Chapter 3: Love or Dove?

Belle's P.O.V

__________

We were on the road for about twenty minutes before the road started to climb the mountainous area.

Just these few twenty minutes had felt like an eternity. I was shaking while trying to think of all possible ways to get a hold of that gun.

"Look, don't do anything stupid.. okay?", Laura tried smiling reassuringly.

'Wtf..?! Bit*h you just kidnapped me and harassed my mother! How can you even smile at me?'

I didn't reply.

"You won't find a friend like me so easily", she tried to smile.

"If all you say is true, then why did you send me the link?"

"I..", she stopped herself then took a few seconds to answer. "You have to invite a friend every month.. and I swear I didn't wanna get you and Bev involved..", she sighs. "But this was actually the only way I could talk about the game to someone. You've heard of the Carver right?"

I nods slowly, although I still wasn't buying her excuse.

"He's the one who made me join the game, you see.... it was an easy way to gain money"

My eyes widened at her words. "You're taking me to see a psychotic killer?!!"

"Calm down Belle. Both me and him will soon be done with the game", she nodded reassuringly. "He just has to harvest a heart, mine is just a heart and two lungs"

"Don't say harvest!... How can you even say that so casually?!", I screamed pulling my hair. "You're gonna murder someone....!"

Laura was silent before I found courage to speak up again.

"I see.... You both just wanna take my organs", I laughed sarcastically.

"Don't say stupid stuff, Belle", Laura frowned.

"No... No!", I shook my head. "I'm not gonna die... Mum is gonna miss me", my eyes narrow at the steering wheel.

My brain turned off for a few seconds and everything went quiet..... I could only hear the pounding of my heart in my ears as I dived for the gun.

We both got into a struggle over the gun, as Laura let go of the steering wheel....

Skrrrrr!

The car suddenly went off the mountain side. We didn't even have time to react before landing...

Luckily I had my seatbelt on and only had a slight headache. "Owww!", I groaned placing my hand on my forehead.

My eyes slowly moved to Laura when I heard her cough. She's been pierced in the stomach by a huge piece of glass and had some blood tracing down her forehead.

I screamed my ears out while a few drops escaped my eye lids.

"Ohh god... I didn't mean to...", I tried to apologise as Laura coughed up some more blood.

My body was quavering, but I managed to get her seat belt off. "We can still get out, I'll call an ambulance". I wasn't even sure which part of her to hold.

She was obviously hurting all over.

She slapped my hand away before taking slow painful breaths. "You're such a moron". She coughed again. "Shoot me".

Those words pierced my heart. "Neverrr!.... Has blood already gone to your head?!", I gripped her shoulder and she slapped my hand off once again.

"Look down", she managed to say while breathing heavily. "I can't even feel my legs anymore".

Her voice was a whisper now as my eyes went down. I couldn't even find her legs under the steering wheel.

She managed a fake smile, "The Carver would probably have killed you if I'd brought you. I'm so scared of him". I watched tears build up at her eyes.

I'd never seen Laura cry..... just once when her mum died a few years ago.

"Game Master", I heard her whisper.

"Howdy?!", her phone replied from somewhere underneath her.

"I'm handing my eyes and belongings in the game over to Belle Franchester", she spat some blood out. "I forefeit".

At those words, she shoved me and I fell out the car door, before u could get back up, Laura's body was gone....

My blood went cold....

"Congratulations!", I heard a low voice from my phone. "Killing another player means you get the bonus!"

"I didn't kill her... No...", I fell to he knees. "Laura!!", I screamed so hard, "Someone please help!!!", I thought her lungs would burst....

"And you can also claim their weapon as yours!"

Quickly pulling out the phone, I tossed it as far away from me as I could. Blaming the game was the only solution... The only thing I could do to not feel too guilty...

"Claim your your reward, Belle!", The voice of the mascot from inside the car must've been Laura's phone.

But what about the Carver?

