Death Game (English) (Complete)

Chapter 38 - Smile For The Picture

Time ran out. With anxious faces we look at each other and at the guards. Within a short period of time there will be only ten of us left, and we don't know who. We are being counted by the guards. It will probably be all right because we are urged to walk. Surprised, I notice that I recognize the route. We are going somewhere we have been before. My suspicion is correct, for after a few minutes the boys and girls are separated. My hand slips from Rim's and I take a deep breath. Then the girls walk through a door, and we stand in front of the shower stalls.

There are pieces of paper taped to the doors, showing our numbers. Just the idea of having to shower makes me feel nauseous. In total, there are only 8 girls left, and no one looks excited about being allowed to shower. That's not surprising after the two water games we had to play. Some of the girls don't seem to mind too much and quietly walk into their cubicles. Only when Mira has slowly shuffled into her cubicle do I try to gather the courage to walk to my cubicle as well.

I stand in front of the number 50 paper. That is my cubicle, my number. I swallow and push open the door. The least I can do is get out of these wet clothes, but there's no way I'm going underwater. No way. I lock the door and take off my abrasive clothing. In the stall is a dry set of clothes, a towel, hiking boots and toiletries. A shiver runs down my naked back from the damp air that surrounds me as people shower. Steam creeps under my cubicle, reminding me of the water.

They can fuck it, I've seen enough water for the rest of my life. The mere idea of so much water around me causes me to panic. With the towel I wipe my damp body dry and try to dry my hair that is still wet from the previous game. The game makers won't realize I haven't showered because my hair is still damp anyway. To hide the smell of fear and sweat, I smear myself with body lotion from head to toe until all I can smell is the sweet perfume. Around me, I hear girls sobbing. More people are bothered by the water.

Feeling far too naked, I quickly grab the underwear that is already ready. Over that, I put on a pair of camouflage pants with thick fabric. It has a wide brim and several loops where you could hang things. Water? Or knives? A brown short-sleeved t-shirt follows, and a warm green sweater goes over that. Finally, I put on thick socks and sturdy hiking boots. This is something completely different from the tracksuit and sneakers we've been wearing for the past week. Why do we have to dress like this? What on earth are we ever going to do?

My hair is a lot drier, and with the brush I comb it through. Then I make a firm braid, so my hair won't get in the way of whatever we're going to do. Finally, I brush my teeth and spit out the residue. Then I step out of my cubicle, in my new clothes without having showered. I can only hope the guards won't make a fuss about that, because I would rather die than step under the running water. In the corner of the room I stepped into is a large white sheet, covering almost the entire wall. A camera is pointed at the white sheet. Curious, I look at it, are we going to be photographed soon? Photos are always taken just before the end game so the people back home know who is still participating. It is a logical assumption, especially since we are about to play the endgame.

I sit down next to Anthe, who has plopped down on a bench on the side. Her hair hangs dripping wet over her shoulders and makes damp stains in the green sweater she is wearing. 'Shall I make a braid ?' I suggest. 'Only if you want to.' I nod and Anthe takes off her glasses. She turns her back to me and I start braiding at the top of her head. Her hair glides smoothly through my fingers, making it easy to create a tight braid. 'Brielle used to do this. She even tried to teach me, but I never got the hang of it. I never learned after because my mother can't do it either.'

A compassionate smile shimmers around my lips. It must seem very hard to lose your sister at such a young age. 'What about your brothers? Can't they braid?' Anthe laughs out loud, the sound surprising me. It's the first time I've heard her laugh. 'Don't get me wrong, almost everything I can do I learned through my brothers. They are fantastic at using any kind of weapon you can think of, especially Dariel, and I'm sure they would try if I asked them to make a braid, but I would end up with a huge knot in my hair. And that doesn't seem like such a super good idea after all.'