Tag, You're It

Chapter 2

"You have all been chosen to be part of my ultimate game." Alec's voice interrupts the otherwise silent room. No one gives him a reaction but I turn my head to give him more attention. "I see you're all very interested in this game." His words drip sarcasm and I take the time to look at the other girls at the table.

There were fourteen girls, including me. Each and every girl was so very beautiful and fit. The girls all looked to be around my age and that made my stomach drop. He was careful to choose the right girls, which meant he probably knows more about me than I'd like.

"Does anyone want to know more information as to why they're here?" The question suddenly jolted the girls to life and they looked around the table, seeing who would ask first. What was the harm in asking the question?

"What is the game?" I let the inquiry leave my lips and all eyes turn to me. The only ones that bothered me were Alec's. His steel grey eyes made my brain squeeze tighter until I had an awful headache.

"Now, Darling, I'm glad you asked. It consists of a series of rounds in order to find the winner. If you think any one of you are going to beat me at the game, you are sorely mistaken. None the less, I will play fair to offer each of you the same opportunity to win." Alec pauses for a moment. The girls in the room start to talk amongst themselves, panic settling in.

"What are the rules?" The question leaves my mouth before I can rein it in. Alec takes a sip of his water and his eyes turn to look into mine. My body tenses at the attention but Alec simply raises an eyebrow.

"A little eager aren't we, Darling?" Alec smiles as he sets the glass of water back down. It was as though his smile matched the coldness in his eyes. "The rules are simple." He begins, keeping his eyes trained on me but his voice raised for others to hear. "Win." He pauses, watching me closely before returning to explain.

"Each day a set of instructions will be given to you as to what game we are playing. You must play to win, and those that lose, will be eliminated. There will be two eliminations each day." Alec turns away from me only when he had finished.

Fear crawls on my skin as I take in the information. The small voices of the girls talking to each other make my head hurt so I decide to ask another question to try to relieve the tension. "What does eliminated mean?" Alec's eyes find mine again and I hold his stare though his eyes were beginning to eat away at my sanity.

"Eliminated permanently." Alec's voice dares me to question further but I don't need to. Someone else finally has the courage to ask a question.

"From the game or-"

"From everything you know. You will enter into the unknown and have to play the game by the rules there. These games are costly, my dear. Now, let's eat shall we?" Alec's abrupt ending and tone suggested he was done with the questioning. He wanted the conversation to be finished but I knew it wouldn't. I had heard the question before it was ever asked.

"You expect us to just be okay with this?" Someone snaps. I lower my head.

If you ask specific questions you will progress in a particular direction.

That wasn't the direction I would have progressed in. I wanted to know how to win. There had to be something more than just surviving in order to win. Alec's eyes locked on the girl next to me and she held his gaze with such defiance I was scared for her safety. "Now, Princess-"

"No, I want an answer." She demands. Alec's lips quirk up into that familiar smirk.

"Perhaps you should all be given an answer." Alec's eyes roam the table and all the girls shift uncomfortably. "Each of you may ask one question that I will give an answer to. Choose wisely." He leans back in his seat and waits patiently. The chatter in the room stays at a minimum but I can't focus enough to think of a question because it seems so loud.