ã€ŠAlea Ludoã€‹


 Alea Ludo Prologue

    Before taking part in any form of gambling, one must always ask themselves, how much are they willing to risk¡ªto lose¡ªto sacrifice¡ªin order to achieve their goal and win? Or, is it even worth it?

    The answers vary from person to person, but one thing''s for sure¡ªpeople want to win. Winning is a wonderful thing. It often enhances a person''s feelings of self-worth. It makes them feel dominant¡ªsuperior over the ones that have lost.

    When it comes to gambling, that feeling of dominance is overwhelming. People say that gambling is an addiction.

    They''re right.

    It''s one of the easiest things to get hooked on. Who could resist the call of winning large sums of money when the opportunity is presented to them by chance? Gamblers are often misguided under the ridiculous notion that they have the power to control chance.

    That''s all gambling is?¡ª?chance.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    One or two lucky wins gives people a sense of euphoria, thus driving them to continue taking risky chances to win despite the consequences. They''re constantly under the belief that their skills or smarts will increase their chances of victory. But every gambler soon realizes that they''re never in complete control.

    The odds are stacked against them.

    The house always has the advantage. Is it possible to win against the house? Definitely. But the chances are slim. Not to mention the stress and damage it can cause to a person after losing so much.

    Losing''s never a good thing. Not after someone invests so much with the hopes of winning, only to have it snatched away. In all my life, I''ve known nothing but the bitter taste of defeat. I''ve grown accustomed and numb to it. Call it selfish, but even if it''s just once¡ªonly once¡ªI¡¯d like to know victory.

    So, when presented with the opportunity of a lifetime by the devil¡¯s advocate¡ªI accepted. Take the chance of risking my life for an opportunity to win one million dollars? Who was I to refuse?

    A million dollars was a lot of money. And my life was of little consequence anyway. So, in all fairness, it was a cheap gamble. Sure, the odds weren¡¯t in my favor, but when were they ever? Something as minuscule as that wouldn¡¯t deter me in the slightest. No matter what I had to do, no matter how much I had to sacrifice¡ªI wouldn¡¯t waste the chance¡ªespecially when I had everything to lose.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 1 - Gamble of a Lifetime!

    Another day, another pain in the ass.

    My least favorite thing about working as a bartender was how much I saw the detriment of humanity. Customers came in all shapes and sizes, genders, and religions, but to me, they might as well have been the same. Small-time criminals or thugs, cheating spouses, scammers, low-life alcoholics, all types of people came to relieve themselves at the sanctuary known as Maynard''s Bar.

    The establishment opened fifteen years ago, boasting high popularity and hospitality. All were welcome there. Most people took that to heart at first, but over time they vanished one after another.

    At first, my hours were long and gruesome, rewarded with low pay and ungrateful comments from the bar''s patrons. As the number of customers decreased over the years, somehow, my workload doubled as my coworkers went with them. I didn''t mind, however.

    The bar was my home.

    I wouldn''t leave it behind for anything in the world. So, imagine my surprise when I got my hands on a foreclosure notice from the damned IRIS. It was there right before my eyes in big, bold red letters, as if taunting me.

    If there''s one thing I hated most in the world, it was having my time wasted.

    I crumpled up the foreclosure noticed and tossed over my shoulder. Out of sight, out of mind. Soon enough, a creaking door reached my ears, followed up by the sound of heavy footsteps hitting the wooden floor.

    "You gonna pick that up, Troy?" A gruff, disembodied voice asked. I looked over my shoulder and spotted the owner of the bar himself, Gideon Maynard.

    "It''s not my job to pick up trash when I''m off the clock," I returned my attention to the single glass of Jack Daniels on the bar counter.

    "Ah, so you''re gonna be an asshole today," Maynard presumed and walked around the bar counter. "Go on and spill it. What''s got you all pissy today?"

    "I found that piece of trash letter from the IRS in your office," I answered.

    "The fuck were you doing going through my office?!" Maynard hollered.

    He tried to dodge the topic by pushing the blame onto me. But I wouldn''t have it. The bastard wanted to play hardball, so that''s how I played.

    I raised my fist and slammed it on the counter. "Why didn''t you tell me the IRS wanted to foreclose on us?!"

    I got straight to the point of the argument. I wouldn''t let Maynard sweep it under the rug like the other times.

    He heaved a heavy sigh and reached under the counter. He pulled out a bottle of whiskey with one hand, and a couple of glasses with the other.

    "Got nothing to say?!" I challenged.

    "Let them," Maynard said. He opened up the whiskey bottle and poured us some glasses. He handed a drink over to me, which I reluctantly accepted as he continued, "The bar''s run its course, Troy. It''s been fun."

    "You''re going soft, old man?! You''re gonna let those bastards take our home?!"

    "Yeah," Maynard answered without any hesitation. "You think we can scrounge up three-hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars in two weeks?"

    "I don''t believe this shit!" I grabbed my glass and tossed it across the room. It shattered against the wall, sending glass and alcohol all over the place.

    It wasn''t the Maynard I knew. The old Maynard wouldn''t have given up without a fight.

    He''d beat my ass if I ever showed any signs of surrender.

    "God damn it! That''s coming out of your paycheck!" Maynard shouted.

    "Fuck you!" My rampage continued. I directed my anger toward a nearby chair, launching it across the room with a kick.

    The furniture smashed against the wall and fell to pieces upon impact to my satisfaction, but Maynard''s frustration.

    "Stop breaking shit!"

    "What do you care?! If those fuckers want this place, might as well give them shit to take!" I declared as I looked around for anything else to destroy in the bar. I wouldn''t give the bastards the satisfaction of taking my home from me without a fight. I''d rather see it destroyed before anything else.

    "So that''s how it''s gonna be? You''re just gonna throw a temper tantrum?" Maynard presumed, but I saw it more like a provocation.

    I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

    "No, I''ll stop this." I gathered my composure and headed for the door.

    "Stop what?" Maynard asked.

    I stopped at the door and answered, "The foreclosure. What else?"

    "Troy, stop it. You''ll never make it in time. We can always find a new place. Maybe the Bahamas or Hawaii."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    "No, we''ve lost enough shit in one lifetime. I''ll be damned if we lose any more," I put my foot down on the matter. I wouldn''t give up, no matter what.

    Maynard threw in the towel, so it was up to me to pick up the scraps and save the one place in the world that we can call home.

    "What''s your plan here? Get the money, save the bar, and then stay here for the rest of our lives?" Maynard wondered.

    It didn''t sound bad to me.

    "What''s wrong with that? What if staying here with you is what I want?" I asked.

    Maynard''s face contorted in disgust. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away as he said, "For the last time, Troy, I''m just not into you that way."

    "God damn it, old man! Take this seriously!" I groaned angrily. He always made terrible jokes at inappropriate moments. Everything must''ve been one big gag to him.

    "Learn to take a joke," Maynard smiled.

    "Fuck you," I rolled my eyes.

    "You''d like that, wouldn''t you?" Maynard continued to test my patience.

    "Keep it up with your jokes. We''ll see who''ll get the last laugh when I get back." I opened the door and took one last glance at Maynard before ultimately leaving. It pained me, knowing that I was alone in my crusade to save the bar, but it only fueled my determination. I wouldn''t lose the bar--that I swore.

    Once outside, I took a stroll down the sidewalk and contemplated my next course of action. Sure, I talked a big game about saving the bar, but I didn''t have an actual plan in mind.

    "Quit fucking around and give me everything you got!" A disembodied voice reached my ears. I stopped and looked toward the source of the sound. My gaze shifted to the alleyway close to the bar. I spotted a masked man robbing another man in a suit at knifepoint. "Don''t even think about screaming!"

    "I wouldn''t dream of it," The panicked tone came from the victim of the mugging. He stepped away until his back hit the wall. He was trapped.

    "You''ve got ten seconds to hand over all your shit! Hurry up!" The masked man demanded.

    "Hey, asshole!" I called out to the mugger as I stormed into the alleyway. "Take this shit somewhere else! You''re too close to the bar!"

    The mugger shrieked and turned to face me. "Who the fuck are you?! Stop moving unless you want your throat slit!"

    He talked a big game, but his unsteady hand and amateur posture left me unconvinced about his threat. I removed my hands from my pockets and proceeded with my advance.

    "Relax, I''m unarmed," I raised my hands in the air, leaving them out on full display.

    "Didn''t you hear me?! I said--"

    I didn''t allow him to finish. The moment I reached his range, I disarmed him and knocked him unconscious with a kick to the face. The poor bastard crashed into some trash bins and got buried underneath the trash.

    "Idiot," I squatted down and rummaged through the man''s pockets. I found a few bucks and pocketed the money.

    "Magnificent! Truly magnificent! You dealt with that mugger quite swiftly!" The man in the suit praised me. "You have my thanks for saving my life!"

    "I didn''t do it to save you," I assured the man as I turned to face him. "The bar''s already got enough problems without having some bastard chasing away potential customers."

    "Regardless of your reasons, the fact that you helped me deserves praise." The man said.

    "I''d rather have money," I inspected the knife on the floor. My eyes constantly shifted to the blade and the man in the expensive suit. "How much money you got?"

    "You''re not planning on robbing me, are you?" The man asked nervously.

    "Depends on how much you got," I said.

    It wasn''t the best response in the world, but life dealt me a shitty hand. I needed the money to save my bar, and the man looked like he carried wads of cash on him. Or at least some credit cards.

    "Money troubles, I assume?" The man wondered.

    "You could say that." I nodded my head.

    The man smiled and approached me with his arms spread out, "Well, you''re in luck, sir. I have a proposition of a lifetime for you as thanks for saving me."

    "Proposition?" I narrowed my eyes.

    "You see, I''m a game recruiter. I''ve been tasked with the honor of gathering suitable participants to play in a few life-changing games of ours."

    I folded my arms over my chest and gave the man a sideward glance. "You trying to recruit me into becoming one of the players?"

    The man snapped his fingers and pointed at me. "Bingo!"

    "What is this for? A tv show? Why should I bother listening to you?" I demanded answers. Something about the entire situation didn''t sit right with me.

    "If you agree to become a player, defeat the other contestants, you can leave with the grand prize of one million dollars." The man happily revealed without missing a beat, making me far more suspicious.

    "You serious? One million dollars just for playing a few games?" I exclaimed. It was surprising to hear, but I couldn''t entirely trust the man or his proposition.

    The man reached into his suit and pulled out numerous photos. He handed them over to me. The images featured different people holding briefcases full of money.

    "This is what becomes of our winners," The man said. I focused on the eyes of the people in the pictures. Although the people smiled, their eyes seemed hollow and vacant in comparison. "Wealth. Fame. Power. It doesn''t matter what you desire. For as long as you win, anything is possible."

    "Win, huh?" I lowered the pictures down to my sides. "There''s no other way?"

    "Of course, not. I can''t just hand the money over to you,"

    "It sure would save me some time," I sighed.

    The man brought his hand up to his cheek and laughed. "I find it funny how people wish to become rich, but refuse to put in the effort to achieve it."

    I gritted my teeth and handed the pictures back over to him. "How long do I have to make the decision?"

    "Now would be nice, as I am running low on time." The man replied.

    I weighed my decisions and stroked my beard. It was a lot to consider. One million dollars would be more than enough to pay off the IRS and stop the foreclosure of Maynard''s Bar. However, something about the games the mysterious man mentioned didn''t quite sit well with me.

    I wouldn''t be the only one playing in the games, and the man was vague about everything concerning the events. If I accepted the man''s proposal, there would be no going back. I would be in it for the long haul.

    It was all or nothing.

    "Why the hesitation, Ambrose? It''s one million dollars," The man continued to goad me into making a decision. "Are you that deep in the hole that such a measly sum isn''t enough for you?"

    Measly sum? Is that how he saw it? The bastard had so much money that one million dollars meant nothing to him? If that was the case, then I take great pleasure in taking that money from him.

    "I''ll do it. I''ll play your stupid games and take home one million dollars." I declared.

    The man smiled and extended his arm out for a handshake. I hesitated for a moment but eventually shook the man''s hand to seal the deal.

    "Well said," The man smiled. "By the way, I never introduced myself. My name is Trent. What''s your name?"

    "Troy Ambrose," I introduced myself.

    "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ambrose. Let''s have fun playing these games together," Trent suddenly pulled me in close. Almost immediately, a sharp pain reached the back of my neck. I shoved the man away and caught a glimpse of the needle in his hand.

    The world around me distorted, twisting, and twirling in rapid succession. In a desperate attempt to escape, I swung at the laughing bastard. Trent moved out of the way, and I stumbled to the ground. Eventually, the darkness overcame me as I lost consciousness.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 2 - Serendipity!

    My eyes snapped open. The upper half of my body shot up from the ground in a state of panic. I didn¡¯t know where I was or how I even got there. I frantically scanned the area and took quick mental notes of my surroundings while in the barely lit room.

    Sweat poured down my face. Breathing proved difficult. I undid my tie and allowed it to hang loosely around the collar of my shirt.

    Only a single source of light was in the room¡ªa light bulb that dangled from the ceiling, illuminating a single door with the number twelve painted on it. I racked my brain trying to remember what had happened to me. The last few events that I could remember was the IRS foreclosing on our bar, Maynard telling me to give up on saving it, and then the bastard Tanet injecting me with something to knock me out.

    I clenched my fists at the thought of Tanet. That bastard was going to pay for what he did. I felt insulted by the arrogance shown by that man. He didn¡¯t even bother to tie me down. A mistake he would soon learn to regret.

    I rummaged through my pockets in search of my cell phone. Nothing. Of course, Tanet took it. With no other options, I approached the door. First, I placed my ear against it. Quiet voices came from the other side. It was difficult to pinpoint what was said.

