Selena
I was crammed at the back of the lift when it juddered to a halt at the top of the cliff, swinging precariously on a metal crane.
Cass was at my side, her shoulder rubbing mine as we shuffled toward the exit. A horn blared in my ears, echoing across the island, sounding the start of the third round.
Six hours and counting.
As one, all fifteen of us started running across the rough terrain. I tapped the cuff on my wrist, eyeing the red dot we were moving toward. Just three miles to the next checkpoint, but I knew it wasn't going to be that simple.
Kite tore away from the group, splitting off to the right. I glanced at Cass as more of the girls broke off into groups, darting away left and right until just ten of us remained together. We were taking the most direct route to the checkpoint. But perhaps also the most deadly.
Briony raised a hand to Cass and I in farewell, before turning away and running into a nearby group of trees with Marie. The rest of the group swiftly followed, dividing into small units and vanishing into the woods around us.
“Guess it's just us then,” Cass panted, her cheeks flushed red from the cold.
I slowed our pace, taking her arm. “Do you think this route is safe?”
“I don't think any route is safe, but the quicker we get to the checkpoint, the better.”
“It's too easy,” I breathed as we moved on, the crunch of leaves and twigs under my boots making me nervous.
After another cautious mile, Cass checked her map, finding the red dot just up ahead. The trees thinned and we arrived in a clearing where a large trap door lay open on the ground. I approached it with my stake raised, glancing into the trees for signs of the other girls.
Tiptoeing to the edge, I found a ladder disappearing into the dark abyss. My stomach turned over and I took a step back.
“Christ,” Cass cursed as she joined my side. “The checkpoint's down there?”
“Looks like it.” The red dot on my map hovered above this very spot.
Cass moved toward the ladder with purpose and I hissed, “Wait,” dropping my bag from my shoulder.
She watched as I opened it, rummaging through the gear we'd been provided. Just three items lay inside. The single energy bar, a torch and a knife.
I sighed, taking out the torch and switching it on. It was bright, but small enough to hold between my teeth.
“Good idea,” Cass mumbled, mimicking me.
Whilst she prepared herself, I took the lead, dropping onto the first rung. I tucked my stake into the top of my dress and held onto the iron ladder tightly, the metal bitterly cold beneath my palms. I glanced up at Cass as I descended, the moon casting a halo around her head.
“How far down does it go, do you reckon?” Cass asked as she turned, stepping onto the first rung and placing the torch between her teeth.
I grunted a response around the metal torch in my mouth and she broke a small laugh. Her torch fell from her teeth, swinging and wheeling as it whizzed past my ear.
I turned to watch it fall and several seconds later, it clunked loudly down below. I could make out the light far beneath us, but nothing was visible beyond it.
Cass swore as we continued on, trying to make as little noise as possible on the rungs. A scream echoed up to us from deep underground and both Cass and I stalled. My heartbeat thundered against my eardrums and my hands trembled so much I was worried I'd lose my grip on the ladder.
Whatever awaited us below, wasn't going to be a table of food and soft mattresses.
When we eventually descended the ladder, my boots hit hard ground. Two passages led away either side of me, both of them thick with darkness.
Cass dropped down beside me, ducking down and picking up her torch. I plucked mine from my mouth, holding it out to illuminate one of the tunnels. Pressing walls and a winding path lay ahead. The other tunnel didn't prove much more enticing, but the path was straighter, allowing us to see further ahead.
“This one,” I encouraged, leading the way. Cass jogged at my side, tapping the cuff on her wrist. No map was provided for us, only an arrow that pointed to our left, no matter which way we turned.
“Guess we're following that then,” Cass said, pointing to an opening.
Tentatively, we moved into the dark corridor, swinging our torches across it to be sure it was empty. As we moved, I tried not think about the pressing walls and tight spaces that we could become so easily trapped in.
The next turning led us to a square room, lit by a dim bulb hanging from the centre of the ceiling. Doors surrounded us and as we assessed which route to take, footsteps filled the air. Cass pressed me back as three girls ran into the room, sprinting flat out.
