Death Seven Darts
AN: This one-shot is rather dark so please get away if you can't handle such theme. If you can, then go ahead and read. Please leave a like, review, follow and enjoy this. Shalom/Peace and God bless!
The sound of roaring machine stopped as the elevator reached its destination. Two elevator doors have opened and revealed two persons inside; one male and the other, female. They both exit in mild bewilderment as they saw each other.
Man: Bianca!
Bianca: Nigel!? Thank goodness! But where are we?
Nigel: I don't know, I can't remember anything.
Bianca: You too? That's strange.
Nigel: I know, this doesn't make any sense.
They proceeded to the hallways and soon found themselves in a bar. A white haired man is before them, who seemed to be the bartender of the luxurious place. He seemed unemotional or monotonous, not expressing and emotions at all.
White-Haired Bartender: Welcome, please come in. I welcome you both here in Quindecim.
-DEATH PARADE! Death Seven Darts-
White-Haired Bartender: It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lincoln Decim but call me Lincoln and I will be your bartender.
Both the man and the woman greeted him in the establishment as they have a seat.
Lincoln: You might find this strange but I have to ask. Do you perhaps retain any memory prior to arrival here?
Nigel: No, nothing. Neither of us had any recollection of anything. But what I do remember is that we are married and was having our honeymoon trip.
Bianca: Yeah, I remember that too.
Lincoln: Very well. Thank you for the info.
Nigel: So about you, tell us something and about this place too.
Lincoln: Please allow me to explain. This is rather important so please pay close attention.
First - I'm sorry but I cannot tell you where you are right now.
Second - Now that you're here, I would like to entertain yourselves in a little game.
Nigel: Excuse me, a game?
Third - The game will be chosen randomly by roulette.
Fourth - You will bet your lives in this game. That is the stakes.
Nigel: What the hell are you going about!?
Fifth - This is the last. Until the game is over, you are not permitted to leave for all exits are unavailable or out of order.
Nigel: What? I think we've heard enough. Let's get out of here, honey.
Bianca: O-okay.
Nigel: Dude must be nuts.
They went back to the elevator but as they press the buttons, there isn't any respond. They check the bathroom and found nothing. They returned to the bartender, furiously in case for the man.
Nigel: Alright, how do we get out of here!?
Lincoln: I told you, all exits are unavailable right now. Until you play and finish, you cannot leave.
Nigel: And if we don't?!
Lincoln: I will not suggest that. I am against it.
The wine cabinet began to reveal a hidden cellar where there are unspoken silhouettes of what seemed to be corpses hanging from their feet.
Bianca: What the-?
Nigel: What is that? Are those- bodies?
Lincoln: As I said previously, I'd like you to entertain yourselves with a game where the stakes are your lives. I cannot say any further than that. Please press this button so the roulette can now choose your game.
Nigel: You're a madman!
Bianca: Honey, please… let's just do what he says for now.
Nigel: Alright. Looks like we have no choice. [whisper: Who knows what will happen if we don't?]
Bianca nods and Nigel pressed the button. The roulette then choose the game randomly, and landed on the tile that says "DARTS". At the corner of the bar, the structure shifted in fog and shaky machinations. It summoned two pillars that contained a scoreboard and dartboard each. Then next to it are the dart needles and bottle of water for them.
Lincoln: The rules of the game are simple. You'll take turns to throw the dart in front of you until you reached the score of zero or whoever gets the lowest points win. That is to say if you ran out of darts to use before you reach 0/501 for you'll be given seven darts. Throw them when you are at the throwing line that is indicated. The outer rings scores double, the inner triple, the outer bull is 25 while the bullseye is 50. Note that various regions of the body is inscribed in the board, for those are links to your nervous system.
Nigel: Wait, what? Linked to our nervous system?
Lincoln: Yes, if you pierce the board, you will feel pain.
Nigel: Impossible! Such nonsense!
Lincoln: The higher the score, the painful the suffering caused.
Bianca: You can't be serious?!
Nigel: Calm down, he's probably just joking. Besides, if things get ugly, I'll figure something out.
Bianca: You sure?
Nigel nods and starts as the first player in turn. Bianca trusts her husband and just followed. Lincoln declared "GAME START."