    Testing my luck, I moved my hand to the doorknob then gave it a little turn. Strangely enough, it was unlocked.

    I remained on my guard.

    The possibility of there being a trap on the other side was quite high. But, I refused to sit back and wait for my kidnappers to return ¡ª especially when I had no idea when that would happen. I slowly pushed the door open, keeping an eye out for any tripwire or anything else out of the ordinary.

    There was nothing. There were no traps rigged to the door.

    I quickly rushed out of the room and tackled the first person in my line of sight. It so happened to be a teenager in a green hoodie.

    "Where''s Tanet?!" I shouted as I wrapped my fingers around the boy''s throat. "Tell me where he is right now!"

    "I can''t do that while you''re choking me!" The kid struggled to say with a rasped voice. He moved his hands onto my wrists and tried to remove them from his throat. "We''re friendlies! We''re friendlies!"

    "Enough!" A firm hand grasped my shoulder from behind. I looked and found an aged man in a medical coat standing behind me with a fierce scowl as if he planned to strike me if I didn''t release the kid.

    "Damn it! Why''d you have to get in the way, Doc?! We were just about to see something good!" A pale-skinned girl with an extravagant and outrageous Mohawk hairstyle that matched her punk rock appearance stood to her feet with a frown.

    I eased up my chokehold on the kid as he removed his hands from my wrists. When I stood up and backed away from him; the kid rubbed his hand across his neck.

    "Something good?! That psychopath almost killed me!" The kid complained as he pointed at me.

    "Psychopath?" I folded my arms across my chest.

    Next thing I knew, a lightly tanned skin girl with rainbows painted on her cheeks approached me while wagging her finger. She stood mere inches in front of me, continuing to wag her finger in my face as she sternly said, "Well, what do you expect to be called? You came out and suddenly tackled the poor guy! You could''ve snapped him in half!"

    I gave the green hoodied kid a quick glance. His lanky appearance certainly proved the girl''s statement. A single punch to any part of his body would probably shatter his bones.

    "Hold on a second," The kid removed his hand from his throat. "Sure, the dude caught me off guard there. But, I''m sure I could take him in a fight if I had to."

    "Sure you could, big man." The punk rock girl sarcastically commented.

    "Where are we?" I looked around the room catching glances of the other people inside of the room with me. There were eleven other strangers in total. My eyes soon landed on a middle-aged man lighting a Cuban cigar. He took a quick drag then exhaled the smoke, disregarding some of the irritable looks from the others.

    "Your guess is as good as ours. We all woke up here in those dark rooms just like yours." The old man stated, pointing his cigar toward the door in front of it. Painted on the wooden door was the number seven. I looked around again and noticed that twelve out of the thirteen doors had numbers painted on them.

    "What''s with the numbers?"

    "No idea." The rainbow girl shrugged her shoulders and shook her head in response.

    "Come on! Come on!" My attention shifted to the thirteenth door, where a dark-tanned skin woman in a red blouse pulled on the doorknob with all her might. "Why won''t this thing open?!"

    The woman''s hands slipped from the doorknob. She fell back into the arms of a tall, sharply dressed man in shades. He quickly helped the woman steady herself.

    "Are you okay? Perhaps you should not mess with the door anymore." The man suggested.

    ¡°I think that she should continue,¡± The Doctor interjected, ¡°at least she is trying to get us out of here.¡±

    "I''mma side with Doc on this one. I''m starting to get hungry. If no food arrives soon, I just might hafta settle for eating some of you." The punk rock girl said as she rubbed her stomach. Her eyes scanned each of us. Her tongue slowly and menacingly traced her lips.

    "I don''t think you want to eat me, little girl." The old man said. "I''ll make you sick."

    A blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman stepped forward. She kept her feet close together and her arms around her noticeably large chest.

    "Please don''t joke about cannibalism." She begged.

    ¡°Who¡¯s joking, Funbags?¡± The punk rock girl looked over at the young woman with another menacing expression. The woman shrieked in terror and hid behind the rainbow girl.

    ¡°Oh, are you going to eat someone? Damn it! The one day I forget to bring my camera with me!¡± The rainbow girl slammed the palm of her hand against her forehead.

    The blonde-haired woman peered her head out from behind the girl and asked, ¡°You¡¯re not going to let her eat the others, are you, Iris?"

    ¡°The others should be able to handle themselves, Elena,¡± Iris assured the young woman.

    ¡°That''s messed up! If that girl goes batshit crazy on us, you''re just gonna stand there and watch?!" Exclaimed the kid in the green hoodie.

    Iris¡¯ eyebrows furrowed as she leaned forward and firmly placed her hands on her hips. ¡°You¡¯re a man, aren¡¯t you? Can¡¯t you take care of yourself in a crisis?"

    ¡°Of course, I can! But, hitting a girl is wrong, you know?"

    An inhuman smile appeared on the face of the punk rock girl. A Cheshire smile that unnerved my entire being the longer I looked at her. The young girl set her sights on the kid in the green hoodie as she said, "So, you''re one of those, huh? I''ll kill you first."

    "B-Bring it! I won''t get killed!" The kid raised his fists. They shook uncontrollably. His stance was piss poor. He''d never been in a fight before in his life.

    The Doctor clapped his hands together to gather everyone''s attention. Afterward, he brought his hands up to his head then rubbed his temples. "Enough with the nonsense already! Focus everyone! We are trapped in this room, and we cannot get out!" He remindedeveryone, trying to make them understand to the graveness of the situation.

    Iris¡¯ eyes appeared to sparkle after the Doctor spoke. She sharply turned around then raised her arm above her head. ¡°That sounds like an awesome movie title. Trapped in a room and can¡¯t get out, coming soon to a theater near you.¡±

    Nothing but silence greeted her joke.

    ¡°Does anyone useful plan to contribute to the conversation?¡± The Doctor turned his head away from Iris, deciding not to pay the young girl any mind. He scanned the room then set his sights on a man in the back of the room. The man appeared to be in his late thirties, and he wore a cheap looking suit with noticeable stains on it. "You! You have not done anything since you came out of your room. Why not try messing with the door?"

    The man in the cheap suit tilted his head back and crossed his arms over his chest, reclining against the nearest wall. "Now, why would I want to do that?"

    "Do you not want to escape?"

    The cheap suit shook his head. "No, not really. I think it''s best just to wait here."

    The Doctor turned his head away from the man and mumbled a little swear under his breath. That much I could tell. His sights soon settled on a woman that secluded herself at the farthest corner of the room, immersed in the book in her hand.

    "How about you?" The Doctor called out to the woman. "You have not said a word to anyone since you came out. Anything you would like to contribute?"

    The woman flipped to the next page in her book then looked up. Immediately, I found myself captivated by her cold, emotionless eyes. They reminded me of the pictures Tanet showed me back at the bar. I snapped myself out of my trance once the woman returned to the realm of her book.

    A groan of frustration escaped from the Doctor before he moved his attention to the last person in the room. It was a woman in a trench coat. She had her back turned to the group as she patted down the walls.

    "Good to know that at least someone is trying to escape." He said.

    "Keyword is trying. I haven''t found anything yet." The trench coat woman said.

    rigin()/pre00/fcf1/th/pre/f/2018/007/f/b/player_number_11__zoey_galen_by_darknouva-dblyvew.png" alt="Player Number 11, Zoey Galen by DarkNouva"></a>

    "Just keep trying, please."

    "Must be nice on that high horse of yours, Doc." The punk rock girl mockingly commented.

    "What do you mean?"

    "I haven''t seen you try to lift a finger, and yet, you''re barking orders at everyone else. How about you get off your lazy ass and doing something?" She pointed at him with one hand then shifted her attention to her nails.

    "You have not done anything as well." The Doctor pointed out.

    "I''m not tryna escape. Don''t wanna."

    "Same." The cheap suit suddenly sided with the punk rock girl. "We were all brought here because we want the money, right?"

    "Yeah, I want the money. But, staying cooped up in here is driving me crazy." The green hoodie kid placed his hands on sides of his head.

    "There is no other means of escape except for the thirteenth door." The man in shades pointed out. All eyes moved to the mysterious thirteenth door.

    "I already tried to open it. It won''t budge." The woman in the red blouse complained.

    ¡°So, do we just sit here and wait for the thirteenth door to open?¡± Elena asked.

    ¡°Exactly! That sounds like a great plan!¡± Iris exclaimed.

    It may have sounded like a great plan. However, there was a question there that no one had yet bothered to ask. Since it seemed like no one else would do it, the task fell on me.

    ¡°But, when does the thirteenth door open?¡± I suddenly asked.

    The room fell silent. Everyone exchanged glances with one another. No one knew for sure as to when the door would open, or even if it would open at all for that matter. As far as they were concerned, the door would stay locked forever until we all died from starvation.

    ¡°Are we going to die in this room?¡± The green hoodie kid nervously asked.

    ¡°You might.¡± The punk rock girl replied harshly.

    ¡°Wait! Why only me?¡± He panicked.

    ¡°Now, now, there is no need to panic. No one is going to die in this room.¡± The man in shades assured everyone to calm them down and ease the situation.

    "You sure about that, Shades?" The girl continued with her taunting.

    "Unfortunately, death may occur. We were told that we would be gambling with our lives here." The Doctor mentioned.

    "So, this is part of the game?" Elena asked.

    "What do you think the goal is? Get through the thirteenth door?" Iris suggested.

    "It''s possible." The old man shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then let¡¯s just ram the damn door down.¡± I approached the thirteenth door. Everyone stood aside and anxiously watched me, waiting to see the results of my tactic. The door didn¡¯t look all that sturdy. One shoulder tackle should¡¯ve been enough to take it down. I steeled myself then rushed to the door.

    It suddenly swung open, knocking me flat on my ass in front of the group. Laughter instantly filled the room as most the people pointed at me with mocking smiles. While they were busy laughing, a man in a black blazer and fedora entered the room with a bright smile on his face.

    ¡°Welcome players to the spectacular facility of entertainment, Serendipity! Where dreams and desires are granted to those determined enough to fight for them!¡± The man politely bowed to us.

    ¡°Serendipity?¡± The Doctor repeated.

    ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± The punk rock girl pointed to the strange man.

    ¡°Oh, how rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself,¡± The man removed his fedora then politely bowed to us in a smooth motion as if practiced thousands of times before. ¡°My name is Caius. I will be the Game Moderator. It will be my job to oversee the games, the players, and ensure that things proceed smoothly. I hope that we can all get along and have fun playing these games together.¡±

    "Uh-huh..." The punk rock girl placed one hand on her hip, suspiciously staring the man down as he straightened his posture.

    "Now then, I will explain the rules of the game in a nutshell. For the next few days, you will all be living here, playing various games for the chance to win one million dollars with your lives on the line.¡±

    ¡°Hold on," Elena slowly raised her hand. "You''re not serious about the lives on the line part, are you? We''re not really putting our lives on the line here, right?"

    "Nope. We''re gambling with our real lives here for real money, Funbags." The punk rock girl shattered Elena''s fragile delusion of the situation. Even when the blonde-haired woman lowered her head, letting out a saddened whimper, I felt no sympathy. No one did other than Iris.

    I didn''t bother. I doubted the woman would last long in the game anyway.

    ¡°Now onto the next order of business.¡± With a snap of Caius'' fingers, twelve people in black suits entered the room. They stood in front of the Game Moderator. In one hand lied a small, black box. In the other, was a little red book with the wordrulesetched on it. On his command, the black boxes were opened, revealing high-tech bracelets with screens located in the center.

    The black suits approached us then clamped the bracelets on our wrists. Immediately, the screen on my bracelet turned on. The number ten appeared on it. I glanced up and inspected the bracelets of the others.

    It was the same for them.

    Afterward, we were handed the small, red books.

    ¡°What is with the bracelets and the books?¡± The Doctor asked while inspecting the bracelet on his wrist.

    ¡°I am glad that you asked that question, Wyatt. The bracelets act as a multi-functioning tool here in Serendipity. Mainly, however, they are used to hold your gambling points¡ªGP for short. They display the number of points you have left while participating in the games.¡± Caius replied.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Wyatt looked at the bracelet and nodded in response, ultimately accepting the answer.

    ¡°This makes a nice fashion accessory.¡± Iris inspected the bracelet on her arm, admiring it.

    ¡°So, these bracelets only tell us how many points we have? How boring.¡± The punk rock girl voiced her complaints.

    ¡°The bracelets do a lot more than that, Melanie. Consider these bracelets and GP act as your lifeline. Should any of you run out of points, the bracelet will inject a lethal poison into your bloodstream and kill you." Caius happily announced.

    The room grew deathly silent once the man mentioned the penalty. Despite the man''s cheerful, unconcerned tone, no one doubted his words. I accepted them as law without hesitation. I didn''t want to challenge him on his announcement.

    ¡°Lethal poison? No way man! Fuck this noise! I want out of here!¡± The green hoodie kid panicked again. He grabbed onto the bracelet and attempted to remove it from his wrist.

    ¡°I would not do that if I were you, Darius. If you attempt to remove or destroy the bracelet forcibly, you will be disqualified and killed by lethal injection.¡± Caius quickly warned him.

    Darius cringed in fear then ceased with his attempts to remove the bracelet.

    "Now that''s more like it." Melanie flashed her inhumane smile again.

    ¡°Hey," The cheap suit stepped forward. "You mentioned running out of points earlier. How does that happen?"

    "Each day, two players will be selected to face each other in a game. Before a game can be played, GP must be offered. At the end of the game, the winning player will be awarded points gambled away from the loser." Caius answered.

    The man in shades folded his arms across his chest then heaved a heavy sigh. "So, that is where the gambling part comes in. The winners will live while the losers will die."