Their expressions were panicky, but before I could ask any of them what was going on, four Vs spilled through the doors.
Chaos ensued.
Everyone split apart. I lost sight of Cass, but heard her screaming, “Run!”
I charged toward one of the doors, picking it a random. I fled into the darkness, my torch flashing against the wall as I ran.
Pursuing footsteps made me run even faster, until my lungs burned and my legs ached. I couldn't outpace a V, that was all I could think. But still I ran on, as if I could defy everything I'd witnessed about the Vampires so far. Their speed, their ferocious nature, their unending desire for my blood.
I smashed into a dead end, nearly knocking myself out on the stone wall as I failed to stop in time. Wheeling around, I wrenched the stake from my dress-
The V collided with me.
The force with which she hit me knocked the wind from my lungs. I gasped as I awaited the feel of teeth ripping into my skin, claws sinking into my flesh.
But none came.
The V sank forward, her ebony hair -the same colour as mine- wet with dark blood. I trembled from head to toe as I tried to work out what had happened. And as the fog of fear lifted from my mind, I realised the stake in my hand had pierced her heart.
Gasping in relief, I could hardly believe my luck. The V's own momentum had impaled her on it. I pushed her body from mine, dragging the stake free with a grimace. Vampire blood was spilled down my dress, staining it in patches of black gloop.
When I managed to stop shaking, I tapped my cuff to check the timer. Four hours remaining. How had so much time passed already?
The torch was somehow still in my hand, so I swung it around, finding two more passages left and right. The arrow provided by my cuff illuminated the way in a blue shimmer. I took the left passage, curving in what I hoped was the direction of the checkpoint.
The dark was pressing and the close walls made every sound seem achingly loud. The echo of my own footsteps caused me to jump more than once, as if someone was just behind me, about to pounce.
After meeting several dead ends and walking in circles, I checked the clock on my cuff again, conscious of how much time was wasting. I had just three hours left to find the checkpoint.
That was long enough. It had to be.
Moving down another corridor of endless grey stone, I came across a trap door that led deeper into the maze. I dropped my torch into it – purposefully this time to illuminate the passage below - and it clattered as it hit the floor about ten feet down. I descended to the next level, the temperature plummeting dramatically.
Ice glimmered on the walls as I continued, using my torchlight to guide the way. After another hour of twisting and turning through the endless corridors, I took a break, eating my energy bar. These winding halls were like a labyrinth, drawing me round and round in circles.
I slumped against a wall at an intersection, keeping a wary eye on all of the exits as I chewed. It was overly sweet, filled with dried fruit and too much sugar. The taste lingered on my tongue long after I'd eaten it.
Footsteps approached, slow and steady. Whoever was around the next corner seemed in no particular hurry. If it was one of the other girls, they surely would be rushing around. So it had to be a V.
Clicking off my light, I waited. And waited.
My heart rate notched up and it became harder and harder to keep calm. Holding my breath, I held out for the footsteps to pass. But it soon became apparent whoever it was, was pacing.
I steeled myself, gripping the stake tighter in my hand. I had to move, staying put was a death wish. But rounding the next corner seemed like one too.
Creeping forward, I pressed my back to the wall and stole a glance around the corner. The snarling and grunting of the haggard V caught my ear. Luckily, his back was to me as he paced, blocking my way to an open metal door at the other end of the corridor.
Perhaps that was the checkpoint. Perhaps all I had to do was take down this single Vampire and I'd be safe.
My hands shook as I tried to calm my nerves enough to spring an attack. I recalled Varick's words. These Vs were weaker than him. And this one didn't look well fed. Maybe I had the upper hand.
Before I knew what I was doing, I ran. My muscles flooded with adrenaline, my arm was raised with the stake in my fist.
In a blur of movement, the Vampire turned and in a heartbeat, he was upon me.
The force with which he hit me sent me tumbling into a wall. His fingers dug into my shoulders, holding me in place. Drool dripped from his fangs, the stench of his breath a vile mixture of rot and blood.
