Erase

Act 44: The Challenge

"What... what is this...?" Said Shino.

The peace of the humble Goto household was broken when Mayuka and Shino received a package from Nana, containing a bloodied boxcutter and a message consisting of nothing but "DIE".

"Shino... what you said about..." Said Mayuka.

"Yeah... you're right, Mayu." Shino replied.

"Maybe that Nana isn't playing around at all.." Said Mayuka. "You think there's something else in the box?"

"I'll... go and check." Shino replied.

Shino and Mayuka looked further inside the box and found another letter. This time, it read:

"Nana wants to play a game with you, Shino. Come and message Nana. No excuses."

"A... game?" Said Shino.

"What game could they be talking about...?" Mayuka replied.

"Don't know..." Said Shino. "Maybe we should message them..."

"Shino, are you insane?" Mayuka replied. "Do you have any idea about what you're gonna do?!"

"I don't. But if I don't oblige to them, then how would I know?" Said Shino.

"To be honest, I am kinda scared as well, just like you..." Shino continued.

"Why not ask for some help? Yuichi and Jun are just right around the corner." Mayuka replied. "Perhaps they can help us out with this."

"Besides..." Mayuka continued. "I have a feeling that... they might be our next targets..."

"Our next... targets?" Said Shino.

"Remember that message from Nana last night?" Mayuka replied. "That one where they asked you about your collar?"

"Yeah... I see where you're coming from." Said Shino.

"I've been thinking since last night: 'If they're non-participants, then they shouldn't have seen those things around our necks..." Mayuka replied. "I know that. I asked my dads a while ago if they can see something around my neck. They said 'no'."

"So if they know about the collars... then there's no doubt, they're a participant as well." Mayuka continued.

"You're right." Said Shino. "Let's go upstairs."

"Yeah... let's." Mayuka replied.

But before they could go upstairs, they were interrupted by Michiru, calling for them.

"Kids! Can you... take the box with you?" Said Michiru. "It's starting to, uhh, creep me out..."

"Oops! Almost forgot." Mayuka replied. "Coming!"

-Mayuka's Bedroom 7:40 AM-

Upon going back upstairs, the first thing that Shino and Mayuka did was to go to the computer and message Nana.

Using, Mayuka's computer, the two proceeded to log in to Shino's Facebook account, and type out this message.

"Okay. You want to play? Then let's play."

Eventually, the reply from Nana arrived. But it wasn't the reply that they where expecting.

"Let's video chat."

"She wants us to... video chat?" Said Mayuka.

"It... seems so..." Shino replied. "Hey, Mayu. You still have the microphone, right?"

"I think so... I'll go set it up." Said Mayuka. "Is the webcam working?"

"Lemme check." Shino replied.

While Mayuka was fetching the microphone from the other side of the room, Shino searches for a website that offers an HTML5 webcam test to check and see if the webcam was working.

After a few clicks, Shino tested the webcam, which worked fine.

"OK. Camera's working." Said Shino.

Mayuka eventually returns to the room with the microphone in hand.

"I got the microphone." Said Mayuka.

"Great! Now let's plug it in." Shino replied.

Mayuka proceeds to plug in the microphone onto the computer. After another HTML5 test for the microphone, the two were ready for their video call with Nana.

"Okay... let's get this over with..." Said Shino.

Shino goes to her Facebook and, upon clicking on Nana's Messenger tab, proceeds to click on the video call icon, initiating the call.

It took more than a few seconds before Nana eventually answered. Much to their surprise, the first thing they saw wasn't Nana's true face, but rather the same 3D model from the Facebook profile.

"Greetings, Shino." Said Nana, speaking with the voice of a deadpan, emotionless girl.

"What is this...?" Shino replied.

"An... AI?!" Mayuka added.

"If that's what you think Nana is...." Said Nana. "Nothing would convince you otherwise."

"What do you want from me...?" Shino replied.

"Well, Nana wants to ask you if she wants to play a game." Said Nana. "But don't tell anyone else about it, okay?"

"Okay... what is it you want me to do?" Shino replied.

"Say, Nana wants to ask..." Said Nana. "Have you you heard of the 'Blue Whale' challenge?"

"What did she just say?! Mayuka replied. "No... it can't be..."

"The Blue Whale challenge...?" Said Shino. "Mayu... you know what's she talking about?"

"It's... a game where the participants are presented with 50 challenges for the next 50 days..." Mayuka replied. "All of the challenges involve some form of self-harm, eventually ending in the 50th day, where the participant is tasked to... commit suicide..."

"What?!" Said Shino. "No! I don't agree to this!"

"Don't worry. That's not what Nana wants to play." Nana replied. "Rather, Nana wants... something similar."

"Something... similar?" Said Shino.

"Nana likes to call it the 'Seven Days with Nana' challenge." Nana replied.

"For the next 7 days, Nana will give you a set of commands that you must do. They can range from simple stuff to more arduous tasks." Nana continued. "You have to prove Nana that you did those tasks. Either by showing pictures or messaging her."

"And what happens, if we don't follow?" Said Shino.

"Well... Nana knows your address... right?" Nana replied. "Nothing stops Nana from coming there and killing you by herself... right?"

"You wouldn't..." Said Shino.

"Yes, Nana would." Nana replied. "Now, do you accept?"

Shino thought hard whether or not to accept Nana's challenge. On one hand, entertaining Nana might get them one step closer to finding out her true identity. On the other hand, there's the risk of her dying.

Eventually, Shino came up with her decision.

"I... accept." Said Shino.

"Shino, are you fucking insane?!" Mayuka replied. "Do you have any idea what-"

"Relax, Mayu. I got this all under control." Said Shino.

Shino shifts her attention back to Nana.

"So, I accept your challenge." Said Shino. "What's my first task?"

"Very well. Your first challenge is..." Nana replied.

TO BE CONTINUED