When Adrian opened his eyes, the cold white light slipping through his eyelids shattered the darkness in his mind.
He was lying on a metal table. He tried to move, but his wrists were chained. His breathing quickened.
A soldier approached.
Soldier: "Awakening time is normal. Assign the subject number."
A doctor checked a paper.
Doctor: "2008. That's your name now."
Adrian didn't respond. He only clenched his teeth.
They immediately dressed him in a thin grey uniform with the bold black number 2008 printed across the chest.
The fabric was cold. It didn't feel like clothing for a human—more like a tag for an object.
Then the door opened.
A child was brought in from the side.
His hair was messy, his face thin, but there was a strange spark in his eyes.
The number on his uniform read 1896.
Soldier: "This is your partner. Number 1896… Knox."
The chains on Adrian's wrists suddenly unlocked and reattached themselves as a single thick ring linking the two boys together. Now they could never be more than two steps apart.
Knox slowly raised his head.
Knox: "Hey… I guess our fate is the same."
Adrian didn't answer.
But his eyes said yes.
---
THE TEST AREA – THE SHOW OF THE RICH
The soldiers shoved them through a massive door.
As soon as it shut, screams, laughter, and cheering echoed from above.
Adrian looked up.
A huge metal cage stretched toward the ceiling.
Around it, balconies stood like theater galleries, filled with rich people dressed in extravagant clothes and expensive jewelry. They watched the children below as if they were entertainment… like gladiators in an arena.
Rich Man: "Ah! The new test subjects? Let's see how long these ones last!"
Rich Woman: "The last pair died in five minutes. I hope these two are more entertaining."
Adrian's face tightened.
Something cracked inside him.
For the first time, the thin line of respect he held for humanity began to collapse.
A megaphone blared:
Soldier:
"TEST 1!
To survive, you must cooperate with your partner.
Your opponents are another pair of subjects.
The last group standing wins."
Adrian and Knox exchanged a look.
Knox: "If we work together, we can win. Do you trust me, partner?"
Adrian nodded.
Knox felt a spark of confidence grow inside him.
Weapons rose from hidden panels in the floor.
A knife, a short metal pipe, a small smoke bomb, and a rusty shard of metal.
Knox: "I'm fast. I'll use the smoke bomb. You come from behind."
Adrian: "Okay… let's do this."
---
THE FIGHT BEGINS
The opposite door opened.
Two more chained, exhausted children were dragged inside.
Megaphone:
"BEGIN!"
Knox threw the smoke bomb.
A cloud of thick grey smoke burst across the arena.
The rich spectators cheered in excitement.
Rich Woman: "Oh, it's starting! So thrilling… and terrifying—yet so fun!''
Shadows collided in the fog.
Metal clanged against metal, echoing across the cage walls.
Knox sprinted forward, Adrian right behind him.
One of the enemy kids swung a pipe at Knox.
Adrian reflexively stepped in and struck the attacker's hand with his own metal rod.
Knox: "Nice move, Adrian!"
Another figure lunged from the smoke.
Adrian stepped back, the chain pulled tight, and Knox was yanked toward him.
Knox spun and kicked, sending the attacker crashing to the ground.
Knox: "Now! Together!"
Moving like a single creature, they attacked simultaneously, knocking the opponents down.
One of the boys grabbed the knife and hurled it at Adrian.
Adrian dodged; the blade clattered onto the floor.
Knox leapt forward, grabbed the boy's arm, and Adrian seized the fallen knife to disarm him.
Both sides were panting.
With one final swing, Adrian slammed his pipe into the last boy's chest while Knox pinned him down.
When the test ended, two silent bodies lay on the floor.
The rich spectators stood and applauded wildly.
Rich Man:
"Magnificent! These kids will look perfect on my broadcast!"
Adrian looked up.
The laughter of the rich echoed louder than the screams of the dying children.
That moment was the spark.
The first true ignition of his hatred for humanity.
The only person he trusted now… was Knox.
---
THE FINAL TEST
The megaphone clicked on again.
Soldier:
"TEST 2!
To survive, kill your partner.
The winner earns freedom and returns to their family."
Adrian's breath vanished.
His body trembled.
Adrian: "What…?"
Knox: "This is their game. They taught us to trust each other… to move as one… and now they want to watch us destroy that trust."
A soldier tossed a knife at their feet.
It clattered sharply on the metal floor.
Knox looked at Adrian with a painful, gentle expression.
Knox:
"Adrian… we fought so well together.
You're… the most reliable person I've met in a long time."
Adrian shook.
Adrian: "We… we can survive together. We'll find another way."
Knox smiled.
A warm, heartbreaking smile.
Knox: "I wish friendship actually meant something in this place…"
Adrian picked up the knife.
He couldn't hurt Knox.
He threw the blade back onto the floor.
Adrian:
"I'm not killing you, Knox.
Do you hear me?
I trust you.
You matter to me."
As Adrian wiped the tears forming in his eyes—
Knox suddenly snatched the knife from the floor.
Before Adrian could even blink, the blade pierced his heart.
His eyes widened.
Knox leaned in and whispered into his ear:
"There's no such thing as friendship in hell, Adrian.
How can you be so stupid?
How embarrassing."
The crowd erupted with cheers.
Adrian's knees buckled.
The chain between them tightened as he collapsed.
Blood spread across his uniform, soaking into the numbers on his chest until 2008 turned red.
His vision dimmed.
The world faded to silence.
The last thing he heard was his own dying breath…
before he fell into a pitch-black void.
---
CHAPTER 2 – End