pac-man.
Walking back inside the colorful dorms, the bright “432” quickly started to climb down, settling at a terrifying “216”, the winners left staring at the screen almost in disbelief, the realization of just how deadly these games were hitting some people, finally, while others were left flaunting their win to their so-called friends. They didn’t have much time to do so however, three agents walking in.
“Attention!” The middle one spoke, everyone’s eyes setting on him before he continued, “Food will be served shortly after this announcement. Congratulations, winners.”
With that, several agents walked in, huge neon-coloured boxes in hand that they proceeded to set down on the floor, others assigned of opening them up. some were setting the smaller metal boxes inside on the big colorful table next to the door, while others were setting down small water bottles on the side. “Get in line to receive your food. I repeat, get in line to receive your food.”
People immediately hurried to go grab their food as if they were unfed, starving wild animals, pushing and running into each other. While Number 269 wished she could believe they were just hungry, the truth was it wasn’t anything more than a manifestation of their obsession with having to come first. The second to get in line biting the first in order to get in his place was only proof of that. She sighed, finding it all just so incredibly ridiculous. She came in last, but she didn’t mind. Besides, for all she knew, they could have poisoned their food. It was better to check for other people’s reactions.
Thankfully, the line went by quite fast, at least for one made up by over two hundred people, her managing to grab her food in maybe less than five minutes. She wasn’t hungry anyways.
After receiving her box and bottle, she sat down on her bed, uncovering the box and carelessly throwing the lid on the floor. Inside was a small fork, similar to the ones given to children whose hands are not yet big enough to hold a real one, and various foods were gathered in small holes in the metal in order to divide them: lentils, rice, salad, and a small cup of pudding. Trying them, the rice turned out to be painfully bland, so she decided to mix it with the lentils to give it some flavour. And it worked. If this didn’t feel quite like a school cafeteria, she would describe the food as quite passable.
“That’s genius!” Number 269’s head snapped up, staring at the person speaking. Number 098 smiled at her, “I’m Nala. You know, like the lioness from the Lion King, but I was born first so she copied me, not the other way around.”
Number 269 smiled a little at the mention of the movie, as she saw Nala mixing the rice with the lentils just like she had. “My daughter loves that movie…”
“Oh? You have a daughter? You look too young to have a daughter.” Her eyes widened in surprise, and Number 269 couldn’t help but giggle a little bit, leaving Nala to admire the sound.
“Yeah, I do. And I’m too young, yes, I had her when I was fourteen. Her name’s Eleanor…”
“Aww, so cute! How old is she now?”
“She’s three now…”
“So you're eighteen?” She smiled a little, “I’m seventeen so… almost twins!”
“I guess, yes.” Number 269 had finished her rice by then, and found herself not feeling quite like eating any more than that. “Would my twin enjoy my salad and pudding?”
Nala stared for a second, worry clear on her face. “You need to eat properly, the games are hard, love. Please eat.”
“I know… I’m just not hungry. Please?”
The younger girl stared for a second or two, but then she just nodded, taking her box. “Thank you. Can I know what your name is, though?”
Number 269 hesitated, only to mumble a little “September. It’s September.”
Nala was about to speak, but she was interrupted by agents making their way inside, her smile fading away immediately, fear in her eyes, leaving September to question just why, exactly, was she here, if she was so terrified of the agents. Maybe she was forced there, too.
“Attention, it’s now the time to use the bathrooms. You may only go two at a time, and you will be led by one of our agents. Any attempt to run away will lead to an immediate elimination. You have five minutes each. Showers will be had after dinner, this is only for bodily functions. If you wish to go to the bathroom, place yourself in a proper line in front of the door.” Nala got up first, and September followed closely after. She didn’t quite need to go, but might as well grab the chance to go now, considering she likely wouldn’t be able to until after dinner.
Days in the dorms proved themselves to have the potential to be terribly boring. Thankfully, Nala was there to make September’s slightly more enjoyable. They spent dinner together too, and they only parted ways for the showers, only to come back to hang out afterwards.
So, the pair was left sitting next to one another on September’s bed, Nala braiding the other’s hair as she talked, only to untie them and begin again, in a loop. It helped her focus, she said, and the older girl truly didn’t mind.
“You know,” She started, looking at the other girl’s raven hair, “My mum used to braid my hair often. Not like this, usually, but it always ended up looking really cute. I’m an only child, so she was very dedicated to my hair and my hair only.”
“I was an only child too, but my mum never had time for my hair or anything similar. My mum and dad worked here as well, you know?”
“The games?”
September shook her head, “Hydra. It’s why I’m here, why everyone here is, actually. My mum committed suicide… she’s the one we’re meant to replace.”
“Oh… I’m really sorry, Sept.”
“It’s okay,” She sighed, “She was a bitch anyways. I just wish I wasn’t here, but my dad threatened my daughter, so…”
“You were forced here too? I wasn’t forced by my parents though… I got with Hydra to find money for them, we struggle greatly financially. We were in Italy before this, but that sucked, so we hoped America would be better. It wasn’t. Now, I thought maybe if I got in a higher position, they would pay me more.”
“Well, I hope you win.”
Nala couldn’t help but look down, hands dropping, letting go of September’s hair. “I wish we both could.”
Once again, the bell rang. As loud as the last time, making Nala jump up, sitting on the bed. On the side was September, covering her ears with both hands, still lying down. Finally, though, the noise stopped, and Nala looked down at the sleepy girl next to her, a smile on her face. “Good morning!”
