Disclaimer: I do not own The Twilight Saga, The Saw Series, or any of their affiliates.
Chapter 12: Bands
Alice's blood slowly seeped over the hardwood floor. The sickly smell of rusted coins filled the room. Everyone's faces held stares of terror and shock. Their eyes flickered between the bullet hole in the door and Alice's body. Nobody moved until a few seconds after it happened.
Jasper fell to the floor, his knees falling in Alice's blood. His hands slowly reached for her, wanting to touch her still body, hoping that it would bring life back into her. His heart was slowly breaking, an empty hole forming. The only person that actually was starting to care and understand him was now dead. And it happened so quickly. A little sob escaped his lips.
Rosalie and Bella stood close to each other with locked arms. Despite the pain, Bella refused to let go of Rose; she needed someone to hold onto to. Rose stared blankly at Alice, her feelings tangled up in a knot. Bella could not believe her eyes; she did not believe that someone could die so quickly. And to both of them, Alice seemed to be a really good person. Neither of them knew why she died first.
A little laugh escaped Jacob's mouth. It was barely audible, but it was there. The insanity of the situation made him chuckle to himself. He still could not understand why he was stuck in a house full of traps and games. His mind was slowly going insane, thinking about the asshole that put all of them in this position.
Edward stared at Alice's body. He watched the blood slowly seep into the floor boards, the dark, red shape moving without a cause. Then, almost like a robot, he walked past Alice's body and stared at the key through the other hole. He quickly grabbed the key and held it in his hand. It was an ordinary key, nothing too spectacular. His eyes fell to the other key in Alice's hand; it was different.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Emmett asked, glaring at Edward. "A girl just died, and you're already ripping the other key off the string. What the hell? Do you have no feelings?"
"It's unfortunate that she died, yes, but I see this everyday. Besides, I don't want to die. I just want to get all these keys and get the hell out of the shit hole."
"You're a real asshole, you know that?" Emmett continued to stare at Edward.
Unfazed, Edward walked past Emmett and to the door with the eight key holes. He took another look at the key, ingraining it in his head. Then, he slowly put it in the top key hole. It fit perfectly. He turned it slowly, and a deadbolt in the door moved. Edward smiled, content.
"I cannot believe she is dead," Jasper whispered, still staring at Alice.
As Emmett walked over to Jasper to help him up, Renesmee stared at the doorway behind her. She did not even blink when Alice was shot, and she wanted the same thing that Edward wanted: freedom. She turned around silently and walked through the doorway opposite of everyone else.
She looked down the empty, cold corridor ahead of her. There were a few doors on each wall. Fearlessly, she jiggled one of the handles; the door did not open. She moved to the next door. Again, it did not open. Frustrated, she tried one last door. This time, it popped open.
Holding her breath, Renesmee walked cautiously into the lit room. All the hair on her body was standing on edge. She peered at the dimming red walls and the dull wood floor. Finally, she pushed the door completely open and gaped at the sight in front of her.
Hanging from the ceiling, there were twelve, spike-covered bands suspended from chains. Also hanging from the ceiling was a tape recorder. It had 'Renesmee' written on it. Renesmee's eyes bulged, her body shaking.
"Guys," she hollered, not caring about making noise anymore, "Hurry up. Get in here."
Slowly, the others started to pile in. Edward was first. Finally, everyone else came in groups. Jasper was the last one; his eyes were still glossy. Edward stared at the sight and the recorder.
"Well," he said, "Are you going to take it?"
"Are you crazy?" Renesmee said, her voice high. "Look at those spikes. There is no way in hell that I am doing anything with those things."
"She's right," Jacob voice, walking up next to her. "She should not have to risk her life. This is shit."
"I disagree," Rosalie spoke up. "It's her test, and she has to do it. The bastard who put us here is probably watching us. If he doesn't see her do her test, we all might die."
A murmur of agreements rippled through the room. Bella, Jasper, Emmett, and Edward's heads bobbed up and down. However, Jacob was indifferent, not wanting to choose sides. Deep down, he did not want anything to happen to Renesmee, and he was not quite sure why; she seemed very genuine.
Being pressured, Renesmee outstretched her arm to get the recorder. She pulled on it and ripped it off the string. Shaking, she slowly pressed the 'Play' button.
