Chapter 61

KILL OR BE KILLED

ELENA

On the stack, different kinds of knives were attached to it; ranging from daggers to swords, machetes... Even knives I have never seen in my entire life. "Every black worker has a knife. You only choose once so, choose wisely" he said picking out different series of knives from the stack but I was immobile, I didn't understand what he said.

"Hey! Wake the hell up!" He tapped his fingers "choose a damn knife!" He snapped but I only trembled on the spot. He heaved a sigh and then rested his hands on his hips. "Do you understand English?" I was still mute, trying to shake the cold that was choking my heart at the moment.

"Knife" he raised one of the blades "you" he pointed to me "take one now or never".

I blinked then turned to the massive stack that was arranged with blades. I looked carefully and then spotted a chained dagger that hung down from one of the racks. The blades were reversed that is, the blunt side was located on the outside while the sharp side was inside. It had a chain at the handle that could aid swinging but it had its safety on.

"That dagger belonged to Athena," he said and tugged at the plug again and the stack folded up. “No one chooses that kind of blade but, you made a good choice” he added.

I had heard commander said something about Athena. What was an Athena? But I never dared to ask. He pulled out a pouch and helped me tuck the knife into it. "Now, let's teach you how to use that knife" but I didn't want to learn to use something so deadly, something that only inflicted pain. He led me deeper into a tunnel and we arrived at the furnace where hundredths of black workers worked. It was hot and the smoke was choking.

The workers kept fueling the fire so that it doesn't go out or reduce in pressure. The black soldier told me it was the powerhouse as he reached for a sheath to drape over my nose and he did the same thing for himself. "People die here every day," he added like that would reduce the tension in my chest. The fire was powering something I had no idea of.

God! Is this where I was going to work? The raging fire burnt my skin even though I wasn't so close to it.

To my amusement, people much older than I was were putting their old age aside and fueling the fire. I saw a man that had his face partially burnt and the black guards were whipping anybody who slacked. I swallowed hard as I couldn't bear to watch. This is where they were bringing me. I'd probably be dead before seven days anyways.

We left the furnace and soon ended up at a wide berth that contained equipment I had never seen before and people who were punching bag-like thingummies that hung down from the ceiling. Some people were battling with knives and some others were pushing something that probably weighed more than an elephant.

My face was flushed with red and I took the sheath off my nose. The furnace was really hot and that was just only the beginning.

"What do we have here?" An agile Mr. that was almost the height of the black soldier did two back flips and landed in front of us.

"A new worker in the pit" Atom croaked, taking the sheath off his face as well "from Dome" he added

"A girl?" He shrugged "Disha has lost her mind" the black commander was Disha. "So you brought it here?"

"Where else better? It doesn't speak English" Atom. He looked at me coldly but I was still mute. The man took two solid steps toward me and sniffed the air around me.

"I smell fear," he said "can you kill?" He asked me but before I could process the information, Atom interjected.

"Where do we put it Den?" The man's name was Den.

"It's yours, not mine. Disha knows this one won't last. Dispose of it while you still can."

Atom looked at me. My head was bowed, avoiding looking into their faces.

"We can't know until we see what it got. Dome commander called it a beast"

"Fine. How about now?" Den turned around to the people battling with knives and called "clay!" And immediately, a young stud who was sweating profusely, holding a two-mouthed sword came bouncing over. "This is the weakest of what we have" and Atom nodded.

"Both of you on the platform!" Den commanded and Clay did three flips and landed on a stage. My heartbeat rose immediately and I felt a chill grasp my entire soul. This stud would kill me with one blow, I thought. I held tighter on my blade but as I made to join him, Atom stuck out his arm to block me.

"He dies or you die. Got it?" He had that tone in his voice that I hated very much "aim for his throat" he whispered but I didn't want to do this, I didn't want to kill or be killed in a gruesome way. He lowered his hands and I felt a metal clog in my chest. He had a dark look on his face like a devious being throwing me to the jaws of death.

"Did you hear me? Get on the platform!" Den yelled. I held on to my knife like my life depended on it which did by the way. I touched my necklace and dipped it into my vest so it won't fall off during the cause. I looked Clay in the eyes; they contained fury and thirst. Thirst for my blood and that frightened me. I climbed onto the platform and everybody froze with the what-is-the-new-creature-going-to-do-look on their faces.

But honestly, I had no idea

I glanced at Atom and like Den, he was observing me closely. He had his arms crossed over his chest then my eyes returned back to Clay.

"Go!" I heard Den yell and like a tiger stalking its prey, Clay started circling me. I held my weapon tightly and raised it to my defense but not too tightly. Clay kicked it out of my hand and it fell to the other side of the stage. Frightened at this move, I fell back on my buttocks but he wasn't hoping for a quick defeat.

He reached for my collar and pulled me to my feet roughly. I was still finding my stance when he gave me a jab across the face and I fell back to the ground. Not giving me time, he rendered heavy kicks on me; my head, my abdomen and my chest.

He strolled around the stage in satisfaction like I was no match for him. Then came over again to kick me on the head, by then I was spurting blood from my mouth and was trying to get on my feet. I coughed as I staggered to my feet but in came another heavy kick. I staggered to the left and met the wrath of his sword slashing through my upper arm creating a slant line across my S. He swung the blade at me and I dodged. Seeing this, he gave me a kick and I crashed to my knee and another kick but I raised my arm to block it which seemed to be dislocated in an instant.

"You are weak!" I heard Den yell and there was no doubt. Compared to Clay, I was.

I held my chest and staggered to my feet again. I swear, I saw a sly smile cut across Clay's face and I saw his flashing sword in the air.

"Parvo! Parvo!" I raised one of my hands using the other one as support as I staggered back and he paused. Parvo meant to wait in Dome language, I didn't know if he understood what it meant but he responded well. I staggered off the stage but Den had some of the guards throw me back on the stage.