average human’s Reviews > Drop His Mask > Status Update

For my own survival.
“What did you do?” 197 snapped from across the space as we made it back to the other players.
His question was directed to Oleks, but I answered for him. “We got each other off.” My tone made it clear exactly what I meant. I jutted my chin out, leveling him with a defiant glare. “And we both survived because of it.”
Next to me, 32 let loose a giggle. “You’re fucking kidding me. Well, I hope whichever one of you I go against knows how to make a girl cum. Fucking sixty-nining in the deadliest reality game show there is. Fucking hilarious.”
“Thankfully you’re a disgusting slut so I know we’ll be just fine,” her teammate 34 snapped at her.
Their remaining teammate, 33, remained silent, her cryptic eyes jumping around the room instead. I hadn’t gotten a read on 33 yet, but something about her had been nagging at my psyche. As if she were from a deep memory that I couldn’t quite reach.
32 continued to giggle, ignoring their other teammate entirely, and breaking me from my thoughts. Apparently, there was no love lost between the two even after all this time.
32 did kill 34’s husband in the last round, so I guess that makes sense.
Nobody else spoke until 32’s platform began to rise. Across from her, another platform rose in synchrony; Player 140.
“Frank, please, don’t think with your dick,” another man, Player 141, shouted as he watched his teammate rise up.
140 didn’t respond, but even I could feel the cockiness that radiated from him. He was a much larger man, and I hoped that he would do as 32 wished. That he would get her off and 32 would be alive at the end of their round. While I knew we couldn’t all win, a part of me wished we could. Hoped desperately that all my allies would survive this.
I wasn’t sure what else was to come, but we were now surrounded by our allies with only Ivan’s team remaining as our enemies. Maybe, just maybe we would actually win this thing.
“Are you okay, darlin’?” Levi’s husky voice rolled to me, drawing my concentration to the man.
He stood, firmly focused on me with his attention, his bright eyes crinkling at the edges as he gifted me a reassuring smile. I returned it, inclining my head and offering a sheepish shrug.
“I am,” I promised. Now that we had all made it through this round alive, I couldn’t wait to return to our home. To the only solace I had in this game.
My focus snapped to Maverick, but he didn’t acknowledge me, back to his hot and cold ploy that he continued to use. It left me a bewildered mess. But that was fine. I knew better than to think our encounter would change anything about our relationship. If anything, it was a much needed release.
And then there was Enzo.
His head laid back against the podium, red hair coming up and over his mask in a tangled mess. When we first met, he had seemed to be the more put together of the two brothers, the friendlier. But now I could see it was all a sham. His lips tightened into a line, his eyes screwed shut and tension radiated off of him, a shrouded aura that clung to the air around him. I imagined last night's events were still fresh and weighing heavily on his mind.
Maverick wasn’t even looking in his direction, further testament of the rift that had formed between them.
“Oh yeah baby, just like that!” echoed around us from above, followed by a disgusting foray of groaning and grunting.
At least she’s going to make it this round.
But then what? There were only five winners. As much as I wanted her to win this round, wouldn’t it be easier if she didn’t? We couldn’t all make it to the end, and we were nearing that point more and more each day. They had been throwing us into back to back games since I woke up and I imagined they would continue to push us as fast and hard as they could, to wrap this year’s Masquerade up.
Over a month.
We had been in here for over a fucking month.
“Wha—No—"
The terrified screech grabbed my attention, and I cranked my head upwards. I watched in horror as a person fell from the sky, screaming as they went.
“You idiot! Why?!” Player 141 sobbed.
This time I had the wherewithal to turn around. I didn’t need to see the disgusting scene play out again.
“Player 32, congratulations you have won, you have secured your team's victory. All teams have now competed for their lives. This completes the game.”
The unmistakable whirring filled the space, and I spun carefully on my platform, causing my knees to buckle, but they held. I kept my attention above the ground and away from the carnage below.
32 had somehow managed to flip off one of the largest men in the room, managed to secure her own victory and trick the other man into falling to his literal death.
Her hands were cocked on her hips as she became level with the rest of us. “I guess it’s a good thing I'm such a little slut," she bit out to 34, sneering at the other woman.
Before anyone could say anything else the mechanical voice started up again. “You may think it's odd that the game has ended, and yet, you are all still conscious. There is a reason for this. The first place winners from the last game now need to claim their prize. The winners were 197, 196, 195, and 194. They secured the most organs.”
Anxiety skittered against my nerves as I found Oleks and 197. While I didn’t think either of the men would try to hurt me, the same could not be said for 196 or 194. Neither of those men had spoken more than a few words to me and I had seen the palpable anger radiating off of 196 after the last game. After they had killed his mother.
I didn’t want it directed towards me.
“Since 195 won this game, they will be the one to choose your prize. 195, you are to trade one of your weakest links for a new, stronger teammate. Or perhaps you now have someone else in mind.”
Horror. Pure unfiltered chaotic horror slithered its way down my throat into my gut.
No. Certainly he wouldn’t choose me.
“You better not—” 196 was silenced as he fell to his knees, letting out an anguished grunt of pain.
“There will be no arguing or discussion. Player 195, you have two minutes to decide.”
I tried to catch Oleks’s attention, but he was looking pointedly in any direction but my own.
What if he separates me from Jayce? What will happen then?
I had never expected when this started that I would want to be stuck with Jayce, but now I couldn't imagine us being apart.
In the middle of my meltdown, I found myself searching for him. Looking for the ocean. Finding the swirling depths of his eyes.
I love you, Jayce mouthed.
I love you too, I returned.
“Time’s up,” the robotic voice bounced around us.
“We will be trading Player 196,” Oleks said.
“You son of a—” 196 fell all the way down to his platform, knocked out cold before he could finish his sentence.
“Continue."
“For Player 20,” 195 murmured softer this time.
“No!" Jayce screamed, his voice breaking in despair.
“We’ll see you soon darlin’, take care of yourself,” Levi grunted, his words cracking in emotion.
My worst fears were realized, and I couldn’t help but let the tears fall freely, my heart splitting into several pieces. My vision blurred and my throat filled with rocks. The pain from my stitches was nothing compared to this. I was being stabbed by a thousand ice picks straight into my gut over and over again.
After years of separation, I had been reunited with Jayce only to be torn apart again.
How dare Oleks do this. How dare he take me from them.
Why would he even want me? I was weak, he knew I was injured. What was he playing at?
I would be separated from Jayce, from Levi. Even from Enzo and Maverick.
I would miss them all. More than that…
What if this is the last time I see any of them alive?
As soon as the unwanted thought crept in, I smashed it away. It wouldn’t help anything.
“Take care of each other,” I whispered. “Please. We’ll be reunited soon. I promise.” I couldn’t meet any of their eyes again. I knew it would break me. To see the sadness in Jayce and Levi's. And I was scared to even know what Enzo and Maverick were thinking. How this made them feel. If they even cared.
Or maybe they’re relieved.
I had been trained to use my body. To keep myself alive and sane. And in some ways, I had done that with the brothers, but even I could admit they had crawled their way under my skin.
My emotions were a tangled, bundled, frayed mess of strings. These men had caused me to feel. To care. And in return, my heart was breaking in worry and agony. Of the thought that this might very well be the last time I saw them.
A familiar prick stabbed my neck, breaking through my spiraling, and the world flickered before going dark.