Cole

Cole                     twenty

          It was only early morning, but my four younger brothers were already in the warehouse, probably getting the game ready in the control room. I got out of my car, locking it with the key fob that I held in my rough, dry hand. I hadn't gotten much sleep last night, my phone kept going off with Amber Alerts. We had these kids for five days now, not including the day it took them to wake up when we gassed them at the club before loading their limp, unconscious bodies into the back of a modified van.

          It was Luke’s idea, “Get a fifteen passenger van and modify it so it’s like an armored prison bus.” He had pushed the idea on me for months while we had still been working on things, Jackson going undercover at the local High School to find the biggest clique of friends. He did and he got updates on when they were going to the club. That part was solved. Anyway, finally I just told Luke that if he wanted the van so badly he’d have to find it and modify it himself or get some help from someone trusted. And that’s what he did.

          I walked up to the rusted iron door to the back of the warehouse, fumbling on my keys to find the right one. When I finally did find the right key, I fumbled around more to put the key into the small key hole, turning it and listening to the sound of the lock sliding open. I put the keys in the pocket of my grey jacket, running my hand through my sandy blond hair before going inside. Kicking the door shut with my foot, I looked around the small dark space that only held a door to the Maze and some stairs to the Control Room. I turned the lock on the door and shrugged my jacket off, wrinkling my nose and almost gagging. What on Earth is that god awful smell?

          With a cough I pulled my shirt over my nose, my after shave was certainly better than what ever that smell was, and started up the stairs. I opened the door as I reached the top of the stairs, my eyes watering from the smell of my aftershave mixing with what smelled like decaying flesh. I heard a laugh and quickly went inside the Control Room, shutting the door behind me so I didn't let any of the stench in.

          “Do any of you know what the f**k that smell is?” I looked at my brothers as I let my shirt fall from my nose, their grey eyes from Mom peering back at me, along with their short brown hair. I’m the only one that looked like our father. If you could even call him that. He was hardly a dad, let alone a father? I shook my head, dismissing the thought and returning to what I was talking about. “It smells like something died down there.”

          Kyle shrugged, “Wouldn't surprise me. Might’ve been a ‘coon in the vents or something. I don’ know. It doesn't smell in here so it doesn't bother me.” That was very much like him. He’s the type of person that would see a car accident, shrug and say “It’s not my car, I ain't worried ‘bout it.” I rolled my eyes and hung my jacket up on the metal coat tree that was by the door. Making my way over to my computer, I pulled my chair back from the desk and sat down.

          “Did one of you forget to do something with that dead dog last night from yesterday’s game.”  I eyed Riley as I rolled my chair back to my desk, turning on my computer, camera, and mic. The monitors were on, the surveillance cameras filming the halls in the maze, and one screen showing the room with the Players in. We started out with sixteen players, eight on each teen. So far there has only been four Games. The Blue Team won three out of those four Games, The Red Team only won once, Blue’s Player being killed in the process. Four Players have died, leaving us with twelve Players and four more Games.

          I looked at the monitor showing the room with all the Players in it, all of them were alive. Some were even pacing in the room. I glanced at my watch, wondering if we could get the games up and running yet, it was only seven AM. Normally we would start around noon, give the Players lunch while the two are out in the Maze, and then in a way direct the survivor to the Turning room.

          Swiveling around in my chair, I looked at the big white board with our Players listed by number, or their name in the Game. Who is playing today? Going down the list I looked and at the players that are playing today. Three.

          “Hey, Riley, you should go get us some breakfast and coffee from in town.” I looked at Riley as my stomach growled, smiling slightly.

          “Why? Is everyone even hungry?” He looked at me, narrowing his eyes. He’s been acting strange since the first Game. That was true. Ever since the first Game, Riley has been kind of withdrawn from us and hostile even though he kept winning. The bruises from Jackson’s hands around his neck were light green now, they’d probably be gone within the next day or two.

          With every win from Riley, Jackson got more and more pissed but he was a team sport so he kept playing, only an occasional “Oh my god!” Or a “I quit.” I looked at Jackson, Luke, and Kyle.

          “You guys hungry? Up for a coffee?” The all nodded.

          “That sounds fantastic.” Kyle looked at me and grinned before looking back at Riley. Kyle had this cockiness about him that I found hilarious. He loved to make his younger siblings mad, but then again who doesn't?

          “Fine. Whatever.” Riley grabbed his keys off his desk and then his worn out black leather jacket off the coat tree, throwing open the door. Luke snickered as Riley slammed the door behind him, the sleeve of his jacket catching in the door. That resulted in him throwing the door open and then closed again, then pounding down the stairs.

          “What a baby.” Jackson mumbled and looked at him monitor, shaking his head slowly. You choked him for beating you in a f*****g Game. Shut your damn mouth, Jackson.

          I sighed and leaned back in the rolling chair, looking at the floor before looking up at my brothers and clearing my throat. “I have another idea for an obstacle.” I grinned as they turned their attention to me.