Guess Who

Any Questions?

I watched her face flash from disbelief, horror, concern, understanding/pity, and finally, it was neutral. It was so fast I would not have caught it if I wasn't studying her so intently. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mrs. Delwinger give Isla a warning look.

"Iris, my name is Iris." Isla quickly spoke.

"Oh sorry, I thought you were someone else." I spoke calmly, although this conversation was far from over.

"Alright Skyla, I will leave you now to settle your things. Whatever you do, do not leave the room past 8:37 pm." She said while leaving, but not before giving a stern look at Isl- I mean 'Iris' I thought sarcastically.

As soon as she left I jumped to it, but before I could,

"Not yet." Isla said. I knew what she meant so I waited.

"Okay Skyla I know you want an explanation, but all I can tell you is this; you have been chosen to play a game, in which there is only one condition. Before I tell you what that condition is, you must listen very carefully to what I am about to say without interruption, got it?" She said with a look of disdain.

"Got it." I say through gritted teeth.

"First things first I will tell you the history of this school. It all started when an anonymous person or group, no one knows who, built this building, they are referred to as the Ingumm. No one knows why and no one has seen them. One day people got curious, they wanted to know who it was and the people got restless. So to get people off of their backs, they started a tradition. Every 5 years they choose one person from a superior and privileged background and bring them to this school, yes that is right this was planned since you were 14 years old..." Isla trailed off in sadness as we both remember that night.

*Flashback that same night*

I followed the flash of red as fast as I could, but I had to stay a certain distance away in case of them seeing me. I saw what the person was headed for and felt my heart plummet to my feet. The vehicle was idling a few feet away from the red runner, 'Wow that is a cool name.' I thought to myself, and then remembered that it wasn't the time. I came out of my reverie just in time to catch the side of the van as it drove away with my only friend. On the side of the van, written in black was the name, "Ousted Academy"

That is the reason I came to this school. I was in search of information about my friend, but found it was all a set-up.

"Before I continue, it wasn't a setup, you weren't supposed to see them take me, but since you were there, you had to be chosen."

"Why were you taken?!" I demanded, but it fell on deaf ears.

"No one has succeeded. And anyone who has tried was never found, or at least not found sane. Since this school is only 15 years old, you are the third person stuck playing this game. Now for the conditions;

· You will receive 10 hints as to who they are.

· The first nine you will receive are from the headmaster, the last from them.

· You cannot guess until you have received at least 6 hints, and if you choose to do so, well that is not a good idea...

· You cannot tell anyone about this game, only me, the headmaster, and they know that you are playing

· You can't trust anyone, Skyla. Not even me.

· What is on those hints you cannot tell anyone, nor can you write down your findings, for there are people who have found out about this game, and would harm even kill to find out who runs this place so destroy them immediately after you read them

· You can't tell anyone that you were chosen

· Lastly, good luck

"Any questions?" She asks.

"ANY QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ASKING ME IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?!?" I all but scream at her, is she crazy?

"Are you saying that I have been stalked for the past THREE YEARS OF MY LIFE, MAYBE MORE?!?" I am in hysterics now.

"CALM DOWN, SKYLA. Do you want to alert the whole school?!? Do you want to fail and end up like the others? They want you to fail, Skyla, because if you don't, that means they were wrong."

I calm down a tad bit at her words, but I am still freaked out. I still feel the responsibility of the task on my shoulders.

"What do you mean, 'that means they were wrong'? And how do you know so much about this? Why did they take you? Why me? How could my parents let that happen?" I ask all in one breathe.

"For starters, they do this for entertainment and because they have no choice. If people were to find out who they were, it would be bad news for them. They needed to make it look like it was fair game, in turn, police and government turn a blind eye in to the disappearances and insanees. The government chooses the participants, to make it 'fair play', we all know that is BS; they chose you because you have some traits that could find out who they are, but not enough to succeed, after all they have to at least try and make it look fair. And you came here of your own accord remember? Your parents just wanted you to 'be happy' so they let you have your wish. As to how I know so much, the headmaster thought it best I tell you, and not him. I am to be your informater, if something changes in the Game, my job is to get you away from here as fast as possible." She finishes,but she said that last part less matter-of-factly and mumbled a bit as she did so, a sure sign she is lying about something. I still couldn't shake the feeling as is there was more then to what she was letting on. Why abduct her? I knew she wouldn't tell me; it would be a waste of breathe asking, so I will find out on my own. Either way my mind was all over the place. I needed to leave the room, at this rate who cares if it is quarter to 9. Just as I stepped out of the room, I remembered something,

"Hey Iris?" I asked using Iris, because I was not sure who would be listening with the door now half open.

"Yeah Sky?"

"What is the one thing I have to do to win?"

"You must guess who, Sky. You have to guess who." With that extremely explanatory answer *eye roll* she goes to her room and closes the door while I leave our room and make my way into that night with one thought,

'How on earth do I guess who?'

%0Y'