Chapter Text
“Are you serious?”
Her voice sounded through their shared bedroom as she yelled at the other person speaking through the phone. Her long brown hair was tied up in a bun as she just finished her shower for the night. The grip on her phone grew tighter and her hand felt clammy.
“You charged me for it, what do you mean you're shutting down?!”
Ada raised her voice in frustration. This company was her last hope after so many others turned them down. She shook her head before taking a slow breath to try to clear her head. She didn't want to risk her chances of getting her husband some help because she said something without a clear mind.
“Can I at least get a percentage back? Mental health isn't very affordable right now and-”
The sound of the connected bathroom door opening stole the psychologist’s attention. Ada looked up at her husband as he stood in the doorway. His dark, messy hair was still wet. The shirt he had on was loose and a bit big on him, slipping off a shoulder.
“Ma'am, unfortunately there's nothing we can do. You paid for the services and you attended half of the sessions. Like the terms and services say, once you attend a third of the sessions, there are no refunds.”
The man on the other line spoke. Ada gritted her teeth as she stared at Emil. She stood up from the bed and nodded towards it, silently telling Emil to get ready. Ada grabbed her cream colored cardigan before leaving the room.
Emil watched her leave, his gaze lingering on the door. He then looked down at his scarred thumbs then at the bedside table.
Everything on the table was in place besides an old clock that Ada's father gave her before she moved out. He crawled to the other side of the bed and reached out to move it back in place. Before he touched it, he spotted a small card on the table. It wasn't flashy by any means. It was an old cardboard brown with minimal black text on it.
Emil glanced back at the door then the card on the table, conflicted. It wasn't his, meaning it was Ada's. He didn't want to invade her privacy despite being married. Though he was human so naturally, he was curious.
He slowly picked up the card and flipped it over, expecting to see a picture of whoever gave her that card. Before he could see, Ada's voice and footsteps grew louder. Emil quickly put the card back and fixed the clock before sitting in the middle of their shared bed.
Ada came in, her hands in her hair and a stressed expression on her face. Emil didn't know what happened, but he assumed it had something to do with him. Everytime she looked like that, it was related to him and his recovery.
He hated it.
“A-Are.. Are you okay..?” Emil hesitantly asked. The answer was obvious, but he didn't know what else to say.
“... It's about me, isn't it?” He lowered his head and looked back at his hands, guilt eating him alive. He knew he had nothing to be sorry for. Nothing was his fault and she wanted to help him. But something in the back of his head insisted he was a monster. That he was ruining his wife's life.
“Don't say that.. It's nothing for you to worry about, okay? I'll take care of it, you focus on getting ready for bed.” Ada came over and put one knee on the bed as she leaned in and kissed his forehead. She messed up his hair, earning a small pout from the man; that mere expression managed to get a smile from her. Seeing his wife smile at times like these sparked something inside Emil. Something that brought more light into his dark, monochromatic world..
“Do you think you could try hypnotherapy tomorrow?” Ada's voice knocked him out of his daze and he blinked at her and nodded. He wasn't positive that it would work and he was smart enough to know that Ada knew that too. Although he knew it was most likely hopeless, he didn't want to upset or disappoint Ada.
Ada nods and rubs Emil's head before getting off the bed to retrieve a towel for his hair.
“Don't forget to dry your hair, darling.. You'll get sick if you sleep with it wet.” Ada scolded as she put the towel on Emil's head and dried it for him. Emil hummed in acknowledgement at her words. He enjoyed this.. The simple task of Ada messing with his hair, or his face, or his clothes, or just doing anything with Ada.
She was paradise.. Although Ada herself insists they're far from it, Emil knows they're already there. He doesn't need anything else.
The morning sun peeked through the curtains of the quiet bedroom. The distant sound of the bathroom sink was heard as Ada brushed her teeth. As always, Emil stayed in the room, picking out clothes for his wife. He held up a long, flowy white dress and looked at the red sweater on the bed. He smiled and placed the dress down, satisfied with his decision. He remembered this outfit from when they went out to shop for groceries one day. She looked much happier and free that day. Every step she took was confident; every look at him was genuine and bright.. It was almost as if she had hope for their future. Nowadays, Emil never saw that look. Ada had her moments, but they weren't the same.
The look in her eyes wasn't Ada.
“You finished, dear?” Ada hummed as she came out the bathroom, a towel draped over her shoulders. She looked at the outfit and smiled.
“Y-yes.. I got your.. Outfit ready for you..” Emil stepped back to let Ada look over his choices. He watched her movements carefully as she picked up the dress. She didn't smile nor did she frown. Was the outfit not matching? Should he have ironed it first? Or maybe that wasn't the right combination.
“Ada..?” Emil mumbled, looking over her shoulder, trying to read her expression. Something was clearly wrong. He couldn't tell what she was thinking and that was somewhat rare. He didn't like being left out, especially when it came to Ada.
“Yes? What's the matter? Is your head hurting?” Emil watched as she looked over him with concern. He felt her trembling hold on his arms.
“I am okay..”
