Ones and Zeroes

Chapter 9: Lavender and Vanilla

Tw: mild panic attack

The three boys stood in the training room downstairs again. Dream had escorted George back down to the room after he had calmed down. Except George didn't feel completely calmed down yet. He didn't want Sapnap to see him like this as well. It was bad enough that Dream had to deal with him when he was like this. He was a burden to them.

Dream's fingers were intertwined with mine. We held hands the whole way downstairs and still held on in the room. Dream closed the door behind us and led me and him to the center of the room where Sapnap stood with the dummies.

He coughed to break the small awkward silence.

"George, I brought you here again so we could all talk about something."

I looked up at Dream's face. I was almost begging him not to bring this stuff up in front of Sapnap, but it was useless. If Sapnap was to train me, he would need to know.

I eventually nodded, letting him know to keep talking.

"So from what I know, you've seen some pretty messed up shit." He squeezed my hand a little tighter. "I just want to know what caused you to freak out over holding the knife, or just attacking with it."

You need to tell them. You can't keep your secrets hidden anymore.

George sighed before answering. "I lied. About my experience with weapons..."

I looked at Dream then Sapnap before looking at the ground. "I really don't want to lie to you guys, so I'm just gonna tell you guys straight..."

You can't tell them. Not yet.

"I... I've killed before." I finally spit out, my voice was extremely low. I didn't say anything after.

"W-who?" Sapnap asked. His perspective of the innocent boy he knew, now changed completely.

~

"Please!" the bully yelled from below him. George had him pinned to the ground. He gripped a bloody knife, holding it above the pinned boy's head.

White light from the top of the arena blinded the two. Splatters of blood from past contestants stained the cement.

George was crying. Tears ran down his face and landed on the pleading boy below him. His stomach grumbled, he was hungry. He couldn't starve to death. He had to win. He had to earn his dinner, he couldn't take the pain anymore. 

"I-I'm sorry."

The blade was pushed into the middle of the bully's head. George's vision blurred a bit. He felt distant. Cheering followed his actions. He stared down at his bleeding opponent one last time before standing up. He began to walk out of the arena to the cafeteria to receive his prize. Maybe he should've let the bully have his dinner.

~

George was back in the training room with Dream and Sapnap.

A single tear fell onto the black mats beneath his feet.

"Techno..." I whispered softly. His only friend in those dreadful labs. His bully. The only person he opened up to after he lost his friends. He was alone, but he helped him. I had reached a new low. He was the only person he had talked to all those years. He murdered him. For food...

Dream moved to wrap his arms around me.

~

Memories of guards grabbing me and dragging my weak body into the labs flashed in my mind. While I screamed at the top of my lungs in protest.