Devils Game

Nine | We've Never Mentioned

"I see youve enjoyed your meal, God knows that it will be long until you see your next."

"Your sick. You know that? Your sick! You psycho!" I scream into the cold, lifeless stale air.

No response.

"Serves you right." I say, taking another step towards the concrete door on the opposite side of the room, trying not to look back at Val, back at the apple core.

My hands shaky, I place them on the cold doorknob and open it with a flash. Theres nothing to be seen inside as its filled with darkness, of course there is, and I step into the room knowing theres nowhere else to go. That was my only way towards getting out.

"Hello?!" I yell out into the dusty air, knowing nobody will return my call.

"A-abby....?" I hear a voice in the room.

"Oh my God, Ashton?!" I yell out, searching the room blindly, moving my arms and legs everywhere they will take me in order to find him. I find him in the corner of the room, spread out on the floor. "What happened to you?" I ask him frantically, searching his body with my hands making sure he's alright, cradling him in my arms for dear life.

"Oh you know, got captured by a complete lunatic and put through some really scary devils games." Ash says, putting both hands on my shoulders.

"Devils games?" I ask confused.

"Yea, you know that crazy games he puts us up to? Im calling them devils games, because they determine who lives or dies. And the guy that put is through this is a devil. Therefore, devils games." His voice hyperventilating, and he growls in between sentences from some unknown pain.

"What happened to you?" I ask him, yet again.

"Abby... He made me..." His voice trails off, his voice cracking at the end. I hear him sobbing, the cold air around us suddenly becomes heavy and still.

"What happened?" I repeat again, this time my voice more firm.

"He made me... cut off my fingers. Three of them. Just so he wouldn't kill you... When you were in that room with the apple and Val's head. He said that if I cut off three fingers, he wouldn't release the lava underneath the floors and kill you." He cried through those words, every syllable was like an impossible puzzle that he was trying to work through.

My hands frantically move to his, checking to make sure that it is in fact true what he says. My hands touch his left hand. Five fingers. I let out a struggled sound, hoping that he was just dreaming. And then I place my hand on his right. Two. Fingers.

I yell out, and stumble backwards, my hand flying to my own mouth to suppress the screams and words that should never be used to stuff them back inside. I feel my hot tears stream down my cheeks like hot rivers splashing on every pore.

I crawl back to Ashton, taking the bandana he was wearing earlier off of his forehead and using it as a bandaid to stop the bleeding that is currently being poured out of his missing three fingers. It hurts me to even look at him, or what looks like him, cant really be too sure besides his voice since I cant see him.

"Im so sorry. Im so so so so sorry." I tell him, pressing my body at his sides, letting him cry into my shoulder.

"Its not your fault, your life is worth more than three fingers. I would give anything because your life... is worth more than three fingers." His breathing becomes heavy and ragged, hyperventilating through his words and tears.