Tag, You're It

Chapter 9

Alec patched my hands up, not asking why or how I got the deep cuts and gashes in my arms. He never spoke while he was concentrating on cleaning my hands. I didn't say anything in return until he was done.

Alec looked me over carefully and I was just able to give him a small thank you before my mind wouldn't work again. It frustrated me how easily Alec could make me quiet.

Alec tilted his head to the side and then turns to enter back into his bedroom. I follow slowly, shutting the light off in the bathroom. Alec takes a seat at his desk beside his bed, and then indicates I should sit on his mattress. I don't question him, just do as he asks and wait until he decides to speak.

"I should not have saved you." Alec is speaking, though I don't know whether or not it's to himself or me. "And now that I have, I'm in a sort of predicament." His eyes narrow as he analyzes me. I have a feeling I still look like death warmed over. "I don't know why I saved you, and I don't know how to make it fair to the other players, because I can't save all of you. This means that you have to save me, yet I am unsure of how you can do that because I don't need saving."

Alec studies me harder as though he will somehow come up with the answer by reading into each of my flaws. "Perhaps I could make you do something you don't want to do, though I hardly see how that's fair when I-" Alec stops and blinks a few times before he shakes his head.

"If it's any help with your little talk that your having with yourself, technically, you haven't saved me, you've delayed the inevitable. So if that helps you to come up with a way to play fair then-"

"I know what I will ask of you, but I do not wish for it now." Alec tells me firmly. I have to laugh at him, though neither my situation nor what he is saying is truly funny.

"I do not wish for it now." I echo his words and then I shake my head, a crazed smile on my face. "This is going to be a long day." I rub my face with my hands and Alec frowns.

"Perhaps it will be very short." Alec says quietly, his voice returning to his game player mode. I just smile and shake my head.

"That would be nice." I stand but Alec's gaze warns me not to move.

"I didn't tell you that you could leave." His voice is dangerous and I immediately sit back down.

"My bad."

"Darling, you must understand that what you have seen, you can't tell anyone else. The dangers and mysteries of what happens at night, need to stay dangers and mysteries. If you tell a single soul here about this, you will be eliminated without question. Is that clear?" Alec's voice had stayed in the scary, dark tone he had acquired and I simply nodded in response.

"Good, now, in answer to your questions, yes, your food and drink are drugged. Yes, each girl has a guard. No, it was not my idea. Now, before you ask whose idea it was-"

"How do I know you're not just lying and all of this is a sham? What if you're just trying to-"

"Would you like me to let you back out into the hallway?" Alec's question brings fear into my bones and I shake my head. He grins before responding. "Now, Darling, I would like to have a conversation with you about the little exchange with your friend and I." Alec seems completely smug at the mention of Trisha. I sigh and get more comfortable before responding.

"What would you like to know?" I tuck a stray hair behind my ear and clear my throat. Alec grins. I don't want to give him any more information than necessary.

"What were you and your posse doing at the library?" Alec comes out with the blunt question and I have to laugh. There's no way I'm throwing Trisha under the bus on this one. She'd kill me before Alec had a chance to intervene.