Page 57 of Wicked Games

April shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she said, voice quavering. “The rules are pretty clear. One light must be red by the end.”

“So then we just take someone’s collar off and turn it red.”

“No. It clearly says the collars must remain on us at all times,” Maverick said. “There’s no way around it. Someone has to die.”

“How does the collar kill us?” Kiara asked, wide eyes filled with dread. “Will our heads explode?”

Rhys frowned as he examined one of the collars. “I don’t see any kind of incendiary device on this,” he said. “I’m guessing there’s some sort of mechanism inside that slowly tightens it and chokes the person to death.”

“Oh my god. I think I’m going to be sick,” Jasmine said, leaning against the edge of the table. “Being choked to death is one of my worst nightmares.”

Hudon smirked. “I thought most girls were into choking these days.”

“Are you fucking serious right now?” April snapped, eyes narrowing. “You thinknowis the time for a dirty sex joke?”

“Who says I’m joking?”

“Hudson, unless you have something constructive to say, shut the fuck up,” Maverick said, face twisting into a scowl.

Tate stuck his hand up. “I have something constructive to say,” he said in a strangely flat tone. “Someone has to die, and I think it has to be Carey. Last one in, first one out.”

I shrank back, mouth going dry.

“What?” April’s eyes bulged, and she grabbed my arm. “No!”

“Yes.” Tate’s eyes glittered maliciously as he looked around the group. “If we have to pick someone, it makes sense for it to be her.”

“Sorry, but I agree,” Kiara said. “Most of us barely know Carey. So obviously we pick her.”

“Stop talking about her like she’s not in the room!” Zach snapped. “She’s right here, and she’s a fucking person! Treat her like one!”

“Okay. Fine.” Tate’s gaze fell on my face. “Carey, we’re choosing you to die. Got it?”

“No, you’re not!” April shouted, stepping in front of me. “Stay the fuck away from her!”

He shrugged. “I can tag you too if you want to get in my way,” he said. “But either way, I’m tagging Carey. She’s the one who really needs to go.”

“You’re not going to get me,” I said in a low voice, shaking my head. “Not if I get you first.”

“Oh, sure. You’lltotallytag me first with those short, skinny little arms of yours,” he replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Yeah, sorry, Carey, but you don’t stand a chance,” Jasmine added, arching a brow. “Guess it’s time to say goodbye, huh?”

“Jesus, can you all shut the fuck up?” Maverick said, slamming a hand on the table. “Let’s just put the collars on, start the game, and see what happens. Okay?”

I swallowed hard, rooted to the spot in terror. April put her collar on with trembling hands, and then she helped affix mine to my neck. “Don’t worry,” she whispered as it clicked shut. “We’ll defend you. Someone else will be gone by the end of the game.”

“Can everyone activate their collars now?” Rhys called out. “I want to get this over and done with.”

We all pressed our buttons with shaky hands. My light turned on, green like the others, and at the exact same time,an enormous red digital timer on the ceiling switched on and started counting down from 20:00.

“Run, Carey!” April screamed, shoving me in the back. “Hide in the maze!”

Adrenaline flooded my veins, and I sprinted away. Just before I entered the maze, I turned my head over my shoulder to see April clawing at the back of Tate’s sweater to hold him back from going after me. Zach and Brooke were standing by, watching helplessly, and the other six players were heading for the maze.

I whirled back around, ran inside, and took the first left. Seconds later, I heard footsteps pounding on the ground somewhere to my right. I breathed a short sigh of relief, grateful that no one had picked the same path as me.

There was a sudden scuffling of footsteps behind me, and someone grabbed my sweater and yanked me backward. My heart sank. I wasn’t alone on my path after all.

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