The Zero Game

Trying to break my grip, he squeezes my wrist and shifts his position. He’s too off balance. We slide down again, deeper into the hole, then come to another sudden stop. Instead of my armpit, I’m down to my elbow, which now holds part of my weight. Janos is still on his stomach. His cheek’s in the dirt, and the way his body’s turned, one of his shoulders is already over the edge. My eyes barely peek above the rim. I still refuse to let go. I’m gripping his ear so tight, it’s turning purple. If I go down holding on to him, he’ll follow fast.

Below my feet, the tiny plink of fallen rocks echoes from below. No question, it’s a long way to the bottom. Ignoring the risk, Janos digs his fingers into the underside of my wrist. The pain is indescribable. I can’t hold on any longer. My pinkie slides off his earlobe. He pulls his head back, trying to tug himself free. My ring finger slips off next. He’s almost there. The way he’s gripping my wrist, it feels like he’s about to puncture my skin. I rake at the concrete with my free hand, but I’m down too far. There’s no way to get a handhold. The pain’s too much. I have to let…

“Janos, you drop him and you’ll race him to the bottom,” a familiar female voice warns. She puts a foot on his hip, threatening to shove him down.

Janos freezes… and grabs my arm. My weight’s no longer on his ear, but I still hold tight to it. He doesn’t even try to turn his head toward the voice. I don’t blame him. As close as he is to the edge, one wrong move, and we’re both going down.

I look over Janos’s shoulder. Viv’s on her feet, the golf club cocked in the air.

“I’m serious,” Viv says. “You let him go, and I’ll tee your head up and knock you to Nashville.”

80

“THAT’S IT… HOLD him tight,” Viv says to Janos as he grips my wrist. She thinks he’s listening, but as he lies there flat on his chest, he’s still just trying to protect his ear and buy some time.

“Viv, watch him carefully!” I call out. My feet continue to dangle over the pitch-black hole, but I can see it in the dark crinkle between his eyebrows. Even with the pain, he’s plotting his final move.

“Exactly… just like that,” Viv says, nine iron arched above her shoulder. “Now pull him up.”

Janos doesn’t move. He’s clutching my wrist and keeping me afloat, but only because I’ve got his ear.

“Did you hear what I said?” Viv asks.

He still doesn’t budge. Even though he’s supporting most of my weight, he can’t support all of it. I keep up the pressure on his ear. His cheek is close to the concrete, and his head is cocked awkwardly toward the hole. His face is an even deeper shade of red than before. Janos is holding me, but the pain’s starting to burn. Closing his eyes, he presses his lips together, then breathes through his nose. The crinkle between his eyebrows fades, but not by much.

“Janos…”

“Drop the club,” Janos barks.

“Pardon?” Viv asks. In her mind, he’s in no position to make demands.

“Drop the golf club,” he repeats. “No fucking around, Vivian. Put it down, or I let Harris go.”

“Don’t listen to him!” I shout.

Viv stares downward, trying to get a better read.

“You’ll hear him scream the whole way down,” Janos says. “Think you can handle that?”

Her mouth opens slightly. For anyone, this is tough. For a seventeen-year-old…

“You think I’m joking?” Janos asks. He digs his fingers back into my wrist.

I scream out in pain.

“Harris…!” Viv shouts.

Janos lets up, once again just holding my wrist.

“Harris, you okay?” Viv asks.

“T-Take his head off,” I tell her. “Swing away.”

“Do it and I drop him!” Janos warns.

“He’s gonna drop me anyway,” I add.

“That’s not true,” she says, refusing to believe it. “Just bring him up!” she yells at Janos. “I want Harris up here now!”

In spite of the pain that comes along with it, Janos slowly shakes his head side to side. He’s done negotiating. I don’t blame him. The instant I’m back on level ground, he risks getting kicked into the hole himself. Not only that, but it’s back to two against one.

Dangling by my arm, I feel reality settling in. There’s no way he’s bringing me up – which makes my decision that much easier.

“Viv, listen to me!” I shout. “Hit him now while you have the chance!”

“Not so smart, Vivian,” Janos warns, his voice unflinchingly calm. “You do that and Harris plummets with me.”

“Viv, don’t let him get into your head!”

Too late. She’s studying him, not me.

“I need you to focus! Are you focusing?” I shout. She turns my way, but her stare is vacant. She’s frozen by the choice. “Viv, are you focusing?!”

She finally nods.

“Good… then I need you to comprehend one thing. No matter what you do, I go down in the end. Either Janos drops me on his own, or you smash him, and Janos and I go down together. Do you understand? I go down either way.”

My voice cracks as I say the words. She knows it’s true – and she’s smart enough to catch the consequences: She’s seen how fast Janos moves. If she doesn’t take him out now, he’ll be all over her in an instant.