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The sky was dark blue, with stars filling the void. The Moon was among the stars, as bright as them. An howling sound stretches throughout the collection of trees. Their branches were slowly moving up and down, as their leaves glide through the air, gently falling towards the terrain. The leaf piles were pushed down.
An owl sticks the head out of a hole located above a branch. The rest of the body came out from the hole, as the feet grasp the branch with the claws. The owl walks sideways, following the branch. The head turns down, as the eyes track down a house. The animal hoots loudly. Near the house, there is a vehicle standing still: leaves were resting on the seats and on the car floor.
The door on the front is dark green, thick, with a round doorknob colored in faint gold. The knocker was small and round, sharing the same color as the doorknob.
The house's walls are light brown, with wood splitters appearing on several points. The hipped roof had a darker brown color, one window on each side and a brick chimney sticking out from the back: smoke was coming out from it.
Above the front door, there is a wide-round window. On each side there are 4 windows: 2 are positioned on the 1st Floor and the other 2 above them. The bottom-back windows were illuminated by a blurry light, showing an armchair made in leather, colored in dark red.
The fire was cracking loudly on the logs, inside a chimney. A round clock was hanging on the chimney wall: the short clock hand was pointing near the 11 and the long clock hand was pointing between the 6 and the 7.
On the chimney's left side, there is a large shelf filled with leather-covered books, most of them have numbers in gold: on the bottom, there is a hole between the books, as large as one of them. On its right side, there is a desk with a chair under, two small drawers below its surface, a brown thick mat rests on the center, a small bottle closed with a slim black cork and a tag attached on which reads "I.T. Brothers: Black Ink N. 045".
Above the desk, there is a painting on the wall, showing a male adult Inkling wearing a general uniform, while doing a salute. Several paintings depicting a single or a group of Inklings were scattered around the walls.
In front of the desk, there is a large white sofa made in leather, filled with a line of small holes on its backrest, very near the wall. The Inkling girl with one piercing on each ear sunk on the most left part, resting her left elbow on its arm.
Next to her, the Inkling boy with the small beard: he was tapping buttons on the sides, while looking at a small wide monitor. The girl looks the other young female Inkling: she was sitting on a dark red armchair near the chimney, holding a leather-covered book with one hand and flipping a page with the other.
Between the armchair and the sofa, there was a small table with short legs, covered in a light white cover sheet: on the top of it, there is a slim vase, half-filled with water, with red and yellow flowers sticking out.
Near the armchair, there was another one, identical on every aspect: the Inkling boy with tentacles tied in a red rubber band was sit on, twiddling his thumbs. His eyes were looking at the girl holding the book, from their corners.
Behind them, there is a long rectangular black table with one chair on the short sides and 5 chairs on the long ones. Two candles on iron plates were standing on it. The tiles had a combination of black and white rhombuses.
None of the Inklings were wearing a jacket. The girl sitting on the sofa, backs her head on the border, staring at the white ceiling. She snorted.
"I'm so bored!" She shouts.
The boy holding the device turns his head over her. He pushes a button, with the word "Start" above it.
"Wanna play Squid Jump, girl?" He stretches his right arm, moving the device in front of the girl.
"I'm sick of it!" She covers her face, keeping her position.
"Read a book." The other girl flips another page.
Her hands fall on the sofa, then her head faces ahead.
"I'm allergic to ancient books." She snorts, shaking her head.
"Tsk." The other girl raises her head, lowering her eyebrows. "A book is never too old."
"But I want some fun, Mirii…" She lies her head on her right palm, as her elbow rests on her leg. "My mind can't live without it."
Mirii looks at the girl, for about 10 seconds. She closes the book, putting it on her legs, as her hands rest on it. Her posture elevates a little, standing upright.
"Now… what you were saying about that idea of yours…?"
The girl raises her back, lowering her eyebrows.
"Th-that doesn't count!" She clenches her fists on her legs. "I was referring to the deal!"
"The deal…" Mirii squeezes her eyes slightly. "I remember correctly how you mentioned a large television sitting on the lounge…"
The girl looks on the tiles, shrinking a little.
"Ehm… eh eh, yeah! I think I said something like that…"
"Not to mention, no walls home electrical sockets inside this house." Mirii folds her arms.
The girl shrunk a bit more, as sweats appear on her forehead.
"Bu-but at least we have a nice, little chimney! I was shivering once I lay a foot here."
Mirii lowers her head, closing her eyes, as she frowns slightly.
"Luckily, I had instant noodles in my case… or else our stomachs would rumble even now."
The girl gulped, shrinking some more, as the number of sweat drops increases.
"I couldn't stop eating those things! Thanks, Mirii!" The boy, next to Mirii, smiles widely.
Mirii turns over him, smiling too.
"You are welcome, Hun." She nods.
