Immediately after that announcement, everyone begins running as if there's a Black Friday sale nearby. Stumbling like idiots, they rushed over one another pushing bodies and eventually running over the fallen. At least they weren't minutes away from being buried in feces and urine. I needed to find a way out of here. I couldn't die, I just got here!
While looking around I noticed others beside me still stuck on top of the ceiling as well, but I noticed a few cut ropes as well. Seems like they freed themselves. Come to think of it, where is my suitcase I packed? I swear I had it on the boat. As I was clinging onto the rope to keep myself held upward, I noticed a girl ahead of me chewing through her rope like it was nothing, just to get free. Once she was free, she dropped down like a bag of rocks, but it wasn't really much of a fall down.
Honestly, I pondered on the idea of chewing my rope as more were getting free, but I soon noticed that once they were free they were not in the clear. There were more of these traps lying around as one male got free and begin running but was soon dragged right back up to the sewer ceiling. I gulped as I noticed the beginning group starting to fade from sight.
Day one in the exams and already this may be my last and final attempt. I could actually die here. Here in the sewers, like a rat. Like I am nothing. I didn't even experience life yet. Not truly did I live. I wasn't ready. I can't let this be my end. He lived. He showed me how to live, how to feel, how to love, and now I would never have that again. That blonde meathead, why am I thinking about you now of all times.
I have to get out. I gotta think. What could I do to free myself? As I started looking around my eyes landed on the rope the girl had bitten through to free herself. I groaned as I looked towards the rope that and me. "I've got one chance. I will make it back Niko. I promised." I groaned and closed my eyes as I started chewing on the rope as hard as I could.
"H-hey, umm are you hungry?"
"W-what?" I questioned as I started looking around.
"Look down idiot!" The voice yelled out. I scoffed at the remark but did as told and looked down as ordered. I was surprised when I saw that it was her calling out to me.
"You talking to me?" I teased.
She scoffs rolling her eyes as she stared up at me, "Duh!" she frowned. "How's it hanging?"I managed a dry laughed as she grinned up at me and began pulling something metallic from her back pocket. "Hey, I'm going to throw this at you."
I stared at her dumbfounded as my eyes were near about to pop from my eye socket at that moment. "What?! Is that a knife?" She grins and nods as she begins closing one eye and aiming the knife near me to hit the rope.
"Hold still cutie."
"Hold still?!", I yelled.
She chuckles."Stop panicking I've done this before plenty of times", she smiles.
"So you're telling me you've thrown a knife at someone hanging upside down before?" I questioned as she nodded. I groaned as she begins to giggle at me.
"I had a very wild childhood growing up", she smiled as mumbles something to herself before throwing the knife with her left hand and hitting near the rope but not exactly it. I let out a sigh of relief that she didn't hit anything important on me.
She cursed herself as she tries again to hit the rope, but before the knife can slip out of her hand an overwhelming shake causes the entire sewer to shake as a loud rushing of water could be heard from somewhere.
I looked down at Siren as she tries again to throw accurately at the rope to cleanly cut through it, but misses again as if falls with a clanking metallic sound. I groaned as the smell of feces became stronger. "I thought you've said you've done this before?" I questioned.
"I've been out of practice", she groans as she grabs the knife and attempts to hit it again," it's not like throwing a knife into a tree cause at least it would stick into the wood and you could just grab it to cut yourself down." She groans as she tosses the knife again and misses. As soon as the knife falls, sewer water shoots out from the sides of the nearby drains spewing everywhere.
I felt my heart starting to jump out from my chest as the contaminated water approached closer while Siren again tries throwing the knife and again fails. Honestly, just her attempt alone to free me made me smile despite the situation, but I wasn't getting out of her. Not alive anyhow. I didn't have enough time and I wasn't going to bring her down with me because I wouldn't make it. She couldn't keep doing this, she wasn't going to die because of me. She had to escape if only she made it out that would be alright for me. "Hey?" I called out. I tried to get her attention but she doesn't acknowledge me. I again tried to get her attention but she doesn't hear me she only keeps throwing the knife over and over again non-stop.