    "And since there are twelve of us, and there can only be one winner, we can expect to be here for at least twelve days." The old man added.

    Wyatt looked at him then scowled. ¡°Twelve days? I cannot stay here for that long! Can we not play all the games today?!" He looked at Caius with pleading eyes.

    However, the Game Moderator remained unfazed. No. That wasn''t right. The man was fazed. But, not in the way Wyatt expected. Caius flashed an inhuman smile of his own that rivaled the creepiness of Melanie''s. Goosebumps covered my entire body at the sight of it.

    "Not possible, Wyatt. Only one game a day. Those are the rules." Caius stated.

    Wyatt¡¯s heart must have sunk once he heard those words. He slumped over then clutched his head, letting out a disgruntled noise.

    Twelve days.

    We would be playing games for twelve days. I didn¡¯t mind staying there for that long since my time limit was two weeks. But still, twelve days was cutting it close.

    ¡°And to correct what Nicholas had mentioned earlier, it is possible for the losers of the games to survive,¡±

    ¡°Really? How is that possible?¡± The trench coat woman asked.

    ¡°As I said before, to play a game, GP must be offered. I did not say it had to be all of it. The players have free reign to choose how many points they wish to gamble."

    "So, if we just gamble one point and lose, we''ll be fine?" The green hoodie kid asked.

    "That is correct, Darius." Caius gave the kid a thumbs up.

    Hope had been offered to us ¡ª the players. If we only offered up one point each day, no one would be in danger of dying. Simple.

    "If the goal is to take points away from the other players, then the one with the most points at the end is the winner, right? They get the million dollars?" Melanie inquired.

    "Correct, Melanie."

    "What about second place?" I asked. "Does second place get a consolation prize?"

    "Are you asking if other places get any money? If so, then yes. It is possible for everyone here to survive and leave with large sums of money." Caius nodded his head.

    "Holy shit! Seriously?!" Darius exclaimed.

    "The purpose of the points is to rank the players. First place will receive one million dollars, second place, nine-hundred thousand dollars, third place, eight-hundred thousand dollars, and so forth.¡±

    ¡°So, to get more money, we need more points. Sounds easy enough to me.¡± The cheap suit man said.

    ¡°Since we all have the same amount of points right now. How much money do we all start off with?¡± The woman in the red blouse asked.

    ¡°Absolutely nothing, Henrika. You are all tied for first place. Until there is a definite leader between you all, no money will distribute among you.¡± Caius shook his head.

    ¡°Um, excuse me?¡± Elena nervously raised her hand above her head to gain Caius¡¯ attention. ¡°So hypothetically speaking¡­if we all earn more points and we¡¯re satisfied with the amount that we have, can we leave with the money that we earned?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But, you can only do that after a game has finished. Once that happens, we have a vote the following day to see how many players wish to continue or leave.¡±

    Elena¡¯s face brightened up.

    Wyatt heaved a sigh of relief before he said, ¡°Oh, thank god. So, it is possible for us to leave this place as early as tomorrow then?¡±

    ¡°That is correct. However, that is only the case if all players wish to leave. If all but one player wishes to continue playing, then everyone will still have to remain here.¡± Caius informed everyone, once again mercilessly crushing any form of hope that we had of escape.

    ¡°What? That¡¯s not fair! Whatever happened to majority rules? Don¡¯t we live in a freaking democracy?¡± Darius exclaimed.

    The game moderator turned his head then smiled again. ¡°Oh, we live in a democracy, but as of now, I am the one in charge of it since I am the game moderator.¡±

    ¡°No need to panic. We all just have to vote to leave for tomorrow.¡± Iris assured everyone.

    ¡°You make it sound so easy, Iris. Do you believe that it will be that easy to leave this place?¡± Caius¡¯ happy and cheerful tone suddenly went dark and menacing. ¡°Have you ever heard that money is the root of all evil?¡±

    ¡°He is right. It is possible that greed will get the best of some of us. Some of us may want to test our luck and continue playing to win even more money,¡± said Nicholas.

    ¡°Another important rule to keep in mind, when the games are in motion, all players must be in attendance to witness the game. If a single player is missing, then that missing player will be disqualified and killed by lethal injection.¡± Caius added.

    "What is it with you and these insane rules?!" Darius exclaimed.

    "Punctuality is very serious, Darius."

    "I know I don''t wanna die for being late." The cheap suit said.

    "It is a simple enough rule to follow," Wyatt claimed.

    "More like it''s a means to keep us all in line," I said.

    "Call it whatever you like, Ambrose." Caius turned his back to the group. The people in black suits stepped aside, clearing a path for us. "Now then, follow me. I will give you all the grand tour of Serendipity before the games begin."

    Caius left the room.

    ¡°We can do this, right? We just have to play for one day, and then we can all leave with our lives intact and one million dollars.¡± Darius nervously said as he looked to everyone for confirmation.

    ¡°I¡¯d very much like that.¡± Elena nodded.

    ¡°Same here.¡± Iris agreed to the plan.

    ¡°Don''t get your hopes up." The old man warned. He dropped his cigar on the ground then crushed it under his foot. "Things won''t go so smoothly."

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any plans on dying for today or anytime soon,¡± Henrika spoke with much conviction.

    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s easy to say that you¡¯re not gonna die. But when it finally comes down to it, you have no control of your life.¡± Melanie stated with a deadpan expression.

    ¡°Let us all work together to make sure that we will survive this game,¡± Nicholas suggested.

    ¡°I am with you.¡± Wyatt nodded his head in agreement with the suggestion.

    ¡°Understood. We shall leave this place tomorrow after the vote.¡± Leona said.

    Everyone formed a single file line then followed Caius through the thirteenth door. We wandered down a long corridor, eventually reaching the end where a lone elevator awaited us. One by one we entered. Surprisingly, there was enough space for all of us.

    Caius hit the button on the elevator, and we ascended.

    "What''s with the elevator, Caius? Did you have us cooped up in a basement the entire time?" The woman in the red blouse complained.

    "Please forgive me for my lack of hospitality, Henrika. Rest assured that you all will be accommodated for your troubles." Caius mentioned.

    "Accommodated with what? Women? Booze?" The cheap suit leaned forward, the wretched, familiar stench of alcohol filled the elevator. Most of the players pinched their noses closed and wafted the smell away from them.

    "You''ve had enough booze, Stains! Your breath smells rank!" Melanie complained.

    The cheap suit moved his hand in front of his face and breathed on it. Then, he smelled his hand and shrugged his shoulders.

    The elevator soon stopped, and the doors opened. We stepped out and marveled at how elegant and lavish the room looked. The environment was colorful and unique compared to the basement we were held in. It had the essential commodities. A large screen television resided in one corner of the room with a large sofa in front of it. Bookcases rested against the wall to the far left. Surround sound speakers and plants were set here and there. And a large glass window at the farthest wall of the room. Beyond the window was a large room.

    The most predominant feature about it was that it looked like a giant grid. The floor, walls, and ceiling were separated in square panels.

    "Holy shit! This place is amazing! Look, look, there''s a huge television!" Darius raced across the room and stopped in front of the television. "I bet I can watch like twenty different channels on this thing at once!"

    "Oh yeah, way better than that stuffy apartment!" Melanie made herself comfortable on the sofa, lying across it with her feet kicked up.

    Iris approached the sofa with Elena tagging close behind.

    "Hey, make some room for us!" Iris demanded.

    "Fuck off!" Melanie flicked them off, showing no intention of moving.

    The old man walked over to the bookcases then read the books along with the girl in glasses. While they seemed to immerse themselves in the luxuries of the room, the others and I remained cautious. Keeping us in a dusty old basement and then moving us to a luxurious place to relax seemed too suspicious.

    ¡°Do not get too comfortable here. This is how they are planning to keep us here even longer.¡± Wyatt warned the others.

    ¡°Stay with me, everyone. We have to get the tour out of the way.¡± Caius called. Everyone reluctantly followed the man around Serendipity. He led us through one of the hallways, stopping alongside one of the six doors that lined the wall. ¡°On this side of the facility, half of you will stay here. As you can see by the plaques near the doors, these rooms belong to players one through six.¡±

    Wyatt approached the door then grabbed the doorknob. He gave it a few turns. The door didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°It is locked.¡± He stated as he removed his hand from the doorknob.

    ¡°If you had waited, Wyatt, you would learn that you cannot open that door through ordinary means,¡± Caius informed.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Caius pointed to a machine that resided on the door underneath the plaque. ¡°Hold the screen of your bracelet over the scanner.¡±

    Wyatt followed the instructions and held his bracelet over the scanner. A holographic light emitted from the scanner and washed over the bracelet. Once it disappeared, the screen on the scanner turned from red to green. Wyatt turned the doorknob again and smiled once the door opened.

    Everyone stepped inside and inspected the room. Surprisingly, it was just as fancy as the lobby. It was more like we were trapped in a five-star hotel than a facility.

    ¡°Incredible.¡± Darius gushed.

    Melanie pushed past everyone and jumped onto the king-sized bed. ¡°Fucking sweet! I¡¯ve always wanted a bed like this!¡±

    ¡°Get off my bed!¡± Wyatt demanded. ¡°This is not your room!¡±

    ¡°Fuck off, Doc! Lemme have my fun!¡±

    ¡°All rooms are exactly like this one. You all will be provided with a large bed, television, phone, shower, and dry cleaning.¡± Caius announced.

    ¡°Wait a minute! Did you say phone?¡± Darius got in Caius¡¯ face. ¡°Does that mean we can contact people from the outside?! Like friends? Family?¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Caius stepped away from Darius to get some space. ¡°Listed above the phone are the numbers you can call in the facility. Mainly you can call other players, the security team, or me if you wish to go over the rules.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Darius hung his head and stepped away.

    ¡°Now, let us continue with the tour,¡± Caius ordered. Everyone left the room. The Game Moderator led us to the next room. ¡°This is the Lounge.¡±

    The cheap suit walked over to the bar area located in the corner of the room. He walked around the bar counter and admired the elegant bottles of alcohol on the shelves. He crossed his arms and smiled.

    ¡°Jackpot, baby. Wouldn¡¯t mind spending a few days to finish all this off.¡± He removed a few bottles from the shelves and placed them on the counter.

    ¡°Any Bourbon or Scotch?¡± Salomon approached the counter.

    ¡°How about Jack Daniels?¡± I approached the counter as well. All three of us poured ourselves our drinks. In one go, we downed said drinks. The soothing taste of Jack Daniels eased some of my anxiety. If there were alcohol, perhaps my stay in Serendipity wouldn¡¯t be so bad.

    ¡°Try not to make yourselves too comfortable. We still have a tour to complete.¡± Caius motioned for us to move on.

    Frederick shrugged his shoulders then picked up a bottle of Gin, taking it along with him while Salomon and I left our drinks on the counter.

    ¡°You really gonna take that with you, Stains?¡± Melanie asked.

    ¡°What? He didn¡¯t say that it was against the rules.¡± Frederick said before he took a swig of the Gin.

    Caius led everyone further down the hallway, bringing us into a mess hall. Twelve large rows of connecting tables lined either side of the room.

    ¡°Here is the Dining Hall,¡± Caius announced. ¡°Through the door on the far other side of the room is the kitchen.¡±

    ¡°Will we have Chefs cook meals for us?¡± Henrika asked.

    ¡°Chefs will be provided.¡± Caius nodded.

    Iris stepped forward, letting out a scoff. ¡°What do we need Chefs for? I¡¯ll cook for us.¡±

    ¡°Rainbows is gonna cook for us? Yeah, no. Probably want a real Chef making my food.¡± Melanie shot down the suggestion immediately. No one else in the group seemed too eager to accept the girl¡¯s proposal either.

    ¡°Do you have any culinary skills, Iris?¡± asked Elena.

    ¡°You bet!¡± Iris confidently nodded her head. Her eyes beamed with certainty as she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve ranked top three in all my culinary classes! Let me in that kitchen, and I¡¯ll whip up something delicious!¡±

    ¡°That will have to wait for another time, Iris. Moving on.¡± Caius led everyone out of the room. The Game Moderator took us down another hallway, pointing out the rooms as we passed them by. ¡°On this side of the facility is the Art room, Infirmary, and Women¡¯s restroom.¡±

    ¡°What about the men¡¯s restroom?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°Why¡¯re you asking? You¡¯ll be using the women¡¯s restroom like the rest of the girls.¡± Melanie berated.

    Darius turned sharply to face the punk rock girl. ¡°I¡¯m a man, damn it!¡±

    Melanie stopped and looked Darius up and down. From her snarky expression, she didn¡¯t seem impressed. ¡°Really? From I¡¯ve seen so far, you need to grow a pair. You¡¯ve been bitching and moaning the whole time we¡¯ve been here.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me for being scared, alright? We¡¯re trapped here for God knows how long!¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s an excuse for being a bitch? No other man here spazzed out like you did.¡± Melanie tilted her head back and smirked. ¡°You really proved your manliness when you got tackled earlier. Screamed like a bitch, cowering, covering your face. Must¡¯ve been embarrassing.¡±

    Darius¡¯ face turned red from embarrassment. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault! I was taken by surprise!¡± He suddenly pointed at me. ¡°This psychopath attacked me for no reason! Anyone would lose to him since he resorts to cheap shots and sneak attacks to win his fights!¡±

    ¡°Cheap shots? Sneak attacks? The fuck are you talking about?¡± I asked.

    That son of a bitch had no idea what he was doing. I had to use cheap shots and sneak attacks to win my fights?

    Far from it.

    If I wanted to fight someone, I¡¯d make it clear one way or the other.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t remember?¡± Darius got in my face. ¡°You burst outta your room and tackled me without warning! Then, you strangled me!¡±

    ¡°Get out of my face,¡± I demanded.

