Page 25 of Bleeding Hearts
I reread the texts before opening the thread with my brother. We haven’t spoken since our argument, but he texted me that night and I never replied.
Alek: Make sure to eat.
That’s it, but it’s his way of telling me he loves me. Sighing, I close my messages and lean back.
All those notifications, but none from the person I really want to hear from.
We get an hour’s notice before the game tonight. That’s it. As soon as I have the location, which is a note slid under my door, I text it to Autumn, who assures me the police will break it up. It might get Lally in trouble, but that’s fine. It would be better if she was locked up instead of dead. Plus, I’ll be in the cell next to her, and we have a good lawyer, even if he can be an ass.
Zipping up my leather jacket, I cover the tied crop top and shove my hands into my white pants pockets. I was gettingdressed to go to a movie when it came through and had to ditch my friends.
I instantly spot Lally in the crowd. We are on a deserted road outside of Pine Valley. I had to catch two buses just to get here. She’s wearing a skirt with a plaid pattern on one side, and on the other, where her thigh is exposed, there’s a garter with a heart in the middle. Her hair is tied back in a messy ponytail with feathers hanging from it, and her ears drip with chains. She isn’t wearing her glasses today. It’s been a while since I saw her in them, and I miss them. Her makeup is dark, with black lips and black eyeliner, and she looks so fucking good.
We all line up on the dark road, and I look around nervously for what the next game could be as I check my phone, wondering what time the police will get here. There’s a rumble of engines, and my eyes widen. Is that them? Surely they would come with lights on.
Four trucks appear on the horizon, and they spin and reverse to face us. The backs are covered in tarps with the ends open, allowing for us to see rows of seats inside. The windows are tinted, so I can’t see inside the cab. I’m guessing we have to get in, but why? I turn to Lally, but she’s already in a truck, so I clamber in after the others, and once the vehicles are full, they set off, heading toward the horizon. I hold onto the seat as we bump over the road, disappearing just as sirens cut through the air in the distance.
Did they know?
Are they watching me?
Oh fuck, this can’t be good.
We drive for over an hour, the ground almost becoming impassable. We are thrown around the back like rag dolls until we jerk to a stop, and we all go flying. Nothing is said, but we all peer out of the back and realize we need to climb out.
My eyes slowly adjust to the darkness, and I blink at where we are. There isn’t a city light in sight, and nothing but hills and farmland as far as the eye can see. To the left is an abandoned barn, and farther in the distance is an old farmhouse, but there are no lights on, and even from here, I can see it’s overgrown and forgotten. In front of us, a wall of trees separates us from the rest of the world.
It's isolated and dark and not much else.
What the fuck is this game? I search the crowd for Lally when horrified gasps sound, and I spin to see what they are seeing. That’s when my own horror rises as I realize what this game will be.
The slightly muddy ground holds twelve deep holes the sizes of coffins, and when I silently head closer, I see the wooden caskets inside the holes, the lids open.
“Are we going to be buried alive?” someone at my side murmurs.
“Fuck this, I’m out,” another hisses.
All I can do is stare at that casket, wondering how the hell I’m going to make it through this when I hate tight spaces. I never used to have an issue with them, but after that night, after hiding in the dark . . . yeah, I hate them. Even now, I sleep with a soft lamp on, and my door is always open so the space doesn’t feel constricting.
My throat feels thick, and my body overheats as panic sets in. I’m debating whether or not I can do this when huge stadium lights abruptly turn on, illuminating the macabre setting in a stark white glare. Past the holes and the coffins is a table, which is set up in the middle of them.
Something lies on top of it, but I can’t see clearly from here. A bang sounds behind me, making me turn, and my eyes widen when I see masked people climbing from the trucks. Their faces are completely obscured by melting smiley face masks, and black jumpsuits cover their bodies. They head past us and stand behind the table, their arms behind their backs.
What are they waiting for?
I have a terrible feeling, and when my eyes go back to the coffins, I wonder if this is when I will lose both the games and Lally.
The same automated voice from the other games flows through the speakers. “Welcome to Risk, players.” We all shift uncomfortably. “You are here because you are still in the competition. Tonight’s game is all about facing your fears. Like everything else, if there is no risk, there is no reward. We have taken twelve of the most common phobias and fears from the gathered players, and tonight, you will face them. When you are called, you will pick a card and then climb into the corresponding coffin. You must stay inside that coffin for five minutes. If you choose to leave at any time, you will lose the game and be disqualified. Good luck, and happy playing, risk takers.”
My dread only grows, and I feel sick. I want to run away, but at the same time, I’m frozen in one spot. My stomach roils, and goose bumps erupt across my arms. What do they mean, fears? I don’t understand, but it seems they don’t want to explain.
“Please step forward when your name is called, select a card, and await further instructions,” one of the masked people calls,their voice distorted. “Sandra White, Black Halls, Alice Anders, Callum Thorn, Wren Jacks, Lally Stewart, Lauren Harris, Clark Robinson, Garcia Martin, Lee Walker, Isha Scott, and Cassandra Adams.”
Of fucking course, because how unlucky can I be?
People hesitantly start to step forward, and I have no choice but to follow. I look for Lally as I follow them to the table, but I can’t see her, so I turn around and run into someone. I apologize weakly as I finally get a closer look at what awaits us.
There are twelve cards, all with the Risk logo on the back, shining in the light.
