Life After Death (#1)

Chapter Thirty-One

Taylor was still crying and ranting in the centre of the room, tugging at his own hair and slamming his hand on the ground.

"Shit. Shit. Shit. Okay, kid, we need a plan here," Max said desperately.

"Do you happen to have one?" Lizzie asked.

"Give me a second, give me a second," Max said, unable to think of any way out of this.

Lizzie was going to have to fight. Would they both be able to walk out of this? It didn't matter; Max would make sure she did, even if it meant that he had to die. He had never been afraid of dying.

Max ran to the other side of the room where Paulo was now sitting.

"Has this ever happened before? Have they ever thrown three people out there?" Max asked him quickly.

"A couple of times, my friend," Paulo replied coolly.

Max opened his mouth again, but Paulo already knew what he would ask.

"Only one has ever returned. I'm sorry," he said, with genuine feeling.

Max thought for a second. He had assumed this would be the case, so he didn't linger on it.

"Listen. Lizzie's walking out of this, I'll make sure of it. Just do me a favour and look out for her if I don't make it back," Max ordered; he didn't ask.

Paulo nodded, and as Max turned to walk back towards Lizzie, he called out.

"Good luck my friend. Really, good luck."

Max half smiled and nodded in appreciation.

"What was that about?" Lizzie asked inquisitively.

"Nothing. Just asking for a few tips is all," Max explained. "Listen kid, when we're out there, I don't know what the fuck they're going to throw at us, but just keep behind me at all times, okay?!" Max ordered.

Lizzie went to argue, but Max cut her off.

"I mean it; if we're going to get out of this, you have to listen to me!"

"Okay," Lizzie agreed begrudgingly.

"We'll be fine kid; we'll be fine," Max said, trying to comfort himself more than anything.

Max and Lizzie composed themselves in silence, and before they knew it, a bunch of guards returned to escort them to the pit.

"I'm Nev, I'm in charge of the contestants here. If you would, follow me and I'll take you up to the weapons area," a new man stated.

"You say it as if this is voluntary," Max snarled.

"We get weapons?" Lizzie asked, concentrating more clearly on the task at hand.

"Well, of course; the audience expects a show," Nev smiled.

Lizzie shot a glance at Max. She looked more confident. They both knew Max was a good fighter, and Lizzie was handy with a knife, but neither of them truly knew what they would have to face.

Taylor was mumbling under his breath to himself. Max couldn't tell if he was praying, or just talking to himself. Whatever the case, he was looking more unhinged by the minute, and Max was wary of that. He had the look of a man who would do anything to survive. Anything.

The guards took hold of the three contestants and led them through the compound. The streets were empty, presumably because everyone was already packed into the pit to watch the fight.

After a minute or two of walking, they came up to a huge, wooden wall. It was curved round, and too tall to see over. Max couldn't tell how far round it went but assumed it must be the pit.