He wasn't. He wasn't ever okay, but he felt worse when Ada wasn't okay. Emil was meant to take all of that and she was supposed to be the healthy one. She didn’t deserve to feel the way he felt. He didn’t want her to fall victim to the darkness.
“Alright then. Go ahead and get dressed, darling. We have errands to run in town.” Ada gave a nod, deciding to just let it go for now; Emil knew she’d give him the chance to speak up himself first. He turned towards the closet and pulled out a simple pair of black jeans and a white long sleeve shirt. He quickly slipped on his pants and pulled the shirt over his head. Once he was dressed, Ada grabbed his coat off the hook on the back of their bedroom door and gently placed it on his shoulders. She ran a hand through his messy hair and gave him a quick peck on the lips. Emil smiled at the gesture and shoved his arms into the coat then zipped it up. He looked over at her as she also put her jacket on.
Ada makes sure to grab her purse before leaving. Emil locks the door behind them and they walk hand and hand down the dirt road towards the bus stop. Once they reached the bus stop, Ada lead Emil to sit on the bench.
“Here, dear. Sit down while we wait.” Emil nodded and followed her orders. His gaze shifted to the flowers as they danced in the wind. They reminded him of the moments from their first nights in their small cottage house. The way Ada danced with him in front of the fireplace. When Ada still felt like Ada.
Once the two arrive in town, Ada took Emil’s hand in hers to make sure he didn't get lost. They got off the subway and went up the stairs. Ada led him to the shopping center they always shopped at.
When they arrived, Ada handed him a small pouch of coins, letting Emil enjoy himself while she ran her errands. He happily accepted the pouch and turned towards the small, family run cafe that he enjoyed. He walked down the shopping centre with a small pump in his step. He looked in all the windows of the clothing stores he passed on the way. In one of the stores, there was a black dress on display. It had a long back piece with a dark pink rose in the front on the waist. It was sleeveless but had long black gloves with smaller roses. A black piece matched the black and transparent veil.
Emil found himself lost in the mental picture of Ada wearing it. He smiled as a new goal was given to him. He needed to buy the dress for Ada.
He looked down at the pouch in his hands and slowly counted the coins. He only had twenty dollars. Emil bit his lip and furrowed his brows, staring at the price tag on the dress. He was nowhere close to buying it. He considered keeping the coins and saving up until he got enough for the dress.. But that would take a long time and he didn’t want to lie and steal from Ada.
He looked further down the sidewalk and saw the cafe. He glanced back at the dress before making his way towards the cafe. Maybe he would get Ada a pastry instead. It wasn't comparable to the pretty dress, but it was all he had at the moment. He knew Ada was working overtime to keep them somewhat stable, and he was too mentally unwell to handle a job, so she was practically working for the both of them.
He arrived at the cafe, but before he opened the door, he spotted a tall man in a top hat. He wore a blank mask and placed a suitcase down on a bench. He spoke to another man; one that wore a dirty green shirt with overalls. He had a large scar on the right side of his face that was poorly hidden by the black hair. The most interesting part was the game they were playing. The man with a scar kept throwing a blue square at a red one. Everytime he missed, the man in the suit slapped him.
Emil winced at a relatively harder hit. The man in green stumbled back and held his cheek. They shared a few words before the man tried again and hit the red square, flipping it over. The man pumped his fist up and jumped before shoving the man in the top hat back. The man opened his suitcase, causing Emil to freeze.
In the suitcase, there was hundreds of dollars in cash. The man with the scar looked skeptical but took the money presented to him. The man in the suit spoke and handed the other man something else before walking away.
Emil stared at the suitcase in the top hat man's hands, considering asking to play the game. If he took a chance, he’d be able relieve some stress from Ada. If he won, then they could be happier. But something about it felt off. He got a bad feeling about it, but shrugged it off as a fear of getting hit. He didn’t know the rules of the game, but from what he saw, he assumed that you had to hit the red square and flip it over with the blue one. Everytime you missed, the man in the suit would hit you. When you won, you got a few hundred dollars.
Emil looked down at the pouch of coins in his hands and shook his head. He didn’t want to strike up a conversation with the man. Something about him felt intimidating. He opened the cafe door, heading to the counter. The woman there gave Emil a soft smile as she finished up with the previous person’s order.
“Good morning, Emil. Here for the usual?” She greeted him. Emil shook his head and opened the pouch and took out the coins.
“No.. I wanted the… strawberry cake..” He pointed at the picture on the menu for the strawberry shortcake. The woman looked at the picture and nodded. She punched the order in and instructed Emil to have a seat as he waited. As he waited, he stared out the window at the area where the two men were. He stared at the now empty bench in front of a fountain, lost in thought. What if he just gave up a chance at helping Ada? Should he have just gone over and asked to get a chance to play? There is a chance that he could’ve won the first try and wouldn’t even get slapped. After all, he loved all sorts of games and played them a lot while Ada was at work and he had already finished cleaning the house.
