Until Death Do Us Apart

If You Survive the Very First Day, You’re a Threat

Somebody knocks on my door. Correction. Somebody tries to kick out my door to get to me. I hear constant banging on the wood and it doesn’t stop.

If you'd rather banged something else than my door.

“Yara!” I hear a familiar voice shouting. “Yara!” The voice is angry, but it’s not filled with rage, not yet.

“Coming,” I mutter. I really don’t want to get out of my bed, not yet. My whole body disagrees with me wanting to get up, but this is the very first day. I really should move my nice ass and go open the door.

The hell, what time is it? I look through window and it’s dawn. You must be kidding me.

I remove the chair holding the door handle. Knowing of not being disturbed during the night gives me a little bit of pleasure.

OK, let’s face the reality.

“What the hell…” I suddenly open the door in my pyjamas. William’s angry face is annoying.

Can you do any other than angry one, pure rage or a lethal one? Or are you just getting there, lol?

“Good… I’m not sure what I should say, whether it should be night or morning.” I feel like I should smile ironically, but William stops me with his words.

“There aren’t any locks or keys for a good reason. Don’t do this again!” he shouts while pointing to my chair. “And as for this day, these are your clothes from now on. You won’t wear anything else!” He hands me a package. “You have five minutes, because we’ve already lost five by knocking on your door. If you’re not down in 5 minutes…” he pauses and there’s clear threat in his voice, “rather make it on time if you don’t want to know!” He leaves me with these words and with god-knows whose clothes in my hands.

Well, let’s start.

I unpack the clothes. They’re all black. There’s a mid-sleeve shirt with special some kind of elastic fibres which are harder to cut. I’ve read about those. I try to put it on. It feels like I have a second skin. It’s definitely for someone who’s slimmer and thinner, however the shirt keeps its shape. It looks like I’m wearing a corset. Oh god, at least I’ll have the boobs weapon, because the V neck is just too much for me. Even though my boobs aren’t that bad (one of the positive of being plus size) I still don’t want to show them as they’d be in an auction.

It’s silly, isn’t it? To have boobs, but to be unwilling to show them. Well, I don’t want to hear your opinion, I have mine.

Then, there’re black trousers again made of special fibres in combination with leather. And they’re also smaller! I can put them on, but they’re even worse than the mid-sleeve shirt. Somebody must be having a great time! I stare to the mirror.

Wait, do I look like Catwoman? Nah, I think Xena is more accurate description.

Thank God there aren’t any heels. I love heels, but to fight in them that is another story. I got just a pair of fine light leather shoes.

I have exactly one minute left. I can do it without food, but not without going to the toilet. I’ll be damned if I pee myself. I’d rather do extra work or face detention than be humiliated like that.

While taking two stairs instead of one and running down the staircase, I pray I arrive on time. There’re several people staring at me in disbelief and there’s also William. He’s as ready as he’s sexy.

Wait! He might be sexy but he’s an ass.

“You’re late. Two seconds, which is not much, Yara, but you’ll have to learn your lesson,” he smirks and others have cruel smiles on their faces.

2 secs? To jako vážně? Blbečku! I bet you can come on time (I'd love to say it out loud)!

“We’ll sort this out later if you’re alive, of course!” he grunts. “Alright, let’s get started! Today, we’ll practice fighting with fists. Punches and dodges,” he commands and all people are quite happy, but I can hear two distant voices.

“It’s because of her. That’s for sure!” somebody mutters, but I hear it. I’ve got the impression I was supposed to catch these words.

“I bet she won’t last a single week. She’s just lard and nothing else,” these words are louder and they’re meant for other people to hear them too, including me. I really wish to turn to those two and tell them to go to hell, but for now, I pretend I’ve nothing to say. However, I’ll remember their voices and deal with them later (if I’m still alive).

I scan people who’re next to me. There’re about twenty people and the number of men is higher than number of women. Some of them look deadly, the others don’t, but appearance can be deceiving.

We all have to follow William. He opens the main door, waiting. He leaves us for now, but there’s somebody else coming. She can be in her thirties. Her hair is black and short, and her body is just one big muscle. She looks strong and her eyes are severe.

“Ok, let’s stretch up at first! I see a new face here. Welcome to the Last Place. My name’s Sarah and by the time I’ll have finished with you, you’ll hate me!” Her smile is full of experience and I think her words aren’t hostile. They seem more like a friendly reminder.

