Grimm Games

Chapter 23: Dead Set

"Thirty seconds." The words of the automated voice chimed from the speakers and rang in my ears and throughout the space.

"We need to find the gaming area," I shouted as we followed Millie.

She didn't look back as she ran toward the direction of the Enchanted Forest, opposite of where the Jeffrey brothers and the Wolfman had disappeared to. "It's not sirens. It's our only warning. We need to get somewhere safe and fast."

I clenched Jade's palm, keeping her by my side as we matched Millie's pace. On our sprint we looked for a structure in every direction as we swerved around large walls of straw and hay barrels.

After a moment, we made it back to the wall that separated the Enchanted Forest from the warehouse of straw. Standing at the familiar ornate door frame that remained impenetrable, I glanced at Jade. "We're stuck. What do we do now?"

"Dang it." Millie huffed. "We're gonna have to find a safe zone somewhere on this side. There's no way to get back to the forest."

"Do we want to go back?"

"Anything is better than being here right now."

Jade looked over her shoulder. "Why, what's happening?"

Millie's eyes widened in fright. "They released something to hunt us down."

"What?!" Jade and I said in unison.

"The last time they did a random thirty second countdown they released the Big Bad Wolf. So, there's no telling what they have roaming around right now."

"Maybe it's something to do with that strange music we keep hearing," I suggested, seeing the curiosity in Millie's eyes.

"Whatever it is, we should probably not sit here and wait for it to find us." She turned toward the direction the brothers went. "And trust me. They will find us."

It was strange to have Millie lead, but she knew more about these spaces than me or Jade. We've only dug into the Games from the outside. Millie lived through the puzzles, the sets, and the creatures days before I even got here. So, I was willing to put my trust in her.

Besides, having Jade here required all the help from Millie I could get to make sure she remained alive and well.

"Keep an eye out for that crazy girl," Millie warned. "She's been trying to take me out from the start. She's sneaky and bold."

"Sonya?" I asked.

"Yeah," Millie shook her head. "She's no joke."

"I see." Remembering all the moments she nearly took me down.

"Ruthless, that one." Millie huffed. "If you ever get a chance to take her out, don't hesitate."

"I'm not playing their game," I said. "And I'm not purposely killing anyone. I don't want that on my conscience. Plus, I don't want her brother after me."

"Her brother's dead." Millie continued to cautiously walk around a haystack. "Besides, they can't stand each other anyway. You know, the whole babysitter thing. They're forced to work together, but I don't doubt that evil wench would kill him any chance she got."

"He's dead?" The more players we could get on our side, to work together instead of against each other, the better. "How do you know Tobias is dead?"

"Why do you think he's nowhere to be found?"

I shook my head in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"I think he's dead and they just haven't announced it to us yet."