The Wish Game

An Encounter with Truth

I got mixed up in the crowd and began to move towards my home. Escaping public eyes, I reached my home after about 20 minutes of the walk, but to my surprise, there was no one and the house was locked. ‘What is this? Where’d they go?’

I was lost in my thoughts when a tap on my shoulder snapped me out. I turned around to find Mr. Sham behind me. “Are you looking for someone?” Mr. Sham used to be our neighbor, but now he didn’t seem to recognize me.

Well, I don’t blame him for that. Not only did I have the scarf over my face, but my physique has also changed quite a lot over this one month of training. Moreover, no one expects a selected to escape. I asked him, “What happened to the family which lived here?”

“What do you have to do with them?” He asked me sternly and I hesitated before replying, “I heard that their daughter has been selected, so I wanted to congratulate them.” I didn’t even know what I was saying. Everything seemed involuntary, but during my initial stay in the capital, everyone congratulated me.

He gave me an appraising look and smiled, “They don’t live here anymore. They are now the village elders.” I was shocked to the core. “What happened to the previous village elder?” “He vacated the post after their daughter was chosen.”

This piece of information surprised me and he added, “You don’t seem to be from around here, the village elder is chosen every seven years whose child is selected for the Wish Games.” “So, why do they hide their children when the officials come?”

He gave me another appraising look and asked, “Are you someone from their relatives?” I answered the question by only nodding in the affirmative. Finally, we reached the mansion that’s owned by the village elder.

There were multiple guards and suddenly, my heart went pacing. ‘Have those told them as well?’ Two guards stopped us when Mr. Sham told them, “This lady is one of the relatives of the village elder. Let her pass.”

The guards whispered among themselves and let us pass. I thanked Mr. Sham and asked him not to bother himself anymore, but he insisted. We went to the main door and overheard some conversations. The conversation almost tore my heart to shreds.

“…You must be grateful to your daughter, she’s the reason you’re the village elder now.”

“I am…but now that I think of it, I am more thankful that she didn’t refuse.”

“Yeah, you would’ve been in big trouble if she’d outright refused.”

“No, she wouldn’t have. Mom and Dad only told me about the right of refusal, not her.”

“But, I feel bad for your daughter. She’s going to be a cannon-fodder in the games.”

“I don’t think feeling bad would help her in any way. Let’s enjoy these few merry days.”

This was followed by the collective laughter of five people. Mr. Sham noticed my reaction and must’ve wondered, ‘What’s wrong with her?’ I calmed myself down and went inside. There were five people; my mom, dad, brother, the former village elder, and his wife.

The five of them turned towards me and asked, “Who are you?” I found myself at a loss of words and finally mustered enough courage to speak, “Congratulations on making your daughter a cannon-fodder. Mom and Dad.”

The six others present there had their expressions flushed away. I pulled away the scarf to reveal my face, saying, “I should’ve said, it’s nice to meet you.” I barely managed to contain the anger in me and the effort was probably quite visible.

Behind me, the guards scrambled as the ones outside came in and shouted, “What are you doing here?” I looked back at them, revealing my face finally, and turned again towards my parents, “Why? If you were to sacrifice one of us, why me, why not him?”

The guards moved in trying to surround me to capture me, but I didn’t move. It’d be futile to resist at that moment, so I focused on getting the answer. “Tell me, WHY?” I yelled at my parents. Tears began to fill my eyes as the scene on that day played before me.

I didn’t get any response and the guards with their spears pointing towards me closed in when a voice came, “STOP!!!” The guards stopped at their position and I looked at the door to find a young woman entering the house. She seemed to be the one in charge of my capture, “It's better if she gets her answers, or else she’ll escape again.”

The former village chief began, “Every seven years, a few days before the arrival of the selection officers, a meeting is held among all village families. The objective of the meeting is to determine by lottery which family sends its child to the coming games.”

His wife continued, “On the day of selection, every child in the village is hidden so that they are kept unaware of the process. And the family which is selected voluntarily takes the officers to their kids. The kids are tested by the officials if they are eligible or not.”

“If they are, then they are taken away. If not, any other family in the village volunteers. This time, in the lucky draw, we were the ones to be selected as the family. So when they brought both of you out and found that both of you are eligible, they gave us the choice.” My father added.

“That’s not the answer. I simply want to know, why me, not him?” I yelled again at my father, who in any other case would’ve given me sermons on manners. He replied with a bland look, “He’ll carry on the family name. I am old and so, your brother will soon be inheriting it.”

The stupid reason made me even angrier, but through some unknown means, I knew he wasn’t lying. The rage finally subsided and I took out the dagger the old lady gave me.

The guards were alarmed as they anticipated that I'd attack them. I dropped the dagger on the floor and raised both arms in the air, indicating my surrender.

A guard came forward to pick it up when I slid it away towards my brother and said, “It’s for you.” I turned back towards the lady as she said, “No need to restrain her.” And smiled, showing me the way outside, “After you.”

I smiled back and looked at my brother who’d picked up the dagger, looking confused. “Happy Birthday, in advance,” I said before leaving the house and not turning back. The cart back to Choire was waiting right outside the house.