Treacherous Hearts

Chapter Five: The Tower

I knew that by the time I took my mask off, I would need to have my features perfectly schooled to match the Innocents around me. To do so, I had to find a way to quiet the thudding rhythm of my heart, which felt, at that moment, as though it would burst out of my chest. Nothing on my face could give away my excitement. With that in mind, I manipulated my expression into something as close to calm and reassuring as I could, and I threw a little bewilderment in for good measure. I had to look as confused as everyone else, even though, as I was now keenly aware, I held all of the cards.

With a swoosh, my Guard leaned forwards and ripped the mask from my face. I sat there, blinking, in the bright light. After so many moments of darkness, even the dim glow of the Round Room was almost too much.

The atmosphere in the room had shifted so totally that I didn't even recognise the faces around me. To my left, the doddery older gentleman that I had entered with looked like a deer in the headlights, and to my right the shy young woman I had barely noticed on my arrival was almost reduced to a blubbering mess.

Neither of these people would survive this competition.

I, too, was looking at the other competitors in a new light; when I entered this competition, they were predators. Now, they were prey.

I wasn't quite sure what would happen next, as this was as much as the Producers had revealed. From this point forwards, all of us were on our own. Suddenly, as though summoned by an invisible signal, the Guards turned and walked towards the exit, beckoning for us to follow them.

The walk back to the hall was completely silent. When I tried to make eye contact with Marcus, he shifted his gaze nervously. Did that mean that he was a Saboteur too? I felt almost giddy with the thought; if I had a friend in my corner, this whole experience would be a lot easier. As it was, I was totally alone. Although, if Marcus was a Saboteur, he was doing a shitty job of hiding it.

The next three hours passed by in a blur of introductions and polite small talk, as drinks and canapes made their way around the room. I found it strange that we were being plied with alcohol at this early stage in the competition, although it made sense from the Producers' perspective; the drunker we all got, the more likely we were to slip up and incriminate ourselves. At this thought, I subtly threw my champagne into one of the potted plants.

By the time we were winding down for bed, I felt that I had a much better grasp on the game. I formally met all nineteen of the other players: I already knew Marcus, of course, and Emily, who I had become firm friends with; apart from the two of them, I had become well acquainted with Anthony, the billionaire who seemed loathe to let me out of his line of sight all evening; Marjorie, a matronly figure who assumed the role of group mother; Sandra, who had been so invested in Marcus when I arrived, and who had since found out about Anthony's money; Arrogant Andrew, who everyone seemed to be giving a wide berth; and then there were Jon, Caroline, Inayah, Joshua, Midori (the cryptographer), Samuel, Christina, Matteo, Ryleigh, Barry, Daniela, Ant and Isabella.

By the time the gong rang for bed, I was exhausted. But I still had work to do. Tonight, I would meet my fellow Saboteurs. I climbed the stairs to my room in nervous anticipation, and waiting impatiently in my room for what felt like hours. Just as I was in the middle of my fourth lap of my bedroom floor, a knock came at the door. I listened carefully; three knocks in quick succession. This was what I had been told to listen for.

I opened the door with some trepidation, and saw a Guard standing there - but this was not a regular Guard. This one had traded the traditional deep red robes for a pure white that was almost blinding. I followed my wordless guide through the halls, passing the locked doors of the other contestants. Every player other than the Saboteurs had to keep their doors locked at night; being seen out in the hallways after bedtime would mean instant disqualification.

The Guard led me down the stairs and outside, and to a separate building that I hadn't noticed earlier. This building was much older than the others, and looked as though it was almost falling into disrepair; although there was no doubt of its former grandeur.

Stopping abruptly at the door of this tower, the Guard turned to me and handed me a black cloak. This was the Saboteurs uniform. I slipped it on over my red cocktail dress, my little strappy shoes poking out the bottom. I felt so different than when I put them on, I could have laughed; how silly my wardrobe choices seemed now. With the cloak on, I was ready to enter The Tower.

The Guard led me to the bottom of a winding staircase just inside the doorway, and stopped. This must be as far as they can go, I thought. From this point forwards, I am once again alone. I climbed the stairs and hesitated before an old wooden door. Gathering my courage, I opened it, slowly.

Peering inside, I saw that I was not alone. Two other hooded figures were inside, heads bowed, beside an old stone fire pit. Not knowing what to do, I joined them.

Slowly, the two other Saboteurs lifted their heads, revealing their identities. I gasped slowly, scarcely believing my eyes. Marcus was not, as I suspected, a Saboteur. The faces that were staring back at me belonged to Marjorie, our designated house mother, and... Anthony.

Marjorie grinned when she saw me, and I saw Anthony's lips curl up just a little. Good enough, I supposed. We exchanged very few words; all three of us were focussed on the task at hand - choosing our first victim.

The choice was simple, and within ten minutes we were finished. I had written a name on a piece of paper. A fate had been sealed. The heady sensation of power washed over me, followed by the sobering feeling of guilt shortly after.

We left the tower silently, but Anthony kept sneaking glances in my direction. And after I passed the sheet of paper to the guard at the bottom of the stairs, he passed a little too close by me, making sure that his cloak brushed against mine. My body reacted involuntarily to his presence, and I shivered. He made sure I knew that he noticed. There was that smirk again.

Returning to the castle, we ascended the stairs in silence, each filing off to our own rooms. The Guards had gone, and I paused for a moment before entering my room, mulling over the events of the day. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips, and I remembered how I felt seeing Marcus again. I opened the door of my room, and I was on a high.

That is, of course, until I turned around to see Andrew being dragged out of his room in a body bag.