Grimm Games

Chapter 9: Forbidden Fruit

I wrapped my arm around Millie and lifted her to her feet, while bringing my lips close to her ear. "We should tell them our real names before it slips out and we blow our chances of them later cooperating with us."

"We're all in this for ourselves, Kam. Remember that." She shook her head. "They may seem friendly now, but you seriously can't trust them, especially Sonya. She's a psycho. Just ask her why they gave her 'the Babysitter' nickname."

Far ahead, Sonya and Tobias paused. "We don't have a lot of time," Tobias urged.

We hurried to catch up, entering the mouth of the open path of trees to follow its twisted trail.

The trees seemed to close in on us, only the eerie blue lights cast down on the treetops, giving off a moonlit hue while the dissipating fog continued to obscure the scenery up ahead.

"Thank you for choosing to cooperate," I started. "We all will get an advantage now and it'll bring us closer to getting out of here."

"I hope to get out only as a winner," Sonya said. "Anything else isn't worth it."

I wanted to question why getting out with her life alone wasn't enough but didn't want to stray from what was important. "I think we should try working together, forming an alliance." Before I could even complete the sentence, Millie rolled her eyes to my suggestion. When I saw the reluctance in Sonya, I continued. "My girlfriend, Jade, is working from the outside to shut this shit down. I believe with more people we can help make that happen."

"What are you doing?" Millie sneered, and I don't think it was because of my language. She lowered her voice. "You involved Jade in this?"

"Jade and I do everything together. We're like one. My goals are her goals. We're not satisfied unless we both are. You know this."

"Yeah, but does everyone else need to know?" She shot a wary look at Sonya.

"It's important they know that we have a chance to stop this brutality."

Sonya huffed, pushing a tree branch from her path. "The Games are exactly what I need. A one-way ticket out of this dump of a country. Maybe you should take your activism somewhere else."

Besides the poverty, lack of proper healthcare, and the brutal and popular form of entertainment, was there another reason she wanted out of the country?

I cut my eye to Tobias to see if he agreed with his sister. "You obviously found the benefit in voting to cooperate. Let's take that cooperation all the way to the bank."

"What are you trying to do?" he asked.

"Take this place down." I lifted my hand at the utter chaos around us. "Isn't it obvious."

His nose twitched in confusion. "If you and your sister really hate the Games, why did you join?"

I was cautious how I worded things, knowing I wasn't ready to reveal the truth of our identities. "I guess I thought I really needed the money but failed to realize I needed my family more."

"No." Millie stepped in. "You joined because you know how life changing the jackpot would be and how it could make every part of your life better," she said, slyly speaking for herself.

"So why did you join as an activist?" Tobias asked Millie. "That seems to mismatch, like an oxymoron to me."

"You got the moron part right." Millie rolled her eyes.

"Hey!" I said taking offense. "I could've sworn you joined to make sure your beloved sister makes it through alive." I took a play in her book by vaguely speaking for myself.