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Ranboo, tied to a wall with wires and a death trap around his neck, pleads for death. He would never have imagined he would be crying and begging for his death, it’s usually the other way around. Hetch announces that they will be getting what they wanted. The viewers have voted for him to die. His eyes widen as he feels the gust of air from the sides of the box shutting on him. He feels the spikes pierce into his face and the sides of his head. They feel his blood run down his face and onto their clothes. He waits for the death that he has been promised. He waits until he cannot hear hetch anymore. He waits as the lights in the room turn off. They wait. But it doesn’t come.
He hears footsteps approaching and they tense up, trying to listen to the sound, to hear any familiarities. The steps are light and careful as they get louder.
“Ranboo? Oh god…” The voice is Charlie’s. It sounds broken and devastated.
He thinks I’m dead. I have to tell him that I’m not. That we can still get out of here. Alive. Together.
Ranboo tries to speak up, to make any sound, but it hurts. He strains out a whimper, but it’s quiet. He wiggles his fingers and pulls on the wires not attached to them, but they can barely move.
Please, Charlie. Look. Listen. I’m here. I’m still alive.
“Ranboo??” Charlie grabs Ranboo’s hand and they squeeze back, hard. They’re both crying, harder if they weren’t before. Ranboo whimpers again, the spikes in his mouth allowing him no more than a vocalization.
“Ranboo, you’re alive? What happened? Are you hurt?” Charlie asks, to no response. Too many questions and Ranboo can barely think. Their head is pounding. “I’m gonna get you out of here, okay?”
Ranboo envisions Charlie’s movement in their mind, his footsteps get quieter before stopping and returning. He’s trying his hardest to stay awake. It seems whenever he wishes for death, he lives, and whenever he wishes for life, he finally starts to die.
They feel Charlie cutting the wires from their body He weakly claws at the box as soon as he can. Charlie immediately gets the message and helps them open the box. It isn’t hard to open, it probably wasn’t built to withstand any escape attempts. What’s hard is pulling the metal from his flesh.
All his senses dim, his vision white and fuzzy, sharp ringing all he can hear other than the faint horrible, squelching sound the box makes as it opens. The hero falls into a pile at the feet of Charlie, who is saying, no, screaming something, but it’s too far away for them to hear clearly.
They feel themself lifting off the ground. Maybe this is what it feels like when your soul leaves its body. But he doesn’t keep rising.
They blink hard, trying to clear his vision. He sees the control room, although fuzzy. He turns his head, Charlie? It feels like it has been forever since they’ve seen Charlie’s face. He’s tear-stained and exhausted, terrified and confused. Ranboo tries to smile at his friend, but he is suddenly very aware of the many deep wounds on his face. Their head lolls to the side heavily and he lets out a guttural groan.
“We’re getting out of here Ranboo. Just stay alive. Hold on, okay? I’m gonna get you some help.” Finally, Ranboo hears Charlie’s frantic monologue. They move their arms to hold onto him as they realize he’s been carrying them.
He’s falling in and out of consciousness, still every time waking to the sterile ceiling tiles and Charlie’s heavy footsteps.
Ranboo knows that freedom could be just a few steps away, but he’s losing a lot of blood.
How long would Charlie have to carry him until they find a hospital? What if this exit is just another trap? What if they can’t save them even if they find a hospital in time? What if Ranboo is just deadweight, slowing Charlie down?
Is there even an outside world to escape to? Is it a world worth living in?
Ranboo closes his eyes. Everything is so loud and way too quiet. They can barely hear Charlie anymore. He knows what he has to do.
“Charlie.. Stop…” Ranboo chokes out through their teeth. It’s easier now without the metal through his cheeks, but god it still hurts. Charlie doesn’t stop running.
“What?? Stop?? Why?? We can make it, Ranboo! We’re almost out!” Charlie pleads, but Ranboo just shakes their head.
“No.. Listen to me,” They take heavy, uneven breaths between each burst of words, “You have to go… You can make it…” He winces and blinks through tears.
Please, Charlie. Understand.
“Yeah, we can make it. Just shut up and save your energy.” Charlie looks away from his friend, fresh tears falling.
Ranboo shoves Charlie, forcing them apart with the little strength they have. They hit the ground hard, and Charlie falls to his knees with them, sobbing loudly. He takes one of their hands in both of his.
“Come on, Ran! We’re so close! Just let me take you, please!" His voice heavy with strain and emotion. Ranboo, again, shakes their head. Their eyelids get heavier by the second.
“It’s okay Charlie… You did your best…” Ranboo squeezes his hand faintly as the world goes dark.