Survivor

What day is it? What month is it? How long have I been here? Where is here? Where am I? Who are they? Do they mean to kill me? What have I done wrong? I don't want to die. Please. I don't want to die. Soon it'll be my turn. Soon it'll be my time to go to the Death Room. No, I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I'm still young. There's still hope. Please, I don't want to die. Help me, I don't want to die. I want to go home. Please take me home. What did I do? I don't want to die...

8:00am Wake Up

The alarm blared snapping me awake. I shot up panting with falling tears that stained my cheeks red.

"Bad dream?"

I glanced over at my roommate, Mercia, who was also sitting up glancing at me. Her amber eyes streaked with concern.

"Yeah, it's not important," I responded whipping my cheeks.

"Ok, I'm here if you need to talk," she offered slipping out of bed.

"Yeah, thanks."

I pulled my legs over the side of the bed. Just like Mercia, I was dressed in a simple white nightshirt and pants. Like every morning though, I rolled my sleeves up giving me some difference over the others.

8:05am Roll Call

We all stood outside our doors. Mercia stood to my left and Esmeralda to my right. I sighed as they walked down the hallway dressed in their white coats counting us making sure no one ran in the night. We all know better now though. When Kali ran, we tried to help her only to have to clean up her remains the next morning.

8:30am Breakfast

I moved forward reaching out my tray. The people behind the glass placed a bowl and a cup of water on it. I stared at my food. It was better than nothing I guess.

9:00am Start of Chores

Mercia and I picked up the laundry bins outside everyone's doors and dumped the contents into our chart.

"Ari, I can finish up collecting, go get the water ready," Mercia said as she continued not glancing up.

"Alright."

I walked off towards the laundry room. I pulled out the bin and started filling it with hot water. When I'd first come, I couldn't bare the heat of the water, but I'd learned not to react over the ye- Was it years? I couldn't tell. All I know is it's been over a week.

I smiled at my own joke. No one else would understand besides the others here. I wonder how the world's been doing without us...

10:30am Reading

I sat silently flipping through the pages of my book alone. I liked reading time. It was the only time I got a true break from everything. They let me read fantasy novels. My absolute favorite.

11:00am Lunch

I sat down next to Dream. She glanced up at me.

"Hello Ari," she said smiling softly.

"Morning," Nico said beside her not glancing up from his food.

"Hi."

I sighed glancing at the clock nervously. 7:30 was coming faster than I remembered.

"Don't worry Ari, they normally pick off the older ones first," Dream said probably trying to reassure me.

"Yeah, but you and Nico are some of the eldest."

Nico paused staring down at his food with his dark eyes.

"We... Well, we aren't afraid to die."

"Even if it's the Death Room?"

The Death Room was a nickname we gave a room that no one comes out of. Each day they choose someone knew to go inside. We can normally hear their screaming at night. The next day three unfortunate people are chosen to clean up the body.

"Yes," Nico said this time. "Dream and I are prepared for what comes next."

Dream nodded. "We've accepted our fate."

I glanced away. I was only fifteen, maybe sixteen if my birthday had pasted, and they we're only two years older than me. Why did we have to suffer this cruel fate? What did any of us do?

11:30am Training

I ran with the others. We ran lap after lap and did some basic fighting techniques. I'd always been decent, but never as good as Nico or Esmeralda. They were like gods at this, and I was just barely above average. The little one's always needed the most help, but we managed. As long as we did it, they'd be happy with us. We didn't want to get on their bad side. At least, I didn't want to.

1:00pm More Chores

I stood in the courtyard with Seth and Ryan.

"Careful, you need to use the gloves or else the thistles will cut you," I warned eyeing Ryan.

"I know," she said completely ignoring my warning.

Seth sighed. "I wonder how you've lived this long."

"Ah- Take it back!"

"What? It's just curiosity."

"Ari! Make him take it back!"

"Seth, apologize to Ryan," I said glaring at him.

"Sorry," he said blandly not meaning it in the slightest. "Happy?"

"No."

"Great."

He crouched down and pulled the thistle Ryan had been working on straight out of the ground.

"Ah- Ari he stole my thistle!"

