over the head. “Okay, okay…Bitzy heard,” Opie muttered. “How could she not with those ears?”
Whack.
“Hey!” He rubbed his head as her chirps rattled off, widening my eyes. “Sorry.” Chirp. “No, I mean it.” Chirp. “I wouldn’t say it unless I meant it.” Chirp. “There is nothing wrong with my tone. I said it perfectly.” Chirp. “I’m not a bad actor. How dare you!”
“Hey. Hey. Both of you calm down.” I held up my hands. “Bitzy, I’m sure he meant his apology.”
Chirp. Chirp. Double flip off in my face.
“Wow…in the nicest terms she just told you to fuc—”
“Yeah.” I nodded, stopping him from continuing. “I think I understood that.”
“So?” He faced me again, tugging up his pink loofah shorts. “Were you really put on the list?”
I tipped my head back against the cement, swallowing. “Yes.”
“That’s bad, fishy.”
“So I’ve heard.” And seen.
Since Hexxus’s announcement, I had shut down, going into complete denial. A few weeks in and I had already been beaten up, had my blanket stolen—fuck that bitch—got attacked in the shower, put in the hole, had to flagellate another inmate who wanted to protect me, and now put in line for the Games.
Games in which no one survived for long.
Let’s say my review of this place would be abysmal.
“There is no escape.” Opie pulled on his hat nervously. “Unless you live, but even the most successful fighter will lose eventually.”
“You are not helping.”
“You can’t do this.”
“I don’t have a choice.”
“You will die.”
“I know.” I exhaled violently through my mouth, and a deep terror brushed over my soul. Death itself had just walked across it.
The morning bell rang through the block, followed by the clanking of doors opening, drawing my attention to the outside, my mind wanting to think of anything other than my fate.
“Well, I better go. Showers will be emptying out soon.” He shoved at the scrubbers like he was pushing up boobs. “Work time, Bitzy.”
Chirp. With her finger up high in the air whirling like a cowboy on a bull, they slipped through the bars and vanished.
Heaving myself up, settling in with the herd, I made my way to the bathrooms, going through the motions, but not feeling present in my own body.
“The trouble you get in without me, little lamb.” Kek jumped on the counter next to the sink I was using. “You can’t seem to stay out of it, can you? I need to wrap caution tape around you.”
I cupped cold water in my hands and splashed it on my face, trying to wake myself up. Peering to the side, I noticed Kek’s blue hair was down and wet, her uniform clean.
“Oh look, Stanky Fish’s bodyguard is on duty,” a snide voice cut in, pulling my gaze to the metal reflection of the mirror. Tess and her gang stood behind me in their pyramid formation around her. “Move. I need the sink,” Tess snarled, moving closer.
There were dozens of other sinks she could have waited to use, but she was trying to make another stand against me.
I sighed, not bothering turning around.
Kek let out a howling laugh. “It’s as if you enjoy getting your ass pummeled, Tessie.” She leaned back against the mirror, showing they were no threat. “It took three of you and a surprise attack to take her down the first time. The last fight? Well…” Kek motioned to their still deeply bruised faces.
“At least no one owns me. I don’t need a demon to protect me in exchange for sexual favors,” Tess sneered.
“If this girl was offering sexual favors for protection,” Kek motioned to me as she sat up, leaning closer to them, threatening, “you’d be dead right now.”
Tess swallowed nervously.
“I might do it anyway because you are really pissing me off, human.”
“You have no power here. You can’t do anything to me,” Tess huffed.
Kek slid off the counter with a malicious leer. She was slight compared to them, but confidence and strength radiated from her.
“You are all talk,” Tess snipped, but I could see her take a stunted breath.
“You want to try me?” She got in Tess’s face, Tess’s two friends lurching forward in defense.
“Whoa,” I hissed, stepping between them, my eyes sliding to the guards who were watching us intently. Moving in, my chest bumped against Tess’s. “Back. Down. Try throwing your weight around somewhere else. But wait, that’s the problem, isn’t it? You’re losing your hold on the nonexistent position you pretend you have.”
Her nose and mouth wrinkled, fury spitting off her.