At End's Gate

A GAME OF SURVIVAL

Paige gazed at the screen during her shift. At first she would flinch at the site of people fighting each other to the death. After some time she managed to keep herself composed to focus on what was going on. She looked at the screen that showed the central part of Redstone. She saw many people running into their means of transportation to keep their families safe. Some were beating each other to death. The sight was dreadful. Paige could see the colour of blood everywhere. She thought to herself about how something you barely take consideration of in times of peace could be of vital importance in your last moments. Some brutally injured men lay by the pavements. They had faces of agony as their blood oozed out of them. With every flow of blood out they became more lifeless. Truly blood was important. Paige could see their inner struggle as they harnessed faces of fighters who didn't want to die. Their faces started of as those of pain. They then changed to those of pleading for mercy as if they pleaded for mercy from death's hand. Apparently death wasn't so merciful. Finally colour from their faces faded. They were dead. Those who got into their cars didn't go too far as there was a massive number of people blocking the main road. They threw stones on the cars. Some even lifting other civilians and throwing them on the windscreen of moving vehicles. She whimpered when she saw a man in gruesome pain after being thrown onto a windscreen. Luckily the others didn't hear her. They were asleep. She wondered why the people seemed to be in accord in stopping moving vehicles. She then calculated in her mind. The city's leadership lived in the central part of the city. The people were protesting as they believed that the leadership was to blame. The leadership consisted of the scientists only. They designed the city. They made the wall as well as the gate beyond the wall. This gate was the only channel to leave and enter the city. This was mainly to secure and monitor well city visitors. The rest of the wall had no entrance except the opening that led to the gate. To Paige it made sense why the people were protesting. She knew her parents were involved as they knew Dukilian. She concluded that the other scientists were involved as well. She then thought again that she and her family lived in the northern part of Redstone but most of the scientists lived at the center. She then overlooked the scientists involvement because of that thought. It seemed as if her parents chose to reside there to protect them. This made her stomach churn. What did they do? How did they know that maniac? She looked at the screen closely and discovered people were ramming gates to attack anyone they assumed was involved. After a while the people were now attacking each other. The sight was depressing. Other people were running but the effort was in vain as there was explosion at the Central city science laboratory. The death toll was massive. Paige felt a heaviness in her chest. She wanted to cry. She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Conner. He gave her a sympathetic stare." Paige you've seen enough. Let me take the second shift." Paige nodded. She went to a corner and rested on the floor to sleep but after that experience sleep was hard to come by. She went and sat next to the green eyed boy." You can't sleep," Conner said raking his hair back." So you're just going to look at the screen," he said with a frustrated glance.

"I'm fine." Paige responded with a sad glance." I think it's better seeing it with someone else."

"You need to take it easy. We'll be fine"

"Yeah," Paige answered weakly.

Conner felt her pain. He tried putting his arm around her. Paige noticed." I have a boyfriend and I don't think it's..."

Conner cut her statement. He wrapped his arm around her." I know but I think you need a friend and I think it's okay for me to try my best to keep you fine for when you go back to him."

Paige sighed, embracing his hand." I don't even know if he's alive." The thought of Erin pierced her mind. What had become of him? Was he dead? Was he lost in the arena they used to call their city?

" I don't know too but we can only hope for the best. Let's not think negatively."

Paige nodded.

Conner gazed into her weak fair brown eyes." You're trying too hard to maintain this brave image. It's okay to be vulnerable especially with me. I know you won't allow yourself to show your siblings your pain so I'm here. You can show me how hurt you are. I can't take away the pain but I can be the one who helps you deal with it."

Paige's tears rolled down her smooth tan skin. He removed the tears with his thumb. She hugged him." Thank you Conner."

He pulled her to his side." Now lean on my shoulder and try to sleep."

Paige nodded. Paige surveyed the room before leaning on his shoulder. She stared at the small confinement that had to be their shelter for now. At one point in time she would have found such a room to be claustrophobic but now it was her safe space. Life had changed. Denial could only take her so far. This wasn't a dream. This was now her life. The colour of the course of her life had changed into one in which the colour red was the colour she had to see. A life whereby people slaughtered one another for existence. Paige rested her head Conner's shoulder. It didn't take her time for her to fall asleep. She felt secure leaning on Conner. She felt peace.

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