Hope Always Dies Last | Chishiya [English]

Luck in misfortune

I waited for the remorse, but it did not come.

The young woman's face did not show up in my dreams, and the faces of the dead from my first game also faded.

It frightened me how indifferent it all seemed to me. I didn't know myself that way; it was a new side showing itself to me.

My gaze slid to the coffee table where the started package of cookies was. It had been the last edible thing I had found in my apartment. I guess I couldn't avoid a little trip. If I wanted to have enough food and drinks left, I guess I would have to go searching.

I didn't really feel like wandering the deserted streets, but what else could I do? I wanted to live, so I had to make sure I survived. I reached for a cookie and chewed on it a little thoughtfully.

I could run into other people. Did I want to? And what if they didn't have the best intentions? Without a weapon of some kind, I preferred not to walk around here. I was trained in self-defense, but that didn't get me anywhere in some cases.

So where could I get what I needed? I had a knife, but I could only use that in close combat. A pistol would be better. I could search police stations, but I was sure they had already been emptied. I probably didn't need to go to gun stores then either.

The police academy... Maybe there was something there! Since it was hidden at the Shibuya intersection, it was inconspicuous and one did not really have it on the screen. There were certainly still some guns in the shooting rooms! Another advantage: I knew my way around there and knew where to find the keys.

The plan was done, I would make a detour to my university.

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The building was still as empty as before.

It felt cold, the warmth that this building had once radiated was nowhere to be found. It was repulsive, I suddenly had the desire to leave this place as soon as possible.

But now I was here, so I would see it through. I needed a gun to keep me safe.

I strode towards the reception counter where the moody secretary had always sat. I missed her. I missed everything I had to leave behind for this world. Yes, I would rather have my closest enemies at my side than all of this!

My hand pushed the door to the stairwell open. Immediately I was enveloped in pitch darkness. Fortunately, I came prepared: My hand automatically went to my backpack, where I searched for the flashlight I had pocketed. As the bright light illuminated the steps in front of me, I gave a sigh of contentment.

The sounds I was making as I climbed the stairs sent sickening goosebumps down my spine. I was getting paranoid, thinking that someone else was here. It's creepy what loneliness could do to you. I would never have thought it possible that one's senses could play tricks on one so violently.

My eyes widened a bit when I reached my destination. 3 floor, room 309. It was the office of the director who ran the police academy. And in his office was the safe with all the keys to the building. Since the power was out, the safe would definitely be open. After all, it was one of those high-tech things that critics praised.

Somewhat ungently, I pushed the door open and blinked slightly as the brightness stung my eyes. The sun was able to penetrate the window unhindered. It didn't take long before I could see halfway again. I let my eyes wander in that time. I quickly found what I was looking for and headed straight for it.

Please be open...

The lock clicked and I breathed a sigh of relief. My suspicions had been confirmed, the safe really was open! I took a step back and examined the contents.

Now I had the next problem in front of my nose: Which key was it now?

Damn it, why hadn't I paid attention when my trainers unlocked the rooms? The keys all looked the same, how was I supposed to find the right one? I didn't have all day to unlock all the rooms!

A red keychain caught my eye. Carefully, I took it in my hand and weighed it in my palm.

They wouldn't, would they? No, it would be much too easy....

And yet, I took this bunch of keys with me. It was just striking that it stood out so much from the other keychains. Through the stairwell I trudged back down, only to hop back up another flight of stairs.

The firing ranges and training rooms came into view again. My fingers tingled as I walked past the locker rooms. There was no point in looking inside again, was there? They would still be gone, I wouldn't find them here.

I forced myself to walk past the doors, only to find myself standing in front of the door to the shooting range. I crossed my fingers as I tried one key after another. Lo and behold, the twentieth on the bunch fit.

The door opened with a creak and I peered into the dark room. It looked exactly the same as it had before. No one had been here before me. Perfect, I was lucky. I put the wedge under the door so it wouldn't close behind me and then made my way to the weapons lockers. Again, a key was needed, but it was still on the locker door. Probably the locker had simply not been locked yet because another group had been expected in the real world.

I opened the cabinet and immediately recognized the pistol with which I had been shooting for the last few training sessions. I immediately reached for it and weighed it in my hand. It was not bad, it was easy to aim, but the weight could be my undoing. It was a heavier model that was a bit older. Accordingly, the weapon was already outdated.

I dropped it into my backpack to have a spare before reaching for a lighter model and weighing it in my hand as well.

Yes, this pistol fit. It was no stranger to me in its operation either, so it had the perfect credentials. I tucked it into my homemade gun belt that I had slung around my waist before grabbing the matching cartridges and stowing those as well.

I was about to turn away to leave when I heard something.

Was that the sound of an engine?

It grew louder and louder and finally seemed to fall silent. I frowned before leaving the room. I let the door fall shut again, but I didn't care about the key now. It should remain quietly stuck on the door.

I made my way to the stairwell when I suddenly heard voices.

And then there was this shrill laughter.

I knew immediately who this laughter belonged to and just the thought of it brought beads of sweat to my forehead.

Yup, I should see to it that I left the building as soon as possible!