There comes a point in everyone's life when they think about dying.
I'm at that point.
I'm completely disgusted with myself that I thought about killing Alec, Alex, and Trisha. Everything in me is screaming to not go through with the mastermind plan that I've created but I don't think I can stop. I'm losing my sanity, but in order to save myself I need to have a defense system.
The book was filled with instructions to the traps. It showed ones that should be used to kill, to harm, to scare, or to be unexplainable. I had found the list of the traps Alec planned to use tomorrow at the beginning of the book. They wouldn't be set up until later, but something told me Alec needed this to make his traps successful.
I'd retreated to the dining room. My body covered the book as I peered into it. Paranoia was settling in to the highest degree. I found the book to be well written and very precise. It was interesting, needless to say, but I was never so afraid to do anything in my life.
There was a very small chance I could make this successful. I reread the page I was on:
In order to trigger the contraption the player must set off cord E-74. This will set off the correct velocity to capture the player in a-
I hear footsteps. My heart beat increases. I sprint towards the door to the basement, praying I make it before someone else does. As I descend the stairs I listen intently for someone following me. I don't hear anything.
I enter the basement, book in hand. There are no souls in sight. My feet lead me to the tunnel and I inspect it with the utmost scrutiny. It wasn't sealed.
I flip through the book, noticing the page which has a picture of cord E-74. I looked at the cords, frowning when I saw the simple string that reached up to the ceiling. My ears caught the sound of yelling upstairs. I brushed it off, looking over the cords again. The yelling increased above me.
I struggled to comprehend how all of this was set up with such precision. Not one string touched another. It was such an ingenious creation and you could not help but stare at the effectiveness. The shouts became louder.
I set the cord up so that the next one to walk by the trap would trigger it. According to these instructions, it would only "capture the player in an entanglement long enough to slow them."
I shuffled up the steps after that, reading instructions as I felt my way up the stairs. It wasn't long before I could make out the words.
"She took it! I'm telling you!" Alec's voice pierces the air. I pause at the top of the stairs and take those horrid glasses off so I could see. It was a constant struggle to put them on and take them off. My attention was once more grabbed by the rebuttal of Alex.
"Alec! There is no way she could read the book. The glasses are always kept in a separate room unless they're in use. You know that she couldn't have possibly-" Alex stops talking. I smirk, fingering the glasses in my hand fondly.
Oh, how sweet revenge will be.
I chuckled as Alex resumed talking. "Maybe you've misplaced it. You seemed so willing to misplace your attention during the games, specifically to Austen. I could see how you fell into that pattern again. We will check the library."
"Why are you so quick to assume it was my fault? My actions were anything but distracted when I focused on Darling and I-"
"You cannot focus on one girl, Alec. That ruins the-"
"I am sick of your accusations!" Alec's voice was roaring. I flinched even though I couldn't see him. "I am running this game! You were never in charge of her, you didn't know her like I did. Alexander, I don't want you to accuse me of one more thing or I will-"
"You will what?" Alex sneers. I hear a small, uncomfortable shuffle in the silence that proceeded.
"Alexander," That was Trisha, her voice was soft and I felt my lips twist into a snarl even though she couldn't see me. "Just-"
"I am not afraid to slit your throat." Alec's voice was low. "I do not need you and you are interfering with my game. There should be a bullet between your eyes already. The moment you walked into her room when I-"
"You shouldn't have been in her room in the first place!" Alex shouts, his voice meeting the intensity Alec had. "I swear you are an insolent fool. You should have left her there where she was beaten. If she could have gotten back from that then you would know she could win this."
"I'm the insolent fool? She's missing, she has the book, and now she is on the brink of the insanity because she believes she's the cause of a girl's death. My darling could be plotting our deaths, running away, or maybe she's killing herself in another room. I don't know because I can't find her!"
"You're jealous because I have someone who loves me and you can't get anyone to love you for-"
"What does love have to do with this? I don't need anyone to love me. I've never been loved or accepted. I don't need it. I'm still here aren't I? The only reason you have a girl is because she survived and didn't know she had another option." Alec was breathing heavily and I realized he was right on the other side of the door.
My feet slipped me back downstairs. I was willing to miss the conversation if I was able to hide the book. Frantically, I searched the basement and hid the book in a slip of the control desk. It was an obvious place, but Alec wouldn't look in an obvious place. I started up the stairs, glasses in hand, and heard the shouting had increased.
"I hate you! You don't know what you're doing! If you let her go she will expose us. There is no promise or blackmail you can make that will keep her silent. She's already out of control and-"
"So you admit she's out of control and yet you still tell me that this situation is in control?" Alec's question demands an answer but Alexander won't respond. "I want a meeting in our office in an hour. Don't be late and don't come up missing. This needs to be discussed behind closed doors." Alec's voice was hard and cool. I shivered.