    ¡°What? Couldn¡¯t wait for me to get back on my feet? You had to try and take me out while I was down?¡±

    ¡°Last warning.¡±

    ¡°Was I that much of a threat to you? Honestly, you¡¯re the one that looked like the bit¡ª¡±

    I saw nothing but red.

    For a moment, I lost control of my senses. When I snapped out of it, Darius was on the floor, covering his face. My fist throbbed, and blood stained it. His pained, muffled screams reached my ears. But, I didn¡¯t care. I lowered my fist and wiped his blood on my pants.

    ¡°Told you.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god!¡± Elena hid behind Iris.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± Iris exclaimed.

    ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s what I like to see! Finish him!¡± Melanie cheered.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Henrika stood in front of me, glaring at me with eyes of contempt. Eyes like those did not affect me.

    ¡°He started it,¡± I said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care who started it! I¡¯m ending it!¡± She put her foot down.

    A common phrase. One frequently used by my mother. I looked away from Henrika and set my sights on Darius. The kid was helped to his feet by Wyatt and Nicholas. Blood dripped from his nose. It didn¡¯t seem broken.

    ¡°Well, that did not last long. How disappointing.¡± Caius said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Nicholas asked.

    ¡°One of the rules stated in your rulebooks is that physical violence is prohibited outside of the game room. Anyone caught physically harming someone will be punished. And the punishment for violating that rule, or any rule for that matter, is death.¡± Caius callously revealed. Although there wasn¡¯t a hint of joy in his voice, his eyes told a different story. The man reached into his pocket then pulled out a tablet. He turned it on and showed us the screen. Pictures of the others and me were displayed. ¡°With just a push of a button, I can activate your bracelets, and have you killed.¡±

    ¡°W-Wait a second! I didn¡¯t know about the rule!¡± I said.

    ¡°Do it! Push the button! Kill him!¡± Melanie cheered.

    ¡°Hold on! Don¡¯t you think this is a little much?¡± Iris stepped forward. ¡°Yeah, things got a little heated. But, it was only a punch.¡±

    ¡°I agree. While I do not condone the act of violence, I do not think it is fair to kill someone for breaking a rule they did not know existed.¡± Wyatt had come to my defense as well.

    ¡°Rules are meant to be followed for a reason. Why do any of you think the no physical violence rule was created?¡± Caius inquired.

    ¡°To prevent a bloodbath, right?¡± Leona deduced.

    ¡°Right on the money.¡± Caius nodded his head in confirmation. ¡°Sure, this time it was a punch. But, who is to say that it will not escalate next time? We must nip the problem in the bud.¡±

    ¡°And that bud turns out to be him.¡± Salomon looked at me.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± I said.

    ¡°I am very serious, Ambrose.¡± Caius hovered his finger over my picture. My heart rate increased ten-fold. It was coming¡ªmy death. Because of my anger issues, I was going to die before I even had a chance to save the bar.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know about the fucking rule! Cut me some slack!¡± I desperately pleaded. Once again, I was forced to show weakness. No matter where I was or who I was with, I¡¯d never been the one in control. That¡¯s just how it worked in my life.

    ¡°Cut you some slack? After what you did to poor Darius? What kind of Game Moderator would I be if I allowed such a heinous act to go unpunished?¡±

    I looked back and forth between Caius and Darius. Caius seemed all too eager to push my button and have me killed on the spot. Darius, on the other hand, remained silent and looked away from me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take whatever punishment you want. As long as it doesn¡¯t involve me dying.¡± I negotiated.

    My words brought a sly smirk onto the Game Moderator¡¯s face. ¡°Tell you what, Ambrose. I may consider sparing your life if you beg me.¡±

    I tensed up.

    ¡°Beg?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes. Beg for your life. It is important to you, is it not? Prove it to me and everyone here.¡±

    Those were my options. Beg or death. I didn¡¯t want to do either of those things.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it! C¡¯mon! Take your punishment like a man!¡± Melanie demanded.

    ¡°It¡¯s a simple choice,¡± Frederick added before he took a swig of his Gin.

    ¡°Come on! Hurry up and do it! Pride isn¡¯t worth your life!¡± Iris said.

    ¡°Just get it over with,¡± Wyatt ordered.

    ¡°Well, Ambrose? What is it going to be?¡± Caius asked.

    I gritted my teeth, knowing precisely what I had to do. The bar took priority over everything else¡ªeven my pride. I dropped down on all fours and lowered my head to Caius.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill me. I¡¯ll follow the rules.¡± I begged.

    ¡°Oh, shit! He really did it!¡± Melanie exclaimed.

    ¡°There! He did it! Let him live like you promised!¡± Elena pleaded.

    ¡°I do not recall promising to let him live,¡± Caius said. I quickly stood up and glared at the bastard. If he truly intended to kill me no matter what, then the most I could do was try and take him down with me. Like hell, I¡¯d go down without a fight.

    ¡°What?!¡± I shouted.

    ¡°I said that I might spare his life.¡± Caius reminded.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t fair!¡± Henrika complained.

    ¡°Life isn¡¯t fair! C¡¯mon! Kill him!¡± Melanie demanded.

    ¡°Settle down everyone. It was just a joke.¡± Caius put away the tablet. At that moment, all my anxiety washed away. All the weight on my shoulders was lifted. The threat of death disappeared. But, only for that moment. ¡°After seeing how far Ambrose was willing to throw away to live, I have decided not to kill him.¡±

    Melanie smacked her lips and crossed his arms. ¡°Damn it. Oh well, at least I got the chance to see a grown ass man get down on all fours again, begging like a bitch.¡±

    Oh, how I wanted to strike that bitch. Throughout my entire ordeal, she had done nothing but try and incite my death. If we were going to stay in the same facility, I foresaw nothing but trouble ahead. That girl was going to be a problem.

    ¡°Let this incident be a warning to all of you. Serendipity has state of the art security systems. Every room minus the bathrooms have cameras. So, next time someone breaks a rule, punishment will be administered.¡± Caius warned. Afterward, he continued with the tour as if nothing happened. Soon enough, the tour ended when he brought us all back to the Lobby. ¡°And that makes the end of our tour! I hope you all enjoy your stay here!¡±

    ¡°So, what happens next?¡± Wyatt inquired.

    ¡°We begin with a game, of course. I will randomly select two players from my tablet. Whoever is selected will be the first participants in the games.¡± Caius pulled out his tablet then pressed a button. He turned the screen towards us and showed the selection process. The pictures of the players rapidly appeared on the screen, eventually stopping on Klara and Frederick. ¡°Congratulations! The first game will be played by Klara Ismene and Frederick Lukas!¡±

    ¡°Well, shit.¡± Frederick finished off the rest of his Gin. ¡°So, just gamble one point, and we¡¯ll be fine, right? No problem.¡± The man tossed his bottle over his shoulder. It flew across the room then shattered against the wall.

    ¡°Hey! Watch it! That nearly hit me!¡± Darius complained.

    Frederick ignored Darius then approached Klara. He extended his arm out for a handshake. ¡°What do you say? Wanna have fun playing this game, honey?¡±

    Klara didn¡¯t respond. She kept her attention on the book in her hands. Frederick smacked his lips then retracted his hand.

    ¡°Now that the players have been selected, I will go fetch the game wheel. Please wait here until I return.¡± Caius quickly left the room. Everyone waited around in silence, unsure of what to do until the games started.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 3 - The First Game!

    It had begun.

    Caius, the Game Moderator, set the games in motion. Out of the twelve players, Klara McClain and Frederick Lukas were the first ones selected. They left with the man out of the room and abandoned the others and me to wait in the lobby anxiously.

    Despite the stress, everyone must¡¯ve felt about the intensity of our situation, the uncomfortable silence in the room was far more unbearable. No one attempted to speak with one another.

    How could they?

    Regardless of our predicament, we were a bunch of strangers trapped in a survival game. We were all enemies aiming for the grand prize of one million dollars.

    The silence soon vanished once Caius¡¯ annoying voice came over the intercom above our heads, ¡°Is everyone ready for the first game to begin?¡±

    ¡°This is gonna be fun,¡± Melanie eagerly approached the large, glass window and watched as Frederick and Klara entered the game room from opposite sides.

    Upon their entry, the grid panels on the floor shined brightly, forcing the players to shield their eyes and look away. The light diminished, and the floor pattern on the ground dramatically changed. It appeared as if Klara and Frederick stood on a giant gameboard.

    ¡°Player number three, Klara McClain, and player number ten, Frederick Lukas have offered their GP! Now the first game of Ludo shall commence!¡± Caius joyous announced.

    Klara and Frederick looked down at their hands. A die rested in their palms. Neither of them appeared shaken up about the game.

    Frederick seemed all too eager, putting his life on the line as he casually tossed the die up and down in his hand. He caught the object one last time and showed it to Klara with a grin.

    ¡°Games with dice are my specialty. So, no hard feelings when I win, sweetcheeks.¡± He proudly said. ¡°Since I¡¯m a gentleman, I¡¯ll let you go first.¡±

    Klara shared no enthusiasm for the man¡¯s remarks. However, she accepted the man¡¯s offer and made the first roll of the game. It landed on a three.

    ¡°Oh! What a shame! Klara is unable to leave the player yard! The next turn goes to Frederick!¡± Caius announced.

    ¡°Better luck next time?¡± Frederick sneered and made his roll. The die landed on a six. He smirked at the sight of it and stepped into the yard.

    ¡°What tremendous luck! Frederick¡¯s first roll lands him in the starting area! He earns himself another turn!¡± Caius revealed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± said Elena from the couch. She looked around flummoxed over the turn of events. ¡°How come Klara can¡¯t leave from her spot?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t played Ludo before?¡± wondered Salomon as he lit up another cigar in the corner of the room. He proceeded to explain once the blonde-haired woman shook her head in response, ¡°It¡¯s a simple game. Players have to use dice to move around the board and reach the home goal in the center. The players start the game in their separate yards and can¡¯t leave until they roll a six.¡±

    ¡°Luck must be on Frederick¡¯s side to land a six on the first roll,¡± Elena noted.

    ¡°Rolling a six gets you on the board and earns you another turn?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Salomon confirmed with a nod of his head.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very fair,¡± complained Darius. ¡°What happens if someone only rolls sixes?¡±

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Wyatt declared with a stern shake of his head. ¡°No one can continuously roll sixes for an entire game.¡±

    ¡°Not without cheating,¡± I pointed out.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. If on the third turn someone rolls a six, then that turn is skipped.¡± Salomon educated everyone.

    ¡°Lucky me.¡± Frederick shrugged his shoulders and then collected his die. Per the rules of the game, he earned himself another roll.

    Frederick made it and smiled as he got another six. He picked up the die and proceeded six spaces on the board. Afterward, he went for the third time in a row.

    Another six.

    ¡°That¡¯s it for me,¡± Frederick shrugged his shoulders and remained in place.

    ¡°Well, shit, Stains did it,¡± Melanie said.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this game supposed to be luck and chance?¡± Darius looked around to the other players for assurance.

    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be,¡± Salomon took a drag from his cigar.

    Once Klara¡¯s turn came around, the woman made her roll. She didn¡¯t leave the yard since it landed on a five.

    Frederick scoffed at the sight and made his rolls. Like before, all three times, the die landed on a six. He moved further across the board.

    That pattern continued twice.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sweetcheeks? I¡¯m gonna win if you don¡¯t pick up the pace,¡± Frederick taunted with a smug grin on his face.

    To the surprise of no one, Klara remained silent and resumed with her turn despite the provocation. She stepped out from her yard once the die landed on a six.

    ¡°Okay, is anyone else suspicious about Frederick¡¯s streak of luck?¡± Darius sarcastically asked.

    ¡°Ever since his second turn,¡± Henrika said.

    ¡°That fuckin¡¯ piece of shit loaded his die! The game¡¯s rigged!¡± Melanie groaned in frustration and stepped away from the glass window.

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair! If he¡¯s cheating like this, then we should tell Caius!¡± Iris adamantly suggested.

    ¡°Is there even a punishment for someone caught cheating in the games?¡± Elena wondered.

    ¡°I doubt Caius even cares,¡± Nicholas presumed.

    ¡°Would it be wise to inform Caius?¡± All eyes suddenly landed on Zoey once she raised the question.

    ¡°Klara could die if she loses thanks to Frederick¡¯s cheating!¡± Iris pointed out.

    ¡°Possibly, but then we could also get Frederick killed if we call him out,¡± Zoey countered.

    It was a sound argument.

    From what I knew about Caius, the man was a stickler for the rules. Any violation of his laws deserved punishment, which meant death to the perpetrators. If we warned the moderator of Frederick¡¯s underhanded tactics, then execution awaited the man.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°What should we do then?¡± Darius wondered.

    ¡°Wait and see what happens,¡± Zoey coldly instructed as she moved her attention to the television screen. ¡°Everyone¡¯s aware that Frederick¡¯s cheating, but Caius hasn¡¯t stopped the game. Something¡¯s up.¡±

    ¡°Frederick¡¯s already made it halfway across the board. A few more turns and he¡¯ll lap Klara,¡± Salomon warned.

    ¡°Is that bad?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Klara will get sent back to her yard if that happens, so, maybe.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Klara has finally made it to the starting area! It¡¯s her turn again!¡± Caius announced.

    Klara retrieved her die and went again. She proceeded four spaces after she made her roll.

    ¡°Nice, I thought you¡¯d never make it on the board,¡± Frederick commented. With that, he made his rolls. To the surprise of no one, all of them fell on sixes. He maneuvered through the board, and as Salomon warned, the man lapped Klara and sent her back to the yard. ¡°My bad, Klara.¡±

    Klara ignored him and went about her turn. She stayed in her spot since it didn¡¯t land on a six.

