Russian Roulette

The ash grey walls of the sixteen by sixteen feet room seemed as if they were sweating, tension penetrating through every inch of matter that was present there. The mid-December winds that went about outside the building turned the atmosphere in the small box of a room somewhat dead, with chilly air as still as a statue, the only movements being that of either myself, the person opposite me or the six feet four inched tall men with chests hard like stones, one standing besides each of us. The only light in the room was that coming from a half fused tube light almost detached from the ceiling above us, with the possibility of falling onto the table between myself and my comrade any second. Had it been anyone else, I would not be having second thoughts about what I was doing, or it’s consequences.

Unfortunately, the person opposite me was not anyone else, but was actually the individual I depended on the most throughout the past eleven years I had known him. I was in a ‘kill or be killed’ situation with none other than one person whom I loved unlike any other, whom I thought of like a brother. He was my best friend, and I had no choice but to shoot him straight at his skull, or let him finish me off himself. Sadly, he was not more precious to me than my own life was, and so I had to fight for the one chance I had to live, but my nervousness did me no good.

With cards in both of our hands, I could feel that no one knew what to do to initiate the situation to move forward. I could hear a clock ticking in the distance, but even that did not surpass the apparent silence and emptiness of the rather dull room we were in. I could hear my best friend breathing, heaving, although he sat a good three feet opposite me. A cackle of thunder infiltrated the room, catching both of us by surprise as both of us slightly jumped in our seats. Rain in December was everything but ordinary, a thought I busied myself with for just a second before remembering why I was here in the first place: a forced game of Russian Roulette.
A man appeared from darkness into light.
“So boys?” the man uttered as he paced the room. “Ready?”
“No.” Kevin - my best friend - exclaimed. “Never will be.” he laughed and spit on the man’s foot.
“Oh, you’ll pay for that.” the man smirked as he narrowed his eyes before nodding at the giant of a man standing beside Kevin.
Bam! He slammed Kevin’s head hard onto the table. I clenched my jaw as I was forced to look at once a friend of mine. The man beside forced him to sit up. Blood slid down from his forehead to his cheek and like a snake, made it’s way into his mouth. Kevin blew out of his lips and grinned.
“Really?” he chuckled. “That’s all you got?”
The man retreated into the shadows and voiced a simple.
“It’s time.” and manic laughter echoed through the empty room. The man beside me grabbed my arm and tugged me onto my feet. He poked my back with a gun like object.
Another man on the outside pulled the metal door open as cold wind burst in and slapped my face.
“Move.” he said as the man behind hurled abuses.
I looked back from the corner of my eye and stared at Kevin as he glared at the man pulling on his arm.
I groaned as my ‘keeper’ clutched my arm with force. I cursed under my breath as we ambled towards the field.

“Begin!” a voice blared from the speakers as Kevin and I were unchained. We were made to stand back to back, facing darkness and nothing else. Cold metal shook in our hands - guns felt like a step into oblivion.

“Ten” the speakers blasted out as we took a step forward. In unison with the numbers, we paced forth.

Sweaty, I moved slow. I blew out my lips and shut my eyes. A plethora of thoughts rambled through my mind, my heart beat crazy out my chest. After taking a deep breath, it struck me. Maybe it ‘was’ to late to think of the value of my life, but the point was if I backed out, my precious existence would not be catered to, rather I’d be disposed of in a very criminal manner.

I took one last breath before I turned to face my opponent as soon as the speaker blasted “One!”.

My face, pale, my hands shook uncontrollably, my heart pounded at my ribs threatening to finish me off in the blink of an eye. My brain yelled no and I pulled the trigger.

My knees buckled and I fell to the ground. The gun I held slipped out of my fingers and landed on the cold Detroit soil. For a minute, I failed to actually look up and see at what I’ve done. See the pain I’ve caused. However, as soon as I raised my head, I face a man who stands perfectly fine. With no blood, no wound. I missed… So did he…

His eyes bloodshot and filled with tears, a faint smile danced on his lips as he’s forced to his knees, in reply, I just grin. How could’ve I even thought to end the life of a person so dear to me?

Our ‘guardians’ - the two giant men - put guns to our heads- cold metal, no fear. Death.. So soon. The embrace of afterlife so warm after all the pain and misery. At least I’d die without the regret of killing my own best friend.