Hell's Kitchen (DISCONTINUED)

6: I'll take it. Along with everything else.

Shit, I slipped up. Damn Abigail got me, she tricked me, fooled me.

I got too cocky. Knew I could resist Eve while enjoying the 'benefits' of her little game, knew exactly I was coming, what was coming! Abigail was clever. Subtle. Didn't expect her tricks, she made me too happy with myself, and I was happy, so I didn't think and misspoke, and now they know. Crap. Back to my room, quickly, prepare for the fallout. It's well hidden, surely, they'll never get the clue. Unless they beat it out of me.

Open the door... to find Isaac sitting on my bed with a Twix. What in the name of all that's not holy but in fact very sinful and ran by the Devil that goes by a weirdly casual name is he doing here? Probably has a stash of something in here, he does in every room, found two bottles of barbecue sauce when I was looking for a hiding spot for the cleaning supplies.

He looks up, I lock the door. He stares at me with a wry smile. "I've seen many kinds of films. If this goes one of the two ways I'm thinking of, you're getting a punch. Which, depending on the way, could be either quite painful or kind of kinky."

I shudder. "Oh, no, no. Not my style. You're not Eve. But I didn't say that, well it's obvious anyway, she gets us all."

"Not Gabriel," he mutters wistfully. "So what kind of trouble are you- seriously, they haven't found the cleaning supplies?"

I scoff. "And you have?"

He shrugs. "Well, yeah. Heard the clue, got it immediately, went checking rooms. Located a Twix before I got the right one. This room. I've got to say, I'm impressed. Very clever spot. One of your best. Even if they get it, it'll take them a while to actually see where they are."

Should have known, he always finds them first. He's smart for a fatty. That's rude, he's surprisingly not that fat, very good metabolism on him for the amount he eats. Or maybe it's a little gift from Lu, if he wasn't like that he'd have swallowed us whole both metaphorically and literally. But if he's worked it out, the others won't be far behind-

Knock, knock. Shit. No, that's Isaac tapping the desk. Bastard, had me there for a second. Knows I'm on edge. I turn to him. "Dick."

"He's grinning. "Sorry, too tempting. So easy to read your fear. Thinking you've screwed up a bit too much this time, aren't you?" I nod. "I'm sympathetic. We all know the kitchen would be a lot fuller if I didn't have my own stashes. And they forget. Always slips their minds when it involves them: we're forced to do this. There's no fighting these urges. I mean, I do not doubt you were a thieving asshole before you were brought here, but I'm not sure it was this strong an addiction."

He's got me there, perceptive guy, now I need to get back to worrying about... the others coming to get me... wow I really was expecting some sort of irony that they'd come in as soon as I-

Knock, knock, knock. Oh yeah, do it while I'm complaining that you're late. That lock should hold steady although I haven't accounted for the wrath of hopefully not wrath.

"Ben, open this door." Crap, Eve. "Now." Crap, Abigail. I glance towards Isaac for help, he returns a look of pure 'you're on your own, mate'. Sighing, I open up, there they are, brushing past me to get to... the wardrobe. Yep, they figured it out. Open it up to see nothing, got them there, ha. Abigail grabs me by the shirt with a look of death. "Alright you little bastard, where's the stuff?"

(Here, Isaac quietly slips out the door, holding his hands up as a mark of 'leave me out of this'. A lot of silent communication from him today.)

Panic, panic. "Please, you've got the clue, you're so intelligent, you got that far. Figure it out."

She pulls me closer. Oh, why couldn't this be Eve, it would be perfect. "I'm warning you-"

"Got it!" Eve calls from the wardrobe. Shit. There she is, digging through the thick fur coat on the edge of my clothes, to find the sprays, rags, bottles. "I'll be honest, you should try harder next time. You had a duster hanging out the sleeve. Now, get to work. You're finishing up with these."

"So, the whole 'it's furry like a lion' was irrelevant?" I ask, receiving a nod in reply and a point to the door. Great. A lion, a wardrobe, all I was missing was a witch, no wait, they're here. Two for one.

Usually I'm so good too. I've nicked so much over the years, phones, cash, vases, screwdrivers, remotes, locks- that's always funny, they think they're safe. So many hiding spots around the apartment, gaps in the wall, between furniture. Lost Cain's house key in a mouse hole once- wow, he was pissed. Like, more than usual, which is usually more than usual, actually there is no 'usual', he's just pissed. As expected. Of course, they catch me in the end, because for some reason they want their things back, I know, strange. I relent, return it, no point resisting. If they ask nice. My head's still dripping. Means I have to wipe up the water, makes scrubbing the floor more difficult. Would help if the others weren't lounging about, though I guess they did their bit already by cleaning and then searching and then drowning me.

Scrub, wipe, swish, done, creak. Wait, that's not me. I twirl to see- Gabriel? He's out. Thought it seemed quiet, no emo dubstep shit or whatever. He freezes in his tracks, looking down.

"Sorry, I just- needed, needed a drink," he murmurs. He scuttles past to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water. If that's what you want man, I counted nine cans of Vanilla Coke, but sure. Should I say something, leave him, look like I want to say something but instead remain silent in an awkward manner? Yeah, that one. He heads out, gaze down, hands shaking a bit like mine, but obviously I have the compulsion to grab everything.
He probably wants to push everything away.

Evening. Time together, a film, The Sixth Sense. The rare phenomenon of good Shyamalan. We needed a moment to relax, stay calm, prepare. Even Gabriel was with us, coaxed out of his room by Eve and now cowering beside her, sheltered from the others. We're silent, mostly, captivated. The odd comment. Plus the whispered discussion behind me, something I think only I can hear:

"Maybe we could do it."
"Are you crazy?"
"Yeah. That's the point, isn't it? That's what He made us!"
"Please, like your life before this was so much better."
"... Don't really remember it, to be honest. Which I'm blaming Him for."
"While that might be true, what you're saying is ridiculous. We may be strong, but can we really go up against Him?"
"I'm not saying it's easy. It'll take all seven of us. Problem is-"
"Oh, there's a problem?"
"Quiet, bitch. Problem is, we'll need to get him to cooperate. I've got a feeling he'll be the most powerful one out of all of us. We could cripple Him."
"Wait, who did you point to?"
"You know who."
"... oh, for the love of- no. We can't. You know how he feels."
"Even more painful for Him."
"No. I mean- well, you're right. It could just work with all of us. All we need is Gabriel."

Gabriel.
Gabriel.
Gabriel.
Awake. Night's over, time for day. The final day we have left.