20 Gradual Breakdown

W-Wait, but if Gerald's unconscious, then how is he supposed to hold the wire?

[Well, realistically he can't]

...

Jacob: C-Crap, Gerald?

[Jacob called out, but there was no response. He became increasingly worried and called out loudly.]

Jacob: Gerald! Are you there?

[Once again, there was no response]

Lanae: What the hell? Did the old geezer just drop dead?

Jake: ...Shit. Everyone else, keep holding onto your wire tightly. I'm going to try to wake him up.

[Jake got out of his seat and got over to Gerald. He was on the ground, with his eyes rolled up into his head. With a frown, Jake audibly began shaking the old man.]

Jake: Hey! Wake up already!

[Despite calling out to the old man several times, he still did not get up]

Jake: He's still breathing, but this guy just completely fell unconscious.

Katie: Oh no... this can't be good.

Jake: ...I'm going to try some extreme measures to wake him up.

Huh? But there's no bucket filled with cold water anywhere

Jacob: Extreme measures?

[Jake did not respond. Instead, he let out a grunt, and a dull thump rang out.]

Dizzy: What are you doing to him?! Stop!

Jake: I'm not killing him or anything! I hit his liver, but he still isn't waking up.

Eh? The liver?

Jacob: Why did you hit the liver?

Jake: When hit, the body reacts as though a vital organ was hit, sending strong signals of pain. However, the liver can regenerate by itself fairly easily, so there won't be any lasting aftereffects.

[He took a deep breath]

Jake: The only thing he let out was a small mumble, even when that kind of blow would easily wake up anybody deep in their sleep. The guy is completely out cold.

Evian: What? Does that mean we will have to experience double the shock?

Pepper: Are you sure you hit him hard enough? Try again.

Jake: I... I guess there still is time. I'll continue trying to wake him up. All of you remain seated and keep holding the wire. Tell me when there's one minute left till the five-minute mark.

[Jake continued to try various other things, which were all obscured from the others since they weren't there. Daylin eventually scoffed.]

Daylin: You still haven't woken him up yet? Three minutes have already passed! Leave it to me.

Jake: I said don't leave your seat and keep hold of the wire.

Daylin: Well you clearly can't handle it!

[Daylin got up out of the seat and walked over to see what Jake was doing]

Daylin: What the hell are you...

Jake: I am simply performing acts that are painful, but won't leave any serious damage to his body.

Daylin: Excuse me? Then why do you have to stretch out his back like that? You're going to rip the skin off at this rate!

Jake: I told you I was simply performing actions that are painful, but don't cause serious harm. Pinching someone's back and pulling hurts really bad. I can show you what it feels like if you don't believe me.

Daylin: ...It can't be that painful.

Jake: Then let me show you.

[Jake walked behind Daylin before pinching the back of his shirt, hooking some of the skin as well. Then, he began pulling.]

Daylin: Shit! You didn't have to do it that hard!

Jake: I didn't. In fact, I did it slowly. I'm not a strong person in the first place.

Daylin: ...Ok well Gerald clearly isn't going to wake up from pain.

[Jake narrowed his eyes]

Jake: Yeah, you're right... maybe some words would work.

[He proceeded to crouch down next to Gerald]

Jake: Your daughter is right here.

...Huh?

[An awkward air stirred between everyone when they heard that]

Jake: She's about to die. Are you going to let her die again? Are you that much of a failure? If not, wake up.

What the fuck...

Jacob: You... what are you...

Jake: You can't even get up to save your own daughter? Can't even try? Are you really going to let it be all your fault once more? She's going to curse you from her grave for the rest of eternity if you don't get up now to save her.

Dizzy: Y-You can't say those kinds of things...

Jake: ...I obviously didn't mean any of it. I was just trying to get him to wake up.

Dizzy: But still...

Jake: Whatever. The point is, we can't get the old man to wake up. Meaning he's not going to hold onto the wire.

Daylin: Wait, what if we make him hold onto the wire while he's unconscious?

Jake: ...We can try, but the wire is too high up for us to force him to grab it.

Daylin: Shit, we still got time, don't we? Might as well.

Jake: I guess.

[Daylin let out a grunt as he lifted Gerald while Jake brought the chair that had fallen back up. After that, Daylin set the old man down in his seat before forcing him to wrap his hands around the wire.]

Daylin: Alright, if I just keep my hands like this, then Gerald will be holding onto the wire!

Jake: Then how the hell are you going to hold onto your own wire?

Daylin: ...Well isn't this the same if I do go to hold onto my wire? One person won't be holding on regardless.

