No Way Out

Chapter 13: Thelyssa

Chapter 13: Thelyssa

Honey's P.O.V.

Click!

The timer screeched to a halt. Ally had managed to choke down every last wriggling worm in that jar. We all stared, a morbid curiosity etched on our faces, as she lurched to her feet and sprinted to the corner of the room. A gagging heave, and then the contents of her stomach decorated the dusty floor. My skin crawled, the phantom taste of earthy slime assaulting my senses.

"Congratulations player number 11, your dare is done...next spin...player number 04," the disembodied voice droned. Celestria reached for the bottle, her movements a little too stiff, a little too hesitant. My own stomach churned with a fresh wave of anxiety.

"Lakasan mo ng kunti Celestria," French urged, a touch of recklessness in his voice.

"Hoy! ano ka ba, baka ako ang matutukan niyan," I snapped back, shooting him a glare.

The thought of being the next victim of this twisted game was more than enough to keep me on edge. I felt Ally shuffle back to her seat, her face a pale mask of disgust.

"Pwe! Kadiri no'n ah," she muttered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Masarap ba?" Reixel asked, his face scrunched up in distaste.

"Gusto mong i-try?" Ally shot back, her voice laced with a venomous sarcasm.

Reixel wisely shook his head, opting for silence over another round of interdimensional cuisine. The bottle spun, a dizzying blur of glass and shadows. The air crackled with unspoken tension as it gradually slowed, until finally, agonizingly, it pointed to Xhena. Her eyes widened, a mixture of fear and disbelief flickering across her face.

"Ally, ikaw na ang kumuha ng dare para sa kanya," I said, cutting through the silence. It wasn't like Celestria could read it, not with her mouth sewn shut.

"Okay fine," Ally agreed, reluctantly reaching for a slip of paper in the jar. She cleared her throat, a grim determination settling over her features. "Okay. I will read it Xhena, listen attentively." Xhena nodded, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

"Break the fingers of player number 11," Ally read, her voice flat, devoid of emotion.

"A-ano? Tama ba ang pagbasa mo, Al?" I stammered, my heart hammering against my ribs. The dare was monstrous, unthinkable.

"Yes," she replied, a strange glint in her eyes.

"Gaga ka ba? Ikaw yon!" I exclaimed, my voice rising in panic. "You're player eleven!"

Her eyes widened, a dawning horror spreading across her face as she reread the slip of paper. A low curse escaped her lips. She turned to Xhena, her expression a mixture of dread and resignation.

"Medyo masakit 'to," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Gagawin ko 'yon?" Xhena asked, her voice trembling.

"Yup, kung ayaw mong mabigyan ng punishment," Reixel answered, his tone devoid of sympathy.

"Ha? Paano 'yung kamay niya? Madudurog 'yung mga buto niya." Xhena protested, horror etched on her face.

"Ayos lang naman if ayaw mong gawin, kung gusto mo namang mamatay," I added, my voice sharp despite the tremor in my voice.

Survival was a potent motivator in this hellhole. Xhena swallowed hard, her eyes darting around the room, searching for an escape that wasn't there. She nodded slowly, her face etched with a grim resolve.

"The tools are in the box," Ally said, pointing towards the wooden crate in the corner. It was a macabre Pandora's Box, filled with instruments of torture.