This is a flashfiction
4/3/19

Make the choice. Which does he choose? In one corner was his friend, in the other, a gun. His friend was unbound, sitting in a chair waiting. There he continued to stand, an unmistakable tremble hiding in his legs. His face was ashen and his body clammy.

    He took no steps. His eyes bouncing back and forth between the two options. He was trapped in the room, no physical witnesses. Only cameras that acted as a portal to the authorities that waited in anticipation for his move.

    Blinking lights alerted him to the people actively watching him, but he couldn't move. He was frozen. Choose. The chilling voice inside his head ordered. He shuddered, using all his willpower to take a neutral step forward. Why couldn't he do this? Everyone else did.

    He was of age, he was one of millions that was chosen. Even though he was picked, he knew from birth that one day he would have to do this, so why couldn't he? He's been preparing for eighteen years. This moment would determine how the rest of his life would go. Why wasn't he doing what he was supposed to do?

    "I can't."

    His whisper shocked everyone. He was admitting defeat in the face of society. He knew the consequence of not completing the task. He took a step backwards, away from them all. The lights went out, only one showing as a spotlight on him. A voice echoed off the walls around him.

    "Why are you refusing?"

    He couldn't hold his head up. He was ashamed, he was the one person in history to not choose. There was no one alive that had refused to finish the test, no recordings of anyone not choosing. Yet here he was, unable to take a side.

    Another light opened, this one glowing in the ceiling above his friend whom shook his head disappointingly. He chocked on his own spit, trying to reason his decision, but ending up staying quiet. His friend's mouth opened and his firm voice found its way into his ears.

    "You need to choose."

    He looked pleadingly at his friend, but the cold glare he got in return had him rethinking his decision. For the next couple minutes, he continued to reassure himself that 95% of the chosen's choices walked out. About 4% were injured during the test, but only 1% didn't make it.

    It didn't even matter if he hit his friend. All he had to do was the action to prove himself similar to the authorities and useful in case of emergencies. He wasn't even that good of a shot anyways. He shut his eyes tightly, reigning in his fear. Taking a deep breath, he spoke his fate.

    "I'll try."

    All of the lights turned back on. His friend's placid expression was now plastered on his face. The feeling that froze his body before had returned. After a couple minutes when he didn't move towards his friend nor the gun, the voice was projected around the room again.

    "Do you dare?"

    He didn't answer. His friend got fed up though and stood. His friend's footsteps shook his world because he didn't move towards him. No, his friend went for the gun and when he got to it, he pointed the weapon at him.

    "I do."