He might come looking for his partner...

I managed to pull the gun out from Laura's edge of the car.

This wasn't a movie... And I was no hero, but if the Carver happened to show up.

I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

*********

"Annabelle!", Mum ran towards me as I walked up the lawn.

The policemen who were at our front door taking some notes.m also turned to me.

"Ohh dear..", she hugged me. "What happened?". Slowly wiping away the dried blood from my cheek. I hadn't even noticed I'd been bleeding.

"We had an accident...", I sniffled a bit. "I killed Laura!", She screamed out catching the policemen's attention.

"If I didn't try fighting with her in the car..", I buried her face in her mum's chest, suppressed tears flowing freely now.

"Ohh baby...", She squeezed me tight. "It wasn't your fault"

"Miss Annabelle?", One of the policemen decided to spoil the moment. "We'll need to ask you some questions, could you come with us for the moment?"

Monica's eyes sparked as her gaze shifted to him. "Just give her some time... Please...", She pleaded.

"I'm fine mum... I can do it", Trying to keep my face straight, I used my sleeve to wipe my eyes.

The officer nodded.

**********

SATURDAY MORNING..

**********

"Belle!", Beverly literally kicked my room door open. "I heard what happened.... I'm sooo sorry, it wasn't your fault!"

I just shook my head, my face was buried between my knees folded up. "I killed her Bev, I didn't tell the police the full story.."

She sighed before walking to sit beside me.

"Do you want me to sleep over?... Why didn't you call me anyway?"

"My phone... I ...". Knowing I couldn't talk about the game. "I lost it in the crash"

"Arrgh!... That's bad", she wrapped her arms around me. "I'll buy you a new one"

"You don't have to do tha-"

"No!", Bev cut me off. "I said I'd protect you, and I wasn't there..". Finally letting go of me as I'd raised my head up.

"I know what you could help me do..", I managed a weak smile.

"What?"

"I still have a date today... And my eyes are a mess.."

Bev frowned. "Don't tell me you're still gonna go?!"

I nodded slowly as my cheeks flushed up.

Seeing how determined I was, Bev sighed. "Okay... I'll do your make up.."

We both hugged.

"But in the meantime", she shook a bag she's been holding in her left hand. "I brought snacks and some CDs"

I smiled.

That evening, I waited just where Trevor told me to. A park opposite the cinema house.

"Hey!", He waved coming up behind me. "Sorry I'm late.."

"Ohh... It's fine", I smiled as he entwined our arms.

"The movie doesn't start till about twenty minutes, wanna walk around?", He spoke so casually it made me recall what Bev had said.

'That's great but.... Out of nowhere he wants to go out with you?'

The words kept ringing in my head as we silently walked through the park, it seemed empty... Maybe cuz' it was already dark.

I found myself resting my head against him in comfort, I still couldn't get the fact that I killed Laura off my mind.

"Trevor?...", I finally gathered the courage to get her thoughts out.

"Yeah?..."

"Why did you ask me out anyway?", The question was stupid but...

"Ohh.. that's easy", he suddenly stopped moving. "I came to carve out your heart"

I laughed a bit at his choice in words.

Slowly meeting his eyes, he had a vicious smile on his face.

Before I could even turn, he gripped both my arms behind me with his free hand, he held a knife to my neck. His strength was absurd!

"Scream and I'll kill you", he whispered into my ear.

I nodded in obedience as my body quivered.

"I can't believe you killed Laura", he laughed a little. "And I was planning to kill you both when she arrived with you. Trusting her after I cleared the game would have been impossible.."

My eyes suddenly widened, I'd never told him I killed Laura...

The knife was deadly close to my throat. "How did...?"

"Ohh.... You didn't know the game announces who kills who?", he pressed himself against my back.

"You're shaking Bella", there was amusement in his tone.

Are you...", I managed to whisper, my whole body vibrating.

He laughed some more. "That's right... The Carver, and in the flesh!"