After a while, Emil heard his name be called and he went up to get the small cake. He gave his thanks and left the cafe, getting ready to head to his and Ada’s meeting spot. He glanced at the clock on the side of a building, taking a moment to remember how to read one properly before smiling. He had some free time before Ada would be done. He trotted over to the bench in front of the fountain and checked how much coins he had left over.
The sound of the subway station was slightly overwhelming, but it wasn’t busy. Ada knew he didn’t like large crowds so she always planned for the early mornings so the crowds aren’t a problem for him. Emil went towards a nearby bench and took a seat. He smiled at the cake in his lap, eager to see his wife’s reaction to it.
“Excuse me, sir. My name is Jack, I was wondering if you would be interested in playing a game with me?” A new voice made Emil jump. He looked up at the person in front of him and froze.
The man in the top hat.
“O-oh.. uhm, I’m waiting for someone-” Emil mumbled, pulling the cake closer to him, almost protectively. He stared at the whipped frosting and strawberries at the top.
“Are you sure? How about this, If you win, I’ll give you.. Two hundred? One for you and one for your friend you’re waiting on.” The man, Jack, offered. He took a seat next to Emil and opened his suitcase, showing off the hundreds in cash.
It was the same man as before.
Emil took a moment to think about it. Even if it wasn’t nearly enough, it was still money that Ada wouldn’t have to work for. He’d give her the two hundred and she could put it towards his recovery.
Emil looked back up at Jack, who moved the blank mask off to the side of his head. Jack’s hair covered his eyes, but seeing the lower half of the man’s face made Emil somewhat more relaxed.
“What’s the game..?” Emil hesitantly asked. If he knew the rules of the game, then it might help make the choice easier.
Jack nodded and stood up. He then pulled out two square envelopes, a red and a blue one. “Djaki. Do you know how to play?” He held both squares out for the choice of Emil. Emil studied the two squares and took the blue one.
“I do not..” Emil’s response got a low chuckle out of Jack. Emil was about to hand the square back but Jack took a step back and crossed his arms.
“It's easy. All you have to do is flip my envelope with yours. We take turns. Whoever loses owes the other person a hundred dollars.” Jack tossed his envelope on the ground and gestured Emil to take his turn.
Emil slowly shook his head and set the cake aside before standing up and tried to give the blue envelope back. Jack, once again, stepped back. Emil looked down at his envelope before mumbling.
“I cannot play.. I don’t have money to give you if I lose..” Jack chuckled at Emil’s explanation.
“Then you’ll have to pay another way.. Hmm..Perhaps physically then?” Jack said then motioned for Emil once again.
Emil blushed slightly and shook his head again. “I’m married and I-”
Jack cut him off with a laugh and waved his hand dismissively. “Please. I have no interest in men.. Besides, I simply meant that everytime you lose, I'll slap you. Fair? It’ll be entertaining for me and that is enough payment.” Jack smirked at the much shorter man. Emil stared at his envelope once again, clearly conflicted.
Jack stepped closer and leaned into Emil’s space. “Listen, I know you saw me playing with someone else. I gave them the money in the end, didn’t I? Two or Three strikes for a hundred dollars? Doesn’t seem bad at all.”
Emil studied the man’s face before crumbling under the pressure. He nodded and that satisfied Jack. He stepped back and motioned for Emil to strike. This time, Emil held onto his envelope and threw it at the red one on the ground. He missed by a few inches. Emil frowned at his failure and moved to pick it up only to be stopped. Jack picked up his envelope and threw it on the ground, successfully flipped the blue one over. Jack made eye contact with Emil then slapped him across the face, painfully hard. It took a small yelp from Emil and he stumbled back. His body weight was already very low from his time spent in the asylum. He held his cheek and tried to focus his spinning vision on Jack. He could vaguely make out the smug expression on his face.
“Did you forget? Everytime you lose, you get a slap in exchange for owing money.” Jack chuckled before picking up Emil’s envelope. Emil looked at the envelope and shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He tightened his grip on the square then threw it. This time, it hit Jack’s, but it didn't flip. Emil watched Jack pick up the red one and throw it. He flinched at the quick movement of the man’s hand, which was quickly followed by a loud slam. Emil managed to see the red square flipped his over. He looked up at Jack and seconds later, he was knocked to the side from another hard slap.
About five minutes passed and Emil was holding onto the bench for support. His vision was blurring and his head was spinning. He knew he should stop before his recovery is set back even more.. But Ada was constantly stressed out because of money, or lack thereof. He shook his head and stood back up.
“I-I..I can do one more..” Emil held his envelope. He blinked and raised his arm before slamming it on the ground with every ounce of strength his weak body had. He stumbled forwards from the force of his movements and shut his eyes when he hit the floor. He let out a groan, a hand moving to hold his head.
“Congratulations.. You did it.” Jack said as he held a hand out to Emil. Emil looked up at the man then down at the two envelopes,the red one successfully turned over. Emil gave a weak smile before taking Jack's hand and was pulled up to his feet. He stumbled over his own feet, his head spinning. He blinked a few times in an attempt to clear up his vision.
