Hide and Seek

Chapter 8 - Betrayed

I got up from my knees and placed a cloth over his body. I wanted to do so much more, but I couldn't. I covered my mouth feeling puke coming from my throat. I turned away and coughed. The smell of blood was getting stronger throughout the building. If the smell is this strong, there weren't a lot of people from the new batches anymore. I placed a red card on the doorknob and went back to the broom closet waiting for the next game to start.

"Hey! Pst!" I opened my eyes in complete shock. Someone was calling me. I fell asleep?!

I got out of my hiding spot, the PA system was still counting but I didn't know how long its been on. I frantically ran around looking for a hiding place. Just like the last game, I was late. The speaker came back on.

"Five minutes left." I panicked, there wasn't much time left.

I went to my room leaving the door wide open, I spun around the room looking for a place to hide. I rushed into Aya's wardrobe and closed it. I waited until the last game was over, I didn't know when it would be. I was trying my best to calm myself after everything. After relaxing for a while I thought back on what happened in the broom closet. Who called me? No one was there when I went outside... I shook my head when I heard someone enter the room. I held my breath and gripped my knife. I could hear the seeker counting down not too far from my room. The wardrobe doors suddenly opened and I saw Aya menacingly smirking at me. I didn't break eye contact with her.

"Move over Delilah." She grinned.

"I'm not moving, there isn't enough room for the both of us." I stated, progressively getting anxious. The seeker was drawing near, their voice slowly over lapping our conversation. Aya tilted her head with a toothy smile.

"You're right. There's only room for one of us." She giggled as she grasped my hand and started to yank me out of the small wooden structure. I fought to stay grounded. This isn't allowed, she's breaking one of the rules.

"Stop it Aya! What do you think you're doing?!" I held the sides of the wardrobe as Aya used all her strength and both of her hands to rip me out of my position.

"This is my revenge, you think you can get away with everything?!" I struggled using my legs to kick her.

I heard the seekers footsteps at the doorway, I saw their shadow. I clenched my teeth and the wood, my tears welled up. This is it. I'm going to die here without ever seeing what the sky looks like, what the world looks like outside of this hell. I'm never going to see it. Eventually the seeker stepped in, I made full eye contact through my tears. I gave up and stopped struggling. I released my hold and Aya threw me to the ground while she climbed in closing the doors loudly. I laughed to myself. I was so close, I was almost through one of my last games here. Now it really is. I smiled holding my head down. It's been awhile since I've seen my tears. Drops fell to the ground, everything seemed to be in slow motion.

I could see the light reflecting off of my fallen tears. I looked up and saw the seeker standing right in front of me, all of my power and strength was drained out of my body. My hand shook and released the knife. This is the end, it was a good fight. I nodded to myself and looked back to the ground. I braced myself for what the seeker was going to do. I tightly shut my eyes while the seeker walked closer, and passed by me. I open my eyes in confusion. I sat up and watched in horror as the seeker opened the wardrobe and yanked Aya out. Tears streamed down her face while the seeker scolded her.

"Number 3431. You have violated one of the rules. You cannot pull anyone out of their hiding spot. You will face the consequences of your actions." The seeker pulled a bat out and dragged Aya to the middle of the room.

She squirmed and flung her legs about trying to stop the seeker. She screamed to the top of her lungs crying and shouting.

"NO! STOP!" She growled and shrieked. I was frozen in place and turned around plugging my ears.

The bat made an odd high pitched sound as if it was hitting a ball. I've never heard that sound before as Aya's screaming stopped. Then he hit her, again, and again, and again. I heard the seeker drop the bat making the same hollow high pitched sound. Then they walked to the wall phone in the room and pressed a few buttons. Their deep voice echoed and vibrated through the building.

"Congratulations to everyone that made it through. You're now one step closer in graduating to leave. It was a really interesting game, until the next one." The seeker sighed and turned to me before looking back at Aya on the ground motionless. I didn't dare to look, the seeker walked towards me and I broke into a cold sweat.

"Number 1001." I couldn't see their face, every time a seeker was chosen they would wear a mask over their face. I composed myself, trying to not spew everywhere over the heavy stench of blood and their red stained mask.

"Yes?" The seeker nodded.

"Your last game is coming up." I agreed.

"Yes."

"You made it this far, you can do it. The leaders believe in you." I sat still. The leaders did?

"I won't disappoint." They turned around.

"I know you won't. All your suffering will end. I do apologize for everything we have put you through. It will get better." The seeker walked out without another word.

I stood up from where I sat and placed a red card on my doorknob. They'll come to clean up Aya. I stopped in my tracks hesitating, and ended up looking back. I ran away into the washroom holding my mouth. I was stopped by some girls who were crying with blood staining their clothes. They made eye contact with me before I surged into the closest stall, retching into the toilet. I hurled hard and clutched the toilet bowl. I coughed and spit into the water before flushing. I wiped my mouth before sluggishly stepping towards the sink. I washed my hands and rinsed my mouth.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror, my face, clothes. I was covered in pools of blood and dirt. My hair messy, my cheeks were tear stained and my eyes were red. I spotted the girls stare at me in horror, they looked bad, but not as bad as I did.

"Are you guys from the new batch?" They shook their heads.

"We came in a while back." They all held each other shaking.

"Are you okay?" I turned to them shaking my head and lazily walked out.

I thought today was the end, but I lived to play another game.