Man Hunt

Chapter Twenty Three - An Emotional Descent

Congratulations blue team, you are this year’s winners of Man Hunt. Please make your way back to the starting building where a yacht is awaiting your arrival.

As the robotic voice of the LIS building says this, the bracelet around my wrist makes a clicking sound and then clatters to the floor. Thankfully, so does the one around Aaron’s wrist. The one that had been strapped around Kate’s wrist also falls to the floor, although that isn’t very helpful now. I turn to Aaron and I cannot help but smile. It’s over. It’s finally over.

‘’We did it,’’ I utter, the words catch in my throat. I am barely able to believe what I am saying, ‘’we actually did it.’’

Aaron looks up at me, he is still giggling to himself. How long until it wears off him? Will it wear off?

I run towards him, help him to his feet and wrap my arms around his waist. I then press my lips against his and kiss him, something I’ve wanted to do ever since I left his side shortly after Jack was murdered. His lips are soft and warm, and the feeling of his against mine makes me feel safe.

I kiss him gently at first, unsure if this is the right moment to be showing such affection, we are still not completely safe. However as soon as he kisses me back, I forget my worries and kiss him more passionately. My tongue delicately slips into his mouth and I feel my body relax. His tongue gently brushes mine and softly moves around my mouth. It seems to go on forever, despite this I don’t want it to stop.

He pulls me close to him, and I inhale his scent. It’s an indescribably smell but somehow it makes me feel safer. When we finally – and sadly – pull apart, I rest my head just under his chin for a brief moment and I close my eyes.  How did I let Kate make me believe that Aaron was the traitor? How could it ever have been him? How could the boy I love ever do such a thing?

‘’Let’s go Aaron,’’ I suggest after a few moments and he nods his head with a little chuckle, it seems it is already wearing off now that the bracelet is off his arm.

I pick my dagger up from the floor and ensure Aaron’s is still strapped to the belt around his waist. We then exit the spherical building and step out into the darkness of the night and begin our journey back to where this all began.

As we pass Kate, I can’t help but glance at her for a moment. She is slumped against the wall, her head is lying limp and her limbs are contorted at awkward angles from when she was thrown at the wall. Her clothes are torn and are permeated with sweat and blood. Her face is pale; death has drained its usual bright olive tone. She is a sorry sight to say the very least.

I sigh and Aaron squeezes my hand.

It’s a pity she had to do what she did. I had felt at the beginning that a girl like her could have been my friend. It’s crazy to think that she was working for the people behind this – whoever those people are. I can’t even imagine how she got caught up with those people. How did she hear about it in the first place?

We descend the steps and move at a steady pace towards the building which we started in. As we walk towards freedom, the faces of those that have fallen flash before me. I see Robbie first and then Eve, Jack, Kate...then the faces of members of the other team flash as well. Anna, the mute, Alex, and the other unnamed ones. There has been so much bloodshed. So many innocent teenagers have been so cruelly murdered.

‘’Where do you think Niamh is?’’ asks Aaron.

‘’I don’t know,’’ I reply honestly, I had actually forgotten her momentarily.

She is still alive somewhere on the island. The question is where on the island and when will she strike. Will she even attempt to attack now that she is outnumbered? Or is she hiding, waiting until we leave the island to come out?