The Apocalypse Game - Chapter 2

“… Lived long enough… Alice… You’ll know…”

A pure darkness crawled from the peripherals of my vision, tendrils of it slowly clouding away the world except the memory of that alluring voice.

“Alice… Wake up Alice! Inevitable… WAKE UP!!!”

I gasped in surprise and opened my eyes to the blinding afternoon sun. Its beaming rays streamed in from the Plexiglas window separating the interior of the roaring mechanism form the verdant forests rushing past in blurred outlines. I squirmed under the sudden influx of light and shifted in my cozy little nest before turning towards the dimmed interior of our giant coach. Before my poor vision had the opportunity to acclimate to the newly introduced shadows, a pair of piercing brown eyes sheared through the last strands of fatigue weaved through my mind. Delicate corners of cherry lips turned down in an adorable frown as two thin brows knotted in disapproval.

“Hm… What?” I massaged my heavy eyelids jumping from the unsettling dream before leaning back into the seat’s genial embrace.

Glowering as if she would burn through me any second, the youth with a fourth of the same genes as me gestured at a young man with a genial smile patiently waiting by the corridor. My brows twisted in confusion as the bright hazel diamonds beneath them shone at the male in cluelessness. Then, traveling down to the obese paper envelop marked by the giant letters “MEALS” followed by three very large “$”’s in his hands, the knot on my forehead sprung apart in comprehension. Right, we had a tour guide.

“Heather you could’ve just told me,” I made a face at my younger cousin while fishing for the brick of a purse in my bag, “or took the money yourself…”

“You’ve slept for two hours!” Raven-black forelocks popped up with milky cheeks from the back of the front seat, “You slept the earliest yesterday too!”

“Rayna, you know I’m the busiest out of us three;” I stared into the twinkling pair of thin, juvenile yes and flashed my signature infatuating smile, “I spend all my energy taking care of you two youngsters " ”

Snatching away the scarlet sheets of paper from my grasp, Heather beamed at the dumbfounded guide gaping at the dazzling teenagers as my gaze lingered wistfully on the prime minister’s lovely portraits.

“Rayna’s almost fifteen and I’m the same age as you;” Heather rolled her round and intelligent eyes at my excuse, “Plus, Rayna and I live in this country, so I think we know our way much better than Miss Canadian does.”

Drawing in an audible breath, Rayna clucked her tongue and raised the corners of her lips to a pretty curve, “Check mate! Tenth time since departure from home.” I shot her a resentful glare before tilting into the beckoning arms of my cozy den.

This was the summer before first year university, the last opportunity to inhale lifesaving air before plunging into a bottomless pool of darkness. I studied abroad for eight years in a sanctuary for polar bears with the company of my parents and a newborn brother, while my younger cousins pursued their education in China. After being bound within those icy borders for an entire four years of high school, I finally broke through the confining bars into the warm July sun.

Deciding to congratulate Heather and I for our successful acceptance into universally recognized ivy leagues, our family dunked the pair of us, along with what seemed like a suitcase of cash, onto a five star tour bus scheduled to cruise through a quarter of the country. Rayna, of course, leaped at the opportunity to latch on; she had donned the habit of trailing behind me while I was still studying back in China. We were two days into the meticulous two week journey, and my attention span was already stretched to its limit. The verdant hills rolling in the distance; the surreptitious imperial ruins shrouded in the veil of time; and the bucolic countryside lined with convivial villages tantalizing my inner explorer were all bulldozed under the wheels of this indefatigable coach. We have already passed through four attractions, yet my ears have probably seen more than my eyes.

Moving my gaze to the flashing scenery liberal from the metal fishbowl, I dazed in the recollection of the pair of piercing amethysts. It will happen again…His voice rang like an eternal melody, after you have lived long enough.   

Long enough? I hummed in disprove, how old do you think you are? His hair flowed silkily, dark as the wings of a crow, and his skin appeared smoother than mine! I pouted as I carelessly glanced at my hands. Was he one of those vampires? Though I must admit, the thought of him sitting up from a coffin was quite comical. Nonetheless, although he appeared at most in his early twenties, the wisdom and anonymity emanating from that youthful figure latently suggested otherwise.

