Liars, Killers, and Thieves

Part 1

"The fight begins when you shoot" said a hypnotic voice, coming from The Box. I needed this. Training practice. The Liars versus the Killers versus the Thieves.

I held my gun. It had three bullets. I had a dagger as well. I had a few matches tucked somewhere too.

The areas we stood changed every practice. This time it was a canyon. I stood at the top with about twenty other people, my enemies. Below, stood another seventy or so. The other side of the canyon had about twenty people as well.

I took a shot at the person who stood across from me. They fell from the shot. One down. I reloaded my gun. I still had two bullets.

I quickly looked behind me. Nobody was there. A gun shot got me on my toes. I looked across the chasm. The rock I hid behind had been shot at. I got up and ran silently. I amazingly didn't get shot during my run. I looked and took another shot at the person across the chasm. A miss. No one shot at me. I quickly turned around, and found another Liar standing behind me, dagger drawn. I shot at them. My gun was useless now. A number came up. They were Liar 37. I had known them. I grabbed the dagger that laid in their dead hand. There was a person in front of me. They hadn't seen me. I slowly walked up behind them. They turned around, dagger drawn. I held a dagger in each hand. They were a Thief. It was easy to tell based on the stance they took. They look more like a mugger than anything else. I attacked. They ended the day with two daggers, one in their stomach and the other in the back of their leg. I was running out of weapons. I found a group of kids fighting just below a ledge. I opened a canister of the flammable gas, and poured it over them. They couldn't smell it or see it. I grabbed the match. I did a quick headcount. Four kids. None had seen me. One had left their gun on the floor. Not smart. I lit the match, and I let it slip from my hand. They never saw it coming.

I was completely out of weapons. A voice came over the Box. "If you are out of weapons, proceed towards the exit. This training session is over." I got up, dusted myself off, and began to walk over. Others saw me as an easy target, but they couldn't shoot me. All their bullets reflected away, back towards them.

I heard a scream. Obviously a few meters away, but I heard it loud and clear. It wasn't a kill, or someone yelling in pain. It was a Killer. They pulled off their mask. "This is not what we are supposed to be doing!" they yelled. They held a gun, right at their own neck. The trigger was pulled. They fell, lifeless, to the ground. Another suicide. Killer 01. The lower numbers were usually the ones to commit.

I was Liar 76.

I left shortly after that.

I entered a room filled with other people, all tired from the Training. A funeral list came up for everyone that has been killed. I had killed seven people. The highest number of kills was nine. I viewed my kills. The first person I had shot was Killer 21, a male, age 14, named Anderson. He was in the top of his class. Liar 37 had been a female, age 12, named Diana. She hadn't stood a chance. I was the top of my class. Number 2. Number 1 now because the top of our class had been killed in a fire.

An overall list came up. I was better than all of the Thieves and Liars. Killers are pretty hard to beat, but I was fourth in that league. Overall, I was fourth as well. The only people ahead of me were Killers.

The Killers were the smallest, elite group. They are best known for their silent kills.

I left to go to my dorm. The Training ends the season. It helps reduce the number of students. If you lose, you lose your life. Being the top of your class was the only drive you needed to keep going. Once you come of age, you are taken on an assignment in the real world. Mine should be coming up soon, but most who return commit suicide. I'd be different. I have been training with the Academy since I was a little baby. Not many people stayed that long.