“As promised, two hundred..” Jack placed two folded hundred dollar bills in Emil's hand. Emil looked down at the money.
“Also, my business card.. Call the number on it for a chance to win even more money.” Jack discreetly placed a brown card in Emil's hand. One side had a circle, triangle, and square on it. The other had a phone number.
Emil looked back up, about to say something but froze when Jack was nowhere to be seen. He looked back down at the card before flinching at a hand on his shoulder. He quickly swung around, only to see his wife.
“Ada.”
“.. Are you okay, Emil? You look dazed.. And are you hurt?” Ada grabbed Emil's chin, turning his head to the side to inspect his face. Emil kept his eyes on her with a smile.
“I'm okay, Ada. I think I can help you.” He stepped back and shoved the card into the pocket of his jacket. He then grabbed the small strawberry shortcake and offered it to Ada. She smiled and let out a soft laugh.
“You better not have gotten into a fight for that.. Thank you, dear.. We can eat it once we get home.” Ada held her hand out for Emil to take, which he gladly accepted. The two walked down to the train platform, ready to head home.
The next day, Ada and Emil were sitting at the dining table, eating their breakfast of pancakes and eggs. Ada quickly finished her food before she stood up and carried her plate to the sink. She turned towards Emil, her brown hair bounced with the movement.
“Hon, do you mind doing the dishes? I’m running a little late.” Ada asked while grabbing her purse and checking to see if everything she needed was inside. Emil gave her a nod and put a forkful of pancakes into his mouth with a soft hum.
Ada sighed and walked back over to her husband and ran her hand through his hair. He closed his eyes, relishing the gentle touch. He resisted the urge to whine when she moved her hand away.
“Alright, thank you. I’ll be heading out now. I love you, Emil.”
Emil smiled and watched Ada rush out the door. She clutched her purse to her chest and almost stumbled out the door. Then, the front door shut and the house fell quiet.
Emil continued to slowly finish his food. He stared out the window and at their garden, specifically at a squirrel sitting on the fence.
Once he finished, he carefully placed his dishes in the sink and walked over to the sliding back door. He opened it and walked to the edge of the porch. He sat down then leaned back against the railing. He closed his eyes, taking in the fresh air for a moment.
It's been a few years since Ada saved him from the asylum. It's been a year since Ada pushed him to be more independent. He had a phone in case of emergencies and his heart rate was tracked constantly to make sure she knows if he's having an episode. The system has been doing well; he's only called her six times and she's only gotten off work twice because of an episode.
After a while, Emil opened his eyes and took a heavy breath. He sat up straighter and stared at the blades of grass swaying in the wind. It reminded him of Ada. Her hair. It was always soft yet messy. Some people called it unkempt, but to him, it was the most beautiful thing. Her hair danced in the wind and moved with her every action. There was never a time that it sat still.
The sound of a distant bird call knocked him out of his thoughts. He blinked before standing up, a little too fast as his vision blurred for a moment. He held his head with a groan and shut his eyes. When he opened them again he immediately went back inside, declaring that was enough time outside for now. He'll go back outside with Ada to help with gardening anyways.
When he went back inside and shut the door behind him, he spotted the jacket he wore The previous day and the memory slapped him back to reality. He trotted over to the jacket hanging on the back of the door and checked the pockets.
After a few moments, he pulled out the small card that the man, Jack, gave him. He stared at the shapes which looked somewhat familiar but shrugged them off. He flipped the card over and stared at the numbers. He looked around the room then walked over to the phone and dialed the number.
After minimal struggle, he placed the phone up to his ear and listened to it ring. It rang twice before an automated message came up.
“Thank you for calling. Please state your name and birthdate slowly and clearly.”
Emil hesitated. He didn't know his legal last name, nor did he know his birthday. He stared at the card in his hands for a moment. He flipped it over and stared at the three shapes before speaking. He needed money to make Ada happy. He needed his Ada back.
“E-Emil.. Mesmer… Uhm.. October 10th..?”
He so obviously sounded unsure and was about to hang up before the automated voice continued.
“Identity confirmed. Please be at your designated location on time. Your pick up location and time is,”
Emil quickly pulled out a random paper and a pen and quickly wrote down the time and address to the best of his ability. Before Emil could say anything, the call ended.
He stared at the card before shoving it back into the jacket's pocket. He stared at the phone screen before going to open the maps app. He typed in whatever he wrote and frowned.
Of course he didn't spell it right. He tried different variations of the address but nothing would pop up. After a few minutes of looking, he got a road. He looked at the pictures and frowned. It was a road a few miles away. He looked at the estimated time it would take to walk, but I said it was closer to two hours. He bit his lip before swiping out of the app. He could take a bus most of the way and walk the last thirty minutes. But another problem came up.
Money.
He needed money for the bus ride and he wouldn’t have enough to get a ride back home in case he didn't win. If he didn’t get home, he wouldn’t see Ada again, and the chances of being caught by a doctor from the asylum… The chances of getting sent back to that hell scared him. Getting sent back without Ada. He’d be alone in that place again.
