"Really, what has gotten into you?"
Sitting besides Kiera was the god from the bridge, grinning with a leg crossed over the other. He looked far too comfortable sitting in this fancy car. Up close it was easy to discern his features: dark chocolate skin, pearly white teeth and mischievous looking eyes. Even though the girl heard him, her father did not; the business tycoon was too busy keeping on eye on the traffic. The oddest thing was if Kiera looked up at the bridge she would see the god as well, clinging to the metal railing, and yet he was still sitting next to her. How was this even possible?
"You're seventeen years old, you got enough experience don't you? Or are you senseless?" He glanced meaningfully at her purse, where her mask was being held. "Ah, nice to know you kept it. Listen, why do you listen to your father? Obviously you know better than him. He didn't give a rat's ass that a little girl jumped into the water. It's cold as fuck out there. Have you solved my riddle by any chance? If you have, put on that fancy mask and go get her. Be the hero, don't listen to your father. He hasn't got a heart."
A pair of armed men were patrolling the streets and alleyways of Corthan. They were in charge of ensuring that none of the civilians were to enter the bridge and to also be on the look out for any more danger. On their heads they wore flashlights, that along with the street lamps were the only source of illumination. Everything else was shrouded in shadows. So when a teenaged girl with black hair suddenly appeared out of the dark, the men were quick to lift their weapons.
"Miss I'm sorry but we can't let you get through. We have to ask you to turn around and leave."
Chidone could tell that these men meant business, they were carrying machine guns after all. Corthan was a city that wasn't afraid to use force when they needed to and if she were to push these men's buttons they would surely fire.
"If you're not gonna move we'll escort you," said one of them none too gently. Chidone's urge to go to the bridge vanished, her eyes catching sight of an open manhole on the street. The two men were advancing, their guns glinting dangerously. What to do, what to do...
As the manhole tumbled shut, all sounds from above were instantly deadened. All was dark and damp, with tiny fluorescent lights fixed upon the walls to light Cathy's way. Like Lily, the water reached her ankles, and the stench was none too inviting. However a familiar, panicked voice broke the silence.
"Help, someone help! HELP! Please I don't -" Their voice was suddenly muffled, a gag must have been placed over their mouth.
It was difficult for Cathy to judge distance, sounds bounced off easily from the sewer tunnels; everything echoed. But as the woman took several steps forward, she realized with a jolt who the voice belonged to: Derek Kuhl.
Another voice filled the space, the god's.
"I said you wouldn't die if you played the game... But who's to say I won't fuck with other people? Why don't you fetch lover boy before I turn him into my next torture toy?"
Despite the gag, Cathy could hear his screams of agony. But as she moved forward down the tunnel, she realized that she was at a dead end. How could she have heard voices when there was way for the sound to travel...? Looking up and squinting, there were little squares cut into the concrete, perhaps that was where the sound came from, the other side. She also noticed something else written on the wall...
Play the game. Use the water to write.