Chapter Text
Caden shuffled along the cracked asphalt, his sneakers barely making a sound against the silence of the Borderlands. He clutched his elbows tightly, his shoulders curled inward like he was bracing for some invisible impact. The oppressive stillness pressed down on him, interrupted only by the occasional rustle of a dry leaf or a distant, hollow echo.
Caden’s legs ached, his body weary from walking all day. The cracked roads and endless stretches of barren land had offered no sign of life, no sign of him, of John.
John, who could disarm him with a smile and destroy him with a word. John, who never cared for Caden the way Caden cared for him, but who always made sure Caden needed him.
The thought of John tightened the knot in his stomach. It wasn’t just that he didn’t know where John was, it was the uncertainty of what John would do if they did find each other. Would he dismiss Caden’s concern like he always did? Twist his words, make Caden feel like he was overreacting again?
Still, even with that fear lodged deep in his chest, Caden couldn’t stop searching. He couldn’t bear the idea of being alone.
As the sun dipped lower, the sky bled into a deep orange, casting long shadows over the broken landscape. Caden wiped the sweat from his brow, his shirt damp and clinging to his back. His throat felt dry, and the weight of the oppressive silence was almost too much to bear.
Then, as the first stars began to peek through the darkening sky, a sudden click echoed through the air.
Caden froze. In the distance, a faint light flickered.
One by one, billboards lining the road lit up, their neon lettering casting eerie glows over the cracked pavement. Each sign was old and weathered, with peeling paint and rust creeping along the edges, but their messages were impossible to miss:
"This way to the Game Area."
Caden stopped, staring at the faded lettering. The word "Game" made his stomach churn, but he didn’t have another plan. The thought of standing still, waiting, doing nothing… it was unbearable.
Caden swallowed hard, his mouth dry. He glanced around, half-expecting someone to jump out of the shadows, but the landscape remained still. The billboards buzzed faintly, their lights humming in the quiet. There had not been a sign of life in the abandoned city. Would this guide him to people?
With nowhere else to go, he followed the only light the world offered at the moment, and walked the trail that led him to who knows where.
The building felt out of place, like it had been dropped into the middle of nowhere. Overgrown grass and broken slabs of concrete filled the space, and a strange tension hung in the air. Caden hesitated at the edge of the clearing, his fingers twitching nervously at his sides. As Caden stepped into the space, he noticed a figure perched on one of the slabs next to a closed door, knees pulled tightly to his chest.
The boy looked up as Caden approached, his wide eyes darting toward him. He had the look of someone who was ready to bolt at any moment, like a skittish animal cornered by an invisible predator.
"Uh, hey," Caden said, his voice quiet. He winced at how small he sounded but didn’t dare speak louder. It was so quiet in this empty place that his voice sounded louder than he had expected, despite his low volume.
The boy stared at him for a long moment before finally responding. "Who are you?"
"I’m... I’m Caden," he said, shifting awkwardly. "I don’t really know what’s going on. Where did everyone go?"
“I.. don’t know.” The other answered as he took an examining look at Caden. The boy’s shoulders relaxed slightly. "I'm Aster," he said, his voice was barely louder than a whisper. “I think you have to take one of those.”
Caden followed the direction the kid’s finger pointed at and saw a small table. On top of it lay a few phones, and a note that says, “ONE EACH”. He took one and glanced back at the other, and quickly noticed that Aster was holding one as well. When Caden looked back at the phone in his hand, the screen suddenly flashed, and a voice came from the device.
“GAME. Welcome Player. Please wait for the game to commence. Currently, there are two players. Three minutes remaining till registration is closed.”
Caden’s eyes were stuck to the screen. A game? The billboards had said the same thing. What did any of this mean?
They fell into an uneasy silence, the weight of the Borderlands pressing down on both of them. Caden took a few steps closer to the new kid, Aster, to feel some sort of safety of being with another person, just a little bit of familiarity. It was quiet between the two, a moment of peace but there were so many questions unanswered. Caden noticed the way Aster’s hands fidgeted, his fingers twisting at his sleeves. "Are you okay?"
Aster gave a weak shrug. "I feel... normal, I guess? But not? I feel weird. Like I’m me but not me." He frowned, clearly frustrated. "I don’t know how to explain it."
