Maybe it started when the world ended, well not physically but in a way that you could somewhat call it the end. Everything changed; it was a rather drastic change that might sound crazy and unbelievable but it is the reality of the present. Things changed, not physically but in the attitude, methods of living and the humans need to rule, dominate over others, be powerful, finally came to light. And this is where the crown games take place.
The system works quite simply, humans are divided in 3 classes- hiders, seekers and the paper crowns. To be more specific, the world has become a huge hide and seek game with a host. In this case, many hosts- paper crowns, people like me. It is a violent hide and seek game, where blood is spilled every day.
The position of being a paper crown is not a choice. I didn't choose to be one, i didn't want to be one either. It is an obligation passed trough generations, with no chance of changing it or not following the strict rules of this game, full of hunger for spilling blood of the innocent hiders, who did not choose to be ones. But, the inheritance only becomes legal when the child has either became a legal adult or the parent dies.
Or in order to get this position, you can go the other way- killing your way up to being a paper crown, meaning that even a hider can work their way up to being a seeker or even a paper crown. I am not entirely sure if this, so called game is just for entertainment purposes or it's a method of killing off people and seeing who is the true leader.
A seekers main goal is to kill off the hiders so a hider doesn't rank up to the next class which is a seeker. Just imagine, the hider you tried to kill is now a seeker, how would you feel? Though, in order to rank up, there has to be a certain number of kills; the kill streak is made of 30 hiders and 30 seekers, which means that if you are a seeker, in order to rank up you need to kill people like you but killing isn't an obligation. Some hiders live their entire life without encountering a seeker. Some simply choose to live a peaceful life: Some hiders die of old age or illnesses and then are others, who crave for the status of a paper crown, most likely die in a raid or an attack.
Some even work in groups that we call the underground gangs. The underground gangs, are large groups of people, from all of the 3 groups, working side by side to overthrow the government- paper crowns, in order for their empire to rise. No one knows of their plans and intentions, it simply is rumoured that they want to overthrow the government.
If I would have a chance, I'd end this experiment at this very moment but who am I to say? One against the other hundreds of thousands paper crowns? Just as weak as a child, just as weak as a hider and just as weak as a hider and a seeker compared to paper crowns.
Even paper crowns are weak at some point, when a hider attempts to kill them in order to work their way up to the next class, though, it is against the rules, for a hider to kill a paper crown, these incidents are possible and happen but it is very rare.
Paper crowns are allowed to kill anyone that comes their way-hiders, seekers even other paper crowns but such incidents also happen rarely.
So here I am, in this rather unpleasant situation on the edge of being killed by a hider. How did I get here? I might of drawn too much attention to myself. How couldn't I? I'm a paper crown, of course, dressed in a white coat and I'm here in the sketchy part of this town. Where the underground gangs lurk in the darkness of the night time city.
Amazing, right?
"Who's there?" I said, turning around and throwing a rushed glance over the alley. The darkness was suffocating, i could barely see anything. The street light wasn't even working, most likely because it's the sketchy part of town and it isn't working because of some 'accident'.
"Isn't this a paper crown?" A man's voice came from behind me.
I had not heard the person approach me from behind, i could only assume that it was a hider, they are known for their ways of silently sneaking up to someone. They move quietly and strike the kill of their victims quietly but why did this hider decide to speak to me?
"Don't you know who I am? This is against the rules!" I blurted out. As stupid as this is and as much as I did not want to use my status to scare people, I just did it. This might as well be my only chance of staying alive and I should better use it.
"Oh, of course I know who you are, Rey." The man replied. In the time of a blink of an eye, the man was already behind me, holding a knife by my throat. Quietly, I could barely hear him breath.
I felt the sharp object cutting into my skin, it will only be the matter of a few seconds when the blade will cut my throat open and my body will fall lifeless. In instinct i shut my eyes close, there was no use of running, I'll be dead either way but somehow deep down in my mind I found the need for safety, the need to not see the dangers of this cruel world. My breath hitched, as a sound of gunshots came from behind me. Had i got shot? But i felt no pain. Maybe I was in shock and that is why I hadn't felt anything?But only then it hit me, my killer was killed by the next person that might possibly murder me. The blade scraped my neck, as the man started to fall on the ground, resulting in pulling me down with him. My head hit the hard concrete and I felt blood rushing down my face. 'Fuck' i thought to myself. If this was going to be the day I die, then at least it should of been a nice death! Pfft what even is a nice death? Dying of old age, dying without pain? It's not like I'm scared to die or anything but am I not too young for dying? Not to sound all self-centred, but I don't deserve to die, yet. For a good minute I was laying on the sidewalk, before looking up. It makes me wonder, if I'm already dead or not, if I was just imagining this entire situation. What if I'm asleep and dreaming? Oh for it to be the truth, I could be home, in my bed, sleeping in the soft cotton sheets and purely just having a nightmare.
