Capewood (Book I) *Completed*

Autumn

How can I have done something so horrible, but can't even remember what it was that I had done? The way that the kid spoke about me...he had such contempt in his voice. Like I was the dirt in between the grooves on the bottom of his shoe. 

Julian has been so supportive of me since the situation with the unknown kid. Now that I call him the unknown kid I do realize how messed up it is that I can't even remember him, what is it that was done? 

"Stop thinking about it," says Julian as he strokes my head. I haven't removed my head from his lap since I woke up about an hour ago. He's just smiled and continued to make sure that I was as comfortable as possible. "You won't remember anything if you continue to think about it. Not to mention I'm pretty sure your eardrum is ruptured. You shouldn't stress yourself out more. I'm pretty sure it can make it worse." 

He's right. I can't sit here and stress myself out over someone that hasn't crossed my mind since whatever happened, well, happened. I just wish I knew what was so bad. I've never been disliked in my life. The fact that someone hates me enough to stalk and murder me in this environment makes me very fearful of not only the game now but also who I am as a person. 

"Autumn," says Julian laughing. "You're so stubborn."

He taps my shoulder telling me to lift up, and I do. He gets up and goes around the corner. "I, uh, I have to use the bathroom," he says holding up one finger. I chuckle to myself as he disappears from around the corner, and then reappears about a minute later. "You know I was thinking about something," he says as he returns and sits down. I put my head down again on his lap and try not to think about the fact that there are no sinks in this maze. 

"What's that?" the sun is setting in the windows. If the sunset didn't mean the Reaper is coming out to play, I think I would be more excited about how pretty it is. It almost feels...peaceful.

"I'm glad that I met you, Autumn MacDonald," he says with a grin. "You've kept me grounded while being here." I sit up and plant a kiss on his mouth, and he kisses me back. We sit like that for a moment, careful not to allow ourselves to get carried away like we did this morning. "We should stop," he says pulling away. "We don't want a repeat of this morning. That kid had me paranoid." 

I'm about to respond when I hear a strange noise begin to fill the entire area we are in. I look around and see that the walls of the maze are starting to shrink into the ground. I let out a shriek, and Julian jumps back as he feels the wall sliding down his back. 

"What the hell is going on?!" he asks as he jumps up looking around. 

Well so much for having a peaceful, right? 

I hear some other voices that I didn't hear before as screaming from all around the maze ignite throughout the room. People start to come into view as the wall sinks deeper and deeper into the floor. I quickly begin to look around the maze and look for the kid from earlier. 

1, 2, 3...

I count off the people I find in the maze. The farthest one is on the opposite side of the what looks to be a warehouse. They must not have stopped moving since the first day when we started. 

7. 

7?! Why is there- The Reaper.

I quickly narrow down which one is the Reaper. Once I remember her sickly blonde hair I find her standing directly in the middle of the room. Her Scythe is being held upside down, and she has one foot on it. Her babydoll mask is placed firmly over her features not allowing us to see her face. Along with knowing where the other contestants are there are at least five cabins that are scattered around the giant room. 

"Well this doesn't look like a good day," says Julian in a whisper. "I don't like the way this is looking," 

Static sounds start to come over the intercom system. I hear a chuckle that sounds familiar, and then the voice of Eros stats to speak. "Hello, Contestants," he says sounding like he's upset about something. "I'll have you know I'm very disappointed. Since you came into the maze two nights ago, I've only had three people die. Where is the fun in that? I asked for entertainment! This is one of the worst seasons I have ever sponsored." 

I tune him out and start to take in the surroundings that the room has. On the very far end of the room in the left-hand corner, there is a set of stairs that is guarded by the muscular guy from the second morning we arrived here and another babydoll mask. The stairs are no higher than 12 steps, and there is a single door with a slight window in it. 

"Julian, look at the staircase," I say pointing. "Doesn't that look a bit suspicious?" He tears his attention away from what is going on with the loudspeaker and turns it to the stairs. He looks at it with a questioning look, and then we are quickly snapped back into reality as Eros speaks louder. 

"Therefore, the maze will be placed down until I decide that there has been enough entertainment. Scattered around the room are different houses. If you're not in one by the countdown of 60 seconds, I will release the Reaper to have her way with the tributes. The door will only open one time. So have a game plan, Contestants,"

The girl named Katherine is the closest to us, and we rush to follow her into the cabin. She swings open the door and is about to close it when Julian slams his foot into the door. "Oh!" she says as she sees us behind her. She opens the door instantaneously. "I didn't realize someone was behind me," 

"Katherine, please wait!" screams a voice. The tall and muscular girl from earlier is running towards the door at full speed. Katherine quickly grabs us by the arm and pulls us in. She closes the door right on the girl's face as she makes it to the stairs of the cabin. 

"That's a minute!" screams Eros over the intercom. "Time for the Reaper to be unleashed! There's two of you out! That means that there will be 7 of your left once she is finished. Good luck Alicia and Charlotte." says Eros as the static clicks off. 

"Did you just leave her to die!?" I ask in shock.

"She tried to kill me earlier," says Katherine. "She has what is coming to her," 

The cabin is very ski resort in look. Everything in it is wooden. It's stained a very lovely red polish, and the furniture all looks very comfortable. Katherine walks over to the couch and brings it forth to the window. She sits down and props her knees up to her chest as she watches the Reaper begin a sprinting start at both of the people that didn't have the fortune to make it into a cabin.

I don't think I can watch this. 

I hide my face in Julian's shoulder as he places a comforting hand on my head. "Don't worry, baby," he whispers quietly enough for Katherine not to hear, "We are okay in here. One step at a time." He quickly kisses the top of my head and then glances over at Katherine to make sure she doesn't notice. 

"I don't care," she says glancing over at the two of us. "If you two want to spend your potential last few days canoodling that's on you. I'll focus on winning-"

Our conversation is interrupted by a high pitch scream.