"You must kill everyone else. Only one of you gets to survive."
These words struck everyone like thunder, as they have to kill each other, even though they didn't know each other.
Even the thought of killing another human being felt wrong and foreign; they were not beasts or monsters that the warriors or adventurers hunted.
"ho!!!"
"Shessh!!!!!"
Before any of the kids protested, the fat guy placed his finger on his lips and made them shush and said, "I don't want to listen to any of the bullshit you want to say; this is an order, and your survival is on the line. Either you kill or you die."
This statement caused all the kids to understand the gravity of the situation; they were not in a situation where they had any say.
"Ohh, one more thing: if more than one guy survives by the end of an hour, everyone will be.....killed." He said while savouring the look of horror on the kid's face.
'Everyone will be killed.' This statement rang in everyone's mind.
At first there was silence, absolute silence. Then one kid moved. his number was 'Zero'
He was taller than the rest; he moved towards the weakest-looking guy, and ironically, his number was 'Nine', the first and last.
Number 'nine' stumbled back as soon as 'Zero' reached him.
"No...ple-please, don't do this. Mo...m.....Daadd!!" He begged, but as if 'Zero' was possessed by the demons, he held the knife in a reverse grip and plunged it into the unprotected kid, straight into his chest.
"Ahhhhh...!!!! ahhhhh." 'Nine' screamed; he moved his limbs up and down, and in his desperate attempt to fight back, tried to use his weapon, but alas, he was too late; he didn't have any strength remaining.
And soon his voice went shut, signalling his doom, and just like that, one kid was dead.
'I didn't have any choice; it's either me or him,' 'Zero' assured himself as he looked at his trembling and bloodied arms.
*chuk*
"Ahhhhhh....hhhh," he screamed as he felt something sharp enter his back; he mustered his strength and looked back; there was a girl half his size, one of 10 members beside him. standing scared, her whole body trembling, as her knife embedded deep in 0's back,
And soon the eyes of Zero lost their colour and fell lifelessly on the ground.
All this happened in just a span of a few minutes; every kid was beyond shocked, as they didn't understand, but somehow two were already dead, even though they saw it with their own two eyes. It was still shocking.
*Blehh!!* Seeing two bloodied bodies just a step ahead of herself, one of whom she herself killed, the girl whose number was 'three' threw up whatever she had inside her system.
After these two deaths, the air around the cave changed. Every kid realised if they didn't move, they would be on the ground. And like that, all hell broke loose.
Every kid started attacking the kid closest to them, their attacks weak, no forms, full of openings, but they had a desperation; it was for their survival.
...
'Six' was scared and shocked like any other kid his age when he heard the order to kill other kids, as if there was a repulsive feeling from his whole being at the thought of killing another human being and a kid at that too.
As he was understanding his internal thought, 'Zero' moved; he was on the complete opposite side of them, so he saw clearly how he killed 'Nine' and how his hands were trembling after the kill. He also saw 'Three' moving, embedding her knife into Zero's back.
Then another feeling rose inside him, the very intent of life; his survival instinct kicked in. He wanted to live, no matter how, no matter what he must do to survive.
Six's grip over his knife tightened; he knew he couldn't trust anyone, like how 'Zero' left his back open for him to die a dog's death; he couldn't do that.
He took a defensive stance, his knife ready; whoever came near him would die. He was ready, ready to kill.
...
The duo of fat guy and skinny guy was present since the start and was overlooking the entire scenario from the start.
They were accessing all the kids present here. be it the first move of 'Three', the quiet kill of 'Three', or how everyone else behaved after the first two kills. Some just started attacking the person closest to them.
But two individuals caught his attention, numbers 'Three' and 'Six'; both were not the strongest right now, but their action caught his attention. Number 'Three', after killing those two, started throwing up, but even in that vulnerable position, she placed herself in a position where she could look at everyone, not leaving her back open.
And the second individual was number 'Six'; the fat guy noticed the change in his demeanour, and he, too, just didn't attack anyone but was waiting for his prey to get close to him.
'Interesting, we got two good seeds. But let's see which one will survive this hell.' He thought to himself as he was enjoying himself fully.
...
And like that, five more minutes passed, and the fight also started to break the stalemate, as, between 'One' and 'Five', 'Five' started overpowering 'One' and finally did the finishing strike.
while 'Two' and 'Seven' joined hands and started attacking 'Four' and dealt with him in a minute, and 'Two' attacked 'Eight' soon. and dealt with him too in two or three minutes.
And after finishing 'Eight', they stared at all the remaining members. An injured 'Five', a defensive 'Six', and 'Three', a girl who had been sitting in one corner since the kill, she was like a broken doll.
They made a decision in their mind and lunged at 'Five', the closest and, though not the easiest, still an easy target.
"heyaahh!!" 'Two' lunged at 'Five', and 'Seven' followed suit, but as soon as 'Two' and 'Five' crossed blades, 'Seven' attacked 'Two', his partner; he betrayed him in a blink and killed him.
"Wh-why??" 'Two' muttered in disbelief as he looked at 'Seven'.
"Huh?! Why? You ask, Do you take me for a fool?' I knew you were about to betray me too as soon as you got the chance. So, I just did before you." He said to the now-dying body of his partner, 'Seven'.
But 'Seven' just didn't stop at killing 'Two'; he removed his dagger from Two's back and started moving towards 'Five', as since he had attacked directly at the heart, 'Two' would die in 10-15 seconds at max.
*tuk* *tuk*
'Seven' moved slowly and intently as he was enjoying every movement; the look in Five's eyes was terrifying, as if he was looking at the 'Great Evil' itself, and this boosted Seven's fragile ego even more.
*lick*
'Seven' subconsciously licked the blood from his blood, and finally he reached 'Five'