How Long is Forever [COMPLETED]

The Chosen One

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED! THE GAME WILL NOW COMMENCE.

The things around you seep through to your mind excruciatingly slow. You lean back against the cold door and take a few deep breaths. The sniper King won't come after you any longer. He won't chase you down to finish what he started.

Because you entered another game.

There have been only two games around that Chishiya could have brought you to: the King of Hearts and the King of Diamonds. Both games you would have never chosen willingly, and at this point you don't know which game could be worse.

Chishiya has managed to save you from death for now, but maybe you won't survive the next hour nonetheless.

While your own rattling breath manages to calm down, you look up to him. The chase left him out of breath as well, but he manages to hide it perfectly. You're sure no one else would have noticed the way his lips are slightly parted, how the wings of his nose quiver while he forces himself to breathe slowly. You can see the hint of red on his cheeks and the almost unnoticeable frown, but Chishiya isn't paying you any attention.

Only then you realize the other people lingering around the room.

They're all staring at you and Chishiya, and it painfully reminds you of the Jack of Clubs – only that this time, all of their faces are filled with obvious mistrust and guile. And you suddenly have a feeling that this is not the Diamonds game.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" A woman steps forward, and you assume she's around your age, though taller with a chubby face covered in acne scars.

You manage to pull yourself up and get as close to Chishiya as possible while your hand searches for his. He takes and squeezes it but doesn't speak up.

"We... tried to escape the King of Spades. This was the only way."

She rolls her eyes and grimaces as if she wants to spit. "Oh, great. The last two missing are players who didn't even want to attend this game in the first place."

Not really listening to her bargaining and to the mumbled comments of others, you look around the room you're in. Opposite to the last game, this room doesn't have any pieces of decoration in it. You count a total of six doors – the entrance, four similar doors on the opposite site and a single one to your left. The four doors are assigned with familiar symbols: Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs and Spades.

A single table has been placed in the middle of the room, with plenty of food and drinks. It looks fabulous and makes your stomach rumble so loud that even the sniper could hear it from the outside. There is everything: grapes, apple slices, all kinds of delicious looking canapés. The eagerness to reach for it is almost unbearable, but it doesn't seem like no one has touched the table so far, and you are smart enough to do the same. Most likely, it's a trap to make the game even harder.

For a moment, you just wish you hadn't dropped your supply bags so you would at least have something to drink.

Then, someone starts to laugh, and the familiar voice makes you freeze once more. It's a sound as rough as stone, and you have hoped to never hear it again in your life.

"What do you say, it's Crybaby and their useless bodyguard! I didn't think I'd ever see you two in a Hearts game, hehe."

You already guessed that this isn't the Diamonds game, but you flinch nonetheless as he mentions it. A tall and muscular figure comes close to you, wide and ugly grin on his face, causing you to recoil immediately.

He stops, but only because Chishiya is there to step in between you, his smile growing even wider. "Don't tell me you're here to befriend the enemy again."