Project: Death for Classroom Zero

Chapter 51: Clues

Tristan started solving the hidden message.

If only he could curse through the system of this game and complain, he would have done it. He wished that the appearing of the white light towards the whole floor could be quicker. The appearance of the white light from one section then to another would take at least thirty seconds before it transfer to another section of the chessboard-like floor.

He has just started a minute ago, but for him, it seemed that he was forever been waiting for the white light to reappear on another section of the floor. So far, the only clue that he got was these five numbers that was encrypted from the previously white-glowing section of the floor:

4,4 — 2,3 — 1,5 — 2,5 — 2,4 — 3,3 — 2,3

While waiting for the next white light to appear, Tristan wondered in what way does those numbers be deciphered systematically. This was the first time he had seen such kind of ciphered message because the most he have seen was jumbled set of letters, or if not, symbolical figures that has systematic corresponding meaning in the alphabet, such as the pigpen’s cipher. However, these clues … it seemed that it was intersections that can be found in Cartesian plane. However, he could not fully tell whether if it was indeed, or not, a coordinate system in the Cartesian. There might be other things or system that these set of numbers was trying to convey.

What could that be? He actually do not know.

Waiting for few more seconds, the white light disappeared on section 2,3 already. Scanning the place, he now found the white light appearing in the section which was two slots away from where he was standing. On the floor, the numbers 2,4 could be seen.

How unfortunate for him, because he doesn’t have any pen or paper in his holdings. That is why he has no choice but to just mentally note every set of numbers that was appearing, as a clue. He was making sure that he would not forget every numbers that is part of the clue because he knew that once he forgot just a single number on it, Seven will probably die. He doesn’t want that to happen. If ever Seven would die because of his foolishness and disability to solve this problem, he would be blaming his own self for his entire remaining life. That is why, he was making sure that he could solve this, right before the thirty minute duration would end.

“What could be this set of numbers were telling?” Tristan asked to himself. When the white light disappeared on the current section it was glowing, he looked for the next section.

Now, the white light has gone to the section where numbers 4,3 was encrypted. He took a mental note of the numbers.

Luckily, he have an impressive retentive memory. Having his mid trained, he has been memorizing a lot of various things ever since he was a child. It has been his hobby, to the point that he had also memorized the correct sequence of numbers in the value of pi, for atleast thirty decimal place. Only that he finds hard recalling it during the first deadly activity happened in Josen High (where value of pi was needed) is because of the pressure in the surrounding. Now, since he has already adjusted to the pressure being bombarded by this program, he can now have a better control of his mind. He noted the number.

The white light proceeds to another section. This time, he was surprised because he was back at the section where white light has already glowed: 3,3.

“So indeed, this numbers has a corresponding meaning that is being hidden,” he said, “But what could it be? Was these numbers has a corresponding letters in the alphabet?” he then started calculating the possible things that he can use in solving this problem.

While in the middle of thinking, he heard his groupmates on his back having a misunderstanding. He heard raising of the voice from each of them, and even though he has turned his back, he cans still feel the pressure that is wafting from their presences. Without any hesitation, Tristan was sure that there were a conflict happening in the group. However, he does not know what was the reason of it.

He was about to turn his gaze back to them, but when he remembered something, he froze.

“s**t,” he said. He remembered his promise to Rain that he would not look at them or mind what was happening to them. All he had to do is to quickly finish finding the message from this insane setup. He can disobey it—he could. But, he knows that Rain made him promise that thing because she knew what was going to happen next. She has already calculated everything, and she wouldn’t ask those thing to him if it was just for nothing.

That is why, even though it was hard for him, he let out a big sigh, and then continued focusing on the problem.

“Just make sure, Rain, that everyone is safe. I am doing this for the safety of everyone,” he whispered to himself, then continued recording for the clues.

With the past minute, he was able to record two more set of numbers: 3,4 and 4,4.

Now, he heard Tammy shouting angrily. That was the first time he had heard the anger of the ever shy and always afraid groupmate of him. However, even though he was extremely curious about what is happening (and the fact that he too wants to see the face of an enraged Tammy), he decided to still focus on the thing that he was currently doing.

