The Luna Choosing Game

“Maybe we should turn back,” Nicholas said.

“Too late now,” Julian said. “We’ve got to be sure.”

“I see light up there, Julian,” Nicholas said. “Dim the flashlight.”

Julian turned to the flashlight to the dimmest setting, and aimed it down at the ground. We had to move

slower than before, so as not to trip. She walked lightly to keep our footsteps from generating noise.

At the end of the tunnel, the walls abruptly stretched open into a room.

A room full of cages. A single tungsten bulb hung down from the ceiling, the only light in the room full of

shadows.

“What the —?” I began to say. Nicholas abruptly covered my mouth. He yanked me back into the

darkness of the tunnel. Julian followed at once, clicking off the flashlight.

A door on the far side of the room cracked open, and in walked Terry beside a man I had never seen

before a man dressed entirely in black with sallow cheeks and dark eyes.

–

the organization needs for their purposes,” Terry said to

used this area for my own personal enjoyment in the past. These cages are quite

at breaking a person’s

said. With silent steps, he came

was flat

I held my breath as

loudly I worried the strange, dangerous man could

bearing fruit. Soon, I will

the man said. He peered into the darkness. I swear he looked right at me, but he looked away just as quickly. “What

offer much,” Terry said. His eyes narrowed. “You would do well not

back at Terry. “You may hold sway in the royal palace,

you must still prove yourself.”

“Ridiculous,” Terry snapped.

1/2

him. In an instant, there was a knife in his

place one way or

dare threaten me in my

threat.” The man tilted his knife, catching it under the orange light. “It’s a reminder. You have

of the King, but the underground controls all. This is your home because

because we

mouth so tightly a muscle ticked