Game of Reality

CHAPTER FIVE

Word count : 1127

*

(POV Theo)

Theo's hands were burning. The slits into them were thin, but deep, and the sting was intense. It made him laugh. Every time he forgot himself, every time he would clench his hands, the wounds would hurt and it made him laugh. His knuckles were torn, bloody. It wasn't so much a burn as a pull, on the edges of his skin. Theo was covered in blood. And giddy. In pain.

The arena turned into a mountain top, flat, rocky and cold. He lifted his gaze from his hands to look around him. There were only six players left, including him, but the arena was the same size it had started as and finding someone would be harder.

The sound of clashing metal called his attention and he turned around to see Jen and that kid from earlier, who he'd last seen standing behind the guy who had freed him from the tree, going at each other with a dagger and an axe, of all things.

Theo smiled. Hopefully, that kid wouldn't kill her, so he could get his chance. He couldn't let it stand, what she'd done to him, her little, petty "revenge." So they'd broken up; she didn't have to stab him through both hands and pin him to a tree. Sure, losing someone like him had to be rough, but if she wanted more, he could always give her a few hours of fun, she was pretty enough for that. Well, he would have, but that stunt of hers, he couldn't let her get away with.

*

(POV Jen)

After pinning Theo to the tree, Jen had walked away. She had barely gone two steps before she heard voices from behind her. She had turned around, crept slowly back towards Theo. She had seen those two boys free him, help him, give him a mercy he didn't deserve.

So when she had seen them again, talking, distracted, she had seized the opportunity. She had killed the one who had pulled the dagger from Theo's hands. The other one had just qualified, she had qualified by killing his friend, there hadn't been any risk that he would attack her. Even if there had been, she had seen him fall to his knees, seen him crumble. He wouldn't have been able to stand up, much less threaten her. So, she had walked away, and she hadn't thought twice about him.

And now, in the following level, here he was, swinging his shiny axe at her. All she had was the one dagger she had left, one half of the pair she had been given by a man, right before he definitely hadn't needed them anymore; she had seen to it. The other dagger had been left through Theo's hands.

The boy had strength and desperation on his side; she had his overwhelming emotions on hers. He was sloppy, too angry to apply himself to his task. He was grunting, breathing heavily, breathing fast ; to his credit, he barely flinched when she managed to cut his arm.

But then, the game was over, their weapons dropped to the ground, their fight left unfinished, both of them still standing, no worse for wear. For shame, too ; she had been having fun, she had been feeling alive. He might hate her, he might be trying to kill her, but at least, he saw her. He looked at her and saw something more than a burden, than a problem, than something to be dismissed, to be disregarded. He saw her. And then, he looked away.

*

(POV Matty)

"That's the end of level three! Do you want more?" Loud cheers. "Then let's start the fourth round!"

The level four arena was a mountain top, rocky and cold with a strong, icy wind. Matty shivered, hugging his arms around his torso to try and conserve heat. He looked towards Ravi to see him walking along blankly. He was wearing a t-shirt, and it was covered in moss stains, sand, mud and blood. He didn't seem to register the cold. Or, much of anything, really. His eyes were glazed over, his hands were bright red from the cold and he kept tripping on rocks but didn't notice.

"You okay?" He asked gently. Ravi didn't answer. Matty kept looking at him for a moment. After a second, his head snapped towards him and he thought he'd gotten out of his daze but then Ravi ran off and Matty was forced to follow. He'd spent the whole game alone, hiding and setting traps, but when he'd heard Ravi cry, when he'd seen him ; he felt he had no choice but to try and help him, he couldn't just walk away.

A few steps too far behind, he was forced to watch as Ravi swung his axe towards a redheaded girl, who blocked his blow with a long, slim dagger, pressing her palm to the flat of the blade when her wrist threatened to give under Ravi's strength. They kept exchanging blows, none hitting their target, as Matty stood helplessly nearby. He didn't have any weapons, and even if he had, he didn't know the first thing about fighting. To be honest, from their awkward moves and heavy pants, he didn't think those two knew much about it either.

The crowd cheered and chanted, sounds mashing together in a deafening cacophony. Then, the following events happened simultaneously. First, the crowd went silent, startling the fighting pair. Second, the girl, somehow, managed to swing her blade in such a way that it sliced, shallowly but painfully, if his cry was anything to go by, across Ravi's arm. Ravi hissed and dropped the axe so he could clasp his hand on his wound. And finally, the lights were turned on and the door slammed open loudly as dozens of armed people swarmed the room. Orders were shouted from all sides. The girl also dropped her blade and took a step back.

Police officers and army soldiers alike either stood on the stairs, surveilling the audience and making them remain in their seats ; or stepped down towards the arena, fiddling with control panels. Matty was relieved. This nightmare was over and he could go home. He almost thought he would break down crying for a second, but the surprised must have shoved all those feelings on the back burner for now. He couldn't say he wasn't grateful. If he had to break down, he'd rather it not be in front of hundreds of people who'd cheered every time someone died in front of them.

At last, the ground shook as the décor disappeared and retreated back into its default setting of simple black tiles. Officers entered the arena rounding the remaining players into a circle. So started hours or briefing, debriefing, paperwork and medical consultations.

*

"I'm going to bed. Please, come home."