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That was my event. The premise was easy enough, if you’re hiding, stay hidden. If you’re caught, you’redead.
Rat Race was next. Players needed to get from the start of a maze to the end without being killed by other contestants or any of the other dangers lurking around corners.
The last event, Truth or Dare, was a high-stakes game of impossible tasks and devastating secrets—and it was invite-only.
I’d gotten a red and black sealed envelope earlier that year that I promptly declined. I liked my secrets good and buried, thank you very much.
My eyes darted back up to Jenna’s photo.
“Hot, right?” the girl remarked. “Pre-coverage says she’ll be in your division.”
“Yeah?” I said with a noncommittal laugh, my hand tightening on the overhead bar as the train bumped along the track to reach the bridge separating the island from the shore. From the pictures it looked to span miles from the underground tunnel to the island. An irrational fear of just one strong gust plummeting the entire thing into the ocean crossed my mind.
She grinned, showing a gap in her teeth. “Hiding or seeking?”
“I think you mean Killer or Ghost.” I sighed. “Don’t worry, it won’t be you I’m haunting. I’m Vic.”
That position was long filled by the dipshit that’d ruined my fucking life.
Hiram Wolff.
“Avicon both counts,” she said, scrunching her nose. “I’m Della. Try not to die, okay?”
“Fuck, I can’t wait to listen to them scream,” a lanky, tattooed man said as he stretched his arms over his head. “Look at all the pretty prey—even the train is full of them.”
His friend, just as tall and twice as wide, laughed unkindly. “Look at blue Barbie over there—I bet you she’ll go for Truth or Dare. The slutty ones never want to get their hands dirty.”
I straightened my back, looking out the window just as we emerged back overground and onto the bridge.
My breath caught in my chest.
Last year’s Devil’s Playground was Wild West themed—a fucking nightmare logistically, with way too much open space and not enough places to hide. I’d been hoping that this year would be a little bit more in my favor, but I’dneverexpected the flashing lights and bright colors of an amusement park.
It sort of reminded me of Disneyland.
A fog hung over the arena as the sky darkened. A large Ferris wheel turning slowly where it peeked over the high steel walls of the arena. Some taller rides, like the one that shot you up into space, and a two seater roller coaster were running, but even from this distance I could see there wasn’t a soul on them.
The bright lights of the rides caused a halo-like effect over the island. Pitch black waves lapped at the cliffs of the island, clinging to the jagged rocks rising from the deep water.
It was eerie. Forbidding.
And we were heading straight toward it.
There wouldn’t be a train back, not until the game was done. Once we arrived, we were stuck.
No way out.
Not like Disneylandat all.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” complained Della. “You think they’ll dress the Killers like clowns? That shit creeps me out.”
“I hope not,” I muttered uncomfortably, my hand dipping into my pocket to pull out my nearly dead cell phone. Unconsciously, I pulled up the messaging app, clicking Kohl’s contact.
Kohl
Sorry, gotta bail on our watch plans.
I’ll make it up to you. Promise.
