Chokehold

Heart-5

The closest game arena to me was the botanical gardens. As I got closer I began to wonder what kind of "game" they would have in such a place.. would it be spade, that would use the large building. I had just played a spade game however and I didn't know how they spaced them out.

Was there one of each every night and it was just luck on which one you went into to? Or was it spaced out on how often certain ones appeared... I didn't see a system yet.. I'd have to spend more time here to figure it out and sadly I didn't think I really had a choice.

Part of me was petrified at how fast I was processing everything, taking it as a challenge from class. It's a psychology assignment, you have to beat it, it's a board game you have to win... part of me was thankful I was genuinely interested in how something like this could happen and how it worked.. and who would do it.

How did they work? What made them tick?  I guess it was a good thing I was competitive because I wanted to beat whoever made this.

I had separated my previous life from this, I missed it and I tried to keep going for those who had believed in me before... but I couldn't get lost in false hopes and wishes to see them. I didn't know if that world was there anymore...

This ruined all of that.

Walking into the garden and seeing Arisu and his friends and Karube was a shock, one that took me by surprise but we worked well enough together last time maybe it was good, his one friend seemed injured but we could make it work.

In the corner however... beaten down and in torn clothing was a face I wasn't prepared to see in this world ever.

Ashley.

..................

I shouldn't be here. I don't know why, I don't care how.. I just know I should have died.

After the game ended I laid halfway on the dirt bed of plants and halfway still in the pond and let my mind drift.

I felt numb, I barely felt like I was breathing when I heard footsteps.

"A game was recently here, some supplies from it could still be here." Someone said and I slowly blinked my eyes open.

They raided old game arenas for stuff? A smart idea... I just didn't care anymore.

The footsteps came closer and then I heard gagging and cursing.

"Holy shit- this was a bad one." A guy said before I felt someone touching me.

I opened my eyes again and he froze, he was patting down my sides.. checking for anything useful..

"Holy fucks it's alive!" He screamed and I winced, he was loud.

I couldn't keep my eyes open long but I saw a familiar face come into view..

Tatta wasn't it?  

I know I didn't describe the game, it will come around later, in bits and all.  I rewrote this chapter.. and so many others so many times I just had to be done with it