Sempiternal || Saeyeong

༄𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑖𝑣𝑒༄

 Too numb to cry

  "What should we play?" Ali asked once the timer had reached ten minutes. This question scared me, because I did not know. I did not know how or what to play, and this is how I am going to die.

  "You pick." I decided after letting the silence run on for too long.

    Ali desperately looked around trying to form an idea but eventually sighed and looked down. "How about we..." He started, bending down and carving out a small hole in the clay. "Whoever gets their marble into the hole first wins?"

  It was different, the only thing worrying me was the fact that I had no hand to eye coordination. I took the risk and agreed, holding on to the hope that he was just as athletic as me. 

  "Alright who goes first?" I ask, standing up and stepping near him.

  "You can."

  I took advantage of this and pulled a marble out of my bag, holding it so tightly my veins popped out of my hand. I didn't want to do this. I wanted to go home. Ali should have hated me, it would have made it easier to kill him.

  I took ten steps away from the hole and put a line in the clay. The marble was placed firmly between my index finger and thumb as I got into the stance to throw it. I ignored the small quiver that went through my spine.

  You're not going to die so easily. Just throw the marble and hope you make it. It can't be that difficult.

  I realized this could be the last time I saw him. An everlasting image of sweat dripping from his forehead, a somber look stained on his face. Ali took notice of my blank gaze. 

  "It's ok, Sae-Byeok, I'll forgive you if you make it." He says watching from afar. I didn't feel any better about this but if I do not throw it, we would run out of time.

  Preparing myself, I closed my eyes, letting silence take over my system, then opened them. Determining the amount of force I would have to use, I lined the marble up with the hole, swung my arm back and let it go.

  The marble rolled and rolled, causing my anxiety to soar past the stratosphere. It started to slow down, landing around two feet from the hole.

  Well shit.

  I looked at Ali and moved away, giving him room to throw.

  He matched my stance, his only downside being that he let emotion take over. His body shook with fear and regret. Managing to let the marble go after a couple tries, it landed a lot closer than mine did; I was terrified. I won't die, I can't.

  This went on for many rounds, neither of us were making it. The clock was down to almost two minutes left and I was starting to freak out.

  "Sae-Byeok, are you ok?" Ali asks, noticing my unsteady breathing and shaky figure.

  "Yes, I'm fine, let's just try to actually win this time." I sigh, letting my natural sarcasm mask my real thoughts. The tears in Ali's eyes were long gone, replaced with frustration. After all, humans are always inclined towards winning.

  It was my turn once again; I wiped the sweat off my forehead and got prepared to throw it again.

  Please make it, please make it! I thought before throwing it with the best aim I could muster with my tired arm. But, like the others, it completely missed, landing next to all the other marbles that had the same misfortune.

  "Fuck." I whispered through my mental rage.

  One minute and twenty-five seconds left.

  Moving away from the line so Ali could throw, I bent down and placed my hands on my knees feeling a knot in my chest. I didn't even notice that Ali had thrown already until he patted my back and told me in a soft voice, "Sae-Byeok, it's your turn."

  Oh, shit it was.

  Seeing that there was only forty-five seconds left on the clock, I rushed to the line and picked out my marble of choice.

  Thirty-five seconds left.

  It took me around fifteen seconds to position the ball and another five to get ready to throw it. But I hesitated.

  Ten seconds left.

  Looking at the clock gave me enough motivation to throw it, and when I did everything happened in slow motion. I knew this was a life-or-death situation, it all depended on how good my throw was, because if I didn't make it, we would both die. As the ball neared its destination, I blinked a couple of times and...

  And...

  The marble had made it into the hole. I did not feel like I had won though. I felt as if I have lost something more valuable. A life.

  Victory was short lived, and I let myself be more confused than anything. 

  "Ali..." I looked up at him in disbelief just as the clock hit zero.

  "Congratulations Sae-Byeok. Make sure you win, ok?" A guard had already pointed a gun at his head while tears streamed uncontrollably down Ali's face.

  I felt too numb to cry but too shocked to utter a single word, the shot rang through my ears like a knife piercing through my skin. I never said anything back to the man who replaced my life with his.

  I flinched violently. It all happened too fast. I do not know how long I was staring at Ali's dead body with wide eyes for, until a guard was pushing me forward with the back of his gun.

  "Player 199, eliminated."

Words: 945

(Edited) (Re-edited)