The Devil’s Plaything

Chapter 13

Reese

I have the feeling that all I’ve done this past week is run, and I’m still doing it. I run to save my life, or at least what’s left of my dignity. I manage to get my bearings well enough to follow the route back to my cabin, but halfway there, I stop. I’m exhausted beyond belief, but I don’t know if that lunatic is still chasing me, so I use what little strength I have left to climb a tree. I know I’m not completely safe. After all, he’s already found me once. I don’t know how he did it, and I regret ever making the decision to go looking for Rose.

After what I witnessed last night, I was supposed to stay locked inside, but I couldn’t do it. Searching for my friend is what brought me here, and yes, it’s possible that she’s no longer in this place, that one of these disturbed bastards took her away just like they did with the blonde girl yesterday. Still, I had to at least try. It wasn’t a good idea.

I spit to get the remnants of semen out of my mouth and wipe my lips and chin with the back of my hand. I can’t think about what just happened right now. I’ll have plenty of time to regret it once I manage to get out of this hell. What matters now is finding a way to get back home.

I stay high up in the tree until the first light of dawn appears in the sky, and just as I’m about to climb down and head back to the cabin, I hear someone approaching. I freeze and even stop breathing as I watch the figure of a masked man walk directly beneath me, looking around as though he’s searching for someone or something. Then I notice the way he walks. His posture is rigid, yet elegant. It’s him, that British son of a b***h. I’m sure of it. I let him get a little farther away before exhaling heavily. Rage boils in my veins. I want to follow him and bash him over the head with a log, or better yet, a rock. It would be pretty damn satisfying to watch him bleed out like what he is—a f*****g r****t pig.

Once I can no longer hear his footsteps, I climb down from the tree and start walking in the opposite direction. I move slowly because of the pain in my legs and the exhaustion. My body barely responds, but my mind… Jesus Christ, my mind is a pressure cooker about to explode. I can’t stop thinking that all the hell I’ve been through this week will have been for nothing. If I manage to get out of here, I’ll leave exactly the way I arrived, without the slightest idea of what happened to Rose.

I stop abruptly and take a deep breath as I glance over my shoulder. I don’t think he’s gotten very far. If I follow him to the area with the wooden fence… I shake my head and keep walking in the opposite direction. It’s insane. Most likely, they’ll catch me before I can get inside or, even worse, he’ll be the one to find me and finish what he started.

“I’ll tie you to a tree and won’t stop f*****g you until blood runs down your thighs.”

I shudder. I know it wasn’t an empty threat.

I stop again and click my tongue in frustration. Is it worth the risk? Rose most likely isn’t in there, but I’ll never know if I don’t dare to go.

“You’re an i***t, Reese. You deserve to get yourself killed for being so stupid,” I mutter to myself as I turn around.

I grit my teeth and endure the pain in my legs as I quicken my pace, trying to catch up with the British man as soon as possible. Just as I imagined, I find him only a few meters ahead. He looks tired and sore. It’s a shame I didn’t destroy his balls with that knee to the groin, but at least it slowed him down. That might come in handy if I manage to sneak into the restricted area.

I follow him as silently as possible, keeping a considerable distance between us so he won’t notice my presence. We reach the edge of the wooded area, right in front of the gate leading into the fenced-off section. He crosses the path, but I can’t follow him because several hooded guards are watching the surrounding area. I keep moving parallel to him without losing sight of him, blending in among the trees, but the sun is about to rise and my hiding place won’t remain one for much longer. I don’t even know where I’m finding the strength to keep moving. I go faster and faster until I eventually start running. The guards are concentrated mostly around the gate, but the rest of the fence is unprotected. I reach a section where climbing over it looks possible, although it isn’t easy. It’s extremely high.

It takes me several attempts to climb it, and when I reach the top, I lose my balance and fall to the other side. Pain shoots through my knees, and blood soaks into my pants, but I don’t stop. I manage to hide behind a cabin and look for the masked man. I spot him, although I’m not sure it’s actually him because within a few minutes, I see several others pass by, all dressed exactly the same. I stay hidden until the sun rises completely, leaving me exposed to anyone who happens to walk nearby. Luckily, it seems as though the masked men have retired for the day, giving me some room to move between the cabins, but a few hooded guards are still wandering around. I’m about to cross a more open area when I hear a couple of them approaching.

“Is everything ready?” one of them asks.

“Yes, the vans have arrived. At noon, we’ll pick up the prey and take them back. The ones who live nearby will go by road, and the rest by plane. The pilots have already been notified.”

“Good. What about transportation for the members?”

“That’s ready too. Some of them will stay until nightfall. Apparently, the bastards are tired after last night’s hunt.”

They both laugh, and I press my back against the wooden wall of the cabin as they walk right past me. I hold my breath and try not to move. However, in daylight, my dark clothing doesn’t exactly blend in, and one of them suddenly stops. I panic. If they catch me here, God knows what they’ll do to me. I hear his footsteps coming closer and move quickly, circling around the cabin until I find an open window at the back. I don’t even think before throwing myself inside. I crouch down and wait for the hooded guard to move on.

“What is it?” I hear one of them ask outside.

“Nothing. I thought I saw a shadow. I guess it was a bird or something.”

Their footsteps fade away, and I release all the air I didn’t even realize I was holding. Then I hear a noise coming from inside the cabin. It sounds like water hitting glass. I stand up and, almost on tiptoe, peek around to see if anyone is there. This cabin is much larger than mine, and far more luxurious. I find an open door that I quickly realize leads to a bathroom. I take a quick look inside. I can make out the silhouette of a man in the shower, although the shower screen is translucent and I can’t see his face. I slowly back away, step by step, without making a sound.

This is my opportunity. I’m inside the cabin of one of those masked men. There might be some clue here about who they are and where they take the women—where they might have taken Rose. Very carefully, I begin searching the furniture in the living room. I open drawers and cabinet doors, always keeping an ear on the sound of the water coming from the bathroom. There’s nothing. Literally every piece of furniture is empty. I decide to take the risk and venture farther into the cabin. There are two rooms. One is a bedroom, and the other is some kind of office or study. My attention is immediately drawn to the laptop sitting on a solid wooden desk. I hurry over and open it.

I only become aware of the dirt and dried blood covering my hands when I place them on the keyboard. I’m a complete mess, but I don’t care. This is the closest I’ve come to finding a clue about Rose’s whereabouts in months, and I intend to make the most of it. The screen lights up, displaying what looks like a corporate logo:

Sutton Casino & Hotel.

Casino? This masked man works at a casino. That’s something!

The computer is password-protected, and I don’t have time to start guessing. From this room, I can’t hear the water anymore, and if he gets out of the shower and catches me here, it’ll probably cost me my life. I open a couple of drawers and find several documents, all bearing the casino’s logo. I’m about to leave the office to look for more information in the bedroom when I hear footsteps.

I panic for what feels like the hundredth time today.

The footsteps are getting closer, and I have nowhere to hide.

I glance around. There’s a window, but I have no idea what—or who—might be waiting on the other side. I take the chance. Outside, I at least have a possibility of escaping. If I stay here, I’m screwed. I open the window without making a sound, and before the door can open, I practically dive out headfirst.

I land on my elbows and grimace in pain, but I don’t give myself any time to dwell on it. I start running without looking back.

I have to get back to my cabin.

Those hooded guards said they would take us back home at noon, or at least that’s what I understood. My priority right now is getting out of this hell. After that, I’ll figure out what to do with the information I’ve found.

Sutton Casino & Hotel.

That’s my lead, and I intend to make the most of it.