"Nasir," she cried flinging to me, arms wrapping around my shoulders. The sob she held in finally erupts onto me.

My chin resting on her shoulder, "Charlotte, it was you, they took you too?"

She nods, pausing to sniffle. "Was it you in the car?" she asks, still nuzzled in my shirt.

"I was in the trunk."

"So was I"

Gripping her bicep I pull her from me, her face cherry red with a runny nose. "So they went to your house too?"

She nods before sniffling.

I should be careful to not strike a nerve, like me she just lost her family, but come to think of it; everyone in this room is now an orphan.

Charlotte was with me this entire time, finally a promise I kept. "We need to get ou-" The room becoming overcrowded, all at once kids begin piling on top of each other pushing not mindful of the surroundings, impact of those behind me pushed me into her further.

Promptly I am glancing around trying to keep my balance steady when something caught my eye on the left corner. A girl nearby hunched over, beads of sweat leisurely pace down her dark skin, a look of fatigue and she tumbles to the ground.

In a flash her elder brother is at her side, but his attempt soon fails as he was having some sort of trouble keeping up right.

Bodies falling to the ground with heavy thuds, A thick wave flowing across the room, an invincible toxin looming in the air like a fog affecting everyone within the perimeters, and I was soon seeing double.

"I'm sleepy Nasir" Charlotte's voice sluggish, fighting to keep her wobbling head a float.

This Strange symptom weakens me, My grip around Charlotte's bicep beginning to loosen, but there were no aches in my bones whatsoever, only an overwhelming need to fall asleep. Perhaps this is the drug she spoke of? A tingle in my nerves tickles at the ends of my fingers, a rusty taste of Iron in my throat -- Wait a second.

Forcing my body, I enclose them tightly around Charlotte's bicep, "Open your eyes Charlotte, wake up, It a sleeping dr-"

A loud sound of a latch nearby jolts me forwards, the sharp click was ear- splitting affecting even the kids lying on the ground. A sound of the wind whistles inside blowing within the atmosphere. A large Mahogany door just at the very end that none of us thought to check of, on its own it creaks open showcasing the night sky outside.

"Charlotte" I whisper suddenly no longer affected by the wave of exhaustion, it would seem neither was she or the bodies on the ground. At the sight and sound of the outside they were each on their feet, except for a few, those that have succumbed to the aftermath of the drug now permanently asleep.

This was the second task, and what Charlotte meant. The freezer was to work it in faster, fully soaking it into our bloodstreams. But now the next mystery was how did they inject the drug? I felt nothing sharp penetrate my skin.

"What just happened?" she questions incoherently, rubbing her eyes.

"You were right Charlotte, we each have been drugged."

"Children" Came the voice again through the speakers."Please head to the next task, step outside for some fresh air."

Genuine looks of concerns surveys around the crowd before they started to step outside, though quizzical I entangle my fingers into Charlotte's leading the way, Not before looking at the same little girl that cried to her brother earlier; she sniffles resting her head onto his lifeless chest mourning as everyone stepped around her."

It was no joke, my toes digging into the soil in the ground, a river bed just before us, an empty horizon and a large treehouse looking home on a tall tree. Are we being released? A too good of a thought, something was wrong.

A few kids rubbing away the sleep in their eyes, "Are we free?" they questioned.

Hunched up in a group, four boys with one being the tallest out of all of them in the middle. They speak low enough for themselves but in this field of silence the murmurs were ear catching. A plan between them were spiraling, an attempt to escape.

No Surveillance, and nobody in sight but us. It didn't seem like a bad idea.

Peering over to my shoulder, "Hey Charlotte?" I whispered.

"I heard, are you sure Nasir?" her eyes deadpanned with furrowed brows.

"We have to take a chance."

Patiently we await, listening in on the faint conversation until they come to an agreement. The eldest decided he would lead the way, they work in sync; inconspicuously pull away each of their eyes looking around for nearby watchers. Once safely out of sight the eldest begins his steps to another direction. I watch his every move until he successfully rounds a corner.

"Ok," I huffed, "Charlotte you ready?"

She hums in agreement. My fingers tighten around hers were ready to move forwards when my sleeve was tugged.

"Charlotte what are yo-" I peer back to what was supposed to be her, but instead it was the worrisome look of a boy.

Raven strands of his hair tied high behind his head, allowing me to look at his brown beady eyes. "Wait," he hissed. "Don't go."