[Jake sounded pissed]

Jake: So you're trying to get an excuse so you won't have to get shocked?

Daylin: W-What? It's not an excuse!

Jake: And just so you know, even if you do force the man to hold the wire, humans are pretty damn good conductors, meaning you're just going to get shocked anyway. The only thing you'll accomplish with this is potentially killing an old man.

Daylin: Killing? Since when was I killing anybody?

Jake: Are you kidding me? He's knocked unconscious from the first shock. If he experiences another one that has an even higher intensity, then even if he doesn't die immediately, the chances of a seizure are astronomical!

Daylin: ...I can just let go right beforehand.

[Jacob narrowed his eyes slightly as a frown spread across his face]

Jacob: It's strange, because I clearly remember someone said not too long ago that he could handle the shock.

...Ah, you're right.

Jacob: Yet here you are, not even willing to take responsibility.

Daylin: That's...

Dizzy: Guys, can we just get along?

Jake: After this guy goes to his seat and holds the wire, I'll get along with him just fine.

Daylin: B-But we still have to deal with the old man!

Jake: It's clearly a lost fucking cause. I'm going to watch you get back in that seat and grab the wire, alright?

Daylin: ...What? Why do you have to follow me?

Jake: The reason I was emphasizing the rule of keeping hold of the wire the entire time is that keeping hold of the wire is far easier than grabbing onto it again.

Hm? Is it harder? Why does that even matter?

Jacob: What are you talking about?

Jake: I'm talking about emotions and the power of fear, or perhaps better pit trauma. After letting go of the wire, if that person had gotten shocked, then they would at least feel apprehensive to hold it again. Some that are not used to that kind of pain might be unable to bring themselves to hold onto the wire once more.

Daylin: ...I can hold onto the wire just fine.

Jake: Then let me see you hold it. We don't have that much time left.

Katie: W-We all agreed to hold the wire, so it shouldn't be a big deal, right?

Daylin: ...Yeah.

[Jake and Daylin walked back to his seat. Upon reaching there, Jake impatiently urged him to grab the wire.]

Jake: Can you hurry up and grab it? I still have to grab mine.

Daylin: Alright, alright, I will!

[A few seconds of silence ensued]

Jake: ...Do you need help grabbing onto the wire?

Daylin: W-What? No!

Jake: Then grab it right now!

Daylin: I-I am!

[Another few seconds of silence ensued]

Jake: Goddammit. I was hoping this wouldn't happen... I should've expected it would the moment I started to consider the possibility it wouldn't.

Daylin: W-Whoa, what are you doing?

Jake: Making you grab the goddamn wire!

[Clear signs of struggle ensued]

Daylin: Let go of me!

Jake: Fine! Grab onto the wire by yourself then.

How much time is left? Do these guys even know?

Jacob: ...There's only a minute left. Could you guys hurry?

Jake: It's not exactly my fault this is happening.

Daylin: I...

Dizzy: Daylin, could you please grab onto the wire? It's for all of us, including you!

Daylin: ...I'm sorry. I know I should be holding onto the wire. But it's just... so damn scary. I never thought I was this much of a coward.

Jake: Hey. People have many definitions of being brave. But realistically speaking, bravery was never the actual actions of the person. It's actually based on how scared they are, and if they decide to confront it.

[He let out a soft sigh]

Jake: And despite everything, I believe that there is a part of you that is brave.

[Without saying anything else, or even checking to see if Daylin had held onto the wire, Jake had left. With only ten seconds left, everyone was seated once more. However, whether or not they had grabbed onto their wires was a complete mystery to Jacob.]

Eh? But you know, right?

[He began considering the possibilities. That maybe Daylin wouldn't grab onto the wire, which would mean there was a three out of seven chance to be shocked, and with a nasty one too. But what about Jake? He was saying all of that about letting go of the wire, but he did the same thing in the end as well. What if he didn't grab on? Or what if the others were too scared to continue holding because the old man could no longer hold on?]

E-Er, just keep holding on man!

Jacob: ...Fuck.

[Soon there were only three seconds left. He couldn't exactly think the most logically in this situation, and there wasn't enough time to come to any proper conclusion. Out of his worry, his hand gradually relaxed, about to let go of the wire.]

What the hell are you doing! I thought we picked the option to grab the wire!

Jacob: ...Right.

[He had let go of the wire, with just one second away from it triggering. But immediately afterwards, he grabbed onto it once more.]

[Then, no shock came]

Jacob: ...Thank god.

