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People Can Eat People
Just continue calling me Enigma, I guess (Ch. 10)

Just continue calling me Enigma, I guess (Ch. 10)

The worst outcome has occurred. The future that Enigma envisioned has come to pass. More and more students—and some staff—in the past few days have started to filter into the bathroom, hoping to interact with Rimorr. As a result, the bathroom has gotten increasingly disgusting. Footprints from outside dirt track the ground. Pee is on the toilets and staining the floor. The sink counter has residue water, soap, and used paper towels all over it.

People, unfortunately, no longer see the bathroom as unusable. It is even getting restocked and cleaned again by the janitors at night. The janitors are amazing, but there is only so much that they can do. All the while, Rimorr’s having a blast. Blinded by its newfound popularity at North Tron High School. Except, even random people from outside the school are trying to get in the bathroom because of a rumor going around that Rimorr can solve anyone’s problem by giving impeccable advice.

So, obviously, this struck the curiosity of all who heard it. Especially for the North Tron students that heard Rimorr was the one who got Amgis Elam to confess to Mia Lefnee, and was successful. The sheer amount of students that have gone to Rimorr for love advice is depressing. Between classes. After classes. During classes. A constant stream of students is there until the bell rings.

Today, the principal of North Tron High School finally addresses the growing issue over the teleprompter, saying:

Hello students… and staff. I understand that Rimorr is very intriguing and mystifying, but some concerns have come to my attention. First, and this is for my teachers, please do not label going to visit Rimorr as a “class trip.” I’ll overlook those that have already done it, but there will be consequences if anyone tries it again. You are free to visit Rimorr at any other time, except during scheduled class time. This goes for students as well. Second, from now on, there will be security guards at the school entrance and in front of the Science building. No one, and I repeat no one, that is unauthorized is allowed to enter the campus during school hours to visit Rimorr. We understand your parents and friends from other schools may want to check it out, but there is a huge security concern when random people are here. Third, please do not cut the line for the bathroom. Be courteous to your fellow classmates and wait your turn to speak to Rimorr. And final, girls are allowed to use the bathroom to talk with Rimorr, but under no circumstances can a girl and a boy be in the bathroom together at the same time. A staff member will be stationed there at all times to make sure these rules are enforced. Thank you for your time and gooooooooooooo Bulldogs!

Amgis listens as the teleprompter statics out before turning off completely. The classroom silence ceases a moment later from a collective sigh of disappointment. Any plans of ditching, or “taking a class trip,” has been immediately banned by the school’s administration. Students talk amongst themselves about how unfair, understandable, hypocritical, honest, stupid, and educated the announcement was.

Except for Amgis—he just listens. Not to the student’s conversations. Not to the principal’s announcement. He doesn’t hear their words. Or, he probably does, but that isn’t what he is looking out for. No, he is listening to their sounds. Their tones. Their mouths.

Everyone’s behavior has changed since Rimorr became public. Not in a good or bad way, but just in an… odd way. From the dumbest to the smartest, weakest to the strongest, youngest to the oldest. Everyone is earnestly seeking out the bathroom. As if Rimorr can somehow solve all their problems. It doesn’t make sense to Amgis. Sure, it helped him get closer to Mia, but that was it. Right?

Some students have approached Amgis concerning his relationship with Rimorr. Knowing that he has had the most interaction time with it, they ask for his advice on what they should do when they get an audience with him. However, once they noticed that Amgis wasn’t going to give them any valuable information, they would leave him—frustrated. Acting as if he was trying to keep the secret of his success to himself.

Not that it matters, as results are already showing for some who have met with Rimorr. Teachers have gotten raises. More and more newer relationships have started to bloom. Long-lasting conflicts are being resolved.

Stolen novel; please report.

Bear is still sleeping on his desk during class. He’s thankfully acting the same.

Still, it unsettles Amgis with how perfectly things seem to be going for everyone now. Brought upon by a magical mirror in a high school boys’ bathroom that he has previously just believed was an odd phenomenon. It has never occurred to him that it could have a specific purpose other than just being there. Rimorr never acted that way before.

In the past, Amgis probably would not have cared, but now he is closely involved in something that is way bigger than himself. The metal object in his hand reminds him of this. Like a toothache that won’t go away. He has a task that he doesn’t want to complete. He doesn’t even know why he should complete the task, but something is…

He thinks back to the moment right after Enigma told him to break Rimorr.

…Off.

…..

…….

………

…….

…..

“Break the mirror?” Amgis repeats in an attempt to process the words. “Wouldn’t that kill Rimorr?”

“No,” Enigma shakes his head, “it won’t kill him. At least not in the sense that you are thinking.”

He pulls out a metal object shaped like a top, except it is missing the cylindrical part to spin it. There is also a pattern—or inscription—that seems to zigzag around its perimeter in bright scarlet tracings. But the rest is a typical silver that disorients reflections.

“Here. Take this and use it to shatter the mirror.”

Enigma forcibly hands him the object. Practically pushing it into his hands before Amgis had a moment to think. Making his arm momentarily sag down from the weight of it.

“What is this?” he inspects the object now in his hand. “And why are you asking me to do it? Not that I want you to, but couldn’t you just do it yourself?”

Enigma shrugs.

“I tried. It didn’t work. Seems like the same person can’t prevent it twice.”

“What do you—”

“Listen,” he stands up from against the wall, “I’m not asking you to do it right now. Just pay attention to what starts to happen and I’m sure you’ll begin to understand what’s at stake.”

Rightfully, Amgis appears very confused. Enigma bears that no mind, though, as he walks away with oddly silent footsteps in the deserted hallway. Leaving Amgis, yet again, with an uncomfortable, creeping feeling. A feeling that there is something that he can’t see, but Enigma can.

“Who are you?” Amgis asks… finally.

The question that, if answered, will reveal some information about him that seems to be hidden in an unknown place. Like, most notably, his name. His name would be enough, so he no longer needs to be called Enigma.

He has stopped to think about Amgis’ question it appears. Looking as if he himself does not entirely know who he is. His wolf-like features shrink to that of a puppy for a few moments. Until a sigh escapes his lips, riding upon unintelligible whispers.

A chill runs down Amgis’s spine as Enigma turns back toward him with colorless eyes.

Alert! Data has been breached!

“An enigma, huh…” he says under his breath, while a smile forms on the tips of his lips.

Did he just…?

“That has a good ring to it. Just continue calling me Enigma, I guess.”

His cold, blue eyes return and he walks away without saying another word. Leaving Amgis frozen in the walkway with a weird, metal top and a need for many years in therapy.

…..

…….

………

…….

…..

There is definitely something ‘off’ going on with Engima. There is also something ‘off’ going on with everyone at North Tron High School. What is it? Amgis doesn’t know. Not yet. Does he want to know? Not really, but he feels semi-responsible for whatever might happen.

The first thing on his agenda, however, is to find a new bathroom that he can use. His intestines are in another heated argument with decomposed food currently, and his go-to toilet is now in the most famous high school boy’s bathroom to ever exist…

Sadly, it is no longer the cleanest, though.