Zoe wakes up in a strange room without a clue on how she got there. She and the seven other people are instructed to play a game. A game that will push them all to their limits, that will expose their deepest, darkest secrets. A game meant to kill...
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Chapter Six: Friend
I freeze, all the blood in my body sinking down to my toes. Tears build in my eyes at the thought. Not sure whether I'm going to burst into sobs or throw up, I shake my head and cover my mouth. "No," I whisper. "I can't."
"Please," Jen pleads to Monica. "Monica, whatever I did, I am so so sorry. You don't have to do this."
She laughs manically. "I don't? Well, shucks! Then everyone can go home!" She shakes her head. "Fuck you, Jennifer Ewen. You are a coward. That's all you've ever been and all you'll ever be. You might as well spare everyone else around you from it."
All of a sudden, Jen loses the composure she's kept up. She screams, letting it all out. "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about!! I'm so sick of your mind games! Just spit it out! Tell me what you think I did!"
"You wanna know?" She ticks an eyebrow. When Jen nods, she steps towards her. "Let me paint you a picture. Junior year, the girls bathroom. Adrien is bullying me. I tell her to stop it, to leave me alone. She shoves me onto the ground and threatens me. She laughs when I cry. Then she leaves, and guess what? You step out from one of the stalls. I knew you were watching me. I begged you to help me, to go to the principal to tell him what Adrien was doing. But you know what you said? You said no, but you emphasized how sorry you were. You know what, Jen? That was a fucking slap to the face. Oh, you were so sorry, but you wouldn't help. Fuck. You."
My heart beats hard in my chest. Shit. I had did something similar. When Monica and I were friends, Adrien came back for round 2. I didn't stand up for her. I didn't help. If she was mad about Jen doing this, I can only imagine how pissed she is about one of her only friends doing the same thing.
Jen waits patiently until Monica is done. "I'm sorry you were hurt by that," she says calmly. "I didn't mean to hurt you. But you have to understand my position."
"Oh, poor you!"
Like a switch has been flipped, Jen squares her shoulders and steps towards Monica. "You sure you aren't talking about yourself? It's always been 'woe-is-me' with Monica. Monica-this, and Monica-that. Just a sob fest."
A nasty scowl twists on Monica's face. But instead of lunging at her like I expected, she turns towards me. "Time to choose, Zoe. How will she die?"
I shake my head defensively. "No. I can't."
She tilts her head. "Would you prefer to have me shove this dagger somewhere else, say, your throat?"
My breath hitches in my throat. Fear bubbles through me. Instinctively, I meet Jen's eyes. I wonder if she'd understand, given she did the same thing to me in the previous game.
But she doesn't. "Please," she begs.
"Monica," As bravely as I can muster, I lock eyes with her. "Please don't do this. She's my friend.
