The Last to Break

No Mercy

Tam stared at the blood oozing from Jay’s head. Before he could move, the boys attacked him. He knew nothing about fighting. He was frightened to death. He fell and stayed down, lying in a little heap next to Jay as they kicked and hit him.

Again, a staff worker grabbed them by both arms and dragged them into the room, throwing them onto one bed. He left and locked the door.

Jay woke to someone touching his head. Tam was rubbing it.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m making it better.”

“You’re making it worse. Stop it.”

Tam pulled his hand away. He had a forlorn look in his eyes.

Jay’s head was pounding. He felt sorry for Tam, but everyone had to learn the hard way. Kyle had never shown mercy. He treated you the way the staff workers and the Warden did—to make you stronger. The only difference was that Kyle did it because he cared; the staff and Warden didn’t care whether you lived or died.

Kyle had cared especially about Jay. He had always said that Jay would be the one to avenge them all. Jay hadn’t understood then, and he still wasn’t sure he did.

Tam would have to learn that. The sooner, the better.

Once Jay heard the footsteps, he jumped up and stood by the door. When the big man opened it and put the stale bread in their hands, he shouted, “To the toilets, now!”

Same routine. When they entered the toilets, Jay sat down and ate his stale bread. Today, Tam ate his bread, although reluctantly. Jay felt in his pocket. The bread from yesterday was still there, although pressed flat. He took it out and offered it to Tam. He just looked at the bread and shook his head.

Jay shrugged and started eating, then got up to scrub the toilets. Tam just sat there. Jay walked over to him and said, “Start cleaning.”

He immediately got up, took the brush and bucket, and started scrubbing.

That was a good sign.

Jay knew he was one of the strongest in The Annex, and no one between the ages of four and six could beat him. Even those between the ages of seven and ten sometimes struggled to beat him. All the cleaning and heavy duties they were forced to do made them strong. But the survival instinct in the training room was what separated the weak from the strong.

Today would be the training grounds. He hoped Tam would keep up. He couldn’t protect him on the training grounds.

With time still available before the big man came, Jay quickly informed Tam about the training grounds.

“The ugly guys separate us at times. I cannot protect you all the time. If you can’t keep up, they will hurt you. Try to stay in a bundle. Don’t smile or talk to anyone.”

They heard footsteps and got up. When the ugly guy opened the door, he shouted, “To the Training Grounds.”

Jay started jogging towards the Training Grounds. Tam followed.

As soon as they reached the Training Grounds, the Warden’s voice boomed through the air. “Get to the starting point. What are you waiting for? You know the drill!”

Jay ran to the starting point, Tam right behind him.

While waiting, Jay looked at the newcomers who had arrived at the same time as Tam. Jay felt sorry for them. Some looked like they could barely stand up straight.

Then the voice shouted, “Go!”

Everyone started running. Two of the newcomers just stood there. Jay noticed one of the staff workers walking towards them. They were going to be kicked and punched.

Jay turned around, ran to the two children, grabbed their hands, and pulled them towards the group. While running, he shouted, “Just follow and do as the others are doing.”

With that, he let go of their hands and sprinted forward.

Soon, he was next to Tam.

“Follow me. When I say jump, you jump. When I say down, you crawl on your stomach.”

After a few meters, Jay shouted, “Jump!”

They cleared the first hurdle. Two more jumps, then Jay shouted, “Down!”

They leopard-crawled beneath the low electrified obstacle. At one point, Tam lifted his head too high and got shocked. Luckily, it wasn’t serious. That ensured he kept his head and body low for the rest of the leopard crawl.

As soon as they exited the leopard crawl obstacle, a high hurdle with a single rope on the side stood right in front of them. Jay sprinted. When he reached the high tower, he jumped up, grabbed the rope, and started pulling himself up. Within seconds, he was on top. He waited for Tam.

He tried the same thing but missed the rope.

Jay shouted, “Go back and try again. Grab my hand when you’re near.”

Tam stood there, confused.

Jay shouted again, “Go back and try again.”

He turned around, ran back, and sprinted forward. He failed twice more.

Jay noticed one of the staff workers walking towards them.

“Quickly, go back again and try. Don’t miss the rope this time.”

Tam ran back and sprinted forward again. He jumped up, grabbed the rope, and hung mid-air.

“Pull yourself up!” Jay shouted.

Tam tried to pull himself up. He did not have the strength the others had. None of the newcomers did. The other children were close to the high tower.

“Tam, look at me and pull yourself up.”

Slowly, he started to move up. Jay was hanging down, with only his feet anchored on top. He grabbed hold of Tam’s hand and pulled. Sweat was beading on his forehead, the strain clearly visible on his face. Tam grabbed Jay’s body and pulled himself up.

Jay shouted to the other newcomers, “Run fast, jump and grab the rope.”

The first boy to reach the high tower jumped and grabbed the rope. He struggled to pull himself up but succeeded. Jay pulled him up.

Next was a girl. She sprinted, jumped, grabbed the rope, and pulled herself up without help. She was strong.

Jay waited for the next one. Three more newcomers, one boy and two girls. They failed time and time again. Jay jumped down from the high tower. He lifted the boy as far as he could.

“Grab the rope and pull yourself up. The staff workers are coming.”

The boy grabbed the rope and, although he struggled, managed to pull himself up.

When Jay looked up, the girl was grabbing the boy’s hand and pulling him up. Tam was helping.

Then Jay grabbed the first girl and lifted her as high as he could. He told her the same thing.

The girl grabbed the rope, tears running down her face, but she managed to pull herself up.

Then came the last girl. Jay lifted her as high as he could; his arms were getting weak. The girl grabbed the rope and started to pull herself up.

As soon as Jay jumped, someone grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the ground.

He looked up. The staff worker had an ugly smile on his face and lifted his foot. He kicked Jay repeatedly.

“Who said you could help the others?”

Jay curled into a tight ball, covering his head and body with his arms as he endured the barrage of kicks.

When the staff worker looked up at the high tower, the children had dropped down on the other side and were running towards the gate, indicating the end of the training grounds.

Blood covered Jay’s body. The staff worker grabbed his arm and dragged him to his room. He threw him onto the bed and locked the door.

Jay had lost a lot of blood and did not know when Tam entered the room.