It was now noon. From the looks of it, Amiel traded the can of food about an hour ago. All we had to do was wait, but even then, it was becoming annoying.
I could hear whispers from rows C and B, most likely about how and when they were going to attack my row. I knew waiting this out was the best move right now, but I could not help but think about what I could do to make this plan move faster.
Just then, as I watched over everyone, something grabbed my attention.
'Oh shit,' I thought to myself.
It was Mark. He was trading the poisoned canned food.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck." I got up from my bed, caught in the action of it all.
"Ael, look." As I got out of bed, I tapped the railing on the top bunk.
As he realizes what is happening, I can hear him laugh about it all, "No way."
Mark was handing the food to Burr. The dose we gave Amiel was only enough to kill Mark, who was about five foot five. It wasn't nearly enough to kill Burr. If anything, it was only enough to numb him for a bit.
As he opened the canned food and started to eat the potatoes, he also drank the liquid inside. He was drinking the moriline that was mixed into the water.
First, nothing happened. Then he started to falter a bit. He was gripping the bed, using it to hold on. After that, he couldn't hold on anymore; he fell to the floor.
"What happened?" It was Mark from across the room.
"I don't know, I feel dizzy." He looked at the canned food, then back at Mark. As he held onto the railing, he tried to get back up but faltered. He ends up looking at the can again. Smelling it, he could smell the scent of morsflos, the plant from which moriline was made from.
"I was poisoned." He let out. "Did you betray me?" He looked toward Mark.
"No! I traded for that. I got it from Amiel."
'Fuck.' I thought.
People turned to Amiel, seeking answers, he said. "Don't look at me, I got it from Marcus."
People started to wonder what was happening. Someone was trying to kill one of them, and they didn't know who.
Then a voice rang, "It had to be Marcus!" Stepping out from the group of people, it was one of Amiel's rowmates. "Marcus, just the other day, was saying that Amiel needs to know his place. That the whole fight the other day was getting to his head."
Marcus hadn't said a word, stunned by the chain of events. It was making him look guilty. This was good for us.
People turn towards him, waiting for an explanation. He was their leader, after all, but right now, things weren't looking good for him.
"How dare you all blame me?" After not saying anything, it looked like he was going to play the victim. "I took care of you all, and this is how you treat me!"
"Then who was it?" It was the same guy who spoke out a minute ago.
Mark intervened before Marcus could even answer, "It doesn't matter. One of you poisoned us. This marks war."
Then from across the room, I saw him getting up. It was Burr, even with all that moriline he was standing.
'There's no way.'
I could hear Ael's excitement from the top bunk.
"Marcus, I knew you would betray us sooner or later, but I didn't think you would do it this early."
As he finally stood on his own two feet, he spoke again, "And to do it this way. I always knew you were a bitch."
Ignoring the fight that was about to break out, I headed towards the bathroom, trying to stay out of the situation that was about to go down.
Row A would either join them after their fight was over or get caught in the middle of it. Either way, we had to get out of here.
"Ael, we've got to go."
"Wait, it's just getting good," he whined.
"We have to go!" I argued.
"Aw, fine." He reluctantly agreed.
'What am I dealing with? A man-child?' I thought as I started making my way to the bathroom. Amiel, making eye contact with me, tries to slip away from the situation as well.
I could hear people bashing into each other and knives being taken out just to meet flesh. The bloodbath was starting. Today is the last day that blood will be shed here.
As I finally reach the bathroom entrance, I look over to Amiel, thinking he was behind me, but Mark stops him. I stood there, wondering whether I should help him.
Ael, noticing that Amiel was caught up in a fight and itching for one, ran past me and yelled, "Be right back!"
'…What the heck is this?!"
Not wishing to join the fight, I ran inside the bathroom, waiting out the situation. I had too much to live for. I had my mother waiting for me on the outside. I had to live.
I get into the last stall and close it shut. My breathing grew heavy as I heard the screams outside the bathroom. It sounded worse than the day before. Just then, I started to picture the scene outside as I gripped my knife in my hand, ready just in case anyone came in. I held it tight as if it were my lifeline.
Time passed, and with each passing second, the drums in my chest began to get louder and louder until it's all I can hear—and when it becomes too much, a tear starts to run down my cheek.
I did the one thing I never wanted to do. Kill.
The tears that ran down my cheeks weren't the type of tears when one was sobbing their heart out. It was slow, almost suppressed.
'Were these the only tears I could manage? How pathetic'
I know I was calling Ael a monster, but if this were all the tears I could manage, then was I more of a monster than him? Was I a hypocrite?
I became like the kings and queens of this world, making everyone else do my bidding. All so I could stay alive.
As the world got quiet, new screams erupted, bringing me back to this reality. It was the sound of row A joining in.
When I am zapped back to reality, I remember something. I was holding a knife; there was a simple solution to all of this.
'I could repent for this all. One move could save me a life of pain, of suffering.'
I didn't want to die, but I don't know if I could live on knowing I've killed.
Turning the knife around, I began to point it towards myself at my neck. I could see the sharp end of the knife ready to pierce me.
I always thought of a blade as a heartless weapon, but now I see it as the opposite. It was going to get rid of this all. It was now here to liberate me, to send me to paradise.
"Fuck," I say, as I sobbed, my hands shaking.
I could feel the coldness of the blade as the tip touched my neck.
'Was life going to be this cold when I died? Would paradise be this cold? Will the gods be kind to me?'
The world went quiet.
Blood started to spill. Dripping. I only poked myself, and blood was already dripping. My body was fighting itself, not letting me push harder.
'PLEASE!' I thought. 'Just let me be free.' I start to cry harder than moments before.
As I was about to push the blade into my neck, I heard a bash into the wall of the bathroom.
Amiel and Ael haven't come back yet. They were taking longer than expected.
Another bash resounded through the bathroom.
I heard the wall break between rooms, followed by another bash on the wall of the bathroom. These were the only walls that weren't made of metal, making them easier to break.
As the bathroom stall doors flew open from the force, I saw Ael. Burr held him by the neck, crushing him.
Seeing him helpless as I was about to kill myself, I noticed all the bodies past the broken wall, dead. It was all me. I did this all.
Ael turned his head towards me, "Help me." He said as loudly as he could, still wheezing from being suffocated.
His eyes fall upon me, almost sincere.
I couldn't help but think if I ever did anything for anyone in this lifetime. Nothing came to mind. The only people I ever helped were myself or my mother.
If I were going to die, I should help someone before I did. I should leave this Earth with one good deed done, at least.
Wiping away the tears, three simple words left my lips. "Let him down."