Page 193 of Deviant

I’m at a loss on how to help Abbie. I turned to Elias for any suggestions he might have, only to find him in a corner of the room talking with Andy. I was so wrapped up in tryingto help Abbie survive her game, that for a fleeting moment, I forgot that this might be the last time I ever see Andy again. I feel as if someone just hit me square in the chest, leaving me overwhelmed with a sense of impotence and powerlessness.

When Abbie comes back, looking more resolute, I rush yet again to her side, needing to help at least one of my friends faceThe Scourge.

“I know he’s scary. I know he’s a brute and a total pig at times. But you need to face your fears. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to pick which room you want, so that means ifThe Scourgeknows that you don’t want to be alone with Big Mike in the dark, then the black room is exactly the room they’ll pick.”

Her eyes widen in alarm.

“I can’t,” she says, shaking her head. As her body begins to tremble, I instinctively grip her shoulders for support.

“You can and you will.The Scourgeis a suckler for the rules, right? Well, one of those rules says that no one can lay a finger on the other without their say-so. When Elias killed Chris, they made it very clear whoever broke that sacred rule would be punished. So the minute you two are alone in that room, remind Big Mike of that. I guarantee you that his self-preservation will kick in, and he’ll leave you alone.”

“Okay. I can do that,” she says more confidently, her fear seeming to subside with this plan.

“Good. That’s good, Abbie,” I praise, pulling her into a hug. “This will all be over before you know it. I promise you.”

“What about Andy?” she whispers anxiously.

My shoulders slump at her question, as we both give our friend one final glance.

“He’s made his choice. We have to respect it. No matter how much it hurts.”

The Persian rug beneath Elias’s feet shows the telltale signs of his anxiety, its vibrant patterns shifting and blurring as he paces restlessly in the den, his fingers raking through his hair in frustration. It’s been well over an hour since Henry took our friends downstairs, and still we haven’t heard news from any of them.

Though when they do finally show up, I predict that Andy will not be amongst them.

I know in my heart that Andy will not survive today’s challenge. He made it very clear what his intentions were. Only Elias still clings to hope, and I can’t bear to snatch that away from him—The Scourgewill strip it from all of us sooner or later. But just as that chilling thought creeps into my mind, a sudden commotion erupts from the hallway. Elias and I dash toward the sound, discovering David limping, his arm draped around Big Mike for support as he tries to walk upright. Trailing behind them is a smirking Mackenzie and a crestfallen Abbie.

“What happened?” Elias and I say in unison.

“What does it look like? The fucking bitch sawed off my toes!” David shouts pissed.

“You told me to keep it above the waist. I thought your feet were fair game.” She shrugs like it was his fault.

I pull Abbie aside giving her a once over to see if she’s alright. She looks a bit shaken, but at least she’s whole.

“Are you okay?”

She nods.

“You were right. They did place us in the black room.”

“And?”

“And I told him what you said. That he couldn’t hurt me. If he did,The Scourgewould punish him.”

“And that kept him in line?”

“It did.” She gives me a weak smile.

“Oh, thank God.” I pull her into a hug. “I was so worried.”

But as I have Abbie safe and sound in my arms, I see that two of the chosen that went down, are nowhere in sight.

“Where’s Andy?” Elias asks, after he scans the hallway and doesn’t see him. “Where the fuck is Andy?”

“He’s dead, Elias,” Abbie whispers.

Elias just stares at her like she just spoke a foreign language.

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