Level twenty-fucking-five was glitter.

Some weird syrupy glue-water filled with all different colours shimmering through it. Which went awesomely with the other concoctions that bastard had made up. I feel like unicorn vomit.

I thought I was mad with the egg yolk and milk…but this…it was mixing with something on me and I could feel it solidifying on my skin like concrete plaster and I knew it was going to hurt trying to get it off my skin. I don’t want to enter the world of waxing hair off my body.

As the last balloon left Rain’s hand, Seth called for a stop, as it solidly lands on my cheek in a spray of clear shimmery rainbow across my face, tinted white by the other shit getting into my eyes that I couldn’t shake away. It tasted putrid and I had to spit to get it out of my mouth but the taste was still there…along with the chili sauce and wasabi water from one of the other times…I think it was from throw fifteen…

“Alright, let’s call it off for now,” Seth grins as he slowly walks up to me. “Thanks for the help…now unless you wanna help clean, I suggest-”

“-Bye!” The shorts-haired girl whips before turning on her heel.

“-No thanks,” Mist also chorused and followed the girl.

…And the Grinch just silently exits behind them. Well at least he isn’t saying anything mean.

I glare up at Seth and that goddam amused look on his face, “I’m going to kill you.”

“I’d like to see you try,” he still grins as he reaches into his pants pocket for a knife before going behind the pole to cut the middle of the zip ties that have long bitten into my wrists and ankles as I had tried struggling out of them when he brought in the soft drinks ones that were still (somehow) completed carbonated and the fizz went up my nose…and then down through my nose when it went in my mouth. …Then the ice water ones…condiments…and I had never been so thankful to have warm coffee thrown at me before in my entire life until “level eleven” existed.

As the plastic was cut, my arms fell lifelessly to my sides and I barely held onto my own weight under my buckling knees. Seth didn’t hesitate to catch me, despite being this putrid mess.

“Go to the showers, I’ve made sure that there is enough soap,” He pats my back once he was sure I was steady on my feet.

“Can I punch you?” I mumble back at him.

“Anytime, mate.” He looks as though he was about to clean up the mess and I felt like there was an outline of my body on the pole. I was too angry to even look at the mess properly or care that it seems that he would be cleaning it up by himself. I even ignored Lady who was trying to ask me where I was going.

I stagger towards the changing rooms that I haven’t visited for a while. In most cases it was stereotypical for any sort of communal changing rooms and showers. The wide and dimly lit room was covered in tiles and concrete that could be easily bleached and scrubbed. Lockers lined the walls and created six aisles in front of me with benches at the start and end of each aisle. I have a bet that every single locker represented (almost) every single person who was part of this fucking Siem cult. To the left was a wide doorway that led to changing cubicles and toilets, but I headed for the back of the room, passed the lockers towards the showers. Brightly lit like I was walking onto center stage…fuck my life.

I sat on the floor of the pool communal showers after turning on every single one of them on the three walls out of spite, hoping to use up all of the hot water. I didn’t even strip off my clothes that were heavy and stuck to my skin. Angrily glaring at the lockers, I mentally logged away which one was Seth Black’s to destroy later on. I haven’t felt this miserable in a while. Despite all of that shit being lugged at my head, nothing happened on my end. Just feeling slimy, sticky and smell like weird pancake batter….and now I don’t think I could ever enjoy pancakes ever again. Thanks assholes.

It’s taking a lot of soap and scrubbing just to get the thick coatings off my exposed skin (which was just my arms and face) that I was shedding layer after layer of skin with it, but I could still smell everything. Even as it gurgled down the drains around me. Pulling the shirt and hoodie off my body was so frustrating and suffocating that it took almost all my energy left as try and grip the thick, slimy water-logged fabric only for me to chuck it to the side, clogging up some of the drains. I breathe hard, looking down at the tiles, feeling like the shit was now blocking my lungs.

Is Seth planning to subject me to this every. Single. Time!?