Nigel then thrown the first dart and hit the board with 6 points (495/501). His wife then started to feel a sting on her right shoulder muscle and dropped down.
Nigel: Bianca!? You gotta be kidding me! Did it really hurt!?
Bianca: Maybe it's just in my head. The sting isn't there anymore.
Nigel still checked his wife's shoulder and saw no wound. This surprised the man as he just saw his wife smile and told him that she will be fine. She then stood and took her turn. She threw a dart and hit the board with 20 points (481/501). Nigel then felt pain that worried his wife. He is then assured that there is indeed a link from the board to their nervous system. He then check his body for wounds but much to their surprise, they found nothing. The man then charged at the bartender.
Bianca: Honey, wait!
Nigel: Stay there, Bianca!
The man and grabbed Lincoln by the collar and furiously asked him questions.
Nigel: You think you can fool us! I have a doctor of a brother who taught me a lot! There's no sign of any surgery, so what have you done to us!?
Lincoln: Nothing in particular.
Nigel: Then how are we feeling this pain?
Lincoln: I was clear that the board is linked to your nervous system. As I told you, your lives are at stake in this game.
Lincoln glared at the man before him which caused him to be afraid. Nigel then saw how serious the bartender is.
Lincoln: I'll give you a tip, if you want to avoid the pain, you are allowed to miss. However, that would mean you wasted a turn and a dart and will not decrease your score.
Nigel: Really?
Lincoln: Doing so would mean you will finish the game swiftly and those with the lowest score will be declared a winner.
Nigel: I see.
Lincoln: That would also mean that you'll lose since Bianca had decreased her points more than yours.
Nigel the let go of Lincoln and went back to his wife.
Bianca: Well?
Nigel: He said a good tip. We have to play the game until it's over but we can miss the target. He didn't say anything in the rules about missing so we are allowed to. That way, we can finish the game faster and painless.
Bianca: Really? But you'll lose!
Nigel: Yeah, I know. So let's do it! Don't worry about that for now.
The two then threw their four darts and missed deliberately during each turns. The man then saw visions of himself among the corpses that he just saw. This made him grew uneasy. The wife, worried and hesitant, told him that it is his turn. Alas, he succumb to his fright and threw his dart. But instead of missing, it hit the board which contains 19 points (495 - 19 = 476/501). This caused the woman to feel sting to her lips.
Nigel: I'm so sorry! My hand slipped, I didn't mean to.
Bianca: It's okay, I'm alright.
As the woman then took her turn after the sting dissipated, her threw her dart and hit a target at the outer ring with the score of 4, in which the total score would be 12 (481 - 4x3 = 469/501). Since it contained the left eye, Nigel felt an immeasurable pain to his left eye since the score is tripled. The pain is thrice as painful and thrice the duration. He continued to struggle and hit his stand and broke a glass of water. His wife then approached him.
Bianca: Oh no! I'm so sorry dear!
She tried to help him but he swipe her hands off him, angrily.
Nigel: Damn it! It has to be the eye! And it was triple too!
Bianca: I didn't do it on purpose! I swear! I'm so sorry!
Nigel then took a dart while comforting his left eye. He stood and tried to take his turn but his wife begged that if he hits a target, anywhere except the stomach area. He found it strange why she'd asked not to hit the stomach.
Bianca: Not the belly, please. It's our child.
Nigel: Wait, really?
Bianca: I was gonna tell you sooner but yes, it is.
Nigel: So that explains it!
Nigel then have recollections of his memories. Seeing his wife never been herself lately, it was she is being extra careful not to put the life of their child at stake. She explained further that the child is a few week old, estimated in ten weeks. Furthermore, it was a surprise for their honeymoon. Nigel then let go of his anger to his wife and took his turn albeit. Once again, the husband hit the board and scored a 2 with at the outer ring making it a 6 point decrease (476 - 2x3 = 470). Unluckily, it was the stomach area that got hit. This in turn caused the woman extreme pain and worry of her unborn child. She gasp for air as the man stood there, sweating and remembering so much of his memories. The woman cried and asked in an angry tone.
Bianca: How could you?!
Nigel: [angrily] Hmph, it wasn't on purpose!
Bianca: Liar! What if something happened to our child!?
Nigel: Yeah, right! As if that child is mine in the first place!