    Frederick went and proceeded twelve spaces after his rolls. When he reached the last spot, the floor panel glowed red and electrocuted him. He convulsed violently, only to drop to his knees afterward.

    ¡°Holy shit! What happened?!¡± Darius exclaimed and jumped from his seat on the couch.

    ¡°Electrocution traps? Fuckin¡¯ sweet!¡± Melanie smiled.

    ¡°Is Frederick still alive?!¡± Iris ensured Elena¡¯s eyes got covered as she waited for a response from anyone.

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s gettin¡¯ up,¡± Melanie dully said.

    Frederick shook off the effects of the shocks and angrily shouted at the intercoms on the ceiling, ¡°What the fuck was that, Caius?!¡±

    ¡°What a shocking turn of events! You activated one of the secret traps, Frederick!¡± Caius cruelly joked. The man spared no expense to humiliate and torture the other players ¡ª a true sadist at work. ¡°Be careful when moving across the board!¡±

    Frederick mumbled a few swears while Klara went ahead with her turn. The first roll landed her out of the yard, and the second roll helped her progress five spaces. The moment her foot hit the last spot, the panel sunk into the floor, throwing the woman off balance.

    A section in the wall opened up, allowing a pendulum ax to swing out at her. Thankfully, Klara dodged. The ax swung back and forth a few times before returning to the wall.

    ¡°First electrocution traps and now a pendulum ax?¡± Nicholas grimaced at the sight of the traps. If that¡¯s how the games progressed, then I could only imagine what other horrors awaited the rest of us in the future.

    ¡°I thought no one was supposed to get hurt,¡± Elena said.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem to be the case anymore,¡± Darius said begrudgingly.

    Salomon exhaled his last puff of smoke and dropped his cigar on the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t remember a game of Ludo being this dangerous.¡±

    Zoey frowned and gripped onto her left arm. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s Caius¡¯ own sick and twisted version of it.¡±

    ¡°Fuck this game! Let¡¯s end this!¡± Frederick went through his turns, as usual. He managed to get himself to the last space before the home goal.

    Klara rolled her die and advanced four spaces. And with that, Frederick¡¯s turn came once again. The disgusting smile on his face said it all¡ªthat the one million dollar prize was all his for the taking.

    ¡°It¡¯s been fun, sweetcheeks. But I gotta get my money,¡± Frederick rolled the die and stepped into the home goal.

    ¡°I am sorry, Frederick. But, you cannot reach the goal yet. Move back,¡± Caius suddenly ordered. Frederick¡¯s jaw nearly dropped to the floor as he reluctantly moved back one space.

    ¡°What?! Why?!¡± The man desperately exclaimed.

    ¡°You cannot make it into the home goal until you make a precise roll. You are one step away from winning.¡± Caius informed.

    ¡°So, I hafta roll a one to win?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t! That¡¯s¡­¡± Frederick stopped and stared at the die in his hand.

    Melanie clutched her sides and laughed hysterically at Frederick¡¯s predicament. From everyone¡¯s understanding, the bastard had a loaded die in the game¡ªit wouldn¡¯t land on anything than a six.

    Frederick got himself trapped in that one spot.

    ¡°Stains is so fucked! Look at his face!¡± Melanie sneered at the sight of Frederick¡¯s shocked face.

    ¡°He looks frightened,¡± Elena noted.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t surprise me. Frederick won¡¯t win no matter how hard he tries,¡± I said.

    ¡°So, Klara will win, eventually,¡± Wyatt added.

    ¡°Good. Maybe then Frederick will learn that cheaters never win,¡± Darius said.

    Frederick hunched over and scratched his head frantically. It must¡¯ve been frustrating, being one step away from victory.

    The game proceeded. Klara slowly circumnavigated the board while Frederick stayed in place. Soon enough, the woman reached the final space before the home goal.

    They locked eyes¡ªboth players only one step away from absolute victory. The moment Klara raised her arm to make the final roll, Frederick dropped down to his knees in desperation.

    ¡°Wait! Klara! Please!¡± He cried out. Klara froze her arm and looked down at the pathetic man. ¡°You can¡¯t win this game! You can¡¯t! If you do, I¡¯ll die!¡±

    ¡°Look at him, cryin¡¯ like a bitch,¡± Melanie scoffed at the sight.

    ¡°What does he mean by that?¡± Elena asked.

    ¡°That idiot must¡¯ve bet all his points!¡± Iris declared.

    ¡°It appears that way,¡± Nicholas lifted his shades to his forehead.

    ¡°Is there anything anyone can do to save him?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Wyatt shook his head.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t make your roll! Give me some time to think of a way out of this! I don¡¯t wanna die! Not like this!¡± Frederick pathetically begged to the woman.

    Klara callously completed her turn. She rolled the die and watched it land on the specified number¡ªone. With that move made, the woman stepped into the home goal and won the game.

    Sections of the ceiling split apart, allowing confetti to rain down all over the room with fanfare blaring. It signaled the end of the event.

    ¡°This marks the end of the game! Player number three, Klara McClain, is the winner!¡± Caius joyously declared.

    Frederick¡¯s face contorted into pure despair. His arms fell limp to his sides as he muttered, ¡°Son of a bitch¡­¡±

    The door behind Klara opened up, providing her an escape route from the game room. She wasted no time heading toward the exit.

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, bitch?!¡± Frederick stood to his feet and shouted.

    Klara paid him no mind and continued with her advancement toward the door. Frederick roared as he charged at the woman. In a surprise show of athleticism, Klara used the man¡¯s momentum against him and flipped the bastard over her shoulder.

    He hit the floor hard and stayed down as Klara stepped over him and left the room. The door closed and locked behind her.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing, Caius! She just used physical violence against me! Kill her! Kill her now!¡± Frederick shouted like a deranged man. He didn¡¯t care how. He just wanted someone to go down with him.

    ¡°What?! No! He can¡¯t do that! Klara was only defending herself!¡± Elena came to Klara¡¯s defense.

    ¡°Frederick! That scumbag!¡± Iris exclaimed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Zoey assured, suddenly easing the worries of the other players.

    ¡°Have you forgotten the rules, Frederick? Physical violence is allowed inside of the game room,¡± Caius reiterated. ¡°Therefore, I will not kill Klara. You, however, will not be so fortunate.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Frederick shouted.

    ¡°You are out of GP, so you are no longer considered a player and must suffer the consequences. It is time for the punishment round!¡±

    Upon Caius¡¯ announcement, a section in the wall split apart, revealing a large screen tv within the game room. An image of a wheel similar to the game wheel appeared on the screen.

    ¡°This is the execution wheel! It will decide your fate!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re shittin¡¯ me!¡± Frederick yelled.

    Without missing a beat, the dreadful wheel spun. It eventually stopped and landed on the panel that featured an image of someone getting shot by multiple guns.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the looks of that one,¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°A fantastic first choice! I sentence Frederick Lukas to death by firing squad!¡± Caius declared.

    ¡°Firing squad?!¡± Henrika exclaimed.

    ¡°Oh yeah, baby! That¡¯s what I¡¯m talkin¡¯ about! Shoot him up!¡± Melanie pressed her face against the glass window. She had a front-row view of a public execution.

    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± Nicholas claimed. ¡°Caius cannot be serious about this.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t kill Ambrose earlier. Maybe this is all a joke?¡± Iris asked nervously.

    ¡°I doubt that,¡± Zoey said solemnly¡ªas if she knew what to expect from the turn of events.

    ¡°Firing squad?! No! This game¡¯s rigged!¡± Frederick ran over to the nearest door and desperately banged on it with his fists. ¡°This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! It should¡¯ve been a sure win! He lied to me! The bastard lied to me!¡±

    ¡°Let the execution begin!¡± Caius demanded.

    Several panels from the walls came off, and many gun barrels poked out from them. Frederick looked around and continued with his meaningless struggle. One of the guns fired off round and hit Frederick in the shoulder. He exclaimed loudly in pain but continued to struggle.

    He hobbled away from the door, trying to find a spot in the room to hide from the guns. During his desperate attempt, two more bullets found their ways into his arms. It wasn''t until the fourth shot went through his leg did the man finally collapse to the floor.

    "God damn it! Stop! Fucking stop! It hurts! It fucking hurts!" He desperately bellowed in excruciating pain.

    He slowly crawled towards the large glass window. He saw us, watching down on him. He reached his arm out towards us, his face pleading for us to save him from the execution. ¡°Someone¡­anyone¡­I don¡¯t wanna die¡­¡±

    Eventually, the poor bastard got overwhelmed in a hailstorm of bullets. After about a minute of constant gunfire, it all finally stopped. Everyone looked at the television screen in complete silence, waiting for the smoke to clear, wanting verification of Frederick''s status. Once the smoke had cleared, Frederick was gone.

    All that was left was an unrecognizable, grotesque figure hollowed out and riddled with bullet holes. Blood pooled from every open wound, drenching him and the floor in a deep shade of crimson.

    </a>

    And just like that, only eleven players remained in the competition.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 4 - The Votes!

    There we all stood. In the lobby. Motionless. All our gazes fixated on the unrecognizable carcass that was once Frederick Lukas. Everything was so clear, so vivid. His body lied on the floor in a bloody mess.

    At that moment, everything around me ceased to register besides the gruesome sight of the corpse. No sound reached my ears. No scent reached my nose.

    My stomach churned in disgust, and a burning sensation ignited in my chest. As I backed away from the window, I clasped my hand over my chest to steady my ragged breathing. Meanwhile, multiple questions raced through my mind at that moment.

    Was he dead? Was Frederick actually dead? If not, how could he survive a hailstorm of bullets? Was it all a hoax fabricated by Caius?

    It had to be. It must¡¯ve been a part of the game. Frederick¡¯s death was all some cheap magic trick to get a rise out of everyone. It seemed like something Caius would do. I was only waiting for the moment when he would appear and shout out ¡®just kidding.''

    But, that moment never came to be.

    The room remained utterly silent until someone finally spoke.

    ¡°That¡­was¡­so¡­awesome! Oh my god! Did you see the way his blood splattered all over the place? I¡¯ve only seen shit like that in the movies!¡± The excited voice came from none other than Melanie.

    Out of anyone that could¡¯ve broken the silence. Out of any sentence that could¡¯ve been said. It just had to be Melanie to speak. It just had to be her words to break the silence. That girl celebrated the death of Frederick. Somehow, it didn¡¯t surprise me that much. She was the only one that did so. It disgusted me to see how cheerful she acted over someone¡¯s death.

    Her eyes shone with excitement and glee. She pressed her face against the glass window as if to get a better look at the corpse that lied in the game room.

    Horrid.

    That¡¯s how I described that sight. A teenage girl marveled at the sight of a corpse. Even if the body belonged to my mortal enemy¡ªI¡¯d never express such joy.

    "Did you see it, Shades? Huh? Did you see it?" Melanie approached Nicholas and placed her hands on his shoulders. She shook the man that stood there, frozen, like a statue. The man''s cheeks suddenly swelled up. He hunched over and hurled on Melanie''s boots.

    "Whoa! The fuck, Shades?! My boots!" Melanie complained. She gagged and backed away from the man.

    "Sorry. I am not so good around blood." Nicholas apologized. He cleaned his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt.

    "God damn it! These are my favorite pair of boots! Clean them up!"

    "Are the boots seriously all you''re worried about right now?!" Iris exclaimed. "Someone just died!"

    "Yeah, yeah, whatever," Melanie took a seat on the couch, grimacing at the sight of the puke that remained on her boots. "These boots were custom made! Clean them, Shades!"

    ¡°Is he dead? Is Frederick dead?¡± Elena called out to everyone with her eyes still closed. She had been very fortunate not to have witnessed such a brutal execution; no doubt in my mind that would''ve traumatized the poor girl.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way that he¡¯s alive. Not after being shot up like that. No human being could survive that.¡± Darius slowly shook his head and stepped away from the window as well. His face turned pale. His body trembled. He eventually lost control of himself and fell flat on his ass.

    I looked around the room and took notice of everyone else¡¯s reactions to Frederick¡¯s death. Wyatt stood firmly in front of the window, a fierce scowl plastered on his face as his hands curled into fists.

    Next was Salomon. He too remained in front of the window. His usual smirk was gone. He didn¡¯t show any form of emotion as well. As a war veteran, I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from him. He¡¯d been in battle and he¡¯d most likely witnessed the deaths of hundreds. Maynard made expressions like him whenever he remembered his days back in the military.

    Iris was crouched next to Elena, who had also dropped down to the floor like Darius. She hugged Elena in a desperate attempt to calm her down.

    Henrika stayed on the sofa, hunched forward; her face concealed by her hands. Incoherent mumbling came from her. But, I decided to ignore them.

    The last one was Zoey. Instead of standing in front of the window, she chose to direct her attention to the television screen. Unlike some of the others, she was calm and collected.

    "This must be some dream, right? It''s all a dream?" Elena desperately asked.

    "More like a nightmare! Get me outta here! Get me outta here!" Darius yelled.

    "Settle down," demanded Zoey as she looked over at the panicked boy. "Yelling and screaming won''t solve anything."

    "You got any better ideas?!" Darius snapped at the woman. "Because I would love to hear them right about now!"

