Page 71 of Death Match

Trying desperately to hold on to the few cloudy memories I had found, I didn’t dare look over my shoulder at Cole. Because if I did and saw his handsome face creased with sorrow, I might lose myself, close the door, and walk back into his arms. Everything he said was true. I did deserve this life. It was what I had always wanted. And after everything living-Jade had gone through, after everythingIhad gone through, why shouldn’t I take this for myself? Why shouldn’t I be just a little bit selfish, for once in my life?

But at the cost of everyone’s souls? It wasn’t worth it.

“Jade.” The grief in his voice was like a spear to my heart. “Please. Don’t go.”

I took a deep breath. The cool metal of the doorknob against my hand did nothing to ease the conflict warring inside of me. The need to turn around was so great, but I just couldn’t do it. I squeezed the knob tighter, not trusting myself.

I wanted to give in so, so bad.

But I couldn’t.

I closed my eyes to keep the rising tears at bay.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out in a sob and stepped through the front door. A second longer and I would have stayed and changed my mind.

When I passed through the doorframe, there was a flash of bright light and a burst of coldness in my chest. Right through my heart.

The new car, the old Victorian house, and Cole vanished in a flare of blinding whiteness.

Gone. Forever.

My body trembled all over, and my head whirled with everything that I had just experienced. When my vision finally returned to me, I was in a basement that had been reconfigured into a bedroom space, fully equipped with carpeting, a box television, couch, queen-sized bedframe, and posters of various famous boxers and MMA fighters on the walls.

My body tingled with awareness. I was in another memory instead of transferring to the maze’s center again.

I wondered why…

Hopefully I hadn’t done something wrong in the Trial.

Just thinking about the entire constructed life with Cole made biting sorrow and regret well up inside, so I pushed it out of my head.

For now, anyway.

I found living-Jade and Ricky in the back corner of the room, where a small gym had been set up. Complete with free weights, mats, a punching bag, and a full-person dummy on a stick to practice combat moves on. Which Jade was doing, punching and kicking the thing to Ricky’s instructions and encouragement.

Wanting to let go of everything I’d witnessed in the last Trial, I moved closer to Ricky and Jade. Out of all my memories that were coming back in pieces, this one would be the most important. This was the one that would reveal how I had died.

Living-Jade was wailing on the mannequin as Ricky held it at arm’s length. Sweat dripped down the side of her face, and her cheeks were red with exhaustion. No longer wearing her jacket, her bruises were on full display with just the tank top on, some of them dark green and purple in their age and stage of healing.

I winced. They looked painful. Again, my curiosity peeked. Who would do that to her? What could she have possibly done to warrant such abuse?

At least she didn’t seem to be self-conscious about it anymore.

“That’s it, Jade,” Ricky grunted with each of her blows. The dummy shook with the power behind them. “Faster jabs. Aim for the weak points I told you about. There you go.”

She spun and swung her foot around, nailing the dummy on the side of the head with her heel.

Ricky appeared pleased with that. “And that’s a knockout,” he said, stepping aside and smiling. “You’re getting better.”

Jade wiped her slick forehead with the back of a hand. “Thanks,” she gasped between breaths. “Do you think we can work more on a surprise attack. Maybe from behind or something?”

Ricky moved to the mat and beckoned her over to join him. “Sure.”

“Actually…” Living-Jade stopped mid-stride, a new thought flashing across her face. “I want to call Tina and make sure she’s okay.”

“Why? Shouldn’t she be over at her friend’s?”

I chewed my bottom lip nervously as I watched. I had a bad feeling about this, and, from the looks of it, living-Jade did, too. Something that involved Tina.

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