15 pm.

Salim woke up. He sat up to realize that he couldn’t move his hands from his back. There was pain on his wrists, with his fingers he felt the metallic chain tying his two wrists together, he was cuffed. Mumbling, he got off the bed and noticed that he was in the interrogation cell room and was wearing the prisoner’s yellow costume now.

He grumbled and grunted to himself but soon the door opened and Klancy, Fushichin, Hellen, Galtomor and Juniper all got into the room.

“Never would have imagined I would be meeting you like this. But here we are” said Klancy.

“What do you want?” asked Salim.

“The truth. Why did you kill Layla and her family? Who gave you orders. We want to know everything from you.” said Hellen.

“You think I’m just gonna tell you bozos?” grumbled Salim.

“Yeah, haha. We’re friends aren’t we? Like it or not, we are pretty close to one another.” said Fushichin with a smirk.

“Friends? Didn’t you just say you hate me?” mumbled Salim.

“Yeah. Hatred is a strong feeling. It’s just as strong as love, if not more in some ways. I wouldn’t feel anything towards strangers” said Fushichin.

“Come on. You’re going to be sentenced to death one way or another. What is there for you to lose now? Spill out everything you know.” said Galtomor.

Salim looked away with a frown.

“Yeah, unfortunately these religious mumbos are just like that. Stubborn and hopeful. Even in death if they remain loyal to their religion so that they may reach the heaven of sunland. Hahaha. How cute and how naive. They don’t have proof that heaven exists. They are just believing in it because a few people conspired to write a few scribbles about it in a book. To trick others by tempting their desires.” said Fushchin playfully.

“Holy Hinokaiser you’re so annoying!” grunted Salim.

“There is no Hinokaiser. It’s just a fictional creation. You’ve killed people and framed your teammate for a fictional heaven that you never saw with your own eyes. Why do you trust others and not yourself!” grunted Fushichin.

“Say what you will. I’m not gonna speak. I have my right to remain silent.” said Salim.

“Dammit! Salim, why don’t you trust us? We’re friends! We worked together. What is so special about the Church of Hinokaiser anyway? Why are you still trying to be so loyal to them. I’m not asking you as a detective. I’m asking as you as a friend, why did you do it? Why are you still working with them?” yelled Hellen with a sad look in her eyes.

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Salim looked away for a moment, then he sighed.

“Hmph. You act all loving and helpful. But you’re just a pretender. You don’t know what it feels to be alone. To starve and beg on the streets.” said Salim.

The others looked at Salim with wide eyes.

“I don’t even remember who my parents were. I know I had a mom but I was so little when we were separated, I don’t even remember her face. All I remember is being left alone in that orphanage. The Hinokaiser’s sunny orphanage, it was a cheesy name but honestly I couldn’t complain, I lived thanks to that orphanage. The kids there only had one or two pairs of clothes. We rarely took baths. And our food was just the cheapest brand of bread and water. Tho, we did eat cake during our birthdays, that was the exception. There were barely any toys for the children to play with. Tho, I guess one thing I have to thank was the nanny there, I forgot her name, she taught us how to write and read at a young age. The orphanage went under when I was 10. Couldn’t pay the bills.

I thought I would team up with the fellow orphanage kids to survive but we quickly scattered for unknown reasons. I was so lost, afraid and hungry. Others would have delved into sins of crime to survive but I tried to stick to my morals as hard as I could. Just like how nanny told me. Without stealing, killing and staying true to what is right.

And thankfully, by chance Fareed took me into his church. I was fed well, slept inside the church. All I had to do in return was clean the place up and help Fareed and his worshippers on small errands. I was saved, thanks to him.” said Salim with solemness.

“And you just had to return the favor by murdering a bunch of people on his words?” asked Fushichin.

“I didn’t say that.” said Salim with a frown.

“So, who ordered the killings then?” asked Hellen.

Salim became quiet then he said “I owe my life to the church. I wouldn’t be standing here in front of you if it weren’t for the people who raised and protected me. Democrats and atheists didn’t help me when I was on the streets. They were all just happy to mock people’s religion or mock how corrupt the Church were. And yet none of them showed kindness that the Church or the orphanage showed me. You’re right, I didn’t see heaven of sunland with my own two eyes. But just like their kindness saved my life, I think their religion will also save lives too.”

Salim became quiet and looked down. The others looked at Salim quietly.

“I…I don’t think what you did was right. There is a difference between returning a favor someone did for you and becoming their slave to hurt others.” said Hellen.

“You can’t buy true religion with bread. It’s sheer coincidence that religions helped you survive. In a different circumstance, where your luck was a little different, anyone else could have been your savior. Besides, your nanny and Fareed would have helped you out even if they weren’t religious, if they were truly kind and compassionate. But in regards to Fareed, I don’t think his methods were kindness but of manipulation. He knew certain people, like you, wouldn’t be able to stand not returning a favor, and he used you as his soldier to commit murders. I don’t think you’re the one who broke even in that exchange. And who knows, maybe if you were a little smarter and a little more perceptive you might have met someone who gave you food and shelter without strings attached. Hell, maybe you could have lived on your own powers.” said Fushichin.

“Heh, you like to talk about delusional hypotheticals so much. Are you sure I’m the religious fanatic and not you?” grunted Salim with a frown.

“You should have more respect for yourself. You were fed and raised up because you were born into this world. There is no need to feel guilty about being fed by others. You should have done what your heart, your soul guided you to do.” said Fushichin with sadness.

Salim sighed and looked away again.

*********