"Don't you usually call him Hunley?" The girl returns instantly on her previous size, grasping her legs.
"I thought to call him with his original name." Mirii looks at the girl. "At least, sometimes…"
"Well, I'd never change his true nickname: Hunry!" She closes her eyes, slightly raising her head, as she folds her arms.
"How about Hunter?" The boy with the small beard lie his hands on his legs, stretching his back.
"Nah… only Hunry carries such original nickname!" The girl didn't change her pose.
Hun sighs, raising his eyebrows.
"But enough talk!" The girl stands up, clenching both her fists, as her eyes rest above. "Let's take a walk outside!"
"Another one?!" The boy backs on the backrest. "Girl, I'm like pass and out!"
"Oh come on, Bars!" She twists towards him, opening her arms. "You can't let a bunch of pebbles stop us walking through the wonderful outside world!"
"I heard a howling before…" Mirii caresses her right tentacle.
The silence fell in the room, for about 7 seconds.
"Drat… that might do it, though…" The girl re-turns around, falling on the sofa.
Her head tilts down, looking her shoes.
"We are doomed to deal with the boredom…" She sighs loudly.
Mirii crinkles her nose up, then she shakes her head slowly, as she turns over the cover of the book. Hun looks at the tiles: suddenly he stands up, raising his forefinger and smiling widely.
"I remembered something important, Grina!" He looks at the girl sitting on the sofa.
The other Inklings turn their heads over him.
"I have a game inside my bag!" He looks at each of them. "It's sealed in a box and the name was… was…"
Hun scratches the back of his head, looking up.
"Ehm… I forgot the name…" He raises his eyebrows, as his mouth downturned.
"Where did you get the game?" Mirii closes the book.
"The other day I was walking around the city with my little sister. We saw all those… uhm… those people under in different marquees. They had boxes with vegetables, shoes, clothes… uhm, I hope you got the idea."
"Yes, yes. I get ya." Grina nods, as her back stretches forward.
"Ok!" He smiles. "So, we walked between those marquees, looking around each of them. Suddenly, a voice called us! It was an old woman, behind a box full of toys! Or… whatever she told us, that time." He massages his chin, lowering his head.
"Whoa, dude… you don't even know what a toy looks like?!" Bars lifts himself, sitting near the edge of the sofa.
"Kinda… I remember my sister holding a doll, bringing it around the house." Hun looks up, tapping his foot.
"Please continue with your story, Hunley." Mirii lifts her leg on the other knee, as her hands stand on the book.
He nods.
"What I was I…?" He looks on the tiles, then he raises his head. "Ah, yes! She stared at me, saying how lucky I was, as I crossed her sight. The woman took the game box under the counter, saying how the product would be mine for just 100 coins."
"It's… kind cheap." Grina raises one of her eyebrows.
"That was my same opinion!" He snaps his fingers, towards the girl. "So, I look at my sister: she was bending her fingers, nodding at me. And… well… I gave her my bag of coins!"
"You had 100 coins inside that bag?" Mirii squeezes her eyes slightly.
"Yeah! Is that a coincidence or not?! That woman was right: I was really lucky that day!" He puffs his chest a bit, folding his arms.
"Did you play with your sister, afterwards?" Grina covers her mouth.
"As soon as we stepped in our house, she dived on the bed and closed her eyes. Did I mention it was night?" Hun scratches his cheek, as his eyes look at the ceiling.
"In other words, you never used the game…" Mirii shakes her head.
"I didn't even open that box yet!" He opens his arms.
The three Inklings expanded their eyes, saying "WHAT?!" at the same time. Hun lies his hands on his chest, expanding his eyes too.
"Wh-what's the matter?!" He looks at Mirii.
Grina sighs, covering her eyes with her palm, shaking her head.
"All right." She lies her hands on her legs, lifting her back. "Never mind that! Hunry, bring the game here."
"Oh… ok!" He stands up. "I'll be back in a jiffy!"
The boy runs towards the opened door. Grina stands up too.
"Let's all get our seats on that long table." She looks at Bars, then at Mirii.
"Girl, shouldn't we get a lighter or something to light up the candles? I can't see much there." The boy squeezes his eyes, while looking the long table.
"I saw one into that drawer." Mirii points at the lowest drawer, below the desk.
"Good eye, Mirii!" Grina raises her thumb up.
She walks near the drawer, pulling it out: inside, there are a block of papers vaguely colored in yellow, a blue quill resting on the top, another bottle full of black ink on its side, a rectangular box with a tag on the front reading "LORD SQUISTENBURG's FINE CIGARETTES": it was positioned behind the papers.
The girl picks the box up, putting it on the desk: she pushes the drawer back. Pulling out the top of the box, Grina saw a collection of large brown cigarettes, with a smaller golden box, laying on them. She takes it, pulling down the upper part: under, there was the hole-filled tail of the inside case.
