The Fight our of Leis

Chapter Seven

Idoka's Pov.

For one moment the world seemed perfect. The clouds above me were scampering across the sky like little white sheep, the path before me was green and inviting and I felt weightless. Until the thought of fire engulfed me, knives seemed to stab me, and those green eyes seemed to bore into my soul even though the hillsides around me were empty. Suddenly footsteps clattered over the mound behind me, and Tao came puffing into view.

"Tao! Thank goodness your alive! I thought I lost you!" I enveloped Tao into a tight hug, but I drew back almost instantly. "Tao, your shaking, what's wrong?" I asked, looking into her grasshopper green eyes, which were filling with tears.

"You, you just care about me when you shouldn't. I've been a terrible person; I've done terrible things and I've just lied my way through life when you've been nothing but kind." She muttered lowering her gaze and flinching when I tried to wipe her tears away.

"What lies?" I asked simple.

"I-

"before you say another word Tao, let me warn you that I have planted a bomb inside both of you. These bombs will go off in exactly a day but be warned, inside this simulator days tend to...rush." The Games Master warned, his voice echoing like it was trapped in a well.

"What can I do to save her?" Tao growled her normal attitude returning. I glanced at her my eyes widening with amazement. It seemed like a second ago that those green eyes were compressing the most hatred possible at me, but now those beautiful eyes were staring into mine in such a tender way that it seemed to melt my soul. For some reason we went from being the worst of enemies to being the best of friends...

"Tao I, I never thought I'd hear you say those words about me." I stuttered in astonishment. Tao took a step towards me, her lips falling slightly apart.

"I'd do anything for you." She consoled simply. I threw my arms around her and let my fear crack through the haze of smiles and perfection that I was supposed to wear. After a second of our embrace, Tao took my shoulders, looked into my eyes, and said. "Idoka, we will get through this, we will escape, and we'll do it together."

"I'm so sorry to break up this touching moment but I hate to tell you two that it is already nighttime, and you guys still have no idea what to do." The Games Master scoffed in disgust.

"Come 'on let's find somewhere to sleep." Idoka suggested. She took Tao's wrist and started marching over the nearest hill.

=

Tao's Pov.

We had made camp next to an altitudinous tree. With the ripples of the beautiful moonlit lake lapping at our feet, Idoka laid down next to me and we examined the simulated yet beautiful night sky. The sky looked like someone poured inky black paint on a canvas then the flicked dashes of white paint onto it.

"Hey, kid, you ready for tomorrow?" I asked jokingly. Idoka rolled over then elbowed me in the side.

"Oh, I'm ready, the question is are you ready, grandpa?" She asked mimicking a whinny four-year-old voice.

"Oh, you didn't dare." I gasped back. My lips twitched into a smile as she pretended to be aloof and uninterested. After a moment Idoka could not bear the silence and her shoulders heaved with muffled giggles. The strain of being in such a demanding competition got to me and my eyes watered up with tears of laughter. My composure fully broke and Idoka and I rolled around on the ground, dying from laughter for no reason. When we had finally composed ourselves, she chuckled out.

"You never cease to amuse me Tao." Her tone was delicate, teasing and kind, an achievement I did not know was possible. "Goodnight" And with that she burrowed her head into my shoulder and closed her elegant eyes. Once her breathing slowed and I was sure she was asleep I murmured.

"Goodnight, Idoka."