Grimm Games

Chapter 5: Mulling Millie

When I opened my eyes, grogginess urged me to close them again. My mind whirled with questions. What happened? Where am I?

No longer did the stench of rotten eggs offend my nostrils. Only the waft of damp, putrid wood washed over me. I forced my eyelids open when the pressure of moist tree roots pressed into my back.

I pushed myself up to sit and finally took in my surroundings. My eyes adjusted to the silhouettes of tree branches that pushed through the surrounding darkness.

My mind took me back to the office in Arcanum headquarters and the massive, hairy beast man that forced its way into the room I was locked in.

Nothing in my immediate vicinity matched that memory.

I got to my feet, finally looking down at the tight bodysuit that covered me neck to ankle. A sleek pair of matching shoes with thick soles hugged my feet. How did I get into this suit? And what else happened between my time in the office and now?

I failed the test. Did they snatch my chances of becoming a contestant and helping Millie? If so, they wouldn't have put me in competition gear.

Did the games start? It didn't make sense. The games had another week before airing live.

Alone in the massive space, trees and foliage spread out for what seemed like miles. I searched the tops of the apple laden branches, finally seeing the infrastructure and scaffolding of the indoor film set.

My eyes registered on the super high beams of wood and metal on the ceiling where dozens of cameras pointed in various directions over the set. Along the grid were large, well-placed lights, as well as ropes and pulleys for the prop mechanics.

Using the fixed cameras and dim lights as breadcrumbs, I followed the rugged dirt path that led through the darkness to the unknown.

I pressed my hand along the rough trunk of the tree next to me to get my balance, and it undulated under my palm. I pulled my hand back with a gasp and visually examined its twitching branches.

Although a brisk breeze could have caused the rustling, wind was nowhere in the vicinity. There wasn't even a wispy gust from a fan to dry the sweat from my damp forehead.

The tree branches twisted and coiled on their own, and the uncertainty of their intention spooked me enough to rush me along the clear path ahead.

More trees shimmied and danced up ahead, unnerving me. Not even a wolf man could get under my skin the way a normally inanimate object coming to life did. And because Arcanum often genetically modified plant and animal species to create horrific Grimm Games enemies, I knew to stay alert.

I needed to get my bearings and find an exit, but no matter where I looked, an outlet was nowhere in sight. But out in brazen darkness were muffled voices.

I followed the mutters, slowly crunching dead leaves beneath my feet. The dancing trees behind me slowed their rhythm as I moved on and the voices ahead grew louder, leading me closer to the edge of the forest.

Bright red apples hung from the trees further up, the glow from a distant light illuminated the set like moonlight and emphasized the juicy red orbs.

The faint voice continued but I could only make out a few words. "Get ready to go to camera five. Zero in, in three, two..."

I stopped in my tracks, trying to locate the voice somewhere to my right. With one foot over the other, I successfully balanced over uneven ground toward the noise at the end of the path.

A full-length mirror with an ornate, rectangular wooden frame met me at the center of the dirt trail. At the foot of the mirror lay rotten apples that had fallen and collected there.