The Game

Chapter 16: Blast From The Past

The room seemed to hold its breath as Rachel's eyes flitted around, taking in the expectant faces of her fellow contestants, Her usual air of defiance faltered for a moment as she realized it was her turn to share her story

"Well I guess here's goes nothing." Rachel's voice cut through the heavy atmosphere, her tone laced with a mix of resignation and defiance.

Gary, sensing her unease, offered her a reassuring nod "Nobody's judging you here Rachel" he said gently, his voice a steady anchor in the midst of the storm "We're all in this together, with the same goal: survival."

Rachel nodded, steeling herself for what she was about to reveal, She took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her past pressing down on her shoulders like a leaden cloak. "Well much Like Kelsey, I was also bullied my entire life" she began, her voice quieter than usual. "And like Joe, both my parents also passed away."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of her past traumas But Rachel refused to let them drag her down. She straightened her spine, her gaze steely and unyielding.

"But my story, it's different, that's where the similarities end" she continued, her voice trembling slightly "the reasons my parents passed was quite different than a car accident, when I was thirteen, my father well, he murdered my mother and then took his own life, he was a very mentally ill man."

The revelation hit the room like a thunderclap, the shock and disbelief palpable in the air everyone stood in stunned silence, their eyes wide with horror.

Rachel continued
"After that night a lot changed, my sister and I were thrown into the foster care system," Rachel went on, her tone bitter with resentment "We ended up in some really bad homes, some abusive and some just not caring, but I always had my sister's back during it all, but eventually I struggled with a drug addiction at one point really bad, and almost died myself."

Her words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the darkness all around them.

She continued more
"And my reason for entering The Game, I entered this game to win money to treat my younger sister Amanda's cancer," Rachel confessed, her voice cracking with emotion. "That's all I care about, she's the only thing left in this entire world I have that I care about, and without this money, she might be gone too."

The room was silent for a moment as the gravity of Rachel's words settled over the group. Gary spoke up, his voice filled with genuine sympathy. "Rachel, I'm so sorry for everything you've gone through," he said softly, his eyes brimming with compassion.

Rachel offered him a small, sad smile "Yeah, well, life's a real piece of work, isn't it?" she remarked bitterly, her usual sarcasm seeping back into her voice "But hey, at least now we all know why I'm such a ray of sunshine huh?"

But then, in a moment that seemed to freeze time itself, Rachel's words took on a new weight. "And I know, you're sorry for everything."

Everyone looked confused by this comment.

She added
"Because you were the cop who told me the same thing when I was thirteen, it's why I had a feeling you were a fed since laying eyes on you, but now I pieced it together."

The room fell silent, the air heavy with the weight of Rachel's revelation. Gary's eyes widened in realization as he remembered the case from his time as a police officer. Rachel's face remained stoic, but there was a glimmer of vulnerability in her eyes as she met Gary's gaze.

In that moment, the walls that Rachel had built around herself seemed to crumble, revealing the wounded girl beneath.

As Rachel's words hung in the air, Gary felt a wave of recognition wash over him, The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place, and he remembered the case vividly, as if it had happened only yesterday.

"I remember" Gary said softly, his voice tinged with sorrow
"I remember the little girl, crying hysterically as she tried to explain what had happened, Her younger sister clinging to her, both of them terrified and alone."

The memory was etched into Gary's mind with painful clarity, He had been the first officer on the scene that fateful day, arriving to find a scene of unimaginable horror, The sight of the two young girls, huddled together in the midst of chaos and despair, had haunted him ever since.

"It was... it was one of the worst things I've ever seen," Gary continued, his voice thick with emotion. "To see those two innocent children, forced to confront such a nightmare at such a young age... it broke my heart."

But as painful as it had been to witness the aftermath of the tragedy, nothing could have prepared Gary for what he discovered next. "And then... and then I found him," Gary said, his voice barely above a whisper. "The father, hanging from the ceiling... it was... it was..."

His voice trailed off, unable to find the words to describe the horror of that moment. The memory was like a wound that refused to heal, a scar that would forever mark his soul.

Rachel looked at Gary, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and understanding. "I know," she said quietly. "I know you did everything you could to help us that day, and I'll never forget that, even though I hate cops."

Gary nodded, grateful for Rachel's words of understanding. In that moment, he realized that despite the pain and suffering they had both endured, they were united by a bond  somehow even before this.

But as they shared their stories the clock for The Hunt Chamber was about to begin which would cut their time bonding short and force them to get ready for survival.

Mr. Beaufort voice cut through the room from his microphone
"Ladies and gentlemen, we're moments away from The Hunt, I hope you all are prepared and ready for this spectacular event!"

Rachel scoffed
"Short lived break, time to fight for our lives I guess."

Gary spoke
"Nothing will be short lived today, not anymore, I promise we're all going to fight with everything we have and survive this."