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4 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐬.
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You, Usagi the climber girl's name that you came to know and your friend Arisu came to stop when you saw the tunnel where the game is about to start. Arisu gave you a piggy back cuz it was hard to even stand on your right foot.
"I don't have a good feeling about this." You unintentionally mumble in Arisu's ear making him tighten his grip on your back thigh. He took a breath and cradle you a lil.
"Don't worry. Whatever it'll be, we'll handle it together."
You huffed and tilted your head towards him, trying to look at his eyes. "Am I heavy?"
"No, ofcourse you're not. In fact it feels like I'm carrying big cotton ball." Your cheeks tinted red in embarrassment by his comment. Your eyes moved towards Usagi who looked away as soon as your head turn towards her.
"Let's go." She said and left you both behind as Arisu followed.
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You saw three people in total inside that bus, as they looked up at you when you entered the bus. Arisu gently placed you down, carefully not to touch your wound and Usagi passed you the phone.
"You aren't newbies." One of the man in white jacket and tees, commented.
"And who are you?" —Usagi.
"The three of us cleared the game together. We met at the first game and now going along." The man in middle said.
"And your leg, are you injured?" — Usagi.
"Yeah, I think I sprained my ankle." He answered hesitately, trying to hide his leg that was wrapped in bandages.
"What about you, your seems far worse." The man in white jacket asked, looking at your wound.
"I got shot in my previous game." You said not wanting to elaborate the incident. It's pain more to think.
*Ting*
"Registration is now closed. The game will now commence. Difficulty, four of clubs. There're six of participants. Game, distance."
"Distance." Arisu mumble, making you looked at him and back at the phone in nervousness.
"Rule, endure the trial and reach the goal in time limit. Clear condition, safely reach the goal. The game will now commence. One hundred and twenty minutes remaining."
"Does that mean we have to run?" One of the man asked as your hand slump down, now not seeing any hopes to start the game.
Both Arisu and Usagi's eyes turned to you and your eyes focused on the floor. They already did a lot but this helping section has to end somewhere, knowing here where you have to say goodbye to your friends. It was hard but atleast they're gonna make it.
"Run? Oh no..." The man with injured leg panicked and try to stood up only to fall down, catching your and your friend's attention. His friend helped him get up and try to reassure him.
One of them passed you three, going towards driver seat and try starting the bus, mumbling something about old vehicles, making you remember something about Chotā's word.
"Shit, it's out of gas." He cussed, slamming his fist.
"Leave me here." The man with sprained ankle said. As his friends and your friends looked back at him.
"Takuma" His friend gently pushed pass you and looked at his friend in worry.
"I'm not asking. I don't want my friends to sacrifice. I'll stay here and find a way to survive."
"We're not leaving you behind-"
"Yamane!! you gotta go and survive you want to see your wife right and what about the baby she's carrying!! They can't live without you.!!" His emotional level raised and he shouted at his friends and you also saw the point on that. It obvious you and he, you both are in the same boat.
It was brief silence for a moment, that emotional conversation came to end when other man, Seizan convince the man in white jacket, whose name you came to know, Yamane. They looked at their friend last time before leaving the bus.
"We should go too." Usagi said and Arisu kneel infront of you, back facing you to carry you piggyback but you didn't seems to make a move making them look back at you.
"I was about to say the same thing. I guess it's better for me to stay here. You guys go ahead."
"Y/n. you don't need to listen to him-" — Arisu.
"We both are at the same spot. I'll just slow you down. You should to think from your mind."
"No you're not. I can carry you like I did-"
"For how long? You and I both know it not gonna work that way. So just please go and don't waste your time-" a yelp emerge from your throat, cutting you off and you gasped when Usagi forcefully picked you up on her back making you wrapped your arm around her shoulder.
"You're not heavy. I can carry you and run with ease. And I'm lot stronger than him, I won't get tired very soon." Usagi said, making Arisu nerrow his eyes at her. He clenched his teeth and burn holes in Usagi's head, knowing that the girl is right.
"Usagi-" Before you could complaint further, she started running off. making your eyes blurry with fresh tears and your chest swelling up with different kind of emotions.
"Thank you guys."
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She was running and running its nearly 1000 meter distance and you could hear her fast breathing and can feel her rapid heartbeat, still she didn't placed you down or stopped for a second.
"Usagi please stop. You're tired." You desperately said to the girl who didn't seems to stop anytime soon even her body screaming for rest and put down the burden. And behind you was Arisu who was keeping check on you both if you need help in anyway.
"It's-It's just a warm up for me." It's hard to believe, her voice said it all that how tired she was but her stubborn ass ignoring all the plead.
There are games the tiredness comes in both forms, physical and mental. Your body needs to rest yet your mind needs it to move. It's same happening to Usagi right now. Running and running with a person on your back has huge difference. You can't assume how much her body might be burning from exhaustion but you do have clue.
Arisu tried to convince the girl that she can take a lil bit rest and gave you to him but she ignored all his words and kept running without replying or looking back at him.
Finally she came to halt but it wasn't for what you think it was, it wasn't for goal but it was for something she saw in the darkness.
There were lots of cars and it was dark in there. She gently placed you down and nerrowed her eyes at something. "Something's over there."
You sat down, leaning on the car, as You turned your head where she was looking. You narrow your eyes but didn't see anything. "There's nothing." Arisu said.
"Yes, there is." Usagi stuck to her word, and soon enough you saw a pair of glowing eyes, then it came to light, you realize it was a huge black panther, making you stuck on your breath and widen your eyes, it roar.
"RUN!!" You shouted with others and roll down under the car where you were leaning before. Arisu and usagi glance at you before running off other side with Seizan and Yamane.
