Among Us

Chapter 20

 I backed up into the door as Cain pulled himself out of the vents.

"Seeing Aron and Dean are.... No longer available-" I choked on a breath, holding in my sob- "I think we could have a little fun with you."

Cain put his gun back into a hidden pocket near his hip and pulled out a jagged dagger. His eyes were sparkling like that of a predator cornering its prey: I mean, that was exactly what he was doing. I tried holding my head high, but it was hard. I just wanted to collapse onto the ground and cry.  

"Cain, no." Jacks said. I glanced at him. He seemed bored at the idea that I was going to die. I shook with so many emotions my head hurt. 

"Cain, No?" Cain said, "Since when are you the brains of this operation?"

"We aren't going to kill her." Jacks said, stubborn. Cain rolled his eyes.

"Caught some feelings, have we?" Cain said. "That fake kissing really got to your head?"

"I knew it." I said. Jacks looked at me, and for the first time, I saw regret. I saw pain. 

But I didn't fall for it. I wasn't going to. 

I wasn't some stupid girl just looking for a kiss or two. 

I wanted to live.

"She could be valuable. A witness." Jacks suggested. 

I didn't say anything.  I was too busy planning my escape. The only way would be by stealing Jack's keypad. And there was no place on this ship safe for me. I had to use the escape pod.

Cain approached me, wiring his knife with his fingers and smiling. 

"Now, what do we cut first?" He gestured the knife around me. "Your throat, or your wrists?"

"Cain. Stop it."

"I think I'll cut this pretty neck of yours first." He placed a cold hand on my neck.

I took my chance. I grabbed his gun and shot him in the leg before he could even wince. 

He fell to the floor, clutching his now mangled kneecap as it bled. I went up to Jacks and kicked him, hard in the privates. He fell to the floor and I stepped on his wrist, then yanked the wristwatch off of him. 

I spat on him, once, then bolted. As I ran, all I could think about was the pod. I had to get to it, or I was going to die. I was going to die at the hand of some lunatic and his lying partner, all because they what? Wanted to make an atomic bomb?

I didn't stop running, but I kept thinking and thinking. What would they need an atomic bomb for?

The engine was humming silently, the only thing taking up the room that wasn't wires. 

I froze.

The pod wasn't there. 

"I tried to warn you, El." Jacks spoke softly from behind me.

"You-"

"I convinced Aron and Dean to use the pod. We are nearing planet X, after all." Cain spoke from next to the engines.

"How did you-"

"The vents," Cain said, smiling. "They serve as shortcuts."

They both took a step forward. My eyes widened. Cain approached me, hand hovering over his knife pocket. He was grinning wildly, still staring at my neck. 

I backed up, and like an idiot, slammed into Jacks. He grabbed my hands and pulled them behind me. I screamed several curses at him and tried twisting away, but it was no use.

Cain was now in front of me, smiling. "Now now. We can't kill you here, of course. I was thinking about it on the way here. We have to make it look like you were the killer, and Jacks and I ejected you."

He frowned. "But I still want to have a bit of fun. So, of course, I'll just kill you over a tarp that will be ejected with your body."

I choked slightly as Cain walked past me.

My body.

I was going to die. I was walked to the cafeteria by Jacks, where Cain had already laid out a white tarp over the ejection room floor. I felt my limbs begin to tremble as Jacks shoved me into the ejection room.

"Cain, I still think we shouldn't do this." Jacks said, still sounding bored.

"You had all the fun, Jacks," Cain said. "Now it's my turn."

I surveyed my options. I couldn't run, Jacks was standing near the door. I looked at Cain. Cain was eyeing me, still grinning. Before I could even think, I was on the floor, my chin a few inches from the floor as I was pulled upwards by my hair. 

"Cain, you don't have to do this," I begged as I felt Cain reach for his pocket.

"Oh, I know that," Cain said, pulling my head higher. "But I want to."

He then turned to Jacks. "Code ejection in three minutes, Jacks."

I heard the soft beeping of a keyboard and somehow held in my sobs. 

Three minutes. I had three minutes left to live.

Cain put something cold and metallic against my throat. "Here goes, princess. Say hi to Barracks and Kate for me."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to curse him, kick him, burn him.

Kill him.

But all I could do was close my eyes and hope the pain would be quick. 

The metallic thing slid slowly across my throat, but I felt no pain. Just a dull throbbing, like someone was sliding their finger over my throat. 

The knife was removed from my neck, as if Cain was shocked.

What on earth was happening?

Why wasn't I dead?

"Looking for this?" I heard someone say. Who, I wasn't sure. All I could hear were my racing throughs and my pounding heart. 

Cain was suddenly thrown off me. I scrambled up and ran, only to feel a sharp pain on my leg.

I managed to turn around and was extremely confused at what I saw.

Jacks and Cain.

They were fighting.

And by the blood staining the floor, I knew they were both dying.

A soft bang was echoing throughout the ship.

I looked at my leg again. I hadn't been stabbed.

 I had been shot.