Ultimate Game

Chapter 1

A day like every other

It’s the ninth Period on a Friday afternoon. Everybody is exhausted and only hopes to be able to get home. The teacher goes on and on about German history regarding the Second World War regardless of the nonexistent attention he gets. The grey sky lets the day appear even duller as the rain starts falling upon the school ground dripping on the rough asphalt and the schools roof. Little rain drops unite into squadrons as they crash ceaselessly against the windows leaving small dots of water behind which unite again into small rivers flowing towards their destination to finally subside into the ground. Again I look up to the clock on the wall for what seems like the thousands time seeing that only five minutes passed by since I last checked it. My eyes slide past the black board and the teacher towards the windows. I observe the rain drops as they fall from the sky feeling melancholy seeping into my mind. The teacher has lost my attention a long time ago, the sky absorbing me completely in its infinite latitude.

Only when the teacher approaches me tapping me on the shoulder I realize that the bell must have rang. He gives me an impassive look, tells me to close the door behind me and walks out of the classroom. Slowly I pack my backpack and get out of the room, closing the door behind me like the teacher told me to, and walk down the view steps which lead towards the first floor. The hallways are almost empty, the silence interrupted only by the steady lapping of the rain. When I reach the entrance portal I curse inwardly for not having brought an umbrella with me but step out nevertheless. The rain is like a flap on the face, ruthless and cold against my soft skin. With advancing time I get accustomed to the coldness, to the point that I no longer feel the need to rush nor to hurry. I fall into a casual walk letting my already drenched clothes get even more soaked. I see no meaning in rushing anymore when it wouldn’t change a damn thing – getting soaked or not, getting a cold or staying healthy, it wouldn’t make a difference either way. In addition, it is Friday which means I am in even less need of extra time. There is no homework to be done since it is shortly before the summer holidays and neither students nor teacher are excited about the remaining classes together. And my parents wouldn’t mind me coming late since they are both dead, hit by a car or something, I don’t care. Dad was always drunk and nothing more than a reeking bum, as my mother had told me before she died. And my mom…. Well she wasn’t really pure either. I have still no clue where she got all the money from which covers for all of my living expenses and much more. I don’t know if I even want to know, she could have been a whore or a thief, but as long as nobody knows about the lot of money I inherited or about her mere existence, it does not concern nor interest me. Both are dead for all I care and hopefully stay like that until eventually I die too.

As I walk I look up to the sky and literally count the raindrops, partly because they look so nice but mostly because I have nothing else to do. The rain splashes on my face and in my eyes forcing me to close them for a moment. When I open them again I notice a dark shadow on the floor next to a grey concrete building. I observe the place with my eyes while casually walking further down the road so that the owner of the shadow will not notice my suspicion. As I stride ahead nearing the position from which I will be able to see the hidden person, I start to grow excited.

Since it is difficult to identify something trough rain as strong as todays with the light of the sun almost disappeared, I cannot seem to make out what might be hidden behind the corner of the building even as I near the opening of the alley where the shadows owner would stand. My heart rate quickens as more time flows by but I have no other choice than to stand still as my feet won’t seem to move even one more inch. I can now see a faint silhouette of a person standing opposite me. Though it appears to be unmoving I can feel how a shiver runs down my spine caused by the feeling of being watched.

My breathing hitches as the person starts to approach me and I try to will my own body to movement but fail. By now the earlier excitement I felt has given way to fear which I would have never thought to be able to feel in such extent considering my otherwise unemotional behavior and calm mind.

For a short moment the rain stops giving me clear view upon the stranger but the darkness of the dawning night covers his face almost completely leaving only his body open to study. But the latter is covered in a black cloak revealing nothing about him other than him being indeed a man with his broad shoulders and a height of approximately 6 feet and more.

But right now I should not care about his looks but rather about his intentions since he is emitting a really intimidating aura which is clearly saying “Obey me or you’re dead”. But I am neither willing to give in that easily nor am I ready to die yet. Again I try to bring my shivering body under control, this time successfully, and retreat backwards.

I know that I will hit the wall within short time if I do not change my direction but I cannot seem to gain control about my legs which only seem to know the task of retreat. At the time where I have absolutely no space left and no way to run or hide mind goes blank, my eyes shut down and my body goes numb.

As my vision goes black I feel all vigor I have left seeping out of my body like being sucked out by another entity. Thus finally wrapping me in utter darkness and taking away the fear that had consumed my mind as well as all other emotions and physical feelings.

Thinking back to that moment now, it all makes sense. How he stood before me, watching me with those deep dark eyes hidden by darkness.

But even now most of his reasons as well as intentions remain unexplained and maybe will never be revealed.