[Two cries of pain resounded loudly. They came from both Leah and Dizzy. Right after his relief, Jacob couldn't help but feel guilty for being so happy about not being targeted. Leah had already gotten her mouth cut up by razor blades, but now she was being shocked too.]

...I mean, it's not like you could've done anything more. At least you held onto the wire so that they didn't have to go through something more intense.

Jacob: Yeah.

[Both Leah and Dizzy were desperately gasping for air, though Leah's sounded far more ragged]

Dizzy: Everything... is spinning...

Jake: Just make sure you don't let go of the wire. Let it anchor you.

Dizzy: Ok... anchor...

Hm... guess the name is fitting right now.

Jacob: ...

Jake: Also, nice job holding onto the wire Daylin.

Daylin: ...Thanks.

[Unlike the conversation they were having before, it was now dead silent while everyone waited. Although everyone was still holding the wire, it was clear that people were getting rather apprehensive. The five minutes passed by slowly and painfully, but they did nonetheless.]

[The fifth shock came. This time, Katie and Pepper let out agonizing screams.]

Katie: So many... colors... I should draw this sometime...

Pepper: ...Maybe this will stimulate muscle growth? I remember there was something about... electricity moving muscles...

[Then the sixth shock came. Jacob felt his life flash before his eyes as the sudden shock forced all the muscles in his body to contract. He could tell that his heart had stopped for the duration of the shock, and when it was finally over he was desperately trying to breathe in, but his lungs didn't respond to his attempts. Thankfully, he was able to breathe soon after.]

Jacob: Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!... It hurts so much...

Pepper: Godammit... why is it me again?

[Then the seventh shock came. But this time there were three screams. Leah, Jake, and Lanae all convulsed wildly as they cried out in pain. Even after three seconds had passed they had not calmed down. Repeated bangs resounded from where they were, implying that they were still convulsing.]

Wait, why is it three people this time?

Jacob: ...Someone let go of the wire.

...

Dizzy: But... why? I thought all of us agreed to...

[After a few seconds, Jake surprisingly spoke up, though his voice was incredibly shaky, while his breathing was heavy]

Jake: I-It's fine... nobody let go of the wire... I was just pretending to be shocked...

Evian: ...I do not believe you put up the best act there.

Jake: No, I...

Pepper: It's really hard to rapidly shake your body like you're being electrocuted. Not to mention, the reaction from the other two is enough to give away that the intensity had increased further.

Lanae: ...Who the fuck... let go of the wire...

[Nobody spoke. It was silent, except for the faint sobbing coming from Leah. She attempted to suppress it, but she just couldn't help it.]

Lanae: Hey! Who's the bitch that let go?

Evian: ...I remember both Pepper and Jacob were complaining earlier... and Daylin doesn't seem to want to hold his...

Jake: This... isn't the time... to find the person who let go... I just hope that... everyone keeps hold... this time...

[Everyone fell silent. Then the eighth shock slowly came. Jacob felt a pain like nothing before. He couldn't even lament over his own bad luck for being chosen again. He couldn't think of anything. The only thing in his mind was unbelievably strong pain. By the time he came to, he found himself collapsed on the ground with bruises over his body.]

Dizzy: Another person... let go... but why?

[Along with Jacob, three other people collapsed. Jake, Katie, and Lanae.]

Lanae: You motherfuckers! Who let go? I'm not holding onto the wire if you're going to pull this kind of shit!

Jake: ...

Jacob: I... don't understand... why are you doing this?

Dizzy: P-Please don't let go! Please, can everyone just hold onto the wire this time?

Katie: I... want to go home...

[There was no response. At this point, Jacob was on the verge of tears. He really didn't want to hold onto the wire anymore. He didn't even realize how distorted his expression had become, mostly because he couldn't even feel his face anymore. With all his willpower, he decided to grab onto the wire once more, trusting that everyone else would as well.]

...I-I don't think holding the wire is going to be good anymore.

[Unfortunately, once the ninth shock came, Jacob found himself wrong. He thought that perhaps he would get used to being shocked at this point, but it was even stronger than last time. He could hardly even comprehend what was going on. He only recollected his thoughts by the time four minutes had passed. He heard a lot of arguing and screaming.]

[Somehow, despite being so muddle-headed, he was able to figure out five people were shocked this time. Himself, Leah, Jake, Evian, and Daylin. And it was still not over, because there was one last shock to go through.]

[Loading choices...]

[1 - Grab the Wire]

[2 - Pass]

...At this point, I don't think many people are going to grab onto the wire. But if nobody grabs on then everyone will die!