Toys of a Dangerous Mind-{Winner of Undiscovered, Watty Awards 2011} Under Edit

Chapter 7

Renae's determination just wouldn't let her keep out of it. The following afternoon, she lead me away from my room. 

"You going to tell me where we're going?" I asked her sharply. "It's not Liam's room- I know the way to his and this isn't it." 

"Well of course you would know that," she teased. "And we're going to the food cellars." 

"The food cellars?" I said. "I'm not really in the mood for a snack. Besides, they're always locked." 

Renae brandished a set of keys. "One of the servants- Harwin- gave them to me. I had to use my charm to full power and had to brave his innuendos and filthy girl talk, but I got them in the end." 

"Well, you're impossible to refuse," I pointed out heavily. She threw me a supposedly searing glance. 

"More thankfulness would be nice," she grumbled.

"Uh... thanks for bringing me down to the food cellar," I said sarcastically. We reached it then and she looked both ways before hurriedly unlocking the heavy wooden door. As we entered, my curiosity grew. "Wow, your surprise is so.... dank and dark?"

There wasn't much in the food cellar anymore- it all had been moved up to the main kitchens since the competitors were here now. A loaf of dirty stale bread lay in the corner and I swore I could hear squeaking noises. 

"There aren't rats down here, are they?" I asked her carefully, a little afraid that one of Renae's wild plans might turn to have a few rodents in. 

"No, of course not," she brushed it off. "Anyway, Liam should be here soon." 

"Liam-" I swore. "You couldn't let it go, could you?" 

"Course not," she shrugged. "That's what you expected." 

"Renae?" Liam walked into the room and I felt myself lose my breath. He was resolutely avoiding my gaze, keeping his eyes firmly pinned on my friend. She noticed this and sighed. 

"Well, come in," she said to Liam. Gingerly, he joined us in the room. Quickly, she walked out of the room and shut the door, locking it into place. 

That was her plan. 

"Okay, here's what's going to happen," she informed us. "You need to make up- both of you. This isn't healthy just sitting around, not doing anything. We might have not have much time left. Don't waste it away by being angry with each other. It just... it isn't worth it." 

"If you didn't figure it out," she continued. "I'm not letting you out until you're all made up. So, I'm going to walk and if you haven't sorted it, I'm going to go to dinner. I'll let you out after- or, you know, if I forget- in the morning." 

My crazy friend walked off, leaving us in here. Crazy, because she wanted us to be happy- even in this godforsaken place. Crazy, because she dreamed. Crazy, because she hoped.

I leaned against the wall and slowly slid down the wall, not caring if dirt stained my shirt.

"I guess we better talk, huh?" Liam said, sitting down next to me.

"I guess so," I replied and looked at my hands.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you," he apologised. "But... you shouldn't have kept this from me."

"I know," I sighed. 

"I can't trust you unless you tell me these things." 

"I'm sorry," I said softly, near on the brink of tears. "I... I was afraid of how you would react. I couldn't stand it if you hated me."