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ringtone began to echo out again.

 
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 9
     
    14:09pm
     
     
     
    Peter lifted himself up from the chair, his hand stretched out on the table giving him extra support, his legs weak. He felt like he was learning to walk again. He stumbled around the dismembered arm cautiously, as if it might suddenly come to life and lunge at him. He scrambled for the phone, never taking his eyes off the arm.
    The metallic electronic voice spoke.
    ‘Now you know why Colin’s handwriting looked a little different on the note left for you.’
    ‘Why are you doing this?’
    ‘I told you, we’re playing a game. Don’t worry; the rest of Colin is alive and well. For now at least. But as you’ve probably guessed that all depends on you Peter. There’s something in Colin’s clenched hand which will help you with the game.’
    Peter stared down at the white knuckles of the clenched fist.
    ‘Now we should go over the rules of the game. Are you listening Peter? Are you focussed?’
    ‘Yes,’ Peter muttered.
    ‘Good. The rules are quite simple. You must keep this phone with you at all times. It is the only way I will contact you and the only way you can receive the clues that will help you find each member of the Excellent Eight. Do you understand?’
    ‘Yes,’ Peter said quietly, he felt like a child being told off by a teacher. Celo continued.
    ‘I notice that you’ve already reacquainted yourself with The Sheriff but be warned that this game is for members of the Excellent Eight only. No grown-ups allowed. You will not involve anyone else in the game or tell them anything about me. If you do it will be considered an immediate forfeit and the game will be null and void. For the purposes of clarification, if you involve anyone else in this game all the players will die. If you involve the police or are questioned by the police all the players will die. Do you understand Peter?’
    ‘Why are you doing this?’
    Celo ignored the question and persisted.
    ‘Do you understand the rules of the game Peter?’
    Peter responded resignedly.
    ‘Yes, I understand.’
    ‘Good, then here is your first clue. It’s a place where you used to go with the boys and the girls. Stacked houses so high they touch the sky. Don’t play on the stairs or you will cry. Colin Clark has bad memories of this place.’
    Peter looked blankly at the window as he gripped the phone tightly.
    ‘What? I don’t understand.’
    Celo responded, ‘ Think about it Peter, I’m sure you’ll remember. You have until three o’clock to find and save him, the game starts … now .’
    Celo paused for a second and then added ‘Ready or not.’
    The phone call ended and Peter was left staring blankly at the window, the phone gripped tightly in one hand. His arm dropped to his side as he swung giddily on the spot. He felt sick. What was he going to do?
    He thought first of Colin, and then about the other members of the Excellent Eight. He was the seeker, Gavin was dead, and then there was Cas, Laura, Colin, Michelle, Cheryl and Steve. This maniac had six of his friends. He ran through to the living room and to the front bay window, as if for some reason The Sheriff would still be there but of course he wasn’t. He looked down at the phone in his hand. A voice was shouting in his head for him to call the police but Celo’s words were louder. ‘If you involve the police or are questioned by the police all the players will die,’ he had said. Who could he ring? Who could he trust? Would Celo find out? Was he watching him right now? All of a sudden it felt like the room had gone icy cold as he looked around the foreign surroundings. He looked towards the kitchen, and thought of the severed arm lying on the floor, Colin’s arm.
    Peter tried to rationalise the thoughts flying through his mind. Celo knew that Peter had met The Sheriff , which had to mean he must be watching the house. He looked through the front bay window again and stared out onto the