    ¡°There is no way I can spend twelve days trapped in here. We have to leave this place first thing tomorrow.¡± Wyatt spoke with conviction as he turned to look at the surviving players. ¡°The money is not worth it anymore. Not after witnessing what could happen to us if we continue to stay here in this death trap.¡±

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll let us leave?¡± Henrika suddenly asked, removing her hands from her face. ¡°We just witnessed a murder take place here. I doubt they¡¯ll let us leave so quickly since we could inform the police of this incident once we escape.¡±

    ¡°Of course, they¡¯ll let us leave. Caius said that we could leave tomorrow after we vote.¡± Iris nervously mentioned with a pale face. She forced herself to say those words. Caius¡¯ words seemed like the only thing that we could all cling to as a means of escape.

    ¡°Besides, it is not like the police would believe that we were ever in a situation like this. Hell, even I am still having trouble believing it.¡± Wyatt shamefully admitted as he ran his hand through his hair.

    ¡°Well, you had better start believing it.¡± Salomon pulled out a cigar and then lit it. He took a long drag of it before blowing out the smoke. ¡°This is the reality of our situation.¡± He indicated to the corpse lying in the game room.

    Before anyone else could say anything, our attention was directed over to the other side of the room where Caius and Klara entered. Everyone¡¯s eyes solely focused on Klara. The woman walked past everyone and headed for the door without saying a word.

    "Hey!" Wyatt called out to her.

    Klara stopped.

    "Where do you think you''re going? Don''t you have something to say to the rest of us?" Wyatt demanded. Klara looked over her shoulder and stared at the doctor with vacant eyes. "Sticking with the silent treatment, huh? You just got someone killed and you have nothing to say about it?!"

    Wyatt approached Klara. Henrika stepped in between them with her arms spread out.

    "Leave her alone." The woman demanded.

    "Why?!"

    "Because Klara didn''t do anything wrong. She didn''t kill Frederick." Henrika set her arms down and glared over at Caius, who stood by the game wheel with a coy smile. "He''s the one responsible."

    Klara looked away from us and left the room without a word. No one bothered to stop her.

    "As far as I see it, they''re both responsible," Wyatt announced.

    "Leave it alone. What''s done is done." I said.

    My words ignited something inside of the doctor. He sharply turned to face me; his face contorted in anger as he snapped, "What''s done is done?! How can you just accept this situation?! A man was murdered!"

    "Yeah, because he gambled all his GP and lost," I stated.In my mind, the one at fault was Frederick. Everyone was warned about the dangers of losing all our GP. Frederick decided to ignore that warning, which resulted in his death. It was his own damn fault.

    "We were told from the beginning what would happen if we lost all our GP," Salomon added to my defense. "Frederick bet it all and came up short. That''s all there is to it."

    "Why''re you so upset about anyway, Doc? Not like any of us even cared about Stains anyway." Melanie stated.

    "It doesn''t matter if anyone cared about him or not. A life is still a life." Wyatt said.

    "Let it go already. He''s dead."

    Before the conversation could continue, all our attention moved to Caius once the man clapped his hands together. "That is enough, players. We must move on to the next order of business. The rankings."

    "Rankings?" Darius asked.

    "Yes. Once a game is completed, the rankings are updated. Check your bracelets." Caius ordered.

    Everyone looked down to their bracelets. The screen turned on. I navigated to the rankings tab. A graph of the rankings appeared. In first place with twenty points was Klara. Suddenly, the holder of second place was Melanie with sixteen points.

    "What the hell?! How come Melanie''s in second place?! She didn''t even play a game!" exclaimed Wyatt as he looked up from his bracelet. One by one, all eyes turned to the punk rock girl. She stood next to Caius with her mocking smile, waving the rule book in her hand.

    "Nope, I sure didn''t. But, I sure as hell made a gamble." Melanie said. "Guess none of you read up on the rules. Turns out other players can take bets on the ones playing a game. If the one you bet on wins, then you earn double the points you gambled."

    Wyatt opened his rulebook and scans through the pages. He glanced up and scowled as he said, "Damn it! She''s right!"

    "Glad I played it smart and bet on Bookworm. But, it was still a close call. Never expected Stains to get a loaded die." Melanie shrugged her shoulders.

    "How come you didn''t tell anyone about this rule?" Iris asked.

    "Do I look like your babysitter? Fuck off, Rainbows." Melanie flicked off the girl.

    "Let this be a lesson to you all, players. The rules can be used to the advantage of anyone that follows them," Caius said. "Now then, it is time to lock down this room for the night. Everyone must leave. You are free to head anywhere else in the facility for the time being."

    Caius quickly escorted everyone out of the room and locked the door. Everyone exchanged glances as we stood in the hallway, confused.

    "He seemed kinda in a hurry to get rid of us," Darius commented.

    "No kidding." Iris agreed.

    "What''cha think he''s gonna do with Stains'' body?" Melanie asked.

    "I don''t think that''s important," Wyatt said.

    "So, what do we do now?" Elena asked.

    "Nothing we can do for now. Let''s get some sleep and prepare ourselves for tomorrow." Zoey suggested.

    "I''m with Zoey. I''m getting tired." Henrika stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "Good night everyone. Try to get some sleep."

    One by one, everyone separated, heading to their rooms. To even head to my room proved to be difficult. The horrid images of Frederick¡¯s death flashed before my very eyes. Although his death was quick¡ªfor me, it felt as if it were an eternity. My feet carried me around the facility until I found the room with the number twelve on the door.

    There lied the scanner right next to the door¡ªjust like the others. I placed my bracelet near the scanner then watched the screen turn from red to green. Afterward, I entered the room. I wandered over to the bed, then collapsed onto it. The soft bed eased some of my tension as I sank into the mattress.

    It was real.

    Everything.

    The place was real. The people were real. And the danger of losing our lives was real. Trying to mentally deny that fact was futile considering I had watched Frederick get shot to death after his game.

    Even though the dumb ass deserved it for gambling away all of his points in the first game, it still didn¡¯t make his death any less horrifying. That¡¯s what happened when one got too greedy. Regrettably, there was a lesson learned from Frederick''s death.

    Hopefully, the others would learn from that experience and vote to leave. It was a mistake for me to have agreed to compete in the games. Sure, I was desperate to win enough money to save the old man¡¯s bar, but at what cost?

    How far was I willing to go? How much was I ready to give to achieve my goal? Would I be willing to risk my life and the lives of the others over the bar? If I were to ask a question like that out loud to someone, I¡¯m most confident that they would laugh at me.

    But, the bar was my home, and I didn¡¯t wish to lose it. However, I also didn¡¯t want to risk losing my life by staying in the facility any longer.

    My mind and thoughts were in shambles. I couldn¡¯t think straight. I don¡¯t know how much time I spent racking my brain trying to figure out what I was going to do. But, drowsiness took over, and I drifted off to sleep¡ªrelieving me from the stress¡ªif only for a short period.

    Hours passed.

    My eyes abruptly snapped open upon hearing a loud chime echo throughout my room. It was the doorbell.

    I ignored the racket and tried going back to sleep. My efforts were pointless. The chime continued ¡ª multiple times. I reluctantly got up from the bed, headed over to the door, then opened it. To my surprise and annoyance, my gaze rested on the person responsible for my irritation¡ªplayer number nine, Iris Korinna.

    ¡°Good morning, Troy. How are you this fine day?¡± She politely asked before smiling.

    ¡°Ambrose,¡± I corrected her, ¡°call me Ambrose.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Iris quickly apologized.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s eight in the morning. Time to wake up for some delicious breakfast made by yours truly.¡± She brought her hands up close to her face then gave me the peace sign.

    ¡°Breakfast?¡±

    She smiled at me and repeatedly nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve taken the liberty of cooking breakfast for everyone today. I¡¯m sure eating some pancakes, eggs, and bacon will cheer everyone up from yesterday¡¯s disaster.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­nice of you?¡± I rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how can you be so cheerful after, you know, everything that happened yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Yesterday?¡± She blinked in confusion. A thoughtful expression crossed her face. ¡°Oh, you mean Frederick¡¯s death. Yeah, that was horrible. However, that¡¯s all in the past! Let¡¯s focus more on the now! Carpe Diem!¡±

    With great gusto, she threw her arms up in the air throughout her cheer.

    ¡°Yeah, I guess you have a point there.¡± I agreed.

    ¡°Huh? How come you didn¡¯t do the cheer with me, Ambrose? Come on, do the cheer! Carpe Diem!¡± Iris¡¯ arms lowered back down to her sides then tossed them back in the air in quick succession.

    When I failed to copy her movements, she shot me a pleading look.

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing that. Ever.¡± I sternly refused.

    The girl¡¯s shoulders dropped after the words left my mouth. She expressed her disappointment for only a moment before it got replaced with a cheerful one.

    ¡°Okay, fine. Stop by the cafeteria whenever you¡¯re ready. You¡¯ll want to have a full stomach before we leave this place today.¡± She turned around then walked down the hallway, eventually disappearing after turning the corner. I closed the door then let out a sigh of exhaustion. Despite having gotten a few hours of sleep, the effects of yesterday¡¯s disaster still lingered.

    And I was still unsure if I wanted to stay or leave when it came down to the votes. Perhaps an answer would come to me after I filled my stomach with food. I quickly straightened myself up then left my room, heading towards the cafeteria.

    I entered the cafeteria and found five players sitting around in silence. Darius, Elena, and Henrika all had bags under their eyes. Salomon and Wyatt, however, seemed calm. Both ate their food on the other side of the room.

    I glanced over at the table where seven remaining plates of food rested, just waiting to get taken. My stomach grumbled at the sight of it. I walked over to the table, grabbed my food, then found an empty table to eat. The food looked delicious.

    The pancakes looked soft and fluffy. The bacon and eggs had been well-placed to form a perfect smiling face. It reminded me of my mother¡¯s cooking when I was younger.

    I made a mental note to thank Iris later.

    I grabbed my fork then stuck it in the pancakes. But, before I could take my first bite, my attention was drawn over to the front of the room after I heard a familiar, loud, obnoxious voice.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with this gloomy atmosphere?¡± Melanie entered the cafeteria then scanned the room with her hands on her hips. She didn¡¯t receive a response from anyone. But, that didn¡¯t stop her from talking anyway. ¡°How did you losers sleep last night? I slept like a rock.¡± She wandered over and collected a plate for herself.

    It didn¡¯t take her long to begin stuffing her face. I guess Frederick¡¯s death didn¡¯t affect her at all.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you could even sleep. After seeing Frederick get shot up like that, I couldn¡¯t close my eyes for a second.¡± Darius sadly admitted as he picked at his food. He dropped his fork then brought his hands up to his face.

    ¡°I had trouble sleeping. So, I used my phone and called Iris. Halfway through our conversation, the phones shut off." Elena said.

    "That must''ve been upsetting," Henrika commented.

    "It was," Elena nodded her head and continued, "So, I left my room and went to Iris''. I knocked on her door for a while, but she never answered. I even used the doorbell, but that didn''t work either."

    "You sure you had the right room? It doesn''t sound like Iris to ignore you." Darius said.

    "I''m sure of it. She''s player number nine, right?"

    "Didn''t you read the rulebook, Elena?" asked Henrika. "The reason your phone was cut off was because certain functions in the facility are shut off 12 A.M., like the doorbell."

    "Oh, but that doesn''t explain why she still didn''t answer when I knocked," Elena said.

    "Our rooms are soundproof. We can''t hear a thing from the outside."

    "That''s included in the rules too? Why is that even a thing?" Darius complained.

    "No idea. But, I''d suggest reading up on the rules when you get the chance. We can''t afford to get blindsided or get ourselves killed by accidentally breaking a rule." Henrika warned.

    ¡°I¡¯m still hoping that it was all just a dream or some prank. Frederick wasn¡¯t killed in front of us, right?¡± Elena desperately looked around the room for some assurance from the other players.

    ¡°Oh no, that dude¡¯s dead. Didn¡¯tcha see it? He got shot up so many times that he looked like Swiss cheese once it was all over.¡± Melanie reminded Elena, showing no qualms about speaking ill of the dead.

    ¡°Is that what the losers have to look forward to?¡± Elena sadly looked down at her plate.

    Darius placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. ¡°Only if we do something stupid like gambling away all of our points.¡±

    ¡°Then let us hope no one else makes that mistake,¡± Nicholas, Iris, and Zoey entered the cafeteria, ¡°what happened to Frederick was indeed tragic. Everyone should learn well from what happens when you allow your greed to cloud your better judgment.¡±

    Darius nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Yeah, it gets you killed that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    ¡°Well, at least now we know that they¡¯re serious about taking our lives if we carelessly lose our GP,¡± Zoey said.

    ¡°It¡¯s just all so stupid. If Frederick hadn¡¯t done that, then he would be here today. Why didn''t he listen to me?¡±

    ¡°I dunno why you¡¯re all so worked up over his death. Didn¡¯t he deserve it for being a dumb ass?¡± asked Melanie.

    Iris turned her head in Melanie¡¯s direction then harshly said, ¡°It isn¡¯t nice to speak ill of the dead. Cut it out already.¡±

    Surprisingly, no immediate verbal response came from Melanie. She merely shrugged her shoulders before returning to her breakfast.

    ¡°Anyway, now that everyone has gathered here. Let us discuss our means of escaping this place.¡± Wyatt said as though he suddenly became the leader of the group.

    I looked around the room and found something amiss. There were only ten of us in the cafeteria. ¡°Isn¡¯t Klara missing? Shouldn¡¯t we wait for her?¡±

    "Oh, that''s right. She''s not here." Elena looked around the room, not spotting Klara in any of the corners. "She''s so quiet."

    "Yeah, if you''re not paying attention, you''d never know when she''s around or not. She must be a ninja." Iris said.

    "The way she flipped Frederick yesterday, I can see it." Darius agreed with the ridiculous statement.

    Wyatt¡¯s face contorted into a scowl after he heard her name mentioned. ¡°That woman is responsible for the death of Frederick. I do not want her included in this conversation.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like she would respond to us anyway.¡± Darius shrugged his shoulders.

