Soda laid down on the floor while Pony poured alcohol on his cut chest. Soda flinched but he didn't cry or scream. Pony got a bandage from Leon and wrapped it around Soda's torso. Soda put on the shirt found it his survival bag. It was green and long sleeved with nothing else on it. It was very tied a bandage around Soda's injured wrist tightly, making him cringe at first. "How does it feel?" Axel asked putting the bandage back in kit.

"As good as it'll ever feel." Soda said frowning. This fucking game had removed the happy go lucky flare in him and replace it with fear, sadness, and anxiety. Pony noticed this gloomily and threw his arm over Soda's shoulder, smiling. Soda smiled back weakly and muttered: "Thanks, Pony."

"So, um... what's happened to you guys so far?" Pony told the story so well the other boys had a perfect picture of the trauma the Curtis brothers endured. "That's terrible." he said.

"What happened to you guys?" Pony whispered.

"We ran here first, when the game started. Then a whole bunch of people came and moved onto different floors, they all want to win. Every now and then someone will come from another floor and attack, so we have to stay on our toes." Pony nodded.

"We have a lot of weapons." Axel said opening his bag to reveal a hefty amount of firearms and melee weapons. "You guys... seem trustworthy and okay, so... can I be honest with you guys?" he asked. Soda and Pony glanced at each other but they both nodded.

"I know it hasn't really been that long since this started, but... I don't want to do this anymore. All this fighting, I mean we're only fighting so we can live when we win, right? Well how will I be able to live with myself?" he finished with conviction. Axel nodded. Soda and Pony felt the same but didn't move. There was an awkward silence.

They peered over the desk and saw the blue sky. "Ugh..." Pony moaned.

"What is it Pone?" Soda said. Pony began to slightly sway as if he was going to pass out.

"I'm sleepy." he said childishly. Soda, Leon, and Axel chuckled.

"Don't worry, Ponyboy. It's the drugs we gave you drowsiness and sleepiness are common. At least that's what it said on the box." Leon chuckled.

"Now that you mention it, I'm kinda tired too." Soda said. "Do you mind?"

"If you sleep? No. No. No. It's okay take a nap, from what you told us you guys didn't sleep last night." Axel said. "We'll watch."

"Sounds good to me. How about you Pony?" Soda asked as he looked to the side. Pony was already asleep. Soda chuckled and laid down beside him. He drifted into the sea of darkness.


"You are my sunshine... My only sunshine... You make me happy when skies are grey... You'll never know dear how much I love you... So please don't take my sunshine away..." Soda turned around.

"Mom?" Soda called. There was nothing only a wall the color of sand.

"Help me! Soda, help me!" Sodapop turned around once again to see a woman holding Ponyboy tightly with a knife in her hand.

"Ponyboy!" Soda ran to him but ran into something. An invisible barrier.

"You said you would protect him Sodapop. You promised you would protect him for us." the woman whispered. She raised the knife.

"No! Stop!" He cried sinking to his knees against the wall.

"You lied, Sodapop. You. Lied." The knife was plunged down deep into Ponyboy causing Soda to thrash screaming and kicking to get out of the box, all while Ponyboy was letting out a piercing blood curdling scream.

"AAAHHHH!"


Soda woke up with a start and grabbed Ponyboy by his arms, without knowing where he was. Soda felt relieved but realized there was an audible struggle going on. He looked over the desk. Two tall lean shadows were attacking Leon and Axel. Axel was fighting back using some advanced judo technique while Leon was fighting by throwing kicks and punches rapidly. Soda looked for the survival bags, he withdrew one of the other boy's guns. "Hold it!" he cried.

The fight stopped and Leon and Axel ran to Pony and Soda behind the desk peeking over. "Who are you?" Ponyboy asked.

Suddenly a girl jumped from the end of the hall and ran towards the group holding a knife. "Soda, shoot her!" Pony cried. Everything slowed down. Soda had never killed anyone before. He'd have to do it.

"You. Lied." The voice said returning.

"Soda, shoot her!"

"You can't do it."

"SODA!" Pony cried.

"You're weak."

"NO!" Soda cried shooting the girl who twisted to a stop and died in front of the two shadows. Fifteen seconds later they heard a crack from down the hall. Soda turned back to the shadows pointing the gun at them. "Who are you?!" he cried.

"Geez, Soda take it easy." a familiar voice said steeping forward into the light. "It's us. Dally and Steve."