Alice in Borderland | Transmigration

Chapter 37

Unsurprisingly, the woman in red had died.

More surprisingly, everyone blamed it on you.

"I saw you! You think I wouldn't see through your little act?"

The old hag was pointing fingers at you again, and this time she claimed to have seen you interact with the woman moments before her death.

You didn't even bother trying to defend yourself, knowing if you did so, someone would probably pull up that 'you're such a good liar' bullshit.

Instead, you compromised by denying everything.

"No I didn't."

"Yes, you did! I saw you, right over there!"

She pointed to the spot where you two were conversing yesterday. By the looks on everyone's faces, they believed her.

You would have been fine with everyone against you, it would have been fine if everyone thought you were the Jack as long as you had Chishiya. You weren't worried.

You searched for him among the crowd of spectators, easy to spot due to his white hoodie. But the moment you saw him, the moment you registered his facial expression, your heart plummeted.

It happened so fast you almost got whiplash. Your indifference and simmering anger switched to fear. It was like you were stuck in tar, panic threatening to swallow you up from the inside because for a second, you saw a flicker of doubt.

That flicker of doubt was enough to cost you your life.

The calm demeanour you had a second ago was gone, replaced by dread so cold you genuinely shivered.

You must have been stunned into silence for too long as the old woman harrumphed in triumph, and left with a promise to kill you off.

The rest had started to disperse, sending you cautious and hateful glances, unbeknownst to your spiralling. Your gaze was pinned on Chishiya's face, trying to tell whether or not you imagined it. However, it was useless, your brain had filed his expression away into a cabinet, there was no way to undo what you had seen.

Once you were left alone, Chishiya and Ippei approached you.

"That woman really has something against you."

Your mind was sludge, and you managed a small, "yeah."

"Let's go get something to eat. The cookies were good."

Why did he act like nothing happened? Was he trying to lure you into a false sense of security? Did he think this way you would believe him when he told you your symbol?

You started over-analyzing his every move.

Was the glint in his eye amusement or malice? Was the curve of his lip hilarity or mocking? Were the words falling from his mouth lighthearted or trickery? When he pulled Ippei away for a private chat, was he trying to convince Ippei to go along with his lie?

"Do you want some cookies?"

Kindness or illusion?

"Do you have a plan yet?"

Interest or indulgence?

"Are you alright?"

Concern or manipulation?

"Is it your wound?"

Worry or fallaciousness?

"Your symbol is a spade."

Lie or truth?

You stepped into the cell, shaking uncontrollably. Your mind was overwhelmed, filled with scenarios yet the moment you stepped through the threshold, your brain became silent.

Your breathing was unstable, and you have never feared death as much as you do now.

Chishiya was someone who would pull the rug from under your feet when you least expected it. He was someone who could kill you off without a second glance, without any remorse. He was someone that would use you and betray you. He was someone that held as much regard for other people's lives as he did his own. That very person now held your survival in his hands.

Your chest was wound tight, the pressure causing your breathing to come out in short puffs.

You wished that the walls weren't so plain. You wished you could distract yourself with some colour and not just black, grey and white everyday, You wished the atmosphere wasn't so suffocating.

'Please give your answer.'

Your body didn't feel like it was yours, an out of body experience where the only thing you felt was despair.

Your voice was breathless, shaky to the point where you wondered if it was even considered an answer.

"S...Spade."