Writing Prompts

The Killing

  I sat on the old chair with my hands on my neck and my head facing the ground where I could see Wills feet pacing just a few feet away. Every once in a while I would hear him turn around, stare at the clock on the wall and curse it for moving so slowly, but other than that the silence surrounding us was deafening. I stood up and put my hand on his shoulder and he stiffened, and then looked back up to the clock. Tomorrow would be his test, the test to see if he is worthy to live in a clan of victors. When you turn eighteen the elders pick out an opponent at random for you to fight to the death. It's brutal and unfair, but no one cares. It's tradition, and our village likes to only have the best, and the strongest.

"Stop looking, it's only going to make you more nervous," I said as I took it down and sat it face down on the kitchen table. Just then there was a faint knock at the door, followed by a voice I knew all too well.

"Will? Hey, its Marcus, open up, please. Id like to talk to you." Will turned to me and instantly I could tell he didn't want to talk to him, after all, what was he going to say to the man he was going to have to kill in less than eighteen hours. Never-the less I walked over to the door and opened it. There stood Marcus, his black curly hair was perfectly slicked back and his glasses sat evenly on his roman nose. But through the foggy lenses I could see his eyes were puffy and red. "Oh- oh, is this a bad time?" He asked fixing his posture.

"Um, no," I said looking back at Will who motioned for me to let him in. Once Marcus was through the door he walked over to Will and shook his hand.

 "My apologies for the lateness of the hour, b- bu- but I came for a favor." He stuttered, Will pulled out a chair and motioned for him to sit. Marcus just shook his head.

"I need to make this quick, we are technically not supposed to even b- b- be in the same part of town right now." He said glancing out the window nervously.

"When we see each other tomorrow, I only ask that you kill me quickly. I don't want to feel pain." I put my hand over my mouth and turned around, I've known Marcus since we were kids. We were once best friends, and now he's here, asking my boyfriend to make his death a quick and painless one.

 "Of course Marcus, you know I wish there was another way." Will said putting his hand on Marcus's shoulders."I know." He said."And in return, I'm going to who Claire is p-pared with." I turned back around, he's not supposed to have that information, it's classified.

"And I want you to know that I had nothing to do with it, neither did my father. It was just the luck of the draw." She said while wringing his fingers.

"How do you know whose she's partnered with?" Will asked.

"I can't tell you that."

"Okay, then who is it?" Marcus turned to me and closed his eyes.

"It's Asia, he-" 

"But Asia is a guy, girls and boys aren't paired with each other." Will interrupted.

 "And your not supposed to have more than one kid, but accidents happen. And Asia has a twin. Therefore the number of boys and girls are uneven, I'm so sorry Claire." Marcus said before he was out the door and disappeared into the darkness. Asia was the highest ranking boy in our class, the strongest, the fiercest. And the one I have four months to train to beat, in a game of life or death.