September turned over on the bed, face facing downwards, drowned in the pillow. “Shut uppp, it’s never a good morning with this goddamn bell!” Her voice was muffled, but she was definitely whining, and Nala couldn’t help but find it absolutely adorable.
“Come on, at least you get some breakfast?”
“Fuck breakfast.”
“I’ll feed you it.”
The older girl threw the pillow away, eyes wide. “You can’t take it back now.”
“That was never a part of the plan. Now get up!”
“Ugh, fine!” She sat up, pouty, her eyes half closed still, the younger girl laughing at the poor sleepy girl, “Don’t laugh, you’re evil!”
“I’m not! You just look so cute!”
“I do not!” She groaned, getting up, Nala smiling at her ever so softly as September laid her head on her shoulder, arms hugging Nala’s arm.
“Say ahh–”
The agents walked in, leaving September with her mouth open waiting for food and Nala, scared by the sudden “intrusion”, accidentally dropping the croissant on the floor. In the older girl’s heart, that felt way more like a tragedy than the death of two hundred people the day earlier. Maybe that’s just what she gets for waking up so late, though.
“Attention, the second game will begin soon. Follow the same rules as yesterday. No personal belongings allowed.”
The pair looked at one another, Nala speaking up first. “What do you think we will have to play this time?”
“I have no idea, guess we’ll see?”
Walking through the corridors wasn’t quite as scary when holding Nala’s hand, whispering about whatever – often gossip about the other players. Turns out, going to the bathrooms in pairs was not quite the best idea, and neither was everyone having the showers around the same time – though supposedly in different stalls. Still, it was better than people having sex in the dorms where everyone slept. September just noted she should be more careful touching anything around there from then on.
After what barely felt like a minute, they got in front of the door, a bright arcade-like writing spelling out “PAC-MAN” in all caps on top of it.
“Attention, place yourselves in a one-by-one line so you’ll be searched for any possible personal belongings. After that, you will be blindfolded for the game and brought inside. The rules will be explained once there.”
With that, agents started searching everyone, uncomfortably making sure to touch just about everywhere, September having to resist the urge to kick someone in the face. Just as her agent was done, a gunshot was heard, loud enough to make everyone jump, including her. Shortly after, two more were heard. Apparently, they hadn’t left their stuff back there – likely having wrongfully assumed they wouldn’t search them again. Then, everything went black, and she felt two hands on her arms, firmly leading her to what she assumed was the room.
When the blindfold was finally taken off, she found herself in a big room, four big walls surrounding them, with one big doorway in front of them. The agents were nowhere to be seen, except for the one they had now grown accustomed to seeing, him being the only one to speak to them.
“Attention, the rules will now be explained.” He started, his expression and voice both being as emotionless as always, “You are now in the middle of a maze. To win, you must find your way out and avoid the ghosts – our agents assigned with the mission of killing anyone they see on sight. There are exactly four scattered around the maze. I repeat, You are now in the middle of a maze. To win, you must find your way out and avoid the ghosts – our agents assigned with the mission of killing anyone they see on sight. There are exactly four scattered around the maze. Now, may the games begin.”
With that, he placed himself in a corner, watching everyone run off into the maze, September and Nala holding hands as they did so, not wanting to lose one another and not be able to find them in the middle of the crowd.
“Left or right?” Nala asked, leaving September deep in thought for a second or two. As if on cue, a loud gunshot was heard from their right.
“Definitely left.”
The pair was quick to make the turn, only to find themselves with another choice to make: front, left or right. September bit her lip nervously, hearing gunshots come from their left. Definitely not left again, but that left two choices still. And they had to hurry, or they might get caught.
Quickly, she dragged Nala to go to their right, thanking God, or whoever was there to listen, that they did not end up in a no-way street. Still, there were too many ways yet again, same options as the first time: left or right. This time, though, Nala made the choice, going to their left.
“If we go right, we are just going back.” She explained, whisperng to avoid grabbing the agents’ attention, as they turned right again, it being the only way they could go, before being faced with another choice: left, right or front. More gunshots were heard echoing through the maze, coming from behind them this time. They had to be quick.
Nala turned around, and she couldn’t help but scream when she saw someone move. Someone with a gun. Quickly, she dragged September to their left again, and then again to their left, hearing constant gunshots from behind.
“Fuck!” She turned around in horror, September having fallen down, her leg bleeding. They didn’t have time for her to recover, but she couldn’t leave her there. So, she hurried to pick her up, the girl’s arms around her neck and her legs around her waist, and she ran as fast she could manage, taking the first turn she found, to their right, a bullet almost hitting her in the process.
In front of them was a big door, the flashy words “GAME OVER, WINNER” in all caps on top of it, and Nala didn’t recall ever pushing a door open as fast as she had that day.
There were only three other players in the room, two of them covered in blood and, judging from how they looked, Nala assumed it was not theirs. Slowly, she put September down, placing a kiss on her forehead, only to then place her hands over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
“You’ll be fine, okay?” It felt more like she was reassuring herself rather than September, really, but still. She couldn’t let her die. Then, she spotted an agent. “Hey, you! She won, you can’t let her die!” She yelled, panic almost dripping from her voice. The agent stared for a second or two, then she looked over at another agent, who nodded, allowing her to go grab a cartoonish-looking first-aid kit, sitting down next to September, fixing her injury up without a single word, the two girls being left staring in a mixture of relief and confusion.
Well, at least they won.