Before I could even attempt to fight him off, his teeth sunk into my neck. I screamed out, shoving him back, but it was no use. My legs began to buckle with his pressing weight, his movements frenzied as he sucked on my throat. The pain was nothing compared to the disgust I felt at him drinking from me. But the longer it went on, the more woozy I grew, my vision blurring.
My mind became foggy; my only thought was that I had to survive. Somehow, I had to get out of this. I had to get back home. For Mum.
With as much energy as I could muster, I slashed upwards with the stake. The V screeched so loud that it hurt my ears, but the single moment of weakness gave me back a chance.
I'd buried the stake too low. I yanked it out as the V launched at me again. And this time, I didn't miss. The V gasped, inches from my ear, his fingernails raking down my arms as he died.
I shuddered as he crumpled to the floor at my feet. I didn't waist another second, knowing the commotion could draw more of them.
I fled toward the door, darting through it and speeding into the darkness. With a wrenching feeling, I realised I'd dropped my torch.
Wheeling around on the spot, I turned back to the fallen V, now far at the end of the corridor. The torchlight glowed by his fallen body, illuminating both him, and the two Vs standing above him. It took a moment for me to register what I was seeing. I was drowsy from blood loss and the world seemed to be tilting around me.
Their bloodshot eyes locked with mine and my instincts tore me in half: I could either try to reach the open metal door and shut it in time. Or, I could run.
The Vs sped toward me and I abandoned my hopes of shutting the door, fleeing into the darkness, cursing myself for not acting sooner.
The only guide I had was my fingers brushing the walls. Every time a gap appeared, I darted into it. Turning, left, right, left until I was lost in the abyss. The only thing I could hope for was that I was lost to the Vs too.
Everything seemed louder without my sight. Screams reached to me from far away, the aggressive shouts of Vs, their voices too distorted by echoes to catch what they were saying.
I continued running, trying to focus my muddled thoughts. I wasn't even sure if my eyes were open; the dark was so pressing and I could only punctuate it from time to time with my cuff, unable to keep the light on it for longer than a few seconds.
The cold was biting and pain shot down my neck from where the V had fed on me. I held a hand to it, finding my shoulder slick with blood. I winced, moving on, keeping one hand clamped down on the wound and the other on the wall beside me.
I moved on and on, eventually stopping to check the time. The corridor was cast in an eerie blue glow, the icy walls twinkling either side of me.
My heart plummeted.
One hour.
Getting lost in these tunnels had drained the precious time I'd had left. And I still had no idea if I was even close to the checkpoint.
For a moment, I simply stood, sucking down icy breaths, trying to keep myself from panicking. A knot was tightening in my chest, pulling and pulling.
It would be so easy to give up now, to break down. My body was pushed to its limits and I was on the verge of giving in to fear.
I shut my eyes, thinking of home. Of the past few years and how I'd already survived so much. My stepfather's voice rung in my ears, as crystal clear as if he were standing next to me.
“You'll never amount to anything, Selena. Like your mother. Worthless, wastes of space, the two of you. You should be grateful I'm here to look after you.”
I gritted my teeth, that same anger fuelling me now as the day I'd killed him. “I don't need you,” I hissed into the air, the words giving me enough strength to move my feet. What the spectators would make of that, I had no idea. They'd probably think I was losing my mind. But in fact, I was starting to feel sane again. Strong enough to go on.
Using the arrow on my cuff to guide me, I found an opening leading in the right direction. Praying I was close, I picked up my pace, jogging then flat-out sprinting. With every corner I turned, I expected to see the checkpoint, tapping my cuff to illuminate the space for a few seconds before the hologram evaporated and plunged me back into darkness.
Around and around I went, every corridor looking the same until I was certain I was going in circles. Nothing but blank walls and hollow rooms awaited me. But there was a fire in my belly now, forcing me to keep moving. If I was going to die, it would have to be by the capsule in my head. I couldn't give up until the choice was taken out of my hands.
I urged my legs on, speeding around a corner.
With a collision that felt like I'd hit another wall, I slammed into someone. My arm came up with the stake in hand, but they'd gotten there first. The pain rushed to meet me; the sharp tip of white oak had slid deep into my side.
