Game of Survival

by T R Tells

  “Guards!” The man shouted.

  Two Kingsland Guards that stood off to the side responded to the man’s cry. Thea tried to wriggle out of the man’s tight grip, but his grip grew tighter the more she struggled. The Kingsland Guards walked over and the man who she had been running from before could be heard shouting in the distance.

  She frantically cried out to Hel, knowing that they would do much worse than locking her away, but it was not Hel that aided her as the man yelled out in pain. The man held his privates as he writhed in pain, his face turned bright red.

  Thea set her eyes on Maggie, who had effectively kneed him in the groin.

  “Maggie?”

  Maggie pressed her cherry red lips together and nodded in confirmation. She reached out her arm and grasped Thea by the hand.

  “C’ mon, he won’t be like that forever.”

  Maggie tugged Thea’s arm to follow her, she didn’t think twice and let Maggie drag her out of the marketplace and into the back alleyways.

  ***

  Maggie and Thea had gotten far enough away from the market that they found themselves in the slums of Kingsland. A foul and robust smell instantly hit Thea as she covered her nose with the back of her sleeve. Her eyes squinted together in horror. Unlike the golden cement buildings on the other side of Kingsland, the buildings were dull and lifeless, void of color. Most of the buildings were pushed together, some were on badly constructed on top of each other, and looked like they would collapse at any moment.

  “Hey, C'mon,” Maggie’s soft voice broke Thea out from her reverie. Maggie waved for her to follow Thea sprinted after the girl.

  When she made a turn down the hallway, she saw Maggie enter a broken-down house.

  Thea frowned and slowly crept towards the building. She surveyed the area. There were several dead trees around it – vines, weeds, and fungus had started growing around the house’s curves and rickety railing. There were other buildings that surrounded the shut-in house, mold and dust had already started to grow on the windows, making it look like someone had not lived there in several years.

  What are you doing? You don’t need to be here. Hel’s words filled with rage.

  Thea wanted to yell at the demon and ask where she went when she called for her, but she was too scared and instead said, “J-Just give me a moment, I promise. I want to give this bread back,” she told Hel.

  Thea walked up to the wooden steps of the run-down building, they creaked under pressure and made her flinch. She continued to walk until she was at the large brown door that looked like it was coming off its hinges.

  Thea pushed the door open.

  The first thing Thea saw when she stepped in, was the boy from earlier, Eddie, talking to Maggie.

  He scowled angrily when Thea overhead Maggie tell him about how she saved the girl they saw from earlier and when Maggie saw Thea from her peripheral, she pointed a small finger in Thea’s direction.

  Eddie turned to scowl on her, his face red with anger that Maggie had brought a stranger inside of their home.

  Thea didn’t know what to say and reached into her handbag to pull out the stolen loaf of bread, holding it out for him to see.

  “… I’m returning the bread.”

  ***

  Eddie stared and didn’t say anything as he scrutinized the bread in Thea’s hand.

  "Are you done staring at me?" Thea snapped. Eddie's scowl remained unchanged. "I have your bread. You can at least thank me. I didn't have to bring it back."

  Eddie snorted and gave her a smirk, but there was something sinister in the look. Eddie was undoubtedly a rude person. He didn’t appreciate the raucously way that Thea spoke to him, but he found it humorous that she spoke to him with bravery in her words.

  "Correction, you didn't bring it back, being chased is a big difference." Eddie looked Thea up and down, observing her attire and shaved head. "Huh, I’m just realizing, but I have to ask: why are you dressed like a boy?"

  Before Thea could answer him, Maggie interrupted him.

  "Maybe we should let her stay, Eddie," Maggie told him. He looked at her now with narrowed eyes. "She did give the food back when she could have taken it, chased or not. You know we need to feed everyone."

  Thea tilted her head in confusion. "Everyone?"

  Eddie looked away from Maggie, the frown returned to his face. He nodded, not wanting to answer any questions that could pose a risk on everyone’s safety.

