Alice in Borderland

Chapter 3 - Home

I guess it was about four o'clock in the morning when I finally reached the family home. On the way I stopped at a supermarket and took some bottles of water and a bag of popcorn with me. In the end I could hardly walk anymore and when I reached the front door and pulled out the spare key, I stumbled blindly left through the house. I call for my parents, but when no one answers, I go to my bed and pull the blanket over my head. In less than two minutes I fall asleep deeply and firmly. Sometime in the afternoon I wake up through my belly growling and run into my closet. I put myself to bed with the blood-splattered clothes and should put on something else, but my wardrobe is almost like empty.

I grab a large top that is still in a corner and run down. I take off the uniform and let it soak in the sink. I search in one of the drawers for the key for the pantry. Since it is always double-finished because of the wine cellar at the back, it was not looted. In the kitchen I try to turn on the stove, which doesn't work. The fridge has failed and nothing seems to work.

I walk out into the garden and build Father's charcoal grille. I throw a lighter into the bowl and a little charcoal and put the grid on top. In the kitchen, I grab a pot and take a piece of frozen roast from the freezer. It still seems to be quite good and from the pantry I grab a can of peas and one of Uncle's old whisky fakes. I don't think he'll mind. With a drink I sit down at the fire and take a pen and a paper sheet at my hand. I can stay here for a while, but I should go looking for my friends. I mean there are these games and we were eight players at the cross game. The chance that someone will still be alive or even stuck in this parallel world is simply too great to ignore.

I write some things on the note and stir the meat with the pea broth again and again. So far, I've noted down the following things: a flashlight and a set of batteries, a small block on which I can leave short messages, some cans to eat, a few bottles of water that I can fill over and over again. A bracelet that my grandmother gave me, my father's army knife, a small thin knife and one more in reserve. In addition, there is a small blanket, some small things to work with and my toothbrush. Everything would have to fit in my sports bag, so that all the things can be transported best. 

I still drink a hefty sip of whisky and stare around the area. If my parents are not here in this ... Mirror or parallel world, they are safe. In the normal world. But would they notice that I am gone? Or there the time is frozen, maybe I am dead. But then these games about life or death somehow make senseless. I think I understand enough not to die. In the next game, Maybe I'll meet someone who knows a little bit more.

When it suddenly smells weird, I quickly jump up and get the pot out of the fire. The food is burned a little on the ground, but I don't care. I walk into the kitchen and put the food on a plate and start eating. I didn't even realize how hungry I was. But when I think about it like that, my last proper meal was the day before yesterday. On the day of a game, we cheerleaders never actually eat anything right, so it's been two days.

I decide to drink a little more, put my things ready and then go to sleep for another round. I still don't feel quite fit and the coffee machine doesn't work like almost the rest of the house anymore. I take my cheerleader uniform out of the water and hang it in the living room to dry. I clear all the stuff out of my sports bag and with an annoyed look at my phone, I just throw it into a corner. I make myself comfortable on the couch and at some point just fall asleep.