Fear Games

11. There's No Place Like Home

"So what happened?" Brandon asked.

We were sitting in my living room--Brandon, Eden, and I--discussing what had happened the last few hours. Once I found Haven, she ran away from me. That girl was a mess. Despite my better instinct, I called the police, and they found her not too far away. From what I'd heard so far, she was covered in blood and looked as though she had been severely abused while she was away.

When I gave them the rundown of Dasiy, Damien's notecards, and Haven's return, they both looked just as surprised as I did. None of this was good and we all knew it.

"So you really think Damien's the killer?" Eden asked. "Because you're gay?"

"This person killed Clary, too," Brandon said. "If that's all this was about, what does that mean? That Clary was just collateral damage?"

It seemed like a logical explanation, but it was one that I couldn't really say out loud. If this was true, and I was really being targeted for my sexuality, Clary dying was just another way to tear me down. If that was true, who was next?

"I just don't get it," Eden said. "Damien was never religious. Ever. So he all of a sudden got an interest? He must have learned it from someone, but who?"

My brain was turning to mush trying to figure it all out. One thing I knew for sure was that whatever this was for, something big was coming. I could feel it.

***

The next day at school, I made the decision that I'd been dreading since this all began. When I found Matt walking in the hallway, I caught up to him, grabbing his arm lightly. "Hey," I said, and he turned around to face me. 

"Oh, look who it is," Matt said. "Now you decide to talk to me."

The words stung, but it was perfectly understandable. "I'm sorry," I said. "Trust me when I say that. There's just been so much going on. So much that you could never understand. But there's something that I have to tell you, and I'm pretty sure you're not going to like it."

Matt just shrugged. "Okay."

I opened my mouth to speak, but instead grabbed his hand and led him to the library, which was pretty vacant for the most part. There were only like two people in there. Perfect. I brought him over to the chairs and sat him down.

"Are you about to tell me something or am I about to get laid?" Matt asked jokingly. "I don't think the school library's the most appropriate place."

I was pretty sure I blushed, but that wasn't what I was here for. "The Fear Games have started again." I said it so bluntly I almost wondered if I would have to repeat myself.

"The Fear Games?" Matt asked, his face draining of all color. "What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I mean," I said. "The same Fear Games that Rachel and her friends dealt with last year. Well, not exactly. The Games have changed, but only a little. There's a different killer. Or two, I don't really know right now. There's likely two, considering I've seen two in one place at one time, but,.." My voice started to trail. "Look, that's the whole reason I've been so distant. I don't want you to get hurt. Someone already killed Clary. Once the police realize that the Fear Games are starting again, everything's going to get worse, I can promise you that."

"Hey," Matt said, reaching out to touch my hand. "It's okay. You know you could have told me, right? We could have been working on this together."

"No, you don't understand," I said. "It's not that simple. If you're pulled into this, everything changes. And I mean everything. You know how Clary blew up? That could be you and it could be much worse than that next time."