Chapter 77: A Way to Wake Up? (1)

Chapter 77

"....."

A few seconds of silence filled the room as Asher slowly turned to look in Jayden’s direction, a stunned expression spreading across his face.

Clara shot the boy a sharp glare.

"What are you speaking about?"

Jack retracted his outstretched hand before taking half a step back.

Jayden pointed in Asher’s direction.

"Can’t you tell from his posture and face that he’s already suspecting again? We keep erasing and suppressing, yet for some weird reason, he keeps resisting and questioning."

Jesse rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she stared at Asher’s confused face.

"... I think his mental fortitude is increasing the longer he is kept here. It isn’t like before."

Clara looked between her children before turning back to Asher, who was at a loss for words.

"...."

"Sigh... I guess you all are right. We need to do it again."

"W-w-wait. Do what again?" Asher questioned, his lips trembling as he took a few steps backward in fright.

Everybody turned to look at him.

Their faces were devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

This—this wasn’t the family Asher knew and was used to.

They looked different.

And then—

As if they had practiced it a dozen times, their expressions twisted.

Soon, their faces split into wide, creepy smiles.

Their lips stretched toward the corners of their eyes as pearly white teeth were revealed.

Cold sweat instantly rolled down Asher’s back as he slowly lifted a trembling finger in their direction.

He continued backing away, his trajectory gradually bringing him closer to the locked bathroom behind him.

"Fa-fa-fam.... what is this? Yo-You all are beginning to scare me. What is the meaning of this? I-I... what do you want to do to me? Aren’t we—we family?"

Jack breathed a sigh before nodding.

"Of course we are. But you see, you are slightly different from us."

Then, he lifted his head and stared directly at Asher with a chilling smile.

"....So we have been trying to correct that for a while and make you integrate with us better so we can all live as one happy family."

Asher gulped.

Beads of sweat rolled down the sides of his temples.

"Wh-wha-what do you mean?"

Then—

He paused.

No.

He completely froze.

His trembling hand slowly rose, a finger pointing toward his family.

"Yo-You... you all aren’t real. My... you all aren’t—aren’t my family at all. What have you done to my real family?!" Asher bellowed as fury contorted his face.

The others glanced at one another for a brief moment before Clara’s expression shifted.

A motherly, worried look appeared on her face as she stared at the boy.

"Son? What do you mean? We are your family."

"No. You are not!"

Jack smirked and slowly tilted his head.

"What makes you think that?"

Jayden rubbed his face in exasperation.

"Sigh... I’m getting tired of this back and forth. Do what you have to do on time."

Jesse nodded, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Yes. Bring back my dear brother."

"Ba....thump...."

Asher’s heart raced as he took several trembling steps backward.

Jack cracked his neck a few times before breathing a tired sigh.

"Sure."

And with that, he began walking toward Asher.

Asher backed away with increasingly trembling steps.

"St-stand back. St-stand back. Pl-Please stand back."

Jack continued approaching with slow, unhurried steps.

His smile widened with every tremor that ran through Asher’s legs and fingers as the boy hurriedly retreated.

And then—

His back hit the locked bathroom door.

Asher immediately turned to look behind him, shock written across his face.

Locked.

His eyes snapped back forward.

Jack was already standing only a few inches away from him.

"I said... stay away."

Asher screamed with his eyes tightly shut and his head lowered.

"....."

Jack halted.

The others turned their attention toward Asher.

But something was strange.

The way Asher had spoken those words didn’t sound like someone screaming in fear.

There was something else hidden beneath his trembling voice.

A hint of something cold.

Something chilling.

"St-stand....."

Asher’s lips suddenly twitched.

"Ha-ha-hahahahah!"

His shoulders shook.

"Pffff—!"

Then—

"Hahahahahaha! Oh my goodness!"

Asher erupted into maniacal laughter.

The sudden change left his family staring at him in confusion.

They said nothing.

They simply watched.

Asher clutched his stomach while repeatedly slapping his thighs.

He laughed heartily, tears beginning to form at the corners of his eyes.

Then, he pointed at his family.

Like they were nothing more than a group of clowns who had just put on the greatest performance of his life.

"....?!"

Confused would have been an understatement for what the Dawsons were feeling as they stared at Asher.

The boy continued laughing.

And laughing.

His laughter echoed throughout the room, completely contrasting the fear that had filled it only moments ago.

Tears slid from the corners of his eyes.

After nearly a minute, the sides of his stomach began hurting.

Finally, he stopped.

Well—

He stopped laughing.

But he didn’t stop chuckling.

"Hahaha.... Hah...."

Asher wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes before exhaling deeply in relief.

Slowly, he straightened his body.

The trembling in his lips disappeared instantly.

As though it had never existed.

Asher wiped the blood from his injured lips with the back of his hand.

Then, straightening himself once again, he leaned against the bathroom door.

He raised one leg and rested it against the door before folding his arms across his chest.

His gaze lazily swept across his family’s confused faces.

"Hmph.... I know what you’re thinking," Asher uttered calmly.

His eyes settled on them.

The boy shook his head.

"So nope. My memories haven’t been restored. I don’t know what is happening, and neither do I know what condition I’m in. But what I do know is this—"

His lips curled into a knowing smirk.

"....I’m in some sort of sleep-like condition, and I need to wake up."

He paused.

His eyes gleamed.

"I’ve also deduced a way to wake up."

"....?!"

The Dawsons glanced at one another in shock before immediately turning back to Asher.

Only Jayden remained unmoved.

He simply folded his arms across his chest and continued staring at Asher.

"And you think we will let you?" Jack questioned with a raised brow as he took another step forward.

Asher shook his head.

"I know you won’t."

Slowly, he lifted his left hand toward his face.

Toward the watch resting around his wrist.

"But I wanna see how you will stop me."

He paused.

Then tilted his head as Jack continued approaching.

A small smile formed on his face.

"...Dad."

Instantly—

Jack froze mid-step.

His body stiffened.

A violent tremor suddenly ran through him.

"....?!"

Jack staggered backward.

Once.

Twice.

Then his knees gave way.

Thud—!

He collapsed onto the ground.

Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!

One by one, Asher’s family began collapsing.

Their bodies swayed and staggered for a few seconds before completely dropping to the ground.

They were unconscious.

Silence descended upon the room.

Asher stared at the unconscious figures scattered across the floor.

His confident expression slowly faded.

He drew in a shaky breath.

Then released it in a long puff of air as he stared at the ceiling overhead.

’Phase two....’