Escape the night

Dawson Down

Oli sums up Joey's muddle of thoughts with a single, bewildered sentence: "What the hell is going on?"

By this point, Shane's no longer in his seat, having staggered over to the nearest window and collapsed in a heap on the floor. He's still coughing up blood, but at least someone thought to provide him with a napkin. Joey rushes to his friend's side, his heart going twenty kilometers a minute, hoping against hope that it's all some sort of sick prank.

"I think I got poisoned," Shane somehow manages to choke out before another spray of blood erupts from his mouth.

"Oh, Jesus!" screams GloZell.

Oh Jesus is right. "He says he was poisoned!" Joey informs the group, just in case some of them didn't catch what Shane said (half of them are still busy running around like chickens with their heads cut off, so it's possible).

Everyone starts talking at once. Eva points and shouts "It was the maid!" while GloZell screams a string of prayers and curses.

Joey is trapped in a state of shock. He doesn't know what happened, he doesn't know who did this to Shane, and he certainly doesn't know what to do about it. All he knows is that Shane Dawson, one of the closest friends he has, is dying right in front of his eyes.

At least Matt still seems to have his wits about him. "I'm reading the telegram," he announces, snatching the fallen note from Shane's abandoned plate. Justine's by his side in seconds, looking over his shoulder as he reads.

"What does it say?" several people ask for the second time tonight...except this time, no one really wants to know what the damn thing says anymore.

Matt looks up from the telegram and confirms their worst fears. "It says he's been poisoned."

Poisoned. The very word sends chills down Joey's spine. He never dreamed that any of his friends would meet such a terrible fate...but then again, it's my fault, isn't it? I invited him here. He'd probably be at home trying some milkshake or whatever if it wasn't...if I didn't...

Honestly, he's beginning to regret throwing this party in the first place. After all, Shane's life is way more important than Joey's sleep cycle.

The news that the telegram predicted Shane's poisoning earns several more "whats" from the guests, but then Lele of all people points out what might be the worst part of this entire sordid story. "So he was...He knew!"

Deciding he has to see this for himself, Joey snatches the telegram from Matt. His hands shake as he reads it aloud to the guests, a part of him still praying that maybe someone will yell "Pysch!" and the entire thing will turn out to be just a horrible nightmare.

In fifteen minutes you'll be dead...your lungs filled with blood...HOWEVER, you know I love games. There is an antidote hidden on the first floor of the house. If you and your friends are wise enough, they'll be able to solve the clues and save you.

Antidote... Joey's mind is racing to catch up with his mouth. So things aren't hopeless after all. We can save him. We can save him...

The symbols of your cult mark the clues leading to the antidote. It all begins with your last dish of the night.

May you die in horrible pain, my cursed enemy.

Matt did not sign up for this.

Going to a dinner party, thinking you'll have a good time, and then one of your fellow guests goes and gets himself poisoned...that's the kind of thing that happens in old mystery novels. Not real life. This is ridiculous. This entire situation...it's ridiculous and terrible and tragic and unbelievable all at the same freakin' time.