Grimm Games

Chapter 29: Strengths and Weaknesses

"As you place your bets on the contenders you believe will emerge triumphant, let's take a moment to reflect on the life of our fallen comrade. Tobias Torres, the eldest of the Torres siblings, was not only a competitor in the Grimm Games but a devoted father to baby Abigail." As the host spoke, footage of Tobias running through the maze of the Enchanted Forest played on the screen. "At twenty-six years old, tragedy struck the Torres family when his then-girlfriend vanished under mysterious circumstances, leaving him to navigate the challenges of single parenthood."

My eyes were glued to the screen. It wasn't odd for women to suddenly disappear. Cases of missing women were given low priority by authorities and often left unresolved. Each year, as a new season of Grimm Games was announced, the media would descend upon Arcanum to cover the event and use the building as a backdrop. Among the crowd were fans, critics, and even the loved ones of missing individuals, hoping to catch the attention of the media and raise awareness locally and nationally, in the desperate hope that someone with information would come forward.

Footage of a slightly younger Tobias, his face etched with desperation, clutching a missing person poster of his then girlfriend, and pleading with the cameras outside of Arcanum headquarters replaced the maze scene onscreen.

The studio audience gasped in unison as the host continued, "Despite relentless efforts to locate his missing girlfriend, Tobias found himself in dire financial straits, needing to support his infant daughter by any means necessary. Thus, he took on a grueling job delivering full-scale appliances and machinery back and forth across the country. This left him with no option but to entrust his twenty-four-year-old sister with the care of baby Abigail, marking yet another tragic turn for the Torres family."

I searched the straw-covered ground of the shack to find what I was looking for. When I spotted the dark and wavy strands of hair the rat exchanged with us for food, I picked it up and tossed it closer to Sonya where she sat. "Whose hair is this? Yours or his?"

She eyed me, not holding back her disgust and contempt. "It's whatever you want it to be."

"It's not the time for games, just answer me."

"This whole thing is a game," Sonya went on. "It doesn't matter if you decide to play or not." She huffed. "It looks like Tobey's hair, but it doesn't mean anything. The person that just got ripped apart in front of the nation is not my brother."

As much as I didn't trust her or want to believe a word that fell from her lips, this was the rare time I did.

The TV came back on and we paused to hear the announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for an update on our top contenders in the Grimm Games. Leading the pack with a score of seven each, we have Sonya Torres the Babysitter, and Dylan Jeffrey the Sick. These two have impressed us all with their determination and survival skills."

While the host spoke, slow motion scenes played onscreen of Sonya and Dylan during memorable moments like Sonya getting up after my blade pierced her foot or Dylan helping fight off the Troll after it scooped me up.

The cameras focused on Chuck as he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves for one of the most thrilling moments of the Grimm Games! With the deathly departure of one of our valiant contestants, the stage is set for everyone's favorite segment: viewer betting. As we gear up for the epic finale later this season, our brave competitors were tasked with selecting from three crucial categories: a weapon item to bolster their arsenal, a food item to ensure their endurance, or a health item to fuel their battles. And finally, our top two contestants have made their selections."

We exchanged confused stares, tinged with disappointment and suspicion, fully aware that neither of us had any control or opportunity to decide our circumstances. It seemed unlikely that we ever would.