It is dark cold and terrifying in this room with no windows and lights other than the faint orange light that is creeping in through the gaps of the steel door which is the only exit out of this place.

I could hear the cries of frightened children who are around me that are either begging to get out or begging for their parents to save them.

"Mommy! Where are you mommy? Save me mommy!"

"Please get me out of here! Get me out! I don't want to be here! I'm scared! Please!"

I know how they feels since I myself is terrified right now but I have to be brave and strong because my childhood friend Sonia on whom right now is clinging to my right arm for comfort is depending on me.

My childhood friend on whom I grew up with since kindergarten.

The both of us are inseparable to the point that we stick together like glue.

We are often get teased by the other kids by calling us names like the couples or the love birds and such but we don't care and just let them do as they please.

Thankfully, the both of us never been bullied by the other kids and the only harshest thing that they have ever done to us is teasing.

I have to stay brave and strong no matter what for Sonia even if I'm the one who will be taken next.

"Yuto!"

Sonia cried out while tightening her grip on my arm.

I could feel her heartbeat raising and her whole body trembling out of fear.

I pat her head and try my best to comfort her.

"It's okay! Everything is going to be alright. I won't let them take you. I promise!"

"You promise?"

Sonia asked meekly.

"I promise!"

I answered with full of confidence.

Even though that confidence is just a farce and I am as terrified as everyone else, I won't let them take her no matter what.

I won't let them take her!

Sonia have calm down and loosens her grip on my arm.

I could feel her trembling is subsiding.

I couldn't help but to feel relief knowing that Sonia have calm down.

I don't know if what I feel for Sonia is love nor do I know what love is since I am only 9 years old but all I know is that she is very important to me and it pains me to see her scared.

I have to be brave and strong no matter what.

I have to be brave for Sonia.

All of a sudden, the door slams open which took all of our attention.

Whoosh* Bam*

We all look towards the open door and saw an ominous hallway with torches which is the source of the dim orange light.

In the middle of the ominous hallway, there is a hooded man that resembles a grim reaper is standing not far from the door.

When the door opens and the hooded man appears, we all know what is going to happen.

One of us will be taken away.

I embraced Sonia tightly so that she won't be taken away.

As I did, I felt her heart pounding and her whole body trembling.

She is scared right now and not only her but the other kids who are in the room with us as well.

Even I myself am scared.

Why?

Because those who gets taken away never comes back.

The hooded man chants something in a barely audible eerie voice.

"VeNiTe Ad Me!"

Suddenly, one of the kids screams which made us all look at him.

As we did, we saw a boy who is floating in midair like he have been picked up by an invisible man.

The boy screams and begs not to be taken away but no matter how much he screams or cries for help, it is to no avail.

No one is willing to help him including me.

To be honest, I am relieved that it wasn't me or Sonia that will be taken away and I believe the rest of the kids feels the same way as well.

I know that feeling this way is despicable but we couldn't help but feel this way since no one want's to be taken away.

Everyone shut their eyes and cover their ears as a response to the boy's scream for help except for me because for some reason, I couldn't look away.

I don't know why but I just couldn't.

I watch the boy as he quickly flew towards the door.

As the boy passes by me, our eyes met.

He looks at me with his face full of dread.

As I look at his face, I was overwhelmed with guilt.

Even though I feel guilty, I won't do anything to help him because I feel that it is better that he is the one that gets taken away.

The boy passes by and flew out the door.

As soon as the boy was out of the room, the door closes.

Bam*

I could hear the boy screaming in terror which feels my entire body with fear.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

The boy kept on screaming which fills my entire body with terror and agony as I listen to it.

The boy finally stops screaming after a while and now there is silence.

The silence was soon broken by a man speaking passionately which is being accompanied by a bunch of people shouting at the same time in a monotonous tone.

"DoMiNuS nOsTeR vEnIt Ad vOs QuIa UnUm SuMuS aRmArOs."

"AVE ILLUSTRATIO!"

"VaSiS vEsRiS eT dEfErTe pLaCeT eXcIpErE vIcTiMaM gRaNdEm SuPeR nOs LuMeN!"