Caden nodded slowly, though he didn’t entirely understand. The teenager looked normal enough to him. There was nothing outstanding about him, unless we were talking about the fact he was missing about 60% of his pinkie finger. "It’s okay," he said. "I don’t think any of this really makes sense."
A faint smile ghosted across Aster’s lips. For a moment, they sat in silence, appreciating each other's comapny for the small moment. Finally, Caden said, "We should stick together. If that’s okay with you."
Aster hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Okay.
Before they could say more, three others entered the clearing. One of them was a tall, sharp-featured girl with an air of defiance. The second was a burly man in his twenties, and the third was a younger, nervous-looking guy who seemed to shrink under the tall girl’s commanding presence. The last guy looked as nervous as Caden felt. They all grabbed a phone off the table. The way they did it gave Caden the feeling this was something they were familiar with.
Before Caden could even think of asking them a question or introducing himself, a loud chime echoed across the clearing.
“Registration is now closed. The game will now commence.”
Aster stood up from his sitting position, and glanced at Caden, and then his eyes darted to the strangers that had just joined the game.
“Game; “Shifting hunt”. Difficulty: four of clubs. Rule: Find your way through the maze. Beware of shifting walls, hidden traps, and hunters. Clear condition: Find the lever inside the maze within the time limit.
The large door before them suddenly opened, and inside the building a giant maze could be seen. Caden’s throat tightened. "Hunters?" he whispered.
No one answered.
The tall girl wasted no time. "We’ll cover more ground if we split up," she said.
Caden hesitated, his stomach twisting. "I- I don’t know if that’s a good idea," he said quietly, his voice faltering. "If we split up, we could get lost. Or worse..."
The girl snorted. "Fine, stay here if you’re scared. I’m not wasting time babysitting." She motioned for the burly man to follow her, and the two disappeared into the maze without a second glance.
The nervous-looking guy lingered, glancing at Caden and Aster. "I’ll stay with you," he mumbled.
"Okay," Caden said, trying to muster a smile.
“I’m Rowan. Thanks for letting me team with you two.” The man smiled meekly at the two, holding onto his wrist. Caden could see the small bloodstains on the man’s clothes, unsure if he should trust this man, but the more the merrier. It could be useful to team up with someone who knew a little bit more of these games. He quickly introduced himself and Aster before they stepped in the maze.
The maze was a nightmare. The walls shifted unpredictably, blocking paths, and opening new ones without warning. Every step felt like a gamble, the air thick with tension. Occasionally Caden would take a look on the phone in his hands, checking how much time there was left. They had started with 30 minutes, and they had already used half of it.
They moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing faintly. Caden’s heart hammered in his chest, every shadow and sound setting his nerves on edge. The trio had been wandering around in the maze, carefully avoiding pressure plates embedded in the ground. The shifting walls making them walk in circles. At one point a wall had almost crushed Caden, but Rowan had been in time to pull Caden away. None of them had heard or seen a sign of the other two players.
Then, faintly, Caden heard it: footsteps.
At first, he thought it might be the others. But the sound was too deliberate, too heavy. Someone was walking with a purpose, determined to achieve their goal.
Aster stiffened beside him. "Hunters," he whispered.
Before Caden could respond, a figure emerged from the shadows. The man was tall and broad, his face obscured by a mask. He carried a rifle, its barrel gleaming faintly in the dim light. His movement came to a stop as if he was a robot. And then- his head slowly turned 90 degrees like an owl would, the thick glasses in his mask landing on the three comrades. As if the sight of the players send of some sort of trigger, the hunter pointed his rifle at them.
"Run!" Caden hissed, grabbing Aster’s arm.
They bolted down the corridor, Rowan trailing behind them, breathing heavily and cursing prayers as the adrenaline began to really kick in. The hunter gave chase, his boots pounding against the ground.
They turned a corner, only to find themselves face-to-face with another hunter. This one wielded a long, serrated spear.
"We’re trapped," Rowan whimpered nervously, a look of despair on his face.
Caden’s mind raced. His eyes darted around, searching for an escape. "There!" he said, pointing to a narrow gap between two walls.
