Page 117 of A Drop of Anguish
He’s leaving the choice up to me.
But my mind is already made up. I’d follow along with the group if everyone agreed to run, but if it’s up to me? I want answers. And there is one, in particular, that’s clawing at me.
One thing I have to know, or it will torment me forever.
Without even bothering to answer, I begin walking down the luminescent stairs. It’s a bit unnerving being able to see through them all the way down the hundred-foot drop. And you know, the fact that the magical being that created the stairs could snap their fingers and remove them at any moment.
That seems unlikely, though. If they want us dead, that’s not how they’ll do it.
My friends follow closely behind. Janet loops her arm in mine and Lola glides down beside us. “Are we sure this is a good idea?” Lola asks.
“Nope,” I tell her.
“Right.” She looks over her shoulder at the closed stone tunnel.
I stop. I think about telling Lola and Janet they could retreat if they wanted, but they couldn’t, could they? “Jarron, can you blast through that wall, so we have an exit plan? Lola and Janet, you’re welcome to use it now if you want. I just have a few questions I need answers first.”
Jarron wordlessly turns. A sparkling black void appears over his palm, growing each second.
“I don’t want to leave you, though.” Janet squeezes my arm a little tighter.
I jump when his magic smashes the stone apart, sending debris flying.
Janet stares back at the barely visible tunnel. That’s our only known route to safety. “I know,” I tell them both softly. “But this isn’t your fight.”
Lolo flies up and lands on my shoulder. “Of course it is. If it’s your fight, it’s ours.”
Janet smiles. “It’s all of Minor Hall’s fight.”
“How did I get so lucky to find friends like you?” I ask. Is it always the least strong that have the biggest hearts? It feels that way sometimes.
Jarron peers down at me. I nod, and we turn together to keep walking down the stairs.
The haunted carnival tune continues its melody, getting louder and louder the closer we get to the bottom of the iridescent stairs.
Finally, we reach the stone platform with a metal railing that gives a great view of the pit maze below.
Is this where Mr. Vandozer, my sister’s lover, watched while she died?
There’s no one here to greet us. No sign of the jinn or the source of the voice or music.
“Hello?” I call.
The wordWelcomepops into existence in front of my face.
“We’re so glad you all could join us,” an inhuman female voice purrs. “The games are about to begin. Would you like to watch?”
I clench my hands into fists.
“Take a seat.”
My throbbing heart is ready to explode with anticipation and fear. Did we make the wrong choice in coming here? What the hell is happening?Are they going to make us watch the Akrasia Games?
We all share wordless, panicked looks and then take one of the folding metal chairs.
I can’t just sit here and watch as Corrine and the others fight each other to the death. I don’t care what I’d get out of it, even my own life. I can’t do it.
I don’t want to watch this.
