My heart stopped as I heard Alec swear above me. I didn't want to enter the long dark tunnel in front of me, but I definitely didn't want to face Alec. "Darling, please come out." Alec says quietly. Did he hear me? My eyes search the opening above me, waiting for his eyes to meet mine. They don't.
"Please, Darling." Alec's voice cracks and I shake my head. He was heartbroken but I couldn't bring myself to respond to him. Alec was silent and then I heard his footsteps receding. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and looked once more into the dark, luminous tunnel.
If Alec would have found me.... I'm not really sure what would happen. His attachment to me is frightening. I stare hard at the small concrete tunnel ahead. This could either be really good or really bad.
The tunnel is only large enough for me to crawl, which might be good because my ankle wasn't going to hold me very long. I start crawling, trying not to get claustrophobic. The door remains open behind me because if this leads to a dead end, I wanted a way out and plus... It helped me to breathe.
I started hating the tunnel as I went along because it seemed to go on forever. My hands and knees were starting to become bruised from the excessive abuse they were receiving. I tried to take even breaths to avoid thinking about the small space I was in but when I heard random clangs from up ahead, the tunnel seemed to shrink even more.
My heart was about to burst out of my chest. I felt like I'd crawled in this
horrifyingly small space for hours. My body was screaming at me and my brain was coming up with scenarios that blended my reality with a horrible nightmare. I was about to break down completely when I saw a similar door ahead of me.
My hands and knees propelled me faster, grateful for the change in scenery besides the smooth cement walls. I paused at the door, catching my breath, unsure if I wanted to open it. My mind reeled, thinking of places I could possibly be. I scolded myself for letting my thoughts consume me and opened the door, hearing it drag.
As I crawled into the sand in front of me I realized I was gasping for air. Oxygen had left me and I hadn't realized it. I looked at my surroundings, praying I wasn't in danger, and glad when I found I wasn't. Once I'd calmed myself down, and convinced myself that there was no present enemy, I started to look around.
The room I was in was huge, the far wall seemingly an endless space away. Ropes and chains that moved doors and hidden objects decorated the ceiling. The efficiency and complexity of the system astounded me. I craned my neck to see doors on the ceiling.
I must be in a basement- no. Panic once more surged through me. I just escaped this place! I didn't want to go back! My hands began to shake when I heard a small hum and the click of heels as someone was descending stairs that I couldn't see.
I hurriedly closed the door I'd climbed from and flattened the sand to the best of my ability before I scrambled behind a load of boxes. There were trinkets and mechanical pieces in the crates I hid behind, and I saw dangerously sharp objects. I gazed upon a knife and took it from its place in the box before slipping it under my shirt. My heart squeezed tightly in my chest.
"I heard something when I was-" It was Alec. Who was he talking to?
"Alec, you know I don't care about you hearing things. I only care that you find Austen." That was Alex. I snarled in disgust just at the thought of him.
"You know the only reason you want me to find her is-"
"YES!" Alex shouts. I flinch and try to get a peek. They came from a set of stairs across from me. The door that they entered from was swinging precariously and echoing in the giant room. "Go ahead, say it one more time." Alex dares.
Alexander was wearing a dark trench coat with his hair was slicked back; his blue eyes were startling even from this distance. He was angry, and both his stance and features showed it. Alec was wearing his typical jeans and a t-shirt with his hair styled in his messy fashion and while he seemed upset, he wasn't angry.
"Alex, I'm sorry that-" he begins but Alexander is too infuriated to actually let him finish.
"If you would have just listened to the rules, Alec!" Alexander starts, throwing his hands in the air, his voice echoing loudly against the walls. "She's a threat now. If she actually escaped, she could tell the police everything and we would be...." He stops and takes in a deep breath. "Your favoritism betrayed you." Alex says coldly.
"You can't solely blame me. I was punishing her in a way I understood would-"
"Because you know her best?" Alex snarls. Alec is becoming angry at all of the interruptions but Alex is relentless. "She's a girl, Alec. Sure, she's smart, maybe she's got this figured out, but you and I both know she won't make it to the-"
"I don't want to do this, Alex!" Alec suddenly shouts. I feel my heart stop and all of time seems to freeze as Alex slowly turns to face his brother fully.
"What did you say?"
"I don't want to do this anymore, Alex." Alec has ahold of his voice this time. My heart is beating again, thudding so hard against my chest that I was praying they didn't hear it.
"So you met a girl and now you think that-" Alex stops himself and shakes his emotions off. "You can't."
