Come Into Darkness (15 page)

Mario closed his eyes.

It looks like a burnt baked potato.

He held Kerry closer.

“Excellent,” said Worth, clapping. “Well done! I guess the age and health of Mr. Thomas played a part in your decision and his ultimate demise. A truly cut-throat, executive choice, Miss Foster. We’re all very proud of you.”

Kerry sobbed. Mario gently pressed her face against his shoulder and stroked her head.

“And so we move on,” said Worth. “That’s quite enough from him.”

Hearing a click, Mario glanced up.

The picture of the old man burning had gone. The television was off.

“Wait there, folks. I’m coming to get you. The night is almost through.”

Wailing, Kerry grabbed Mario’s shoulder and pulled him closer. “I didn’t want to do it! They…” She sniffled. “They made me!”

“I know,” said Mario, running his fingers through her hair. “I know. You did what you had to.”

He glanced at the girl immersed in water and the partly stretched baby. The horror of what might have happened washed over him again, and he hugged Kerry tighter.

“Whatever could this be?” said Worth. He held another sheet of paper. “Hmm. It’s a memo from the board.” He cleared his throat. “We regret to inform you that as Miss Foster was helped in the recent task, this counts as interference with the game. The event must be considered as null and void.” Worth screwed up the paper. “They are a funny bunch, the management.”

Kerry pulled back, peeling her soaking face from Mario’s shirt.

“You…you d-didn’t help,” she said. “You c-couldn’t!”

Mario thought back. “Shit. I…I told you to pick one colour. But they can’t count that! You made the decision.”

Worth picked up the remote.

“Alas, it would appear they have. I’m sorry. I was rooting for you both, and believe you pulled through, but orders are orders.” He selected a button on the remote and poised his finger over it. “Null and void, as they say.”

He pressed the button.

Water immediately gushed into the tank on the television. Amy gasped and slipped, sliding beneath the frothy surface.

“No,” Kerry screamed and fought away from Mario, clambering to her feet.

“This isn’t fair,” shouted Mario, joining her. “She did what you said, Worth!”

Amy emerged from the water, panting. She arched her head back, forcing her nose and mouth between the shortening gap between water and tank. She snatched quick breaths, and her lips formed silent prayers.

“Worth!” Mario yelled.

“It’s out of my hands,” said the guide. He winked and pressed another button. The red frame on the other television flashed.

“Mario,” said Kerry and yanked him closer. She pointed at the screen with a shaking finger.

“I see,” he said. His skin roared with heat and fresh sweat broke across his brow. “Worth, turn it off!”

The chains pulled. The baby screamed.

Kerry clamped her hands over her ears and howled.

Make it stop. Make it stop!

The ground seemed to tilt, and Mario’s vision swayed.

Stop it!

Amy pulled in a final lungful of air and dropped under water. She banged on the glass, eyes shut and cheeks puffed out.

The chains slowed, and the ankles and wrists of the baby bled. The infant bawled.

Worth winked.

“You bastard,” Mario yelled. “Fucker!”

He grabbed Kerry and turned her away from the screens. He held her close, pushing her face against his chest.

“Don’t look,” he whispered. “Don’t look.”

Amy coughed and a bubble popped from her mouth. Her fist pushed through the water and hit the tank with minor force. Her eyes squeezed tighter.

“Ssssh,” soothed Mario.

“They’re killing them,” Kerry sobbed. “It’s not fair!”

“Life is never fair, Miss Foster,” said Worth, setting down the remote control. He sighed. “Lessons often need to be harsh. We’re almost through with our journey. Please wait for me by the door.”

His screen blinked off.

On the far side of the room, a door had silently appeared. Made of dark wood within an arch of grey stone, the door stood between two burning torches.

A wet rip sounded.

Mario glanced up in time to see the chains whip back, their tension released in a violent instant. He slammed his eyes shut.

“No…” said Kerry. “Has he…have they…?”

Mario nodded.

She cried, collapsing against him, body limp.

His heart seemed to plummet into his stomach, and he hugged her, staring at the screen with the blue frame.

Amy hung in the water. Her head bowed, and her hair floated in a moving cloud of dark brown. Her arms and legs swayed on the slight currents in the water, almost like she waved. The screen turned off.