He took a breath before staring at the small card. He stares at it for a long while, weighing his options. If he does go, there’s a chance he could make Ada happy, they’ll live without any worry. But, there’s also the fact he would get sent back to the Asylum and never see Ada again… If he doesnt, Ada might end up working herself into a grave. Her treatments aren’t working anymore and he knew he needed the extra help. If they couldn’t afford to get him that extra help, he wouldn’t be able to hold a job properly. And this endless cycle will just continue and he couldn’t bear to see his wife like that. But, at the same time, he’d never have to worry about leaving Ada.
After a minute of thought, he settled on his decision.
He needed his Ada back.
He needed to rekindle her light.
The cool, night air stung his face. He stared at the map on the phone, then looked around the area. He was standing on the side of the road, under an overpass. It was night and he had no clue where he was. He bit his lower lip and continued looking around, unsure of what exactly he’s waiting for.
After a few minutes, Emil spotted a figure that slowly walked over to him. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and kept his head down. Was this the person in charge of the game he’ll play? He watched the figure approach through the corner of his eye, staying cautious of potential danger.
“Hey, you waiting for someone? Need some help?” The man asked, leaning into Emil’s field of vision. He had a bandage over his left eye and an eerie smile that seemed to never go away or falter. HIs blonde hair looked like it was trying to hide the bandage, but at the same time, the man didn’t seem to care if it was visible much.
“...I am..” Emil mumbled quietly. He picked at the old pocket lint he kept, which was purposely kept in case he needed to fidget.
“Cool, me too.” The man smiled and backed up, finally giving Emil some air to breathe. “So.. My name’s Florian, what about you?”
The man, Florian, held out his hand for a shake. Emil just stared at it and blinked. He looked back up at Florian’s face, which had that everlasting smile, before reluctantly shaking hands. He felt like he’d be stalked if he didnt.. Something about the blond man made Emil feel… watched and analyzed. He hated it.
Emil looked down the road, just wanting for whoever his game master was to come back. He didn’t like Florian. To his right, he heard the man talking about god knows what. Emil slowly looked over towards Florian, hoping that his annoyance and dislike wasn’t evident on his face. Before he could say anything to Florian, a black vehicle slowed down by the two men.
Florian spun on his heel and stared at the car then glanced back at Emil.
“Ah.. I see, you’re here ‘cause of the business card too?” Florian's smile increased, which made Emil’s blood run cold. The way the streetlight hit Florian changed everything. Suddenly, Emil was hesitant to join the game. He almost turned around and was prepared to walk back home.
Almost.
The black minivan rolled down the window to reveal a person in a pink jumpsuit. Their face was covered and had a circle on it. They slowly turned their head towards the two and spoke in an obviously disguised voice.
“State your name and date of birth.”
Florian glanced at Emil, his smile faltering a bit, but it was barely noticeable.
“Florian Brand. May 2nd.” Florian said effortlessly. The masked person nodded then turned their attention towards Emil, who froze at the sudden attention.
“Uhm.. E-Emil..Mesmer… October 10th..?” Again. He sounded so unsure of himself. Florian raised an eyebrow at the man and was about to say something before the same disguised voice spoke once again.
“Identities confirmed, please take a seat.” Once they finished speaking the back door slowly opened. Emil felt cold despite it being summer. He gave an unsure glance towards Florian, who looked back at him. He nudged Emil’s shoulder and nodded towards the van.
“What are you waiting for? What’s the worst that could happen? We get kidnapped and murdered?” Florian joked with a laugh before getting into the vehicle. Emil felt so much worse. He genuinely thought about turning around and heading back home. Something, no- everything about this made him feel sick. Florian. The bare business card. The masked driver. The identity confirmations. It didn’t feel real.
Emil glanced at the driver before taking a breath.
He needed to help Ada.
Florian shuffled over to give Emil some space. He gave the nervous man a toothy grin in an attempt to calm his nerves. The door slowly closed after Emil got seated. Florian leaned forward, about to ask the masked driver something before he covered his mouth and coughed. Emil ignored it until Florian sounded like he was choking. Emil turned his head, now realizing just how blurry his vision was getting.
Was he having an episode? No. This was different. It didn’t feel the same, it didn't feel like his body was doing this to him. So why was he struggling so hard to see? Why couldn’t he breathe? Why couldn’t he stay conscious? No. Not here, not when he was about to help Ada. Not now. Not stuck in a vehicle with strangers. He couldn’t.
He had to stay awake.
He had…
To..
Stay..
The next thing Emil knew was noise. So much noise.
He groaned as he stirred awake. His eyes were heavy and his thoughts were foggy. He slowly sat up from what felt like a bed. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his head. When he was finally aware of his surroundings, he froze. He quickly looked around the large room of so many people. All visibly confused and disturbed..
He looked down at himself and found himself in a green and white tracksuit. He looked down and found he was in a middle row of bunk beds. He carefully climbed down and stepped towards the crowd, at the same time, making sure to keep his distance.
As reality set in, his blood went cold.
Where was Ada?
