CHAPTER 44: Fight For Survival

[George's POV]

Eventually I had to get up because it was time to fight. But with every echo my feet made in the empty tunnel, my heart would beat with the same rhythm.

Is this it?

I was walking to my death with my own two feet, and it didn't feel nice. My legs were jelly and threatened to fall at any moment. My head was spinning and I thought I was going to collapse out of fright.

Even with how I felt, my body was on autopilot and kept walking towards that dreaded place. When I walked in the arena, I was the first person there for once.

I walked/stumbled into the ring and lay down on the ground.

I wonder if dying hurts. It probably does, otherwise there'd be no reason to fear it.

I heard someone climbing into the ring and looked towards the side.

There was a fat boy who was trembling and looked sick to his stomach in the corner.

He looks sick. Well, I can't judge him. I feel the same way and almost definitely look the same way.

The announcer started the introductions with the usual enthusiasm.

"We have a special show for you today! The two contesting for their lives are George from Group 39 and Donovan from Group 9! We decided to make it more interesting by having them use knives! Very exciting!"

"A battle to the death! A clash of wills and drives to survive! Who will come out on top?"

Even in the midst of my despair, I rolled my eyes and the announcer's fake cheeriness.

Knives? I guess I've used them before, but it was only in class. Moreover, that guy is in Group 9. He'll probably beat me silly.

The announcer continued with the monologue.

"I know what you might be thinking, that this won't make for an interesting fight but I assure you, the difference in strength is not as much as you think. Let's begin, shall we?"

I kept lying down as a knife was dropped from the ceiling in front of both of us.

I watched the guy as he picked up the knife but made no move to pick up mine.

Difference in strength isn't as small as you think? I doubt it. Why should I even bother trying?

"Please end me without any pain."

He looked bewildered, and who could blame him, what kind of person asks his opponent to kill him without any pain?

He gripped the knife in his hand and moved slowly towards me.

Does he think I'm trying to bait him?

"I won't bite. Just kill me quickly, while I still have no will to live."

My words made him move even slower and look more cautious.

As he got closer and closer, a sense of panic started to well up from within me.

I don't want to die!

My brain sent out danger signals, trying to get my body to move, but I forcefully ignored it.

He stalked little by little until he was right before me, and that's when he plunged the knife towards my head.

I saw the knife trace a parabolic path as it moved towards my brain and tried to stop my body from instinctively trying to dodge.

I really wanted to end my life right there and stop all my future suffering before it happened, but at the last moment something changed in me.

Why am I lying on the ground waiting for death to come? I should be taunting it, daring it to come! I refuse to be someone who's just there to die! I refuse to be a nobody!

I jerked my body to the side, just barely missing the knife. I rolled towards the edge of the ring and got back up.

When I got up, I really looked at Donovan for the first time and realized I actually knew him.

Wasn't he the guy that was trying to approach me with a shady scheme?

He was fuming. Makes sense, it looked like I played with his heart by making him think I would offer myself on a platter for him.

I bounced on my feet and put my hands up.

I can't die here. I have to make it back and spit on Alex's face. I'm sure no one expects me to come back, but I'll prove them wrong. I'll make them think again about me.

I hopped lightly on my feet and started to move towards him. He did the same. I could tell he didn't really take me seriously, which I totally understand. He had a knife, and I only had my hands. In a street fight, who would you think would win?

Even I didn't think I was going to survive. I was only doing this as a last ride kind of thing., just to go out with a bang.

When he reached within swinging range, he waved the knife at my shoulder.

I tried to dodge and disarm him like Professor A had taught us this one time, but it didn't quite go the way I had envisioned it.

He was obviously better trained than me, because he deftly threw the knife in the air and hit my kneecap.

I dropped to one knee, while he grabbed the knife and went for my throat.

Even though I was in such a predicament, I still had time to think to myself, 'what is this guy?!!' I've never seen anyone in my group handle a knife like he does, not even Alex.

I didn't have much time to think though, because the knife was getting closer and closer, so I used a drastic measure.

I stopped holding myself up and fell to the ground, narrowly missing the knife, although it still nicked my head, causing a trickle of blood to roll down my forehead.

It seemed like he put a lot of force behind that strike, because he fell on top of me right after I fell.

At that moment I deeply regretted not letting him slit my throat and end it right there, because the knife he was holding went into my ribs as he fell.

I was now pinned to the ground with a knife in me, with my attacker on top of me.

Shit. I don't think I'll be getting out of this one.