Aster immediately scrambled through the gap and Caden pushed himself after Aster, but the nervous guy hesitated. He stood frozen, face to face with the hunter.
Caden turned his head around to see if they all made it through the small gap but stiffened as he only saw Aster on the other side. In an instant, Caden peered through the gap again. He could see Rowan, slowly taking a step back from the hunter. The two hunters were closing in on the defenceless man. Caden watched in terror and found his voice to speak. “Rowan! Come on quick! We can make it-”
It was already too late… Right in front of Caden the spear-wielding hunter lunged, driving the blade straight through Rowan’s chest. The guy let out a strangled gasp, his body crumpling to the ground. The hunter pulled his spear out with ease, and the hunter with the rifle approached the gap, aiming his gun at Caden, who stared in horror, his breaths coming in short, panicked bursts. Aster grabbed his arm, pulling him forward right before the gunshots could be heard. "We have to go," he said urgently.
Caden nodded, forcing himself to move.
The two ran through the maze, not looking behind. A voice chimed through the building, declaring there were only five minutes remaining. The duo turned corner after corner, climbing over obstacles and dodging potential danger. And then, they found the lever on a pedestal, surrounded by spinning blades. The trap made them stop in their tracks. Aster leaned with one hand on the wall, staring at the lever. Caden could hear him mumble something through his ragged breath but couldn’t make out what he said, except for the four words “if only I had..”. There was no time to waste. What if the hunters came back? He had to do something, it was now or never.
“I’ll go.”
Aster perked up, giving Caden a look that said, “Are you crazy?!” But before Aster could protest Caden spoke again.
“It’s better if only one person goes instead of risking the both of us. I…” He paused, looking away from Aster. Images of Rowan being impaled by a spear flashed through his mind. He knew he couldn't handle to see something similar. He didn’t want such thing to happen again. Aster moved towards him, placing a hand on Caden’s shoulder, making the boy flinch for a second. Aster gave Caden a weak smile, an attempt to comfort him. “I’ll guide you. We can do this.”
Caden mirrored the smile, a hint of determination in his eyes. And after a minute, Caden stepped into the danger. Aster had analysed the spinning blades and then told Caden what the safest way to go was, and promised to guide Caden through the danger. Caden’s hands shook as he timed his movements, narrowly avoiding the deadly traps and trusting Aster's guidance and math.
He darted through the blades, narrowly avoiding their deadly edges while Aster told him when to stop, when to move or to go left. His foot slipped at the last second, and a blade grazed his ankle, drawing blood. He bit back a cry but made it to the other side.
He stood in front of the lever and pulled it. He just wanted to get this over with. He wanted to get out of this nightmare. The second he pulled the lever, all the machinery halted and stopped working as if the power had been cut short. He glanced back at Aster, who looked as hopeful as he was. Then, a voice chimed through the large building.
“Game. Complete.”
Aster rushed through the now motionless field of spinning saws and wrapped his arms around Caden, not caring if Caden would push him away or not. He couldn’t believe they had made it! They had completed the game! “Don’t ever do something like that again! Next time we’ll figure something out, we-”
He was cut off by the sounds of a few explosions, and the two instantaneously pulled away from each other, ready for whatever these explosions were. But nothing came… It was dead silent. For another minute they looked around, before Caden spoke up.
“Let’s get out of here..”
The walk back to the exit was a lot easier now that all the traps were disabled. Caden his ankle ached from the sharp cut, but he managed to walk. In the distance lay something on the ground, and Caden was quick to recognise the figure as one of the hunters, except the hunter lay motionless on the ground. The duo carefully walked closer, and a feeling of disturbance grew over them when they saw the giant wound in the neck. Blood was splattered all around him, as if something had exploded in his neck. Aster pulled Caden away from the sight, his own eyes shaky and firm to the ground.
When they finally escaped the maze, their clothes were torn, their bodies battered, and their minds reeling.
"We made it," Aster said, his voice trembling.
Caden looked back at the maze, his stomach churning. "Not all of us," he whispered.
They stumbled out into the night, the memory of the hunter’s spear piercing through Rowan's body burned into Caden’s mind.
He wasn’t sure what scared him more; the maze, the hunters, or the knowledge that the games were only just beginning.