Appalled by the audacity, I'm ready to tell him off before a chill ran down my spine hearing a gut wrenching scream. Sounds of someone being wrestled then tackled to the ground, repeated echo of blows being landed before it all falls silent, something was getting dragged, everyone clutching together in fear.

Silent and awaiting in the night.

Heavy footsteps stops on the ground crunching small rocks under the shoes, from the shadows in the corner up a head out stepped a large man, a Mirth expression with a half half smirk plastered on his face, yet the fire in his eyes didn't hint of any amusement. The aura around him grew ominous, his very presence screaming Minacious, emanating a suffocating heat and a heavy smell of blood, eyes scanning at all of us, something hidden behind his massive upper body.

"Who's this for?" he questioned, the stentorian rumble from is throat alone made my chest go cold, our curiosity didn't linger for too long. Presented to us was the elder boy, or at least what was recognizable from him.

A choir of gasps and squeals as we behold the aftermath of the beaten child. Held by the strands of his hair, Blood pools from his mouth, right eye inflamed, bridge of his nose broken. Captured and forced to pay a gruesome price.

Charlotte ducks from the sight.

"No one recognizes this stray cat?" he chuckles darkly, smearing the bloodied knuckles against his white dress shirt, not even a hint of remorse at his actions towards a young child. An annoyance began to grow in his eyes, and his jaw ticks. "I won't repeat myself."

"Right here." One of the boys from the group stepped up. Fear evident in his eyes.

"This is your stray cat?" he confirms.

His fingers jitter, "Yes, he is my brother."

"Hmmmm, Very well."

A momentary silence that seemed dismissive until the man pulls out a familiar black object, a small click is what we heard last until we watched a fire shoot out from a small hole. It all Happened so fast, one second the boy is standing up right and now he lies on the ground with a hole in his head, chucks of his brain dousing the faces of nearby kids. Screams echoing beyond in the horizon glancing down at lifeless lying flat on the ground. Eyes open, streams of his blood flow out his head.

W-was he dead?

Time at that moment paused for me, all I could feel was the tight constriction of my chest. Heavy breathing in my canals. Charlotte aside me frozen in the moment as well.

"Shut up!" the man roared, my vision blurring looking back to him, shifting between light and dark. "You haven't begun to scream yet." he muses.

My mouth parts at those familiar words.

"You seriously think we'd leave you runts alone?" he chuckled. "Your ours now." he smiles, blood thirsty eyes found mine, "All ours" he grinned.

The grin on his face reduces, light in His eyes are swallowed by darkness looking down at the struggles of the boy wrapped in his hands, a nuisance he didn't want to deal with.

The idea of simply letting him go seemed to out of character for the man, instead his eyes narrowed towards me. An idea swirling within, with no strain he yanks the boy until he is at the center of his chest tightening the fingers already entangled strands of his hair in his palms. No choice but to comply the boys head lifts.

My prediction of what was to come next strains my chest.

A silver blade is pulled from the man's pocket, sharp pointed end of it pressed against the boys neck until it glides across, stealing his last breaths. Bile is stuck at my throat, PTSD starting up listening to the gurgling sound, a last attempt before his soul slips from his body.

Dread prods me from the anxiety, besides the man before us tainted with blood there was another aura surrounding us, darker and much more sinister. The wind shifts my gaze and I met with it than, death standing just on the other side of the river, his scythe narrowed towards all of us, after collecting the lost souls, he wasn't completed.

The man cuts in, "Anyone else would like to make a run for it?"

Not even a whimper, we were all frozen, traumatized by bodies on the ground, no one spared a glance to the massive dark apparition just on the other side of the lake. It was than I was certain only I could see death at the moment, confused to why He wasn't moving, still waiting to finally take me with him.

"Come on, It would be fun." The man sings darkly chuckling. His amusement than becomes boorish, "You guys are no fun."

With that a sudden beam lights up the ground from an areole view, "Children." Came another voice hidden from sight, lighter than the one from the room. "The few of you have made it congratulations."

I wanted to speak out but decided against it seeing the man glaring right at me, fresh blood still drips from the knife. What was there to congratulate?

"Your next tasks are pretty simple, cross this river. Alive" an unsettling tone at the last word.

"Well!" the man asides us roars, "You heard him get going."

Each of us beginning our strides towards the dark lake, the man walking closely from behind us still keeping a distance. Charlotte's palm begins to dampen out of fear.

