Grimm Games

Chapter 14: Wicked Playground

The Witch stood on the other side of the door, an ominous figure with tangled, wiry strands for hair. Fresh red liquid oozed down the side of her head where her ear should have been and collected on her blood stained apron.

Her features were contorted and weathered, a grotesque semblance of a human, as if she once contained a beauty that had been twisted by the very darkness that surrounded her. Even in the dim twilight, her wicked eyes filled with a sinister appetite as they bore into me.

Instinct compelled me to raise my blade, ready to strike the monstrous being. But as I lunged to slash at the Witch, she skillfully dodged my attack and retaliated with a vicious swipe of her long, jagged fingernails.

I reacted swiftly, slamming the door, and trapping her hand between the heavy wood and the jamb. The results chipped some of her fingernails and prompted a bone-chilling howl to escape her. The grotesque mixture of a painful growl and an innocent childlike whimper sent shivers down my spine.

She pulled until her hand vanished. After a few seconds of stillness, I allowed the door to steadily creak open, revealing nothing on the other side but the overwhelming darkness and forest.

Then deafening sirens blared overhead, forcing me to reattach the blade to the cuff to cover my ears with my palms. I half-expected a thirty-second countdown to follow, but instead, spotlights blazed to life, illuminating the entirety of my sheltered safe zone.

Vulnerability swamped me as I remained under the glaring lights. Panic surged through me, despite the supposed safety of the zone. The blaring sirens intensified, and a dynamic camera, suspended from a beam above, emerged from the darkness to capture a sweeping cinematic view of the shelter as it elegantly panned around.

I anticipated all the contestants uniting at my zone for the upcoming challenge. A competition I was now more than prepared for, fueled by my raging determination.

I peered out from the security of the four walls as the Jeffrey brothers emerged from the twisted trees. Their impressive six-foot plus height and rich, dark-skinned hands and faces were accentuated by the matching black bodysuits that showcased their well-toned muscles and powerful physiques, even from a distance.

A part of me wanted to wave my hands to signal them, urging them to seek refuge in the safe zone from the lurking witch, but caution held me back, especially upon spotting Sonya concealed behind a tree on the opposite side.

The little trust I had in Sonya shattered when she tried to attack me with a spiked club. Her betrayal reminded me that in this game, she was here to win, and willing to eliminate anyone or anything in her path.

The same principle likely applied to the brothers. After all, wasn't everyone in the Games driven by the pursuit of victory?

It also emphasized that Millie's seven out of ten survival score was no mistake. Millie had been right not to trust Sonya or any of the players.

I should have heeded Millie's advice instead of imposing my big sister dominance on the situation and trying to rally everyone to my cause. Every single contestant was here for one thing—to win.

If I had any hope of gaining anyone's support, I needed to be strategic. Like Mother Holle, I knew that most of them probably considered my activism a hindrance, or even a complete waste of time. It's not always easy or beneficial to stand up against powerful corporations and demand social justice.

Scanning the trees, I sought any sign of Millie or Tobias, but they were nowhere in sight.

Finally, the sirens went silent only to be replaced by the host's commanding voice.