Alice in Borderland ~ Chishiya

11 - ♠7

Part of our silent alliance is joining the next game together, even though I still have one day of visa left until I have to participate again. I didn't tell him, but he will probably find out soon enough, once our entry is registered. I'm not excited about that moment. After spending a day and a half without talking much, we still know nothing about each other. I don't care if he finds out my name, but his doesn't interest me. I don't need to know the name of the boy who I might have to let be killed.

John Doe looks at the building doubtfully. We're now almost standing in front of it and I can see six phones lying on the table, waiting to be taken. Since no one is at the table yet, this means that a maximum of six players can participate. Besides the tall building, the table with those phones and the illuminated sign that indicates that there's a game to play here, I can't find any relation as to what we'll have to do if we step into the arena. My companion clearly seems uncomfortable about it.

'I don't know..' he mumbles. I look at him inquiringly. Is this a trick he's trying to pull on me or is he really insecure? 'Maybe we should find another game after all.' I squint my eyes and let them slide over him, but he's still looking straight at the table. I can see it in his eyes: he really is insecure. Maybe he wants to play a game with more participants, but I've learned that the size of the group doesn't always matter. Your own abilities and the tricks of your fellow players do.

'How would you like to find another game?' I ask him. 'This is your last day. We're now in front of the arena. Who says you'll get to another one in time?' He realizes I'm right. This is a sure chance to participate in a game. Who says he'll have another one?

'What do you mean by "this is your last day"?' he asks sharply. I had estimated him less than he apparently deserves. He managed to get the message from my words that not the same applies to me. Or was I being too obvious? I ignore him and shrug. 'Well,' I say, 'you decide what you're going to do. I'll see if you'll be there later.'

Our alliance is founded on nothing. It just keeps us from appearing physically alone. I understand that as soon as my facial recognition is complete and I see that he followed me, after which he moves to stand near me after his own registration is completed, because two other participants are arriving.

This is exactly why Yuri talked to me before the beginning of my third game. My life really doesn't interest him at all, but an alliance makes other people intimidated. I can see that in the eyes of the boy and girl who came here separately. They each take their own phones, after which they look at John Doe and me with a cautious look. My companion is introduced as Leon, but I decide to keep calling him John in my head. I'm carefully hiding what cards I've already obtained.

I don't get anywhere with his presence. I feel that an alliance with him isn't going to work. He doesn't suit me and it's just not going to happen. If we both survive this, we should break it off again. Although I decide that for myself, I still allow him to keep standing next to me so that it looks like we're playing as a team.

'Why the long faces?' a boy mumbles as soon as he walks in and takes hold of a phone. 'We're going to play a game, aren't we?!' I find out that his name is Raiden. 'Let me see,' he says in amusement, glancing his eyes at the other players. 'Scared,' he says to the girl. 'Weak,' he says to the boy. 'Insecure,' he says to John. They immediately turn their eyes away from him, but I keep looking at him when we make eye contact. I see he's trying to analyse me, but I don't give a single budge. 'Interesting,' he says eventually.

'Registration is now closed,' the computer voice says. 'The game starts now.' I look at my screen. 'Difficulty, seven of spades.'

Seven of spades.

'The game is human elevator.' Human elevator? That can mean anything. Should we lift each other up? Do we have to work together to get somewhere?

My heart starts beating faster, but not from panic or fear. I notice that it's because of the challenge it promises. Raiden seems to feel the same way. 'I'm curious,' he says enthusiastically. I look at him for a brief moment and try to think if he really is this person or if he's pretending to be. He doesn't seem to mind that we live in a world where you could die at almost any moment, or that we need to screw each other over to ensure our own survival. Maybe he really is this person.