Survival Games

Chapter 4

         Lila shut her eyes and shook her head, trying to shut out the constant stream of questions the others were asking her. She didn’t have the answers they wanted, and she didn’t want to get angry at them. She was a victim of her own nature, the same drive that had seen her try to free her fellows from the cages would now become her burden in the cat’s own torturous game. As she opened her eyes to look over them, tears welled up and she let out a shrill cry squeak of frustration, prompting all of them to fall silent.
         ‘Where’s Zek?’ She suddenly demanded. Her eyes panned across the huddled mice, there were fourteen sets of eyes staring at her, with the fifteenth mouse standing away from them near the far end of the tank. Zek was not anywhere to be seen.
         ‘Was he the one standing with you before?’ A youngish female asked. When Lila nodded she continued. ‘He and another were taken after the cat dropped you in the sink… I’m so sorry.’
         Lila’s heart sank and she flopped over onto her side. She became unresponsive as several of the others tried to get her to focus, until a sudden growl of frustration caught their attention. The fifteenth mouse that had been standing apart suddenly began to approach. Lila recognized him from before, the same hardened individual who had spoken to her and Zek earlier.
         He came to stand beside where she lay and shook his head. ‘Look at her. You think she’s any less scared than any of you? She’s not back here because he was merciful. I can guarantee you that. He’s playing with her.’ His grey fur bristled, he was angry but it wasn’t clear at who.
         ‘But she won that game, and he let the other mouse go!’ One of the others protested. ‘If she can do that again, more of us can get out.’
          ‘And?’ He demanded. ‘What, do you all think if you become best friends she’ll work extra hard to get you out? How selfish can you be?’
         They were silent, a few of them shifting nervously away from the group before the same female stepped forward to challenge him. ‘And so what? Would you prefer if we all just gave up? There’s… there’s hope now! I have kids to go back to!’
         ‘You and how many others?’ The grey one retorted. ‘Do you really think that’ll make a difference? Hell why not ask the cat himself if he’ll let you go for your kids huh? You don’t get it. He’s not going to make these games easy for her, trying to get her to help you isn’t going to matter.’
         ‘Yes, but-‘
         ‘But nothing!’ He snarled at her. ‘All you’ll do is make the guilt that much worse when she fails to save you. These carnivores don’t have compassion for food. And why would they? Let a mouse go for this or that, where do they draw the line? When they starve? It doesn’t work that way and your hope can’t make that any different.’
         More of the mice had begun to disperse, their hopes, if not crushed, at least tempered by the still very harsh reality they found themselves in. Only a few of them still stood against their grey antagonist. ‘What made you so cold?’ One of them asked. ‘Why would you just… give up like this?’
          He was silent for a moment before shaking his head. ‘I’ve seen first-hand what hope gets you in a situation like this. I’m sorry, but as bad as we have it, she’s the real victim in all this.’ He looked down at Lila, an almost apologetic look on his face before he turned and walked away.

         ** ** **

         There was no sleep that night. After a few hours had passed, one of the mice felt brave enough to risk his fellow’s ire and approached her. He spoke softly, trying to assure her that despite whatever happened he wouldn’t hold her to blame or try to put pressure on her. ‘Don’t think of it as failing any of us.’ He said. ‘We were as good as dead, anyone you save is a good thing.’
         ‘What’s your name?’ Lila asked.
         ‘Uhh, Jay.’ He answered. ‘But, you shouldn’t worry about that.’
         ‘I’m Lila.’ She answered. ‘Just in case the best happens, you can remember me properly that way.’ He smiled and nodded before slowly walking away. It wasn’t even ten minutes later when the same female who had been arguing with the grey one before came close. Her fur was a similar shade of brown to Lila’s own and she had a look of determination on her face.
          ‘Listen…’ She began. ‘I know you’ve been through a lot, and I really don’t want to put pressure on you, but I need to get out of here.’
         ‘You had… kids, right?’ Lila asked, propping herself against the side of the tank and listening.
         ‘Yes, three. I’m all they have.’ She replied, slowly breaking into tears. ‘Their father is already gone, and it’s been days now since I’ve seen them. If nobody else finds them, they could die on their own.’
         ‘I’ll do the best I can…’ She paused, not knowing how to continue.
         ‘Ari.’ The other introduced herself. ‘And thank you, that’s all I can ask.’ She leaned forward and held Lila’s hand for a moment, before smiling weakly and turning away. She sat a short distance up the length of the tank from Lila, shifting nervously from time to time but didn’t say anything.
         Lila found herself looking towards the grey mouse. After all his anger before, he had said nothing since the other two had approached her. He seemed bold and resigned, but she had seen him scatter just like the rest when the cat had reached in before. So he was clearly not fearless, but perhaps that was only because he had seen so much of this before.
         She pushed herself upright and walked over to him, ignoring his glare and sitting before him. ‘Tell me your name.’ She said simply.
         ‘Jack.’ Was his reply.
         ‘Now tell me your story.’ She pressed. He glared back at her for another few moments, before his eyes finally softened and he sighed.
         ‘Fine. I used to live in a colony like all of us. I had a mate. And we were expecting a litter.’ He began. ‘But… she was taken during a forage one night. I kept saying she should stay behind, she was only a few days away but she insisted we needed the numbers. We were found… Nineteen of us went out, and only three made it back. I was one of them… But she wasn’t.’
         ‘That’s… awful.’ Lila said, fighting back tears of her own despite Jack’s unwavering gaze.
         ‘I had hoped at first that they would see her… condition. And maybe let her go.’ Jack continued. ‘So when the others headed back underground, I went after the trail. Hoping that I’d find her. And I did. I looked into the warehouse where all of the captured mice were, and I saw them being put into the cages. I watched one of them pick her up out of his net… and he noticed that she was pregnant. I swear my heart was about to explode, I didn’t know what to expect but I kept hoping they’d let her go…’
         Lila lowered her gaze and visibly fought the urge to cry. She had already guessed the answer before he continued.
         ‘He decided it would be easier to just eat her right there, than worry about baby mice the next day…’ Jack’s eyes finally closed as his head sank into his hands. His breaths became a little more rapid for a few moments before he finished. ‘That’s how I know… they don’t have compassion. Not for us. They can’t. ‘
          A few of the others had been listening in as well, and now all of them were also fighting back tears and trying to keep their minds strong.
         ‘Lila…‘ Jack began again. ‘I was glad when you survived yesterday. But when I saw what he was going to do instead… Maybe it would have been better if you hadn’t.’
         ‘Maybe you’re right.’ Lila said after a few moments pause. ‘But that’s not what happened. I know I’m in a tough spot but I’m still gonna do as much as I can before…’
         ‘Before?’ Jack asked.
         ‘Before he gets tired of it.’ Lila said with false confidence. ‘Or until I… give up.’

