The Absconsion

The Connection

D18: Remember? We made a promise to each other that if we survive the round then we will share our stories of why we are here. Do you want to honor that?

A15: I have been meaning to ask you that but I thought, after all we have been through, you need some rest from everything.

D18: The reasons for which we are here are something that can never be forgotten. Even if you are dying, a part of you would always think about it. That is something we cannot escape from even for a moment. So it is better to embrace them rather than trying to forget them.

A15: You are right. Despite the stress that any round is putting on us, we would always think about how our family is doing and what would happen to them if we end up dying here. Alright, then. You start.

D18: Well, it is not a great story. But it starts with me and my friends. We all lived in adjacent houses right from childhood and they became my family and my world as time passed. We all became so close that at some point in time, maybe I valued them more than my mother. And when I think of this, I realize how much I have ignored my mother, did not help her, or spent much time with her. My father died before I was even born, at least that is what she told me. I used to feel like an outlier because I was the only one with no father. But after I met my friends, I never felt alone anymore. We went to school and college together. We enjoyed ourselves a lot. My friends were great, understanding, and helped me in times of need, but they did not help me grow. Despite being from poor households, we never talked about building a career, studying well, or taking up a job. We always talked about movies, girls and other stuff which any teenager is usually interested in. While I was hanging out with my friends wasting money, my mother worked very hard and made sure that we had a roof to live under, clothes to wear, food to eat, and money for my studies. I can say with certainty that not a single penny spent towards my education was worthwhile. She knew that I did not like studying, but she continued to pay the fees hoping that I would not live the life the way they lived. she wanted to see me in a better place which I did not realize at that time. Maybe, I would have not realized it till now if she has not been hospitalized. One of her lung damaged and the doctors recommended a lung transplant. I did not have enough money to bear the expenses of surgery and medicines. So I took some money from a street thug. Now that I am unable to return his money, he threatened to take away my lung to cover for his money. But the problem is my lung is a healthy match to my mother and I cannot afford to lose it. So if I win the money here and get back to my mother, then I would be able to pay him the money and donate my lung to my mother. It's been many days since I have last seen her. Only if would have studied well and taken up a job earlier to support my mother, it would have prevented her from working in god-knows-what places. I know for sure that her lungs are damaged because of the work she had done. I could have prevented it, but I was too immature and irresponsible.

A15: Better late than never. At least now you are acting as a responsible child. We will soon get out of this place and then we are going to help our families get better, and then we will meet each other in the real world properly.

D18: That is really wonderful to hear and yes I would love to continue our bond after we get out.

A15: Likewise. Coming to the reason that I came here. I had a small and beautiful family. A loving mother, a caring father, and myself. I had everything that I had asked for. We used to go to movies, restaurants and every month, we would go camping. We did many things together. My parents always went an extra mile to make me happy and made sure that I led a life that is free from stress and responsibility. Of course, they faced some situations, but they never showed it in front of me. They tried their best in protecting me from all the negative influences and hardships that life has to offer. Things that were going good turned great when Aaron, my little brother came into existence. Everyone's happiness surged exponentially. Usually, when a sibling arrives, there is a conception that the elder sibling may feel like the love that they received from their parents would now be split for two people. Maybe, I also thought that, but when I saw the little guy, so fragile and helpless and innocent. My heart melted. I loved him more than I loved my parents maybe. In fact, I wanted my parents to love him more than they love me. But life does not like people being happy and peaceful. It wants people to suffer. A few months after Aaron was born, my mother felt sick. After performing various tests, we came to know that she was diagnosed with cancer. My mother always looked healthy and we could not believe that she had cancer. The doctors said that the symptoms were minimal so cancer went undetected for a long time. They even made it clear that even with all the surgeries and chemo, the chances of survival are very slim. But we did not want to give up, so tried to give her the best treatment possible. Since Aaron was small, I had to be with him all the time which prevented me from seeing my mother when she was fighting for her life. A few months passed, and she finally left us all alone in this world. I did not get to spend any time with her even in her last moments. I saw her for a few minutes the day before she passed away. I saw her from a distance as she was weak and also sedated so she was not in a position to talk. I did not cry. I wanted to, I was crying inside, but no tears came out. I did not even want to believe that this was happening. A few months ago, I had a beautiful family and now, I have nothing. When I saw my little brother after my mother passed away, I hated him. Because he was the reason that I could not be with my mother when she was struggling and fighting the battle of life and death. I wanted to tell her that I am with her and show her my support and make her believe that nothing could separate us, not even death. But then, he did something that my mother used to do. Whenever I used to sit beside my mother and talk with her, she sued to catch my thumb finger. When my brother did that, catch my thumb which he did not do before, I felt like it was my mother reaching out to me to tell me that she is with me and to take care of my brother. From that moment onwards, my love for him multiplied by a hundred times or maybe more.

