Chapter 7: Number 2
Should I just kill myself?
The terrifying though ran across his mind, his mental state was in a really chaotic state right now, his intrusive thoughts, regrets, and more started pouring out.
There was no hope of him getting out.
He had only four hours left, he couldn't get the elevator working meaning he would die by the time it ends.
So maybe it would be better to just kill himself.
Who would even care about his death, he was a shut in, nobody would probably even recognize him, if he died then nothing changes.
After his parents death, he became useless, insignificant, a trash, a pain in the ass. He became depressed and shut himself in and engaged in gambling, till he became an addict and turned out to become who he was now.
A fcking piece of trash!
Moreover, what reason would he even have to continue living?
He didn't have anybody he cared about, nobody cared about him also. And with how the world is currently right now, maybe it would be even better to just die.
Carter punched the wall, his fist bleeding.
So what though?
What if I don't have a reason to live?
Do you need one?
Carter's eyes shone.
Fck all!
If I'm trash, then so is all the others.
Fck the people, fck the world!
Fuck em all!
He screamed in his mind.
I will survive for no fckin reason! Got that?!
After Carter's internal turmoil, he breathed out to calm himself down. His breathing though revealed a number on the wall, it was like how one could breath through a glass and create a fog to draw something.
The number was eight.
Instantly Carter's eyes shook
Hope!
Eight, eight, eighth!
Carter continuously sounded it out of his mind.
He got the first number now, four more to goo.
________
Woooo...
Woooo...
Like some unhinged insane person, Carter could be seen with his lips stretched out as if trying to kiss the wall of the elevators. In fact, he was actually blowing air to the walls for the numbers to be revealed.
9
"Hehe...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Carter took a few steps back and started cackling. It was the laugh of one insane person.
He only had two hours left, but he had gotten the numbers for the password! It was enough for him to rejoice at that fact.
Lets see....
8...2...6...1...9
Wait...
4?
Carter's mind that was just full of energy suddenly plummeted to despair.
What the fuck?!
How come there were six!!
The didgit limit of the password should only be five, FIVE!!
How was it possible that there were six!
Headache consumed Carter's mind.
Shit!!
Was there a fake number among the five? And if there was, how would he even be able to tell which was which? Or was it all that the numbers were fake from the start? That truly this mission was impossible to accomplish.
Shit! Shit!
Carter had to try something though, who knows, maybe luck would be with him.
1...2...6...8...9!
Incorrect!
Carter's eyebrows twitched, right now he looked absolutely drained, he was pale, exhausted beyond comprehension, hungry, but most of all, he was angry.
Fck this 'domain of diamonds'! What even is this, this is fcking unfair!
How could you create something like this and expect someone to accomplish such an absurd mission.
Carter had only two hours left, he had regretted using the elevator, he should have gone down through the stairs. But could you blame him? Who would expect in their wildest dream that one could get stuck to an elevator and be forced to participate in this fucked up game?
Carter had to calm down.
1...2....4...6...8!
Incorrect!
Carter held himself back from punching the buttons, he didn't know what would happen if he did, worst case was that it would get destroyed and won't work.
Now if that were to happen, he really would just be waiting for his death.
Carter tried to get a hold of himself and opted to try for another combination.
The first two combinations he came up with was by arranging then from the smallest number to the highest.
Now he would try highest to lowest.
9...8...6...2...1
Incorrect!
8...6...4...2...1
Incorrect!
Incorrect!
Incorrect!
....
Carter was down to half an hour left, he looked like he had finally succumbed to the inevitable.
There was not much he could do right now. He had already much accepted his death.
Carter sat on the floor and placed his back on the wall helplessly.
He went through his bag and took out a canned food.
"Hehe...."
Carter looked at the canned food, "222na". What kind of brand is that.
He threw that canned food at the wall, whatever that was, it just made him lose his appetite.
He had not had proper sleep in the last 23 hours, even before that he had only rested 3-4 hours which was far from enough.
However, thanks to the two of clubs, his body was able to hold out long. But he couldn't say the same with his mind, his mind was exhausted, drained, it was practically on the verge of collapse.
Carter raised his head only to see a number on the wall, it was the number 2.
Staring at the number, Carter fell into a daze.
2...2...2
2 of clubs.
22tuna.
Carter's mind clicked. He didn't know if he was unto something or he was just trying to grab on what he can, even if it was a snake.
Carter remembered that when he gambled, he would always look for a pattern even though most of the time such a tactic doesn't work.
However there were some instances that it did, and it was what made him win and gain big.
An example of this was when Carter played the the roulette table, he would always bet on the numbers that seemed to have followed him always, whether it be the date of the day, the time, or a random number he saw while on his room.
He didn't know if it was a coincidence or if there was logic behind it, but he would sometimes win big and sometimes it would also turn out futile.
It was the familiarity principle—patterns felt real, even when they weren't.
Now, staring at the buttons, Carter couldn't quite hide his almost manic smile.
2...2...2...2...2