2:30pm Freetime

I sat on my bed with my notebook in hand scribbling down my ideas onto paper. I'd always worked better with a pen and paper. I could just translate my thoughts better. Maybe one day I'd write my very own book!

"Ari," Mercia said surprised. Her hand intertwined in Liam's. "I didn't think-"

"I'll move," I said closing my notebook. "You two can do you're weird couple stuff." I forced a smile.

"Thanks."

I nodded and slipped outside my smile fading. 7:30's getting closer. How can they live each day as if it isn't their last?

3:00pm "Babysitting"

"Ryan, you need to be careful," I warned watching her being reckless yet again.

"Pfft, I'm fine."

"Ok..."

I glanced back to my notes jotting down what I'd just decided. I'd have a twist villain where the thought to be "villain" is killed by one of the heros. I smiled. The line would be, "All the thanks the Hero ever gets is pain, meanwhile, being the villain looks like so much fun, and well I've decided, screw it, I want to have fun too." Then they'd slide their blade out of the other "villain's" heart.

"Ari."

"Hmm?"

I glanced up at Kyro. He held a scienency book in his hands.

"Do you think our parents miss us?" he asked softly.

"Of course they miss us." I pulled him into a hug. "They're probably worried about you and wish you were in their arms right now."

"I wish I was with mommy," he said softly leaning against me. "She'd sing us lullabies when Kaiser couldn't sleep."

I softly brushed hair out of his eyes. "You'll hear her sing again."

"Really?"

"Mhm, I promise."

He smiled. "You always keep your promises, Ari."

"Yes, I do, no matter what it takes."

4:00pm Help With Dinner

I cut methodically and quick. My hand moving up and down as I slid the carrot forward. Only three hours and thirty minutes before they choose.

"We should call you the thinker chef," Axel joked next to me.

I glared at him.

"What? It's true. I bet River'd agree."

I shook my head and added the carrots to the stew. "That's only because they're your partner idiot."

He opened his mouth dramatically. "How rude."

I sighed and started on the onions.

"Ari, could you pass me the potatoes," River called from the other side of the room.

"Yep."

I paused my cutting and threw them the bag of potatoes.

"Thanks."

I nodded and returned to my "thinking" cooking. I wondered what it would be like to die. It probably feels good when your soul finally separates from your body. I wonder if I'll get into heaven. Probably not. If there is a god, I bet he's abandoned me. Mom would've scolded me for that kind of thought. I smiled at the thought of her. Her long brown hair blowing softly in the wind as she tended to her garden. Her smiles that could light up a room. I wonder if she misses me. I wonder if she still has hope I'll come home.

"Oi, why do you look so sad?"

"What?"

I blink and glanced up.

"You look sad. Like you were thinking about something you miss," Axel said as he nudged me out of the way.

"Care to tell us?" River said as Axel began finishing off my onion.

"Oh, I was just thinking about my mother."

They both went silent. Of course they did. Neither had a mother anymore. They'd both been disowned.

"Sorry, I just miss her."

"Don't apologize," River said softly. "It's not your fault. We did ask." They added the potatoes into the stew. Their eyes glanced up at me.

"Let's start cleaning up. That way we have less work to do after," Axel said picking up his knife. "I bet I can clean more than you."

I smiled. "Game on."

5:00pm Dinner

My eyes were fixed on the clock as it counted down. The familiar anxiety clawed at my stomach.

"Ari, can I have your bun?" Kaiser asked eyeing my food.

"Of course."

I picked it up and handed it to him. He greedily started eating.

"You shouldn't just give him all he wants," Nico scolded me.

"Well he's growing."

He shook his head. "That's the excuse everyone uses. Not that he's so cute that they can't say no."

I smiled softly.

Kaiser grinned. "You just can't admit I'm the best."

"Oh I beg to differ," Ash said suddenly butting in.

He giggled as a faint smile ghosted on Nico's face.

"Kaiser is the 'cutest' here... second only to me," Kyro said not even glancing up from his book.

The four erupted into a playful fight. Nico wasn't even trying to win while Kyro and Kaiser were going at it. I'd always been envious of their connections. I wish I was that closer to my siblings.

I glanced away. Only two hours and thirty minutes. What if I was chosen? I'd never get to see any of them ever again.

