Game of Life

Chapter 7

I woke with a start, my head was pounding and my body was stiff. Blinking open my eyes I gasped quietly, where the hell am I?

I stood up slowly, the ground was wet and sticky on my hands, like a mound of chewed gum and I grimaced, disgusted. Taking in my surroundings, I was confused as to why it was so dark and misty, I could barely see three feet in front of me. I spun around slowly, heart racing with fear, all I could see was darkness and I hesitantly took a step. It took an awful lot of effort to get my foot unstuck from the ground, much to my annoyance.

"What the hell is going on?" I grumbled.

"Fresh meat," a voice purred and I whipped around, slipping on the mucky ground and landing painfully on my back. I flinched as several more voices joined in.

"How did it get here?"

"Who brought it?"

"Human."

"Feast."

"Flesh."

"Mine."

The last one took on a menacing tone and it was like I could feel the others shift in fear, although I couldn't see them. All at once the darkness faded and the air warmed considerably. I felt the ground move until it was solid and dry once again.

When the mist finally cleared I could see Severin standing over me, a sick, twisted grin on his demented face. "What was that?" I groaned, turning to scrap off the muck and realised it was just...gone. Not a trace left.

"Just a preview," he replied.

"Of what?"

"You'll see," he sang, ending with a bout of hysterical giggles.

"Why am I here?" I tried to change the subject so he would shut up, his giggling creeped me out.

"For a better view, of course. I said that didn't I?"

"Right," I muttered, glancing around again, wherever I had been I wasn't there any more, the air was clear, the ground solid, looking around it looked like we were in a building.

"This is were I watch the fights," he said, offering his hand.

I swallowed thickly, taking his offered hand with great distaste and he pulled me to my feet.

"Welcome to my humble abode." He grinned and bowed deeply, spreading his arms in a dramatic fashion to indicate the room.

"Erm...Very nice?" I was unsure of how to respond but figured insulting a demon's house after what I just witness wasn't the smartest idea.

"Glad you approve," he purred, clapping his hands gleefully.

He waved his hands around and the room shifted again, the walls faded away and all of a sudden we were surrounded by combat.

I glanced around, eyes widening in surprise, it was like he placed directly in the centre of the battlefield, but they couldn't see us. "What the hell is this?"

"This is my world, Calla, I can manipulate it as I choose."

"How is this happening?" I whispered.

"Magic," he purred, pleased with himself.

Screams rose up around us and I flinched, the tiger had managed to catch a few of my classmates in its fangs and electricity pulsed through them.

"Let me help them!" I cried, horrified by the scene in front of me.

"Now, now Calla, that would be breaking the rules."

"What the hell is the point of this?" I snapped, tears streaming unchallenged down my face. I just want to go home.

He grinned, flashing sharp teeth. "For fun of course."

"What's so fun about this?"

Severin walked over, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and whispering in my ear. "The pain, the fear, the screams, can't you feel it Calla? To hold the lives of thousands in your hands, to watch the suffering, the doubt, the panic, this is what fun is Calla. To have your own world to design as you please and you all make it so easy. I can kill a thousand with a snap of my fingers but I don't because the suffering makes it all the more fun. I thrive off of fear little one, and this is the best time I've had in decades."

I shoved away from him, it's just a sick game, we can't win, he won't let us, we're all going to die. I curled up on the floor, almost hyperventilating, shaking with fear.

We're all going to die, and there is nothing we can do about it.

"Now now Calla, don't look so down, you still have a chance." He crouched down so he was level with me.

"You wouldn't let us go, even if we do defeat all your beasts."

"Are you implying that I would go against my word?"

"You're a demon, your word means nothing," I spat.

"A demon? Oh sweetheart, I'm much worse than that, demons cower at my presence. Regardless, I keep my word. It's merely a matter of if you survive, and you won't if you keep giving up." Severin rose to his feet. "Here, as a symbol of good faith." He snapped his fingers and the beast disappeared, sucked into oblivion.

"Four more to go."