Hell and Back (EXO x Reader)

Dr. Who (Trials 40-41)

Word count: 1520

Chapter warnings: Mild language and themes

-----

How was he meant to handle this? There wasn't a lot he could do, but he knew the outcome. Was the game going to purposely kill Y/N? It was limiting his power, so even if he wanted to break the rules, he wouldn't be able to. Once he unfroze time... It would stay that way for better or worse, until the trial was over.

Could he make it so that the train was safe? He may be able to dismantle the cow pusher if he really tried, but tying up all the hydraulic cables? That would be a nightmare. He didn't even know how to disconnect the cars if he wanted to, and their forward momentum would push them into her anyway. He didn't know if he could even reverse any further with his power limited by the game. Not only that, but his mental state was affecting his physical one. He didn't know how strong he could actually be.

Walking over to the train, he looked to the cow pusher. Giving it a kick, he tried to see if it would come off, but it was clearly bolted into the vehicle. Maybe there would be wrenches on the train. Walking around to the conductor booth, he tried to heave himself up to the door. Hands slipping as his grip weakened, he fell back into the rocks. Grunting in pain, he shook as he tried to pull himself up. He couldn't afford to pass out yet, he'd end up releasing time. He just had to find the tools.

Pulling up on the bar a second time, he nearly made it, but his foot slipped, sending him sprawling to the dirt a second time bashing his head on the ground. His vision began to swim as he laid back, body giving out against his will. He tried to mutter to himself, force himself to get up, but he couldn't do anything about it. Finally, against his own volition, he fell into unwilling sleep.

"Tao..." He heard the muffled voices in the back of his head, as if he were underwater. His breathing was labored and he felt hot, sweating in his own skin. Was this death? Was he dying? He could see their faces in front of him, bubbling and twisting like a portal. Their colors were shifting from too saturated to too monochrome, disorienting hi as they shouted.

"Tao!" Jumping out of whatever strange realm he had found himself in, he blinked in confusion, looking around at them. Staring up, he saw all of their faces. Sehun, Kai, Kyungsoo, Kris, Chanyeol, Lay, Chen, Baekhyun, Suho, and Xiumin.

"W-where's Luhan?" He asked, practically shaking. In that strange place he had been hot, but now he was desperately terribly cold.

"Tao, Luhan left..." Suho put a hand on his shoulder.

"O-oh, right..."

"Are you okay, man?" Sehun asked, obvious concern on his face.

"Y-yeah, I'm good, he said, shuddering involuntarily.

"Well in that case, what the fuck is this?" Kris asked in an accusing tone, shoving something in his face.

"Kris, come on, give him a-" Suho started, but was rudely cut off.

"No, we deserve an explanation." Trying to focus his eyes, Tao saw that it was a phone screen.

"Huh?"

"Don't play stupid. What the fuck is this? We're on trial forty one. Y/N's train stunt was supposed to be trial thirty one. And this trial is for you." Grabbing onto the phone, slightly nauseous, he tried to read it. Finally, his eyes caught on the letters, brightness somewhat disorienting.

Final Time Trial - Player Tao

Trial 41: Tell the truth.

Limited power: Tao