He quickly looked around and started making his way through the crowd. He mumbled small apologies every time someone looked at him. He could hear his heartbeat racing in his ears, screaming at him. He felt like his head was going to explode. His hearing was going out and everything sounded so hollow, so.. Muted. It was like he was suffocating in the pillows from the asylum again. The beds were the same ones at the hospital. The same uncomfortable, uniform beds. The same ones they strapped him to whenever he got too violent. The same ones he cried on. The same ones he tried to eliminate his doctor with.
The same ones he broke apart and made Ada’s wedding ring with.
He covered his mouth as his feet stopped moving through the crowd. He desperately looked around himself, trying to find anything that could hold him down. Anything that could keep him grounded to reality. He stared at the walls for a moment, noticing a small drawing of some sort.
“Wait… Oh shit! It is you! Emil!”
Hearing his name, Emil froze. He slowly turned around towards the energetic man.
Great, he was stuck here with Florian.
Florian threw an arm around Emil, and he immediately froze. He didn’t like being touched, it brought back too many memories that haunted him. And he couldn’t fight back when Florian dragged him over to two other people.
Emil stared at the other people, sitting on the steps to the beds. One had messy brown hair, similar to florian, he looked miserable, tired, and was missing his right eye.. He also had a horrible burn on that side of his face. Emil forced himself to look away and at the other person. She was a younger looking girl. Her hair was in two buns and she shared a similar smile to Florian. She had down turned eyes and freckles.
“Matthias, Lily, this is my new pal, Emil! Met him before we kinda got taken here. So he will join our little group.” Florian finally let go of Emil and nodded towards his two friends.
“Emil, this is Lily and the sad guy there is Matthias. We went to high school together.”
“We met a few times standing in the lunch line-” Matthias tried to explain, but Florian shushed him with a laugh.
“We’re best buds.”
Emil was immediately exhausted. He turned his head back towards the crowd, his eyes rapidly searching for Ada. He highly doubted that she was here anyways, but he clung to the small sliver of hope that she’d be here. At least that would make this situation a lot better. He would be able to think better with Ada around, or atleast trust himself around her. He felt like a ticking bomb. He didn’t know what these people wanted to do with him.
At first he doubted Flolrian, but seeing him in the same outfit as himself, he couldn’t bring himself to believe that. He started to tune out the conversations between the trio and daze off in his doubt.
His eyes lingered on the walls, staring at the figures that looked way too similar to people. Something about it felt off. They reminded him of the drawings the younger people at the asylum would leave on the walls if they needed help. He didn’t know why they gave him the same feeling.. But he hated it. It was starting to suffocate him.
Emil shook his head to clear his thoughts, but that was deemed unnecessary when the large doors in the front of the room opened and masked people in hot pink jumpsuits came marching in. Everyone went dead silent as the person with the square mask stepped forward.
“I would like to extend a hearty welcome to you all. All of you here will participate in six different games over six days. Those who win all six games will get a handsome cash prize.” They said with the same flat tone as the driver did..
“You kidnapped us!” A woman stepped up. Emill looked over at her as she shouted out. She had blonde hair that was tied into two twin braids. “You kidnapped us a-and now you’re saying that you’ll give us money for playing games?!”
Everyone looked at each other either nodding or mumbling. “Yeah- and you have the audacity to hide your faces after kidnapping us?!” Another man yelled.
Emil took a step back from the front, trying to hide himself a bit more from behind the bunked beds. He didn’t want to deal with this. There were too many people and he was unfamiliar with his surroundings. And he needed Ada.
“We reluctantly took those measures to maintain our confidentiality bringing you here. We will return everything once the games are over.” The square mask spoke once again. “Also, we do not disclose the faces and personal information of our staff to participants. It is a measure we take for the fairness of games and privacy. Please understand.”
“What about our clothes? Did you change me while I was unconscious?! Isn’t that an invasion of privacy?” A woman stepped up, her arm wrapped around herself.
“I apologize, but it is necessary that all players wear the uniform in order to ensure no player has an advantage. I can guarantee that there was no ill intention nor action taken.” The guard spoke.
Emil watched and the mention of the clothing changed made him insecure. Though his focus was more on the woman who brought it up. She didn’t look like she was from here, Japan possibly? Emil wasn’t good at geography so he left it alone. Instead his attention was taken when a familiar voice was heard.
“And we’re just supposed to trust you? Just like that?”
Emil stood up straighter, his eyes scanning the crowd, desperately trying to find the person who spoke. He needed to confirm that she was truly there with him. That he wasn’t alone anymore.
“Player 096, Ada Mesmer.” The guard raised a hand and revealed a remote. He pressed the button and a screen was lowered for everyone to see. “Age, 30. A former psychologist who worked at White Sand Street Asylum. Left the asylum with a patient. Currently trying to get mental help for the patient. Current debt, 200 million.”
The entire room went silent. Emil froze as he watched the screen. The same man, Jack, was slapping his wife. He felt something flare up inside of him as he watched. He was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts as he heard many people’s names said and their slaps all on the screen.
“Player 231, Norton Campbell. 921 million in debt.”
