To Keep Alive

Chapter Four

After breakfast, we were herded into the same room as the other day. This time, there were chairs to sit in, and enough of them. I was still beet red from the whole huggy-kissy thing. River stood at the front of the room, his teeth glinting sharply in the light as he grinned as he spoke.

"Each of you will be given a switchblade and we'll get started. Remember ladies, kill or be killed. Oh, and if you lose your baby, you will be eliminated immediately."

We all looked around and wondered who we would be facing. I hoped I wouldn't be facing Destiny. That would be tragic.

Several large men led us out one by one, placing us in separate rooms. One girl, Cherise, kept snarling at the men and thrashed around when they tried to bring her to her room.

"This is a load of shit," she spat, "I'll never listen to you assholes! Especially you!" she sneered at River. Oh no.... what did she do?

"What was that?" his eyes flashed dangerously as he approached her.

"Go ahead, take your best shot," she motioned toward her face, "You just capture us women because you can't get laid without raping us. Without your minions you are nothing!"

He looked furious, almost ready to explode as he got closer and closer. Would he actually hurt her? He wouldn't.... oh but he would.

They were nose to nose and he raised his hand. Oh no, it was happening...

She flinched away, but the slap never came.

Instead his eyes were on me, watching and analyzing. I tried to be perfectly blank, but I don't think that worked.

"Don't look at me like that!" he barked.

I averted my eyes and glued my eyes to my lap.

"Sit down!" he snapped at Cherise. She still stuck her nose in the air, but she complied and plopped onto her chair.

The tall scary men came in and hauled me to my feet. I flinched and whimpered against their bruising grip, but otherwise didn't make another sound.

"Don't damage her skin," came a low growl from River, and they immediately loosened their grip.

When I finally got shoved into a tiny room with another girl in it, I was hyperventilating. This girl was tall and well-built like an athlete. She had a mean look and she looked at me like a was her next victim.

Which I was.

I gulped. There was no way I would survive this. I could barely get a C in PE all throughout grade school. I wrapped my arms around my baby protectively. She had a gleam in her eyes, one that told me that she thought I was an easy challenge. I curled my hands into fists and shivered in fear when two men came in and handed us each a 9 inch switchblade.

A green light gave us the signal to start fighting.

I started running around as much as could, away from her knife, but she was fast and strong. She had me cornered in about thirty seconds. I cowered in the corner. She raised her knife, leaving her wide open. I didn't think, I just reacted.

I made a giant gash on her thigh, that had her screaming and falling to the ground. I rushed to the other side of the room and sank to the floor, panting heavily.

She tried to stand, but fell to her knees. She looked at me with venom in her eyes. I started to cry as she gripped her thigh, breathing heavily.

I don't know how long we just sat there.

"Why don't you just kill me? It's either you or me," she rasped.

"No...no, I can't," I told her quietly.

She just shrugged and focused on her bleeding gash.

Suddenly, the door burst open and River stormed in. He looked angry.

"What is taking so long! Everyone was done a long time ago," he shouted.

"S-sorry," I whispered.

"She won't kill me," Myra said, "And I can't get over their to finish her."

"Well then, it looks like I'll have to do it for you," he snapped, "Who's dying?"

My eyes widened, and I curled into a ball. I couldn't condemn her to death, just like I couldn't kill her. I swallowed the lump in my throat when he pulled out a pistol.

"I said, who's dying?" he looked at me, then at Myra.

"Her," she said, and snorted, "That weakling doesn't deserve to live."

"That weakling managed to take you down," he snarled, and pointed the gun at her, "I don't like traitors!"

And he fired.

I covered my face with my hands and started to sob. River crouched in front of me and gently tugged one of my hands away. I flinched when he held up the gun.

"Don't worry," he slid the gun across the floor, away from us, "She won't hurt you. She's dead."

Yeah, you killed her.

He pulled me forward and lifted me. He carried me to the meeting area and set me down by everyone else.

"Okay, now that everyone's here, let's go over who survived. Maverick! Read the names of the remaining girls."

"Nora, Destiny, Jane, Cindy, Caroline, Liz, Daphne, and Constance," Maverick recited.

"That's good. You have one week of rest, ladies. Then you will go against your next opponent," he said, "Everyone may leave, except Caroline. We have something to discuss."

They all left, leaving me alone with River.

He stood up, "You don't seem to spit in my face and call me names like the others do."

"I don't insult you because I don't want you to hurt my baby," I told him, "I won't meaninglessly insult you because I'm angry and disgusted, but I will be truthful."

"So I really do look like a 'Dicky'?" he smirked when I winced at the memory.

"I was high," I cleared my throat, "So I'm assuming you're doing this to secure an heir to run this whole...shebang."

"You're smart, Caroline. And keep in mind, if you win, we will have more children, especially of that baby of yours is a girl."

"Why? Are you a sexist person?"

"So blunt yet sincere, Caroline. I don't believe I am, I just don't think a woman would approve of what we do. She could be threatened by other men who would pose a threat to her."

"Well I want a baby girl. I want one so I can name her after my mom."

"If you have a boy you can name him after your father."

"My father was a bad person. He abused my mother for years."

"Is that why you're so calm?"

"No, it's because you're actually kind of hot and when I lived a normal life, I didn't talk to hot guys."

He shook his head and then told me, "You know, I think you're already my favorite."

"Well, I hope you don't mind me saying this, but, I think I deserve someone better than you. You're hot, but you're cold and scary."

"We'll see about that. It's not like you have a choice, Caroline."

"That doesn't mean I have to like you," I grinned.

Wow. I was grinning in a situation like this.

"You will," he says confidently, and leaned down so he was literally just a hair away from him, "Trust me, baby, you will."