Bianca: What!?
Nigel: I can't believe you! How can I even look at you?! I'd let something get away from me!
Bianca: What the heck are you talking about!?
Nigel: Don't give me that crap!
Nigel then remembers where he listened to gossips from other girls. His eavesdropping made him think that his own wife was having an affair. An invitation to doubtful thoughts and malice in his heart, he felt disgust.
Nigel: You're friends should be more careful of what they say! I heard every word of what they're gossiping.
Bianca: What, me?
Nigel: You know, it's funny. Finding out that your wife having an affair just after the wedding day! An yet I let the ceremony proceed as planned.
Bianca: What are you saying?! What affair!? What bullcrap have you been hearing? I did nothing of sorts! I've been faithful!
Nigel: I loved you so much that I'd do anything for you.
Bianca: I did too! So what are you saying about an affair!? It's all wrong!
Nigel: Don't lie to me!
Bianca: I'm not lying, it's the truth!
Nigel: Oh well, it's all over now anyways.
He walks and took Bianca's dart while asking Lincoln a question.
Nigel: Tell me, bartender. The rules you gave me.
Lincoln: Yes?
Nigel: You didn't told us something.
Bianca: Hey, that's mine.
Nigel: So, what of it? He never really told us anything on which board to hit, did he?
Lincoln: Affirmative, as long as the dart hits a target, points will be done.
Nigel: They planned us to fight against each other from the start. Seven darts aren't enough since 7 x 50 is 350 if ever you got a bullseye.
Lincoln: The dart in your hand is the last so which ever target it hits will get the point and will have the conclusion of the game. It will declare the winner.
Nigel: You still didn't told us what happens to the loser.
Lincoln: Nor I can't tell you about the winner this time. I am sorry.
Nigel: You heard him. Rules are rules. So how about I give Play-To-Win Bianca a taste of defeat and see what happen. Or should I call you Gold Digger Honey Bee.
Bianca: Who's Honey Bee?
Nigel: That's your nickname, isn't it?
Bianca: Wait a minute, do you remember the friend I told you who I haven't seen for a couple of months until the wedding day? Her name his Quinlann Belle Timber but others call him Thicc QT. She was a friend of mine and my rival. Her boyfriend calls her Honey Bee because of her color selection. Others seemed to mind it except for her boyfriend.
Nigel: Are you saying?
Bianca: The thing is we both have something in common, dating someone far younger than our age. Me to you and Quin to a White Haired Boy with the same name as the bartender.
Nigel: You mean? She's Honey Bee?
Bianca: She's already married when we got wed and his boyfriend is a businessman too, not just a masseur. But she's also having issues on the court of trials when a guy from the sports team had a perverted crush on her sent death threats.
Nigel: No, you're lying!
Bianca: You think I'm making this up too?
Nigel: No, it can't be! So you mean, that's my child!?
Bianca: You wouldn't believe me! I wasn't lying about it!
Nigel: Wait, I'm so sorry.
Nigel rushed and hugged his wife while still holding the dart needle. He realized this and removed it.
Nigel: Wait, it was a mistake!
Bianca took the dart and pushed Nigel away while throwing the last dart. Nigel pushed her and redirected the dart that hit a bullseye, worth 50 points (469 - 50 = 419). Since the bullseye was the heart area, the husband felt pain of cardiac arrest and coughed blood all over the floor. He then fell to the ground as the pain slowly subside yet stings his very heart. The final score is as follows:
419 - Bianca
470 - Nigel
Bianca won the game and the contestants regained most of their memories afterwards. All the memories, including how they had a car accident and fell off a cliff. The bartender then claps and monotonously declared Bianca as winner. He also declared "GAME OVER". He then instruct them to be escorted. But Nigel then ask for one more turn. Bianca then rebutted.
Bianca: There's no point!
Nigel: What?
Bianca: Stop it! There's no point anymore!
Nigel: What do you mean?
Bianca: Mr. Lincoln, are we dead?
Nigel then looked at the bartender in shock as he listened.
Lincoln: Yes, you are. I'm afraid that you are now at the afterlife. Following their deaths, the souls are judged whether they go to Heaven or to Hell. That is why this bar exist, that is why Quindecim exist. However, there is a certain qualification for you to enter here, only to those who have die simultaneously are brought here. My apologies for not saying sooner.