"A paper crown and in the sketchy part of the town. Man.. you really do wanna get yourself killed." A tall man, with dark hair said, offering his hand to help me get up.
"If you want to kill me, do it now." I sighed, taking his hand. While laying on the ground I didn't really notice a lot of things, like how there was a dead body next to me; the person who wanted to kill me is now dead, it's actually quite funny or maybe it's not and I'm just being psychotic. More over, look at my coat, all stained in blood, how the hell am I going to get this stain out. Oh, right I'm injured as well.
"Said it yourself, it's against the rules. Gotta play it fair." He said.
I swear, I could feel his gaze pearcing me trough, he was going to say something, he will say something I just know that he will.
"Man.. he really did ruin you, didn't he?." he chuckled. "Come on, I won't let you stay here, his group is probably somewhere close." He continued.
I only stupidly nodded and followed the stranger, like my life depended on it. What if it did? I mean it could but if he'd really want to kill me then he would of probably done it already.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Ash. And I suppose you're Ray, am I right?" He asked, glancing back at me.
"Yes, you're correct." I replied.
"Killed your way up to be a paper crown, huh?" He asked, giving me a curious look. God damn this man was too curious.
"I- uh, no. This status was passed down by my father." I replied.
"I see." He replied, keeping silent for a moment before sharply turning his head behind us, where a loud sound of gunshots could be heard. "They're here, come on!" He said, going for a sprint to the end of the street.
"Get them!" A voice came from behind, making me look back.
That was no voice that belonged to a stranger, and it was a voice I was very familiar with. It was no one else than Sebastian- my older brother. A person I'd wish to kill this very moment.
"Hey! Don't look back just run." Ash said in a furious tone.
Why is he helping me?
Both of us continued to sprint down the street that was visibly getting more and more narrow, almost as if there would be a dead end any time now.
"Don't want to jinx it tho." was the last thing I thought to myself moments before seeing that god damn dead end. Great, isn't it?
"Fuck. I hope you can climb walls, unless.." Ash said; while darting his gaze around us.
"Unless?".......
"Unless you know a way and can negotiate with them." He replied.
"Of course i can. He's my brother." I said. Most likely sounding quite absurd.
"As in, Bosses younger brother? As in, Sebastian's younger brother." He asked, eyes wide in shock.
"Yes." I replied. Why was he so shocked about it? To think about it, you don't normally see the gang leader's younger brother running around the streets, trying to not get killed.
"Are you sure you can negotiate with him? If not, then it would be a good time to leave." He said.
With the corner of my eye I could see that he held his gun behind his back, being ready to shoot, if it would be needed.
"I can try." I replied, listening to the sounds around us.
The footsteps became louder and louder. By the sound, I'd say that there were at least 10 men, if not even more.
Finally their footsteps stopped as soon as they saw us. I quickly studied the group of people with my eyes, resulting in seeing a few familiar faces.
"Oh isn't it Rey, the poser paper crown?" Sebastian chuckled. I hadn't seen him since the death of my father which was nearly 4 years ago. Not that I saw either of them before that. Me and Sebastian had only met a few times in our lives. As for Sebastian and father- father chose to stay with Sebastian and teach him how to be a proper paper crown, even though, Sebastian wasn't even his real son, even though, father knew that he would not gain the position just that simplify. Yes, they shared no blood relation but father accepted and welcomed Sebastian in his life, as his son. He loved him as if he would be his real son.Sebastian's real family had died in some 'accident' to which I'm clueless of the details, he had been wandering around the place since he was a child but at the age 13 he finally gained a family. After that, his life had been more or less normal but it all changed as soon as he hit the age of 18, he became involved in various illegal businesses, gangs.
Everything became even worse, as soon as father died. Not only was I the first child from many, on the list that my father had made, I was also the one who gained the position. That day Sebastian was sure that he would most definitely gain the position but after all he did not. There was no blood relation and father had never revealed this so called 'secret' to him.
I clearly remember the last words Sebastian said before leaving, "With time I'll seek revenge, just wait for it." He had said. And now this promise has finally come true. After 4 years, he finally managed to find me. God, I waited for this day to come because today, all of it will finally become the reality and I know, that my life will become living hell and old Satan will stand impressed.
Comments (0)
See all