  "Yes. I’ve been watching everyone in this orphanage since the caretaker was. . . Indisposed three months ago," Eddie said.

  "Three months ago? T-They were Magi?"

  Eddie snidely responded with his arms crossed over his chest and scowled.

  "After the King made his declaration and sent Kingsland Guards to arrest whoever they could find, the caretaker ran tail. She didn't want to get caught. She left us to fend for ourselves, but she paid for it in the end. Maggie and I watched the Kingsland Guards drag her away." His eyes pinched together as the pain of betrayal crossed his face, but it disappeared.

  "Eddie, we shouldn't be so mean to her. I mean, she's practically one of us!" The smile on Maggie's face was excited and hopeful, her eyes twinkled. However, it struck a nerve that left a bitter taste in Thea’s mouth

  "What makes you think I'm alone?" Thea asked rudely.

  Maggie's smile dropped, and she looked down at her feet. Thea’s stomach churned at the rude way she had spoken.

  "Maggie, I—" Thea started to say, but Eddie blocked her path from getting closer to her.

  "I think you overstayed your welcome. Leave now," Eddie said and strode over to Thea. He walked with confidence most fifteen-year-old boys wouldn't have in this kind of position.

  Thea prepared herself to strike him if he attacked her, but he never touched her. He swiftly grabbed the loaf of bread from her hands and grinned. "Thanks for holding this," he grunted.

  Thea glared at him; nonetheless, it was out of her power to do anything. She looked over at where Maggie had been standing, but the girl was nowhere in sight.

  Not knowing what else to do, Thea turned around to head toward the door. She grabbed the rusted doorknob and turned it, only to come face to face with a Kingsland Guard outside. She quickly shut the door again and pressed her back against the frame. Stunned, Eddie glared at her.

  "What the hell are you doing? The door leads outside."

  "A Kingsland guard is out there," she hissed out.

  Eddie's face creased in anger. “And, I don’t give a rat’s ass if it was the damn king himself.”

  Thea frowned at his nasty tone. "And, smart ass, if they see me come out, they'll most likely want to check the house and see if I stowed food away. Then, they’ll find those people you were trying to protect, including Maggie." She glared at him and hoped he would fall prey to guilt. "Will you throw them to the wolves just to kick me out?"

  Eddie looked away from her and started chewing his bottom lip. The wheels in his head were steadily turning as he began to nibble what little nail he had left on his dirty fingers.

  Thea looked out the dusty window, to see the Kingsland Guards peering into the windows of houses near them. It would only be a few moments before they peered into the house they were in, but thankfully Eddie finally spoke with an exasperated sigh and an icy glare.

  "Come with me.”

  Without another word, Thea followed Eddie across the empty room. the room had a couch covered in a white sheet against the wall. There were cobwebs along the gray walls, wooden floorboards that looked like they would cave in if stepped on, and an old fireplace to complete the haunted décor. Thea looked away and continued following Eddie until he stopped in front of a door.

  Thea stopped a foot away from him. He turned around to see if she was following him.

  “What are you waiting for?” he said with a sigh.

  “What's down there?”

  Eddie rubbed his forehead with his hand and shook his head before looking at her. “There's nothing
to be worried about. Now, if you want to stay safe just follow me.”

  Thea pressed her lips together knowing she didn't have anywhere else to go. She followed Eddie as he said, “close the door behind you.” The moment the door behind her closed, they were shrouded in darkness.

  Thea's heart stopped. The hairs on her neck suddenly stood, and a trail of bumps traveled up the length of her arm; fear paralyzed her, reminding of the many lonely nights she cried herself to sleep. For the first time in three months, Hel didn’t remind her that she needed to be refocusing that fear as rage. There was no pressure or tingling sensation in the back of her head to let her know Hel resided there, it only further increased her anxiety.

  A bright light appeared behind her and illuminated the hallway in a dark orange glow, so she was able to see the worn brick and wooden walls. A hand settled on her shoulder which made her jump. She turned around to see Eddie was in front of her now, holding a rusted lantern.