"Hello, Renesmee. I would like to play another game with you. As I already have stated before, you are a lawyer. You try to persuade twelve particular people every case you take. These people are, of course, the jury. Today, you are going to be against them.
"The bands you see before you are symbolic. They stand for the twelve jurors that you have to persuade when you are in court. For this task, you will need to latch the bands onto specific parts of your body. The areas are stated on the bands. Quick, give this recorder to someone and put on the bands. You only have thirty seconds."
The recorder went silent. Still shaking, Renesmee gave the recorder to Jacob. He held it steady in his hand as Renesmee ran over to the bands. Latching the bands and bleeding a bit from the spikes, she put one of both of her wrists, both of her ankles, her neck, both of her thighs, both of her knees, both of her elbows, and her stomach. They were tight on her skin, and the spike brought some blood. There were tears of fear and pain rolling down Renesmee's cheeks as she faced the wall, looking away from the others.
"Very good, Renesmee. Now, here is the little twist. The person that you gave the tape recorder to cannot help you in this game. If he does, I will see, and you will die along with him." Renesmee whimpered as Jacob cursed. "Before you, you will see a key suspended from a thin wire." Renesmee looked at the key she did not see before floating right in front of her face.
"In order to get out of the bands, you must get this key. Unfortunately, the only way that you can get it is by using your mouth. This means that you will have to pull on the band around your neck, possibly killing you in the process.
"However, there is one other way that you can retrieve the key. Someone behind you, a person not holding this recorder, can grab the key for you. If they do this, all of the bands will be taken off of you, and you will be set free. It is as simple as that. But be quick because every few seconds, a band will close completely on a body part. Persuade them to save you, Renesmee."
Renesmee instantly started speaking. "Come on, guys. You can save me. Let's go. Someone grab the damn key." She was trying to twist her neck to look at them, but the spikes were digging into her skin.
Nobody moved.
"Hello? Help me here." Instantly, a band on one of Renesmee's thighs closed tighter. She cried out in pain.
"Save her!" Jacob yelled, looking at the others. "What the hell are you waiting for?"
The other thigh band clamped shut. Renesmee yelled.
"What the hell?" Jacob screamed. "Save her, dammit!"
"I don't think we will," Emmett said, his voice monotone.
The bands on Renesmee's knees clamped shut. "Fuck!" Renesmee yelled. "Someone help!"
"It will be better if you are gone," Edward said, his voice just like Emmett's. "There will be one less person to worry about."
The elbow braces closed.
"Fuck you all to the deepest circle of hell!" Renesmee hollered. She tried to move her neck to reach the key three inches away from her face. The spikes on her neck went further in her skin. She could feel the blood running down her neck. "Shit! Someone save me! Please, we are in this together! I will be one more person who can help you if one of you are in a position like this!"
Rosalie and Bella stayed quiet, standing near the door. Their faces showed that they wanted to do something, but they feared the people around them. Jasper just stood there, not moving, not doing a thing.
"Jasper," Jacob said, walking over to him, "Do something! Don't let Renesmee end up like Alice! Please!"
The wrists bands clamped shut. Renesmee wailed.
Jasper shook his head slowly. "No one was there for Alice to defend her."
"You all are shitty people!" Jacob said. "Hold on, Renesmee! Try again!"
"Dammit, Jacob! I can't!" She pulled against the neck brace again. "It hurts too much!" There was blood running down the injured parts of her body. Then, the ankle braces shut. "Fuck!" Renesmee cried. "This hurts like hell! Save me, you bastards! Rose! Bella! Do something!"
Rose stared at Renesmee's bleeding body. Tears were rolling down her face. Emmett grabbed her by the arm and shook his head at her. Rose stayed still. Bella took a step towards Renesmee, but Edward grabbed her, holding her back.
The second to last band clamped down on her stomach. Blood erupted from behind the band. Renesmee screamed out in pain.
"No!" Jacob yelled.
Terror in her eyes, Renesmee knew that the end was near. One last time, she tried to reach for the key. First with her bloody wrist; then with her mouth. Fighting through the pain, she came dangerously close to the key, but she was still millimeters off.
With a deafening click, the last band clamped shut. Blood gushed out of Renesmee's neck. She said something, but it came out muffled. The blood rose up in her throat, drowning her. After a few seconds, her body fell slack on the chains, and Renesmee hung in the air from the ceiling.
