The person you made me

4. Selection

The day after, a soldier who woke us up in the morning told Will he was going to be used as a courier instead of working at the construction site. 

"Izuna", Will said, looking at me with vast eyes. 

It took everything I got not to cry at how relieved he looked. Look at us. Captives, made to be happy when we are forced from one slave duty to another.

I did my all not to show my emotional turmoil to Will. Instead, I put my hand on his shoulder, a weak echo of the evening before when we had slept together and the following night when we had slept holding one another. 

"Be careful", I said. "I'll see you back here tonight."

"Don't be so sure of that." It was a soldier who had come up to us and looked down on us, an evil grin on his face when he spoke to us in a most broken version of our language. "8963, you're moving to the mines."

I felt all blood drain from my face to my feet. Will grabbed my hand and squeezed, all relief forgotten.

"Why?" he asked, his voice wobbling. 

"A trade, you may say", the soldier said in a bored voice, inspecting his nails. "8963 made you a courier, and now, he has to work the mines. Or else..." He looked back to us again, his face displaying disgust, clearly showing we weren't worth even one of the fingernails that he had so adoringly been inspecting. "You can both go back to the construction site."

"Yes, I will-" Will began, but I stepped in front of him.

"I will go to the mine", I said. 

"But-" Will started to protest. 

I forced my fingernails so deeply into his hands, I heard him wheeze. My heart clenched; hurting Will hurt more than working in the mines, I was certain.

Which was why I had to go to the mines. I suddenly understood Madara and why he had manipulated me into staying behind instead of following him into war, because it was the exact same thing I was doing for Will now. Even so, I was terrified. When the soldier had left so we could go get breakfast, I sunk down on the ground, hiding my face in my hands. I couldn't help but notice Will didn't comfort me. 

"Good luck staying alive", one of the other captives said before they left, one by one.

And he had every right to wish me well. The mines were known for killing people off; we knew this even after only one day here. Once you went down, there was no guarantee you would come up, it was so dangerous. The usual security measures taking place in mines were scarce, and the few that had been put in place were to protect the guards supervising the whole thing and not to protect us. 

I was a dead man. Maybe, I would survive the first day, but in the end, I would die. 

When everyone had left, Will stood in front of me, towering above me.

"Why did you do that?!" 

I looked up on him.

"Will-"

"Shut up!" I hoped at him. I had never thought he had it in him to scream at him." What is wrong with you?! Ever since we came here, you have treated me like a child! But guess what! I'm twenty-one! I'm two years older than you! Before I was forced here, I was an engineering student at the university in my hometown! I have a thing or two to say for myself!" At this point, tears were streaming down his face. Save the water, a subconscious part of me thought. "How do you think I feel?! I know why you're sacrificing yourself! But what happens when you die, and it's because of me? What then?!"