𝑶𝒉, 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆, 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅
𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅
𝑺𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉, 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍
♧.♤.♡.♢
I woke up with the biggest headache ever. 'Gosh, I think I had the worst nightmare I've ever had. And god knows how many I get, but this one. It felt so real 'what a great way to begin the day'
I stretch and get out of my bed, I walk into my kitchen and open my fridge to- why is everything rotten? My sleepy eyes suddenly get wide
I slam the fridge door and sprint to my window. 'It wasn't a freaking nightmare'. My legs give up and I find myself butt down on the floor
I'm still wearing my clothes from yesterday, I remember the "game" I played, 'Four of hearts'. I reach for my pocket and feel something, I take it out and hold between my fingers, the four of hearts card
My heart which was beating at 200km/h now stops, every thought in my mind stops. I stare at the card, reality hitting me in the face like the biggest truck in the universe
I take a deep breath and put the card back into the pocket of my black jean. Forcing my weak legs to get back up, I look around my small apartment
My brain working faster than it ever had, my body moving on autopilot. I put my long Narcissa hair into a high ponytail to keep it away from my face and walk to get the things I need
My room, a backpack, clothes, a few film sheets. The kitchen, can food, water. The bathroom, all hygiene supplies needed. The entry drawer, my butterfly knife
I stop, take one last glance at my apartment, and leave
An empty Shibuya isn't so bad, all stores are open, and you're free to take anything you want. I notice a few clothing and food stores, I remember them for the next time I'll need it
There's a pharmacy around the corner, some people might have had the same idea that me, because it's messy and almost empty, I take the basics like some bandages, some antibiotics and painkillers
I don't really know where I am going but I walk, trying to find clues that could answer all of my questions. I don't see anybody. I know I'm not the only one, figured that after yesterday's night game
But I don't know if there are a lot of us in here. And based on how many people might die because of the games, who knows if the mystery man and I aren't the only survivors
I woke up quite late, so the sun is already setting down. I have nowhere to go for the night, so I decide to enter an empty Hotel and sleep in there for the night. Tomorrow I'll try to find more answers and the other few things I need
Laying on the bed, my window curtains open, I can perceive the moon shining. A smile makes its way on my lips. 'always looking out for me'. Then out of nowhere, a red laser passes in front of it
I jump out of my bed and look outside. A rain of red lasers falls on the city. I don't know what it means yet, but it's nothing good. I let out a deep breath' another question that needs an answer'
Too tired to think about it more, a headache threatening me if I try to do more. I lay back on my bed and try to fall asleep
I turn around to make myself comfortable. Waiting for Morpheus to embrace me in his realm
Memories of the crushed bodies. I open my eyes and shake my head. I turn around to forget it and sleep. Turn around. Again. Again. 'FUCK!'. I sit up. I look outside and no longer see the moon.
The sun will soon take over. I fall back annoyed. Turn around and wait again
I hear a loud bang on the side of the window. I look toward the sound
A loud shriek
Like it passed from the top to the bottom of the building. I carefully get up. To place me next to the window. One. Step. After. An-other...
Right before my eyes I see someone falling from the building.
I suck in my breath.
Put my hand in front of my mouth.
My eyes not blinking.
Wanting to stop the time
I look down and see at the base of the hotel. Dozens of bodies, lying in a pool of blood. I cannot hear anything, the sound of my beating heart resonating in my ears like a ticking bomb
Louder and louder and LOUDER!
I wake up with a jolt. Sweat dripping from every corner of my skin. Air entering urgently my lungs. I look around and see the sun is out. I sigh and put my head in my hands. 'It was just a nightmare Ameya. You're fine. Just another stupid nightmare. It's alright'
When I'm in the bathroom, I try to turn on the water, but nothing gets out. I raise my eyebrow. 'Oh, no, please. Not this'. I leave my room and check the one next to mine. No water either. 'Great!'. I go back to my room, gather my things and leave the hotel
I remember the supermarket I saw yesterday and decide to go back there. I take a few more cans of food. Some wipes to clean myself. I take a lamp and some batteries
It's a big store, and so I go toward the far back, where some gardening tools are. Nothing really will help me, except- There's a tent, with a sleeping bag that exceeds it. I slowly approach it
I take a look inside but nothing. It seems like someone once used it but left it abando- That person probably died, leaving his camp to no use. 'Guess I found my staying place then'
It's my third night in Borderland, the second since the game. I still have two more nights before my visa expires. But I need answers. And waiting like this is useless
So I make myself something to eat, it's not really good but it'll do it. It's just for strength. I set my bag down on the side with my camera
I won't need it
I take out my butterfly knife and put it in my back pocket. I get up, walk out of the store, and look around for a game arena. Not too far from me, I see lights, multicolor lights and decide to go that way
The walk there is not really far, so I quickly arrive in front of the game playground. I laugh when I see it.
