Disclaimer: I don't own Drrr or any of its carachters.
The elevator was filled with suffocating silence as they descended to the lower floors. Seven children and three armed guards, ready to kill anybody who shows resistance. Children all huddled together in the corner seeking protection and reassurance from each other, younger ones softly shaking in the arms of the older as older children calculatedly glared at the guards, wandering what they are going to do to them. All seven of them got pulled out of the bed very early in the morning and got rushed through their breakfast, lessons and training, only to find themselves heading to some unknown danger that was surely expecting them at the end of this line.
Shizuo's arms were tightly wrapped around Izaya's shaking form, both boys trying to gain comfort from one another. Celty was exchanging worried glances with Hajime, while Saika was just silently swaying in the corner, looking like an ominous doll swayed by the wind. Ran and Kisuke occupied the other corner, looking like predators choosing their prey. Shizuo already tried to ask the rest what is going on, but everybody was quiet, even Izaya, who looked uncharacteristically worried. Shizuo didn't know what was going on, but he didn't like it.
Finally the elevator came to a halt and the guards all but pushed them out of the elevator and through the hall. With every step they took atmosphere became more and more menacing, scared heartbeats were practically hearable in the deadly silent hall, while children struggled to breathe the fright filled air. Izaya practically glued himself to Shizuo's side, his maroon eyes huge and scared. Shizuo tried to calm the younger one down, but it didn't seem to work. Truth to be told, Shizuo was pretty scared himself. He had no idea where they were headed or what is going to be done to them, but he had a very bad feeling about what is going to happen. He's been living in the institution for around six months now and he was quite capable of reading the negative atmosphere around him.
Finally they stopped in small round room and they were ordered to line up against the wall in numerical order of the numbers that they were named after; Hajime, Celty, Kisuke, Ran, Izaya, Shizuo and Saika, they all lined up neatly, not waiting to be scolded or punished, hearts beating and lungs working like they were pulling on their last minutes of life. Shizuo nervously twitched as the guard in the middle took out some sort of remote and pressed the button. Shizuo gasped when a small light on his collar started blinking on and off. He saw that everybody else's collars were doing the same and that everybody was holding their breaths. Then he noticed it. Light was never on more then one collar in the same time, it was passing through the line and repeating the circle in a millisecond time, making it impossible to follow. Shizuo gulped, he understood the point. On whoever light stops will be chosen for something.
But what?
He watched in anticipation as light started to slow down. He watched it get nearer and nearer and he found himself begging the God not to let that light pause on his collar. The light passed him once, twice, the third time…it stopped. On Izaya. Izaya's eyes grew the size of the saucers and he started to shake uncontrollably, his legs almost giving out from under him. Shizuo could swear he heard Ran chuckle as Izaya was hauled away down the one hall by one of the guards, while the other two pushed the six of them through the other hall.
"Now that the target has been selected, you will be separated into three teams. The rules are same as always, the team who terminates the target first gets to eat tonight, two teams who fail will skip today's diner and will have the weakest member executed. If anyone refuses to participate, their teammate will be killed."
The guard waited a minute to make sure they all understood the rules. Shizuo couldn't believe what he was hearing. They expected them to kill Izaya! And if they don't one of them is going to be killed! Shizuo was panicking like never in his life, on the end of this…this…thing, three of them are going to be killed. How can that be fair? Why did they do that? What was the point? There is no way that he will ever kill anybody! But if he refuses to participate his teammate will be killed. But if he accepts he would have to hunt and kill Izaya! Maybe he can just pretend to hunt him, but in the process try to save him, some way, any way! Others couldn't be up for this. But…he knew, others were here way before he was, they were probably used to this, used to killing to live another day. And then there were Ran and Kisuke, those two certainly can't wait to kill Izaya in the most painful way possible. He can't stop all five of them, one of them will catch Izaya, and one of them will kill Izaya.
"The teams are numbers: Three and four, two and seven, one and six."
So he was paired up with Hajime. That was good, Hajime was a good friend and acted like a leader to the group. If he had Hajime on his side then surely others would follow…but Ran and Kisuke didn't listen to Hajime, so if they killed Izaya…
Would he die?
Shizuo knew that he was strong and that the leader of this place liked him, but Hajime was also strong and in addition he was smart, fast and agile too, not to mention that he had a lot more control over his strength then Shizuo.
And that meant.
If they don't kill Izaya, the guards would probably kill Shizuo.
Shizuo could feel panic rising in his stomach. He didn't want to die, but he didn't want to kill his friend either. Maybe he should just let Hajime kill him…NO! What is he thinking about, he can't let Hajime kill Izaya, he wants him to live…he wants everybody to live…but…but that was impossible. Three of them are going to die today. Izaya and two more from the every team that fails. What is the right thing to do in this kind of situation? What can he do? Nothing. He just has to accept the faith.
But…
…he doesn't want to be a murderer.
He felt tears well up in his eyes as the guards closed them into metal boxes that looked like they should be used for keeping dogs inside. His heart started skipping as he heard cheering and ruckus from the other side of the doors. He was shaking wildly, still not sure of what would be the right thing to do, how to save everyone he cares about. It seemed impossible, it was impossible. He noticed that Hajime was shaking too and he could hear the boy's nervous breathing as he nodded to him and took a starting position, like he is going to run a race.
"You better get ready, nobody wants to die hear. Usually there are more then three bodies on the end of this game."
Game?
Is that what this was?
How sick!
"I'm not going to kill him!" Shizuo stated firmly.
"Fine then you can lure him in a corner and I'll kill him. He trusts you, he'll come."
Shizuo shivered at the way the other boy thought. Using Izaya's trust to kill him! No way! He could never forgive himself if he did that.
"No, I don't want him to die at all."
Hajime gave him and understanding look and patted his shoulder.
"I get you, none of use wants to kill the other, but we have to. That's just the way things are around here."
"No there has to be another way. A third way, a way he can still live! Please Hajime if anybody can think of it, you can. Please, I don't want him to die." He pleaded the older boy and Hajime sighed.
"I don't think there is another way Shizuo, but I'll try to think of something. I also don't want to kill anybody. But I don't want to die, either."
"I know, but…but…there has to be a way…something…anything." Shizuo all but sobbed.
"I don't know Shizuo, I really don't know." Hajime embraced him trying to take the tears away; "We can't cry now, we can't give them the satisfaction."
Shizuo nodded, wiping the few stray tears away. Both of them faced the exit once again, listening to the countdown that faintly echoed on the other side.
"Why do they do this?" Shizuo whispered.
"I have two theories. One; This is their way of separating the weak ones from the group and two…"
The metal door started opening up, letting in the light so bright and unnatural that Shizuo had to squint. Deafening cheering of the excited crowd echoed through their little box. Shizuo heard voices cheering the names of their favorites and betting on the outcome. This was all just a game for them.
"…it amuses them."
A.N: Things just officially got serious! Wow, even I'm excited and I know the outcome. From now on we are playing this story for real…I hope I had this experience with stories before.
Don't forget to review and tell me what you think.
