All For A Few Cards ➺ Alice in Borderland

episode 16 || sorrowful memories

I was in the city again, wandering around the empty streets. I went into stores, malls, restaurants, etc. I decided to switch off my old clothes for some new ones.

Some ripped black shorts and a tan tank top. I kept my black sweater on and went on. I stopped by a gas station on my way to the park. There were a few abandoned cars around, but other than that, deserted like everything else.

I went inside. I looked around for anything that might be useful to me. I grabbed some water from the none working fridge and touched it. It was warm. I didn't exactly expect anything different. But yet, I still grabbed it.

I put it back and went on walking around. There wasn't anything that caught my eye. It was a normal gas station. Once I decided there wasn't anything for me, I grabbed a lighter and a new pack of cigarettes and made my way out.

I lit a cigarette and put it between my lips as I made my way to the park. It was a few miles from the gas station. Once I made it, I sat on the swings and rocked a bit, looking around at the old place.

I remembered coming here when I was young. Me, Hanako and Itsuki. Hanako was nine, Itsuki seven, I belive. Around those ages, when we would run around and play late at night when our parents were working.

The memories brought back happiness and sorrow. But something stopped my thoughts. A man. He was walking down the sidewalk across from the park, hood up and hands in his pockets.

It was hard to tell if i knew him, eventhough it was day out. I wasn't going to go up to him and find out who he was. Who's dumb enough to do that? I would just watch from afar until I figured out who he was. If I did figure it out.

The second he stepped into the sun, I immediately knew who it was. Chishiya. What's he doing here? I watched him take a small piece of paper from his pocket. He stared at it and looked up ahead of him. What was he doing?

The sudden urge the follow him erupted from me. I wanted to know where he went. But maybe I shouldn't know. Maybe it's a trick. I don't know why, but everything's a possibility. Especially here.

But if I followed him, I could find out where he's going everyday. No. He wouldn't be going to this spot everyday. If that were the case, he'd already have the path memorized.

I decided to stay put. For now, that is.

•°♤♡◇♧°•

My visa ended today, meaning I had to play a game. I stepped over the scanner and walked into the amusement park. The waiting space was the ticket booth area.

"Well, well, well. Look who'll be joining todays game with us," it was Niragi. Beside him stood Aguni and Last Boss. a few other people joined us. it was obvious most of them were all acting 'tough'. i ignored Niragi and took a phone, which was in a basket on the ticket booth.

i walked over to stand next to him. he wrapped his arm around me as i took the cigarette away from my lips and stared at the phone, which had then beeped.

registration closed
the game will now commence
game; beast hunter
difficulty; six of spades

they explained the rules to us before the we were able to enter the park. the game was simple enough. it would be cleared of we kill all the predators, game over if the predators kill us.

each animal was worth different amout of points. crows are one point, wild boars are fifty points, tigers are one-hundered points and so on. what seemed unfair was that we weren't givin any weapons.

"don't worry, princess. i'll make sure nothing happens to you." Niragi told me confidently. "you're so brave, my love. i don't know what i'd do without you." sarcasm filled my voice completely. "I know. just stick by my side." he said.

we all entered the park and went separate ways. some went to the carousel, others to the ferris wheel. i went over to the carnival games that scammed the fuck out of you.

i got behind the counter and grabbed some darts. i turned around to face the board that had balloons. some practice wouldn't hurt. i threw the dart at one of the balloons. the balloon popped, making a loud noise.

i continued to pratice my aiming. i was on point most of the time. i used to do archery a few years ago. i guess it'll come pretty handy for todays game.

five minutes later, my phone dinged. the game had started. i threw one last dart (popping the balloon) and turned around to face the rest of the park. i could see the board that held the points we were earning from killing the predatores.

there was then cawing from crows up above in the sky. and already i heard Niragis gun go off. the board lit up, announcing that we just earned one point.

that's when i saw a tiger walking around like it owned the place, looking for his first meal. i leaned on the counter and smirked a bit. i should've brought some popcorn, because this was going to be some show.

a few more gun shots went off, the score board lighting up each time. a group of three scared people were sneaking around, cautious of their surrounding. or so they thought.

the tiger saw them and quietly followed a few feet behind. i lost sight of the group and soon after the tiger when they walked into the carousel.

"KRAA!" i practicly jumped at the loud crows call. it was ontop of a lightpost across from the stand i was in. I reached over for a dart and began aiming at the bird. i threw it. it hit the crows wing.

it let out another loud caw as it began to fly away, struggling. i threw another dart at it's other wing. i hit it and it fell to the floor this time. i reached for one last dart and threw it straight into the crows chest.

the second the dart met with the bird, the score board lit up. i took the cigarette that was in my mouth away and sighed deeply, leaning agaisnt the counter. so much work for only one point. what a shame.

•°♤♡◇♧°•

❝ [ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ] ❞

"𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘺𝘢. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮?" 𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘭𝘺.

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