Page 22 of Escape

I barely got a chance to revel in my satisfaction before another thunk of metal hit the floor. One of Jared’s arms stretched out around him, free from the cuff.

His laugh was more like a shrill cackle as he twisted his freed hand, still dripping from his wounds, around. His gaze met mine and he surged forward, only to be jerked back by his remaining, cuffed wrist. I scrambled to gather up the tools and run across the room.

I guess his confession was good enough and the game was back on.

“This can’t get out, Jas.” His voice was pleading, but his eyes were dark. Sinister. “It’s already been taken care of. Remember…I told you things would be better when you got back? We can forget it and go back to how things used to be.”

The blood dripping from his fresh cuts smeared and spread as he struggled more.

“You got your little revenge, now get me the fuck out of here and stop playing around!”

“Fuck you, Jared! This is what you deserve. We both know it. Who knows who else you have hurt. Who else you have killed!”

That really set him off. It almost fucking shocked me. Almost. That even being trapped, tortured and forced into confession didn’t seem to change him. I could feel the shift in myself from the tests I was being put through, as fucking crazy as it was. But for Jared, I just knew that in his mind, him killing that woman wasn’t his fault. Him emotionally, verbally and physically abusing me wasn’t his fault. Him being brought to this demented labyrinth wasn’t his fault. Absolutely nothing could change this man and I was finally seeing it.

I backed away, grabbing the gun as his movements became more feral and desperate. He looked as if he would chew his own arm off to get out of the other cuff and get to me. If that happened, he would kill me. I knew it.

The other cuff fell from his wrists, he stood and lunged forward, still held back by the cuffs around his ankles and nails through his feet.

It didn’t take long for the ankle cuffs to fall away. He fell forward, looked down at his already bloody feet, then back up at me. His smile was twisted and deranged with his new, toothless mouth as he leaned forward and started tugging.

Oh, he was more than fucking crazy.

My arms shook as I lifted the gun, trying desperately to remember the lessons with my dad. I aimed as best as I could, but hesitated. I only had one chance to get it right, or I would have to fight with the tools I had. As much as I wanted to believe I could beat him, I knew I’d be dead.

Would Kel really set him loose and let him kill me?

He tugged more frantically, twisting and thrashing his legs around. At that point, he didn’t even look like it hurt. The pain of me cutting off his finger, smacking him across the face with a hammer and carving into his skin like a ham must’ve worn off.

I could see how the desperation had taken over every physical sensation and emotion. He would get out of his trap and kill me if it was the last thing he did.

He reached down, locking his hands behind his knees and began pulling at his legs. With a spray of blood, tissue and a nauseating squelching sound, Jared managed to rip one of his feet free from the nails. He clenched the teeth he had left together, veins popping and screaming as he pulled on his other leg.

“I’m going to fucking kill you, Jasmine! You don’t even know how to use that gun, you stupid little girl. Might as well turn it on yourself. Kill yourself and do us all a favor.”

In seconds, his other foot was torn free and he was unsteadily barreling towards me on mangled, broken feet. It didn’t slow him down for a second.

Squaring my shoulders, I met his wild eyes, took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger. He might have had a hand in breaking me, but I would crush him. I would end this. I would have the last fucking hit.

Right between his eyes, a crimson hole spilled with blood. He fell slowly, first to his knees and then flat on his face.

Too many emotions came over me, but the strongest rushed up my throat and out of my mouth. I doubled over and vomited all over his body, wretching every morsel left in my stomach. It wasn’t just his lifeless body at my feet making me sick, it was also me.

Who the fuck did I just become? Where did she come from and was she always there? Would I ever get rid of her or was this demented bitch here to stay? I couldn’t decide if I wanted her to or not.

Emptied, I looked down at his motionless body. His skin was still red and dripping with sweat. Even in death, he looked angry, like he was already pissed off at what awaited him in the afterlife.

Rage finally took over. He should rot in prison for the rest of his life for what he did, but instead, he escaped this fucking demon den before I could. I straightened out and kicked his face, chest and stomach over and over. The crunch of his bone against my foot soothed me.

“I choose myself! Fuck you and fuck this stupid fucking game!”

I raised my head, looking all around the room for whatever camera the demon watched me through.

“You hear that? FUCK YOUR STUPID FUCKING GAME! Did I win yet!? Was this what I was supposed to do?! Let me the fuck out!”

Chapter 19

Kel