Death Game (English) (Complete)

Chapter 9 - Does dying hurt?

'Ash, wake up. Everyone's up, and we want to have breakfast.' Groaning, I turn over, pulling the blanket over my face. 'Ash, please come.' I stretch, rubbing my eyes. I need to be there for Mira today. Preferably, I would like to skip this day. The chances of things going wrong today are simply way too high. A knot seems to tighten in my stomach, and I feel nauseous. What if it goes wrong. What if I lose Mira today? She flops onto my bed, crawling against me. Li and Levi follow, sitting down across from us. Mira rubs my hair, smoothing it. 'Your hair looks crazy,' she chuckles. I smile, and put my arm around her.

Li throws a bag in the middle of the bed, and I look at her in surprise. 'Breakfast. The most important meal of the day.' Mira shifts slightly, pulling the bag toward her. Silently she empties it, then sets the bag down beside her. 'I have four bottles of water, two bananas and four sandwiches.' Levi rubs his hands and looks longingly at the food. 'Everyone a bottle of water, half a banana and a sandwich?' he suggests. Everybody nods, and Mira hands out the food.

She then slides back next to me and snuggles up to me. I open my bottle of water, and drink a few big gulps. The knot in my stomach keeps me from shoving the food down my throat. I try to swallow away the lump in my throat, and take a bite of the bread. With difficulty I chew it away, and stare annoyed at the amount of bread left. I'm never going to finish that. I already have to try my best not to vomit. Mira squeezes her half-empty water bottle, causing a cracking sound. Her food lies untouched in front of her, and I notice she is trembling. Her hands are trembling, and the red marks on her arms and face have not yet faded away. I hope they won't become bruises.

Levi finishes his food in a few minutes, and moves busily on the bed. He is concentrating on folding the bag until only a small square remains. Li looks at it smiling, and quietly eats her food. 'Are you going to eat some more? You could use some strength for later,' I whisper in Mira's ear. She shakes her head and swallows. She then looks at me. There are tears in those beautiful blue eyes of hers. 'I'm nauseous.' I take hold of her trembling hand, rubbing it gently with my thumb. 'Will you please eat the banana? So you still get some food in?' She looks doubtfully at the banana in front of her, and slowly shakes her head. 'I'm nauseous too, Mi. That's normal, because we're scared. But I'm going to eat this sandwich, even though I'm not hungry. Will you please eat some too? Then we'll do it together.' Meanwhile, I peel our banana, and break it into small pieces.

I hand her a piece, and after a few seconds she grabs it. 'You first,' she murmurs, looking at me expectantly. Balking, I grab my sandwich, and take a big bite. I suppress the urge to vomit, and swallow the bite. The nerves take away all my appetite. She breathes out faltering, then puts the piece of banana in her mouth. I smile encouragingly, and she swallows it. It's a small victory, as each piece provides more energy for later. We take turns eating our food in small bites, until my sandwich, and Mira's banana, is finished.

Levi, meanwhile, has already eaten Mira's sandwich, but it was clear from the beginning anyway that she wouldn't eat it. When the banana is finished she moves away from me a little, wrapping her arms around her knees. Li makes a braid in her hair, and has a rubber band clamped between her teeth. The silence hangs between us like a heavy blanket. Levi taps his fingers restlessly on his knees, glancing at the clock every few seconds. As if we could predict when the first game will begin.

'What do you guys think the first game will be?' Levi breaks the silence, nervously rocking back and forth. Mira doesn't respond, staring numbly ahead. 'Something about coincidence?' suggests Li. I shake my head. That would be terrible, because Mira would have no control over it. 'I don't think so. Often the first game is something with knowledge, right?' Li frowns, then shrugs. 'At least we're with the lowest twenty,' Levi says. Panic gleams behind his eyes. 'I'm scared,' Mira mutters to my surprise. Her voice sounds fragile, and she has raised her shoulders high.