The girl turns around: Mirii was near the shelf, bending down. The girl carefully inserts her book, into the gap. Bars lies his hands on his legs, standing up: he was looking at Grina.
"That thing still works, girl?" He walks over the chairs.
"It still has to begin its test!" Grina pulls the flint wheel.
A small chunk of fire appears on the tail. She smiles.
"Success!" She pushes its cork down.
Bars pulls the chair standing below the middle of the table, sinking on it. Mirii walks on the other side, pulling a chair almost near the center: she sits on, facing Bars ahead. She looks Grina reaching the table. The girl pulls the top part of the box, rubs the flint wheel as the small fire appears again.
She pours it on the two candles: each were lit, slightly illuminating the center of the table. Multiple loud steps were heard in rapid succession: Hun runs in, holding a long, rectangular box with both his hands.
The boy puts the box on the table: everyone's eyes were resting on it. It was full of scratches, especially on the angles. The cover had large blank spots around, as the word "SQUID", half a Green Squid and the upper part of a Blue Squid are seen on.
Grina sits on the chair, standing near Bars: she slightly lowers her eyebrows, as her lips raises on one side.
"Ehm… is this the game, Hunry?" She looks him walking near Mirii.
"Yes! I was almost opening the box myself, but I mustered all my patience to wait and open it in front of you!" Pulling a chair, Hun sits on it standing near Mirii and in front of Grina.
Grina stretches a bit forward, sniffing on the box: her nose crinkles up, her mouth was downturn almost opening, her head shakes rapidly as her eyes were closed. Mirii frowns a bit, while looking at the girl.
"I'm sure Grina would like to open the box." She closes her eyes, slightly raising her head.
"Really?" Hun smiles, looking at the girl ahead.
"Wh-what?!" Grina expands her eyes. "Why would I"
"You." Mirii frowns even more, staring at her eyes, as she lowers slightly her back. "You are excited to open that box first… right?"
Her forehead was sweating, as her eyes were looking left and right.
"We-well… you know… since Hunry bought this game and he never really opened"
Multiple veins were popping out on Mirii's forehead: she was gritting her teeth, almost completely squeezing her eyes and smoke was coming out from her ears. Grina's iris shrunk, as the girl gulps loudly.
"Eh eh eh… wh-who am I kidding? I-I simply can't wait to touch this very fine, very perfect, very sophisticated box and carefully opening it!" She caresses the box, then pats on it, while smiling widely and showing her teeth.
Smoke no longer came from Mirii's ears and the veins disappeared. The girl lightly lifts her back, as her eyes keep looking at the box, then at Grina. The other girl sighs loudly, as her hands slide on the sides of the box. Her mouth got downturned, her head turning away, her eyes almost squeezed staring at the box from their corners. She slowly pulls up the lid with her fingers.
Inside the box, there is a folded paper showing half a road. Next to it, there are a deck of ? cards, a green dice and small 4 Squids statues in different colors, but with identical shape and expression. Grina throws the lid on the left side of the table, rubbing her palms on her jeans.
"Oh no… don't tell me this is Squids and Ladders!" Bars grabs his head, lying on the table with his elbows.
"So? Is there a problem with it?" Mirii frowns, looking at the boy ahead.
"N-no! No problems at all!" He rapidly moves his hands left and right, as his head was shaking.
"Good." She turns her head, looking at Hun. "Shall we begin, Hunley?"
"Ehm… I don't know how to play this game…" He scratches his head, as his eyes rest on the various pieces.
"It's simple." Mirii picks the folded paper, unwrapping it.
Grina takes the box and slid it on the left side. Mirii puts the opened paper on the center.
"This is the map of the game." She points it with her palm.
The map's edges are colored in green, with vague drawings of grasses, a pond, a small town and a cave. Multiple squares were aligned together, as they form a spiral and finishing on the center of the paper: it was colored in black, with drawings of bats, orcs and a dragon right near the last square.
Some squares have a ? on them, others had different phrases written on and the rest were blank.
"Your objective is to reach the last panel over here, before us." She points it with her forefinger. "To do so, you have to roll the dice and move your character according to the number showing on the top side."
Mirii takes the dice, shakes it inside her fist, then she throws it on the map. 4 dots are shown above.
"I did a 4." She takes the Orange Squid Statue.
She puts it on a square with the word reading "START".
"Now my character passes 3 squares, standing on the 4th one." She taps the statue on each square, stopping at the 4th one.
Hun nods, with his eyes following the statue.
"We take turns, so you have to wait for the others to finish their moves." Mirii looks at him, resting her fist on the map.
"Turns? What does that mean?" He looks at Mirii.
Mirii stood in silence for some seconds.