'This game takes place in an amusement park, really', I shake my head and walk in
A few other people are already there. Which answers the "I am the only one left here with the mystery white jacket heartless smarty man" question
I take a phone and it does the facial recognition, and on the top I see the four of hearts card
I nod and place myself on the side to observe with who am I going to compete with
Two lovebirds are stuck to each other, they look terrified
A bald man, with a costume, looks like he knows what he is in for
A middle age woman
A tall and muscular man with a tank top, I hope I won't have to fight him
And at the opposite side of me- He's already looking at me with a smirk, hand in pocket. Mystery white jacket man. He takes out one of his hands and waves at me. I return the greeting out of awkwardness
I walk to the entrance of the park and look out to see if there is anything useful I can use
I see a stand of games, a cotton candy stand, a fairy wheel, a carousel, and- a pellet rifle stand. I smirk. This game might not be too hard
'If I remember well you still have days on your visa. Why play before it expires?'
I look to my left and see the mysterious man, he is not looking at me. 'If I remember well, you do too'
He chuckles and looks at me, finally letting me get a glance at his face
I had already noticed his silver/blond hair but now I can see the eyes hidden behind the two front strands
Perfect cat eyes shaped, adding to his mysterious aura, a cunning look.
The smirk on his lips really makes him appear calm and collected compared to the world we are in. It's interesting...
𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝
𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬
I look at everyone's reaction. The couple looks at each other they seem relieved that it is not a heart game. The middle age lady looks scared, a physical game when you are not in your best shape isn't the best thing you could've wished for. As for the bald and the muscular men, they look confident.
♤
𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞: 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐒
𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐬.
𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬.
𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞: 𝟐𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬
♤
I hear the little music and look at the big screen at the carnival. The timer has already started
I walk down the steps, there are no mascots in sight
Lovebirds and middle age women go to the left, where the fairy wheel is located
The two men go straight forward
I start to run to where I noticed the pellet rifle stand. I'm only two steps in front of it and see in the corner of my eye someone else. I quickly grab one and aim it at the unknown. I sigh in relief
'Happy to see I'm not the only one who uses his brain'. Cat eyes tell me. I want to respond but I hear someone scream. We both turn in the direction of it
At the far opposite of the carnival, the middle-aged woman lies on the ground with an arrow in her stomach. Second later, a tall person with a Bunny mask and a crossbow appears next to her body
The mascot
I Don't look at what the cat does and run to hide behind a stand
𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐬.
I remember the rule, we have to escape the mascots- wait, there is a multiple of them? How many? And we also need to find the exit
I need to get some height, it'll be easier to find the exit. I walk toward the middle of the carnival, where the carousel is. I pay attention to the surroundings
Nothing
I attentively walk inside it and go to the superior level. I hide behind the moving up-and-down horse
The two men had separated, and the one with the costume hides in one of the booths, seems like he lost all his confidence
Whereas the military-looking man walks toward the haunted mansion attraction, he was about to enter it when a second mascot with a tiger mask attacks him
He fights him, and punches him multiple times but when he saw the bunny mascot coming too. He runs toward a booth and hides for a few seconds then proceed to slyly escape both of the mascots
The tiger mascot returns inside the haunted house while the bunny one continues to hunt down players
He is about to find the two love birds, I shouldn't care if they die but there is still ten minutes to play, and they might be useful at one point
So I level my pellet rifle and aim at a balloon that was floating close to the bunny
But with the carousel moving it's harder to succeed
I pull the trigger but miss my target
The bunny mascot turns around and shoots in my direction. I dodge the arrow easily. It's like he was shooting without seeing where I-, his mask must cover his vision slightly
He knew which direction I was, but he didn't see where I was. I look back and see that he is now coming my way. At least he won't fall upon the couple
I run down and go hide in the candy booth. I hear footsteps coming closer. there is a little hole that allows me to see the shoes of the person. It's the bunny shoes
I stop breathing
I cannot make any sound
He's getting closer and closer. Only one more step and he is standing in front of where I am
But he quickly turns around and runs in the opposite direction and shoots an arrow. 'aaaaaa-' another arrow ends the screams
It was the bald man with a costume. He was hiding a few booths next to me and might have thought he was out of danger. But the bunny mascot heard him and shot right in his chest
I stay hidden a minute more, until he leaves. There are only five minutes remaining and the tiger mascots still block our way out
I get out of my spot and leave the riffle there, I won't need it
Two people are already dead, five of us are still alive. I take a small step in the direction of where the carousel is
I need to find a way to go through the game. I'm still far from it and see the couple getting in the direction of the haunted house
Then I notice white jacket hiding across the haunted house, looking my way, confusion in his eyes.