    "I thought we already cleared this up," Henrika said, her tone tinged with irritation as she continued, "Caius was the one that killed Frederick."

    "Well, she certainly didn''t help the situation when she made the die roll that sealed his fate." Wyatt countered. Both used sound logic with their arguments. It was difficult to pick sides considering they were both correct.

    Wyatt and Henrika engaged in a staredown.

    "That''s not her fault," Salomon cut into the conversation. "Frederick was the one that gambled all his GP. Nothing Klara could''ve done to save him."

    ¡°Do we even need to have this meeting? Didn¡¯t Caius mention something about voting to leave yesterday?¡± asked Elena, raising her hand to gain the attention of everyone.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He did mention that we could vote to leave.¡± Iris confirmed.

    ¡°Since that appears to be the case, there¡¯s no need to have this meeting,¡± I concluded before returning to my breakfast.

    ¡°Though I do not wish to say this aloud, I believe that two of us will be voting to continue playing these games,¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°Two of us?¡± questioned Nicholas.

    ¡°I have a suspicion that Klara will be one of the people to vote to continue playing.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense. She¡¯s already in first place. She can¡¯t make any more money than she has now.¡± Henrika revealed the holes in Wyatt¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s no need for her to vote to continue playing.¡± Darius stated.

    Wyatt brought his hand to his chin, processing the statements given to him. They were right. Klara was in first place. If everyone voted to leave, she would part with one million dollars.

    ¡°You are right about that. Then the only person that I can imagine wanting to continue playing is¡­¡± Wyatt paused as he turned his head and looked over to Melanie.

    Feeling everyone¡¯s gaze on her, she looked up from her plate. She then waved at all of us with a mocking smile.

    ¡°You all suspecting me? I can¡¯t guarantee that I¡¯ll vote to leave. At first, I would¡¯ve been fine if everyone left with nothing. But now that Bookworm is in the lead with one million dollars¡­¡± She intentionally trailed off, trying to leave us all in suspense.

    ¡°Moving back to Klara, we should do something about her," Wyatt suggested.

    "What do you mean?" Darius asked.

    ¡°I do not feel comfortable being stuck in the same facility as that girl. After seeing how she got Frederick killed yesterday, it unnerved me.¡±

    ¡°Same here. She didn¡¯t even blink after seeing him get shot up and killed.¡± Darius added.

    ¡°She just walked away from us as if nothing happened,¡± Elena added as well.

    ¡°Is there a need to be worried about her? I agree that her cold attitude is a bit intimidating, but I don¡¯t think that she¡¯s dangerous to be around.¡± Henrika said.

    ¡°I agree with Henrika. Klara wasn¡¯t in the wrong for what happened to Frederick. He was at fault for being greedy,¡± Iris reminded everyone, ¡°she didn¡¯t kill him. He killed himself in a way.¡±

    "Still, that woman--"

    ¡°Why do you keep mentioning Klara? What do you have against her?¡± Henrika inquired.

    ¡°I don''t trust her. She gives off a bad vibe. I feel like it would be safe for all of us if she were not here anymore.¡± He replied with a harsh tone of voice.

    ¡°Let me warn you. It would be wise not to place a target on her back. She has already killed off one of us. Agitating her might make you the next target.¡± Salomon warned him.

    ¡°I''m not putting a target on her back. I''m just saying that our chances of escape would be better if she were gone.¡±

    ¡°Does the same apply to me, Doc? Do you think I¡¯ll hinder your chances of returning to your dying wife?¡± Melanie taunted Wyatt. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be wrong to think that.¡±

    Wyatt clenched his hands into fists. ¡°Back to the topic at hand, we know that we are inside some facility. If that is the case, no matter how hopeless it seems, there is certainly a way out of here.¡±

    ¡°You sound like a broken record. I¡¯m not repeating myself.¡± Darius said.

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in trying to escape. Every room has security cameras remember?¡± I reminded the players.

    ¡°Break them.¡± Melanie bluntly said.

    ¡°Break them? Wouldn¡¯t that get us in trouble?¡± Darius asked.

    Melanie shrugged her shoulders then answered, ¡°Doubt it. I broke the security camera in my room last night. I wasn¡¯t gonna let Caius see me sleep naked.¡±

    ¡°You sleep naked?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What? You turned on now?¡± She playfully winked at Darius.

    A grimace crossed his face as he looked away from her.

    ¡°That may not be the best course of action. I am sure that Caius is lenient since it was just one camera.¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°If we were just suddenly to start rebelling and breaking all of the cameras, certainly we would be put to death by lethal injection.¡± Nicholas raised his handed and pointed to the bracelet on his wrist, ¡°Though I seek to escape from this place as much as everyone else here, I do not want to cause a ruckus and die.¡±

    Elena nodded her head in agreement with Nicholas¡¯ statement. ¡°Let¡¯s just abide by the rules and remain alive until we all leave.¡±

    ¡°Good morning everyone! Did you all have pleasant dreams last night?¡± Everyone looked at the entrance where Caius and Klara stood.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! I don¡¯t wish to be here anymore! I want to go home!¡± Elena demanded.

    ¡°Well then, you might be in luck. I have come to bring you to the voting room.¡± Caius happily announced.

    ¡°Are you serious? Thank god! We can finally head home!¡± Darius cheered.

    ¡°This is real, correct? You are going to let us go after everything that we have seen here?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Of course! Now please follow after me!¡± Caius turned around and left the room with everyone following after him.

    We all reached the voting room and looked around anxiously. Inside of the room was twelve booths in total. They were in two groups on either side of the walls. Each of them concealed by a black curtain.

    ¡°This is the voting room. Inside of these booths is where you will vote to either continue playing or head home.¡± Caius informed us.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that we have to enter the booths matching our bracelet numbers?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, you do. Now go ahead and place your votes. But be warned¡­temptation is very powerful in this room.¡± He grinned at us.

    Ignoring his warnings, everyone split up and entered their respective booths. Inside of the booth was a small monitor. It appeared to be a touch screen since I didn¡¯t see any buttons around it. The moment my hand loomed over the screen, it turned on. And to my annoyance, it featured Caius¡¯ face with his signature grin.

    A cold chill traveled down my spine as I waited for whatever was going to happen¡­to happen.

    Caius¡¯ face eventually shrunk as two buttons appeared on the screen. One button was green with the word ¡®Leave¡¯ on it. The other one was red with the word ¡®Stay¡¯ on it. The sight of these buttons made me remember that I had yet to make a definitive decision on whether or not I wanted to continue playing or not. If I chose to design playing, we would continue to play another high stake game for the day.

    The chances of someone losing their life in the process would be rather slim, but not nonexistent. If I chose to leave and everyone else voted for the same thing, then everyone except for Klara would leave Serendipity with no money. And then it would be back to the drawing board for me. I would return to the same hopeless situation. The IRS would foreclose on my bar, my home, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to save it.

    My finger hovered over the ¡®Stay¡¯ button. Although it would betray the trust of everyone there, I so desperately needed the money. I couldn¡¯t afford to lose my home. It was my one and final chance to earn enough money to save the bar.

    I also recalled stating that I would do whatever it took to win the money no matter what. Without any further hesitation, I sealed my fate and the fate of others by pressing the ¡°Stay¡± button.

    Caius¡¯ face on the screen winked at me.

    Disgusting.

    It then disappeared before the screen turned black. I stepped out from the booth and found that everyone else had completed making their votes.

    ¡°The voting is now complete! And the results are¡­¡± Caius paused, taking out his tablet. With a press of a button, he activated the surround speakers installed in the room. The sound of drum rolls thundered around the room. ¡°Five out of the eleven remaining players have voted to continue playing! Congratulations! The games will continue for today!¡±

    ¡°What? Are you serious? Five people?¡± Wyatt exclaimed in shock. His body trembled as he attempted to contain his rage.

    ¡°No! No! No!¡± Elena placed her hands on her head as she dropped down to her knees in despair. Iris crouched down next to her and tried to comfort her again.

    ¡°Who were the five people that voted to continue playing?¡± Nicholas asked calmly.

    My heart rate instantly increased at that moment. I could¡¯ve sworn that it was pounding so loud that I nearly placed my hand over it just to shut it up. But, of course, I didn¡¯t go through with it.

    Such an action would¡¯ve made others feel suspicious of me. After all, I was one of the five people that chose to continue playing the games. How stupid could I have been for not considering that someone would ask what everyone else voted on? If Caius revealed the votes to everyone, I could only assume the worst.

    Caius¡¯ eyes shifted from left to right. Was he going to do it? Was he going to give out the results of the votes to the other players? Would I immediately face retribution for my choice?

    The game moderator leaned forward and brought his index finger to his lips. ¡°That is a secret. If you wish to find that out, you will just have to investigate that matter on your own.¡±

    ¡°Well, I see no fun in that. I¡¯ll just come out and admit that I voted to keep playing.¡± Melanie willingly revealed herself by raising her hand above her head.

    I couldn¡¯t understand her motives at all. What could she have gained from revealing herself like that to everyone?

    ¡°Now why am I not surprised to hear that?¡± Henrika turned her head then frowned at her.

    ¡°You bitch!¡± Wyatt angrily approached Melanie. He stopped inches in front of her, glaring intensely. ¡°Do you understand what you have done? You have practically cost someone else here their lives! And for what? Money?¡±

    Those words struck me right in the heart. As one of the people that voted to continue playing, I practically cost someone else their lives for money. While cruel as it may sound, I believed it to be a necessity. I wasn¡¯t doing it for greed. Once I won enough money to do what I had to do, I swore that I would vote to leave Serendipity.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it, Doc! I came here to play some games and win money! I¡¯m not leaving this place until I win the one million dollars!¡± Melanie declared without fear.

    Something inside of Wyatt must¡¯ve snapped. His eyes bulged. The veins in his eyes became visible. He lost his composure and raised his fist. That idiot intended to punch the girl, knowing full well of what would happen to him if he did. Acting quickly, Zoey grabbed the man''s fist.

    "Idiot! Do you want to get killed?!" She exclaimed.

    "Let go!" Wyatt demanded.

    "Calm down! This is what she wants! If you hit her, you''ll die!"

    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t interfere! Let the Doc do as he wants!¡± Melanie snapped at Zoey.

    ¡°You shut up!" Zoey glared at Melanie.

    She returned the glare before eventually letting out a sigh of defeat. ¡°Damn it; you¡¯ve ruined my fun. I¡¯m outta here.¡± She had waved everyone goodbye before she left the room.

    ¡°Are you just going to let her go?¡± Wyatt looked at us a flushed face. It seemed as if he would start swinging at us next.

    ¡°There is nothing we can do about her right now, Wyatt. Besides, it is not just her that voted to continue playing.¡± Nicholas said.

    ¡°Who else?¡± He whipped around then glared at the other players remaining in the room. ¡°Who else voted to continue playing? Do you people not understand that the longer I stay here, the closer my wife is to certain death?¡±

    Darius raised his hands up in front of him in a defensive manner. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. I voted to leave.¡±

    ¡°Same here! I don¡¯t wish to be here anymore!¡± Elena said.

    ¡°Me too!¡± Iris said.

    ¡°We can go around the room and make whatever claims that we please. But in the end, we are still trapped here for another day.¡± Zoey stated.

    ¡°I already know that! Which is why I am pissed that five people might be the cause of my wife¡¯s death!¡± Wyatt looked down to the floor with tears forming in his eyes. The poor man looked like he would break down at any moment.

    ¡°What should we do now? We¡¯re going to be forced to play another game for today.¡± Darius stated.

    ¡°All we can do now is play and hope for the best tomorrow,¡± I suggested.

    My words were hollow and meaningless. What could they hope the best for if I wasn¡¯t selected to play any games for that day? I would only vote to continue playing until I earned the money that I needed.

    ¡°No. That won¡¯t solve anything. We have to find the five-people responsible for this incident.¡± Henrika announced.

    ¡°I agree! We should find those traitors among us!¡± Wyatt exclaimed.

    ¡°And what exactly are you planning to do after that? Even if we find them and confront them, it won¡¯t change a thing.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Ambrose is right. Even if we find them, they¡¯ll probably continue to vote to keep playing.¡± Darius added to my point.

    ¡°Then perhaps we should just kill them,¡± Wyatt cruelly suggested to everyone, ¡°if we cannot persuade them to cease with their selfish behavior, then we should pass judgment onto them through the games and kill them.¡±

    ¡°Kill them? No way! That¡¯s a crime! We can¡¯t kill them!¡± Elena immediately refused the idea.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be involved in this.¡± I voiced my input on the idea.

    ¡°You''re just going to leave them be then? Even though they are keeping us here for another day?¡± Wyatt turned his glare on to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave them be. But I¡¯m not going to kill them either. This isn¡¯t a game about killing each other.¡± I declared.

    ¡°So cool.¡± Words of awe came from Darius, Elena, and Iris.

    ¡°Well whatever, if you are not going to help us then you are no good to us.¡± Wyatt decided to ignore me and focused his attention on the other players. ¡°What do you think about this, Nicholas?¡±

    ¡°Finding them is one thing. Killing them is another. I wish to leave this place as soon as possible, but if we have to kill five other people to do it¡­¡±

    ¡°Listen to me everyone; there is a time when we must do whatever it takes to survive. And right now, five people among us are hindering our chances of survival. If we don''t do something about this soon, then every one of us will¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough talk about murdering people!¡± Henrika raised her voice. Everyone in the room momentarily expressed their shock by the sudden outburst of anger. ¡°It¡¯s already bad enough that one of us has already died. Talking about killing others will only make it worse. Let¡¯s work together so that we can all escape from this place alive.¡±

    ¡°It will be difficult due to the traitors. But certainly, we should be able to convince them to change their minds.¡± Zoey said.