“Kerry. He’s coming.”

Her body tensed against his. She felt slim and hard.

“Let him,” she said. “I’ll kill him.”

Mario stepped back, and with a finger under Kerry’s chin, raised her face. She met him with shimmering eyes.

“Listen,” he whispered. He scanned the room. Nothing had changed. His mind raced. “We don’t have long. He’s made damn sure we can’t touch him, what with the balcony and the screens…” The memory of Worth posing as a director flared in his mind. The perfect opportunity had been wasted, but that had been a dream.

They’re fucking with me again.

Need to concentrate.

“Listen,” he said again, firmer. “We have to use this chance. By keeping his distance, he’s given us a chance to slip away.”

Kerry shook her head. “No! He’ll know and get mad.” She clutched Mario’s shirt and stared into his eyes. “We can’t get him mad. We can’t get him mad!”

He grasped her by the shoulders and jerked her once.

“Listen to me! You’re not listening.” He took a deep breath to steady himself. “We have to get out. We have to get out right now. Before he gets here, or more likely, sends someone, or something, to get us.”

Kerry’s grip tightened.

“Like Stuart? What had they done to Stuart?” She gasped, her chest billowing back and forth.

Shit. She’s having some kind of attack!

“There were three of him,” she squealed. “My ex wouldn’t leave me alone. I thought he was everywhere…now he is…”

He squeezed her. “This isn’t the time! Come on…”

Releasing her, Mario walked away, hoping she’d follow. She did. He stepped onto the tiles, but they didn’t light up.

Thank Christ.

“Where?” Kerry wiped her face. “Where are we going?”

Mario pointed to the door. The light of the flames danced on the varnish of the wood.

“I realised,” he said, “that they’ve been herding us from room to room. We always go where they want us to. There was no door, no way out. But now, there is. Only one way.”

Kerry stared at the door, shaking.

“They expect us to go through, straight into whatever fucking torture they have going on in there.” He curled his fingers into a fist. “Worth said past, present and future. We have our futures next, Kerry. What if our future is to die in here? What if it’s our future to be in one of those goddamn machines next?”

Kerry cried out and ran to him. He embraced her.

“We have to get out,” he said.

“But t-the door…you said…” she whispered.

“There’s more than one way out.”

Kerry stepped back to meet his eyes.

Mario pressed his teeth together, jaw muscles bulging. It had been a while since he’d seen a woman cry like this. Normally those in his presence were immaculate: dressed and made up like Barbie dolls, with plastic faces devoid of emotion. He studied Kerry’s terror with something close to fascination. Her mask had slipped, revealing the raw feelings beneath.

“The hole,” he said, and nodded toward the centre of the mosaic. “We can go down the hole.”

14

Kerry’s eyes flickered from the hole at the centre of the mosaic back to Mario. “The hole?”

Mario grabbed her by the upper arms. Beneath the uniform, the muscles were hard.

“They threatened to drop the platform with you on it, right? They did it to get you onto the tiles and begin their fucking game. They knew you wouldn’t choose to fall down there. It’s the fear of the unknown…”

Kerry closed her eyes. “You’re crazy! There could be spikes down there, or it could drop for miles-“

He shook her, and her eyes fluttered open again.

“You’re not listening,” he said. “They expect us to go through that door. They
don’t
expect us to go down there. If we can slip through the net long enough, we might be able to find a way out.” He let go. “Or, you can stay and see what Worth has got lined up for us.”

He approached the centre of the room.

“Wait,” said Kerry and joined him.

“You coming?” he asked, standing on the precipice and staring into the concealed depths. Kerry was right. Anything could sit below the shadows.

Kerry turned, her attention lingering on the black screens. “Just…just get me out of here,” she whispered.

Mario crouched. “We have to be quick. They’ll be here any second, and we’ve wasted enough time already.” He slid off his right shoe.

“Wh-What are you doing?” asked Kerry.

“I’m not going to just jump in,” said Mario. “Can’t get far on two broken legs…or worse.” He held the shoe over the edge. “Now listen.”

He dropped the shoe, and it dropped into the darkness.

Thump!

“Yes!” said Mario. He glanced up. “Hear that? Must only be a few metres deep.”

