The Hope In The Dark

Dimming Lights

"Why are you always like this?" "Why can't you be more like him?" *I'm trying. I'm trying!* "Why do you have to screw everything up?" I- I didn't mean to- "Worthless." "Waste of time." *No! No!* Then the worst of it all. "He is better at everything. You are a small wisp of smoke. He is the raging flame that everyone loves. You make people cough and move to the other side of the fire. He is the warmth that they enjoy." *You're lying. Someone cares!* "Who would that be?" Tears start streaming down my face. *I too can-* "Can what? All you are is a BURDEN. You're only around because they believe they can sacrifice you to save themselves." I tilt my head back to scream from the pain. There's laughter. I can't see anymore. "Oh, this is gonna be fun!"

"You know they hate you. Why even try anymore?" I am silent. "Why would they waste their time on you?" *I know they need me.* "What for? You can easily be replaced. You aren't really important." A pause. "He doesn't care. He doesn't love you. You are just an annoyance." *You don't know that.* "Oh, but I do. I know E V E R Y T H I N G." Cracks start into my willpower. It's wearing me down. Breaking me. "They hate you. They left you. It would be better if you just fell asleep, and n e v e r w o k e u p. I shatter. "They won't even miss you." Then I stand up from my knees. *All of it is LIES.* I shout in defiance. "A strong one. Haven't seen another one of those since a few millennia ago. Willing to wager?" *If that's what it takes.* "Alright. Survive, hmmm, an hour and a half fight with me, and you get to live, and leave. If not, you're here with me forever.* I swallow and my blue eyes turn icy. *Deal.*

"No one was ever your friend. They were just too afraid to oppose you." *China is my friend.* "Maybe he's too scared to tell you otherwise. They'd kill you if they got a chance." *They wouldnt.* "Give me a reason." Silence. I hate silence. Silence was always just before the storm. There's laughter, manical, taunting, laughter. "You really believe that? What a fool. Why risk making friends when they will just abandon you? Why fight when you can just sink?" and I give in. "Thank you for control."

"You know the real reason they can't see you. They don't want to see you, so they ignore you." *I really don't care.* "Oh, you're good at this. Finally an opponent." *If you can't break me... Fight me. If I win, I'm free. If you win, you get whatever it is that you want.* "Willing to wager a bet? On these stakes? Oh, I like this one. You survive for an hour, you win. If you don't, g o o d b y e f o r e v e r." I shiver. *I accept.* "Then let's begin."

Two at home. Two waiting for the return of nine. Six lying in wait. Four on the brink of dying again in death. Seems unreal. Seems fake. It doesn't make sense does it? But when does anything make sense when faced with chaos and uproar? When faced with insanity?

"Don't fall behind, and definitely do NOT get lost." Norway had said before everyone had been overcome by the inky black that wrapped around them and didn't want to let go. They had all gone silent after that, and not a word had been spoken for about seven minutes. There was sudden light at the front of their line. Lamps flickered, hanging on the cave walls next to nine passageways. Norway sighed. "We'll have to split up for the sake of time. Don't. Get. Lost." Norway walked through the first opening. It closed behind him with rumbling stone. "Vell zhen." Prussia said. "I guess ve should each take a tunnel." Prussia said, shrugging. China mumbles something that Prussia didn't bother trying to hear. "We're going to assume that each passage closes after someone enters it then aru." China said. "Most likely." said Germany. "Sounds fun! Let's go." America said, for once not sounding like he was having fun at all.
------------------------------------------------------I did not have time to edit this. Oh well. I hope you like this chapter. I will post names later because I am so lazy. I probably need help but ya know. I think that's all. See you guys next time!
Karma out-