On the negative side, my father became aloof and started drinking. She provided us with what we needed and that is it. He was not there really, he did not shower the affection anymore. The situation made me act like a mother to my brother. His drinking became worse and I was kind of afraid to even ask him to stop it. This continued for a few months and one day he came home happy and sober. It was like a dream. He came to me hugged me and my brother and he was acting like the lovely and caring father that he was before his mother passed away. The hope that was long gone was finally finding its way back. I was very happy thinking that the old days might be back. But as I already said, life does not give people what they want, it always has some other plans. After a few days, he brought a woman home and said she is going to be your new mother and her name is Lisa. New mother? What the f**k is that? Does this make my mother old? Not a chance in hell. I was silent, did not even smile. But Lisa flashed a wide, warm smile, which I thought was a fake one. She came close and took Aaron into her arms. For a second, I felt like my entire world has been snatched away from me. First my mother, then my father, and now my brother. I immediately took him back from her.

Despite me being cold towards her, she was always good to us. I don't know if that affection was real or she was just doing it to please my father. My father was not a rich man so she definitely did not marry him for money, she must have loved him. It is a natural tendency of people to try and fix broken things. Maybe when she met my father, she saw him as a broken man, and the need to make him whole surged in her and she decided to marry him. As time passed, I became distant from my father also. The funny thing was I felt a strong connection with my mother than that with a living father. We were living a life, just living. But life could not digest it maybe. It decided to take away my father too. All the warmth that Lisa showed till then suddenly vanished and it was like we were sharing a house with a stranger. As time passed, she announced that she would soon be going to be married to some other guy and that we are on our own. I could just try for a job and that would be enough for me and my brother, but I wanted to give him a life that my parents wanted me to have. So, I took a chance, and here I am now. If only I would have known that this involves death, I would have never come here. Leaving my brother was one of the hardest things that I ever had to do. I used to tell him stories every night. I miss him badly and I am afraid of the thought of not being able to see him ever again.

D18: I know it is hard to live away from the ones you love. Why don't you tell me a bedtime story?

A15: Really?

D18: Well it has been a very long time since my mother read me a story. Also, I am having trouble sleeping,                                                                                     so your story might help me sleep.

A15: Alright, then. Buckle up. Here comes my story.

A long time ago, a wealthy king had three beautiful daughters. They had everything they wanted, offered to them on a platter of gold. However, only one thing was lacking in their life, none of them had a husband, nor did they have a suitor. This made the king very unhappy. He had food, but he could not eat. What shall we do now?

He asked his wife. I want my children to be happily married, but they think that no one is good enough for them.

The king’s daughters’ were however not bothered. “I want to marry the richest man alive,” said the oldest sister. “I want to marry the most handsome man,” the younger sister said arrogantly. As for the youngest sister, “I want to marry a king like my father. Only he will be richer and more powerful. Oh! What a life I shall live being the queen of a great empire.” Their mother the queen added, “Whoever marries my daughters will be a lucky man, seeing how beautiful they all are. Oh no! My daughters will only marry the best men in the whole land.”

The king’s heart was very troubled. He told his wife, “ I’m finding my daughter's men who will love and care for them. I will not watch them grow old without husbands and children.”

Do whatever you want, said the queen, but my daughters will only marry anyone who can tell their names. That way, I will be sure they are marrying the wisest man in the entire land.

It was announced throughout the land, that the king wanted the wisest man to marry his children. Whoever could tell their names would be given their hands in marriage. The rich and famous went with gifts to the palace to try but they couldn’t guess the princesses’ names. No one ever called them by their real names. Everyone called them “the princesses”.

Soon, every available man in the land had gone to ask for the princesses’ hands in marriage, but no one could tell their names. So, the tortoise, a very crafty animal decided he would give it a try. But before he went to the palace, he sneaked around the princesses, following them everywhere without their knowledge. Just when the tortoise started to think there was no hope for him, luck smiled on him one day. The princesses went apple picking on the outskirts of the town. They hadn’t gone very far when the youngest princess saw a bike. Now, a bike was a very uncommon sight in those days. The youngest princess was so excited that she started singing. As she sang, she called her older sister by her real name. The younger sister rushed over, and she did the same, calling their oldest sister. They ended up singing together, dancing around the bike, and calling each other’s names. That was how the tortoise knew all their names.

But alas, the tortoise remembered all the princesses’ names. He went to the palace and told the king. The whole town gathered, and the tortoise said the name of each princess. Everyone was shocked. The king had no choice but to give all his daughters to the tortoise as his wives. The princesses and the queen were extremely sad. But there was nothing anyone could do. And so, the tortoise started to take the princesses home as his wives. On their way to the tortoise’s home, the princesses were so ashamed, that they each chose a very different lifestyle rather than become the tortoise’s wife.

And so it happened that since that day, no one ever saw any of the princesses again. The king and queen were very sad, but there was nothing anyone could do. If only the princesses and their mother had known, they would not have been so proud and arrogant in choosing their husbands.