“Player 115, Floriant Brant. 54 million in debt.” Emil’s head snapped towards Florian with shock. The Man who always wore a smile and didn't seem to care about anything.. He's literally smiling after getting kidnapped.
“Well.. Didn't expect to have my financial status leaked like this..” Florian laughed and scratched the back of his neck. Emil shook his head then turned back to the crowd, scanning for Ada.
“All of you in this room are living on the edge, with debts you just can’t pay off. When we first went to see you, none of you trusted us. But as you know, we played a game and gave you the money as promised.” The masked guard spoke once more, quickly shushing the crowd. “So everyone here trusted us and volunteered to participate in this game of your own free will. I’ll give you one last chance to choose.”
Emil glanced back at Florian, Matthias, and Lily. He felt off and unsettled by this entire situation.. How did they know that they were in debt? How did they know so much about the past?
How did they know about him and Ada?
“Will you go back to living your lousy life being chased by your creditors? Or will you grab the last opportunity we’re offering here?” Emil stared at the guard who was speaking to them. He fidgeted with his thumbs nervously. He didn’t want to be here, it didn’t feel right.. Nothing felt right about this. The walls brought him back to his asylum days.. The guards brought back memories of the uniform that the doctors would use during his treatments. He moved to sit on the steps, hugging his legs to his chest.
He didn’t want to be here… But Ada was here now, and he couldn’t leave here. He couldn’t leave here while she stresses out about what is for dinner or if he’ll end up regressing. He needed to help Ada. That’s why he accepted the invite, that’s why he even played the first game.
“Will you go back to living your lousy life being chased by your creditors? Or will you grab the last opportunity we’re offering here?”
He was also in debt.. In debt to Ada. She took care of him ever since they met in the Asylum.. And now it was his chance to pay her back for that. It’s his only chance to be able to help her, even if it was much.
The crowd was silent, looking around at each other. No one stepped up before a young girl did. She didn’t look that old, but she was definitely an adult. She had short, light brown hair. She had round glasses that fit her face perfectly. She carefully stepped forward, extremely cautious of her movements.
“Excuse me, what games would we be playing..?” She asked.
The guard replied in the same, monotonous voice. “In order to play fair, we cannot disclose any information on the games ahead of time.”
“How much money will we get if we win?” The man from the bakery asked. Emil tried to remember his name from when his game with Jack was broadcasted to everyone in the room, but he couldn’t.
The guard pointed the remote towards the ceiling in the middle of the room. The area went dark and slowly, a giant, glowing pig lowered into the air. Everyone stared at the giant pig in silence.
“Your prize money will be accumulated there after every game. We will disclose the amount to everyone after the first game is over. If there is one winner, they will receive 3.16 million. If you do not wish to participate, then please let us know at this time.” The guard stated as they motioned to the floor in front of them, presumably, allowing the people who wanted to forfeit their chance.
The guards with circles dragged out a table and pushed it in front of the crowd. The two guards stepped on either side of the table. One placed down a tablet with a pen while the one with the square spoke.
“For those who wish to participate, please line up and one by one, sign the player consent form.”
Everyone was hesitant before the man from the bakery pushed forward, shoving people out the way. He grabbed the pen and quickly scribbled his name down. He stared at the screen for a second, then up at the guards and gave a firm nod.
Emil watched everyone line up and sign their names. He blinked when Florian grabbed his hand and pulled them towards the line.
“We’re gonna be a team now. You, me, Matthias, and Lily.” He laughed without a care in the world.
“We don’t even know if the games require team-” Matthias argued before Lily wrapped an arm around the miserable looking man.
“Stop trying to guess the games. It’ll take the fun out of it!” Lily got up on her tiptoes and she looked over the crowd to see how many people were in front of her.
Emil stepped to the side, looking at everyone in line. His eyes scanned every person, everyone with long, messy hair, he lingered on but shook his head. He couldn’t find Ada.
He glanced back at the trio, debating on whether or not he should ask them for help. Maybe she was never here.. Maybe his brain was mocking him. Maybe he was coping and picturing Ada in order to process this entire situation better.
Emil watched every single person sign the player consent form, watching their movements, mannerism, and overall appearance. He studied the way they walked up to the table, the way they walked off. None of them were Ada.
He was suddenly snapped out of it when he realized it was his turn to sign the form. Emil stared at the screen, taking his time to read and process the information, though he struggled. He glanced at the guards with the circle masks.
“If you do not wish to participate, please let us know. Otherwise, please sign the player consent form.” The square mask repeated after seeing Emil’s hesitation. Emil looked up at the guard before grabbing the pen and signing his name on the line.
He wasn’t that good at reading, but he managed to get the gist of it.
PLAYER CONSENT FORM
CLAUSE 1: A PLAYER IS NOT ALLOWED TO STOP PLAYING
CLAUSE 2: A PLAYER WHO REFUSES TO PLAY WILL BE ELIMINATED
CLAUSE 3: GAMES MAY BE TERMINATED IF THE MAJORITY AGREES
He assumed that Clause meant something like rules. He didn’t understand what the last one meant, but he knew he’d find out when the majority agreed. He stared at the screen as it changed for the next person to sign. He looked back up at the guards before walking off. He looked down the sign, moving slowly as he tried to find her.
