“Then it’s a good thing I’m not going to kill him. He would’ve been dead by now if that was my plan. We’re just going to talk all polite like. Isn’t that right, Bobby?”
“I swear on my honor.”
Tim clears his throat. “Well, that changes things.”
I see where this is going, and I’ve nothing more to lose. I pull out the sharp piece of metal from my back pocket and shoot my hand forward until I’m pressing it against Tim’s throat. “Drive.”
“Hey!”the younger guard yells.
“Keep your hands down! I swear I’ll fucking cut him if you move.”
“You don’t want to do this.” Tim tries to sound calm, but he’s breathing heavily.
“I’m not going back to them. Do your fucking job and take me away from here, then I’ll be gone like I was never here.Drive!”
“Told ya he was bad news,” Clint says.
“Yeah, you did. Last chance, kid.”
“Drive!”
A jolt of electricity hits me, coming from my seat. I scream and drop my weapon, my muscles spasming until I fall onto my side. The electricity stops within seconds, but my heart continues to drum like it might explode.
“Fuck, I love using it,” Tim chuckles. He turns to watch me lying on the seat, drool sliding from the corner of my mouth.
“Unlock the door so I can take him out of your hands,” Clint says.
“Afraid I can’t do that. The kid assaulted an honorable man of the law, and there’s only one place for him after this.”
Anywhere away from Clint is better, I think, then I realize what Tim is likely talking about, and I’m no longer sure.
*
It’s been three days since my arrest, and I’ve been dreading this moment every single minute.My execution.Though they don’t officially call it that. It’s my chance to fight for freedom and prove I’m worthy of a second chance.
But I’m going to die tonight; I can feel it in my bones and in my heart.
Above us, the ceiling creaks under the weight of people filling the arena. I was one of them a few days ago, watching as poor bastards stabbed one another with scissors. Now it is my turn to be the entertainment.
I refused to eat earlier because I had lost all appetite, and now I feel weak and tired. I glance at the twenty men and women who are cramped here with me, trying to assess my chances, which seem grim. I can tell the others are doing their own assessment, likely labeling me as easy prey. I wish I had trained in hand-to-hand combat with Caden like he offered me multiple times, but I was focused on my work with Dino, thinking that combat training would be a step back from all that I had accomplished.
Guards walk into the stuffy room, carrying sacks. They open one and pull out a black mask. It seems like the kind that covers the top of the face but leaves the mouth free. “Listen up! Each of you is going to put on one of these. You won’t see shit, and that’s how you’re going to play tonight. You’re also getting one of these.” He takes out a small wrapped package. “Only open it while you’re in the arena. If you do it sooner, we’ll gut you, and if you drop it on the way… tough luck.”
“How the fuck are we supposed to fight without seeing?” someone asks.
“I don’t make up the rules! Take these and put on your masks. If anyone tries to cheat and poke holes, we’ll take out your eyeballs.”
I should be more afraid, but I’m numb, as if all of this is happening to somebody else. When I’m handed the mask and the small package, I ask the guard, “Is there a game between the houses tonight?”
“You think you’re gonna stick around to watch a game later?”
People laugh.
“I’m just curious.”
“Nah, no houses are fighting tonight.”
Then Caden isn’t here.
