The Game Of Life

"I will give you head start of 3 minutes, run as far as you can in these 3 minutes, and if you are able to win this game, the freedom is yours." Conrad and Kruz drove me to the woods to start the game that they knew they would win. We were standing with the car when they were stating the same thing to me.

My legs that were uncovered were numb due to the cold. It worried me into thinking how was I going to make a run for my life when my legs are not even ready to move a muscle.

I looked around in the darkness and the fear consumed me. Not only was it cold and the only thing I was wearing was a jacket, but my body was numb by all the beatings from earlier.

"And imagine if you are able to outrun us, you'll be a free person," Kruz repeated what Conrad had said as he stood behind Conrad in black jeans and a white shirt. The prince was in the same attire as earlier, he had just worn a jacket over his shirt.

My eyes and mind were more focused on my surroundings than them. I was quickly persuading my mind to do it, that I should give my best if as it might be my only chance.

Kruz lifted up his hand to get my attention, he knew I wasn't looking at him for a very solid reason, "Your time starts now." He announced while showing off his wristwatch to me.

My heart dropped in my chest and the first thing I did was to start sprinting like a crazy person.

I wanted to get away from them, I wanted to be free. My mind was all over the place as I fastened my pace, not caring about how much pain my body had started to feel. I was sprinting because my life did depend on it.

If you do it, you are a free person!

My mind kept pushing me to go my full speed, to not worry about the pain these bruises were causing me.

The tree branches that were coming in contact with my arms could have scratched me badly had Conrad not given me his jacket.

I kept turning my neck around and looking in the direction behind me. I can't really keep a track of time but it didn't seem like I had spent more than 2 minutes running when I began to see the light coming from the other side of the woods where the road could be seen from afar.

Luckily, me taking a shortcut the coven has taught me worked for me. I was pretty sure that I still had 1-minute spared, but then I heard a whimper from behind the tree. My proceeding steps ceased when I realized there was somebody whimpering in pain.

My heart crushed under my feet as I stood there and quickly looked in the direction of the road and then at the tree. I tried to take a step towards the road and to force myself to start running again when the whimpers shivered my body.

It is either my freedom or I help this person. Helping others is what we have been taught by our ancestors.

Should I help this person?

I fought to walk away but the whimpers were reminding me of myself. When I was left behind tied to that tree, I remember being in so much pain and loneliness as nobody helped me.

I sighed in defeat once my mind won over my freedom and I began to walk slowly behind the tree.

"Hey, you need help?" I couldn't see the person, but I knew somebody was there for sure.

"Do you want a jacket? Or something else?" I kept going around and to my surprise, every time I would take a turn, the cries sounded like they were coming from far away.

"Hello?" I stopped once I had taken a full circle and still couldn't see the person.

By this point, I had completely forgotten about Prince Conrad's game. My whole attention was on this person and finding a way to help them.

"Times up, little witch!" I was startled to hear the voice I remember from behind the tree.

My steps automatically backed up once Conrad came out from behind the tree with his cellphone in his hand. He was playing the audio of a whimpering person to distract me from my goal.

My eyes widened and my lips parted to heave a sigh of horror. He tricked me!

Wait!

He had already reached the place before me but purposely played this sick game. I wondered if I had run away, would he had let me go?

"Please, give me one more chance." I instantly met my palms before him and begged, what I didn't understand was that he never meant to give me a chance anyway.

"You had your chance but you messed it up for a voice unknown." His eyebrow was raised as if he was questioning my ability to make decisions. He came forward even more and smirked, the blue in his eyes shining even brighter now.

"Now let's take you back and prepare you for your punishment day." My back hit someone, and upon turning I saw Kruz posturing straight with his eyes narrowed at me.

He looked satisfied!

"Just one---," I wanted to beg again but Kruz grasped my wrist and dragged me out of the woods to Conrad's car.

I was shoved in the back seat alone by Kruz while both Kruz and Conrad sat in the front seat.

I couldn't believe I blew off my only chance to live a free life. Was I really that stupid?

Soon the engine started and the car moved back to the mansion. All this time, I had shed tears to the amount that could fill up a whole sea.

The moment the car pulled up into the garage, I was dragged out by Kruz to the dungeon while Conrad went his way to his room.

"You are so stupid!" Kruz grunted, taking me to the dungeon.

"Please, help me get out of here, please," I begged Kruz, who pushed me inside my cell and chuckled at my wish. I felt like a fool for begging in front of someone who was not going to help me even if he is given a choice to do so.

"You had a chance," he rested his back against the door of the cell and stared at me, "I heard you are a virgin! A virgin witch, who would sacrifice everything to help her cover. If that's so, then that is even sadder that you will die without even losing your virginity or enjoying a man's touch." He sounded serious, I then understood the purpose behind that game. They just wanted to see if I would once again try to help someone while putting my life in danger and I did that again despite not learning from what had happened when I tried to help my coven. His eyes scanned my body and when he was about to take a step closer to me, his cellphone rang in his pocket.

"Yes? Now?" the frown on Kruz's forehead indicated that he didn't like what he was hearing, "Oh no! It's fine. I was actually about to head to bed, but I'll do that first." He hung up the call and shook his head weirdly. Whoever called him must be very disliked by him because he looked exhausted and bored at whatever that person had told him to do.

"Well, Prince Conrad had summoned you. Maybe you will get a taste of a man tonight." the lost smirk appeared back across his lips but it sounded too forced.

My mind didn't want to focus on him as I had a bigger worry to focus on. Why did Prince Conrad want me back in his room? It was probably 11 pm by now, what could possibly he want from me at this time?