Chapter 007
1386 Words
“What is that?! Tell me!” Tia insists.
“Some kind of slow-acting poison,” he answers.
“You stupid--”
“I’m not the one being stupid, Tia. This is the most logical choice,” Armand cuts. He looks at the other man and says, “Charlie?”
The man named Charlie comes closer and supports Armand. He helps him below my tree. Ugh. Out of all the trees, why choose mine?
Armand leans on the trunk of the tree. That must have hurt, but he just groans and says thank-you to Charlie.
Next, comes Tia. She’s crying now. Such a drama queen. She should have expected death from the onset. That is why alliances are unfavorable. Does she really think that they would all survive this? Only one survives this Game, sometimes no one even survives. Oh yeah, there are some games wherein over two participants win, but that’s a rare case.
Armand reaches for her, and Tia holds his hand. “You need to survive this, Tia. Prove to them that we are right. That no matter what kind of underhanded methods they use, we will persevere.”
Tia nods earnestly, as if that could still save his life. Persevere? You’re dying, boy, and that’s proof enough that whoever your enemies are, they are winning.
“Now go! You need to find a place before the first challenge appears.”
Tia stands up and wipes her tears. That’s right, be rational and just go. Just leave the dying man here. And so the three left, leaving the man named Armand hyperventilating under my tree. He’s dying all right.
“Your back is wounded, right? Doesn’t it hurt?” I ask. I’m not even sure why I decide to strike up a conversation with a dying man.
Armand looks up at me and smiles in my direction. “Are you going to kill me? Are you actively playing the game?”
“Even if I do, what’s the point of killing an already dying man?”
Armand laughs. “You are right. It’s better to watch me die.”
“So does it hurt?”
He shakes his head. “The poison robs me of my sense of touch. Next, it will rob me of my sense of taste, then smell, then sight, then—well, you get it.”
“So... that’s a painless poison?”
“Yes, you could say that.”
Maybe that’s the answer to my problem. It is painless. I want that. “Who else has it?”
“Why?” he asks.
Cautious, I think. “For me. I’d like to inject that for myself.”
Armand laughs again. “If you can climb a tree with this kind of trunk, I’m sure you are fit enough to be a challenger. Why not try to win it?”
“I won’t,” I say. “The Game is not winnable for ordinary citizens like me.”
“So you’re just looking for ways to kill yourself in the most painless way?”
“Yes. I’m sure you see that as stupid. You know, with all that speech you give to your love.”
“In truth, I see that as logical. Another reason why I requested for this, is so I can inject it into myself once only I and Tia remain in the Game.”
This time, it’s my turn to laugh. “You think you guys can actually win?”
“And now you’re judging me,” he says.
“Yes, I am judging you. I’ve told you. Ordinary citizens can’t win this Game. So tell me, where can I find the same poison? Do you have an extra? Can you inject that for me?”
“That’s the only one I have.”
Ugh. Failure.
“But Charlie has one too.”
Hope rises. “Do you think he’ll give it to me?”
“No.”
“I am very beautiful. If I seduce him, will he give it to me?”
Armand laughs again. “Tell me, is that beauty the cause of you joining this Game?”
“Some assh*ole listed my name for this blasted Game.”
“And you don’t want to take revenge?”
“How? I won’t even be able to escape this f*ucking Game unless I win it. And there’s no way for me to win it.”
Silence. Is he dead? I study him. He’s no longer moving. From the tree, I climb down and jump the remaining height. I stand before him and sit in front of him. He looks tired. His eyes are closed and I can see dark circles under them.
“Hey,” I start. I reach for his forehead and he jumps, either at my voice or at my touch.
“You in front of me? I didn’t hear you.”
He opens his eyes, but he’s unseeing. I wonder what he will lose next?
“I am quiet as a cat, so don’t blame yourself.”
“Where are we?” he asks.
“About Charlie owning the poison that I want.”
Armand smiles. “Yes. Why not replace my position beside Tia?”
“You mean save her *ass?”
“Yes, exactly. You seem able.”
“Will that make Charlie give me the poison?”
“Probably not, but if you befriend Sam enough that she won’t abandon you at the expense of her own life, then maybe Charlie will give you that poison.”
Damn. Befriend a girl? Huh! Making her jealous and angry at me is easier than that. I smirk. I’d rather seduce the guy named Charlie. Make him fall for me so that he will give me everything, except end my life. Ugh. This is hard.
“Before I lose my hearing, what’s your name?”
“Opal,” I answer.
“Opal, you should go to a safe place.”
“This is my safe place, that is, until you barge in here.”
“This area is the first area they will use for the first challenge. You need to leave this place.”
I snort. “And what? Join your merry band?”
“Yes.”
“No thanks. I’m not in the business of saving people.”
“But you are planning to die. Why not use your death for another person?”
“Like what you did?”
“Yes, just like what I did.”
“You know what I think? That you are stupid, even if it's the logical choice. First of all, you shouldn’t have saved her. Let me guess, it’s her mattress that blew up, right? And you screened her from that explosion?”
“You--”
“Oh damn! I am correct. How I wish I have a lover like you. Someone who’d protect me by using his life. If that is the case, I will make all the men here crazy for me.”
“I am not her lover…”
I snort again. “Seriously? You haven’t been in bed with her?” When he did not respond, I laugh. F*uck, this is hilarious. “You are f*ucking pathetic, do you know that? If it’s me, I could have given you at least one night. Besides, you’re not bad to look at.”
“She’s not like that. She, she’s already married and I respect her.”
I laugh out loud that there are tears in the corners of my eyes. I don’t even care if other participants can hear me. Let them come and see why I am laughing at a dying man.
“If you are not dying, I could have allowed you to f*uck me. You, boy, are too pathetic.”
He does not respond. I check his pulse and realize he is dead. Did he die while I am laughing at the absurdity of his situation? I touch his cheeks and say, “Goodbye, Armand. I’m sure we won’t meet each other again.”
I stand up and look down at him. He could have been a nice toy. But in the meantime, I need to get that poison from Charlie. So I turn away from him and run in the direction of the group.
- Writer
