"Easy now, easy," Luke whispered as Calum eased into a chair in the next room. Number 3.
The men had shut them in with a few chairs and no instructions. Calum shook with heavy sobs and laboured breathing while Faith was seemingly mute. Luke had assumed a new role as the protector of the small group.
He positioned himself in the chair between the blonde girl and the brunette boy.
Suddenly, Faith shifted in her seat and cleared her throat. "Luke? Does it seem like they're staring at us?"
The light was low, but the room was small and Luke could make out the figures across from them. And their piercing white eyes. Of course he knew they were there, they'd been there all along.
Ashton and Michael. They sat in two chairs just as comfortably as any living person would. And their line of sight rested unsettling on the survivors.
"No they're not. They can't stare. They're..."
"Dead." Faith finished.
The closed door swung open at the word, as if it were her cue. Fresh bloodstains adorned her previously calming dress. A parade of men marched behind her, wheeling a large table.
Calum gasped, and coughed, choking on his own tears and blood.
"Children, children. Are you enjoying these games as much as I am? Perhaps not. They were designed especially for yours truly.
This is perhaps one of my favourites. It is called 'Strength'. Simple, ominous, mysterious, and clever, don't you think?"
It struck Faith as ridiculous that the Surgeon continued to ask all these rhetorical questions. She tuned them out and locked eyes with her brother.
"To be honest, I've been thinking of adding a new member to my crew. Someone strong, smart, talented, virtually perfect. Sadly, such creatures do not come naturally in this world.
Which is why I must make one of my own. Any volunteers to play my game?"
She waited through a moment of predictable silence.
"No? Alright." The woman leaned in close and examined each one of the teens. "I'll take that one." She flicked a finger towards Calum.
"No!" Luke cried out, as Cal wheezed.
The Surgeon looked unsurprised. "Now don't you worry, Lucas. You'll be able to participate, too. You all will."
She looked on as the men tied Calum to the table with nothing more than a length of rope. "Excellent. Now it's time for my little worker bee to redeem herself. And Luke, have you ever had any training in the medical field?"
He ignored her and buried his face in his hands. He knew where this was going.
"Come closer, children. Come look at your friend. Fine young man, isn't he? A footballer at that!"
Faith found herself hovering above Calum, who laid still without a fight.
"He's got some nice muscles. Perfect for one of my henchmen. Gene, how would you like it if you had muscles like these?"
The man in the corner solemnly nodded his head.
"Faith, my dear, I believe you have the knife?"
The girl looked down at her hands in surprise, but instead found a scalpel tucked in the folds of the ribbon round her waist. She pulled it out and passed it over.
"Great. And Luke, you have one too. In your pocket, perhaps."
Sure enough, the object had seemingly found its place in his jacket. The Surgeon slid Calum's off until his arms were bare.
"Watch carefully, Luke. I'm a professional, as you probably know."
"No you're not. You're insane," Faith scoffed. The Surgeon's filled with fury as she pointed the scalpel at the girl.
"Quiet!"
Two men took Faith by her shoulders and threw her back against the wall. She fell to the ground before Ashton's chair, whom slumped against Michael.
The Surgeon regained composure and put on a smile. "Ok. Now Calum, you're a tough boy. No anaesthetic, right?"
Calum let out a defeated sigh. His breathing was sounding more and more painful by the moment.
She wasted no time, slicing right through the tanned skin of his shoulder to his bicep. "Luke, do exactly as I do."
He was ready to drop the knife, until a gun cocked behind him. A few tears dripped onto Calum's chest, rising and falling rapidly as he panted.
"I'm sorry, Calum. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Luke followed the outline of his perfectly sculpted bicep.
"Augh!" Calum hissed in pain.
"Just keep going, just keep cutting. I want the muscle whole," the Surgeon hummed as she loosed a tremendous amount of blood onto the floor.
"I'm so sorry, Calum. I'm-"
The tan boy clenched his jaw once more and drew in the only breath he could muster, before falling slack against the table.
"No! Calum, no!" Luke yelled.
The Surgeon grinned a triumphant closed mouth smile and cleaned her blade with a swipe of her fingers.
"The games are coming to an end."
xxxxx
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