Surviving The Borderlands

Chapter Two

EIGHT MINUTES REMAINING

8 SURVIVORS

They returned to watching the game, Rose was aware time was running out and the room still hadn't been found. She had at least half the building ruled out but that was a lot of ground to cover, the tagger pulled her from her thoughts. They were shooting at the newbie but this time from a distance, the first time all game. The wall around the door was riddled with bullets. Bingo she smiled widely.

Chishiya looked at her with raised eyebrows, she shook her head; if he hadn't figured it out yet he would soon.

"What happened to this being a team game hmm?" he asked and she nudged him playfully, it felt weird acting friendly with someone, it had been such a long time since she'd actually spent this much time around another person and had a civil conversation.

"You know you shouldn't play dumb Chishiya, you're a lot cuter when you're showing your smarts" she turned to him, studying him, without realising her hand had raised to his chest. He caught her hand in his looking into her eyes with a smirk on his face.

"You think I'm cute huh?" his hand went into her hair forcing her to look at him and pinning her in place, a very bold move on his part, very out of character. He could see all the opportunities he would have if he could get her on his side, she was smart, but he'd seen the way she'd been looking at him, if he could play on her emotions she could be an interesting part of his plan.

"Cute, but not cute enough to die for" Rose said against his lips before pulling away. She didn't look back at him while she walked away, unable to stop the smirk on her own face, one mirrored on his. As she walked she noticed the remaining survivors had teamed up. Army pants, his friend and the tall guy took off together attracting the attention of the tagger.

Messy hair went up and gym clothes went down a level.

Rose continued to her destination thinking over the game, there were no rules that the tagger had to chase everyone so it could be that they enjoyed the hunt, the other option was there was something else behind the door. When she reached the door messy hair was there as well.

"You figured it out to" he said out of breath, his eyes flicked behind her, and she turned to see Chishiya approaching.

"Following me, are we?" She joked, he smirked chucking away his lollipop stick.

"Are you going to open it?" he asked messy hair.

"Something's not right" Messy hair replied as Rose leaned against the railing. They had the same thoughts she did, but as Chishiya reminded him, time was running out. Rose stood in the doorway looking around the vacant room that Chishiya and messy hair had already entered. Their only option was a door in the back of the apartment. She had only taken a step into the room when she saw them – the other tagger.

"Down!" she shouted and the boys dropped to the floor. Chishiya quickly reacted and tased the tagger.

"You have a taser?" Rose asked a little impressed.

"Helps to be prepar-" the tagger moved and bullets embedded in the wall where she had been standing just a moment ago. Chishiya had knocked her out of the way and she'd dragged him from the room with her. Bullets flew after them, blasting through the door. Her surprise was furthered when she realised that she was tucked into him, he was protecting her. She looked up from his chest and saw he was just as surprised at his actions.

Messy hair's voice broke the trance they found themselves in. Two people needed to complete the game.

"Really?"

"Shit" they said simultaneously.

Rose ran back into an empty room, the tagger and messy hair both in the back room. She carefully eased forward jumping back just in time to miss the next spray of bullets, gym clothes crashed into the room and Chishiya threw her the taser.

GAME COMPLETED

Rose tried to get up but as soon as the pressure hit her arm she hissed in pain. Blood ran down her arm where the bullet had hit her, she hadn't even noticed.

Pulling her pocketknife out, she cut the bottom of her dress tying the fabric around her arm. Entering the room she was just in time to see the tagger's head get blown up. She didn't hesitate in leaning down to collect the gun, there were no bullets left – what a waste.

She also checked the taggers pockets but they were empty save for a piece of paper with some scribble on it.

"Can I see that?" Chishiya asked with his hand out expectantly, she shrugged committing the picture to memory before handing it over.

"Are you ok?" he asked gesturing to her arm.

"Yeah fine" she rose and left the room without looking back. Death is a standard part of life in the borderlands but that doesn't mean she wants to hang around it any more than necessary. When she reached the hallway again messy hair was outside talking to the other girl about causing the death of the tagger.

"Don't let it eat away at you too much, it was her or all of us – look at the people you saved not the ones who tried to kill us" Rose said offering a brief smile before walking away.

These games are going to break him, she thought as she took the elevator down. She collected her card and hid it in her top.

While there was still power, she retrieved her backpack that she'd hidden before the game and charged her phone.

"You're still here?" Chishiya appeared momentarily startling Rose. She scolded herself for being careless.

"There's still power" she shrugged, he laughed upon seeing her phone.

"Can't survive without it?" he joked and she shrugged again.

"I like music, seems you do to" she referred to the headphones hanging from his pocket. He noticed a change in her now, Messy hair had dimmed some of her joy at winning the game. Looking into the dark and empty streets of Tokyo she briefly wondered how many people died tonight.

"Where are you going now?" Chishiya came to lean on the wall beside her, pulling her thoughts back, she turned to him closing some of the distance between them.

"Expecting an invitation back to my place already?" her voice came out playful, she wouldn't mind taking a handsome stranger back to her room for some fun, a girl has needs and why deny yourself when you could die any day.

"Or you could come back to mine" he smiled at her, those eyes were interesting she thought. They had both leaned closer, she caught his wrist pushing back the sleeve and revealing his numbered bracelet.

"To the beach? I don't think so" she scoffed, using his wrist she pulled him against her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"But I'll leave you with something" she said against his lips before kissing him. Her hands tangled in his soft hair and he held her tighter as they kissed. Eventually they pulled way breathless.

"Good luck getting me off your mind" she whispered bitting his lip before slipping out of his arms, collecting her items and disappearing into the dark streets of Tokyo.

He watched her with a smile, she was definitely interesting he thought touching his bottom lip.

Clever, Clever girl

As much as he didn't want to admit it, she'd imprinted herself into his brain and he hoped he would meet her again.