Hope Always Dies Last | Chishiya [English]

The one of ones

The background noise was unbearable. It was loud, the sound was already causing a beeping in my ears. It was also not the most pleasant thing for my headache.

My body felt heavy, my temples were throbbing and I had a terrible neck pain. But much worse was that I just couldn't open my eyes. Over and over again I tried to force my eyelids open, but they remained in place without moving even once.

Something wet and cold touched the back of my neck and my body automatically winced a little. But the cold worked wonders, the strange feeling disappeared and I noticed how control slowly but surely returned.

And when I finally opened my eyes...

...I saw numerous faces?

I squeaked in fright as a woman's face appeared before my eyes. She seemed amused by my reaction, because she grinned slightly as she moved away from me. I took advantage of this brief moment to get a little perspective. Ten people were standing in a circle around me.

The one standing directly in front of me reminded me of a parrot. He had on a colorful robe, to which he wore a pair of swimming trunks.

Wait a minute... Swimming trunks?! There's something familiar about that pattern....

"Welcome!", the voice of my counterpart drew my attention to him. His voice sounded exactly as I had imagined it. I tried to look him in the eyes, but I couldn't because he was wearing sunglasses.

"I apologize for the rude arrival," he took a step towards me and I pressed myself a little harder into my chair. Only now did I realize I was tied up. I guessed cable ties. "Where am I," I choked out and he smirked before turning his back to me and raising his arms.

"You're in paradise," he announced and I looked at him with a furrowed brow, "This.... This is the utopia in chaos! It is the place of contentment, we are the anchor in despair!" He turned back to me, "I call it 'Beach' too." My heart nearly slipped into my pants. It was all starting to make sense.

Guess they had given me a neck cuff and dragged me here because I hadn't come willingly. It was never a good sign when people took this measure. My theory 'I was likely to face more problems' seemed to be coming true.

"You are welcome to join our community," he pointed to himself, "My name is Danma Takeru, but I am also called Hatter." He settled down on a table that stood in that huge room. I guessed that it was a conference room.

"People need hope, they need redemption from this brutal everyday life," his arms again flailed wildly in the air, "That's why I founded this utopia. We, the Executive, take care of everything so people here can live carefree." I rolled my eyes a little. I guess he just now explained how he was controlling his followers. "We're joining forces to collect all the playing cards this crude country provides," he stood up again, "Open the wall!" Curious, I watched as two guys with guns pushed aside a partition. Funny, I hadn't even noticed these individuals before.

My breath got caught briefly as my gaze fell on the huge sheet they had hung on the wall. The entire poker deck was drawn there: All the cards were there. A few of them were crossed out with crosses. I suspected that these had already been collected. "We're collecting the cards so the first one can go back to the normal world!" he made me wonder a little.

"What- What do you mean?", I wanted to know, my voice breaking a little at first. My throat was dry as dust. Hatter grinned slightly, seeming to have been hoping for that question. "It means we have the answer to your question, Shiraishi," goosebumps settled on the back of my neck, the cool rag was uncomfortable now.

"Once we collect all the cards, we can send the first one back to the normal world. The more people we are, the faster we can send several people back!" he cleared his throat, "We are a community, everyone helps everyone!"

It sounded more like a cult if you asked me. My gaze slid to his arm where the bracelet was.

1

He was number one, the one of ones. He was the leader of the Beach, the leader of the Executive. He would be the first to come home according to his theory.

But did this idea make any sense at all? In any case, the explanation did not satisfy me.

"The order is probably determined by the bracelets," I said, just as he was about to speak again. He frowned, probably not expecting me to anticipate his word. I had to pull myself together not to grin.

Someone else did the grinning for me. My eyes fell on a young man who looked pretty darn familiar. I thought about it feverishly until it finally clicked: my game of spades. The woman's voice had called him Chishiya.

Right, his arrogant attitude had stuck in my mind. So he belonged in this juice store too, how wonderful.

"Uh, yeah, that's right. The wristbands show when you're allowed back. If you perform well, you can go back quickly," he pushed his sunglasses up a little. Then he put on his normal smile again.

"There are also only three rules in this facility," was I wrong or did his aura just get a little colder? "Number one, live your life. Drink as much alcohol as you want, have as much sex as you want! Nothing is forbidden, you can give free rein to your desires! There are no laws here!" he announced and I asked myself if I should be worried now, "Number 2: All members must wear swimwear. That way you can't hide anything, right?"

Swimwear?! Is that why the players were always walking around so lightly dressed?

"Number 3," his voice deepened, "Death to any traitor. If you hide cards from me, that's treason. If you keep secrets from me, that's treason."

I was screwed, without question. There was now no way out at all, I was already way too deep in this shit.

"So, what do you say, Shiraishi-chan?" he wanted to know from me and I swallowed before looking at him coolly. "I guess I'd be a traitor if I didn't agree now, wouldn't I?", I asked and he raised his eyebrows before grinning. That was answer enough. So I lowered my gaze and he laughed out loud.

"Wonderful!", out of the corner of my eye I saw him pull something out of his sleeve, "You brought us a wonderful welcoming gift: A card! Guys! Five of clubs!" I widened my eyes in shock as he waved my card under my nose. How he had gotten it, I don't think I wanted to know....

"Well! Since you gave us such a nice gift, you deserve a good starting spot!", Hatter looked to someone who was now standing behind me, "Last Boss, unhook her, she won't run away again." My hands finally got their blood flowing properly again as the cable ties fell off. I shook them to further stimulate the blood flow.

"Well," he walked up to me and placed a blue bracelet in my hand, "Here's your bracelet."

I looked at it more closely.

56

What did he say? Good starting position? I think I could laugh as well as cry.

Yes, without question, I was in deep shit. Damn, couldn't fate have mercy on me for once?