"Siren, stop!" I yelled, but she doesn't give in. "Please, Siren you can't keep doing this, so would you just stop!?"
She pants exhaustedly as she again tries throwing the knife and fails as she looks up at me in disbelief. I sighed slowly letting go of the rope until I was hanging upside down again as blood slowly started making its way towards my head. I smiled softly, crossing my arms across my chest as I looked at her tilting my head slightly to see her better. "You know, there's no point in us both dying. You should just leave."
"But I can get you down...I just have to angle right here and...", but before I let her finish I stopped her.
"And what? Miss again so you could try just to miss again?", I shooked my head. "You need to leave or you'll drown. Look", I pointed over towards the water coming from the drains, "it's here...you have to go."
"I can help you".
"I don't need your help", I smiled as I grabbed the rope and pull myself back up so that the blood could settle back down and my vision could return to normal. I looked down at her and seeing her face from this angle so I could remember her even in death. "Siren leave...".
She looked up at me hesitantly but finally lowers her hand down as she begins to turn away. I smiled seeing her leave, but the empty feeling of her leaving me consumed me. I watched as the water splashed slightly underneath her feet and closed my eyes as she left. I groaned as I let myself hang down again as I started estimating how much time I would have left alive. Seeing how the water was starting to flow faster, I would likely have a few minutes thirty to forty minutes left before I drowned. If I'm lucky it will flow from the drains faster and—
"Ouch! What the hell!", I screeched as a sharp aching pain shoots through my right hand immediately oozing blood from the exit. I let go of the rope angrily as I hanged down. As I looked at my hand I saw a medium-sized hunter's knife sticking through my hand all the way through till the tip was on the outside of my hand. I grip the handle and pulled the knife out by reflex, which only makes more blood spill.
"It worked!", Siren yelps. I groaned as I spotted her and aimed the knife at her with my uninjured hand.
"Why would you do that!?" I screamed. She grins at me perkily.
"I needed a soft surface that could easily be pierced. You were the only soft surface I had so I just went with it." She smiled. I opened my mouth to say something to her, but before I can get a chance to she stops me, "you can yell at me later cut yourself down. That sewer water is coming fast and we need to get out of here before we get buried in crap...literally."
I groaned as I gripped the rope hesitantly with my bleeding hand and grasp it, to hold myself up as I cut myself down. Once it's was cut I fell down lacking the strength in my right hand to hold onto the rope. I landed on my back as Siren immediately comes to my aid. "I'm fine!", I yelled as I gathered to my feet quickly. "Let's go."
"Wait!"
I turned around hearing someone call for help. I looked over at Siren as she shakes her head. "You okay with leaving them to die?", I asked.
"Yes, I saved you that's enough for my conscious", she huffs.
I sighed as I turned around once more and noticed a kid hanging for the sewer as well. "Theirs a kid up there", I say.
"So, he's not our, is he?" she groans.
I rolled my eyes as I pointed towards him, "We have to help him", I said as I rushed over towards him. Once the kid notices us heading over his eyes widen slightly in surprise. "Hey, we're here to help you."
"What? You guys need to leave you can't help me", he warns.
"We can try", I assured.
"Or we can leave. We don't have the time", Siren groans as she points towards the rushing sewer crap. I watched for a moment as it rushed out, then looked backed up at the kid, he was scared just like I was, but I had Siren to save me and now, I would save him. He was just a kid and in the hunter exams, he had a family he had to go back to and I wouldn't leave him. I gripped the knife in my good hand and search the grown.
"I can't leave him", I said as I picked up a small rock no bigger then an Energyrade bottle top to widen, and with the knife, I sharpened the tip of the rock. "You could have left me and you didn't, you should of but you wouldn't and I can't leave him." I blow the bristle off of the rock and stare at the edge making sure it was sharp. Surely it was sharp enough and with just enough weight to do what I needed to do.
"T-that was different, and what are you gonna do with that rock?" ,Siren asked as I tossed it up and down in my good making sure I had a good amount of strength in me.
