The Government Game

PRELUDE: "A Brief History of the Game"

Within the expansive multiverse there exists an alternate Planet Earth, one with a solitary Australia. This particular Australia is known only as the Democratic Peoples of Australia. In the Democratic Peoples of Australia, there is a cruel, awful game imposed by the Government. This game is known only as 'The Government Game', in which a number of contestants fight to the death. The only reason for the existence of the Game is to reduce the population of the Democracy. The Democracy is overpopulated and food is scarce, for the underlings.

So, essentially what the prize of the Game is, is a lifelong pension as well as a large sum of money and most anything you want for upwards of six months after your victory. And, unless the number of contestants is reached by volunteers to the Game, the Government will, at random, select any persons in the Democracy over the age of seventeen. The number of contestants is decided at random, from five contestants up to sixty. Each contestant is provided with a daypack with Government-issued water and bread (the water representing the inners of the Supreme Leader, the bread representing the outers of said Supreme Leader). Those that decide to enter or, if they are unfortunate enough, are randomly selected, are also provided with a random weapon or item in said daypack.

 The Arena is also a Government simulation in which the contestants are made to stay until a victor emerges from the game. The Arena is hidden away from the public eye until a victor emerges, smiling at the news cameras and grateful for the Supreme Leader to have won. Contestants who decide to enter, usually for reasons such as helping an ill loved one or fame, are typically plucked away from their home in the middle of the night in secrecy. Those who are selected at random are also taken in the same manner. The night is a randomly selected night throughout the year.

Now, onto the story at hand ...