Roomscapes I - survive

Chapter 29 ~ Survival and Sacrifice

  ** PARKER’S POV **

I felt my lips quivering as I looked at Nicole, whose face was pale and eyes were wide in horror. I let the man beat me up, I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t take the pain of living while my mother was dead and my sister would soon be. I gave up. For the first time since this started I decided to look at the person I had killed with my selfish actions. I looked at the tube next to mine to find a guy about my age standing, his eyes unreadable. I didn’t recognize him. He had short hair and he was slightly tan. I read the tube label. Jacob. No idea who that is… but I was still scared. In the blink of an eye he was standing right in front of me, his expression emotionless and his eyes bloodshot. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill him.

“Well, well, well…” said the annoying woman, “Let’s see what we got here…” she seemed to be looking for something, and I sure hoped she would never find it. “Ha!” she said and rolled my eyes, disappointment clear in them, “Parker and Jackeeb” she said and I smirked, gaining a warning look from the guy, “Jacob.” He said loud enough to make me flinch, “Okay… Jackeeb… what a weird—oh” it was about time she noticed, “I meant Jacob … ha, my reading skills have surely disappeared during all these years…” she giggled and I made gagging sounds, rolling my eyes once again. Jacob’s expression remained unchanged, but even though you could see no emotion in his eyes or expression, there was a hint of fear behind the toughness, and I decided to point that out, like the idiot I am. “You’re scared…” I whispered.

“Aren’t you?”

“Yea…” he was right, I was scared, but I was going to kill him so he should be more scared. Wait… was I going to kill him? I hoped not.

“Okay lovelies! Let’s play a game!”  and oh my gawd holy shit why does she have to act to fucking cheerful when we’re about to die? Can we die in peace without an annoying voice telling us how much fun we’re having!? I guess not. “Anyway, let’s start! Now, Parker: Would you rather… kill Jacob, or…” she stopped, probably re-checking the other option, like the idiot she was.  “Ah! Found it!” ugh. “Or would you instead… shoot one of each of your—Jacob and your— legs… which may or may not cause instant or future death?” she seemed excited. I bet she believed herself when she said it was a game. Of course, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.

Forgetting about her, I decided to calm down and concentrate on the options. I knew that a shot on the leg without any instant treatment could cause certain diseases, blah, blah. But it was better than death. There as an actual chance we would survive. I was about to say my answer when I realized my leg was hurt and without thinking I looked down at the ripped suit and the red flesh that still stung. I looked at Jacob, whose face was pale and eyes were full of horror, and whose legs were completely fine. I owed him. Nothing would be happening to him if I had passed …nothing at all. “I choose we both get shot on the leg, as long as we can decide which one.” I said, loudly. “Hmm… okay…” the woman said, and a gun was placed neatly on my hand. “Two bullets, ten seconds. Mess up and die. Go ahead…” and she was gone.

I grabbed the gun and looked in his eyes, and the countdown started.

10

I can’t do this.

9

I grabbed the gun tightly and looked at his leg, fear written all over him.

8

I aimed.

7

And I pulled the trigger.

I saw as Jacob’s face reddened and he looked at me with wide eyes. I had shot him. I dropped the gun to go help him when I heard someone’s faint screams. I looked around and stopped when I saw Val pounding on the glass, her fists bloody, and her face relieved when my eyes locked on hers. She pointed at the clock on top of my head, which read: 3.