I open my eyes powerlessly and look dazedly to the side. Am I really awake or trapped in my dream at the same time? My muscles obey me only with extreme effort and it takes me a moment to realize what situation I'm in. The lockers around me bathe my vision in a dark blue haze, beguiling yet surreal. Groaning, I try to brace myself on my right arm, but it gives way and the next moment I feel the cold tiles on my cheek.
With a strained face, I straighten up and look at my ally. Suppressing a scream, I crawl as far away as I can from the lifeless body. Even when I reach the opposite area, I can't take my eyes off the sight: The metal fashion chain hangs limply down the brown shirt, but the collar around his neck has done its job and only a bloody stump dripping on the torso. Gasping, I try to escape the sight, but the stone wall behind me prevents me from doing so. Moku has died, how many are still alive?
I scramble on all fours to the contestant's cell phone, only to notice this display of blurry letters: Congratulations, you've won.
I am the only survivor. Sadly I look at the lifeless body of Moku, he has kept me awake for the last few minutes, without him I would have fallen asleep long ago. Shuffling, I brace my foot against the flowing wall and grasp the metal handle of the door knob. With the greatest of effort, I push the door open a crack and slip through. The hallway light flickers and, groaning, I brace myself against the wall. Tile by tile, I shimmy along toward the exit sign, but my senses go crazy. I think I detect a sweet scent, before my vision goes black and I land roughly on the floor. The next thing I catch is a familiar voice, which seems far away.
"Sayuuri?"
Is that my name? I don't remember, I don't know anything anymore. Yielding, I close my eyes and fall into a deep swoon. I feel nothing anymore, no cold or warmth.
My body is numb and I can only conditionally grasp a thought. Have I survived, or is it a sick fantasy after all? I cannot open my eyes, my songs are too heavy and my throat dry. I surrender to the diminishing veil of consciousness and drift away completely. At least until, after an interminable time, with the greatest effort, I can open my eyes a crack.
"Hm?", I bring forth the only sound which may leave my throat and slump down again without that muscle tension. I struggle to straighten up, but as soon as my elbows seem to give way, two fingers reach under my chin and straighten it to the right.
"What's wrong with her?" a voice from farther away says, and I inevitably flinch at the voice. It has taken on a normal volume, yet it irritates my eardrums and I clench my teeth painfully.
"Possibly drugs?"
"Ann, maybe you should let the new number one know," I hear an arrogant voice and make an effort to sit up, but the soft sheet is still too tempting. I hear a door slam shut before I open my lids in complaint and look into cold black, eyes.
"Did you take anything?"
I feel two fingers gently push open my eyelids and my sensitive cornea immediately begins to burn. Painfully, I pull my head away and squint my eyes before thinking of his words. What did he say, I can't remember?
"Sayuuri, did you throw something in?"
Slowly I shake my head in denial and try to look at him again. Drugs, no I don't think I did drugs. I was in a game, right?
"Then what about her?" the voice from across the room starts again, "Does she even understand us?"
"Yeah, I think she's just taking longer to process what we're saying," the voice in front of me says and I want to nod, but my head just hangs down limply. "Sayuuri, have you been in more than one game since you left Beach?"
YOU ARE READING
Alice in Borderland
FanfictionArakida Sayuuri wakes up in Tokyo and can't discover a human soul. She quickly understands the rules of the Borderland and always gets through it until she reaches the "beach". And that's where their problems seem to get going, especially with Chish...