Fear Games

12. Call Me Crazy

"That's what this has all been about?" Eden shouted. "To play God?"

"I've loved every second of this," Daisy said. "Damien's got a few secrets of his own, don't you, little bro? It's a shame you have to be a pawn in the Games, but trust me, it'll all be worth it in the end." 

So that was it then. There was no motive. Never had been. Daisy helped Ryan create Fear Games, and when he discovered who she really was, he kicked her out, finishing the Games himself. But Daisy wanted to play God and be powerful, so she finished the Games herself. 

There was no motive.

This whole time I'd been looking, but instead, she did it for fun. She did it because she was a sick human being that never got any help. It's likely she never could have gotten help regardless. I'd never been one to believe that people were born inherently evil. 

After tonight, I wasn't so sure.

"You sick fucking bitch," I growled.

Daisy smiled. "That's me." She walked back over to Damien and said, "Now is the final Game, one that I'm sure you'll be very interested in. In this Game, you, Josh, have three options. The first option is to save Damien, your best friend since childhood, whom you've loved more than anyone in the world. The second option is to save Luke, an innocent reporter who had no connection to any of this whatsoever, who has still yet to live a full life because he's so young."

"And what's the third?" I asked, but I already knew.

"The third option is that you put yourself in that third machine. Once you do, both Luke and Damien will be freed." She walked over to the door and said, "Before you even think about attacking me to get a key, I don't have one on me. The only way to get them out of the machine is to push those buttons on the wall over there." Daisy pointed to the other side of the room in a dark corner, where I could now see two red bottoms. Each was labeled with a name underneath. "To make this Game even better, you have two minutes to make your decision. Once you do, you'll have exactly three minutes to get out of the building before it explodes." 

Daisy walked outside the room, closing the door and locking it behind her. Overhead through some speakers, I heard her say, "The choice is yours."

I turned to my friends who were staring at me in just as much shock as I felt. Two minutes to make my decision. 

"Guys..." I said. "I don't know what to do."

Matt said, "I don't know either!"

15 seconds had already passed and I was quickly running out of time. I ran over to the other side of the room to the buttons, staring at them both.

"Hey," Luke said, who appeared to finally be awake. "What's going on?" Where the freaking hell am I?"

"Josh," Eden said, "I can't make this decision for you, but listen to me, okay? No matter what choice you make, it's going to suck."

"Eden's right," Brandon said, trying his best not to cry. "If you don't choose, they both die. If you choose one, one of them dies."

"But if I choose myself..." I started. But could I really hook myself up to that machine and sacrifice myself? I couldn't even begin to imagine what that would feel like.

Only about a minute left. I knew what I had to do. It was the hardest choice I'd ever have to make, but I knew I didn't have another one. I found myself walking over to the third machine, getting ready to put myself inside.

"Josh!" Eden screamed.

My eyes met Damien's. I had no time to waste.

"Josh, don't do this," Damien said through his tears. "Don't die for me, I swear."