Page 143 of Ignite

“I-I haven’t signed up for any games? Is this a joke?”

My hands tremble, and I push myself against the wall. Bertie stays protectively beside me, barking with all the aggression that big softie can muster.

“Miss, this isn’t a joke. If you don’t come willingly, we will have to use other measures, which we would rather avoid.”

I look at my phone again.

“Don’t make any stupid moves.” The one at the front steps forward.

I need Conan.

“Hands behind your back and turn around.”

“Am I being arrested?”

He chuckles as I do as he says. He clasps them together with cuffs and places some black material over my head. A mask of some sort?

As I blink, it all goes dark when he fastens some kind of blindfold over my eyes.

“We’re heading to a secure location. Time to go, Contestant Ten.”

My blood runs cold. Maybe this is a reality TV show of some kind that Lily has signed me up for.

But they looked so scary. And those guns were real.

“I need to tell my family.” My voice shakes as he turns me around and leads me abruptly through the house.

“No. You don’t. You belong to Decadence now.” His voice is lethal.

Silent tears roll down my cheeks. I think I’m going to die.

I’m escorted into a car and he presses on the top of my head to guide me inside.

And then it’s silent.

As the carcomes to a slow stop, a door opens and slams shut. And then cold air whips over my skin as my door is opened.

It smells earthy. Like the woods. I’m bundled out of the vehicle and led down a gravel track.

A door creaks open and I’m escorted inside, the lock clicks behind.

My eyes are blurry as the blindfold is removed. All I can see is wooded walls and a single table and chairs in the middle.

“Sit,” he grunts.

I do as he says, my leg bouncing erratically. I’m cold and terrified.

“Your hunter will provide clear instructions shortly,” he tells me.

As I look into the left corner, I see the red dot of a camera flashing. Below it is a small round table with a black rucksack and a green underwear set.

What the hell is going on?

Pulling the paper up on the desk, it’s as if I’m looking at another language.

Congratulations, Contestant Ten. You have made it to the Decadence Chase.

Now that you have entered the woods, you have become both the hunter and the prey.

---