Turning away from the flashing green, I jolted in surprise as two pairs of eyes bulging with query and concern burst into my vision. The satire brimming in Heather’s gaze a moment ago had evaporated, and was instead awash with guilt. The display of colour on my face must have been quite formidable during the past five minutes.

“Alice… Are you alright?” Heather murmured in an inaudible tone, “I…I didn't mean to upset you.” Seeing my unresponsive features, the remorse deepened in her gaze.

“Hmm? What?” Shaking away the pointless blabbering in my mind, I tilted my head in innocent cluelessness, “How did you upset me?”

“Uh…” One brow raised at my ignorant response, Heather stile a quick glance at Rayna, who responded with an equally dumbfounded expression, “Never mind. As long as you’re okay.”

“Yah,” I beamed a hearty, brilliant smile, displaying eight lustrous pearls behind rosy lips, “I was just daydreaming.”

I quickly stuck out my tongue as Heather almost fell off her seat. She lowered her eyes in surrender and settled back in relief. Rayna chuckled with her unique twinkling laughter, watched us with an amused sparkle in her eyes and rested against the back of her settee. I smiled to myself as I took in all their expressions, silently glad that I can easily make those who I care for comfortable while interacting with me. Some are naive enough to believe that I may not detect emotions and words they attempt to hide, yet I was never left out on a single thing - after all, my renowned title of the “politician” was mostly thanks to my nature as a keen observer. The softness resided with my feature as we mutually enjoyed the intimate silence, as I also welcomed the sweet beckoning of sleep.

“Good afternoon everyone. If you are asleep, it’s time to wake up;” I clenched my teeth in frustration and burrowed deeper into my nest at the tour guide’s untimely yet irritatingly soothing call on the speaker, “If you look out the window to your left, you can see the ruins of the Qi imperial estate, built during the warring states period.”

I opened an eye and glanced out the window, immediately spotting the unusual blocks of grey amongst the overdone splashes of green slowly flying near from the front.

“This is one of the summer retreats for the royal family,” the bothersome ringing resounded in the coach, “It is the second grandest architecture in the Qi nation after the imperial palace…”

I slammed down a heavy eyelid and continue drifting aimlessly in the cotton-like clouds beginning to muffle my consciousness.

“…Rumours also tell of the royal necropolis near this ruin…”

My ears perked up at the bit about “necropolis” and I sat straight like an intrigued kitten. Necropolis? Doesn’t that mean a royal burial ground, mysteries about that dynast, danger… and heaps upon heaps of treasures? The corners of my lips twitched in mischief and excitement. Now we’re getting somewhere.

“But it hasn’t been found yet.”

Duh, I rolled my eyes in impatience, would you still call it a rumour if you found it? These guides really need to upgrade their logic or stop treating their passengers like toddlers.

“We have arrived! Please leave your larger bags on the bus! You may bring a smaller purse if necessary…” The guide broke out of his history lecture and shot out a string of housekeeping commands as the coach slowed to turn a curve towards the gates guarding a courtyard emancipating with age. Decrepit pillars supporting legendary mascots have been weathered into crumbling, unidentifiable poles which are whether threatening to collapse right before our eyes or have already done so. An immense, eroded path, as if the spine of a dormant dragon, rolled down the centre of the ancient stone yard. Though it had long lost its youthful polish, it still retained an uninfringeable regality. At the head of that undisturbed creature rested the main character of our tale - the Qi estate - sitting soundly in the throne of antiquity, tranquil and comfortable as if the owner of the sprawling dragon beneath its feet. The solemnity crashed through the window and pressed my heart into a pool of steroids.

Swinging on the small bag, I even forgot to wince when the brick slammed against my spine as I hurriedly dragged the other two off the bus.

Now this is what I agreed to come for!

Author's Note

I havn't updated in quite a while... So bsy with summatives and all! I will try to write more often