BIG FISHES, rizuna ann

CHAPTER ONE

REGISTRATION CLOSED,
THE GAME WILL NOW COMMENCE. . .

There were many things to not believe in. God, death, love, fairy tales, happy endings. Some people feared the unknown, the future, the devastating thought of a lover fading away, perhaps even a hand caressing their face. It wasn't uncommon to feel the loss of faith sinking inside one's chest.

Saki felt it too many times. Every morning when the sun warmed her skin, every noon after her dad's hold left her cold, or every night before her mattress consumed her whole, soft as vastness.

It always came like a whisper, a mid-morning fog kissing her cheeks, keeping her waiting silently for the dark space she considered home to give her a signal of hope. But it never came, like Shibuya city's loud horns and talks, the ringing bells opening and closing the doors, and her mother's humming voice tasting a lullaby from her studio's room.

Four days had passed since every sound in Tokyo was reduced to zero in a single blink, and as the seconds went by, Saki's faith flew away with them too.

The games were the second concern on her list.

Living versus dying, which one would you choose?. It seemed too obvious for many, too easy sometimes. They either fought or lost against their will, their own heart betraying itself. The longer their stay, the harder their cease became. At first, Saki didn't know if she could take it, the thought of her soul escaping her body, but as she waited for the game to begin, all had started to finally sink in.

Perhaps dying wouldn't be too much of a thing. She wondered if someone would be kind enough to stay by her side until her last breath was heard.

The sudden pressure on her neck brought her back to Earth. A loud buzzing sound echoed on top of their heads as the aquarium's lights switched on for all participants to see each other clearly. However, nobody dared to move.

GAME, MOBY DICK. . .
DIFFICULTY, NINE OF SPADES. . .

The room became so silent that if Saki hadn't heard the closest person to her right gasp under their breath, she would've thought everyone had just disappeared.

A goosebump ran down her spine. She didn't want to be left alone again.

"Huh? Moby Dick? Isn't it that book about a madman obsessed for revenge against a giant white whale?" A young boy called from behind, perhaps one of the last players to join.

Although she expected someone else to perk up at his questions, instead he was just hushed as the rules began to be explained.

RULES, EACH PLAYER WILL BE ASSIGNED A ROLE. . .

ALL SAILORS WILL HAVE TO CAPTURE THE GREAT WHALE HIDDEN AMONGST THE GROUP, WHO WITHOUT ANYONE KNOWING WILL BE GIVEN A LIGHT ELECTRIC SHOCK ON THEIR COLLAR TO ALERT THEM OF ITS ROLE. . .

TIME LIMIT IS ONE HOUR. . .
AFTER THE FIRST 30 MINUTES HAD PASSED, THE WHALE'S COLLAR WILL LIGHT UP. . .

CLEAR GAME BY CAPTURING THE WHALE—  ONLY LAST TWO PLAYERS STANDING WIN. . .

Maybe it could've been worse.

It could've been a game of diamonds, even a heart's. Yet, as the robotic voice gave the conditions to follow, it seemed to Saki that a personal hell had started to build up below her feet the moment she felt an almost imperceptible sting around her neck, switching her flight or fight response trigger on.

Whispers, reptiles of long fangs and incomprehensible tongues, inundated the aquarium's reception room as the time began running. Everyone knew what the clear conditions meant. To kill or be killed, to live or to not. And soon enough someone was going to take the lead about it.

Saki took a deep breath in, trying her best to remain calm, but she couldn't help thinking if she could even have a chance to win that game.

Four days and it looked as if she was just learning how to live again. Walking with small steps, hands displayed to both sides, her fingers slightly stretched to touch whatever body that could be a step away from hitting her. She knew how to adapt to changes, that was her day by day after all, but she couldn't deny how offsetting the whole situation appeared to her now.

"Everyone has started to divide in groups," a voice crawled its way to Saki as she regained consciousness once again, "We could go together if you want to."

Sounds were like waves, sometimes like creatures of their own. They came in forms and tastes, but left tangled marks that could go anywhere. Saki learned it the hard way, perhaps the only way she had, and it annoyed the hell out of her up 'til that day.

Not knowing when someone was talking to her in particular made her feel sick, but when something touched her forearm, that was all her heart needed to spike inside its little cage.

"It'll be nice, yeah." She muttered.

"I'm Kuina, by the way," there was movement to her right. After a beat, the woman spoke again, "I'm also waiting to shake your hand."

"Oh," Saki lifted her fingers, looking to meet Kuina's. Once she did, she returned the salute. "Saki," she pointed to herself.

Kuina was right about the groups. Saki acknowledged the fact as a choir of steps roamed around the room and soft conversations followed close until they became a ghost murmur floating in space. Even though the game had already started, it still seemed too quiet. Saki couldn't help but think the worst.

"We should move," Kuina suggested, "It's no good staying out here for too long."

Saki nodded, wasting no time as she slipped a finger in between one of her companion's jeans' belt loops to not trail away from their path.

"Let's go."