“Emil, right?” Emil flinched at the sudden address before turning around to see Matthias.
“..Yes…” Emil mumbled, his eyes immediately going back to the line of people.
“Don’t worry about Florian.. He’s.. Very energetic but everything he does… is with good intentions.. Even if it might not seem like it.” Matthias warned. This earned Emil’s attention. He stared at the man in front of him before slowly nodding.
“Uhm.. right..” Emil watched Matthias. He felt.. Familiar in a way. Like he knew the man. Very well.
“.. Are you looking for someone? I noticed that you’ve been tense.” Matthias asked. Emil was about to respond when a loud, female voice came up.
“Attention, all players. The first game is about to begin. Please follow the staff’s instructions. Please make your way towards the game hall.” Everyone looked around and mumbling started up. The doors opened and the guards instructed everyone to follow.
Emil stuck close to Florian and his group as they traveled up the maze of bright, childish stairs. He noticed thow nervous Lily looked and he tried to offer her a smile. Lily stared at him before letting out a forced laugh.
He hated everything about this.. And yet, he agreed to stay and even denied the chance to leave and go home.
He hated this, but he loved Ada.
The crowd stopped in an open area, there’s multiple columns of photobooths. The guards instructed everyone to step inside the booths. Emil stayed back, watching everyone, one by one. He still couldn’t find Ada and he was starting to doubt she was actually here. He felt that maybe he was so desperate for her that he’s seeing her in everyone. And he despised that possibility.
“Player 170, please get your picture taken for identification.” A guard came up to him. Emil blinked before looking at the photobooths, now realizing that he’s one of the last ones. He pushed himself off the wall and slowly made his way towards the booths. He stepped behind a person waiting for the booth to open. He barely had time to get lost in his thoughts when it was his turn. He walked in and stared at the screen in front of him. It had a smiley face with the word ‘smile’ under it.
“ Please look into the camera. Smile.” The camera flashed at his blank face. He didn’t care much about the picture, if at all. He looked back at the guard, unsure if he was finished. After a few seconds, he walked off. He spotted the trio, waiting for him by the stairs and grew flustered. Emil hadn’t expected them to wait on him, he wasn’t used to that many people genuinely wanting him around.
“You okay? You look lost.” Lily leaned into his field of vision before the group all started walking up the stairs, following the crowd.
“I’m.. fine. Uhm.. I just.. Thought I recognized someone..” Emil said quietly, eyeing the stairs around him that had people walking up them. He was growing paranoid and he hated this feeling.
“Oh? Is it a friend? Family member, maybe?” Lily tried, looking around as if she knew who she was looking for.
“... She is my.. Wife..” Emil looked away when he saw Florian look back at him.
“Mesmer, right? I knew I recognized that name.. It was the one you told the driver back then.” Florian smiled and looked around. “We’ll help ya out! No problem. It’s always nice to be reunited with loved ones.” Florian pulled Lily and Matthias into a headlock. Lily laughed but Matthias pulled away from the energetic duo.
“Attention, all players. After you enter the game hall, please stand behind the white line drawn on the field and await further instructions. Once again, will all players please stand behind the white line and await further instructions.” The woman on the announcements sounded throw the maze of stairs. It kept repeating as the players went up and was gathered into a decently sized, empty room. There were three giant green doors on one side.
Once everyone was in the empty room, the doors all slowly opened.
“Here is the first game. You will be playing Red Light, Green Light.”
Emil cautiously stepped through the doors, looking around at the arena. It looked to be around a mile long, if not, longer. Emil stayed close to Florian and his group while scanning the scene. There was dirt on the ground, with a white line in front of them. The walls had painted on grass, trees, and a sky. Emil looked up to see the real sky, not a cloud in sight.
“Guys, look… That’s kinda freaky, yeah?” Lily pointed to the other side of the long field. A giant statue of a little girl was standing, staring at them with dead eyes. Emil immediately felt uncomfortable. He hated this. He forced himself to look away once the woman on the PA system spoke again.
“You are allowed to move forward when “it” shouts out, “Green Light,” stop when “it” shouts, “Red Light” If your movement is detected afterward, you will be eliminated.” As the woman recited the instructions, the doll slowly turned around, putting a hand up on the tree behind her.
“Let me repeat the rules,”
Something didn’t feel right.. Something felt so very off but Emil didn’t know what. He couldn’t tell if it was just his pad anxiety and paranoia.. Or his gut telling him to quit, to get out.
Was it the walls that looked designed to look like they were really outside? The doll? The stairs from earlier? What was it? What made him feel like this? Why couldn’t he understand his feelings?
Why?
What was wrong?
Emil quickly glanced over at the crowd of people, all waiting for the game to start. E blinked a few times as his vision grew blurry. He lowered his gaze to the ground.
Something is going to happen.. Something always happens..