Only One

Zach

  
*flash*

      Admittedly, i flinched a little at the bright light coming from the camera as i walked through the crime scene. It looked like something straight out of a horror movie.

     A female, no older than 25, was ripped completely in half, from mid torso. Her blood staining the metal contraption she was strapped to, and her blood covered the floor as well.

     "What the hell is this?"

     One of the detectives answered my question saying," Jigsaw killer. We found a tape wrapped around her wrist," Detective Swan said, revealing a voice recorder that was now stuffed into an evidence bag.

     "What do we know about the victem?"

     "Cassidy Hope. 23 years old. Her last known residence was in Dallas, Texas five years ago. Turns out she was a runaway at the age of 19, and had stayed on her own. No one was ever able to find her. Until now."

     "What on the tape?" I asked, sure that I was going to regret my question as Detective swan started the recording.

*FLASHBACK*

      "Hello, Cassidy," the voice said," For years, you've lived your life running away. Leaving those who care about you. Ultimately tearing them apart. That is a metaphor, but this is not. I want to play a game. This device you are strapped to will stretch at every thirty seconds. In one minute, it will rip your spine. At Two minutes, it'll rip you. The way out is a deactivation button located beside your torso. Give yourself a hand, and you can reach it. Let the game begin."

     Cassidy Hope immediately started to panic and she squirmed on the machine, calling for help. He tried inching her body to the deactivation button, but the way she was strapped wouldn't allow it.

      The timer located on the wall git 30 seconds, and the machine came to life, stretching out just enough that she could feel the pressure on her body. Cassidy began pulling her right hand, knowing that with the right strength, she can bring her hand free, but at the risk of crushing every bone within.

       Tears of pain left her eyes as she continued pulling the hand, and she heard the tiny bones begin break, and blood leaked from her hand as her skin began splitting.

      She continued pulling until the timer hit one minute. As the machine stretched again, Cassidy felt and heard as her spine popped, disconnecting from itself. She left out a pained scream. Possibly the worst pain she had ever felt, topping just moments ago as she was trying to pull her hand through the restraints. She continued trying to pull her hand out, but now with the pain of her broken spine, it made it all the more difficult.

      She was running out of time. Her heart was beating rapidly. And the pain only got worse as she soon felt lightheaded. She could get her hand out. If she used all the strength she had left she could do it. Hit the button, and be free. But she knew what life she would be given. Her spine being broken in this way would only be a life of paralysis. Banned to a wheelchair. A life almost not worth living. Thirty more seconds hit the timer. The machine stretched more, and Cassidy screamed in pain as her skin got tight. One more inch and it would split her in half. She was already coughing up blood.

     She watched the time as the seconds ticked away and she gave up. As it reached closer to the end of her last minute, Cassidy said," Go on. End it."

      The timer then read two minutes and the machine stretched one more time, her skin splitting on her torso and blood leaking out of her. Her bodily organs still attached and visible as her body was ripped completely in two. Cassidy let out on last bloodcurling scream until she then went into shock where she died shortly.

####

*Present Time*
[GENERAL POV]

      The eight people trapped in the mill had their own timer on a wall. It had been six hours sense they were told that one of them where going to die at the vote of the others.

      "So....how do we chose?" David asked.

      "What the fuck kind of sick question is that?" One of the females asked.

       "The one that's gonna have to be answered!" David yelled," Look, like it or not, we are Trapped here. And in 18 hours, he's going to want a choice. You heard what Zach said."

       "Why don't we get to know eachother?" One of the larger men said," Maybe figure out what our connection is."

      "My name is Stacy Holmes," a dark haired female responded," I'm a doctor. And a mom to two beautiful boys. I just dropped them off to school today. Now I don't know what they're doing, or if they're safe."

     "I'm Micheal. That's my brother David. I'm a mechanic, and I have a wife, and a baby girl on the way."

       "And I'm just a Walmart night manager," David added.

       "I'm pastor Ron Sale. I preach at the new hope Baptist church."

       The man who brought up the idea of introduction then spoke," I'm Steven Toll. Ex-military. Spent eight years fighting overseas for my country."

       "Using your military credit to try and get out of this huh?" Stacy asked with a bit of a glare.

       "Well, maybe some of us do deserve to live more than others."

        Micheal was about to speak on the comment, but a voice stopped him," My name is Mary. I'm a third grade teacher. I don't know why I'm here."

        Ron then looked to the final person, a young female," And you?"

         The girl said nothing as she looked to the wall and said, " We are all gonna die."

        "Well, Miss Ray of Sunshine seems to have high hopes," Steven said with a scoff," So we have a God fearing pastor, A life saving doctor, a teacher, a father to be, a basket case, a Night manager for Walmart, a cop, and ex-military. Who's going first?"

        "That is not how we decide!" Micheal screamed," We need to find the connection!"
 
        "Oh yes. Let me figure out how I know seven people i have never met before in my life, and worry about death later."
  
        "There has got to be a way out of this," David said, looking around.

        However, there was no way out. No one coming for help. They were trapped.