  “What the hell is wrong with you? You look like you saw a ghost.”

  Thea shook her head to free her thoughts of old memories.

  “I-I’m fine,” she said a little too quickly and jutted her chin to the pitch-black hallway. “Are we almost there?”

  Eddie's brow raised for a moment before he shrugged her off. He walked down the stairs, the glow from the light made a shiver run up her spine.

  Suddenly, Eddie stopped, causing Thea to stumble into him, she backed away from him and looked up to see a worn, red door. Eddie grabbed the door handle and turned it. The light from the lamp revealed several pairs of eyes in the dark staring back at Thea.

  Chapter Four

  The light from Eddie's lamp illuminated the entire room in a brilliance of orange and gold and showcased the many pairs of eyes that belonged to children—some looked as young as eight and others looked no older than twelve years old—huddled together with looks of fear and curiosity.

  Thea scanned the crowd, quickly counted. It looked like there were forty children in all, mostly girls. She didn't say anything for several seconds.

  "Here's the group as you can see," Eddie said, he walked in front of her now. He stood in front of the children.

  "All these children, especially the girls, are you hiding them from the king in case they might be Magi?" Thea asked.

  Eddie smirked and shrugged his shoulders. He ran his fingers through his stringy hair. "Yeah, People like to take defenseless girls for other reasons, mind you. There were fifteen more girls before the soldiers managed to grab them.

  " There was silence as an unsettling feeling passed over Thea. Eddie continued, "but we're simply hiding because we're thieves and thieves are wanted."

  "Thieves?" Thea questioned; she’d never really thought children could be thieves before.

  "Hey, don't give me that look! What were you doing out there before you came here, huh?” Eddie spat out furiously.

  Thea saw his face turning red with anger. She felt slightly guilty, as she had done far worse. She’d began having nightmares after that night in Twinleaf, but there were never enough details in them for her to figure out what had happened.

  “Eddie,” a small voice whispered. Maggie approached Eddie's side. “I don't think she meant anything against us. We should all be on the same side, against the adults, anyway.”

  Eddie looked at Maggie and then back at Thea with a look of disgust. He looked away from her and closed his eyes before speaking to Maggie, in hushed whispers, but still able to be heard.

  “I don't like or trust her. She’s hiding something….”

  Eddie walked over to the other children. Maggie slowly approached Thea. “I can show you where you can sleep. The girls all share one room so—”

  Thea shook her head. “No. It's okay, I understand,” she interrupted. Thea hoped that she could make up for her irritable behavior from earlier. “And... I'm sorry about the blunt way I spoke earlier, Maggie.”

  Maggie looked down at the floor and shook her head. “No, I apologize. Eddie has told me many times that I can be a bit too forward. I was far too comfortable with you without knowing anything about you. I'm sorry.”

  “I see...”

  The wheels in her head were slowly turning as she processed Eddie's character. “Well, I suppose you can show me where to sleep. What will everyone else be doing?”

  “Eating. That loaf of bread you bought back will help lessen the watery and bland soup.”

  Maggie led the way back upstairs. When she opened the door at the top, the light beamed from downstairs and made Thea squint.

  “So, everyone in there is an orphan?” she asked when they reached the top. Thea watched the back of Maggie’s head as she nodded. “If you don’t mind me asking, how did some of you end up here?”

  “Well, most of our parents grew sick. Some of us were simply born without knowing our parents and sold into slavery—hard labor or sex slavery.”

  Thea gasped and stopped walking. Maggie turned around. At first, her eyes were looking down at the ground before meeting Thea’s eyes.

  “You don’t need to worry. I didn’t do what most girls were doing. I was far too young; not like they could get near me. I was too much of a scrapper, I guess. Plus, Eddie has always been there for me.”

  Thea frowned. “You make it seem as if he’s a nice person,” Thea snorted and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Mm, yeah, he does have that effect on some people, but I promise you, he only does it to guard his feelings and to protect those he cares about,” Maggie said and hunched her shoulders. “Maybe that will be something to keep in mind . . . I mean, if you decide to stay here with us.”