"Watch", I replied as I said that I threw the rock towards the rope that held the kid by the ankles and it snaps with ease, as the boy falls right into my arms
"Are you okay?", I questioned.
"W-what? Damn if he's okay, how did you do that?" Siren question.
"I don't know, but let's go!" I yelled as I pulled both her and the kid behind. From behind, I could hear others yelling for me to free them as well. I sigh as I tighten my hand around the rock, while running I lined up their ropes and tosses the rock as they snap all seconds after each other. "Welcome"
"Watch your step," Siren yelled as I shuffled around between steps. I directed the kid as in the same places I steeped as I watched my footing. The traps were slightly camouflage but a little glow of red was seen when a warm body was inches near it showing where they were set up.
The kid behind us breathes heavily as he struggled to keep up with Siren and me. He was no taller than 5'3 and weigh less than a pillow for the looks of it, and hardly any leg strength seeing as if we've been running for only a few minutes and he's already collapsed. "Hey come on, you gotta keep running if you stop now you'll drown", I said as I stopped for a moment so he could catch his breath.
"I can't keep up with you guy", he gasped.
"Well you have to keep running, I didn't save you so that could die", I sighed as the people I saved early were starting to catch up. As I looked down I noticed the sewer water was getting taller faster and faster the longer we stayed. "Look, we have to go kid, I'm not going to say in this filth any longer than I have too."
Sirens huff exhaustedly as she sees we've stopped a few feet behind. "Hey, come on guys the exit isn't that far, I can see light at the end".
I looked at Siren and nod as I lowered my hand down towards the kid I smiled softly down at him, "Could you try for me please?" I asked as he slowly lifted up his head. "What's your name?" I asked.
He smiles as he takes my hand finally, and as he begins to respond the sewer starts shaking again as it had done previously, but this time more violently. The water quickly starts the rise as the ground begins shaking. From the distance, I could see a sea of sewer filth coming towards us at a steady continuous paste. "Ah, shit."
"Hey, boys let's get moving!" Siren yells.
"Right", I mumbled to myself as I grabbed the kid and began dragged him behind again. Big mistake. He fell forward from the tugged scraped his knee on the ground. I groaned irritatedly at myself as Siren notices the larger huge gap between the three of us. She begins to turn around and run back but I scolded her to keep going. "I got this!" I yelled as she looks back at us, "trust me Siren...I'll see you at the exit." She hesitates, but after seeing the large sea of crap she leaves immediately.
I helped the smaller child on my back as I started running with him on top, but I'm slower with our combined weight. Seemingly he's not so much of the lightweight I thought. I felt helpless trying to run and keep him propped up on my back. I needed to do something. Anything. I felt like I was trapped on the ceiling again. My head was thinking of plans but I had nothing to follow through with. What do I do?
What could I do? I had nowhere to shield myself or him and no way of getting to the exit. With my hand the way it is, it would be impossible to keep carrying him the way I was. I looked up at the ceilings and saw that there was a large opened grate at the top. This part of the sewer did seem deeper than back towards the beginning. The sewer grate relinquished bright afternoon sunshine through it signaling an exit. Or at least an escape for the sewer water behind, but there was no way I could make it up there. Or could I?
I quickly reached into my back pocket clutching the Siren's hunter knife in my hand and immediately a plan started to form in place.
"Hey, I'm sorry", the kid said, "You should leave me here I-".
"You'll make it, and don't apologize...I think I actually may have found us a way out of here", I smiled. He tilts his head curiously to the side like a helpless dog seeing something strange.
"How?", he questioned.
"You step on that trap... there."
⊱⊛⊰
I collapsed exhaustedly in the grass as I gripped a hand full it inhaling the fresh intoxicating scent. I honestly never knew I could miss grass so much in my life. I lifted my face up from the grass as I was starting to ponder the idea of laying on my back and making grass angles in summer. I heard a few whispers among the others likely about me, but honestly, I could care least about what they thought. I was going to enjoy this freshness, and likely get naked and burn my clothes later.
"Hey, Toko you made it!" A cheerful stuffy voice announced. I lifted my head slightly from the grass as I searched for a voice to match who had called out to me, but once I saw him I flopped back face first in the grass.
