The 1st Game

4

4

The bag that Sam got from the pile is a decent one. It has three water bottles, a knife, a pair of binoculars and a packet of dried noodles. By sunset there is only half a packet of noodles and two water bottles.

From time to time there are more blood curdling screams, more sounds of students being slaughtered. However, the one thing that worries us most is that we will become one of the red-eyed monsters. Sam has tried to convince me that most likely everyone who was supposed to turn already has, but even she can't be a hundred percent certain.

I am exhausted, and I want to go home. I want to get away from this nightmare. I'm just closing my eyes when I hear the speakers come on. “Students. Survivors. For those of you who are still alive, I congratulate you. You are one step closer to winning the Game.” I clench my fists in anger. Go to Hell. “Now, like I will do every night, I will tell you the tally of the dead and the living.” I don't want to know how many people died today, but it would put me at a disadvantage if I didn't know. So I resist the urge to block my ears and brace myself.

“Two thousand, three hundred and forty-two students walked in to this school today. One thousand and seventy six are now dead. One thousand, two hundred and sixty-six remain.” My heart skips a beat and pure cold fear is injected in to me. Almost half of my school is dead. “Good luck.” The speakers cut off.

I curl up on the cold, hard concrete. I realise I forgot to bring a jumper today. Mum told me to, but of course I refused. My family. Will I ever see them again? What do they think happened to me? Why didn't they come to look for me?

A voice makes me loose my train of thought. I can't make out what they're saying, but I know it's a girl, and that she's somewhere underneath us. I sit up and look at Sam. She holds her finger to her lips, and we both concentrate on the voice. I start to hear words.

“It's okay, you're gonna be fine. Just stay with me, Monique. Stay with me.” Lizzie, from maths. I know it instantly. I beacon Sam over.

“Two girls, from what I hear. Monique and Lizzie.” She nods.

“Do you know them?”

“They sit behind me in maths.” We pause and listen to more of the conversation.

“It sounds like Monique needs help,” I say, looking over at Sam.

“Are they a threat?” she asks, putting her long, blonde hair in to a pony tail. I shake my head.

“No, I doubt it. Sounds like it's just them as well.” I shiver. It's absolutely freezing.

“Let's go see what's up, then.”

We climb to the balcony below us. It's easy to manoeuvre our way down, but for anyone else it'd be a difficult task, especially with the lack of footholds. We break the window to a classroom, kick off the excess glass and enter.

The sun has gone down now, so it's almost completely black. The voices of the girls can no longer be heard, so they either escaped or hid somewhere in the room. I take one step forward before I am slammed in the face. Stars burst before my eyes and I fall to the ground. I hear the sound of a fight, but it is over quickly. I get up as fast as I can. Sam has Lizzie pinned to the ground with her arm. She tries to hit her, but Sam's grip is firm. “Let me go!” she squeals. “Please! I don't want to die! I don't want to fucking die!” My vision adjusts to the darkness and I notice Monique on the other side of the room. She's not moving.

“We're not here to kill you,” Sam says, annoyed. “We just want to help, okay?”

“Don't lie! That's what the other man said! Then he did that to Monie,” Lizzie lets out a sob. I crouch next to her.

“What did he do?” I ask softly.

“He put that needle in her. Now she's not moving.” Me and Sam stand up and look at each other. Lizzie gets up and runs over to Monique.

“Oh my God,” I say.

I'm just about to tell everyone to run when Monique attacks. They must have got a knife from the pile as well, because that is the weapon that goes through Lizzie's back.

Sam screams, and I pull our knife out of my waistband. Monique rips her blade out and charges toward us, red eyes glowing. I don't want to kill her. I can't. “Go! Now!” I shout, and we run out the door. We slam the door and throw all our weight against it to keep her from getting out, but she doesn't give up.

“Mason!” Sam shrieks. I look at her and shake my head.

“I can't!”

“You have to! She won't stop!” she has tears in her eyes. We could run, but not for long. Whatever they've put in here has made her stronger and faster. I have to do it. I have to.

“Get back!” I tell Sam. She does. I take a deep breath. Then I let the door burst open. Monique comes flying at me, and I shove my knife deep in to her neck, as hard as I can. Her eyes return to normal, and for a split second I see a terrified girl. Then she collapses to the ground. Dead.