Death's Game

A Story by rae52

Death, that’s how it will end, whenever I die, all life ends with death, it shouldn’t be feared, but it is, everyone fears it, even me, and now I seem to be having a staring contest with death to see how long I’ll live.

He stood there, ready to kill. I stood there, wishing the ground would swallow me. Maybe not the best thing to wish for, in fact a really bad thing to wish for… Looking down I could see the ground opening. Looking up I could see the man’s face, in any other circumstance it would have been funny, if not hilarious, the look of complete bemusement was priceless, something I would have remembered for the rest of my life if, I wasn’t falling down a hundred foot hole into the centre of the earth!

Ouch! Pain had suddenly developed a new and more painful meaning. Still groggy but regaining consciousness, I noticed that my cheek was stinging, was someone slapping me? What was that noise? Slowly things came into focus, like a radio being tuned.

“Come on miss. Wake up miss. Quick miss, you have to follow me!” the something was very insistent and odd looking. Did I have a choice? Following him was the only option.

The something lead me through a labyrinth of tunnels, and after what seemed like an age I saw a familiar yellow light,

“The sun?” I asked

“No, this is the crystal of Seig, it has lit the home of my people for years. All those years were spent peacefully. But then they came! We don’t like them,” as he spoke I could hear the hatred growing.

“Who?”

“They came down here, to our home. They do bad things miss, bad things. If you wish for the ground to swallow you up, you get your wish, they do bad things miss, I have seen, I have felt, I know, miss, you must go!”

“Where to?”

“We will take you to King Halimede, he is a good man, he will help you. Miss, follow Naiad he will take you to the surface.”

“Thank you”

“Go! They will be looking for you, and you do not want to be found!”

A bunch of ferns hid the tunnel’s end, I passed through. I’d escaped! I could see the world! I looked round for Naiad, he wasn’t there. I hadn’t expected him to linger, but still a good bye would have been nice. Something rustled behind me, turning round I saw the ferns had been pulled back, and there he was… Naiad…Dead. An arrow embedded in his chest. The archer was ready to fire again…Aim, fire! The arrow found its mark, I fell to the floor, all I could think about was Naiad, he had risked his life to save me, and his life had been what it had cost. Because of his generosity he had paid the ultimate price… He was dead… and so was I…

I must have blinked. Death has won again.

© 2013 rae52

Author's Note

was written for bbc's 500 words contest it is exactly 500 words that is why the pace is so fast and i didn't expand more please tell me what you think

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Dearantlers

Wow, that's so cool that it's exactly 500 words! I've tried but I can never get stories right on the mark. A couple words off, but never on. That's amazing! This is kinda new for you. I've never read one of your stories, and I must say that I love them! Keep writing. When I reopen read requests again, which should be soon cause school's almost over, make sure you send me some more requests! I want to read more of your work! Great job!!!!