         ** ** **

         Morning came, and few of them had slept. As before, the cat went about his routine upstairs before coming down, carrying another box which he sat on the table. Today he was dressed in different shorts and wore a similar top to the day he had brought them home. When he was ready, he opened the tank and lifted Lila’s un-fighting form out to deposit her on the table. Then he once more surveyed the remaining mice, and picked one of them out, one of the larger plumper ones presumably to make up for his loss yesterday should he win this round.
         He dropped the mouse into the vase, causing her to squeak in discomfort as the last one had. Glancing across at the tank, Lila noticed that all the rest were watching her once again. Turning back, she watched the cat open the box and place the board between them. It was another checkerboard, but of a different colour. And this time the pieces were just flat round tokens.
         ‘Checkers this time?’ She asked.
         ‘Yea. Seems chess was too hard for me.’ He grinned. ‘You can play this too, right?’
         ‘Yes.’ She nodded. She refrained from adding that she was better at checkers than chess, because for all she knew, so was he. With the board set up, he once again allowed her to go first. Not wanting to tip her hand, she hesitated a bit before moving a piece close to the centre. He mirrored her move on the opposite side, giving away no measure of his own skill.
          They played on, Lila getting the first kill but then her feline opponent got the next two. As she tried to set herself up for a king, he ignored her bait and thwarted her plan, putting himself in prime position for a king that she wouldn’t be able to stop.
         ‘Damnit…’ She was panicking now. As good a player as she had been, it was now clear that he was better. A few more turns, he had a second king before she got her first. But by then the game was too heavily in his favour, and with a half sigh half sob she dropped into a crouch and shook her head.
         ‘Oh, looks like this game is mine. Which means so is this juicy little mouse.’ He said, licking his lips as he rocked the vase. Lila looked up and saw the horror in the mouse’s eyes as the clawed fingers began to reach down, only to stop suddenly. ‘Actually, I have an idea.’
         ‘What…?’ She asked, still trying to fight back tears. The cat stood and returned to the tank. Reaching in, he lifted another mouse out and returned to the table.
          ‘How about double or nothing?’ He asked her. ‘You win, they both go free. I win, I make up for missing a meal last night.’
         Lila’s mind and heart both raced. Could she do it? She stammered, trying to reply, but then the cat dropped the second mouse into the vase and began to reset the board. Clearly it hadn’t been a request. He was confident now, and intended to make both of the females now trapped into his day’s breakfast.
         Once again, she went first. This time she tried a new approach, trying to remember how he had played and adapt to it. But it was hard, she was too out of practice and he once again ran rings around her. Dropping to her knees in despair as he cleaned her pieces off the board and earned three kings, she broke down in tears.
         ‘No, no NO!’ She cried, dropping her head and fist against the table. ‘I thought… I thought…’
         ‘Don’t get so upset.’ The cat responded calmly. ‘This is just how the game goes. You lost, and now these two are mine.’ He pulled out the first of the two mice, giggling at her squirms and squeaks of distress. Bringing her to his lips, he slurped loud and wet and she was gone between his lips. Her muffled cries were cut short as he swished twice and swallowed, sending her to his stomach in the form of a ripple that moved down the front of his neck.
         Lila crawled to the edge of the table, wanting to get away but unable to force herself to flee. Seeing her slowly turn to stare back at him, he lowered the other mouse by her tail until she was dangling inches away from her.
         ‘Remember, you can always take her place.’ He said. Lila sat back up, surprised that she was actually considering the proposal as an alternative to feeling any more of this guilt. ‘Make up your mind quickly now…’
          Lila trembled as she looked up at the despairing eyes of the mouse dangling in the cat’s grip. She could tell that she wanted Lila to take her place, but at the same time would never beg her to do something like this.
         She was pulled away suddenly, vanishing between the cat’s jaws. Her terrified squeaks were silenced by the deliberately loud wet gulp he made moments later.
         ‘Well, that was a learning experience wasn’t it?’ He said. ‘I think we’ll avoid checkers in the future. As delicious as those two were, I don’t think you were much of a challenge.’
         Lila couldn’t tell whether to be terrified or relieved. She curled up, still trembling as he lifted her and carried her back to the tank, dropping her into a disheveled and tormented heap before closing the lid and heading out. Lila heard the front door of his house slam, then was dimly aware of Jay kneeling down beside her before she passed out from stress and fatigue.