The Death Game

Chapter 10

Cracks (Chapter 10)

"The next challenge you must survive is called 'Crack.' Crack is a game where you must not step on a crack. Otherwise you'll die. However, there is a remedy. Whoever steps on a crack must answer a question of which I will ask. If they answer correctly they'll live. But answer incorrectly and they're eliminated. No one is allowed to speak, move, or talk to the person who is being asked a question. If anyone does any of those things, they'll be eliminated along with the person who is asked a question. Regardless of whether or not they answer the question right or wrong. Any attempt of cheating will also result in immediate death," the mastermind said. Sounds like a simple game. "However, there's a twist," the mastermind said. "If one of you dies, more cracks, that need to be avoided, will appear. Making it harder to reach the finish line. Be careful where you step, or that might just be the last thing you do. Enjoy the game." I knew it. The mastermind managed to turn a simple game into a not-so-simple game. I guess everyone has to be careful for everyone else's safety. Suddenly cracks appeared on the floor. There were a lot of them already, but if someone dies, there will be more. I started with an almost blank floor and made my way. So far so good, I was going to go to the finish line before I knew it. CRACK! I looked behind me and saw that Flavio had stepped on a crack. Oh no. A screen suddenly appeared and a figure was shown. "Flavio, what is the name of the building of which you are in?" the mastermind asked. The screen showed a picture of the outside of the building we were in by a hidden security camera. I noticed that the mastermind was smart enough not to show the words on the skyscraper. "Um...I saw it once, but I um." Flavio looked at Kristoff for help. But Kristoff averted his eyes. I knew he remembered the rules of not moving, speaking, or hinting what the answer is. "Do you not know the answer, Flavio? Perhaps this will jog your memory." A machine came out of a compartment next to the screen and it started to heat up. A lazerbeam. Flavio is going to get shot with a lazerbeam if he doesn't get it right. "The answer is B.D Skyscraper!" Flavio yelled. The lazerbeam stopped charging up. "Good job, Flavio. You pass," the mastermind said. Flavio sighed with relief as the screen and the lazerbeam machine disappeared. B.D Skyscraper. That sounds familiar. I feel like I've heard it before. I noticed that Flavio was looking at something. Something I knew would get him killed if the mastermind knew. The logo of B.D Skyscraper. That's how he knew in time. He didn't remember. He just looked at the logo and said it out loud. He cheated. "Flavio, the mastermind's going to find out!" I whisper-shouted. "Not if you tell him!" Flavio said in his Italian accent. "I'm not going to tell him! I am just telling you that the mastermind's going to find out! He's smart!" I yelled. "Will you two keep yer voices down? The mastermind might just decide to kill us all if we're dis loud!" Treyvon said. CRACK! We all turned around and saw that Francine had stepped on a crack. NO! Not Francine! A screen appeared with the machine that shoots lasers. "Francine, your question is...is the job application I sent telling the truth?" the mastermind asked. I was surprised. Why is he asking her an easy question? Surely his questions are harder than that! I wasn't about to ask him, though. I cared about Francine more than I cared about Lady Daphne and Treyvon. Treyvon is nice and Lady Daphne is...okay. But Francine has been warming up to me the most out of the three. I really care about her. Even though she's a weird, old lady. "My answer is no. You lured us all into this death game by using money!" Francine responded. "That is correct," the mastermind said, unruffled. It was as if he WASN'T guilty of his own actions and the fact that he trapped us all in a death game and is watching us die. "Congratulations, Francine, you have answered the question correctly, so you'll be left alive," the mastermind congratulated Francine. Suddenly the screen turned to someone else. "However, he won't," the mastermind proclaimed. The screen and machine turned to Flavio, who was shivering in fear. "Flavio Aiello, you are sentenced to death for cheating. Did you really think you could get away with it?" the mastermind asked. Flavio shot me a dirty look. "If it wasn't for Arthur, I would've," he murmured. "You'll be sentenced to death whether Arthur foolishly gave you away or not. I was the one who placed the logo of the building we are in in that spot to tempt you into literally eliminating yourself. I knew you would do something as greedy and as foolish as something like that and I was right. I am always right and always will be. Now you shall die from your foolishness and greed," the mastermind said. Flavio was surprised. "The poster of the logo was never there. You were the one who placed it there so that I can look at it and die in a game!" Flavio exclaimed. "That is correct. Though, I must say, it was your fault you ended up dying in the challenge. You let your curiosity and greed get the better of you. Now look where it took you. Straight to death," the mastermind said. He seems amused. Though I can't see his face on the screen, I can hear it in his voice. He does enjoy people suffering. How cruel. "But surely this is against the rules. You put it there. You set everything up!" Flavio said. "I put it there, yes. But I only did so to test whether or not I was correct about your greed. Seems like I was correct, as always," the mastermind said. The machine started charging up. "Any last words?" the mastermind asked. "Yes," Flavio said. "Before I die, I want to tell you why I have decided to enter the game." The machine stopped charging. 99.9% complete. "Go on. Before I change my mind," the mastermind said. "I only joined the games to help my family. We could barely pay our rent for our house anymore. We can't even get food. I wanted to help them somehow, but I didn't know how. But one day. One glorious, beautiful day. I saw your job application. I couldn't say no to that. It was my one chance to help my family with their financial struggles. So, I entered the games. Now here I am, ready to die. You can shoot me now. I just wanted to tell my story before I die, so that everyone here will know where I came from and what a great family I had," Flavio explained. Kristoff looked like he wanted to cry. I noticed that he and Flavio were best friends. Losing Flavio would be like losing a brother. Of course, I don't know how that felt since I don't have a brother. But I do have a lot of best friends I lost. So I kind of know the feeling. Flavio prepared himself for the blast. But the mastermind didn't shoot him. He chuckled instead. "You amuse me, Aiello, you really thought I would fall for that trick of yours?" the mastermind asked. Kristoff was confused. Flavio looked at the screen. "This isn't a trick. I swear!" Flavio exclaimed. "Don't play with me, Aiello. I know when you are lying. I know whenever anyone is lying to me. You actually live with a rich family. Your family and you all live in a mansion together. But you were treated like an outcast in your family since you were the hated child. Your sister always got the attention since she would always bring back money she worked hard for while you would bring in nothing. You were jealous of your sister and wanted nothing more than to prove that you can be better than her. One day you came across my job application and decided that was the best way to earn money. You were proud that you found it that you threw a party just for that one reason. When you left, your family members didn't even notice that you were gone. They were too busy tending to their own problems," the mastermind said. Flavio looked like he had been hit. "No. You're lying. My family cares about me. They do!" Flavio said. "Protest all you want. But on the inside, I know that you know that your family doesn't care about you at all," the mastermind said. "Flavio, you lied," Kristoff said. Before Flavio could say anything to defend himself, there was a BOOM! Flavio had been shot by the laser. He fell to the floor, dead. I suddenly realized just how hard the game was.