Chapter Eleven - Welcome Wagon
Initially this chapter was going to extend to include more than it did, but upon seeing how long this portion was, I decided to split it up into two. You'll understand what that even means by the end. Sorry this update didn't come sooner! Life has been hectic and even though I had an outline going over exactly what beats this chapter was supposed to hit, it still took far too long for me to write. I'm hoping to update a bit more consistently now, but no promises. I have a lot of hard classes to juggle this year alongside extracurriculars and hanging out with friends.
And for those of you that are asking, we are somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 of the way though the story. c; Approximately.
"My life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes."
~ L.M. Montgomery
Marinette's Point of View
It's time. Time to bring our friends home.
My fingers trace my new eye patch as we all drive in silence. It's hard, adjusting to only seeing through one eye. I should be able to get a prosthetic in over a month, according to the doctors. They were incredibly frustrated by my inability to tell them what had happened that had caused me to do it. In all honesty, it really seemed like they weren't going to release me, till I was able to covertly inform a doctor that people were in danger, and that if I told them the truth people would die. I begged them to let me go home after that, and eventually they did when Lila came and insisted that she would be keeping a close eye on me. I'm still not sure if the doctor believed me or not, but I hope my brief discussion with him helped.
Now, I'm in a car with Nino, Lila, Rose, and Ivan. The silence is practically suffocating, but none of us know what to say. We are both anticipating and dreading where we are going. The Gamemaker texted Nino a location to share with the group that we should go to to begin retrieving our friends, and so he rounded us all up to go. It wasn't like it took all that long; we all immediately dropped what we were doing to come.
Nathalie and Jalil followed close behind us, opting to ride in the other car when we determined we wouldn't all fit together. Chloe, of course, is still hospitalized. Her burns were incredibly severe, but she is thankfully recovering. She texted me to ask if my offer still stood, so sooner or later I'll be getting a new roommate. It really depends on how long it takes for her to recover. The only one of us missing is Kim...
The car comes to a stop, and Nino nudges me to get my attention. "Ready?" He asks, his expression unreadable as he pulls the key out of the ignition.
I shake my head but open the passenger door and step out all the same.
We all notice the crate on the ground in front of the tree lines right away. Lila bursts out from behind us, rushing over. Hand shaking, she picks up the card delicately laying atop it and begins to read.
"To one Lila Rossi: Congratulations." Her voice and hands shake, but she continues to read as we all gather around. I can hear Jalil and Nathalie pull up behind us. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I had look forward to killing your partner and seeing what made him tick." Rose wretches into the grass beside us, tears welling in her eyes. "Still, rules are rules. Open your box and receive your prize. Yours truly, the Gamemaker."
We all stand there for a moment, staring at the box, but then we hear movement in the box. The sound of someone bumping the wood kicks us into gear, with Nino, Ivan, and Lila all begin to pull the lid off as I help usher Rose out of the way and away from the vomit.
And when the lid comes off, we look to see...
Nathaniel's Point of View
It's been two days since the Gamemaker first explained his game to us. Since then, we've done everything we can.
We tested the limits of our chains' length. Sadly, the Gamemaker is smart enough to have checked them himself. Either that, or he got really lucky, because none of them are long enough for any of us to help each other. We're all stuck with no apparent way to get out of them.
So all we have left to do is talk. We talk about our lives as we try to pretend this isn't happening to us. We speculate about who might be tied to us, but we ultimately have no idea. We don't even know who has been roped into this.
The fear of what might happen keeps us from ever all sleeping at once. We sleep in shifts instead, so that if necessary we could have the two people on guard wake everyone else up. Those who've had guard duty explained that the Gamemaker comes down each night and drops off the meager amount of food we get for the day. He never says a word; his presence is enough to spook anyone on watch.
I have first watch tonight. That's a terrifying thought, but it's one that will be true very soon. Everyone is going to be going to sleep sooner rather than later, and that will leave me and Juleka on guard duty.
We all jump when the door is forcefully swung open and someone new walks into the room.
She has never been here before. She's tall and carries herself confidently, with long blonde hair and big blue eyes. I could easily see her in a museum's art gallery. A painting of her by the pool, with a big white dress and parasol as she bends down to get a better look at a fish.
"Please, help us!" Manon sobs, stretching out a hand. That is enough to stir the rest of us up into a frenzy, jostling around in our chains as we all begin to plead for her help.
She sneers, her face morphing into one of ugly rage. Now, it seems much more fitting of one of Picasso's painting: a distortion of something that should be beautiful. Her stance and face are harsh agaisnt the soft colors that I initially imagined would frame her.
