Escape the night

Useless, Sketchy, Strange, Insane

This is crazy.

First of all, ungodly machine. What the hell is that? Anything with the word "ungodly" in it is not something Oli is willing to go anywhere near, thank you.

And now someone's got to go down there and die?

"Here is how the final voting will work," says Arthur once everyone has taken their seats. He's holding a grey hat in his hand, and he's surveying the group as if he's trying to determine who looks the most expendable. "Each one of you will write down the name of the person that you want to attempt the final task and put it in this hat. I will then draw two names who must face death." He says this rather matter-of-factly, as if he's reciting the flipping stock exchange. "Please, discuss this among yourselves."

Joey is the first to snap out of his shock-induced stupor. "Omigod." He stands up, grabs Justine's wrist, and gently tugs her to her feet. "Okay, come with me."

They head off together. Joey shoots a stare at the rest of the group, as if to warn them against voting for him or his longtime friend.

Oli's head is swimming with a painful combination of confusion, fear, and flat-out disbelief. This is insane. Crazy. Bonkers. What kind of a dinner party do you go to where you vote two of your friends to go into a basement and fight a bloody machine?

That just doesn't happen!

Once Joey and Justine are safely out of earshot, the "does Tim deserve to die" argument commences once again. And frankly, Matt is sick of it. He knows the guy. He's his friend. He can't be a murderer.

Lele, on the other hand...

"I kill people for business," Tim protests. "Not for pleasure."

GloZell pipes up, gesturing with her right hand as she talks. "Well, out of all of us, you are the worst one, so..." She shakes her head. "You're going to the devil."

Tim smirks at her as he adjusts his plaid coat. "But I'm the best dressed."

"Okay, with an attitude, too?" Lele, still glaring daggers at everyone within a three-mile radius, has entered the conversation. "No, no, no."

Lele Pons. Claiming someone else has an "attitude." Pot, meet Kettle.

"You guys are very quick to throw stones from over there," says Matt. He makes sure he's looking right at Lele when he says that, so she knows that he's on to her.

She doesn't even blink. "Are we?"

Of course, all this talk of who deserves to die is completely irrelevant as far as Matt's concerned. He's already made his decision. In a way, he made it long before it needed to be made.

Lele.

It's got to be Lele.

Lele needs to go.

Eva and Sierra have joined Justine and Joey in a secluded corner of the room, far away from any of the others. Justine's shaking with fear (and a bit of guilt as well—here she is, about to send one of her friends to their death), but she's trying her damnedest not to let it show.

"I think we should form an alliance," Joey whispers, his soothing voice doing wonders for Justine's frazzled nerves.

"Me too." Eva glances around the room for a second before turning her attention back to Joey. "But who do we kick out?"

Sierra giggles. Which is weird, considering that this situation is not something to giggle at, but Justine decides to let it slide. "Someone who's useless."