But by taking his time admiring me he doesn't notice the bunny mascot coming his way. 'Fuck, do something.' I mumble to myself
But he won't move. He needs to do something really fast or he is going to end up with an arrow between in his cat eyes, what a shame
There is no more time to think
I jump down and run toward him
He looks at me
I grab his vest. Spin him around. Put my hand over his mouth. And put a finger in front of mine to tell him to be quiet
We're only hidden by the shadow of the booth
And I hear the bunny being only a few meters away from us
I hold my breath
And look straight into his cat eyes
Holding eye contact to distract the adrenaline rushing into my veins
The bunny walks slowly next to us, but he doesn't see us. I was right, their visions must be reduced because of the mask
𝟐 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
Then everything goes by in a second. I see the couple standing in front of the haunted house. The bunny shoots the girl. Her boyfriend attacks him and they start to fight
'What were you doing?!' I whisper yell to him still keeping my hand on his mouth. ' I thought you were too smart to die? hum?'
I lower my hand and he looks at it. 'What? cat caught your tong Cheshire?'. He looks back at me with amusement on his face
The second mascot comes out and military man jumps on him
It's now or never
I take his hand and run through the playland. I see that the boyfriend made the bunny K.O. The other man also manages to put the tiger down. He walks in before us, and another bear mascot appears. 'What the fuck!'
𝟏 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
He pushes him down the stairs of the haunted house and get through
We run the steps of the haunted house, almost there.
The Boyfriend arrives close to us
And I see, behind him, the bunny mascot that was K.O. and the bear mascot aiming in our direction
Without another thought. I pushed the boyfriend right in front of me so he could shield us. The first arrow goes into him and spares me.
Cheshire still holds my hand, as he goes through the door of the haunted house.
𝟏𝟎 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
But before I could go through it myself, the second arrow hit, right in the middle of my left thigh. 'Aaargh' I fall down 'Fuck!'
Cheshire takes my arms and drags me out of the playland
𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝. 𝐓𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮
I breathe loudly, and look at my wound 'shit'. The arrow in my leg hurt like hell, and it keeps bleeding out
𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐬
I look towards them, their masks fall down, they were just like us.
Fighting to survive
The collar around their neck beeps faster and faster. Until it explodes, dropping them dead
I turn my head not wishing to see more of it
'So is that why you saved the couple? To sacrifice them at the end'. Cheshire looks me in the eyes, is that what he was wondering?
I didn't save them to use them like pigs for slaughter, but my life was threatened. 'I knew they could've been useful in one way or another'
He chuckles
'Just hoped they wouldn't have died that way.' I whisper so only I could hear
Then he looks back behind him to the military man 'Aguni, start the car we're coming'. The man nods and turns to leave the arena
So they knew each other and they have a car, I thought they weren't working anymore
'Did you save me to sacrifice me too?'He looks at my wound, but I look him in the eye
'No'. I shake my head. 'I saved you because I respect you and know you really are too smart to die. I believe you could be a great ally in the future'
He looks back to meet my eyes
No emotions
'It's gonna hurt'. And before I could even understand what he was talking about 'Urrrrgh'. He snapped the arrow in two so that only the tip of the arrow remains in my leg
He puts one of my arms around his shoulder and his arm around my waist, then helps me stand up
The pain makes me wince. I look at him confused, why is he helping me? I know he doesn't care about killing to save himself, four of hearts proves it.
Sensing the questions in my eyes
'You saved my life, so I'll save yours'. He starts to walk taking some of my weight so I could walk better
'And by saving those two before, you allowed us to sacrifice them and survive'. I look at him while we keep on walking, that wasn't really my first intention
'Yeah that was smart, because we didn't die'. He laughs. 'Guess we're not so different'
I laugh too
I should feel bad, I kind of do, I killed them by sacrificing them for my own life. But if I hadn't I would have been dead right now. And the mascot was going to kill them anyway if I hadn't distracted him
So... That's what I tell myself in order to not feel guilty
Once we're out I see a car, properly working. Guess I still have things to find out about. We get in. 'Let's go to the beach'
♤