He exhaled some air to control his self, and to focus. Another minute passed, and he was able to record the numbers: 3,4 and 1,4.

“Until when does this white light would stop? I’m having lesser and lesser time,” he said, concerned of the seemingly fast approaching of the zeros in the timer.

Waiting for the next section of the white light, Tristan’s hearing attention went towards his groupmates who was having a dispute over something. Accidentally, he had heard the word “play”. Without knowing any context about that word, he could not understand why did Rain said those words.

And then Rains screamed. Hearing it, Tristan recognized that it was the same as the scream of Seven earlier when the red light has enveloped through him: long, agonizing, and painful scream.

With the curiosity kicking in through Tristan, he looked at the situation of his groupmates. As he looked, there he saw Rain. She was holding Seven’s arm; and as she screams, the red light was travelling from Seven then to her. The red light was transferring to Rain’s body.

“s**t,” Tristan muttered.

He was about to run towards Rain so that he can check why was the red light now flowing to her instead on Seven. But, when he saw a determined and warning eyes in the color of ash, looking at him straightly, as if telling that everything was alright, he stopped his aim to run. Rain was telling him that they were okay, and everything was made in purpose.

That is why with a heavy heart, he turned his back, bit his lips, and continued doing what he was tasked to do. Tristan was now more eager to find the message because he saw how Rain suffered. He doesn’t want to see more suffering on his group. Even though all of them has just met inside Josen High, he had already treated them as his friends. And perhaps, just as he value his life, he values the lives of his friends too.

Another minute has passed and he again recovered two more clues: 2,4 and 3,3.

Now after the glowing of the section 3,3, there were no white light that has reappeared. Nothing followed.

“Was that the last clue?” he asked himself.

Now, while contemplating if whether it was the last clue, Tristan heard another scream. Immediately, he recognized it as Blaze’s pained and terrified scream.

To avoid his urge to check them once again, he closed his eyes. Closing his eyes seemed that it had given him more focus. From that realization, he now recited the numbers he had got as the clue in deciphering the message:

4,4 — 2,3 — 1,5 — 2,5 — 2,4 — 3,3 — 2,3 — 2,4 — 4,3 — 3,3 — 3,4 — 4,4 — 3,4 — 1,4 — 2,4 — 3,3

“What could be this set of numbers trying to convey?” he asked himself. It was hard for him to focus, knowing that Blaze was screaming from the unwanted pain that he was suffering. He had no idea why the Red light was transferring from Seven, then to Rain, and now, he’s sure that it was at Blaze’s body.

He has been thinking of solution towards the set of numbers.

“Does this numbers needs formula? Do I need to solve this with mathematical equation?” he continued assessing.

Sooner, another scream echoed in the enclosed room. This time, it was of Tammy’s voice.

Because of Tammy’s screaming, he now could not help himself but to open his eyes. The way Tammy screams was making him vulnerable. But still, he chose not to run towards their business. He promised to Rain that he will be focusing in solving the message. He needs to, if he desire to end this hellish activity.

Looking at the surrounding, he noticed something. He failed to recognize this earlier, but now that he had seen it, he couldn’t help himself but to think that perhaps, it was one of the key clues to open the message that they need to decode.

The floor was divided by five by five section. There are five columns and five rows. To check his intuition, he ran towards the upper left corner of the floor, and looked at the set of number that was inscribed on it.

Seeing the set of number, he smiled. His guess was right. It was numbers 1,1. This means that the way how the numbers was arranged on the floor, was based on set of numbers found in Cartesian plane: it is an X and Y axis. If the numbers were arranged in a systematic table-like placement, then that means, it also has a big relation on finding the way to decipher the hidden message.

Quickly, he tried imagining the clue that he has just currently got, despite hearing Tammy’s painful screaming in the background.

0 1 2 3 4 5

1

2

3

4

5

“So this means that I don’t need any formula. Maybe I just need to place the letters on this kind of table,” he said.