Nigel then have a few more memories that he remembers. Memories of his doubt and fears. During the wedding, he tried to scorn his wife. During late nights, he hears calls or messages from his wife's phone. And lastly during the trip where they met their demise. It was he who was driving and at his anger, he tried to take the phone but lost control of the vehicle.
Nigel: I know now, we're dead! The car that I was driving! It was an accident! How could something like this happened? I just wanted a good start, a family!
Nigel kneels and plead to Lincoln as Bianca sobs and cries at the tragedy.
Nigel: I just wanted to be a father. But instead I killed my child! Why!? Please! You're God right!? Please give us another chance! Please God!
Lincoln: I'm sorry, I am not God. I'm just his messenger, an Arbiter to best say it.
Nigel: Please, this can't be true! This is just a dream, right!?
Bianca: No, it's not a dream [she cries loudly] We're goners!
Nigel: Shut up! Don't act like you're innocent!
Bianca: What act?
Nigel: That's not my child!
Bianca: Then whose do you think is this?
Nigel: It could be anyone but mine!
Nigel cried more and his wife looked at him in disbelief. The man she once loved was just a facade, the real him is an accuser, a blamer, a doubter. She couldn't believe it but it's the truth. She still loved him but the man she is seeing now isn't the man she used to love. She lowered her head in defeat, believing that there is no way of salvation for him, she had only one thing to say. She looked away and took a few steps away from him as she grinned… menacingly.
Bianca: You know… you're right about one thing! Yeah, I never loved you! This child is someone else's!
She then laughed evilly that gave horrors to the man.
Bianca: It should be obvious, isn't it!? Did you really think someone would fall in love with someone like you!? What are you, retarded!? I want nothing from you except your riches, money, your inheritance!
Nigel: You!
Nigel took the darts from the board and charged at the woman as he prepares to stab her. Lincoln then connected strings to the angry man and restrained him from doing harm.
Nigel: Damn it! The fuck is happening?!
Lincoln: The game ended already.
Nigel: I don't give a crap! Let me go!
Lincoln: Sorry but the judgement is already been…
Nigel: Just let me hit her once! Please just once!
Lincoln: Forgive me!
Lincoln then tighten the stings and fully restrained him until he is incapacitated. The woman, in fear and sadness, mourned one last time as she sees her husband fall unconscious before her. Drenched in tears and his saliva, she shakes and sobs, couldn't believe of what she had done.
Lincoln: Let's be off then. This way please.
Lincoln carried the unconscious Nigel as he escorted Bianca to their respective elevators.
Lincoln: Thank you for playing. Have a safe trip. Farewell.
The elevators shut as the bartenders bid them farewells. At the top of the doors are the judgement that is in form of masks.
Bianca's judgement - A mask of a demon (Hell)
Nigel's judgement - A mask of a feminine figure in golden figure (Heaven)
The elevators then moved and now the two souls are now gone from the bar, sent to their sentences.
Lincoln then walked back as he is greeted by two girls. A girl with a brown ponytail and braces and a black-haired woman. They wore a similar bartender's outfit and pins that contained their names.
Ponytail Woman - Luan Nona
Black Haired woman - Unknown/ Codename: Lucy
Lincoln: Luan, Lucy.
Luan: Nice job back there!
Lincoln: I did my best. So what'd you think?
Lucy then took a few seconds to think and replied.
Lucy: That was awful.
Luan holds her shoulder and smiled.
Luan: You'll get used to it, I'm sure.
Lucy: Where'd they go now?
Luan: My hypothesis is that Nigel is sent to Reincarnation while Bianca to the Eternal Void.
Lincoln: That's right.
Lucy: I see. But there are something I want you to clear-up for me.
Lucy then handed pictures of their memories. Of both memories they processed inside the bar.
Lucy: The affair… she was lying about it… all so to protect her beloved.
-END-
AN: And that's all folks. That took a lot from me! This one is based on an anime that is really good. The concept of afterlife seemed great here. I recommend it to mature audiences or anyone who can handle the concept of death, rebirth and morbidness. For now, leave a like, review, follow and hope you enjoy. Peace/Shalom and God Bless! Thanks for sticking by.