#doenst flow as smooth as id like

[silverechosandblankmasks]

Secret Life, in the After of Winning.

(Spoilers for Secret life's winner and finale)

Scar closes the book with a snap, and a slight hum as he leans back on the Secret Keeper's button pedestals after pressing the succeed button.

He thought there'd be a direction, some sort of understanding on what to do next, but it was only a reroll of today's earlier task.

Of which he had won, by the way.

It was a... odd feeling. To have won. He was confused and elated but now he was, well, he was a bit bored as he waited for something to happen. Underwhelmed maybe? But-

Oh.

Oh.

Scar could suddenly understand what Grian had meant the one, and only, time he ever went into what it felt like in the After of that very first game. Grian was even more averse to talking about that period of time than he was the Games themselves usually, but that night had been a surprise to both of them when he quietly began to talk about it.

He had described it as an incessant whisper that was a mummer that quickly rolled into a chattering roar as they chanted for you to die. At the same time, you could feel it, feel the Ghosts all around and the red start to pool and spread upwards through your blood, making it warm but not burn, not yet. Kinda like fighting back the boogeyman curse.

You understand what the Ghosts want and what is needed to be done instinctually, he whispered. Scar didn't bother to push for an explanation, he had seen what happened next as one of said Ghosts chanting for the winner to die, an instinctual knowing just like the Winner knowing what needed to be done.

And in the moment, Scar understands finally what it's like, he feels it, hears it, and he has to take a second to wonder if something is wrong with his hearing until he realizes the Ghosts shouting different things, out of sorts and unable to decide on something he can't quite catch, but just as quick as he notices, they suddenly unify in their voices and get louder, clearer. The blood is warm under his skin, and the Ghosts agree.

One more left. Push the button, they chant.

Over and over, they repeat, and he understands now, feels it and feels what Grian and Scott and Pearl and Martyn must have felt. Some of them fought it, but either way it had happened.

To end the game, everyone must die.

Scar turns and stumbles over to the fail button, pressing it quick, not in desperation but still wanting to comply, but realizes quickly he chose wrong as the Ghosts hiss and snarl around him. Scar shudders as he feels a phantom swipe of a blade, or maybe claws, pass through his torso.

He thought, failing doesn't take hearts, but succeeding gives him them and that's the opposite of dying, but clearly they wanted something specific. Why-

His task rerolls and he opens the book again, "win secret life" mockingly staring back at him before he abruptly understands.

Scar instead shuffles to the left, and stands in front of the middle column. This time, he doesn't even pause to think as he clicks the "Reroll for Hard Task" button.

The statue lights as words dance before his eyes, but the words are different now.

The Reward is yours The Game was great Time to close the door Accept your fate

The Ghosts wail in victory and satisfaction as the new task forms in his hands. He opens the book, and it simply reads "Die."

The Ghosts are a tsunami of sound as he can feel them whip around him like a hurricane, he can feel the phantom feeling of blood staining his skin in how it pools beneath the surface of his body, and every scar, which is an impressive amount, burns.

Scar smiles.

He pushes the succeed button once more.

And watches his hearts tick away in seconds.

Scar wins.

Scar dies.

Nobody wins if anyone is left alive after all.

Then Scar opens his eyes to the ghostly visages of his friends, the winners of the past before him, and Grian wastes no time throwing himself at Scar.

Scar laughs, true and free and finally feeling not alone as they spin around.

And as they slow and Scar pulls his friend closer, he swears he can smell poppy flowers and lavender, and feel the warmth of the sun in a desert from so long ago.

It's over now. He won. And Scar is going home.

Please, if you did enjoy, reblog and just not like. Likes do nothing and it's kinda disheartening to see like 50 likes and 4 reblogs only for it to die because nobody else sees it after the first 3 days. I'd appreciate it greatly! <3