"Maybe during the game, you'll understand better. For now, we must choose our characters." She takes the Orange Squid Statue, putting it back on the START square. "I choose Orange."
Hun looks inside the box.
"I'll pick green." He takes the Green Squid Statue.
"Put it next to mine, Hunley." She taps the START square.
The boy lays it on the START square.
"Yellow for me." Grina picks the Yellow and the Blue Squid Statues. "I guess Bars gets blue."
The girl puts the statues on the START square. She also took the deck, pouring them to Bars.
"You know what to do, big boy!" She winks at him.
He smiled, nodding and picking the deck: he divides the deck in two equal parts, slamming them on the top of each other. Using both his hands, the cards fell together in quick succession. Bars kept doing the same hand movements for a while, until he slams the deck on the table.
"Wow! How did you do that?!" Hun looks at the deck.
"Heh, dude… we used to play Poker matches, back then!" Bars' arms lies on the table, grinning.
"Poker…?" Hun tilts his head.
"It's a card game." Mirii picks the dice. "But for now, let's start deciding our turns."
"Ehm… the turns?" Hun watches her fist shaking the dice.
"Yes. Since this is your first time playing, you'll start first." She throws the dice on the map.
One dot were on the upper dice's face. Grina holds her mouth, laughing. Mirii covers her eyes, sighing.
"Oh my!" Grina takes the dice. "I wonder who'll start for last."
She shakes the dice, throwing it on the map: 6 dots are showed.
"I wonder who'll start second too!" The girl moves her elbows backwards, while clenching her fist and smiling.
"Nnnggghhh!" Mirii hits the table with her fist, frowning slightly. "Let's just start this game, already!"
The candles were both very short. Grina's head was lying on her folded arms, which were resting on the table. Mirii was shaking her fist, throwing the dice on the table: 3 dots are shown above.
She taps the Orange Squid Statue for 2 squares, stopping at the 3rd one with a big ? on it. She sighs loudly.
"No…" The girl picks up a ? card, shaking her head.
Behind it, it was written "You got unlucky! Back to the START!"
"Nooooooooo!" She slams the card on the table. "This is ridiculous! It's the 4th time I got that card!"
"Girl… I got it like 6 times." Bars slides his hand down through his face.
Mirii slams the Orange Squid Statue on the START square: the Green Squid Statue was on the next square, the Blue Squid Statue on the 5th Blank Square and the Yellow Squid Statue on the 12th Square with the words reading "Take a nap, losing one turn!".
The girl looks at the clock: the short clock hand was pointing a bit after the 12 and the long clock hand was pointing between the 8 and the 9.
"More than one hour passed, since the beginning… and still no one ever reached the cave!" She frowns, pointing at the map with her palms.
"Dasquid is up with this game…" Bars shakes his head, knocking on the table.
"Listen up, gang." Grina raises her head: her eyelids were almost completely lowered. "My head hurts and I'm getting really sick. Let's put this away and get some sleep."
Mirii looks at her, staying in silence for 4 seconds.
"Ok." She nods, yawning while covering her mouth. "I'll help you out, Hunley."
Hun raises his eyebrows: he took the box, taking a quick glance inside. A small piece of paper was resting near a corner. The boy took it, seeing a collection of words. His eyes were passing through each of them.
"OH NO!" He stands up, expanding his eyes.
The three Inklings quickly turn over him.
"THIS IS TERRIBLE! WE CAN'T INTERRUPT THE GAME!" He slaps his forehead.
"What are you mumbling about…?" Grina rubs one of her eyes: both were getting red.
"Listen to this!" He grips the paper.
For years I'm waiting for my friends. They promised to finish the game with me. I was always there when they had a birthday party or when they were crying alone. I was the only one who shared the toys with them. I never minded about that: all I wanted was their eternal friendship. My dad keeps saying to open my eyes and see who I'm dealing with.
They promised to finish the game with me. They never appeared in my life, again. I learned my lesson, dad. I'm going to make sure others will, as well.
Please, finish the game… friends. Or else I'll pay a visit… and show you where people go.
Hun breathes loudly, trembling. Grina yawned loudly.
"Come on, Hunry… it's just a stupid joke." She stands up, with her eyes almost closed.
"A joke?!" He twists towards Mirii.
"Yes…" Mirii stands up. "I'm sure the old woman wrote everything down…"
Hun stops trembling, as he watches Mirii bending the map, taking the statues and the dice: she puts all the items inside the box, sealing it with the lid. She passes the box to the boy.
"Don't think about this, ok…?" Mirii stretches up a little, raising her arms, squeezing her eyes and standing in tiptoe.
Hun sighs loudly, nodding at her. She smiled. After Bars stands up, everyone walks towards the door, in a line. Hun keeps looking at the box, raising his eyebrows and with a slight downturn mouth.