Everything was blurry. She stirred around, groaning. She pulled her arms up to rub her eyes in an attempt to get rid of her blurred vision, only to find she was restrained. She quickly blinked her eyes in confusion.
When her vision cleared, she looked around the brightly lit room, to see seven other chairs restraining people just like herself. She stared at her restraints, only to find a large red x on her hand. She became even more confused.
The others looked to just starting to regain consciousness as well as she heard groans and murmurs. Beside her, she heard the person quicken their breath. She looked over to see a girl with coco skin staring at her restraints. Her first idea was to try and calm the girl, easier her gently into a conversation. She went to ask the girl her name and let her know she was there for her when she realized she did know her own name. With that realization came the information that she knew nothing.
Where was she? How did she get there? Why was she there? What was going on? And most importantly, who was she?
"Hey," she quickly called out in an attempt to calm the girl's obvious anxiety. "Are you okay?" She cringed at her choice of words, it was obvious she wasn't and was on the verge of a panic attack, but she was having anxiety as well and was proud that despite her very confused mind, she was able to form words that made sense.
The girl looked over to her with glassed over chocolate brown eyes as her chest heaved up and down. Her eyebrows frowned as she opened her mouth to speak, but before she could reply to her question, the lights flickered off and a television lit up in the front of the room.
"Hello, friends!" The man that invaded the screen beamed cheerfully. He had tapped glasses and a cheerful smile. He waved enthusiastically at the screen. Everything about him seemed friendly and welcoming, but there was something she couldn't place. Something about the way the smile didn't fully reach his eyes, or the way his movements looked unnatural when he pushed his large nerdy glasses further up his nose.
"You've all been chosen to play my game! Congratulations!" The man beamed.
"I know you are all very confused right now, but don't worry! I'll explain everything!" As he spoke the restraints unclasped with a large clang, she heard the girl next to her let out a shaky breath. As everyone immediately stood up, she didn't hesitate to help the poor girl next to her. Pulling her out of her chair and held her up when she realized her knees were shaking and assumed she didn't want to go back into that chair.
"If you look in your pockets, you'll find a paper full of information about you, but it is very important that you don't show anyone! Keep your 'paper of facts' to yourself!" The man giggled out making many people in the room look weirdly at the screen before roaming their pockets. She took note at how everyone looked tense and was happy they felt the weird vibes the man give off as well.
She pulled out her 'paper of facts' from her back pocket of her jeans and watched as the girl she was helping stand did the same. She slowly unfolded her paper with her empty hand, but hesitated to look once it was completely unfolded, she was about to learn her name.
Lydia
Gender: Female
Age: 19
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Allergies: None
Mental Conditions: None
"Now that you know your names, let me explain a little more!" The man said joyfully, turning everyone's attention back to him. "You will all be living in my home for eight months. That might seem like a while, but I promise to keep you busy!
"How do you feel about mysteries? Finding the clues, analyzing people's words and actions, doesn't that just sound fun? I sure hope it does or you'll be quite bored this next couple of months!
"As I mentioned before, you're here to play my game! The first month your objective is to get to know each other; learn each other's personalities and habits, find who's trustworthy and who isn't, because when the first of February comes, I will replace you with a double! The last day of each month is called 'Forfeit Day', you'll understand later why. On that day you will choose who you believe the doubled person is and they double or not, will be forfeited! If you choose the right person, they will be set free, if not they will have to forfeit the game and no one likes to lose!
"You are to do as you please during your stay as long as you follow my simple rules;
Do not try and escape
Hide your paper of facts where no one will find them
If the last double is chosen incorrectly, everyone, including your freed friends, will forfeit and lose
For your own safety, once you've discovered the double, lock them in their rooms or your lives will be at risk
Majority always rules
Good luck my friends, and try not to be forfeited!"
The man smiled and waved at the camera before it went dark. The light in the room brightened, and a sliver door opened. Lydia glanced around the room seeing everyone hesitating to move towards the new area. Slowly people started stirring when a boy with sandy hair made his way towards the door and hesitantly walked through.
Lydia felt a tap on her arm, she looked over to meet dark stormy eyes, her head met his nose, which was something because she was exactly short. He smiled genuinely at her, showing his white teeth.
"I can help her if you would like. You've been standing with her for a while now, you're probably tired." He spoke out to her. Lydia felt a need to bark back that she was perfectly capable of carrying her and she wasn't some dumb maiden in distress who needed a strong man to help her, but she was so caught in the way his dark hair fell perfectly on his forehead, and the barely noticeable mole under his pinkish lips, she let him take the girl from her arms.
"I'm Lucas by the way." He spoke as Lydia passed the girl who clung to her.
"Lydia."
Lucas and the girl made their way out of the room. As Lydia made her way behind them, she glanced behind her to see a small girl in one of the restraining chairs. She instantly made her way to the girl thinking she was still locked in, but when she got closer she noticed she wasn't but was staring intensely at her forearm.
When the small girl looked up at her, her blue eyes widened and she rushed out of the room, rudely bumping into Lydia forcing her to the floor.
Lydia looked at her arm to see two small dark blue tally marks on her arms. Lydia added it to the long list of things she had to figure out and sighed. She got up and brushed her grey shirt off, then bent down to pick of her 'paper of facts'. The paper had fallen upside down when the black-haired girl had rudely knocked her over, on the back, she noticed a small paragraph.
"for·feit
/ˈfôrfət/
verb;
lose or be deprived of (property or a right or privilege) as a penalty for wrongdoing.
Here you lose your right to live! Have fun, dear Lydia!"
YOU ARE READING
Forfeit Day
Mystery / Thriller"for·feit /ˈfôrfət/ verb; lose or be deprived of (property or a right or privilege) as a penalty for wrongdoing. Here you lose your right to live! Have fun, dear Lydia!" Eight teenagers wake up with no memory of who they are or how they got there...
