Darwin's Game

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

            Bennet lay on the cold, hard ground. Grimacing with pain, his face contorted. Blood rushed out, a steady stream from where the cut was on his thigh. Within the darkness a pair of eyes sparkled. Jason smiled, retreating back to where Monica stood with her pistol. His maniac grin lasted for just a moment, and then disappeared. He wiped the warm blood off with his shirt. Monica started thinking, “Did he just smile or was that just my eyes playing tricks on me?” The grin had a disappeared without a trace. It sent shivers up her spine; he was just so creepy.

                        Either way the mission was accomplished. They had one down. Her hands gripped the pistol tightly. There were only six bullets left, two of them were wasted when she fired at Bennet and missed, hitting the mirrors instead. Now what to do? She took a step forward in the dark, her black pumps crunching glass. Monica froze; there was a voice in the distance.

                        “Bennet! Bennet! Where are you?” A desperate high pitched voice rang out in the air. With a dim glow stick in hand, Jason put his finger to his lips. Monica looked intently into his eyes, as he took her foot and slipped off the black pumps. Then without a warning he scooped her up and ran silently away from the bleeding Bennet.

                        Moments later an out of breath Lydia found Bennet. The glass crunched loudly under her hurrying feet. With the flashlight in one hand, she gulped. The bright light fell on his contorted face. It didn’t look good at all.

                        She whispered to herself, “Stay calm…just stay calm and quiet.” Carefully, she bent down to the ground and checked his pulse. He was alive and breathing, but still very weak. She spoke into his ear, “Bennet?” He just grimaced and gestured to his bleeding leg. Her light shifted to where he gestured. The cut caused by Jason’s sharp knife was deep, running down his thigh.

                        She breathed deeply, trying not to pass out. The strong smell of blood hung in the air, metallic and salty. Small cuts caused by the sharp glass, crisscrossed across his skin. The damage was already done, but he could still be saved. Lydia slowly found the rip in Bennet’s jeans and continued to rip it off horizontally so the wound could be exposed. Her heart pounded as the ripping sound seemed to echo across the room. She wrapped his leg up with the ripped off denim, hoping it would hold. For extra measure, she used her cardigan as well. The cut was still bleeding but the make shift bandage did slow down the process. Hopefully, he wouldn’t lose enough blood to die now.

                        Monica held onto Jason’s neck as he ran. Then an epiphany hit her. How could she miss this?

                        She commanded, “Stop. What are you doing?”

                        He stopped and raised his eye brows, “Uhh... running away so we won’t get attacked by whoever was screaming that kid’s name.” He gestures with his head to the way they came from.

                        Monica sighed impatiently, “No. We shouldn’t be running away! We should be running toward the other person with your knife and my pistol. You’re forgetting that this is a game. It doesn’t end until everyone dies, but one lucky player. If what we know is correct, she’s alone. Alone means vulnerable and weak, its one against the two of us! Just put me down and give me my shoes back.”

                        Jason disagreed, “As much as I’d love to hunt that little girl down, I don’t want to take any chances. Unlike the boy, she already knows that we’re here. If she’s smart she’ll know that we’ll be hiding near the so called crime scene, and I didn’t even get to kill him. I thought I did, but I couldn’t see anything. I only figured that I didn’t because I could hear the glass tinkling when he moved, and by then it was too late. The girl was already searching. Besides, you’re too loud. Your high heels clatter across the concrete and scrape against the glass. You need to learn how to walk softly and hide in the shadows.”

                        Monica slid down from Jason’s arms to the hard concrete.

                        She responded defiantly, “Fine. I’ll go barefoot. I’ll be quieter that way right?”

                        Jason shook his head impatiently, “You’re forgetting that there’s still broken glass on the floor. Your feet will be all bloody by the end. You can wear my sneakers, you’ll still make noise, but you’ll be quieter. So do you want to take the chance and go for the girl?”

                        With a satisfied smile Monica spoke, “Yes. We’ll take down the girl next.” Jason bent down and removed his shoes and socks. He insisted on daintily slipping them onto her feet. Monica fidgeted and complained, but Jason scolded her for the din she was causing. After that she reluctantly let him. And so within the dark, the two of them made their way back to where Bennet lay bleeding. Jason led the way, walking silently, shifting his weight gingerly from foot to foot not unlike a cat. Cringing from his sweaty socks, Monica followed. He fell back allowing Monica to lead for a while.

                        “This is where I leave you.”

                        Monica turned in shock, “You’re not coming with me?” but he had vanished. Jason had been right, the glass was everywhere. Her feet would have bled, and even though his socks were slightly damp, she was thankful. It was nothing more than a small distraction.

                        She tried to mimic Jason’s quiet stalking with mediocre success, her footsteps were almost silent, breathing soft, and confidence full blown.

                        Lydia crouched near Bennet, placing the flashlight on the ground so that the beam of light hit the ceiling. Her voice wavered with fear as she spoke softly into his ear, “Bennet. Who was it? Who attacked you? Tell me where they are.” Lydia was scared, fearful, and evermore paranoid, but her determination and want for revenge surpassed all thoughts. She kept in the back of her mind, they took Bennet down. They’ll hunt me next. I will not be the next victim; I will be the winner here.

                        Bennet gave a weak smile. Even though her voice was unsure, he knew that she was determined. She was more than capable enough to kill. No, she will do more than killing, as the game continues she will learn to destroy all. When he first saw Lydia a few hours ago, he had seen nothing more than a weak, brainless looking bunny. He did not see that same girl now. He saw a girl who was stronger and more capable, with glimpses of anger from her fearful eyes. If he could survive this injury, he would win. He already has his pawn ready for this chess game, Lydia.

                        Bennet’s weak whispering voice traveled to her ear, “Lydia, you are outnumbered two against one. You have two choices: fight or flee, but time is running out for one of them. Knowing that they have the advantage, they will hunt you down. So where is the most logical place for them to be?” Lydia’s eyes darted around her, trying to look through the shadows. They were here with her, around in the shadows somewhere. If there was a time to run it was now. “Stay and defend Bennet or run and save yourself? Remember that you’re eventually going to have to kill Bennet anyway. So why save him now? Go and save yourself!” She tried to convince herself to run and save herself, but she was still human. Her mind was not without conscious. It was inhumane to abandon someone weaker than you to get away. Wasn’t there a way to still save Bennet?