5:30pm Freetime

I sat curled up in the library with a book though I couldn't focus. I could never focus when choosing was coming so quickly. I glanced up. Nico was sitting at a table flipping through a book with Dream at his side. I even knew back then how much they loved each other, and yet they'd still accepted their dark fate. Why? Because they couldn't escape it? Because their death would give the rest of us just one more day to live?

6:30pm Final Chores

I scrubbed the tables with the soapy water. You'd never be able to guess how much that actually cleaned off.

"Why do we always get stuck with stuff like this?" Axel asked as he worked on a different table.

I shook my head. "I have no clue. Maybe because we're no good at anything else?"

He snorted. "I'm good at plenty of things!"

I rolled my eyes. "Like what? Smashing plates?"

"That was one time!"

I smiled feeling a little of my soul crushing worry lift.

His expression went serious. "I wonder who's going to be chosen."

Great, here it comes again. "I'm not sure. Probably one of the older ones."

"Yeah but yesterday it was Darla, she's only thirteen."

I gulped. He was right. Anyone could be chosen. "I don't know."

"I hope it's not River," he said softly. "They're all I really have left."

I nodded. "I hope it's not Dream or... well anyone. I know that's selfish."

"No it isn't. I don't want anyone to die, but I can't control it and neither can you."

I nodded.

"It's best to accept our fates now and live out our final days happy."

I glanced away. Why had everyone accepted this fate but me?

7:30pm Choosing

We all stood outside our doors silently. I felt sick but I didn't show it. I never showed it anymore. I just stood there silent and still.

One of the white coats came forward with a clipboard. Two strong looking people stood next to him. They were there to make sure the chosen would come with them. Sometimes they'd fight, and I understand why.

"Today it's... 0045, Ari."

My heart stopped. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. It was me. I was going... going to die. I don't want to die.

"Come forward."

I stepped forward and started walking towards them.

"Ari!" Kyro cried running forward.

He hugged me as tightly as he could.

"Kyro, let go," I said softly petting his head. "It's ok." I didn't believe the words that left my mouth.

"But-but you can't die!"

"Shhhh, it's ok."

I hugged him back.

"But... you're promise."

"I'll keep it."

"How?" he sniffed.

"You'll see. Now you have to let go, Kyro. It's going to be ok."

He let go just as two strong hands grabbed me.

"Ari!"

He reached out but Nico stopped him. A few more ran forward stopped by others. I knew them all, and I'd gladly die for them.

8:00pm Bedtime

They forced me down on a bed and strapped me on. I thrashed but it was no use.

"Keep her still," a female ordered.

Hands forced me to stay still. A needle punctured my neck send burning pain through my body. I screamed unable to keep in. I knew they could hear me outside as they sit in their rooms. I bit down on my lip. Blood trickled down my chin.

"Make her stop that."

A hand forced my mouth open. I struggled and tried to bite them but the shoved a gag in my mouth. It prevented me from biting my lip. I screamed in both pain and frustration.

"Put the mask on."

An oxygen type mask was placed over my mouth and nose.

"Get out of the area."

They all filed out leaving me on the bed alone. I thrashed around but I couldn't break free. They were putting something through the mask. My eyelids started getting heavy. I stopped moving.

"Stable," a voice said somewhere.

"Continue."

9:00pm Lights Out

I screamed and screamed but no sound escaped my mouth. Everything hurt but I couldn't move. Slowly I stopped trying. I knew what was happening. I was dying. My mind slowly slipped away. It didn't feel bad in a sense. I felt like I was going to be free soon. I swallow for what I thought to be the last time. The beeping machine started slowing.

"We're losing her."

"Continue."

"Yessir."

My mind drifted to my family. Oh how I'd love to see dad again. I could picture his smile and stunning green eyes. I smiled softly. Soon I'd see him again. We'd finally be together after all these years. I closed my eyes. My only regret in this life is I didn't get to say a proper goodbye... and that I couldn't fufill my promise. My promise! I had promised him. I had too. For Kyro's sake. I had to survive but I-

A long continuous beep filled the room.

"We've lost her sir."

Silence.

"Get this mess clean-"

"Wait."

A soft beep sounded. A single heartbeat. A single hope.

"Sir, she's alive."

"What?"

"We've finally done it. After all these years, we have our first survivor."