  Thea didn’t say anything for a moment. Even though it wasn’t the home she had grown used to, it was still better than nothing. She would be around those who were like her—being with so many other children who had lost something or someone. She wouldn’t have to be alone.

  “The bedrooms are just down this hallway if you’ll—”

  “My sister,” Thea began as she chewed on her lip. Maggie looked at her waiting for her to speak again. Thea let out a deep sigh before continuing, “my sister was taken from me three months ago by Kingsland Guards. I was terrified, and maybe I still I am. But I’m hoping to survive, at least for her. I won’t let Dominya die in vain.”

  A tear fell down Thea’s cheek. She wiped it. She hadn’t spoken Dominya’s name out loud to anyone, and in doing so had lightened the pressure in her chest. She was so used to cutting off her emotions, that the release was startling. As Thea cried, Maggie embraced her.

  Thea had not expected the embrace as she had been distant from the beginning. She wrapped her arms around Maggie’s small waist remembering the feeling of compassion.

  “You don’t have to survive by yourself,” she whispered. Thea rested her chin on Maggie’s shoulder, staring off into the distance. “You’ll have people who you can rely on, that’s what we do here. We’re a family.”

  Family. The word churned through Thea’s thoughts. It seemed like forever since she heard that word. Her chest tightened; knowing she would start crying again. Though Maggie’s words were kind, she had to keep the walls around her heart up or it would crumble. She would never be able to get them back up again. Thea wondered why Hel wasn’t reminding her to keep those walls up and refocus those tears into something more useful, so she could avoid the positive surrounding her.

  Gently, Thea removed Maggie’s arms from around her and slowly moved away. Thea cleared her throat before speaking, “I appreciate it, Maggie. I do. No one has been nice to me in a while.”

  Maggie nodded and smiled.

  “Well, I meant, no matter what Eddie says you’re welcome here.” She closed her eyes and tilted her head as a grin appeared on her face. “How about I show you to those rooms now?”

  “Maggie, one more thing.”

  “Yeah?” Maggie’s brow rose.

  “Um, the name is Thea. You can call me that.”

  A lopsided grin l
it up Maggie’s face. “Thea it is.”

  The pressure released from her chest as she started to follow Maggie down the hall but was pulled back the moment a pressure nestled at the back of her head.

  You do not belong here, Hel bellowed at Thea, yet, because of Maggie’s compassion, a feeling she had not known since Dominya’s death, strengthened the loneliness and darkness that Hel had bestowed in Thea.

  “I don’t want to do this anymore, Hel. The pain, the loneliness, and hatred . . . It’s too much and . . . and Dominya would never want that for me. She said to survive.”

  This is not a part of the plan. You never would have survived those three months without me, and you won’t survive with these impudent children.

  Thea’s throat stiffened and she licked her lips. Hel’s seething anger slipped away from her as if it was oozing out of Thea’s pores. Thea wasn’t sure what was happening or why, but the weight on her soul ever since Hel joined her slowly receded. The rules Hel had given her about turning her pain and anguish into rage no longer seemed necessary. She felt free from Hel’s oppressive rule.

  “Then, so be it. At least, I won’t be alone anymore,” she replied and turned, and Hel’s presence completely left.

  Chapter Five

  “You should take Thea with you.”

  “Fuck, No!”

  Thea leaned against the arm of the couch as she watched Maggie and Eddie argue. It had been two weeks since she had begun staying with Maggie, Eddie, and the other children. At first, everyone was nervous to be around her. They didn’t talk to her for a few days, but Maggie was able to get everyone to speak to her, and soon after, she was practically one of them.

  “Eddie, don’t you think you’re acting like a child? She’s been here for two weeks, and she hasn’t had any first-hand experience. Everyone should do their part, Thea included,” Maggie said, determined.

  Eddie crossed his arms and frowned in his usual manner. “And? Staying here and making sure that no one takes our home is important. Besides, you’re right, she doesn’t know the first thing to do or even what to do if she gets caught.”