Page 81 of Aperture

“Well, this is all very touching, Kids,” he exclaims, “But it’s time to move this little reunion along.” He pauses to make sure we are all looking at him.

“So, this is how this is going to go,” he starts. “Is everyone listening?”

No one dares to speak. Who knows what this psychopath will do.

“I call this game ‘Millie’s Choice,’ and this is how we are going to play.”

He comes up behind me and places his hands on my shoulders. I jerk to break free, but his bruising touch only gets rougher, digging into my skin.

“Millie here has a choice. Who’s it going to be?”

I shake my head. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“I will explain it, then,” he exclaims, giddy with excitement.

“Someone is going to die,” he says, coming to stand in front of me and looking directly at me. “And you, as the guest of honor, get to decide who.”

“Johnny, no. Stop this,” Theo pleads. His pleas are ignored.

“So, Millie, who’s it going to be?” he repeats. He walks over to stand by Wyatt.

“In this corner, weighing in around 200 pounds, with a badge and a shitty attitude is Wyatt Hudson, whom you profess to love.” He shakes his head and laughs and walks over and stands by Theo, making a big production out of this little act.

“And in the corner, weighing in around 175 pounds, is Theodore Briss-ssett,” Johnny hisses out the name “Brissett” overexaggerating the “ss”. Johnny continues with satisfaction, “who you feel sorry for because he never got a fair shake in life.” He laughs again. Then he looks at me with those cold, dead eyes of his and repeats, “So choose.”

“Millie,” Theo pleads. “You don’t have to do this.” He looks at Johnny. “She doesn’t have to do this!” he yells. “I already told you to kill me.”

“No!” both Wyatt and I yell at the same time.

“That’s not going to happen,” I cry. “I won’t do it.”

He picks up the knife and holds it up, inspecting it. “Hmm. I thought you might say that. So here’s the thing. If you don’t choose, then they both watch as I fuck and then kill you. But let's face it, I might do that anyway. It just depends on my mood,” he says with a nonchalant shrug.

“You sick fuck!” Wyatt yells. He’s struggling to free himself against the restraints behind his back.

“I said kill me,” Theo says again. “I deserve it.”

“No, Theo! No!” I yell.

“Millie, I did it,” he says quietly as he hangs his head. “Wyatt was right. I killed Sophia. I deserve to die.”

Before I can process what he’s said, Johnny starts laughing loudly.

“Oh, this is just perfect. I love it! But how about a little story?” Johnny snorts with delight.

He paces for a moment before starting again. “Once upon a time, you didn’t kill her, you fucking moron. I was there. I saw the whole thing.”

Theo looks at him, confused, as blood pours out of the open wound on his head.

“What? What are you talking about? I pushed her and she fell. She died.”

“I can see I’m going to have to keep repeating myself,” Johnny says with an exaggerated sigh.

“You. Didn’t. Kill. Her. Although, it’s fucking perfect that you’ve lived the last eight years thinking you did.”

“But I felt for her pulse. She didn’t have one,” Theo says, with a shaky breath.

“Well, it’s a good fucking thing you weren’t pre-med,” Johnny snickers.