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chapter two: fates and their tricks
Kore was ushered into the justice building before her overwhelmed mind could comprehend where she was being taken. Two peacekeepers flanked her sides and one walked behind her as they led her through the intricate halls of the building.
She was eventually brought into a sapphire-colored room that hurt her eyes. Kore would have poked around the beautiful room if she wasn't being sent to her death in mere minutes.
"You have three minutes." Kore's head snapped to the oak door and she watched as one of her best friends was thrown into the room by blurs of white armor.
"Chain." Kore's arms wrapped around the boy's neck and she felt his tears start to soak her shirt.
"You have to get out of there, Kore. You gotta win." Chain's voice cracked and Kore swore she had never felt worse. Just because of one stupid game she was going to put everyone in her life through mental hell wondering if she would live to see the next day or not.
"I'm gonna win. I have to win." She shook her head and didn't let her tears fall. She hadn't seen Chain cry since his mother passed away, and that was when they were nine. "Yeah, yeah, okay. You can hide really well and you have that dartboard you fought tooth and nail for in your room that you always use-"
"I don't really think they're going to have darts as a weapon." Chain let out a choked laugh and forced a smile Kore into his shoulder. The pair didn't unlatch from each other until a peacekeeper barged into the room.
"Time's up." A new peacekeeper opened the door and spoke. Kore recognized her voice, her name was Mary and Kore often sold her things for her four daughters.
Chain planted a final kiss on Kore's lips before slowly walking out of the room. She was sure that Mary wouldn't rush him, or anyone that visited her because she held a soft spot for the girl and her friends.
"Three minutes," Mary spoke as a borderline hysteric Ellie stumbled through the door.
"Kore." Ellie was cut off by her own sobs. "Come here, blondie."
Ellie fell back onto the deep blue couch that was behind her and Kore soon followed. Ellie wrapped her arms around Kore and pulled her as close as she physically could. "I don't want you to die." Kore had one arm sat on top of the blondes' back and the other soothingly rubbed her head.
"Then I guess I'm gonna have to win, then." Kore finally felt a tear roll down her face. "You have to. Promise me."
"I promise." She reduced her voice to a whisper so it wouldn't break, knowing full well that this would be the first promise she's ever broken.
"Time's up." Kore stood up and Ellie didn't latch off of her.
"You gotta go, Ellie. You gotta make sure everyone is back there supporting me and that they know I'm coming home."
