Game of Lies

His keys jingled in his hand as he walked to his car after work. He smiled at his phone as he texted I love you to his girlfriend. Before he could press send, something hit him and his world went black.

"Wakey wakey George."

A male voice seeped into his consciousness, but there were other sounds as well. Muffled noises he couldn't quite make out in his haze. George lifted his head to peer at his surroundings, blinking a few times to focus. There in front of him, was his girlfriend tied to a chair with a gag in her mouth. Beside her in the same condition, his wife. His eyes widened in panic, but he was gagged as well and could do no more than make muffled protests.

“Someone’s been naughty.” George looked up to see a man in a black suit walk in front of him. The man turned to the women. “I’m sorry, I’m being rude. Since most of us are strangers, let me make introductions. My name is Terry. This is Mary, George’s girlfriend of 3 years, and this is Helen, George’s wife of 12. Of course, you both know George, but I do believe this is the first time you two have met. Take a minute to get acquainted, I’ll be back in a little while.”

The two women looked at each other, they could tell neither had known about the other, and turned angry eyes to George. Oh, if they had been able to speak, the things they would’ve said. His wife was straining at the ropes tying her down trying to get at him.

They had nearly forgotten about Terry in their anger, until he walked back into the room ten minutes later. The muffled shouting went quiet as they all noticed the combat knife the man in black now held.

“Sorry, had to go sharpen it. Wouldn’t want a dull blade, I’m not that sadistic.” He placed the knife on a table and walked over to George. “Now, sadly, I am on a bit of a time schedule, so I’m sorry but I’m going to have to give you the rushed version.” He kneeled in front of George, and held up two rings. One was Helen’s wedding ring, the other was the engagement ring he had given to Mary. “You’ve got 5 minutes. Choose.” At George’s confused look Terry sighed. “Choose who lives, and who dies. Which woman gets to wear the ring again, and which one doesn’t?”

George’s eyes grew wide again, and they darted back and forth between his wife and his girlfriend. Mary’s eyes were full of tears, and Helen just looked betrayed. The clock counted down, and before his time ran out completely, George closed his eyes and pointed to Mary’s ring.

“So, you choose Mary to keep her ring?” George nodded. “Very well.” He got up and walked to her. He placed the ring back on her finger, then walked behind her. “You are sure with your choice?” Another nod. “Alright.” He retrieved the knife from the table and stepped in front of George’s wife. “Your wedding ring Ma’am.” Terry placed it in her hand, and a clink was heard as she dropped it to the ground in disgust. “They never do keep the ring,” Terry said, shaking his head.

He quietly moved behind Mary again, and grabbed her by the chin, lifting her head up. With a quick slice, her throat spurted blood across the floor, and his two remaining captives stared in shock as George’s girlfriend, Mary, bled to death in front of them.

Terry cleaned his blade with a cloth he pulled from his pocket, while George tried shouting again. “You made your choice, now you must live with looking in your wife’s eyes while she knows what you did. Well, I’m sorry to have to stab and dash, but I have an appointment with a naughty politician a few towns over.” Terry hit Helen on the back of the head, and she slumped forward with only the ropes holding her up. He leaned her back in the chair, then cut her bindings with the knife, the knife he now laid on the floor near her hand before he walked out.

Left alone in silence, the only thing George could do was dread the waking of his wife. They had been together for 12 years, they had two children and a dog, surely that meant something?

Her hand twitched, and her eyes slowly opened. The moment those eyes landed on him, he knew she would never forget, nor forgive the fact that he had chosen another over her own life.

The glint of her wedding ring shined from the floor, stained with the blood spatter of her husband’s betrayal as she reached for the knife.