Once Upon A Time, A Thousand Tears Ago #Wattys2017

Chapter 43: Do or Die

Chapter 43: Do or Die

I am in a different state. The atmosphere is creepy as hell; feels like we are in a pit. There's no way to survive; I sense like we are going to die of pain. I wish to die before anyone touches me. I wish that if my partner is unable to save me, then I can just die as soon as anyone comes closer. The monstrous laughter of that dog-faced Monty and his audience is ruining my senses.

"So now you all know the rules. If you play, young people, there is a chance that you will be saved; otherwise, you are dead or.... Used." Roars of deafening laughter.

"So, beginning with the game no. 1. Easy; Very Easy." He looks at all the forced participants.

Zayn tries to give me an assurance look. Monty takes in the whole glass of alcohol and continues, "First game is to check how cool these young lads are. You boys will lie on ice slab, bare bodied, and the one who gets up first is the loser. Come on rich people, bet on these young participants. Whom do you think is capable of surviving? Come on, bet with a huge amount of money. Even if you lose, you get the girl. C'mon, see these girls. Beautiful ladies. Buy them." He looks at all the girls hungrily and I have the feeling to throw up on him.

His body builder pets keep loading big ice slabs in front of us. I stare at the ice slab and then glance at Zayn whose shackles are now being removed.

"Serpia, stay ready if anyone tries messing, just shoot that pig." Monty barks.

"I'm ready, darling." Serpia points her pistol at the 5 boys in the game.

Just before getting onto the slab, Zayn looks at me and flashes me a smile to reassure me. Crying, I give him a 'thumbs up'. As soon as the boys lie down, the competition begins. Cries, more cries, muffled sobs, curses; these are the only things that I can hear on the girls' side. The ice is melting off but it is still managing to make the boys quiver. Zayn's lips have started turning blue. I can see those trembling lips. The whole arena is howling but I can only feel the coldness that is being felt by my partner. Every girl's eye is fixated on her partner. It's the boy who will decide the fate of the girl tonight.

"There you go. Stop." Monty yells.

Suddenly, I sneak a peek and I get to know that a really thin boy just slipped off the slab. The boy gets up quickly and apologises to Monty saying that it's not his fault, the ice melted and the water made it difficult to balance on the slab. But there was no such thing as mercy here.

From the audience, an old man of age above 60 screams that he lost his bet because of the thin guy. He seems furious. Then, Monty's servants open up the cage next to mine and the girl in the blue dress is dragged out of the cabin.

"Here, take this blue mermaid, Anthony. I'm sure she's worth every penny."

The old guy named Anthony laughs in return. I close my eyes tightly to avoid this slaughter scene but the shrilled voice of the girl and the screams of the boy invade every single cell of mine. She screams and screams and screams; nobody listens; everyone enjoys the scene; do we have any human here?

The puppies of the monster remove the ice slabs and start preparing for the second round. I see Zayn shaking under the effect of ice. When he looks at me, I move my lips to tell him 'thank you'. He quickly straightens himself and gestures me to stay fine, he is there for me. This breaks me even more.

"Game no. 2, my buddies. Monty is very generous. Monty asked you to lie down on a slab. Now, Monty will compensate for that by giving you some warmth. We have 4 teams left. Each boy will be given a small fist-sized burning coal. You have to just hold it in your hands for as long as you can. One who throws it away first will lose. Imagine, it's not coal, it's your beloved. You throw the coal, means you throw your lover. And as I said, Monty is generous; you throw your lover, Monty will take her away and distribute it to his sweet audience." Monty roars again and the inhuman audience laughs at the way he is putting up the whole process in words.

Who can hold a burning coal in his hand? How insensitive can one be when one devises strategies like these? Tears roll down my cheeks and I already feel my eyes swollen up due to excessive crying.

From one side a bulky man, who appears to be another puppy of Monty, brings up a grill with too much of smoke originating from it. I decipher the burning coals are already there. He takes up the long-handled tongs, picks up a big piece of fuming coal and brings it closer to the boy standing to Zayn's left. The boy takes up the coal but his reflexes cause him to jump immediately. He still manages to hold the piece in his hand shifting it quickly from one hand to the other.

Next is Zayn in line. Zayn looks at me once again, nods and then without hesitation picks up the coal piece. I close my eyes again as I can't see him in so much pain. But I can still hear his panting while he is managing to hold the coal. Sobbingly, when I open my eyes, I see him shifting the coal from one hand to the other and blowing at the coal in hopes that it will cool down. I can evidently see his hands all covered with soot.

The coal is finally handed over to the last boy, who, as soon as he touches the coal, drops it to the floor. He looks into the eye of his girl and then starts screaming at once. The game is called off and Zayn leaves the coal from his hand. A tear rolling down but not a single word of his mouth is heard.

The abusive scene repeats once more with the girl standing in the last cabin. As usual, I close my eyes tightly and just repeat in my mind, 'We survived the second round, just two more rounds to go'. 

Author's Note: I know, I know, it's torturing. But that's how the real world is. Enjoy. Vote, Comment and Share please. Thank you :)