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 Eight: Home
I don't know what made me run faster; the jolting look in Rodney's eyes or the sight of James's bloody body.
I used to be a person who thought people tripping in horror movies was absolutely ridiculous. But it isn't. The fear makes your head swarm. You lose track of your vision in the madness, and your legs feel like jello. Everything in your brain is telling you to run, but your heart is pumping too fast for your legs to work properly.
My legs slip out from under me several times. Behind me, I can hear the struggle. Ximena screams and I hear another gunshot. I stop. The sound of my heart beating in my ear hurts. For a moment, there's silence.
Oh, God, please no.
But out of nowhere, the loud footfalls of someone running full speed at me causes me to step back. I picture Monica brandishing her gun. But when I see Ximena with her dark, damp hair sticking to her face, I feel a bit of relief.
I wait for her to catch up. I grab her hand and run.
"Where's Rodney?" I ask, the question pouring out of me.
She shakes her head. "He- He saved me. He's fighting her."
I dig my nails into my free hand. I want to turn back and help him. But if I go back there and get hurt, he'd never forgive me. I know that's not what he'd want.
I half-expect to reach another fork but it's not there. Instead, we find a larger room. It's full of large and small crates. Shelves line the walls with hundreds of jars.
"Where the hell are we!?" She whispers in a hiss.
"We're in her family's shelter."
Her shocked eyes meet mine. "Shelter? Like for an apocalypse?"
Considering the jars and crates, I assume so. "Yeah. She told me her dad was an 'End of the World' nut, I just never thought it would be this bad. Or that she'd use it for her twisted plan."
"Look!" Ximena shouts louder than I would've liked. But she points ahead. "There's the door!"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you..."
The both of us go still at the sound of her voice. Almost simultaneously, we turn to face her. But instead of aiming the gun at me, she's got the end of the barrel pressed against Rodney's temple.
"No!" My stomach sinks deep to my feet.
She ticks an eyebrow. "You know I will kill him, Zoe. He has to pay. But..." she trails off with dramatic effect. "I'll make you a deal."
Whatever's left of my stomach twists and turns sour. "What kind of deal?" I ask cautiously.
A grin spreads over her face. "I'm glad you asked! Now, I can't just let you go. But I'll let you choose one of three options.
