The Game

Chapter 10: Catch Your Breath

As Shawna's eyes scanned the remaining traps, her mind raced with indecision, The Shocking Floor Tiles and the Ice Water Basin loomed before her, offering small rewards for enduring more pain, But after the ordeal she had already endured, the prospect of subjecting herself to further agony for minimal gain seemed futile.

Her gaze then fell upon a small chamber pod tucked away in the corner, its display flashing enticingly with the promise of a substantial reward. "Win $25,000 for entering, and win $50,000 for winning" the sign read.

Shawna's heart skipped a beat as she considered her options, The allure of the substantial prize money beckoned to her, offering a lifeline that could change her sons lives foreve, she knew the amount she had won so far wouldn't cut it, With trembling hands, she made her decision.

"I'm entering the Poisonous Gas Chamber," she declared, her voice resolute despite the fear that gnawed at her insides.

Outside the chamber, the other contestants watched with bated breath as Shawna entered the small chamber, her determination evident in every step she took, With each passing moment, the tension in the room mounted, the air thick with anticipation.

Mr. Beaufort's voice crackled over the speakers, his tone tinged with excitement. "Very well, Shawna, I hoped you would pick this one, Your true test begins now" he announced, the anticipation evident in his voice.

As the chamber door closed behind her, Shawna took a deep breath, steeling herself for the challenge ahead, she felt the air being sucked from her body and she focused on the task at hand, knowing that the fate of her sons rested on her shoulders.

As Shawna stood in the small chamber, the weight of her decision pressing down on her shoulders, she couldn't help but feel a sense of overwhelming dread, The walls loomed ominously around her, the air thick with the acrid scent of toxic gas, and she knew that her time was running out of she didn't win this game fast.

Desperately, she scanned the room, her eyes landing on the puzzle before her quickly, The instructions were written in a language she couldn't understand, French, a language she never learned, Her heart sank as she realized the magnitude of the challenge before her, How could she solve a puzzle when she couldn't even read the instructions?

But Shawna was not one to give up easily, With determination blazing in her eyes, she set to work, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of the jumble of letters before her, She rearranged them, twisted them, and turned them, searching for any clue that might lead her to the solution as her air was quickly running out.

Minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity as Shawna wrestled with the puzzle, But despite her best efforts, the letters refused to yield their secrets, and Shawna's frustration grew with each passing moment.

In her desperation, Shawna began to mutter to herself, her voice trembling with fear and uncertainty. "Freedom and prizes," she whispered, the words tumbling from her lips in a jumble of syllables. "Freedom and prizes... prise de liberté... liberté et prix..."

But no matter how she rearranged the letters, Shawna couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something crucial, and try as she might, she couldn't crack it.

As the minutes continued to tick, Shawna's panic began to rise, The gas in the chamber was growing thicker, choking the air from her lungs and clouding her thoughts, She could feel her strength waning, her resolve slipping away with each labored breath.

With a cry of frustration, Shawna pounded her fists against the walls, the sound echoing through the chamber like a mournful lament, But the metal remained unyielding, mocking her with its silence as the toxic fumes continued to fill the room.