Chapter 36

Macy sat immobilized by fear on the concrete floor, her arms wrapped around her knees, tears streaming down her face. She kept thinking she’d wake up at any moment and this would all be a terrible nightmare.

Yet, it never happened.

“Macy, you have to stop crying.” Alaina knelt in front of her. “I need you to be strong.”

“I’m trying, Alaina.”

“Try harder.”

Never had Alaina spoken to her so harshly, and it snapped her out of her stupor.

They’d been in here for almost an hour, and Macy couldn’t see a way out. There weren’t any windows, and only one door. A yellow bulb hung above them, casting shadows in the corners and reminding her of the one horror film she’d watched during her time on Earth. The name escaped her, but she’d rather take on the chainsaw wielding man in that than the Colonist who had locked them in here.

Alaina paced the room, her arms folded over her chest as she studied every nook and cranny.

There wasn’t a lot to see, but she continued her exploration.

Suddenly, the door opened.

Macy gasped, and Alaina turned, her face impassive. Daniel strode in, the gun at his side, and stopped inches from Alaina.

“Alaina, please join me in the other room.”

“No.”

His hand cracked against Alaina’s cheek, and Macy fought back a scream. She could feel the sting on her face as if it had happened to her.

However, it didn’t faze Alaina. Her head snapped, but then she met his gaze again.

Daniel raised his gun and pointed it at Macy. She shut her eyes, unable to catch her breath as she choked on her sobs.

“Get in the other room, or I put a few bullets in your little mousy friend cowering in the corner over there.”

“What are you going to do with me?”

Daniel chuckled, and Macy opened her eyes and looked over at them.

“You’re going to fight for your life, just like I said. That’s what everyone who I bring here does. Of course, no one ever wins, except me. But I love the fight, watching the life drain out of a person. It’s exhilarating.”

Alaina’s lips twitched into a little bit of a smile. Macy had never seen her this way—her calm, determined features paralleled Daniel’s, and for the first time, she saw how they were cut from the same cloth. Alaina’s evil streak had come to the surface, only scaring Macy more.

“Let’s do it, Daniel.”

She led the way out of the room, and Daniel turned to Macy before shutting the door. He raised the gun and fired.

She screamed and buried her head in her arms, the echo of the gunshot barely drowning out his laughter and her cries of terror.