Demise Game

38.parallels

You had time before you started your game tonight, and so you wanted to run some errands.

        First up was the hospital.  You made sure to visit E-ki, and then D-mi.  Seeing D-mi...  Was a lot harder.  Knowing you were so close yet so far was frustrating.  If it was just you and her, would you have made it?  Your leg throbbed in protest.  Probably not.  You would have been a goner without Shiki's strength to wrench you from that dream demon's grasp. 

        Even though D-mi was in a coma and could very well not hear you, you still quietly told her everything, promising you'd save her.  The entire time, the room felt cold, as if somebody was in there with you, hovering over you as you made your promises.

        You checked multiple times; you were alone.  It still didn't stop the shivers that occasionally rolled up your arms and down your spine, though.

        After the hospital trip, you then went to the store.  You needed to grab some supplies for tonight, after all.

        By the time you got home, your mom had gone to the hospital for her shift, leaving you alone in the house.  It was eerily quiet and dark, and you kept getting that feeling once more that you were not alone.  It was Shuuen fucking with you, but even knowing this you couldn't help but be on edge.

        By now, your mom should have started her game.  Now, it was up to you and Enoru, although your games had to be started at specific times.  Enoru's was midnight, yours was a little after.

        Hide and seek with Shuuen...

        You needed to prepare more.  You already had your own hiding space.  In the linen closet, you had found out you could get on the top shelf.  It was a tight squeeze — really tight — but you could easily hide up there.  Checking to make sure you had the space up there, you placed a small bottle for later use up there.  Then, you went and grabbed the salt, drawing a line at the closet so Shuuen wouldn't be able to get you later.  You'd just have to be careful to not displace it.

        Closing the door, you were glad to see the salt was just far enough in that you couldn't see it with the door closed.

        Next was the stuffed animal.  At one point you would have felt bad for using a gift this way, but considering the recent events with C-ra, you were uncaring as you grabbed the stuffed bunny and began to rip it open with scissors...

        . . .

        . . .

        "What...?"

        Your blood ran cold as you pulled out a small device, the lens glinting in the low lighting.  It was a camera.

        "I've been watching [Y/n] for a couple years now, after all."

        "You...  You make it seem like you had cameras planted in my house."

        Nausea crashed into you like stormy waves against a ship, and you just barely made it to the bathroom before you were throwing up, emptying the contents of your stomach.  The bunny was new, but C-ra had said years.  How many other cameras and bugs were planted in your apartment?

        Once you were done throwing up, you brushed your teeth and set to work on scouring the house for anything else suspicious.  Your searches turned up with eight listening devices in various places and a camera in the living area.  You felt faint as you dropped them all on the floor, before angrily stomping them in.

        Only when they were crushed beyond repair did you stop, collapsing onto the couch in a fit of exhaustion.  You glanced at the time.  Nine.  Ideally, you'd get a small bite to eat, but after this revelation, you didn't think you could stomach anything.  So instead, you set an alarm on your phone and curled up on the couch, needing to sleep.