The footsteps receded. I relaxed. There were soft sobs ringing in my ears as I was about to leave. I froze once more. The sobs increased and I heard soft murmurings. My ears strained to hear and I could barely make out Alex's voice soothing Trisha.
"... not going to hurt me... go to meeting... until then." I frowned. Trisha was saying something incoherent back. My hands twisted around the glasses. I just wanted to snap them in half, but I needed them. "Trisha, I love you..." I roll my eyes at the soppy words Alex used to comfort Trisha. "... be fine. Don't worry about..." I almost kicked the door in anger of not being able to hear everything.
"Alexander!" Trisha screamed. I jumped. There was a scuffle of feet and I heard someone get thrown against the door in front of me. Immediately, I retreated back to the basement and heard footsteps running after me. My body curled behind the crates Alec had failed to move. I searched feverishly for better cover but I didn't see any.
"Why did you abandon your post?" I hear a fist collide with skin. My eyes caught movement by the door and I saw Alex holding a guard by his shirt. Both men had bruises forming on their faces with blood running down their noses. "Answer me, boy!"
"I didn't abandon my post, Sir." Is the response. I searched the boys face, seeing the lines that aged him more than they should have. The boy was only about my age. Why did he look so much older?
"Then who gave you orders to enter the dining room and-"
"The boss, Sir. He said to take Trisha to her room and inform you he wanted a brief meeting before-" Alex smacked the boy and shoved him to his knees.
"You will never touch Trisha without my consent ever again. You should have told me what you were doing before you dared to-" the guard tried to stand and Alex sent him sprawling to the ground. Immediately, the young boy scrambled to his feet and put distance between Alex and himself.
"I was informed to get her first and explain later." The boy straightened his shirt. Alex was steaming. "I didn't do anything wrong, Sir. Please excuse me while I-"
"You're not excused." Alex's hands land on the boy's shoulders. It's a sudden blur of movements and both are entangled in a fight, each one landing their own deadly blows. My eyes shut when there's a sickening thump and I hear Alex stumble up the stairs, cursing his brothers name the entire time. When there's a solid slam of the door closing, I creep out.
The boy's breathing is shallow. I look over his face, bruised and bleeding. My heart hurts as I slowly turn him to lay on his back. His black clothes are form-fitting, showing his muscular arms which were now laying uselessly at his sides. I brush his blonde hair back from his face and see a nasty bump forming on his forehead.
I creep over to the control desk, where the book was hidden, and I find a first-aid kit. My hands fidget as I start to clean the boys face. I'm in the middle of applying a cream to his cheek when his hand grips my wrist in a vice grip. I freeze, not letting him know how awful it hurt. My hands still hand bandages from when Alec had almost cut my hands off.
"What are you doing?" The boy asked, his voice gravelly with pain. I swallowed my fear, knowing this boy could turn me into Alec or even snap my neck here and now.
"Putting cream on your cheek." I whisper. He sits up, grimacing as he did so, never letting go of my wrist. My brain told me to get away from him.
"Where is the scum bag who-"
"Alexander went up the stairs, claiming that Alec set you up for this." I say smoothly. The boy lets my wrist go, eyeing me up and down with piercing blue eyes. I don't move.
"My boss knew full well I was the only boy to give Alexander a fight." The boy flinches as he tries to stand. I don't offer help. Boys are sensitive about their egos. "What's your name?" He asks when he stands. I look up at him and slowly stand as well.
"Austen." The boy tenses and he looks me over skeptically.
"I thought you'd look different." He shakes his head. "I'm supposed to turn you in." He raises an eyebrow at me, waiting for me to argue. I smile.
"I'm sure you are." The boy's lips quirk into a smug grin. "What's your name?" I ask hesitantly.
"Jared." He pauses. "Austen, I have to bring you to Alec he- what's in your hand?" I back up immediately as Jared reaches for the glasses. My protective side comes out and I know inside of me, that I should give them up. "What are they?"
"Nothing of your concern." I purse my lips. He steps closer. My back hits the crates. I slip the glasses into a crate and step forward to distract my movement. Jared grabs my waist and I meet his gaze. He's trying to decide if he wants to reach for the glasses behind me or keep me close to him.
"Why do you have them?" Jared whispers at our close proximity. He seems to be in deep thought.
"Why don't you?" I return evenly. Jared pulls me closer. I feel my breathing hitch.
"He warned me about your questions.Why do you have-"
"I'm going to kill them." I snap. Jared freezes.
"What?"
"I'm going to kill them." I reiterate. Jared is silent for a minute before he smiles.
"Count me in."