"AVE ARMAROS!"

"AVE ILLUSTRATIO!"

All of a sudden I could hear wind hurling and the dim orange light that is creeping into the gaps of the door turned to an intense bluish white light.

The light is so intense that it lit the entire room up.

I have to shield my eyes from the bright bluish white light or else I would go blind.

Then all of a sudden, a loud high pitch demonic like screech fills up the air.

"EeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEek!"

The screech was so loud that I would have to cover my ears so that my eardrums wouldn't burst.

After a while, the light died down and soon after, there was complete silence.

This routine have been going on ever since we were put into this room by the hooded men and every time the light dies down, the door will open soon after and then again, one us will be taken away.

Sonia embraces me tightly and cries while trembling in fear.

"I don't want to be taken away! I don't want to be taken away!"

"I won't let them take you away!"

I said to her with full of determination and hug her tightly.

She hugs me back.

Soon the door will open and no matter what, I won't let them take Sonia.

I won't!

Just as I predicted, the door slams open.

Bam*

Once again, the view of the ominous hallway full of torches could be seen through the open door and standing not far from the door is a hooded man.

I embraced Sonia tightly while I prayed and hope to god that neither me nor Sonia would be taken away.

"VeNiTe Ad Me!"

The hooded man chanted in a barely audible yet eerie voice.

My prayers weren't answered and what I feared most have come.

Sonia got lifted up in the air while some kind of invisible force is pushing me down to the ground preventing me from grabbing her.

Sonia screams in distress.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

And quickly flies towards the door.

For some reason, the invisible force that was pushing me down have disappeared.

I stood up and run as fast as I can towards Sonia.

Sonia extends her right hand towards me and I did the same thing while hoping to grab hold of her hand and pull her right back into my arms.

As I was approaching the door while chasing Sonia, I saw a glimpse on what was beyond the ominous hallway full of torches.

Beyond the ominous hallway full of torches is a large room and at the center of the room is a bunch of hooded men who are in a circular formation like they are surrounding something.

Beyond the surrounded hooded man is a giant statue of a thin woman dressed in some kind of robe who is holding a large plate of burning fire.

The statue looks like it have been splattered with a dark liquid.

Surrounding the hooded men are lifeless bodies of children that are laying on the ground as if they were discarded dolls.

Seeing the lifeless bodies of children fills me up with fear, not for myself but for Sonia on whom might or will end up just like that.

I run as fast as I can and extend my hand towards her as far as I can desperately trying to save her but no matter how much I try, I couldn't reach her.

I couldn't reach her.

I gaze upon Sonia's face as she was nearing the door.

Her eyes is swelling from tears and her face shows an expression of dread.

Just a little closer! Just a little closer and I can reach her!

I don't know if it is a miracle from god or if it is sheer will power, I was able to reach Sonia.

I grab hold of Sonia's arm and desperately trying to pull her back with all my might but no matter how much I pull, it is to no avail and I end up being dragged with her.

Sonia flew right out of the door and when I was about to get drag out as well, I was hit by an invisible force which felt like I ran into a solid wall.

My hand slips off Sonia's arm along with her favorite pink crystal beaded bracelet.

As I was falling towards the ground, Sonia who is in tears speaks to me.

"Liar!"

Hearing that feels my heart with pain.

I hit the ground and the door closes.

Bam*

Despite the pain that I'm feeling from falling down, I stood up and run towards the door.

As I was on front of the door, I desperately try to break it open by repeatedly slamming the right side of my body at the door.

Bam* Bam* Bam*

No matter how much I try to break the door open with my little body, it is useless and the door wouldn't budge but I didn't give up and continuously slam my body to the door despite the pain.

While I was trying to break the door open, I hear Sonia's scream.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

I hammer the door with my fist and shout with all my might.

"TAKE ME! TAKE ME INSTEAD!"

"Sir?"

I continue to hammer the door and shout separately.

"TAKE ME!"

"Sir!!"

…

I open my eyes and saw that I'm in an air plane.