking over to stand on it.
“Oh! Jen--”
Jenny stood on it and bright lights flashed.
“OW!” Danni cried.
“Shocking, isn’t it?” Leon winced.
Tsukino groaned in annoyance.
“Jenny! Please be more careful when you push random buttons!” Kiki lectured.
Jenny ran away from the button, “I’m sorry! It was my fault!”
“If we solve it wrong…It punishes you,” Tsukino mused.
“Francis, you do not look like you’re in pain,” Dante pointed out.
“He might enjoy it!” Danni teased.
“It didn’t hurt much. It was like being shocked by a doorknob,” Francis said.
“Oh. Papa is standing on one of the numbers…Well…er…maybe that means…Maybe we have to stand on the numbers and then press the switch?” Mocha suggested.
“Oh, erm—“ Chero started to say.
“No talking, amore! We can figure it out. Now, each of us is going to stand on a number,” Dino said.
“Right,” Kiki said.
Everyone choose a number and stood on it.
“Well…Now there is no one to press the switch and we are one person short. Maybe we do not stand on the number where there is no moon,” Dante suggested.
“The moon…” Hime pondered.
“Hn…By the way…Hime can solve this. I mean…the first time Hime solved it very easily….er…it would have been hard to solve it without her,” Chero said.
“Yeah, you’re right. The moon is not just the piece of space rock orbiting out planet,” Tsukino hinted.
“I think I have it,” Dino said.
“Other than the moon in the sky?” Hime questioned, “The Japanese lunar calendar? Mutsuki, Kisaragi, Yayoi …Wait. It’s the months without the kanji tsuki! “Tsuki” or “zuki” means moon in Japanese!”
“I see~ So the handsome Frenchman will step off his number, 3,” Francis said, stepping off.
“Anyone else have to move?” Danni asked.
“Um…Also…12- Shiwasu…” Hime said.
“So, Chero has to move,” Kiki said.
“…Alright. I’ll step away,” Chero said moving.
Mocha watched as Chero moved.
“Wait a minute…Now it is ok because there are enough people…But we originally only had nine…There were also times when there were even less than nine. I don’t like to think like that, but I know it’s true. So, when there were nine of us at the most, we all would have been standing on a number. That’s wrong. Because if there were nine of us on a number…Who pressed the switch? …or maybe…?”
“Ahh!! Stop! Hold up a minute,” Mocha cried.
“What? What’s wrong, Twinnie?” Kiki asked.
“It’s the other way around! It’s not the 3 and 12 we don’t step on, but the 3 and 12 we DO step on….Because…um…” Mocha tried to explain.
“Oh! You’re right! Because there were only nine of us before…if we all stepped on a number then there would not be enough of us to push the button, right?” Danni asked.
“True. If we did invert our original plan and only had to stand on 12 and 3 then….only three of us surviving would still be able to do this,” Dante said.
“I don’t even want to think about that…”Dino said, “But you’re right. Francis and Chero need to step back on their numbers. Everyone else off. Hime, can you press the switch?”
“Of course!” Hime replied.
Hime went to the button as Chero and Francis went to their spots. When they made it Hime pressed the button. A bright light filled the room. When it faded a door had appeared on the wall.
“A door?” Hime questioned.
“YOSH!” Jenny cheered, “Let’s go ahead!”
“Oh!” Chero cried, “Wait!”
“What is it?” Danni asked.
“I didn’t tell you the answer to this room…But from now on…I can’t be so…carefree…In the last room, there will be a key hanging on the wall…”Chero said, “That’s the key to the front door. As soon as we get it…you will have to RUN. A monster will come after us…So…just run to the front door.”
“So…run more than ever. Got it! I’ll stretch to warm up then!” Leon joked.
