Tag, You're It

Chapter 23

"You couldn't kill him?" Jared laughs, straightening and placing his hands on his hips. He bites his lip, trying to hold back his hysterics. "You couldn't kill him?"

"No I-"

"Do you know how long I've been stuck in that cursed place?" Jared was upset and I curled away from him. "Alec went through two rounds of girls before you, Austen." Jared's voice was raising and he was drawing attention. "He killed 28 girls before you, Austen." Jared laughed again, a horrible anger in his eyes.

"I don't see how-"

"I was a guard of the wretched room you were in for all three rounds. I had to roam the halls for stray girls. I had to put drugs in their food. I had to keep you locked in that place. I had to watch those poor girls die, Austen." Jared snarls. I frown.

"Jared, I-"

"Austen, you don't understand the extent of Alec's evil or his skill. Sure, you killed Alex... you killed Trisha... but the fact that you had enough to pity to let Alec-" Jared turns away from me.

"Well if you're so high and mighty, why don't you kill him yourself?" I shoot back. Jared stared at me and I gather the strength to stand. "You wouldn't have gotten out of there if it wasn't for me so how about instead of demeaning me and making me look weak you grow a pair and kill him yourself?" I see the other men look at each other with hidden grins.

"You were weak enough to not be able to finish the job." Jared snarls. I have the urge to smack him.

"Knowing when to take a life and when to leave one is anything but weak." I step forward, favoring my hurt leg. Jared chuckles.

"You have to be right, don't you? Just admit that you were weak, Austen. If you admit it then I'll let you go on your way-"

"If I'm weak then you're useless." I shove Jared and see him stumble back. Jared looks me over.

"I've been through more than you have." Jared says lowly. I have to laugh.

"Are you making excuses now?" I taunt. We have a group surrounding us and yet I'm okay with the fight that was about to occur. Jared deserved this. "Give me one good reason I should believe anything you say."

"Well why shouldn't you?"

"You told me I should trust you and you try to turn me in to Alec?" Jared immediately moves to the defensive.

"He made me show him the basement and we were calling your name! Alec knew you were down there but when you didn't-"

"Oh so I should believe you because 'Alec knew anyways so it's okay for me to try to hand her over?' Was that your line of thinking?" I step closer and Jared puts distance between us. "You said you were my guard? So what about the time I was in the hall, Jared? You were so willing to kill me-"

"It was an order. My life was at stake if I didn't put yours at stake." Jared defends.

"A selfish motive... seems fitting. So, if you have all of these selfish motives why should I believe you have any truth in your words?" My words demand an answer and Jared responds by landing a punch to my ribcage.

Before I can fight back, we're separated. I struggle against my captors but they simply deposit me to my tree before backing up silently. My glare makes them flinch, and that brought me satisfaction.

"Your motives were selfish!" Jared shouts. I don't move. "You killed them so that you would survive! You're no different than I am, Austen!" Jared says those haunting words.

You're no different than I am.

You've killed.

You've lied.