Elijah woke up in an empty house. Considering he didn't even get a full nights sleep, he was shockingly refreshed, like he wouldn't even need a morning coffee. Didn't stop him from making one, as the caffeine withdrawal would really mess him up at midday. He checked his phone to see if there any messages from mom. Nothing. Expected. Once dad died under those mysterious circumstances, his mom left for 'vacation' as soon as Elijah turned eighteen. That was four months ago, and she still hasn't given a timeframe for when she'd come back. Or if she'd come back. In the back of his mind, he expected having no parents around would weigh on his mind or make him feel at least a little bad, but it didn't. He just got a job at the car dealership for money and something to do and that was pretty much that. Only real issue is his mindset afterwards caused the fallout with Leon. That one admittedly still stung a little. A little, not enough to actually reach out to the guy.
So he went to school, being driven in by Valerie. She was stressing about the final exams being a week away, but he couldn't muster up that much ambition for it. Even if he did the best he could and got into a good college, then what? He knew he didn't have it in him to become a doctor or engineer or some other job that paid really well, and that seemed like the only way to get a decent house these days, if Leon's living situation was anything to go by. Then again, he could move somewhere cheaper, more rural. But that comes with suddenly losing access to all the conveniences even a decaying city comes with. He'd be fine living in a house with no parental love if it meant he still had ready access to street pizza.
So they got to school. First class was geography with Ms. Collins, who graded his tests. 29%. There'd usually be a note about where he messed up and where he could improve and all that good stuff, but she didn't even bother writing anything, which was the case even before the games. She honestly seemed as checked out as him. He peeked over to Valerie, who got a 68%. The rest of the day was honestly a blur. Talking to Valerie about nothing in particular, avoiding both Leon and anyone from last nights game. He had an hour before work started, so he figured he could blow some time in the junkyard.
The junkyard was as vibrant as ever, with it's sand and rusted cars and more rusted cars, plus a couple of rusted trucks. So Elijah just caught up with the boys in the group, shooting the shit and smoking at least three cigarettes per conversation. He knew his boss hated second hand cigarette smell, but he didn't hate it enough to fire him, so he savoured each and every one.
It was all chill until they heard sounds of some sort of conflict coming from just outside the junkyard. Elijah sighed and walked up to the entrance with a cigarette in his mouth in case he needed to blow smoke in some jackasses face, where Mateo was casually holding up two guys by the collars of their expensive looking shirts.
"These guys with you?" Mateo asked. His eyes were sincere and slightly apologetic, just in case.
"Nope." Elijah replied casually, spitting his cigarette butt onto the ground. Something told him Mateo would take some issue with him. "Still, take em with you for a sec, will ya?"
Elijah directed him to an old car and opened the door. He threw the two guys into it and locked the car door, telling two guys standing around to watch it.
"What are you planning?" Mateo asked.
"I'll let em out before I go to work, don't worry." Elijah reassured with a dismissive hand wave. Then he went outside the junkyard with Valerie to see what Mateo wanted.
"So what's going on here?" Valerie asked casually.
"Well, I just wanted to ask how you're doing?" Mateo asked.
"Doing okay, I guess?" Elijah replied. Mateo seemed genuine, which is weird considering Elijah was trying to kill this guy less than 24 hours ago. "Look, can I just ask what you're doing here?"
"Well, there's one other thing." Mateo admitted with a slight sigh. "Do you guys know a guy named Ramon Destrade?"
"Nope." Elijah replied casually.
"Ines brother?" Valerie asked. "The one who got expelled for beating a guy and went missing afterwards?"
"Wait, the one who tore a guys eye out?" Elijah asked with widened eyes. "Why do we want to find him?"
"Look, I've been seeing him a few times." Mateo said. "Both in the game where we had to escape the cops and outside the hospital, he was in the background. I don't know what's going on, but I'm fairly certain he has something to do with the game."
"So what's he look like?" Elijah asked.
"Little shorter than me, probably wears all black. Same tanned skin as Ines."
"Got it." Elijah nodded with a slight tap of his head. "We'll let you know if you find anything."
"Thank you, truly."
"But in case you're thinking it, this isn't an alliance." Elijah said. "If killing you makes me safer, I'm doing it."
"Of course." Mateo nodded politely. He didn't raise an objection to it. Elijah could at least respect that.
"And Valerie, I must say you're looking very well." Mateo continued out of the blue. "You doing that voice training thing?"
"A little bit?" Valerie responded, squinting her eyes.
"And it's really paying off!" Mateo exclaimed. "Just letting you know!"
Valerie kept squinting. Was it because she assumed he wouldn't like her because he was religious? She just kind of assumed he was more of a 'love thy neighbour' guy.
"Well, I'll be leaving now. Good luck!"
He jogged off, leaving Elijah and Valerie in front of the junkyard.
"So, are we going to help him out?" Valerie asked.
"I mean, we have promised, but I don't like the idea of giving him more allies. But if we do what he wants he'll probably be less likely to target us in the next games, and then we could take him out."
"Are you still talking about killing him?" Valerie said, followed by a pained sigh.
"Look, we gotta be realistic here. Guy's strong. Plus, he knows where we stand already. There's respect."
"I just don't like talking about killing my classmates."
"Well, some of them gotta die." Elijah reassured while lighting another cigarette. "And as long as we both survive I don't really care who else lives."
"We not including Leon?"
"No, we are not." Elijah snapped back, his mood getting noticeably sour.
"Look, can I ask what happened to make Leon leave the spades?"
"Nothing. Guy moved out after his house burned down into a run down piece of shit apartment and suddenly he thinks he's moved past the people he's known since he was five years old."
"I mean, the guy has a job he has to be at."
"Yeah, so do I. But I stayed loyal. Anyway, I should probably get to work, you mind driving me?"
"When are you getting your own car?" Valerie asked.
"When I can afford it. Look, I'll pay for fuel."
Valerie obliged, driving him to the car dealership. Elijah handed her a twenty as he walked in, and Valerie was left to ruminate on her thoughts. Neither Leon or Elijah had good relationships with their parents. Elijah's dad died about a year ago, and Leon's old house burned down eight days later. She considered both tragic events that happened to her two best friends within a sadly short time frame. But now even mentioning the events stresses both of them out. So she was being forced to consider if it was a coincidence, or if this game wouldn't be their first experience with killing.