Grimm Games

Chapter 33: Burning Bridges

Millie dropped to her knees and desperately tried to fit her hand under the fence to grab the medical kit, however, the metal pole that ran along the base prevented anything from coming in or going out.

I pulled out the last protein bar in my makeshift pocket and handed her the wrapped treat. The high-octane music continued bumping through the speakers as they showcased the arena all while Millie removed the plastic wrapper to break a piece.

"Good boy," she whispered to the large rat as she worked the morsel through the chain-linked gap. "Don't bite me, you little bandit." The rat sniffed the air around her fingertips, and like a loyal pet, took the treat between his large front teeth with no issue.

He sat back, its long, whip-like tail encircled his body as he used his front fingered paws to nibble the granola into his mouth.

In the arena, the brothers and Sonya made their way further inside and farther away from the perimeter. "Something's happening," I murmured, glancing back to see if Millie was paying attention.

She wasn't. Instead, she was too occupied with the rat. "I wonder what else he could sniff out for us."

"They're moving further away." I looked back to the screen as the host appeared again.

"And there you have it, folks," Chuck's enthusiasm was overinflated. "What a magnificent set, yes?" The audience cheered.

The plastic wrapper crinkled as Millie fit the remaining bar inside the sleeve of her jumpsuit. And just as she was about to turn, the rat quickly scurried away after getting startled by the Wolfman who galloped along the perimeter of the fence toward us.

Its vicious growl sent the rat running back to where it came.

The red from the medical pack seized the Wolfman's attention. He sniffed it with his sunken snout. When he reached for it, Millie gasped in frustration.

"What's he doing?" Millie pointed. "We need that."

The Wolfman sat back on its muscular hind legs, the knee and hip joints popped and cracked. His legs, thick with sinewy muscle and covered in coarse fur, flexed with every movement, showcasing the raw power beneath the surface. Clawed feet dug into the ground, leaving deep impressions in the dirty straw.

His sunken eyes fixed on Millie. "Little pig," he growled.

"Forget it." Millie backed away, flattening her body against the rear of our cage. "I don't need it."

"Little pig," he started again. His voice rumbled from his throat like the engine of a mac truck. "Let me in." With a strong arm, he lifted the pouch and hurled it at the fence. The contents within shattered with a sharp, splintering sound as it dropped to the floor.

"Looks like we have a show before the show, ladies and gents!" the host's voice boomed through the speakers. "Let's tune in." The area fell deathly silent, and a surge of fear raced through me at the thought of what might appear on the screen behind me. Yet, my curiosity wasn't that strong as my eyes refused to stray from the furious beast in front of me.

He pushed forward, crawling on all fours toward the barrier between us. His breaths were deep and heavy, rumbling through his bared teeth from the pit deep within his gut. "Let me in."

His meaty, clawed fingers entangled with the fence and he warped it with the weight of his body. It bowed as he attempted to rip the fence from its posts. I didn't doubt he could if he continued to try.

I haven't seen Millie so scared since entering the game. The whites in her eyes were visible as she allowed a frightening whimper to escape her lips. "He's gonna kill us!"