Outlasting For Those 49

XI

After 20 minutes or so, I heard a helicopter landing near me. I stepped away to watch it. Once they landed, the lady from before stepped out of it.

"Hello! I'm so sorry, we haven't met properly, I'm Savannah." She said offering her hand to me. She looked down at it as if I was actually going to take it. Instead, I raised my hand and slapped her face. Her armed men stepped out of the helicopter as she raised her hand ordering them to stop. "Well I do know you, Aspen. You are a hero for your town! I bet they can't wait for you to get there! We have beautiful surprises and rewards for you back home." She said. Even if that sounded tempting, I'd never take something from them. "Good, I'd rather walk." I said. Even if she was the maximum authority or something, I would never act with respect towards her, towards any of them. "It is not like you have a choice." She said. Then, I felt that pinch again. It was all black.

Just thinking about that first day gets me chills. Thinking that 3 weeks ago I was a complete different person makes me realize how everything can change within minutes, it takes five minutes to ruin someone's life.

I opened my eyes. I was back in the room I first started. The one where I was with two people who are now dead... "Player 50, we are so happy to have you back." The lady said through the television and kept saying more things I couldn't catch because I sat on the floor, overwhelmed by everything.

I was sitting in the room with my eyes closed and hands on my ears. The last few weeks have been traumatic for me and this room just brings it all back. Even if it just ended, it brings me back to the start.

Minutes after, the door opens. I drive my attention to it but don't come out immediately. I can barely see anything. I can notice, at the end of the hallway, the plaza. I run straight to it but it was all alone. All this felt like a simulation, a dream.

I turned around and that was the moment when it all became real. I saw all the mothers of the kids who are now dead. Just looking at me. Between them, there is my mother. She sees me and runs right to me. But she stops 2 meters away when she analyzes my body, my suit covered in blood, tiredness, dirtiness... She looked at me up and down and put her hands on her mouth. She was shocked. She took her 10 seconds and then glanced at me, crying as hard as she ever had.

I feel her hug as if no one had hugged me in my entire life. Then, I feel two other little hands join the moment, it was Miranda. They kept hugging me but I was so weak and sad that I wouldn't hug them back. I just started crying over them. Looking at all the mothers behind mine, wishing I was their kid. 

After my mom finished crying, she pulls back from me and touches my face. "Wait, where are the others?" Those words made me lose it once again. I looked at her and shook my head breaking into tears, once again. "I'm sorry." I get enough strength.
All the women behind her just stood there, they weren't breathing, just standing there. Then, one of them falls on her knees and another one starts crying while hugging her husband.

I could feel it all at once. Every time I cried was more painful than the last. It felt like I might actually die.
All I can think right now is about ending it all. But, all the sacrifices would have been for nothing.
I have to get through this, I'll help every single one of this families as much as I can and try to live life.

I need to live for those who couldn't.