~Can you hear it, the clock? Slowly, painfully, ticking the minutes away. Wasting precious seconds when every one brings me closer to death. "Hikaru...where are you?"~
"Kaoru! Kaoru where are you?"Hikaru shouts as he runs panting into the house. He looks in all the rooms, even their mother's office but it's no use. His brother is not here. Something tells him Kaoru is in trouble. A bond, a brotherly connection whatever it may be has been right before. And as Hikaru searches his home the telephone rings. A maid answers.
"Hikaru-sama! There is a call for you."The elderly woman calls up the staircase. "He says it has something to do with your brother."Hikaru snatches the phone from her and she walks away unfazed.
"Hello Hikaru."A dark voice chuckles.
"What do you want?"He snaps still looking around him for signs of his missing twin.
"-Tisk-tisk-tisk- Now is that anyway to address the person who holds your brother's life in his hands?"The person on the other end chides. Hikaru's eyes widen.
"What have you done with Kaoru?"He growls gripping the phone tightly.
"Oh don't you worry I haven't done anything with you precious brother, yet."You can practically hear the sneer in his voice. "The question is what will I do to him."There is the sound of a door being opened and a faint cry. "Why don't you say hello to your brother, Kaoru?"
"Hikaru...where are...AHHHH!"Kaoru can't finish speaking because he cries out in pain.
"My, wasn't that wonderful. Now Mr. Hitachiin, I believe we have some negotiating to do."The captor speaks happily.
"What the hell did you do to him you bastard!"Hikaru yells outraged. His heart feels like it's been torn from his chest hearing Kaoru cry out like that.
"Ah, that's the fun part my boy. All a part of the game."
"What do you want? Anything, tell me and I'll get it for you. Just...don't hurt him."He says feeling helpless."
"That's not how this game goes Hikaru. In this game there are rewards and there are penalties and promising not to hurt Kaoru...well that's just not something I can guarantee. Only you can't make sure that doesn't happen again. Would you like to know how to play, Hikaru?" The man asks.
"I don't have a choice."He responds quietly.
"Good. We are going to play a game and I assure you its quite fun. I will call you on this phone at exactly 12 pm. When I do I will give you a riddle to solve. You have 30 minutes to figure out what the answer is. When and if you do, do what it's clue tells you and you'll receive a reward. But, on the other hand if you cannot solve the riddle or you do not respond in time there will be a penalty for Kaoru. The same goes for if you do not answer my call in time, I will only call once. Do you understand?"
"Yes."Hikaru breaths writing it all down on the small sheet of note paper on the table.
"There are rules though. You may have help solving the riddle but no one may accompany you when it is solved. If you try to find us the game will be over and so will Kaoru. And lastly if you do not win the game in the next week, I'll take someone else too." The man says calmly as if kidnapping and killing are as easy a task for him as eating and breathing.
"Why?Please...I just want my brother back." Hikaru breaks and a tear slips from the corner of his eye. Sliding slowly down his pale cheek.
"Because I am The Gamemaker." The man says simply. "Oh, and Hikaru?"
"Yes?"Hikaru whispers squeezing his amber eyes closed, praying that this all just a nightmare or a sick joke.
"If you contact the police I'll slit his throat." The Gamemaker says and then the line goes dead and all he hears is the buzz of the dial tone. Hikaru slams the phone into it's cradle and slides down to the floor with his back against the wall and his knees to his chest. He holds his head in his hands and slowly begins to cry.