"I can. I've created the-"
"And you haven't finished it!" Alex shouts. "You will finish it and-"
"Alexander, I said I'm done!" Alec suddenly looks taller than Alex. He seems to, for a moment, tower over the foreboding form of Alex. But then those horrible blue eyes glint and Alex smiles. It wasn't a warm smile, it wasn't a sadistic smile; it was a smile that showed contempt.
"You're done?" He asks. Alec is beginning to look small again. "Okay, you can be done, but you know what that means. The files may be leaked by accident and oh, I don't know, you'll have to face the crime of murdering innocent girls!"
"If you leak the files you know as well as I do that you'll be turned in just as quickly." Alec says coldly. Alexander laughs.
"Oh, but Alec, this place and any trace of me will be gone before the police find out about it." Alex straightens his coat and walks boldly back up the stairs, his footsteps ringing loudly in my ears. Alec walks wearily over to the boxes. My eyes go wide as I realize he'll be able to see me.
I freeze, having no option but to face Alec. He grabs the box in front of my face and starts to turn. His eyes glance back and when they land on me he drops the box with a loud clang. He stares hard at me, his mouth opening and closing, but never releasing any sound. I swallow and try not to show the amount of pain and fear I had.
Alec glances at the door and then back to me. He blinks a few times and then steps closer. I clench my jaw, not able to say anything. I'd hoped it wouldn't have had to come to this, but it had. "Darling." Alec says gently.
I stare into his eyes, startled by the soft light in them. Alec's hand cups my cheek and he looks deeply into my eyes. Suddenly, he snaps out of it and retracts his hand.
"You shouldn't have come back. Why did you-" He stops. "How did you..." Alec's eyes notice the sand sticking to my legs and he turns towards the small door. Part of me wants to make a run for it, bolt for the stairs and hope it catches him off guard. I won't make it, and he's already turned back to face me.
"Please, don't-" I begin. Alec pushes me to a wall. I can't breathe as he holds his body close to mine. Oh god, please don't feel the knife.
"Shh, don't speak." He places his hand over my mouth and I hear the clink of chains. My eyes search for the source but I can't see anything. Alec's hand is keeping my head in place and I can't move a muscle as his own strength is crushing mine.
"Let me-" I start but Alec tightens his hold. Suddenly, the clinking stops and he releases me so abruptly I start to fall, not being able to support myself. He quickly straightens me and looks me over carefully.
"Darling, I have to... You can't be here." He looks at me earnestly. "Alex is going crazy and the games have become worse, you'll be-"
"Why do you care?" I snap. Emotions were pouring out of me. I was confused, angry, hurting, tired. I hadn't showered in days... Who knows how bad my breath smelled right now? I didn't want Alec giving me these conflicting emotions.
"Darling, I can help you but you need to... You'll have to listen very closely and-"
"Why are you helping me?" I ask, quieter this time. Tears were pulling on the back of my eyes. If someone could just take this away from me, I'd be all the better for it. "You're the one who took me in the first place."
"I know, Darling, and I'm sorry but, you can't stay down here." Alec glances to the door and then back at me. "Alex is coming soon." I feel my bottom lip trembling.
"I just want this to be over." I whisper. Alec is silent for a moment.
"So beat the game." He tells me gently. My eyes lock on his and I frown.
"What?"
"Beat the game, Darling. If you win, you're released from all of this."
"How do I beat the game? It's not like I even know what the game is." I grumble. Alec rolls his eyes.
"In order to beat the game, you must lose to game maker." Alec says slowly. I watch his eyes carefully, trying to see the hidden meaning. "In order to beat the game maker you must understand the game."
"In order to understand the game you'd have to play." I return quietly. Alec nods slowly.
"But a game only lasts so long." He says it encouragingly, but then his face falls. "And there are always losers." Alec goes silent and I look at the ground.
My eyes look back up at Alec's to see he's already looking at me. There's a small noise coming from the stairs. The next move I made was instinctual and I couldn't have stopped myself if I'd tried. I shoved Alec a little and he grabbed my wrist swiftly, an act of defense.
"It wasn't my intention to run into you." I say quietly. He lets go of my wrist and looks at me thoughtfully.
"Oh? Then what was your intention?" He repeats the words I once said to him.
"Well, I was playing a game." I look at him closely and Alec grins.
"A game?"
"Yes, would you like to play?" I wait for a response, and I get one, but not from Alec.
"But of course I would."
Alexander.