Is he cut out for this?This is what he wanted. Hell, this is what he begged for and now… I think he realizes what he’s gotten himself into.
We haul the man’s body up onto the pedestal. He wakes up the second the restraints bite into his wrists and begins thrashingand screaming. “Wait!” he shakes his head. “No! I didn’t do what they accused me of!”
I’m supposed to make the first cut but I hesitate. What if he’s telling the truth? What if we are just killing him because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Our team leader snatches the knife from my grip and makes the first cut. It’s a long one from his shoulder down the outside of the guys arm.
The man screams in agony and tries to pull away but the restraints keep him in place.
We all take turns, filleting each aspect of the man as his screams echo around the woods.
Someone cuts a finger next, cutting from palm to tip. The man’s hand spasm once but shortly after goes limp. Each piece of skin is torn from his bones to make him immobile. Calf. Thigh. Shoulder.
Joey flinches next to me when I drag the blade across the man’s torso. But he stiffens a moment later to mask it. But I saw it. I watched the way he pulled away from what he was about to have to do.
I hand him the knife, wiping the blood from my brow as he stares at the blade. His head begins to shake. “This isn’t right. We don’t even know what he did to deserve this.”
Panic wells in my stomach. “It doesn’t matter what he did. We do as we’re told.” I try to remind him.
His eyes widen and he takes a step back. “No, this isn’t right.” His hand shakes as he drops the knife to the ground and all eyesturn toward him. Something in him snaps and I watch it like it’s happening in slow motion.
“Shit,” I mumble.
Our squad leader realizes what is happening just as Joey makes it to the tree line. “We got a runner!” he yells over the radio.
My heart sinks.Everyone will know now.There’s no getting him out of the consequences of running.
Fuck fuck fuck. This can’t be happening. The only reason I’m here is because of him. The only reason I chose this fucking path was to stay by his side. And he just… ran.
This is all he wanted. All he ever talked about. All he ever dreamed of. Yet, when the time came to do what had to be done, he ran.
My eyes widen as troops rush around me toward the woods. They are going to catch him. There is no other option for him.
Chapter 5
Ryven
Hours crawl by as we wait for news of Joey.Did he make it out alive? Did he escape?I pace frantically back and forth in my dorm. He could’ve made it. He could’ve.
But even as the thought forms, it dies just as fast. There’s no way he got away from all of those troops.And the dogs… oh fuck. Not the dogs. No one ever gets away from them.
Shouting comes from outside, and my heart lurches into my throat as I step outside, the noise hitting me all at once. The troops are back. Dogs are barking ferociously. There is no doubt in my mind now. They found him.
A person flails in a sack being dragged behind a four-wheeler into the center of the field.Fuck.
I push my way toward the front of the gathering crowd, shoulders slamming into bodies that don’t move fast enough. I don’t care who I hit. I don’t care who notices. I just need to see him.
They rip the sack open. Joey’s head snaps up as the fabric is yanked away, his chest heaving and his face is streaked with dirt and blood. His eyes find mine instantly and they widen in terror. He knows what is about to happen to him.
“No,” I choke. My voice barely makes it out. “No… no, this isn’t—”
This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not to him. Not like this.
They strap him to the altar before tying his limbs and neck down.
I move before I can think. I drop to my knees beside the table, hands out in front of me like that will somehow change something. “Take me.” I say, the words ripping out of me. “Take me instead of him.”
The leader Cedric looks down at me with pity. “It is not your time, young one. He is not yet ready to see you.”
