The locker room smelled of stale sweat, aerosol deodorant, and the distinct, chemical tang of Deep Heat muscle rub. It was the smell of anxiety. Ivy Clarke sat on the wooden bench, her fingers trembling as she laced up her track spikes. Left foot. Right foot. Double knot. She pulled the loops tight until the circulation cut off, then loosened them just a fraction. A ritual. Control the small things, because the big things were spiraling out of reach. "You look like you're about to vomit," a voice said from above. Ivy didn't need to look up to know it was Angela. The voice was melodic, sweet, and laced with just enough concern to mask the venom underneath. Ivy finished the knot and looked up. Angela stood there, perfect in her crimson and gold track kit. Her ponytail was high and tight, not a single hair out of place. She was applying a layer of lip gloss in the reflection of her locker door. "I'm fine," Ivy lied. "Just pre-race jitters." "Well, keep them to yourself," Angela said, snapping her compact shut. "We need to win this. My GPA can’t take a hit, and the dean said extracurricular excellence counts for extra credit this semester. Don't trip." "I won't trip." "Good." Angela flashed a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Because if you mess this up for me, I’ll make sure everyone knows about—well, you know." She didn't finish

The annual Centennial Games at Blackwood University were supposed to be about glory, scholarships, and campus spirit. But when Ivy Clarke steps onto the track for the relay race, the rules have changed. "Safety First, Friendship Second." "Volunteers wear yellow caps. Accept everything they offer." "Do not pass the baton to the fifth person." "Last place receives a penalty." Ivy thinks it's a prank until she watches the star athlete cross the finish line, hand the baton to a mysterious girl in a ponytail, and literally lose his head. Now, the stadium is locked down. The faculty are acting like mindless drones. And the penalty for coming last in any event—swimming, ping pong, jump rope—is immediate execution. Trapped in a blood-soaked nightmare, Ivy must compete to survive. But the games are rigged. Her best friend Angela is acting suspicious, her crush Fox is hiding secrets beneath his volunteer cap, and a ghost from the past seems to be haunting the events. In a game where the rules are deadly and the referees are monsters, Ivy has to figure out the pattern before the final whistle blows. Because at Blackwood, you don't just lose the game. You lose your life.

Last Place Dies

Last Place Dies

Baton Pass

Table of Contents

Baton Pass

Yellow

Sixty Seconds

Just Keep Swimming

Red Vests

In The Woods

Angela

Waking Up

Blurb

Baton Pass