A Perilous Challenge

→❀ Chapter 14

External Narration:

Twenty minutes had passed. Marlene was going around in circles. She did not know what to do. All his friends were looking for last-minute information on the internet; about the two murderers in total freedom in the forest where his friends had accepted the challenge.

"You should calm down!" Said Charline, one of her friends. "They will come back."

"Unless they're already dead." Joked Will.

Zayn turned abruptly towards him, staring at him so badly. Will had a particular humor that only made him laugh, and his two friends, as stupid one as the other.

"They must already be cut into pieces!" He continued.

"Shut up!" Zayn said firmly.

"Calm boys!" Charline intervened.

"Zayn's right!" Marlene insisted, staring at Will. "Shut up."

She kept pacing, waiting for any news from her friends.

Internal Narration:

"So???" Asked the man again more insistently.

I let Liam answer. After all, it was because of him that the man was asking us the question. However, I had to pinch my lip so as not to laugh.

"Yes we are." Smiled my friend. "I was talking about a past experience."

"You are strange!" Observed the man. "Your first names?"

I clung to Liam. It was not a good idea to tell him our real names.

"Liam, and she's Margot."

And yet my friend had just told him. I did not want to laugh at all, not even to smile.

"My name is Richard." He introduced himself.

I just wish he let us go. But he was the closest to the door. His eyes went from Liam to me, and vice versa. I shivered.

"Can we ask you a question?" Asked Liam.

He tried to sound sure of himself, but his voice was shaking slightly. And I did not blame him absolutely. I was petrified myself.

"Which?"

Richard's eyes were stuck in Liam's. I did not move. My breath was cutting.

"Why are we here?"

It was also the question that burned my lips since we were locked in this cabin.
Silence reigned in the room as he approached us.
I could not help but cling to Liam. My nails were sinking into his skin. I had to hurt him, poor thing.

-"I'll turn the question over to you!" Smiled Richard.

I swallowed.
Above all, do not panic.
We used to see horror movies with my mates, and we all thought we could do better than the characters in the movies, but then I realized that we were all wrong. Fear paralyzes us.
I looked around the room. I was looking for some loophole. But nothing. I could not find anything that could help us. Nothing except the door. But Richard was right in front.
I thought of my friends, Amy, Louis, and Niall. I was hoping one thing was that they were safe with Marlene and that they could warn the police.
Maybe our ordeal would not last so long. That's right, it was enough to wait for the police. I was sure that they had found their way back and that they were safe.

"Hm" Liam blew. "We spent a night in the beautiful..."

"Ah, I see!" The man was cutting him. "A romantic night!"

Hm. Not exactly.
But I preferred not to contradict him.

"That's right." Liam agreed awkwardly. "We can go?"

The man shook his head negatively. I refrained from murmuring Liam's name. I wanted to leave here. As soon as possible.
Richard was rubbing his hands, right in front of us.

"How old are you?" Asked he.

My heart was accelerating.
What could it fuck him?
This time, Liam did not answer. And I did not want to talk. The man was frowning. He obviously did not like the fact that we were not answering his question.
I looked down and stared at my feet. I found them suddenly very interesting.

"Have you lost your tongue?"

Still no response from Liam or me. I kept my eyes on the ground. Suddenly, the floor creaked. Looking up, I saw the man a few feet away from us. He had come closer.
For once, my heart was missing a beat. Liam recoiled.