“Why does the game have to start here?” I asked, not really caring which man answered.
“Oh, the game doesn’tstarthere, Little Light.” The clown tossed a black canvas bag in my direction.
It fell to the ground with a heavy thud, and Reaper immediately turned to him.
“There is a loaded gun in that.” Disapproval dripped from his words.
The clown shrugged. “What’s gonna happen? Shedies?”
My eyes rolled as I bent down to pick up the bag. It was weighty, but it shouldn’t be impossible to carry. With that in mind, I tossed it over my shoulder and made a mental note to get to a safe place and rifle through it later.
“As my comrade was saying, the gamedoesn’tbegin here,” Reaper continued. “We all have areas we like to tether ourselves to, this just gives you the best chance to run. You’ll get a ten-minute head start, but you’ll soon realize that isn’t long when your life's on the line.”
I wrapped my fingers around the strap as I cast a lingering look around the circle of masked men. Fog slowly creepedtoward the area, obscuring what little daylight we had left and shrouding the area in a milky gray.
“So, when do I start?” I looked around at the trees, wondering if they’d be watching me hide. If so, that’d be a waste of time.
“Patience, Little Light,” Reaper coached, stepping closer as he did. “I need you to close your eyes.”
I stared at him.
“Trust me,” he pleaded.
“We’re about to play a game where your goal is to kill me.”
Bone man stepped forward, patting Reaper so firmly on the back that he nearly fell over. “Yeah, but Seth is a pussy, he doesn’t—”
Reaper elbowed Bone man in the stomach, causing him to double over as all the wind exited his lungs.
Seth.
One name down, three to go.
“Point is… If we’re already going to slaughter you like the pig you are, what do you have to lose?” the clown taunted.
My gaze narrowed, and I waited forSethto hit him too. But, he didn’t, and against my better judgment, I listened.
Without my sight, I relied on my hearing to tell me if I was in danger. The snapping of twigs filled the air. Warm breath and the scent of cinnamon cascaded over my face, and just as I prepared to open my eyes, a set of lips met mine.
They were soft, and the kisses feather light. It was as if he was testing to see if I’d push him away, or maybe even run. I assumed this was Seth. A gloved hand met my cheek, and before I could decide if I wanted to bite or melt into him, hepulled away.
Calloused fingers dug into my chin, pulling me the other way. My eyes remained sealed shut and the man’s tongue swiped across my mouth before his teeth, sharp and animalistic, met my lip. This had to be Bone man. His kisses differed from Seth’s,rough and hungry, as if he was trying toclaim mebefore anyone else had the chance.
When he pulled away, I barely had time to catch my breath before a laugh floated through the air. A hand fisted my hair, yanking my head back. The urge to yelp in pain was there, but before I could a set of chapped lips crashed into mine. With each kiss, I could feel his wicked grin widen.
When he was finally done with me, I was dizzy and out of breath. I assumed the clown would be the last one, as the crying man had yet to appear at all interested in the game. But, once more warm breath collided with my skin.
This time, it smelled like wintergreen.
My lips were safe from another faceless kiss, because the last man pressed his lips to my forehead. The slightest hint of stubble tickled my skin before he pulled away.
“Keep your eyes closed, Little Light,” Seth crooned, his voice sounding farther away than expected. “Count to one hundred, and then the ten minutes will begin.”
A sudden tremble infested my limbs, and at first I listened, using my pounding heart as a metronome for each count. But, once I got to forty five, a thought dawned, how would they know? It was in my best interest to look, that way I could know iftheywere watching me.
Slowly, I cracked one eye, and the other followed soon after. Despite their gargantuan figures, the men were so far away that they almost looked small. I couldn’t distinguish any exact features, but for the first time, I saw more than leather and bone. Their masks all hung at their sides as they walked toward the house.
My head cocked as I studied them, trying to place their outfits to the maskless man underneath. Seth was easy, his well-tailored black coat was ingrained in my mind from this morning.