"You really think so lowly of me that you believe I would let someone find you nine down here? What a pathetic underestimate of my abilities." The Gamemaker's voice comes spilling from the woman's lips, and suddenly we are looking at someone I know I should recognize.
She's Italian, with brown eyes and long brown hair. Grimacing, she adjusts her new red jacket. "Gosh, how does she stand it? No matter. One of you is very lucky. Miss Lila Rossi," My eyes widen. Our old classmate? I can't believe I'd forgotten about her, "has finished her task. One of you is safe."
Her eyes scan over all of us before smirking.
"Too bad you won't get to know who you are. I suppose you'll just have to hope and pray, right?"
Then her form is that of the original Gamemaker's again. A middle aged, orgindary looking man. I can't even assume that that is his original form, but it is the first one I remember seeing him in. The terrible truth behind what we just saw hasn't sunk in yet. Right now, I reference it yet don't accept it becomes it seems too unreasonable. The Gamemaker can shapeshift. What a ridiculous notion. And yet, I saw it with my very eyes.
No, for now I still do not believe it.
Lila's Point of View
Tears well in my eyes as I fall to my knees by the box. He's alive. Oh, thank God, he's alive!
"Wh-where am I?" The redheaded artist cautiously stands up, and when Nino reaches out to comfort him, actually flinches away from the contact. "What happened?"
"You're okay now." Marinette says, slowly reaching out a hand and helping him out of the crate. "That's what's improtant."
His turquoise eyes that have entranced me for so long finally fall on me. "You..." He says softly, "you saved me?"
All I can do is nod and sniffle, muffled by the hair pressed against my face, stuck there thanks to the tears and snot. It's not a good look, especially in front of someone I adore so much. But I can't help this reaction. I was so terrified for his safety, even more so than I realized till finally seeing him safe. I knew I'd completed my task and won, but at the same time, there was no guarantee that he was okay. To see him now is so relieving.
"Lila..."
I don't let him finish, instead jumping to my feet and wrapping my arms around him. I know he must be uncomfortable, probably making the face he does when he's not sure what to do. He has never been super into physical affection, and it's not like he is going to appreciate it from me, of all people. In his mind, we haven't seen each other in years. He doesn't know we live a few doors apart and that every day for over a year I daydreamed of approaching him after all these years and telling him how I felt.
"She would've done anything to make sure you made it back safely, Nath. She did so much-" Marinette is cut short, thankfully, by the sound of a phone ringing.
Nino frowns, digging into his pocket and realizing it's his before picking up. "Hello?" I see his face fall a bit, eyes widening as he mutters, "Right," and then shoves his phone back in his pocket. "That was the Gamemaker. He says we'd better keep making our way down this trail if we want to see the rest of our friends. Not in those nice of words, mind you."
I finally release Nathaniel, jumping away and refusing to meet his eyes as everyone begins to slowly make our way down the path beyond the crate Nathaniel was in. However, before I can walk too far, he grabs my arm.
"Lila, what did you do?" He whispers, and I realize that his eyes have found their way to my arm. In a moment, I've tugged my sleeve down over the scar that I hadn't even realized was showing, but the damage is done. There's an unbearable look of pity in Nathaniel's eyes as he tries to pull my arm towards him to examine it. "Did he...did he make you do that? Lila-"
I pull my arm from his grip and rush to the head of the group beside Marinette, trying not to cry as my hand repeatedly slides over the sleeve covering the scar.
I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a liar I am a
"Stop that." Marinette quietly scolds me, knowing where my mind is without me even saying a word.
I don't respond, just staring at the paper sitting on the crate in front of us. She doesn't press the subject either. Everyone in the group has just stopped to stare.
A note sits atop the box, and written in the most delicate cursive are these six words: Rest in peace, Kim Le Chien.
"We...we have to open it." Nino finally says, and with great trepidation, he and Ivan remove the lid of the crate.
So there we have it. Our first crate has been opened and Nathaniel is alright. Lila had him as her partner after all. So does that mean Max Kante is in the next box? And if so, what state is he going to be in, since Kim lost? Guess only time will tell. :D So, what did you think of this chapter? Was it good? Bad? Let me know in a review! I know this chapter wasn't as action-packed or uncomfortable as some of the last ones, but I figured we all could use the break. No worries, these next chapters will be kicking things right back into high gear. Buckle up and pack your barf bags, kids, cause I am quite nervous to write this next chapter when it's finally time. o.o
~ Dagger