A Room Full of Strangers

Door 2 - Door of Temptation

As expected, the door closed right away when the six surviving people were already in. Their eyes widened. The room is way too exciting compared to the previous one. It's overflowing with different stuffs, everything material. All of their materialistic desires are there. Well not for Lindsay because her one and only desire can't be satisfied by those things. Lindsay walked towards a pink life-size teddy bear positioned at the left corner of the room. She remembered how she used to plead Aaron to buy her a giant teddy bear on Valentine's Day. She doesn't want the teddy bear anymore. She wants Aaron.
She wrapped the teddy bear's fluffy arms around herself. She shut her swollen eyes tightly and imagined it was Aaron who's embracing her.

While Lindsay is having her time escaping the world for a moment, Austin, Rebecca, Felicit, Timothy and Brett can't get their eyes off those precious things scattered around. They can't help but get mesmerized. There are voices in their heads telling them to grab all the things they see.
'Oh my god! This is heaven!' Felicit said. She was about to dive in the ocean of those stuffs but Austin hindered her to.
'Don't!' Austin said with a sharp voice.
'Why? Look at Lindsay, noth'
'I said don't!' he said cutting off Felicit. 'Don't just get anything. We don't know what the consequences might be.' He added.
'You know, you're talking too much of shit. Tell me you just want to-' Timothy said but he was instantly cut off by Austin.
'I want you to shut your mouth up while I wait for the warning!' Austin said in almost a yell. Everyone was silent. No one dared to speak afterwards.
Austin roamed his eyes in search for a piece of paper but instead of seeing a thin sheet, he saw a wooden board behind a compilation of shoes, shirts and accessories. He gently stepped his feet on the narrow vacant surface so as not to have skin contact with the items. As he comes closer, letter carvings started forming on the board. His sight became blurry. He rubbed his eyes. It was just temporary. He can now see what he's been waiting for.

Don't be deceived by what your eyes see
For things in this world are quite illusionary
Be consumed not by your worldly desires
'Cause that's what the evil truly admires
Don't let your heart be hardened by the power of greed
For stone compared to diamond has no value indeed

'A-Austin,' Rebecca said, making sure if it's now okay to speak. She noticed that Austin is looking at something she and the rest of them cannot see.
'Yes,' Austin confirmed.
'What are you looking at out there?' She asked.
'I'm reading the warning.' He answered.
'Reading? What do you mean?' She said, getting confused.
'Come over here. Be careful not to touch any item.' He said, inviting her. Rebecca tiptoed as she walked towards Austin due to the narrow spaces.
'Read it.' Austin said, still facing the wooden board.
'Read?' She asked with much confusion. 'But there's nothing written on it. It's just a plain wooden board.' Austin turned to her. He got confused as well.
'You can't see it?' he paused. 'How come?' There were a few seconds of dead air. His attention was captured by a shiny dazzling thing behind her.
'Can you see that silver wristwatch resting on the top of the podium?' Austin asked. Rebecca roamed her eyes around the room but she failed to spot any silver wristwatch.
'Where? I can't see any wristwatch, even the podium.' She said.
'There, it's right behind you.' He said as he held her shoulders and twisted her body to face at the back.
'I can't see anything.' She said. A puzzle started forming in Austin's head. Why can't Rebecca see the wristwatch?
'Wait, are you just fooling me around?' she said as she faced Austin back.
'Do I look like I am?'
'Sorry.' She apologized.
'You, can you see that pink giant teddy bear where Lindsay is resting?' asked Rebecca, pointing to the teddy bear's place. Austin's sight followed her forefinger's direction.
'I can't.' he said. 'I can see her just leaning on the wall.' He added.
'No, she's leaning on a pink giant teddy bear.' She insisted. Austin threw a look on her.
'I'm not taking a revenge on you, if that's what you are thinking. I have evidence. Felicit had seen it too. Lindsay wouldn't go over there if she hadn't seen anything. The three of us can see the bear. How come couldn't you?' Rebecca explained.
Austin was starting to get into it. He's got questions in mind.
'Are you fond of teddy bears?'
'Yes.' She quickly replied.
'How about Felicit?'
'Of course. Both of us love teddy bears.'
'Do you think Lindsay loves teddy bears as well?'
'I think so.' Rebecca said as she shrugged her shoulders.
Austin was quiet for a while. He tried figuring out the logic behind the phenomenon. It's driving him insane because he's having difficulty in linking Rebecca's answers to it. More and more questions bothered him.
'Do you like wristwatches?' He asked again after a period of silence.
'No, I'm not even wearing one.' Rebecca said.
'Are you interested to see the warning?' She paused for a while.
'A bit.' She uttered.
The puzzle pieces were jumbled and became even more complicated because of her last reply. It was short, but it's making the process long.