Being in here was a punishment. A way for Lady Luck to keep an eye on her.
Evie didn’t mind—it was nice to have the company. The cell they were in had more space, a bucket—in case nature should come calling—and a hole the size of a letterbox at the top of the wall which led out into the woods. The breeze it let in was refreshing.
The girl she was bunked with had introduced herself as Annabelle. She was young—only nineteen years old and already suffering such miserable trauma. Evie felt for her and wished they could all make it out of there unharmed.
“I won the last game,” Annabelle said. It was the first time she had spoken in hours.
Evie looked up from her cross-legged position on the floor. “What?”
“She made us play. I didn’t want to play, but she made us.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The…” Annabelle made a gun with her fingers. “It wasn’t my fault.”
Evie stood and crossed the room to her. She took the girl’s cheeks into her cupped hands. “Annabelle, please explain yourself. Who made you play? What happened?”
But Annabelle just lowered her head and tucked it between her folded arms. Her back shuddered as she sobbed into her own little private space.
Forget this. Evie stood, stretched, and went to the hole in the wall. It was nice and cool against her sweaty skin. It reminded her of opening a refrigerator, which only provoked a thought about when she’d last eaten. How long had it been now? A day? Two?
Evie was lost, staring into the dark woods, when she saw some movement in the distance. She rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands and then looked again. At first, she thought she was hallucinating, but the image seemed too real.
Far beyond the trees, Mason stood beside a car. He was looking into his hands, as if using a cell phone. Evie called for him. “Mason! Mason! Over here!”
Mason didn’t move.
It felt like a dream—like when you’re reaching for an item, and the harder you try, the farther away it gets. But Evie needed this. She needed her brother to turn around, to see her and come to her rescue.
“Hey!” she tried again, screaming at the top of her lungs. For all she knew, Lady Luck would soon hear her and come storming in to deal out a punishment. Evie didn’t care. She was doing what was necessary. “Mason! Mason!”
“Nobody can hear you.” Annabelle looked up. “We’re stuck here until we lose the game.”
Her words had no effect. Evie continued to yell until her dry throat burned.
But Mason began to walk away, putting the phone in his pocket.
No, no, don’t go. Please… Evie felt her heart break as she watched her brother climb into the car. “Mason!” she yelled with everything she had as Mason Black turned the car around and drove out of sight.