"I just hate being out in the open. Are we just going to stand here? Until they come?"
Adam shook his head.
~~~
James heard some frustrated whispering from a corridor, and he was certain he knew which one it was, so he continued to sing the ABC's, walking down the third corridor.
"Yes. That's the only option left. We stand no chance running, so you'll have to suck it up."
Adam went to say something but he heard some singing getting closer.
"Orion, we need to-"
He stopped, not wanting to alert the person.
He was practically trembling uncontrollably, wanting to run, but not wanting to leave Orion.
"Stop shaking. What, do you want to hold my hand? You're being a wuss, you know that? That's not going to help us get out of here."
"Damn it Orion, we could die!"
Adam acted with a swift motion, and opened the nearest door, ducking into it, and started looking around.
It looked like a little girl's room, pink. There was a wardrobe, bed, closet, and such. Lots of hiding places. He couldn't fit under the bed, and the wardrobe looked a little small, so he resolved to hide in the closet. He saw a tin tee ball bat leaned up against the wall, and he hurridly grabbed it, ducking into the closet, hoping Orion wouldn't be pissed.
"Fine. I'll live, you die. When people ask, it isn't my fault." They turned their attention to the corridor, focusing intently. If you were to look closely, you would see their pupils dilate. They tipped their head. "You've backed yourself into a corner, you know, Adam."
Adam started breathing more heavily, oxygen a little limited in the tight closet, but it's better than being out in the open. He wished the Orion would hide too, but he couldn't make that decision for them. He tightened his grip on the bat, biting his tongue.
~~~
James stopped singing as he reached the end of the corridor, and when he realized what he had done, he screamed and banged his fists on the wall.
"You can't hide forever! YOU CAN'T HIDE!"
He ran back to go down another corridor, hopefully to find the kids this time.
"Jesus. Whoever that is needs to chill out," they said quietly. They didn't want to stab this person, but if it'd get them out of here. . .
Adam jumped upon hearing the yelling and tightened his grip yet again.
~~~
James started sprinting down another corridor, practically yelling the ABC's.
He didn't want to kill them no, he just wanted to scare them, he wanted them alive, for now.
"Adam? I'd get out of that closet if I were you." They looked at their knife then at the door Adam was behind.
Adam sighed, remembering his tea ball bat in his hands. He figured that two against one, a bat and a knife, they might win, so against his better judgement, he walked out and joined Orion.
"If we die I'm killing you."
"Are you?" they said, slightly amused. "Don't worry. I have your best interests in mind."
Adam rolled his eyes and smiled, "Thanks soo much."
~~~
James heard speaking and he saw them, little specks in the distance.
"I see you."
"You're most welcome. Is. . .Is that them? Or am I seeing things?"
Adam squinted and his stomach came into his throat, "Y-yes I think so."
He gripped his bat and prepared for something, he wasn't sure what yet, but he was ready.
~~~
James walked slowly, the two figures growing bigger and bigger.
He saw that they both were holding something and he started laughing, "Silly things, I don't want to hurt you, not yet anyway, I just want you to learn, learn, learn."
“If you’re going to puke, do it the other way.” They watched the approaching figure.
"I'm not gonna puke," Adam said, not really convincing himself. He watched the figure get closer and closer and he rose the bat a little.
~~~
James was six feet away from them. He rose his hands, showing them that he was unarmed, and he fondly smiled.
"Hello to you too."
"Look, why do you have us in here? What did we do?" Orion took a step forward.
Adam grabbed Orion's arm to prevent them to get closer.
~~~
James chuckled, "I think you know the answer to that."
He motioned at their bracelets, and then motioned towards the doors.
"You didn't even care to look through my little museum."
"I'd really just like to leave," they said to the newcomer. They shook free of Adam's grasp. "I'm not going to tell you again, Adam. No touching."
"Then don't get closer." Adam told them, shaking his head.
"Why don't you just tell us what we did so we can go home dammit."
~~~
"You can't leave just yet, and I told you, you know why you're here. Who kills a little girl and forgets about it?"
James's face fell into a wave of intense anger.
"We didn't kill her, you idiot. Well, actually, I didn't kill her. I won't say that." They took another step forward, putting the knife back in its sheath.
"Let me ask you this, what was she killed with?"
James stared into their eyes.
"Yes, yes, I know. My knife. I understand that you think I had some part in this. And I suppose if I didn't collect weapons she might not have been killed. But the killer could have just as easily stolen a gun from someone else."
"But you willingly gave it to him, why is that? And you, you knew it would happen and you didn't say anything, you let her die."
~~~
Adam shook his head, "I thought he was joking, how was I supposed to know he was for real?"
"I DIDN'T GIVE ANYTHING TO ANYBODY. He STOLE it. Do you know what stealing is?"
"Sh sh sh, it's ok, denial is a part of the process of grief. I know you're sorry, but being sorry just isn't enough."
~~~
Adam fiddled with the bat, "Look, I don't know what to tell you, we could have done nothing to prevent it, why do you care anyway?"
"I'm not grieving! I mean, obviously, I'm sorry about it, and it's horrific, but I would never let anybody touch any of my weapons."
"STOP! STOP STOP STOP!"
James punched the wall beside him then sighed.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lost my temper."
He stared at the two standing before him, both weaponized and smiled.
"Let's play a game, shall we? If you win, you go free, if I win, you die, deal?"
"I don't know." Orion took another step forward. "Maybe, maybe not. What game is it?"
