Grimm Games

Chapter 15: Witchy Madness

The forest descended into an eerie hush after the climactic demise of the Witch. Her body lay motionless only feet from the Jeffrey brothers and I. Her pungent odor of moldy dough lingered in the air.

"Backstage medical?" I angled my head at the boys. "You've been backstage?"

The younger brother cocked his eye to his companion. I could see them debating what level of trust lied between us in their facial expressions.

The older, lightly bearded one returned the improvised staff to his brother as he spoke to me, "You're the vagrant, right?"

"No, the activist. At least that's the label they chose for me," I responded, acknowledging the weight of my brass blade and cuff on my forearm. It served as a constant reminder that all of us were constantly on edge in this brutal game. "But you can just call me Kam." I stepped forward, offering a friendly hand to gauge their interest in forming an alliance.

My effort to come across as approachable quickly fell flat when he frowned, causing me to retract my outstretched arm and return to my previous stance.

"Don't," the tall one went on. One hand gripped his thorny baton in defense. "Just stay back, okay? We were forced to work together in that challenge. That's it."

I paid close attention to his warning, especially considering their imposing presence as they stood shoulder to shoulder.

"We're not like some of the other ones here," his brother continued, his deep complexion slightly fairer and containing the supple look of youth compared to his brother. "We play fair and will only take you out if we have to."

"Dylan!" The bearded brother responded with a scoff, clearly unimpressed by his sibling's honesty and bluntness.

I gulped, instantly intimidated by their straightforwardness, but reminded myself this was a game. A deadly competition where only one pair of siblings was expected to survive.

"Same." I nodded, choosing to maintain a non-threatening distance. "I'm not here to hurt anyone. I'm just trying to find my sister Millie. I can't let her fight through these games alone. She means too much to me, to our parents. I just wish I had the guts to show her and my folks that before she decided to secretly sign up. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here."

I reflected on the trivia question that suggested my parents had disowned me for joining the Games. Mom and Dad had instilled a strong sense of responsibility in me from a young age, both for myself and for those less fortunate, especially my sister. Wouldn't joining the Grimm Games to bring Millie home safely be a part of that duty?

Wouldn't they be proud of how far I was willing to go to protect my sister and ensure her safety?

"I'm Spencer." The taller, unshaven one nodded, maintaining the awkward distance between us and the lifeless body of the Witch. "This is my little shit wad of a brother, Dylan."

"Asshole," Dylan murmured loud enough to show his dissatisfaction but low enough to tame any possible confrontation.

Spencer ignored his brother and gave me an inquisitive once over. "Our stories sound similar," he continued, lifting his chin confidently, making me feel as if he softened a bit due to a newfound sense of relatability. "Producers contacted me after this soggy sack of nuts signed himself up like a fool. They were looking for siblings for their fifteenth season special or some bullshit."

So, did he despise Grimm Games and Arcanum Entertainment too? Did he not care for the jackpot and the winning spot either?

"Yeah, they really know how to reel us in, don't they?" I agreed, allowing my guard down just a bit when I saw his once tense shoulders relax.