Into the Darkness

Chapter 18

No more spikes after that. I have my own theory about why. I think each of these challenges aren't supposed to end until they kill or injure one of us. Why I have no idea. I also don't know the who either. Is it a random act of he was in the wrong place at the wrong time or is he targeting us. If it is the latter then I can't seem to find any type of pattern. Just that people keep dying.
I hate to even think it but in my mind I'm lucky that I'm new. Unlike Benedict I haven't spent years getting to know these people. I have only had a couple weeks and in that time there were only a few people I really talked to. Their deaths don't hurt as much for me as the did with the others. It's awful having to watching the others grieve. Maybe I'm not so lucky after all.

Ireland's POV
Ireland never expected the door to open. She thought the voice planned to leave her there to die. There was no way to tell time in the bright room and she kept getting scary flashbacks from the maze. Things she never wanted to remember. She had always preferred the light to the darkness but not this artificial light. No this light disgusted her. She wished there was a window. So there would be sunlight, so she could see the sky at least one more time before she died.
Te gnawing in her stomach is only getting more intense. Her mouth is dry too. Somehow her arm does feel better. Maybe it wasn't broken after all or maybe someone came into fix it. A scary thought for sure but only reinforced by the fact that her knife was missing too. She always hated the thing. Thought as it as a symbol of violence. It didn't help that hers was blood red either. But now it was gone and she felt naked without any kind protection. She was afraid she might need it. Especially after the voice she heard. It is completely possible that it was a bunch of phrases that the Voice had mashed together that were all prerecorded. A trick. It did seem like a lot of work but it was better then believing the alternative. That someone she knew and trusted was in actuality her tormenter.
That's when the door buzzed and clicked open. Ireland quickly scanned the room for something, anything to defend herself but it was empty except for the giant cushion she had fell on.

"You can come out." Her heart sank. It was him. She had been wrong about everything.
"Don't worry." He spoke again, "I want to show you something... It's really cool and... well... I've never gotten to show anyone my set up before."

Ireland did not move. There was no way she was coming out to what was probably a trap.

"Ireland?"

Her voice was shaking, "I think I'd rather stay in here... please."

She heard him sigh and then the sound of metal scraping the ground. A tray with a sandwich and a water bottle appeared.

"I thought so." Then the door shut. She could swear she could hear disappointment in his voice.

Every meal he did it again. Unlock the door and invite her out. Promising to show her something really cool. Like his camera set up. The microphones. The delivery hatch. The control panel. Ireland said no every time. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. But this time when the door clicked open he said something different.
"I'm sure you have questions. Ask away. Really, I'll answer."

She was curious about a lot of things. She couldn't deny that. Not that see would trust anything he would say. She wasn't stupid. He could lie and she would have know way of knowing. More than anything she wanted to know how he had tricked all of them.
"The maze... how did you control it while you were in the room... we should have noticed."

He gives a small chuckle, "The shower. Some of the tiles can be taken off and it's a mini control panel, nothing like the I have up here. you want to see it?"

"No." She wouldn't come out. Not now. Not ever.

"Okay. Anyway there is also a hatch that leads to here in case of some kind of emergency."

It seemed possible but it was also improbable. She wasn't sure whether to take that as truth or lie but something else was bothering her. Something small but it was one of those little things that seemed to matter a ton when you didn't know what it meant.
"The knives, the colors. Do they mean anything or-"

"Oh that one is great! I'm actually shocked you guys didn't figure it out. I mean after all this time you'd think someone would have thought about it a little more."

"So they mean something."

"Here." He slips a slip of piece of paper under the door. On it is a printed chart. She picked it up and read it.

Introverts- Black
Carina
Allie
Vincent
Ian

Extrovert-Blue
Tori
Elle
Nevada
Quinn

Heroes-Orange
Dale
Travis
Avan
Conner

Dependents-Red
Kara
Ireland
Argus
Alexandra

Leaders-Green
Eliot
Gwen
Benedict
Nika
Stephinie

"I took away your knife but I'm sure you remember the color, red, dependent. Not weak but just not a leader."

Ireland really wasn't sure what to think of her own placement. She found his am thought it was interesting if not plain weird. That's when she say the other names. Ones she didn't know. "Who are these other people."

"Those are the ones who made it to phase three. Not nearly as many as there will be with your group. And the challenges were easier back then of course then I realized our selection process was off."

That statement was jam packed with questions and she wasn't sure which one she should ask first. She decided the one that seemed like it would benefit her the most, "Whats phase three?"

"Nothing for you to worry about. He mumbled. She heard his foot steps walk away from the door.

There conversation was now over.