The Dormouse • ALICE IN BORDERLAND

ix

SUBWAY ESCAPE

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The station was eerily silent, the figures inside all remaining quiet and tense, eyes darting around each other. Each one of them were trying to hide their wariness, as if being caught with any weakness could mean the worst. But the hooded man that leaned against the tiled wall saw everything. Saw the shifting eyes, the tightly wound muscles, the hairs standing on end. All signs of nervousness within the bodies were witnessed by him. There was one, a highschool girl who was darting around each player, trying to get someone to tell her what was happening. A first timer.

The younger girl took one look at the intimidating hooded figure separated from the others, eyes cast in shadow, expression blank, and turned away instantly, deciding against coming to him. He was thankful for that. He'd already had to deal with one annoying teen in his time here, he'd rather avoid any more for the foreseeable future.

Chishiya hadn't given much thought towards the younger girl he'd spent his first day in this world with. Not since leaving her behind.

When she hadn't managed to make her way back to the department store by the time he'd come back from his second game, he figured that she'd decided she was better off on her own. Or perhaps she'd entered a game arena contrary to her original ideals and died. Either way, he wasn't prepared to wait around. This world was a curious anomaly. He'd discovered in his second game, the six of diamonds (a simple game of blackjack that he'd managed to deduce the rules to whilst in the middle of playing) that there were people out there willing to go to any length to survive. And he'd hope to find more of these interesting people to play with, to see just how far they would go. Just how far would humanity go in abandoning their own morals just for the sake of their own lives. The players he'd encountered in the six of diamonds were quite different to those he'd worked with in the Pandora's Box game. Then again, the very nature of the game was also different. He was curious to see what other vicious puzzles this world would offer up. It seemed they would test different limits, and this world was just waiting for him to discover its secrets.

So he'd moved on, and hadn't spared Michiko any thought.

Echoing footsteps resounded from the entrance to the subway platform, and most eyes traveled over to the source, eager to examine the new players joining the game. Would they be experienced? Or newbies like the nervous school girl. Would there be stiff competition if they had to fight for their own lives, or valuable team members if the game decided to go that route.

Chishiya's eyes lit up in a mile, almost unnoticeable expression of surprise and a smirk curled at the edges of his mouth at the familiar figure entering the space.

The game just got more interesting.

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Michikko scanned the room with calculating eyes, taking in the space, the people, and the atmosphere. There were about ten other figures, some stuck close in pairs, others camped out by themselves, not willing to get involved with other players. There was a train parked on the platform, the inside of its carriages bathed in darkness with the lights off. The fluorescent lights gave the platform a dim glow. A table stood out in the middle of the room, a number of cards placed face down upon it. There was a sign at the front that read 'DO NOT TOUCH UNTIL GIVEN PERMISSION'. She could vividly imagine the consequences for anyone who ignored that rule.

There was a girl around her age, clutching her phone securely, bag hugged tightly to her side. She took a look at Michiko and her features softened with relief as if the other girl was the answer to her prayers, and kindred spirit she could relate to. She jogged up to Michiko with a hopeful look in her eyes, fringe plastered to her forehead with sweat, and her gaze darting between her and the older man stood resolutely behind her.