The Blood Shop

Game Plan

Hans startled me awake. He was right outside the stall, a shovel in his hand as he knocked on my door consistently. 

"Rise and shine!" he grinned, "time to get branded!"

I stared at him.

Branded?

"In a few days you shall receive a chip," he pointed to his wrist, "right in there!"

I felt my face flush with an instant coldness. Was that the chip that they had put in Yoongi? The one that made it impossible for him to leave without being killed?

Hans opened the latch to the door and stepped inside. The shovel was scaring me.

He caught me looking at it.

"Ohhhh so you want to know what this is for?" he beamed, holding out the shovel.

I shook my head.

He frowned and growled, "YES you do. Tell me you DO."

What was up with him and wanting me to agree with everything he said?

I slowly nodded.

"SAY yes," he said in a cold voice, "I MEAN IT!"

I shivered. The way he would get angry over these simple things...

"YES!" I shouted up at his face.

He smiled smugly, "That's more like it. Now about what I was saying...this shovel is going to be used to dig a grave for yourself. You see, the reason why you are here, I will tell you now."

He took a deep breath as if he was about to announce something of great importance.

"We are getting ready to host a game among you and some others. You people will be the animals, and Andreas and I will be the hunters."

"WHAT?"

"Let me explain further," he said in an unusually calm voice, "there is no way for you to escape. You are going to be tracked and we will know where you are. Therefore we will always win the hunt!"

"WHY are you doing this?!" I asked, appalled.

"We have our reasons...let's just say we are harvesting some organs. It does bring in the bucks!" he smiled down at me, "and it also gives us what we need...blood."

"Why do you?" I asked, unable to talk above a whisper. 

"Hmmm." He looked like he was thinking, then suddenly turned to me, "YES! It is because it gives us nutrients to keep us in shape and healthy. We found that out...I have family going all the way back who realized this."

Was this man cursed? How could anyone do this and think it is ok? Especially for the sake of health...

"That store by the road...it is to help us earn money as well as victims. Anyone who runs away, we know where they are. Soon you will have a tracker as well. Isn't this fun?!"

I glowered at him.

"HOW COULD YOU SAY SUCH THINGS?"

He glowered back, "How could I not?! I am being fair in this game! That is my gift to you."

"Well yeah sure!! But this game should not even be happening in the first place!"

Hans lowered his face to mine. It was too close for my liking. I could smell his rusty breath and gagged.

"You will learn that fair games, no matter what they are, are always permittable." He told me.

He stood back up and straightened his back, looking pleased with what he just said.

I looked at him with disgust.

"Now it is time for branding!" 

I was confused. He grabbed the chain around my ankle and unlocked it. I instantly stood up to run but he caught me and shoved me against the wall violently. I felt my shoulder crack and a warm sensation flow around it. Oh no....

He then led me outside of the stalls and into the woods once more.

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