SHARPER || Chishiya Alice in Boarderland

-1- The King of Spades

One hour. Sixty minutes. 3600 seconds.

That's how long we've already been waiting at the Shibuya crosswalk.

NEXT STAGE
START

The sign hasn't changed in that hour. No people emerged in that hour. We've just been waiting. We are waiting. No one speaks a word. Kuina sat down a while ago. I intend to do the same soon.

The air hangs heavy with anticipation, the silence broken only by Arisu's voice, which cuts through the quiet like a knife, shattering the stillness. "None of the games have started yet," he says, his tone laced with impatience.

"Maybe we still have time?" Usagi's says, as her voice wavers with uncertainty as she searches the horizon for any signs of movement.

"But we've been waiting for an hour already," I interject, my annoyance palpable. The minutes drag on, each one amplifying the tension that coils within us.

Chishiya chimes in with a sardonic grin, "Maybe they forgot to press the big red start button." He jokes, making me roll my eyes.

"We're not even getting the rules explained," Kuina sighs, her frustration mirroring my own.

Suddenly, a low, ominous rumbling shoots through the air, sending shivers down my spine. I shoot Kuina an alarming glance, my senses on high alert.

"What's wrong?" she asks, her voice edged with concern.

"Stand up," I command, my words aligning with Usagi's sudden charge towards the street, her ears tuned to something we haven't yet perceived.

"I hear something," she explains as we all gather around her, forming a protective circle. The unknown, the unseen, wraps around us like a suffocating fog, intensifying my fear. Instinctively, I find myself inching closer to Chishiya, seeking comfort in his presence.

Then, from around the corner, a caravan of old cars emerges, their engines growling in unison. Most of the cars are definitely from the beach.

"They're from the beach," Kuina exclaims, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and curiosity. "They're alive."

The cars come to a halt, forming a circle around us. The beachers emerge, about 25 of them. My eyes scan their faces until they land on Riku, a kitchen aid who often worked with Haruto.

"Riku?" I call out, my voice a blend of surprise and confusion. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Hey, Yuki," he greets me with a warm smile. "We saw the blimps show up."

"We heard rumors that the next stage is starting," a girl in a yellow jacket explains, her eyes wide with fear and anticipation.

"Yeah," Arisu begins, his voice hesitant as he tries to make sense of the situation, "but here's the thing—"

BOOM

A loud explosion just hit Riku, as his spluttered body meets the floor.

BOOM

Usagi yelps, and we all watch in terror as the girl in her yellow jacket meets the same fate as him.

BOOM

Another guy behind us is shot, his whole upper body is teared apart. I've never seen any weapon like this in my life. At least not used on humans.

"Oh god!" I hear someone yell and turn to find Chishiya.

"We need to run!" I yell, and Usagi, Arisu and Kuina start into a sprint. But Chishiya just casually walks backwards with his hands in his pants.

"That thing's an anti-tank-rifle." He mumbles as another one gets shot.