I choked down a rattling breath, lifting my chin to face my attacker, illuminated by a torch strapped to their wrist: Angelina.
Her fair hair was lank with sweat, her eyes wide as she registered what had happened.
As if in slow motion, I sunk to my knees, clawing at her arms to try and stay upright. My chances of escape faded in a flash.
Angelina shook her head, gazing at me with parted lips. “I'm sorry,” she breathed. “I'm so sorry.” In a blur, she ran on, darting through a doorway and leaving me in the dark.
I clutched the wound and agony ripped through me, nearly making me cry out. I forced myself to keep silent. If I was going to die, I didn't want it to be at the hungry mouth of a V.
My hands trembled as I ripped swathes of material from the hem of dress, managing to bind it around my waist. It stemmed the blood flow, but the damage was done.
Still, I wanted to move. I wanted to fight until my last breath was snatched from my lungs.
Tapping my cuff and leaving a bloody print on it, the arrow shone brightly, pointing directly behind me.
I crawled toward the door Angelina had disappeared through, moving in the direction of the arrow.
A dark trail of blood followed me and I feared the worst. The Vs would smell this. It was only a matter of time before one of them found me. That was, if the timer didn't run out first and a shot of poison was injected into my brain.
I groaned my agony, unable to stop myself as my stomach muscles contracted with every move I made.
Numbness slid through my body. My hands, my legs, everything was starting to let me down.
“No,” I said through gritted teeth, dragging myself on. “Not now. Not here.”
I'd been through too much for this to be the end. Life owed me so many things. So many happy days had been stolen from me. And I was going to buy them back. I was going to make it home to Mum and make up for every peaceful day Elijah had taken from us.
With a jolt, I remembered the V blood on my dress. Reaching down, I tried to wipe enough onto my hand for me to drink. But it was already dried into my clothes. Life was evading me at every turn.
My energy ran out. I was forced to stop when my belly dragged across the floor, my strength failing. I propped myself up against a wall, sucking in my final breaths. Each one became slower and my vision started to fade.
I checked the timer and found I had just five minutes to reach the checkpoint. The clock reflected on the wall, enlarging tenfold. I sighed, watching my life tick away by the second.
“Selena,” a voice whispered, so quiet I wasn't sure if I was imagining it. I wanted to answer back, certain I recognised the voice. Male. Deep. Someone I knew.
I slowly wheeled my head around, trying to spot the source, but no one was visible.
“Selena!” Cass's voice rang through the air.
And as I blinked, focusing, I saw a door, just ten feet away where Cass was being guided forward by Varick. He practically shoved her toward me but she didn't even stumble, already racing in my direction. She dropped to her knees and smeared something over my mouth, shielding me with a curtain of her hair.
I tasted the sharp metallic tang of V blood and, in an instant, life flooded back into my veins.
“Up,” she whispered, ever so quietly. “Not too fast.”
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, struggling alongside her, despite feeling stronger with every step. The timer ticked down on my cuff. Just thirty seconds.
Twenty seconds.
Ten.
We quickened our pace, rolling over the doorstep with just five seconds to spare and I fell at Varick's feet, sighing my relief.
I gazed up at him and his eyes blazed into mine.
My attention was dragged from him as a high-pitched wail sounded in the corridor. I snapped around, clambering to my feet as I spotted a girl in a pale pink gown collapsing to the ground just metres from us.
“Come on!” I cried, but blood was already pouring from her unseeing eyes, running down her cheeks in two streaks.
“The poison,” Cass breathed as we gazed on in horror.
Two metal doors slid closed between us, locking us away from the maze.
I blinked, trying to register what I'd just witnessed. My palms were sticky with sweat and all I could think was 'that could have been me'. I was rooted to the spot, disgusted with myself for thinking that way. Despising myself for being grateful that I was standing here and not her.
Varick touched my elbow to encourage me further into the room. And for the first time, I didn't recoil from him. Because I was sure, without a doubt, that it had been his blood that had saved me.