These Wicked Games

Chapter 16

With my back to the door, I close my eyes trying to catch a breath to think about what I'm going to do next.

I'm still in a state of shock and am willing my heart to calm down. What just happened? Did the board really kill all those people? What game is this that we're playing? I just don't understand, but I know I don't want to be here.

I open my eyes and see Hayes stand up from my bed, walking towards me, worry in his eyes. "Sophie, you're okay!" He breathes a sigh of relief and I drop my bat to the floor, gripping my gun in both hands. "There's something I need to —"

"Uh uh! No! Stay the fuck away from me!" I cry out as I shove him away from me and point the gun at him. "Who the hell are you? You just shot that girl in the head! That could've been me." I say in realization.

I turn and grab the door knob to leave but he pins me against it, keeping it closed and me in place. He twists my hand and the gun falls to the floor.

"Sophie, I need you to calm down and listen to me. I have to explain, just let me explain." I struggle, trying to get away, but he firmly holds me down.

"Yeah, now you wanna talk! I didn't agree to this, how could you let me join?" I scream back, giving up. I'm obviously no match. He turns me around so we're face to face, his hands pinning mine above my head.

"I'm sorry, trouble." He says, leaning his forehead on mine. "I was selfish, I know that. But you don't get it, I needed you. I still need you. You're the last piece in this whole—"

Banging at the door startles us both into silence. "Sophie! Sophie it's us, open your door!" Callum whispers right on the other side.

We both stay silent, waiting for them to leave. "I just heard you, I know you're in there. Bitch don't fucking make me tear down this door Sophie!" Evie screams out. "They're gonna hear us. We're leaving, you coming or what?"

My eyes widen in horror. No don't leave me! I think to myself.

"Let me go Hayes. If you ever cared about me, please let me go." The tears start running down from under my mask and his eyes glaze over.

"The only way you'll ever know the truth is if you play the game." He pleads and I shake my head at him. I want to go home.

He drops his head in defeat. I struggle again, catching him off guard, head butting him in the process, knocking him a few steps back.

I turn and open the door and he quickly hides on the other side of it as Evie is about ready to charge her shoulder at the door. "Fucking hell Soph." She huffs as she places her hands on her knees letting out deep breaths.

There's three other people in the group, that I remember seeing at breakfast this morning, holding their weapons looking around nervously. A man with bare knuckles, and two women, the one who stole the dagger and the other with a flintlock. "We're gonna try the front gate, come on let's go." Callum says and everyone starts for the stairs.

"And take that stupid mask off!" Evie steps forward and pulls it off, throwing it back in the room behind me. "Fucking assholes, I swear if I see any of them, I'm going to hatchet the hell out of their faces."

I catch Hayes from the side reaching for the gun and I try not to give away that he's in here. I might be mad at him, but I don't want him dead. I head through the door to follow behind them and Hayes grabs my wrist. "Stay." He pleads and I think for a second what he meant by playing the game and finding out the truth. What truth?