The Death Game

Chapter 3

-St. Bartholomew's Hospital's corridors-

Abygaëlle Martch was a strong woman, she wouldn't take shit from anybody. She always had the last word in an argument. You can never win against her. She's clever. Discreet as a mouse but as loud as an elephant when it came to defending herself or her friends.

Abygaëlle and Juliet had been introduced to each other when they were nothing but children, they couldn't possibly have been able to remember each other if it wasn't for their parents who had made them keep contact with each other. Juliet wasn't really one for friends and little miss Abygaëlle was the only child who was willing to be friends with her. Both families had managed to keep contact throughout all these years and had most of the time arranged for both girls to meet during the holidays and pass the time with each other. 

They grew up only trusting one another. Both girls were rather secretive and cut out from the whole world around them. They would refuse to play with other children and spent their time talking about everything that had to do with the ''adult world''. Both were fairly mature for their young age. They grew up with each other and were now on their way to the canteen to catch up.

Both women were walking in the middle of the somewhat large corridor. Only the resonating sound of their shoes clicking on the floor could be heard. They stood there walking side by side in a peaceful silence. A conversation is to flow in the air like a piece of music or a work of art, both individuals from completely different backgrounds can both create a conversation and enjoy each other presence. At times, however, some conversations reach an impasse in the form of an awkward silence. This wasn't the case. This silence wasn't awkward, it was peaceful and both ladies were content with just enjoying each other's presence.

The corridors were filled with all sorts of people passing by, some running for their lunch break, some were dragging themselves around and other stood tall and proud against the crowd, their shoulders raised high and nose up. Were they just proud of being a medical student? A doctor? Or just proud that they had managed to get through another day? All types of shadows and silhouette could be seen walking slowly or in a hurry, in those corridors, those halls. But two people stood out the most in the crowd full of different faces.

A woman and a man walked side by side on Juliet and Abygaëlle's left. Aby gave a small nod towards the other woman, who returned her gesture with a smile. The small woman was dressed in another white lab coat and was of an average height.  She had small dark brown eyes with sugar thin and silky brown hair. Her smile was the most beautiful thing about her. Those thin and pink lips that made the whole room light up when she flashed a smile. Her perfect yet shy smile gave her a child-like face.

Yet that man she was with was far too different from her, from all of the people Juliet had ever seen. There was something interesting in the way he looked at her. His eyes were glued to her as if he was decrypting every single thing about her. He gave her chills, it was as if in one look, he had managed to know everything about her. He was a rather attractive man, from his short but messy black hair, stubble and to his perfectly arched cheekbones. His lips seemed stuck in the form of a sly smirk.

His big puppy-dog eyes were of a dark brown, almost black colour. He was one of the few people in sight that weren't wearing a white coat, instead, he was wearing a simple grey t-shirt and a pair of used jeans from which we could see a bright red underwear showing. He surely didn't seem to be working here or studying in the hospital, yet on his shirt was placed a clip name tag where it was written ''Jim; I.T''. 

The man's cold stare was still on Juliet, a smirk on his lips. She shook the cold and unsettling feeling out of her mind and looked away. She quickly turned around to glance at the man but he was nowhere to be found, and neither was the attractive woman who was walking with him. Had they turned a corner? No one can disappear that quickly, not even Juliet Waters could have pulled a trick like that.

''Will you get a move on you slug?'' Abygaëlle asked frankly, ''I don't recall you being that slow before, you always were the one running straight into trouble and pulling me in with you.''

''S-sorry, I was just... daydreaming... who was that?'' she asked.

''That my dear slug, was Molly Hooper, she spends her days slicing up human cadavers. There really isn't a nicer way of putting it... You can find her at the morgue if you are ever in need of any body parts or even hair styling tips.'' her friend mocked.

''And the man? Who was that?'' Juliet asked intrigued.

''That guy she was with? Eh... literally have no clue who he is, he's new. He showed up about a week ago, we like to call him Molly's protégé.'' Aby spoke, with a small laugh, ''Now come on, get a move on slow-mo.''

A few corridors, stairs and doors later, the two friends finally found themselves in the canteen. It was past lunch hour and none of them was hungry, they still got some disgusting coffee. It was sour and adding more sugar or milk was only making it worse. They started chatting about few events in their lives and ended by remembering some of their most hilarious and outstanding childhood memories; that one time the little Miss Martch had stuck her foot in the mud and fell face first into it. Or when they both had jumped over the fence into one of their neighbour's field and had spent the day playing with the horses until they had run into the woods after being chased by a furious old, bald man with a pitchfork.

They remembered the good old times until Abygaëlle checked her watch. The fun was over, the scientist had to go back to work, she had taken too much time off already and had to go on her way to dissect a brain. The old friends exchanged numbers and addresses before hugging one another and saying their goodbyes.

''Don't kill anyone tonight, love!'' the petite girl shouted in a joking manner from the other side of the room, almost at the door.

''I'll promise to try not to start a massacre on my way home. I know what it does to the traffic!'' Juliet replied sarcastically before waving and closing the door behind her and making her way downstairs.

But if only she could keep that promise though, the urge to smell blood and hear the screams of people fighting for their lives is a little too strong tonight... Oh well, no one's going to miss such an ordinary person like him. Juliet grinned as she looked at her next victim, feeling the blood boiling in her veins,

''Goodnight London, stay safe.'' the woman sighed.