That Panther first goes for you. It's paw raising towards your direction, trying to reach you but because of the small space, it didn't. You sigh in relief when it left your side but you heard a lot of shouting, screaming and footsteps along with panther's groan.
It wasn't too long before you heard loud painful screaming of Seizan. You try to take a peek only to found three pairs of foot coming towards your direction. You immediately crawl from under the car and Arisu didn't waste anymore time to pick you in his arms.
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"I'm done." Arisu, Usagi turn to look at Yamane who seems to give up, not just because he was tired physically but now broken mentally too. "I was with them for a week but it feels like I've known them for my entire life."
He said his words broken. His heart feeling that traumatized experience. It's not just him, but the trio seems to care about each other very much and that proved, when they didn't think about giving their lives for their friend.
"I never felt that suffering, but I know someone who gone through that same pain, maybe even more worse." You started, not only getting Yamane's attention but Usagi and Arisu's too who was about to make his step towards him. Your words holding the pain that he was feeling. "He lost his friends whom he have known for childhood. They sacrifice their selves for him so that he can live on their behalf."
Arisu's hold tighten on your body, knowing that someone you're talking about is him. He didn't thought that you'll understand what he'd gone through without him telling you, but here you're. Understood his pain without asking.
"Your friends, they sacrifice their selves for you so don't let their sacrifice go waste. Live on and tell your wife about them." He stare at you and looked down after a moment. He raised his head and looked at you again, nodding in determination.
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"Distance 8000 meters."
You were back on Arisu's back. Now not complaining anymore, it's no use cuz you realise if it's stupidity then you're stupid too, if they were you, you also had made the same choice without any hesitation, if there're even 1% chance that you could save them, then the risk worth it.
Suddenly Arisu's speed dropped down and he stopped, facing a pickup truck. Usagi and Yamane also stopped to look back. You tilted your head and your eyes focused on the bike he was looking.
"Arisu? What's the matter?" You asked softly. He tilted his head on your direction and back at the motorbike.
"It's Royal Enfield." He said, not making any sense to you. It isn't like you know anything about bikes.
"You know about bikes?" Yamane asked, as he also looked at bike. "It's a rare bike, that use a diesel engine."
At which he nodded and lost in his thoughts before coming back again. "Wait a min. It's electronic circuits. all electric circuits has been destroyed."
"So what?" — Usagi.
"He means that all analog stuffs with no electricity can work, like this bike and that bus back there." You got it where this going and explain the rest of Arisu's theory yourself. To which he again nodded and a smile spread across his face. He hurriedly but safely put you down before getting on the pickup truck with Yamane to examine the bike.
"Damn, there're no batteries." — Yamane.
"You said it got old diesel engine, right?" Arisu asked after shaking the bike, checking the fuel tank.
"Ah-huh."
"So, we got diesel and bus right there." — Arisu.
"Wait, you mean you gonna carry it all the way back to the starting point?" — Usagi.
"If we carry this to the bus we can save Takuma." — Arisu.
"You wanna save Takuma?" — Yamane.
"But if you go back, you can't able to clear the game." — Usagi.
"We can, we still have half of the time remaining." You said, hope in your eyes, looking at your phone.
"Yes, I can do it, not we." He eyes darted at yours in stren manner. His words holding seriousness.
"Yes, we can do it. I can use my uninjured leg to move it easily. Two is better than-"
"No."
"Yes, Arisu-"
"I SAID NO!!!" Your eyes bubble up at his shouting and your shoulder dropped.
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"Don't worry we'll get there fast Arisu." You said, huffing as you pushed the motorbike with the help of your left leg.
"Why I'm doing this, I don't know.!!" He shouted, afraid that you won't make out his voice with the speed you're going in and because he's tired. He was pushing the bike from behind and you're sitting on it balancing the handles.
Of course he had to do the hard work but because you're in front and helping him out, you both are going in increadible speed.
"Arisu, I saw the bus." You said making him tilt his head and look at front.
"Thanks goodness."
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"Arisu, we'll reach her, right?" You asked in worry, looking at your friend who hold your hand in his, squeezing it gently. He gave you small smile but it faded away as soon as he faced other side. "Wh-what is that?" You asked as you nerrow your eyes, but it became clear as it came closer as your eyes widen.
"Usagi!!" You shouted for your friend who was running towards your direction, and behind her was a huge flood of water, which was moving towards her moment by moment. "Arisu-Arisu do something." You panicked, looking back and forth between Usagi and that giant flood of water.
"What should I do." He mumble to himself, looking at her then got up, cursing. He stood by the bus entrance, stretching his hand towards Usagi.
You panicked more as close that flood got to your direction. It was impossible that your bus will handle this force and there's no alternative way outta here. but your main priority is Usagi right now.
Just like a climax scene in a movie you watched it in slow motion. Your heart was beating at the same speed the flood was coming. Your hands clutched the seat tightly, that your knuckles turned white.
It just just some distance away as Usagi near the bus, Takuma turned the bus on right side, making it halt with screech. Your body forcefully slammed on the other side, you shut your eyes when your side profile came in contact with bus. It's exit door facing directly Usagi, who entered inside the bus with the help of Arisu who pulled her with all his force and closed the door behind.
Relief washed your face as a small tired smile appear on your lips. You sigh but it didn't last long when a force hit your bus. Your head came in contact with you seat harshly then the window, last thing you remember was your scream and pain in your head.
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(It was hard to make it more thriller when a lot of ideas roam around your head. It was hard to choose what to write. And this chapter got lots of jump scene, cuz I'm sure many of you already watched this series so I don't think I need to write each and every detail. Well, it's ends well in the end tho.)
So.... stay awake.