"Nasir?" she calls my name out of uncertainty, but I no longer felt worthy in that moment to be a protector, let alone friend. Too busy following my instincts and not my common sense, the both of us would have ended up in the man's clutches along with the boy hadn't it been for the one kid. I peer around to find him still next to Charlotte.

This time death would have had me for sure, another opportunity missed. But yet, why was he still here? His ghostly apparition still floats on the other side of the murky lake, it's unlike him at all.

Not a bridge in sight to safely get across, we all stand there on the edge looking around for anyone to be the first to step in.

Was I the only one to not trust the water or perhaps it's the darkness that didn't sit right with us.

"Ahead of you is a truck, get there and your home free." The speaker says.

An idea that seemed straightforward enough. Bravely one of the boys from the group took a step in, his body instantly shriveling to the cold temperature of the lake, the water sloshes around as he steps further, submerging himself until he is knee deep.

"It's ok." he reassures to his crew.

Soon after they all began to step in, the movements of the water seemed innocent.

A tug at my arm, "Nasir, let's go" Charlotte whispers.

The boy that saved me awaits for me as well.

"You three need help?"

In a panic Charlotte is tugging at my arm, "Nasir hurry he is coming" she sniffles.

If only she could see what I saw, something felt off, death was still looming about. There was something none of us could see or sense, too afraid of retaliating. We were kidnapped, forced from our homes, drugged and stuffed in a freezer, all of us nearly put to sleep hadn't it been for the creaking door.

"I am speaking to you." His dress shoes crunched on a few rocks coming in closer.

"Nasir come!" Charlotte cries.

Suddenly on my right peripheral vision, white bubbles foam at the surface of the lake. A pair of glowing eyes peek at the surface and soon after five more pairs rise up behind it, it's the water, there is something in the water.

My jaw nearly tore open. Death isn't only waiting for me, he is waiting for the next soul. These sleeping drugs are activated by cold, and since we all have them in our blood streams are movements in the water will slow.

My hand fly up to Charlottes wrists, garnering the boys attention as well. "Both of you listen me, get in that water and swim as fast as you can, never look back no matter what you hear!"

My frantics struck fear in their nerves, "Why what is it?!" the boy shakes.

These water are -

A violent shriek captures our attention, in the depths something violently jerks the water, a girl in the jaws of a massive crocodile. The bubbles of the water turn red as another croc came in to twist off her arms, thrashes and screams fall silent, but not by the others, for dear life everyone struggles to swim back. But the drug and excessive heartbeats begin to take effect slowing down their moves.

I underestimated the depths of the murky water, everyone was neck deep.

"Feeding time" the man behind us sung before roaring in laughter. "Now get in there or take a bullet."

I didn't anticipate for the second option to be bliss, each floating head began to vanish, never again to resurface, too drugged up to to react. Charlotte's breath begin to spasm, but quickly gathered it at the sound of a click behind us.

instantly I am at the center latching onto the both of them. "Look at me calm down, it's alright. Both of you just follow me"

"I'll go first" I don't get to argue before he dived head first into the lake, proceeding to swim on the opposite direction thrashing about. "Swim I'll distract them."

"Nasir hurry" Charlotte cries, but this time I had another worrisome in mind.

One by one the scythe in death's hand lights up, collecting the souls of the one hidden underneath the water. Only six out of those kids were able to make it to the other side, safely sprinting towards the vehicle.

The crocodiles don't resurface but the water undulates rapidly towards the boy's direction, he's nearly hidden by the darkness and is now vulnerable to what he can't see, he is risking his life for us?

"Charlotte" I say blankly, "Get to the surface fast."

Her eyes glossed, "What are y-", the rest of her words now drown out as she was shoved into the water. "Nasir" she calls out to me, but I was already sprinting towards the other side, no plan set in motion whatsoever on how to survive this, but for sure I won't let him die alone in vain.

Congratulations death, this time there was no escape, your getting my soul.

Like a frog I dive in head first, the water was like needles to my skin already kickstarting the drug. The temperature nearly turning me into a popsicle, nothing could be made out in the murks but i fell I was being watched and preyed upon. The air I gasp in the surface was sweet, but being out of the water would be sweeter.

I can't feel the bottom but something is definitely swimming towards me with great speed sprinkles of water flying in my nape. lungs constricting painfully as I lesuraley turn around coming face to face with -