Page 157 of Deviant

“How does someone force anyone to do anything they don’t want to?” Ruby asks like I’m talking out of my ass.

“Our hosts can be pretty persuasive. But I’m sure you’ll find that out for yourself when your games begin.”

Ruby’s nostrils flare, but her hate doesn’t even make a dent in my heart.

Not when it was already trampled on by Elias earlier.

As I look around the hallway, my bruised heart dips into my stomach, seeing everyone here, except for him.

“We should let Lucy rest. When she feels up to it, then we can ask her what happened. Abbie, Harper, and I will keep a close watch over her in the meantime.”

“Okay, but if you need anything, just give us a shout,” Andy says sorrowfully before following everyone else downstairs.

I wave him goodbye and then return back inside.

At least while I’m here looking after Lucy, I can pretend that Elias doesn’t hate me.

But the scene in front of me is just as disheartening, if not more.

Lucy lies motionless on the bed, staring at blank space, her hysterical tears long dried up.

“Lucy, do you want us to get you something to eat? Or to drink, maybe?” I ask softly.

She doesn’t answer me, doesn’t so much as even acknowledge my presence, preferring to stare at the wall.

“I can only imagine the horrors she must be reliving,” Harper whispers as Lucy continues to stare into the void, completely checked out of all reality.

“At least she’s no longer screaming. That’s progress, right?” Abbie says as she gently rubs Lucy’s back.

I throw Abbie a gentle smile instead of answering her.

I’m all for celebrating the small wins in life, but something tells me that the Lucy we once knew is long gone. Nothing to celebrate there.

We all sit around Lucy and wait for her to give us any signs of life. But even if that’s too much for her right now, at least she’ll know she has us. That she doesn’t have to go through this alone.

After a few hours, Lucy thankfully succumbs to sleep, her mind too exhausted to stay awake.

“Did you see him?” Abbie asks me.

“Who? Lucas?”

She nods.

“No. After Lucy exited the room, the door locked behind her. Elias tried to get in, but Henry showed up and told us that he would retrieve the body and deal with it according to the Hosts’ demands.”

“Whatever that means.” Harper scoffs. “It’s not like any of the dozen have ever had a proper burial.”

When I see Abbie flinch, I discreetly kick Harper’s shins and widen my eyes at her to be more careful with her words.

“Sorry,” Harper mouths, rubbing at her shins.

“What… what was… it like?” Abbie asks me, hugging her legs to her chest.

“The games?”

“Yeah,” Harper chimes in, just as curious.

“It was… intense.”

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