I don’t think I’m going to be able to handle this. This is torture. I felt like the village idiot who was locked up in the stocks for everyone else to chuck rotten tomatoes at. And I just useless took everything because my brain went on holidays and didn’t feel like helping me out at all. Why is it that it only appears whenever it felt like, but not when I have glitter and maple syrup coating my hair? Fuck you. Fuck everyone.

I know I’m sulking, but I can’t stop. Nothing’s changing. Still nothing about Cody or Anne. I’m useless as ever and whenever I try to help, it feels like I drag myself back to square one. Like that saying, ‘one step forwards, two hundred billion steps back’. Basically, I’m reversing my own evolution.

Can I cry now? I am angry enough that I can feel my eyes stinging and it’s not because of the shower or the wasabi. But nothing fell. Great, I can’t even sob my heart out. Fuck. Get over it.

“Hey, kid.”

Normally I would jump at the sudden voice, but instead I just glare daggers at Seth as he leans against some lockers, still in the dim light, far enough away from me that I couldn’t charge at him. I don’t even know if I could to be honest.

“Just letting you know that I have a phase two to this plan.”

“What?” I couldn’t stop snapping back.

“Ever heard of the game ‘Assassins’?”

“…Do I really want to?”

“So basically in a normal game you have a mark that you need to ‘assassinate’ while also being targeted yourself. You don’t know who’s you assassin until they try to attack you or you get others to figure it out for you. Normally we use water balloons and if you get hit in the chest area, you’re out of the game. If you get your mark, you’re given another one to eliminate until we get down to the last few and turn it into a free for all to end it…and the last one left, wins.”

“Yipee,” I don’t like where this is going.

“In this game, you’re the target and anyone can attack you.”

I mentally cringe.

“Seth…look, I’m thankful…ok not thankful- that you’re trying to help me but I don’t think I can take much more…”

“That’s exactly the point, mate. It’s not about what you think you can handle. It’s about pushing you to the limits…I know I’m not being fair but when it comes to being “cursed”, the only way to develop it is to bring you to the brink and push you over the edge. I don’t know exactly where your limit is but it’s all about trial and error…and exhaustion. How do you think your brother and sister developed their abilities?”

…I know that already.

“I’m not completely mean, though. I’ve made it that the dining area safe. As well as from midnight til dawn as a safe time, so that you can get a few hours sleep.”

“Then, I’m never leaving the dining room again.”

He smirks, “If you think you could manage that, sure.”

“And how many people are in on this game of yours?”

He shrugs smugly, knowingly.

“Fuck you.”

“It’s all about pushing you.”

“And what happens if I get hit?”

“Your hoodie gets wet and you’ll need to shower.”

“Then, you better have a limitless water supply.”

“Siem can cut you off and you’ll be stuck with it.”

I grumble, looking back down at the tiles under me.

“It’s also training to get you reflexes going.”

“And how many more times exactly am I going to be tied to the fucking pole again?”

“As many times as it takes. It’ll be after dinner tomorrow.”

“…I’m just going to give up.”

Seth’s tone went suddenly cold, “No. You won’t. In the time that I’ve known you, Kae, I know that you will never give up. Stubborn and reckless I’ll give you, but a coward that never follows through? Don’t kid yourself, mate.”

He left me alone with those words and the sound of the showers.

After a time I look back up to see Lady in his place who slowly came over and crouched down in front me, not minding the water drips splashing on her coat every now and then.

‘Dreamer will be ok…Dreamer keep trying.’ She looks up at my face, unflinchingly.

I sniff rubbing my nose, still really wanting to cry but nothing happened. Am I empty of tears as well? I’m just so angry…

Lady pushes her face against mine as an attempt to console me, ‘Lady will watch…’ I realise that even though I could feel the amusement still coming off of her but also a mix of annoyance as well. But she could see what Seth was doing.

It still didn’t make me feel any better. I reach up to stroke her face, at least I was distracting myself a little from the dark hatred that I knew was still simmering deep in my very being. I was afraid of that anger…and I knew Seth was trying to drag it out, kicking and screaming.

…And I didn’t want to release any of it. I was too afraid of what it might do.

But at the moment, I’m going to have to figure out a way to get to my food without being smashed in the face with another fucking water balloon.