“How about you surrender after this round? Put us both out of our misery,” Enzo says.
“How about you surrender?” I respond.
“Another round of truth or lies to determine who surrenders?” Enzo pleads, thinking it’s his only chance to get me to quit first.
A tear drips down my cheek. Thank God he can’t see me, or he’d see how close I am to cracking and stopping this game now. Because I can’t watch Enzo get hurt.
I shake my head but don’t answer him. He doesn’t prod me to play or speak again. We both just enjoy the silence and hope the other survives longer than we do. Because neither of us wants to be the one who survives and is forced to live without the other.
And if Enzo stays with Milo, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
I wish this game could be decided with a simple game of truth or lies; it would be so much easier to handle. Even though that game hasn’t always been kind to me, I always faced the truth with Enzo by my side.
Now, I have to decide what is my own truth. Can I watch Enzo be tortured? Can I handle his pain at seeing me be tortured? Can I find a way to save him?
12
Enzo
Listening to Kai come at the sound of my voice was up there with the most erotic nights of my life. The round was meant to be torture, and it was, but not because I was kept in a dark cage all night. It was torture to be so close to Kai and yet not be able to touch her.
There was a time when Kai wouldn’t let me touch her, and I thought that was pain. But now that I love her, not feeling her is like losing a limb. I don’t feel whole without her.
In some ways though, I wish last night had lasted longer. It was torture, but not as much as today will be. Kai was safe as long as we were both locked in our cells. But now I hear the footsteps nearing. Now I know the real suffering is about to begin.
Now is my last moment alone with Kai to tell her whatever she needs to get through today. I can remind her of how strong she is. Tell her how much I’ve missed her, how I would die for her. Even that I love her.
But I can’t say any of those things. I can’t say I love you for the first time through a wall.
And Kai must feel that the time for emotions has long gone, because she doesn’t tell me she loves me either, even though she’s said it before. Instead, she says, “I know. We are ready. Let’s do this.”
Fuck, so strong, even in the light of darkness.
Our doors are opened simultaneously as the light of the hallway pours inside. But neither of blink or adjust to the light. We are both so used to the light finding us in the darkest of places.
“Time for round two. And we have all agreed it is best to continue the rounds down here. Less messy that way,” Archard says, clearing his throat like he is talking about the weather and not about the blood that will soon be pouring from our bodies.
My eyes connect with Kai’s in the light of day as we step out of the cages and for a second, I see the heaviness of the night before returning to warrior mode. She’s not going to make this easy for me to win.
“Let’s start with the cuts before the second round,” Archard says looking at Langston.
He approaches me with the knife low in his hand, knowing the anticipation is worse than the actual cut. He inserts the knife into my other thigh, quickly driving the knife in and out.
I make eye contact with Kai as Milo approaches her and I know it’s a mistake to watch her. I know the pain of the knife is nothing, but I hate myself for letting him touch her.
Milo stares at her, and I see the disgust she feels for the man. He grabs her shoulders roughly, knowing her left shoulder is still hurt from where he pushed the blade in before. He takes his time, bringing the knife gently to her lips.
If he stabs her lips or anywhere in the face, I’m going to kill him. Right here, right now.
But he doesn’t. He trails the blade from her lip, over her chin, and down her neck. Drawing out every motion of the blade until, despite her best effort, there is a tinge of fear in her eyes. Only when he sees it does he drive the knife hard and deep into her other shoulder.
And then she has a gash on each shoulder, matching my bullet wounds.
Kai doesn’t react as Milo steps back.
“What is the next game?” Kai asks, impatient and obviously wanting to get as far away from Milo as possible.
Archard nods and brings up the sheet of paper he’s been reading the rules from. The list is long and covers multiple pages. We are in for a long day.