Page 48 of Wonder

Red’s voice rings out. “Participants may run in any direction. No participants are permitted to run together.”

Motherf—

A gunshot rings out, and we spring from our places. The nine of us scatter in every direction, and I force myself to loop in a slow, figure of eight motion across the dirt packed ground that lets me lap back to cross paths with Kayden. He doesn’t give anyindication that he’s in pain as he jogs along, even though I know that any form of running with his knee hurts like fucking hell.

I keep that movement up, losing track of the minutes as we spread out across the clearing. I get too close to the branch of one of those weird fucking trees as I crane my head to look for him, and a leaf whips across my face with a surprising sting. Lifting my fingers, I pull them away and glance down at the scarlet smear on my fingers.

For fucks’ sake. Even the damn trees want to kill us.

I keep Kayden in my sights, my head twisting and turning to keep him in view as we duck and weave around each other. His teeth are clenched, beads of sweat lining his forehead, but he keeps going, keeps running.

I—

I collide with someone, throwing my hands out instinctively.

Shit.

It’s the damn girl.

I’m not looking where I’m going and she bounces off my chest, my hands hitting her shoulders, and I watch with horror as she hits the ground.

A shout comes from across the clearing. Someone bellows, the word full of terror. Terror that I recognise only too well, with the other half of my own soul trapped here with me.

“Alyss!”

No,no—

But the sprawling movement turns into an almost shockingly graceful roll as she skids across the ground. The girl pulls herself up and back onto her feet without missing a beat, not stopping before she’s up again. Her eyes dart to mine as she runs past me, and I blow out a breath.

I loop around, turning back to Kayden.

My twin is starting to flag. His steps are a little heavier now, a little more weighted on the one side. And his face – it’stwisted, the pain he works hard at hiding on full fucking display for anyone to see. Additional entertainment for the fuckers watching us, waiting for him to go down.

They’ll be betting on it, on how long it takes.

I’ve seen the investors up close, been part of their company with a charming smile on my face as they pawed over me and stole wary glances at my brother when he was fighting at Red’s demand.

I have no doubt that one of them asked for us. Wanted to see us in here. Either me, or Kayden, no matter what excuses Red bothered to mutter about his anger issues.

Someone wanted to see us fall.

To see Kayden fall, and now it’s happening right in front of me, and I can’t do anything to stop it without getting us both killed.

He catches my eye, shakes his head.

Kaydenslows.

“Don’t fucking stop!” I roar at him, uncaring of the audience. Faces turn in our direction as I change my path, cutting as close to him as I can without Red accusing us of running together.

“Change direction.” The saccharine sweet words take a moment to register, to slam into my chest like a knife. “Turn and run the opposite way.Family members are not permitted to be within ten feet of each other.”

My eyes lock with Kaydens. And there’s something there – something swimming in those eyes that have always been a mirror to my own.

Something that looks a little too much like a fucking goodbye.

I almost stumble as he turns his back on me. As he moves away, slower and slower - butawayfrom me.

And I scream for him then. I scream for him in a way that I haven’t since I was a child. “Kayden!”