Sacrifice Sanctuary

Chapter 7 Frogs Lava

"Harper" Luke announced. The room was as silent as ever, no one spoke, no one moved, but I could hear the sniffles of Harper start to accumulate. "Really? Me... I'm not ready to die. I can't even remember memories to be sad about... I haven't even talked to half of the people in this room. Well until now I guess..." She let a small chuckle out between sobs. "Will anyone miss me? Mr. K? Did I have a family..? She asked. "I'm not going to tell you that you'll worry about it the entire time and won't even focus on the game so..." Mr. K replied. "Oh well whatever, " she took in a big breath, then let it go but it was hard to breathe normally, she kept shaking and choking up sobs. "I guess we're all just... entertainment? Well, I know I am." she tucked her curly red hair behind both her ears, sunk in her chair, and put her hands on her face. "I don't even know why I'm crying, it's not like I was going to make it out alive anyway, "She took another big breath in choking on sobs as she rubbed her eyes. "Well I don't want to be seen as a crybaby before I leave so... Hi I'm Harper I am 16 years old, and I like chicken alfredo and lemon cake... well at least it's the only thing I remember having. I've only met a handful of people so far in a day of being here but Aniyah and Mira you guys are pretty cool. Dallas I hope you and I have a good time while we're playing, that's what games are made for anyway, having fun. It'll be an experience for me! It's my first time too, " she mumbled while looking at the floor nodding her head. Then she got out of her chair, waved to all of us, and stood in the middle of the room on the split platform elevator. She shook her head, whipped her eyes, and took another deep breath in. "Here to be the first," Harper said with a sad smile on her face. I couldn't believe Mr. K didn't even tell her about her family, she couldn't even get to know us in time. For the first time since I can't remember, I felt bad for a girl I have never met.

"Okay way to go trying not to be a crybaby, trust me though everyone with a heart feels bad for you right now you could always make it! Please try your best and don't die on purpose, that'll be no fun. Now Dallas get up here!" Mr. K insisted. Dallas didn't talk like Harper did, instead he quietly walked up to the split platform elevator next to Harper. I could see he had tears running down his face and was sniffling just a bit. Dallas turned his head to face Harper, "Please forgive me I'm so sorry-," he started to say before Harper stopped him. "Yes, I know you are, but there's nothing that will do than just make us sad and tear up, and as I said, I'm trying to have fun, " she put a hand on his shoulder and smiled a sorrowful smile, her eyes glistening. "No matter what it'll be okay, I'll be fine," Harper insisted while taking her hand off of Dallas. She took one last deep breath in.

The platform started to drop down, I could see fear in both of their eyes. I became numb when Mr. K spoke. "You guys will get to see the show on the tablet, don't look away! Seriously don't look away, do you guys think we do this for the sake of ourselves? Look away and you're dead. I mean it. I do this just for me and I certainly don't want to waste anyone's life so be good kids and just do what I say. Ok?" He meant what he said. Mr. K wasn't joking, ever, he had all the power in the world to kill us at any moment, he did just do it for entertainment but for us too. It's not like anyone would enjoy seeing people get slaughtered unless they're some sick freak.

The screen on the tablet lit up, I didn't want to see, I didn't want to watch, but I also didn't want to be dead, so I watched. "This is a game I like to call, Lilypad Lifeguards! Don't worry Harper! This game is all luck; you must collect 3 frogs and put them on your rock. No stealing or you will instantly be disqualified. You are allowed to push the opponent and the lily pads are the safe spaces, because the water will turn into lava at any random moment so be careful!" The keeper said enthusiastically. "Lava? How could he get any more cruel? Oh well, I've thought about it before many times, this guy is sick, no changing it. Definitely cannot change The keeper's mind but I guess I can still think about how wrong he is. Not even letting Harper know her family, or maybe we're all just orphans or something. Then he wouldn't want to tell us because that would be even worse knowing you never had family at all than thinking about how your family misses you. Again my heart hurt for someone I didn't know but this time I haven't seen their face or even know they existed. A mom and dad without their child. A child spent years helping them grow up and watching them become more independent, maybe Mr. K similarly lost his kids. Maybe he just misses a certain someone and can't have them back so he hides his pain in dark humor and murder. It wouldn't matter anyway, like I said before I cannot change The Keeper's ways, especially with how far along he is with his games. He seems so excited all the time, that makes one of us. This is just survival of the fittest and there is nothing I can do to survive if I'm not watching the games like Mr. K said we all had to," I thought before picking up my tablet to see that they were now underground in some sort of a cave.