Kerry nodded. “You go first. Get your shoe back.” She again looked at the empty screens. She shivered.

She’s not right.

Mario swung his legs over the edge.

Have to get her out of here, out of this room.

He closed his eyes, and the images of the baby, girl and old man hit him. Laurie appeared, grinning and blind.

Fuck it. I have to get out of here.

“Promise you’ll follow,” he said. “Once I’m down, I doubt I can get back up.”

Kerry wrapped her arms around her body. Mario hoped she’d nodded, but her body twitched like an electric current ran through it.

But that’s not how it looks. We know that now, sir.

Mario shut out the voice. It sounded like Worth.

I’m not listening.

Mario pushed himself from the lip of the pit, and he plunged feet first into the hole. His stomach seemed to flip, and air rushed into his face. For a moment, panic reached up and grabbed him by the heart.

His feet struck the floor, his bare right foot receiving the brunt of the impact. He yelled.

“Mario?” A pause. “Mario!”

He breathed deep and fell to his knees. He searched for his shoe. Only the immediate area was illuminated by the room overhead. From the way his movements echoed back, sounding flat, he guessed he lay in a compact space.

“I’m fine,” he called. He touched a wall on his left, and so headed for the right. He met another wall.

Oh shit. I’m boxed in.

“I guess the floor took me by surprise,” he said.

“I’m coming down,” said Kerry.

“Wait! Just wait a second.” He crawled forward, pawing the air ahead with each step. Once. Twice. Three times. No wall. His right hand fell upon his shoe. He sat and put it on. Surrounded by the dark, he operated on touch alone to shove his foot inside.

“Mario?”

“Come down,” he said. “I think I’ve found a way out.”

Raising his head, he sniffed, noticing a faint, succulent aroma. His stomach responded, reminding Mario it hadn’t been fed since lunchtime. His mouth watered from the smell of grilled steak, fresh vegetables and rich gravy.

Kerry dropped into sight. Her ankle buckled on impact, and she fell to the side.

“Shit!”

“I’m here,” said Mario, emerging from the shadows. “You hurt?”

“No,” she leaned back, sitting against a wall. “Just give me a minute…” She unbuttoned her black jacket.

“What are you doing?” said Mario. “We don’t have a minute! We’re in the dark now. We have to keep moving.”

Kerry reached inside the uniform. She tipped her head back and smiled. It looked more like a grimace.

“Thank you,” she said. “Oh lord, thank you.”

“What?” said Mario. “What is it?”

Kerry removed a white box and lighter from the confines of her jacket. “They left me these.”

Mario stared at her. “You have to be kidding me.”

She flipped open the box and peered in, shaking the contents.

“Put them away. We don’t have time for this.”

“Please,” she said, removing a cigarette with a rickety hand. “Just a drag or two.”

Mario swatted her, and the cigarette flew from between her fingers. It struck the floor and rolled into the shadows.

“No!” she cried. Snarling, she tried to slap Mario. He easily avoided the blow. “I need a fucking smoke!”

“We don’t have time,” he said, voice a growl. “Give me that lighter.”

“Fuck you!”

“Give it to me, or God help me, I’ll crush every one of your damn cigarettes!”

Her stared at her.

She stared back.

“Find your own way out,” said Mario and turned around. He crawled into the darkness for a few seconds.

“Wait.”

He paused and glanced back.

Kerry huffed and held out the lighter. “Here. But if you go anywhere near my cigarettes, I’ll claw your eyes out.”

Mario reached back and took the lighter. Facing forwards, he struck a flame and adjusted the lighter to maximum height.

They’d fallen into some kind of ventilation duct, with barely enough room to crawl through on hands and knees. The sides reflected the flame in flickering ghosts. Mario started forwards, holding out the lighter to keep the shadows at bay.

“We have to get as far away from that room as possible,” he said. “They’ll find out we’ve gone any second.”

Kerry followed, her hands and knees striking the duct as she crawled. The metal issued low pangs.

“Ssh!” Mario hissed. “We don’t know where we are. We could be crawling close to a room full of people, so we have to be careful.” He released his thumb from the lighter to allow it to cool. His bicep throbbed from holding his arm out straight.