Death's game

Chapter 17~ the game

My eyes widened in fear as I slowly pulled myself backward.

Jett held out a hand, offering to pull me to my feet. I shook my head in refusal, staying alert and looking around continuously.

He sighed and walked forward, holding his hand closer, "you haven't screwed up yet, chill."

Giving him a skeptical look, I grudgingly took his hand and allowed him to help me up.

I smoothed the skirt of my dress, still staying cautious. I heard footsteps echoing through out basement, sending a wave of panic through me as I spotted Jett's father.

"Ah Annabelle, lovely to see you again." He began politely, only making him that much more creepy, "I don't believe we've been properly introduced."

I crossed my arms giving him a wary look as he held out his hand for me to shake. I hostility gave him a brief and forceful handshake.

"I'm the owner, and creator of foxfoot academy," he introduced, "and this school is a lot more than meets the eye."

"Clearly." I muttered in a bitter tone.

"This school is the epicenter of something very important and it houses people who are more vitally important then they could ever know." The owner explained.

I raised an eyebrow in mock amazement, "this is a reform school pretty much, parents who think their kids are no good send them here."

He shook his head, "tell me, Annabelle, how did your parents find this school?"

"They-" I paused, before scrunching my face in confusion, how did they find this school?

My face fell as I realized I had no idea how they'd stumbled across a school in frikin Finland! How on earth-

But the owner interrupted my train of thought, "we sent them an email, everyone here has received such an email informing their parents about our school."

"Why?" I asked blatantly, "what is this school?"

"Well it's an academy-"

"No!" I cut him off, "what is it really? What do you want with me or anyone else who's here by invitation?"

"You're here to help-" he started again, but I really didn't want to here what I knew would end that sentence.

"Don't you damn dare say the greater good or so help me god I will find a way to destroy you!" I growled out, rage burning through out my entire being.

This was not some greater good, this academy was nothing more than an undercover torture zone like a sort of twisted prison, because apparently we weren't allowed to leave!

The owner motioned to Jett, "jett, keep her quiet."

Jett glanced up, looking bored, "shut it or I have duct tape."

I glared at him darkly but reluctantly stayed quiet while the owner began an explanation of sorts.

"You, miss perry, will be taking part in, well, a game of sorts." The owner began in a mysterious way, a plotting look playing across his face, "this game will test your skills in secrecy, persuasion, and fighting as well as a few other things, but those are of little importance at the present moment."

"What's the game?" I asked in a skeptical tone, my inquisitive stare burning into his stare of complete yet unnerving serenity.

"Well, the object of the," he paused, as if he wasn't quite sure he could really call it a game, before he shook his head dismissively and continued, "the object of the game, ms. Perry is to stay alive."

I instinctively took a step back, my jaw clenching in fear that I refused to show, "why? Who's trying to kill me?"

"Your opponent of course." He replied simply those his response was an endless pool of mystery.

"Who's my opponent?" I interrogated, narrowing my eyes and crossing my arms almost protectively.

"That, is something you'll have to figure out," he gave an irritatingly curt nod, "trust me you'll figure it out, after you've both been instructed of course."

I arched an eyebrow, still feeling completely in the dark as to what was happening.

Jett took a step forward, running a hand through his hair before clearing his throat and motioning to his father that he'd take it from here. His father gave a satisfied nod before exiting through a door I'd only just noticed.

"What's going on?" I asked slowly, my eyes fluttering back and forth in an intimidated manor.

"The game, death's game," Jett corrected, "is a strategy game, but it's lethal. There's a winner and, well, there are no losers because you only lose if you die."

"How does it work?" I asked, my face scrunching in confusion as I dropped down into a chair.

"It's simple really," he began before stopping to reconsider, his face contorting into a bit of a frown, "well actually it's a bit complicated. Four players at a time, anywhere off school grounds is out of bounds. The goal is to kill your opponents, but if you go out of bounds you will be eliminated by gun shot. You can use any measure of force to eliminate your opponents. But, only the four of you must know the game is being played, if it's revealed to anyone else, the one who talked will be... Eliminated. There are tools located through out the school grounds, but the keepers are not inclined to hand them out. They must be persuaded be any means necessary."

"What if I don't want to play?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

"It's not a choice." Jett clarified with a firm tone, "the rest will be explained at the next meeting."

Jett began to ascend the stairs, his hand on the door handle when I spat out the one question that'd be bugging me more than anything, "what's the point of the game?"

He gave an oblivious almost cruel smile before simply shrugging, "Not my place to tell you that."

"Jett-" before I could finish my argument he was already out of the door, a loud slam emanating through out the basement as I was left alone in a grim silence. Where the hell had my parents sent me?