D18: That is the crappiest story I have ever heard. Tortoise, man, seriously?

A15: Kids don't ask about logic. And I did not make that story up. I read some stories for the sake of my brother.

D18: Most of the stories do not make sense. Anyways I enjoyed this little session. It feels weird but it is good. I pray that we both get out of here and make our wishes come true.

A15: I hope for the same.

                                                                                        ----*----

E3: You awake?

E7: I am not going to sleep anytime soon.

E3: Previously, I might have said that we will survive. But what do you think is going to happen?

E7: Well, I don't know what will happen. I only know that as long as we are here, we need to fight for ourselves and the ones that we care about.

E3: So, you think developing an emotional connection with people here is ideal?

E7: If you love your life and want to live, then no.

E3: Why do you say that?

E7: Let's assume that we develop a strong connection with someone. If in further rounds, what would they do if only one of them gets to live? Everyone is here for a purpose and they need to survive at any cost, but if they love someone, they may have to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the ones they care about. It kinds of contradicts the very purpose with which we have come here.

E3: You are right, but no one really wants to form a connection with someone right, it just happens abruptly.

E7: True that. I guess everyone has different perspectives and ways of how to deal with that if they form a bond.

E3: When is this game going to end? Does this killing continue until and unless only one person is left?

E7: If that is the case, then everyone is doomed and fated to die. I hope it does not be like that. These people who are responsible for hundreds of deaths should be caught and punished. But before that, we need to know the reason behind all this.

E3: If either of us survives this s**t-show, then let's make a deal that we would try our best in exposing the man behind all this. Deal?

E7: Deal. May I ask why you are here?

E3: Well, I am sorry to say but I do not like to talk about those things.

E7: Sorry for asking. I only asked because it does not seem like you are from a poor household.

E3: What makes you say that.

E7: Well, you are smart, beautiful and the way you carry yourself is so elegant. You talk well with people but know your boundaries. When I see you, I feel like you are everything that every woman would want to be. Strong and charismatic.

E3: It had been so long that someone complimented me this well. Thank you. And the same goes for you. You are a smart, well-mannered, composed man. You look like someone who had faced many dangers before and the one we are in right now does not scare you much. There is something more to you than what you project.

E7: Well, I guess, we both have our secrets then.

                                                                                      ----*----

P4 closed her eyes and was trying to get a good night's sleep, so at least during that time, she can put her mind at ease from all the fake scenarios that her mind is too busy in creating. And then she heard a voice calling her, the voice that she had been longing to hear. The voice that made her forget all the thoughts for a while. She sat on her bed quickly and replied, ' yes. '

She could not see anyone because her eyes did not adapt to the darkness yet. But she very well knew who came to talk to her.

' I just wanted to thank you for helping me today. We would have died if it isn't for you. I am sorry for my behavior earlier, but it is for your own good. I am just here to thank you and now I'll leave. '

' Wait. Can I at least know the reason why you are doing this to me? What are you trying to do by keeping me at an arm's length? By ignoring me? In the beginning, you were acting like a creep, then you become a gentleman, and I do not know what you are now.  I do not understand, so enlighten me. '

' I am not an ideal guy. I am dangerous. I never let people into my life because it would devour them from the inside out. It will destroy their lives. If I become obsessive with you, then no one can save you from me. So, I am reminding you again to stay away from me. The reason I am repeating this is I have seen you looking at me and stuff like that. Do not do that ever again. I hope I am clear. '

By this time, her eyes could adapt to seeing in darkness and before he left, she could catch a glimpse of his face. She was relieved to see him well. It was unlike her, but she enjoyed the new feeling she is experiencing. However short the conversation might be, it is still an improvement. He at least recognized and appreciated her effort.

P9: Looks like someone has a crush.

P4: Shut up. There is nothing of such sorts.

P9: Because of this dark, I am unable to see you blush, but your little smile gives you off.

P4: It is nothing like that. He was my teammate who saved my life in the first round and I kind of developed some good feelings towards him. He kept me at an arm's length since that round, but since he talked to me today, I feel peaceful as if stress is lifted off from my mind.

P9: It is good if nothing is there. As this is not the right place to develop feelings as they will cloud your judgment which may cost you your life. Look out for yourself and if possible, your teammates. But the first priority should always be oneself.

I1: I think you are experiencing damsel-in-distress syndrome or nightingale syndrome.

P4: What the hell is that?

I1: When a person in distress gets saved by a rescuer, merely, the result of being rescued makes the rescuee forms an attachment to their rescuer. It can be unrequited.

P4: He helped me, sure. I developed a good feeling towards him, probably. But love? No. I can not possibly love everyone who helps me. If that is the case, I should be loving all of you.

I1: Well, it is just something that I have seen in a series. I do not know if it is real. I only mentioned it hoping that it would give you some clarity about it.

P4: Thanks for your concern, but I am alright.