5

We Care For None

I redirected my focus on the ongoing ceremony,
Leaving my thoughts at rest.
The lucky pairs were sent back to their homes,
But we had to stay cause our luck didn’t play at its best.

Only the individuals and the teams remained,
While the major crowd had left.
The tension in the air suddenly seemed to have increased,
And it could be easily felt.

Pat was still standing there,
He couldn’t leave his sister in such a weak state.
Just kept staring at the stage,
Showing neither love nor hate.

Now, the selection of the teams,
Was to take place.
Most of the times any one of them emerged as winners of the event,
Cause more strength always helped in this race.

There weren’t many of them,
Just around eight to ten.
To form a team you must trust your abilities more than luck,
And must stay away from this option if your physical strength suck.

The king shuffled the names,
And took out the first one.
He read it aloud,
“We Care For None!”

A curious and amused expression
Showed itself upon his face.
He watched with increasing interest,
As the lot came on the stage.

All of them looked,
Athletic and strong.
After assembling on the stage,
They sang a little team song.

Their confidence made them look,
Even more intimidating.
The question of dying by the hands of these people,
Or somehow dying right now without the struggle was worth debating.

King Victor took out the second name,
“The Devil’s Bus,” it was.
Funny name, I thought, and four super-excited participants came running upon the stage,
And for a moment, even the emperor seemed at a loss.

After some seconds,
The next name was taken out.
It read, “The Real Warriors,”
But seeing their personality, I had some doubt.

They looked weak,
Not very clever either.
I wondered why they should have made a team of four,
Surely, none of them was a fighter.

Suddenly, my emotions overtook me completely,
And I started wandering in a world of my own.
Silently, I began to talk to myself,
And all the pressure of this ceremony seemed to have gone.

“The way we have been living,
It is so unfair.
Our major production from the plantation is snatched,
Leaving us craving for our proper share.

In this event,
We sacrifice our lives for nothing.
These people don’t think about our families back at home,
For them, it is so hurting.

Even among the teams,
There is so much discrimination.
The strong people always come together,
Leaving the weaklings to die of humiliation.”

I came back to myself with a jerk,
And saw Neel whispering something to me.
I didn’t need to hear what he was saying,
Cause I saw Pat coming and join the queue.

Pat offered to join himself,
Since he couldn’t imagine his sister going alone.
I didn’t even want to imagine what was going to happen,
Now that the twins’ lives were completely under kingdom’s control.

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