The Last Man Standing

Chapter 10

Everyone gathered in the middle part of the arena. Confused. Afraid. And angry. Who would want to play for life or death?

But there is no choice to retreat or flee. Nothing could stop the game of death; the Evolution. He who survives to the end was the only one who can live— the last man standing.

This is Evolution. Only the strong ones have the right to live.

“What are we going to do?” a man with pulled hair asked.

Trembling bodies. Bloodshot eyes. And hurried expressions on their faces. Everyone wanted to live after seventeen teenagers were shot and killed in front of their eyes. There were still twenty remaining people to play for the second round of Within the Line. How many more will die to reach the third round? To finish the first game of Evolution?

“What do we do now?!” a more desperate question from a short girl was heard. Sobs escaped and tears fell.

Clio was in complete silence, looking at nothingness. What should she do now? What are they going to do now?

"We'll be together." All of the twenty survivors turned their gazes to the speaker, Sheol. He got a mysterious smirk on his lips, nodding at everyone who doubted his suggestion. "We are going to get together not to continue this sh*tty game, but to kick every i***t at the door. We are going to leave. Why do we have to stay and play this game, anyway?” Sheol chuckled, seeing how the majority took a step backward and averted their gazes.

Clio stilled, looking angrily at Sheol. “Are you suggesting a rebellion?” she asked in disbelief, remembering how the bullet pierced through the foreheads of each player who tried to escape. “They were killed! They were killed when they tried to escape!”

Reneger and Alice were quick to hold Clio’s shoulders when she tried to go after Sheol. Clio was furious.

“Sheol,” Reneger warned, looking at the guy who had the guts to play with everyone’s fear while they were all trying to stay alive.

Sheol chuckled. This was exactly what he liked about fear— it makes everyone greedy and hypocritical.

"You are going crazy," Summer whispered, sighing. “Stop this. Let’s just… Let’s focus on the second round and stay alive. We know this is all going to happen, anyway.”

Clio looked at Summer in confusion. “You expect people to be killed in this game? Summer?”

“Knave, you are a daughter of a Godsend, aren’t you?” Mercy’s cold eyes met Clio’s gaze. “Among all of us here, it’s you who should be the most aware. Evolution will kill the prey. That’s how the law of nature works. That’s how we all evolve.”

Clio pulled her hair with both of her hands. She was trying her best to stop her body from trembling but the cold running down her spine was making her nauseous. She could not help but to question the WIC— the religion behind Evolution.

“I didn’t expect to spend my holidays like this,” Clio murmured, reminding herself that her identity should not be disclosed by her reckless mouth.

Lilith? What exactly is WIC and this game? Clio could not help but to blame and hate Lilith for luring her into this mess.

“So, you don’t want to run away?” Sheol looked at Irgo. “I guess, they are more ready to die for a very shallow reason of picking the wrong color.”

Irgo grinned, looking at Eli. “What do you think, Eli? Should we do it? Should we escape? Should we not continue?”

Majority of the remaining players knew it was wrong. Deep down, they knew it was wrong. Escaping the game and not continuing with it was a major violation to what they were all signed up for by their parents. As firstborns of their families, they were trained to win the Evolution. They knew it was all about winning or dying.

But they did not expect this to be so scary… and bloody brutal.

Their decision is divided into two options; to turn away from the religious cult they were born in or continue to play the Evolution to prove something.

Everyone was skeptical. But right now, they only need one influence—- one confirmation— to commit to a decision they could no longer undo.

“We have been preparing for this for a long time. ” A new voice again spoke. It was from a bald man. The man continued, "The game’s speaker was right. We all should be thankful to live and to die, only for Him. Who are we to turn our backs and run away? Who are we? We’re just sinners who are receiving His glory. We’re sinners who had to prove that we deserve His glory. Don’t do something that will disappoint the Compact and the Lord we all praise."

The bald man stopped for a moment and disappeared into his own thoughts. Everyone waited for the next thing he was going to say. It took him a few seconds before he spoke again, “And one more thing, my mother depends on me. She expects me to win. That's exactly what I'm going to do. So, don’t you dare ruin it by doing a goddamn rebellion you all know will lead to your meaningless deaths.”

Just like that, everyone backtracked from Sheol’s suggestion. Just like that, everyone was reminded why the WIC’s Compact was doing the Evolution. Just like that, everyone would desperately thrive to be Evolution's Last Man Standing even if it means the death of the rest of the players.

Everyone assembled for the second round. Clio was still hesitant because of her fear and conscience. But she’s not Clio in this game— she’s Knave. She was reminded of her reason for being entangled with this complication. She needed to win the five million dollars and then live a better life. That goal outweighed the human nature of Clio.

She looked at the finish line ahead of her. “Right… I had to win,” she whispered, letting the tears fall, “I need to win,” she said, a little bit louder. Then, she harshly wiped her tears away.

Clio was finally embracing Knave— the identity she obtained after being part of this year’s Evolution.