I was strong enough to keep those promises. I didn't have Tini, but was here, and hopefully, could help me think of a way out of this.

What's your real plan to get us out of this? You were serious? Really? You think I'm that pathetic? Fine, teach me how to fight like you then.

Fine. Can you be Dumbledore and give me some sage advice? Fuck off!

You suck at giving advice. Is your ego really that big? Remember this, if I die, you die. So, if we die, you'll never see you precious Sebbie again. are you serious? You're going to help me because you want to get to Seb?

"You're talking to your alters, aren't you?"

A creepy humorous glow colored each word.

I froze. How did they know about us?

"That's why you're so quiet."

A laugh lit the air, as footsteps crunched closer, but still out of view.

What?

What the hell does that have to do with anything? What plan? But you said I couldn't win? Where am I going to get a weapon? The most dangerous thing I can find is an empty milk container. Huh?

My shoes? I peered down at my boots, focusing on the heels. They were like seven inches, but still.

That means I have to kick them, which they can dodge. I hate you.

What? How the heck do we do that? And that sounds time-consuming. That sounds complicated.

It worked.

I think they're in the tunnel we originally came through — straight ahead. But the walls were shaking so they could be —

If they're there, that means I might be able to outrun them to the light. So what do I do? Just sit here and wait to die?

Yeah, you make them sound SO easy. Just kill them. Yeah. It seems easier just to get to the light. You're really this upset about me not trying to kill them? I know more than missionary thank you very much. Look, we don't have time for this.

Entertained? How?Huh? I'm sorry if I don't know what to talk about with a psychopathic killer who smells like strawberries and loves pigs.That's different. . Stupid stuff or we laugh at Yaz and Rucker arguing.

I went to retort but stopped myself since I didn't have a better plan. And was right. They would've attacked by now if their main goal was to just kill me. They had other plans for me, and I didn't want to be a part of them if I could help it.

Peeking up at the unsteady light, I eyed the tunnel once more before moving back toward the wall. I unzipped my boots and grabbed the left one.

"Umm who — are you?" I asked aloud, feeling weird and awkward.

Give me a break.

Gripping the boot around the base, I slammed the heel against the wall, a loud clacking sound rippling through the atmosphere.

"Uh do-do you like pie?" I asked, whacking the heel against the wall again, a bit harder this time. "I l-like pie."

Who doesn't like pie?

"Food should be the last thing on your mind, piggy. You're fat enough."

I huffed and used that short spurt of anger wafting through my core to crush the boot into the rock at an angle. The heel snapped off with a soft thunk before slipping to the ground. "I am not fat!"

"Does chunky smut sound better?"

I went to respond, but cut me off.

Huh? How do you know about all of this? .

Placing the shoe on the ground slowly and quietly, I picked up the discarded heel.

"Uh how do you know about my alters?" I grated the sharp tip against the wall, peeking over my shoulder every so often to see if there was any movement in the tunnel. None.

"So you're admitting your fat?"

"I am not fat!"

"Say that to your love handles."

"I don't have love handles!" I scraped a little too hard, emitting a loud sound.

"What are you doing?"

Gruff footsteps crunched on the ground in the distance, and I moved the heel tip against the roughness ten times faster, dust and soft particles catching the air from my effort.

"I um tripped — how do you know about my alters?" Numbness began to set in my fingers, but I kept going, moving faster and faster.

"I know a lot about you." Footsteps again.

What the hell do I say now? I continued grinding, not even knowing if it was actually working. I heard of jail shanks before, but I didn't know if this was how you made one.

"Look — ah I'm sorry for biting you before."

I'm doing my freaking best, okay? You talk to them then. Look—

"YOU'RE SORRY?" The robotic voice came out sharp and piercing, cutting me off and making me flinch.

"You mutilated me! I limped for days and I'll have this scar for life."

Good. "Well you did try to kill me," I said, doing shorter strokes against the hard wall, the excess dirt peppering my fingers.

"Trying to kill you was a blessing. You deserved far worse for what you did to me."

So them attacking me was personal like I thought, but why? What did I do to them? "What did—"

"And you'll get worse. I was just gonna kill you, but after our last encounter, I realized you deserved much more than that. I'm going to sacrifice you for the greater good."

Those words came out rushed and husky. Almost like they were speaking directly on my skin and that made me recoil, and I grated my finger instead of the heel. I cringed, dropped the heel, and stuffed my finger into my mouth.

I'm trying.

I hurried and picked up the heel, swirling around at the sudden crackle and pop hitting the air.

"You really have no idea who I am, do you?"

The light above me shattered into tiny chips. Spiky pieces rained down. I ducked, holding my arms over my head as the surviving bulb trembled, barely hanging on but still emitting a tiny gloom of light.

"But you will, piggy. I think you'll be a little shocked too."

The closeness and the finality in their voice shocked my chest, making my pulse pitter-patter like fresh blood dripping on a gravestone.

"Don't be scared witty piggy. I promise it'll hurt the whole time."

Instead of hearing their voice all around me like before, they spoke within earshot, merely feet away.

I swung my head to the tunnel, straining to see through the grayish shadows as the bulb slowly dimmed. I gulped when silver boot tips rimmed the entrance of the tunnel, a figure blending in with the duskiness.

The dying bulb fizzled out right after I caught them taking off into a run, each deafening footstep getting closer to me by the second.

My breath stiffened on my tongue, body surging with fresh adrenaline, fingers getting chilly. I had only three choices at the moment — follow plan and fight them, run like hell or faint.

What the hell should I do?

♟