“Let’s start with ten rounds to warm up our muscles!” she exclaims while we’re stretching up. Sarah is the leader and we follow her. We’re running through the park. Everything is nice and green.

You can guess who the last one is. Yep, it’s me. I try to keep up, but it’s hard because I’m not very fond of running, and regarding my shape and form, they’re below the average (and the average here is a usual top that I can’t even reach, so you can deduce how screwed I actually am).

“Hey, you!” Sarah shouts at me.

“Yea?” I can barely catch my breath.

“What’s your name?” she asks curiously.

“Yara,” I reply while inhaling deeply and holding my knees with my palms.

“Well, Yara,” she starts with the tone it’s-going-to-get-worse, “these were just five rounds. You need to warm up your muscles and inhale deeply while running. Come on!” She commands.

I’m dying. I sweat like a pig and my face is red like a pit full of fire. Well, everyone has healthy colour in their face. I wonder where William is. Is he supposed to train with us?

I inhale deeply. I’m exhausted, but I made it! I glance at Sarah.

“Well, you’re ready,” Sarah states, addressing us all, “let’s go.”

She leads us to a place where we see constructions, mattresses, tables with weapons, figurines, ropes, and other special stuff which I don’t have time to think about, because we’re told to create pairs. They’re all familiar with each other and they create them in a second. The only one who doesn’t have a partner is the blondie which I met in the showers last night.

“Paul, Cecil, Patrick, Robert, Clara and Yaris will take the combat spot. Henry, Monica, Ethan, Martin, Lucas and Kristine will go to the training spot. Peter, Ann, Ava, Emma, Sophia and Yara will train with figurines,” she exclaims and follows the group I’m in.

I’m close to my figurine, but I’m not sure what I should do. I watch the others and I’m trying to learn how to punch.

“Yara,” Sarah walks towards me. “Make a fist, but don’t hold your thumb by other fingers. Pivot your back foot on its ball and push your body forward. When you’re pushing off your foot, turn your hips and extend your arm straight and hit the target. Like this,” she shows how to do it, twice, and I repeat what she has done.

After some time, we’re supposed to stop. My hands are swollen and full of bruises. We’re going to have a half an hour. They call it a hygiene break and then we’re about to have a breakfast. Thank God, I’m starving.

No one laughs at me while I’m enjoying having a shower. They mind their own business. I’d stay here forever, but the time flies fast. When I rush downstairs, everyone is already there. The breakfast is huge and we can actually choose what we wish. I want strength, so I take scrambled eggs, bread and tea. I have to watch out, because I don’t know what we’re going to do after breakfast. I don’t want to puke in case we’re training.

I’m finished with my breakfast. William walks in and orders to follow him. He doesn’t even wait for us, but everyone is already up.

“We’ll see how she handles this!” someone smirks behind my back.

This time we’re heading somewhere else. I haven’t been in this part before. We enter the room and there’re hundreds of weapons hanged on the wall. It looks like an armoury to me. However, hanged weapons are not the only things which’re here. There’re all kinds of targets with prepared weapons, such as bows and arrows, axes, knives; there’s also shooting range with guns, pistols; and the last, but not least swords, daggers, nunchucks, staffs with blades, and many others.

“Regroup yourselves, then chose a spot and a weapon. It shouldn’t be the one you have fought within last three days! Make sure you’ve change it” William announces, and he and Sarah watch us closely. I’m trying to get to the Blondie, because she’s my partner, but she doesn’t seem interested in working together.

“Hi, I’m Yara,” I try to introduce myself. “What’s your name?” I ask politely.

“Not interested in your name. You’re nobody. You’ll probably die in the next few days. If you’re lucky you’ll make it to the next month, so do not bother me. We’re together only because my sparring partner got hurt, but he’ll be soon ok,” she mutters with hatred.

“Well, you’re not telling me anything new,” I blurt out. “I asked what your name is, because clearly you’re Someone,” I emphasize the last word and she blinks at me in surprise. “I’d like to know your name, and it seems you aren’t deaf, so, could you give me an answer?” I ask again, changing my rude tone into a polite one.

Yara, are we digging our grave again? It must be very deep by now. You have had so many dead wishes lately.

“I’m Sophia,” she murmurs while smiling poisonously. “Watch your mouth, Yara, it could get you into troubles,” she adds, but her tone is not that hostile anymore. “Let’s find out whether you’re a survivor or already a walking corpse, shall we?”