"Of course I made it Tonpa. I'm not that easy to kill you know", I replied. "Did you think that I was gonna die?" I questioned sarcastically.
"If I may be honest...", he chuckles.
I scoffed as I zoned him out, enjoying the sun on the back of my neck and back as I rested. Tonpa was still talking as someone began laughing menacingly as shivers ran down my spine at the sound of it. I barely had the energy to move but I managed to lift my head high enough to see the fear struck paled expression burned into Tonpa's face. "Tonpa?"
"I heard you used laxatives again, Tonpa?" A voice tsked, "You should know better by now that it wouldn't work." I groaned as I turned slightly to face whoever sent Tonpa ghostly white, and caused him to stopped breathing from the looks of it.
As my eyes scaled the tall figure, I realized exactly just why he was so afraid now. In front of him was the talk of the exam, Our examiner, Hisoka. He smiles playfully as peered into the eyes of Tonpa as if he could suck the very life from him at any moment. It was honestly an amusing sight to see.
I chuckled as I finally pushed myself up on my feet and slowly I approached the two. As I was making my way over I could hear footsteps from behind rushing towards me, and before I could even react Siren was in front of me. "I thought you were dead!", she yells as she pulls me into a tight bear hug. I smiled as I had to peel my eyes away from Tonpa to focus on her.
"No not yet", I mumbled.
"How did you get out?", she questioned as she waves her hand in front of me landing my attention back on her.
"Oh! There was this grate at the top of the sewer and we used one of the traps to pull us close to it. Since...", I started but my voice fades off as I watched Tonpa flinch as Hisoka suddenly shifted his weight on his feet. Tonpa seemed to be pleading with Hisoka for the looks of things. I chuckle slightly," umm since the kid's leg was sprained I used him so we could get to the grate so I could open it. I cut him free with your knife so we just stayed up there till the sewer water passed. Hey Siren, I'll be right back." I smiled as I pulled out her knife quickly handling it back to her as I walked towards Tonpa's side who was shaking in his pants at the sight of our examiner. Once I appear beside Tonpa, Hisoka's eyes immediately land on me as his bloodlust coursed and I happily welcomed it. It wasn't my first time around such intense murderous sensation.
"You're Hisoka, right?" I smirked as a small grin appears on his lips.
"Hikari, right?", he mocks as my eyes widen in alarm.
"H-how did you know my last name?", I questioned as he smiled deviously.
"I know a lot about everyone...especially you", he smiled as his tongue slide across his bottom lips hungrily "and especially your father."
My jaw tightens in disgust. "You know that bastard?" He smiles tightly as he turns away, without answering me, and begins walking away from us. "Wait!" I yelled as I ran in front of him. "What do you know about him? And how do you know me?" I demanded, but as soon as I ordered him to tell me what I wanted to know, my gut begins rumbling loudly. I was so busy trying to survive I forgot I haven't eaten all day today. I placed my hand on my stomach calming the hunger. Hisoka hummed as he walks past me and pulls something out of his pocket before turning back slightly and throwing it at me.
It was s large-sized peach with a mixture of red and orange coloring. I inspected it slightly as he turned and walked away. "Please Hikari, try not to die before the exam even begins",he says. I groaned in reply as I bit down into the peach chewing it aggressively.
"Whoah!", Tonpa yells as he grabs the peach from my hand and Siren begins aggressively hitting me in my back.
"What are you two doing!?" I yelled.
Siren looks around making sure no one was in earshot as she whispered. "He's a murder Toko"
"Yeah, you mentioned that", I smiled.
"And this peach right here might be poisoned," Tonpa groans as he starts to throw it on the ground but I quickly grabbed it from him before he could.
"Poisonous? If he's a killer I doubt poison would be his style he seems too flashy, and if this peach is anything like the laxatives you tried to give me then I think I'll be okay."
"Knowing Hisoka, it's probably deadly than what I tried to give you", Tonpa replies moodily. I chuckled as I continued to eat the peach hungrily savoring each bite. It was food and a drink all in one. A delicious design.
First Phrase Completed.