    All gazes slowly moved to Wyatt. No one appeared to be on his side throughout the discussion. He realized that and then calmed himself down. ¡°You are right. I jumped the gun there. Forgive me. Forget everything that I said about murdering them.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­two of us will be playing one of the games today. Let¡¯s hope for the best and pray that no one else dies today,¡± said Iris.

    ¡°Hopefully that won¡¯t turn out to be the case. In the meantime, we have several hours to prepare ourselves for whatever Caius will throw at us.¡± Darius said.

    ¡°Knowing him, I¡¯m sure that it won¡¯t be anything good for us,¡± mentioned Elena.

    ¡°We will just have to be on our guard from now on,¡± Zoey warned everyone.

    ¡°Like that will be enough.¡± Wyatt exited the room with a solemn expression.

    ¡°I am going to go have a word with him to lift up his spirits. If anyone else needs me, I am always available to talk.¡± Nicholas had said before he exited the room.

    Everyone else in the room exchanged glances with each other before we eventually left in silence. And thus, ended the first of possibly many voting rounds in Serendipity.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 5 - The Second Game!

    Hours passed since the voting debacle. Thanks to five people, I included, everyone would stay inside of Serendipity for another day. Wyatt referred the notorious as traitors¡ªit was a fitting title when people considered our actions. We threw caution to the wind and made a gamble that could¡¯ve negatively impacted the lives of the others.

    I didn¡¯t condone my actions, but it was necessary to get what I wanted in the end.

    Melanie was an unfortunate accomplice of mine. Unlike me, I never intended to out my identity to others. That girl was something else.

    It was hard to fathom how her mind worked. That girl strived for chaos. If nothing happened that excited her, she¡¯d see to it to fix that herself.

    Melanie made that point clear when she nearly goaded Wyatt into striking her¡ªwhich would¡¯ve killed him. The psychotic glee in her eyes told me everything that I needed to know about her. It forewarned me to avoid her at any cost.

    My thoughts were interrupted once Caius¡¯ voice rang from the intercom on the ceiling. He informed everyone about the start of the second game. I reluctantly left my room and headed to the lobby.

    The second game.

    I didn¡¯t know what to expect. Who would play against whom? Which one of them would win? How many points would they gamble away?

    Would there be an execution?

    One way or another, I¡¯d find the answers to my questions.

    By the time I reached the lobby, the other players had already arrived and gathered around Caius.

    ¡°I am glad to see that everyone made it here on time,¡± Caius scanned the room with his trademark grin.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, c¡¯mon, Fedora,¡± Melanie gestured for the man to hurry along with a roll of her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get this started, alright?¡±

    ¡°Always in such a rush,¡± Caius solemnly said as if disappointed that no one wanted to sit through his bullshit. ¡°Very well, let us decide the next two players for the second game.¡±

    The game moderator resorted to using his trusty tablet once again for the selection process. With a push of a button, images of our faces raced across the screen. It eventually stopped and landed on the pictures of Darius and Melanie.

    ¡°Congratulations! Player number two, Melanie Slater, and player number four, Darius Wells, are the lucky contestants!¡± Caius threw his hands into the air, giving off a great show of enthusiasm.

    ¡°Oh yeah! It¡¯s my turn! Lucky!¡± Melanie shared the man¡¯s enthusiasm.

    Darius, on the other hand, panicked. ¡°What do you mean, lucky? We¡¯re gonna die in there!¡±

    ¡°You might,¡± Melanie countered.

    ¡°Caius! Is it possible to swap places with someone else? I don¡¯t wanna play! Not with that, psychopath!¡± Darius desperately pleaded.

    ¡°Sorry, Darius. You were chosen and must participate,¡± Caius responded with a shrug of his shoulders.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try and run, Dumbass. Take your loss like a man,¡± Melanie taunted. The corners of her mouth nearly reached up to her ears. A smile so sinister, it reminded me of a Cheshire cat.

    Darius whimpered at the sight of the smile and dropped his gaze to the floor in defeat. Before the game even began, the boy lost his spirit. ¡°I¡¯m so dead.¡±

    Elena crossed the room and grabbed the boy¡¯s hands with a reassuring smile. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Darius. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t! She¡¯ll kill me!¡± Darius affirmed his fears.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let that girl intimidate you,¡± Iris added as she shot a glare in Melanie¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make the same mistakes as Frederick, and you should be fine,¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°Try your best and survive,¡± Nicholas advised.

    ¡°You can do this,¡± Zoey encouraged.

    The sight of the other players coming to his defense brought a smile to Darius¡¯ face. He lifted his head with a look of newfound confidence.

    He stood on his feet and said, ¡°Yeah! I got this!¡±

    ¡°Now, now, let us move on to the game selection.¡± Caius declared. With another push of a button from his tablet, an image of the game wheel appeared on the screen. It spun around at a high-speed. Eventually, it slowed down to a halt¡ªthe needle pointed to a panel with an illustration of two people strapped down to chairs.

    ¡°What kind of game is this?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Splendid! Melanie and Darius shall face each other in a game of Prisoner¡¯s Dilemma!¡± Caius enthusiastically answered.

    ¡°Sweet! Let¡¯s do this!¡± Melanie mirrored the man¡¯s enthusiasm.

    ¡°No backing down now,¡± Darius mumbled, having lost some of his confidence at the sight of the game.

    With the second game selected, Melanie and Darius followed the game moderator out of the room. Not even a minute passed, and Elena found herself pacing back and forth in the room.

    ¡°Will you stop pacing?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Elena apologized and rubbed her arm restlessly. She sent a concerned gaze in our direction as she asked, ¡°Do you think Darius will be okay?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one that said he would be fine?¡± Wyatt countered her question with one of his own.

    ¡°I said that to boost his spirits. He looked so upset,¡± Elena replied.

    ¡°Can you blame him? He¡¯s going up against Melanie,¡± Iris dreadfully mentioned. It was no secret that Melanie wasn¡¯t the most beloved person in Serendipity. It¡¯d be safe to say that she tied with Caius as being the most hated.

    ¡°Knowing that girl, she¡¯ll try and kill Darius,¡± Henrika deduced.

    Elena whimpered and turned her attention to the game room where the event would take place. Iris approached the woman and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Elena. I¡¯m sure Darius will pull through,¡± Iris reassured. ¡°It¡¯s only the second game. What are the chances of someone else dying on the second day?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be careful with that choice of words,¡± Zoey cautioned. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen the full extent of these games. This game could well be the last time we see either of them alive again.¡±

    Her words of warning lowered the morale of the room. Grim expressions crossed the faces of Elena and Iris as their gazes dropped to the floor. There was some truth to her warning, but it wasn¡¯t be-all-end-all.

    ¡°Your warning is appreciated, but also unsettling,¡± I mentioned. ¡°Melanie and Darius could die, but it¡¯s also possible that no one could. Don¡¯t let the outcome of the first game bias your judgment on this one.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Ambrose is right!¡± Iris said as she pointed at Zoey. ¡°Stop being so pessimistic!¡±

    Zoey shook her head in denial of the girl¡¯s claim. ¡°It was just a warning. Take it however you want.¡±

    ¡°The game¡¯s about to begin,¡± Wyatt addressed to everyone. The others and I took our positions around the room as Melanie and Darius entered the game room with people in black suits.

    Two electric chairs sat in the center of the room, waiting for the players to occupy them. Melanie wasted no time getting settled in while Darius stood in place, staring anxiously at the chair. It took a shove from one of the people in black to goad him into getting prepared.

    Once Melanie and Darius were set, another group of people entered the room with two tables and monitors. They set the monitors on the tables in front of the players and then left without a word.

    ¡°Electric chairs?¡± Nicholas grimaced at the sight of the electric chairs and took a step back.

    ¡°Not a fan?¡± Zoey asked.

    Nicholas steadied his breathing before he answered, ¡°No. I find them inhumane.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Melanie seems right at home,¡± Iris irritably noted as she looked through the window. She took a gander at the wild expression plastered on the punk rocker¡¯s face.

    While she expressed pure pleasure, Darius showed absolute terror. Bullets of sweat poured down his face, and the game hadn¡¯t started yet.

    ¡°Does anyone know the rules to this sadistic game?¡± Wyatt glowered and directed a stern gaze to the other players around him.

    ¡°I do,¡± Zoey raised her hand and took center stage. All eyes landed on the woman as she provided an answer for everyone, ¡°It¡¯s a mental game¡ªit tries to encourage rational, self-interested people into making irrational decisions.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think I saw this on a cop show once!¡± Iris suddenly chimed in. Dubious eyes focused on the girl, but the others listened to what she had to say, ¡°Two criminals got captured by the police, and they got tricked into ratting each other out when staying quiet would¡¯ve benefited them. So they both wound up in jail.¡±

    ¡°How do those electric chairs come into play then?¡± Henrika wondered.

    ¡°It¡¯s most likely Caius¡¯ sadistic play on the game,¡± I assumed.

    ¡°With the players all set up, let the second game begin!¡± Caius demanded.

    After the moderator¡¯s declaration, Melanie wasted no time in starting things off. She immediately pressed the red button on the arm of her chair.

    Darius wavered in making a decision. He looked back and forth between the green and red buttons on his chair. He made his choice after taking a deep breath, ending the first round of the game.

    The monitor on Darius¡¯ side flashed red and activated his electric chair, sending volts of electricity through the poor kid¡¯s body. He convulsed in his seat and yelled until the torture stopped.

    Meanwhile, Melanie hysterically laughed at the outcome. She remained unharmed and unfazed by the pain she brought upon her opponent. A sickening smile crossed her face once the number five appeared on her screen.

    ¡°Oh yeah! Suck it, Dumbass! I¡¯m in the lead!¡± The punk rocker boasted.

    Darius quickly recovered from the shock and responded, ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯re in the lead. I don¡¯t care. Listen, we should cooperate now. I¡¯m sure none of us want to get electrocuted anymore.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure, got it,¡± Melanie nodded her head in understanding. I didn¡¯t believe her for a second, but Darius wasn¡¯t so distrusting.

    The second round began, and the players made their choices. Darius pressed the green button, which everyone figured was the cooperate choice. Melanie chose the red button¡ªthe betray option.

    Like the previous round, Darius¡¯ monitor flashed red before electricity coursed through his body again. The torture seemed to last a few seconds longer than earlier.

    The number on Melanie¡¯s monitor changed from the number five to ten.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s how it works,¡± Zoey muttered.

    ¡°How what works?¡± Elena asked.

    ¡°This version of the game,¡± Zoey answered. ¡°The green button is to cooperate while the red is to betray. Whoever betrays gets five points, while the betrayed gets electrocuted as punishment.¡±

    ¡°If no one betrays, then no one gets electrocuted,¡± Nicholas surmised after Zoey¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°It¡¯s in their best interest to cooperate,¡± Wyatt added.

    ¡°But this is Melanie we¡¯re talking about,¡± complained Iris. ¡°That girl¡¯s crazy.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯d never cooperate with anyone, let alone Darius,¡± Elena sullenly stated.

    Melanie made her desires quite clear to everyone back in the voting room. She¡¯d stop at nothing to leave Serendipity with the grand prize money. Anything less was useless to her.

    As much as it pained us to watch, none of the players could do anything to prevent the torture Darius was forced to endure.

    ¡°How¡¯re ya feelin¡¯, Dumbass? Can¡¯t be too good after two shocks,¡± Melanie taunted.

    Darius shook off the pain once again. An irritable expression crossed his face as he answered, ¡°Enough, okay? That¡¯s enough! Cooperate with me already!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay. Quit your whinin¡¯. I just wanted to get some points, alright?¡± Melanie dismissed the pleas of her opponent. Her maddening smile returned as she received the signal for the third round.

    Again, Melanie chose to betray while Darius reluctantly went with the cooperate option. The ignorant kid suffered through another electrocution, more intense than the previous ones.

    The number on Melanie¡¯s screen raised to fifteen.

    ¡°Oh, my God! Three times in a row?! How stupid can you be?¡± Melanie revealed her sadism more and more as time passed.

    Darius gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with intense rage as he shouted, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this! You¡¯re gonna get a taste of your own medicine!¡±

    Melanie responded with a roll of her eyes, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so scared. Whaddya gonna do, Dumbass? I¡¯m in the lead now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna take you down,¡± Darius sternly announced, as if he¡¯d hatched a full proof plan to defeat the psychopath seated across from him. ¡°You haven¡¯t noticed, but the voltage increased every time you chose to betray me. So, imagine what¡¯ll happen if we both betray each other.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes widened momentarily. The reality of their situation sank in. Melanie felt confident in her position since Darius was her opponent, but if the kid¡¯s theory worked, then they were both in danger.

    It felt nice seeing that brat make such a face for once.

    ¡°Cool it, Dumbass, okay? It was a joke. I¡¯m not gonna betray you any more,¡± Melanie said, although it sounded more like a plea on my end.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Melanie? Your voice shook,¡± Darius returned the favor and taunted the girl. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of a little electrocution, are you?¡±

    Once the fourth round started, Melanie showed slight hesitation in making her choice. Her finger hovered over the betray button. But she relented and decided to cooperate instead.

    Unfortunately, Darius wasn¡¯t so forgiving. He wasted no time in getting his revenge on the girl. With a dangerous gleam in his eye, he went with the betray option.

    Melanie¡¯s screams of agony brought soft smiles to some of the other players in the lobby. Something about her screams, seemingly harmonizing with the electricity, sounded like music to my ears.

    ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s a contender for the shock of the day,¡± Iris chuckled at her pun. ¡°Melanie chose to cooperate for once?¡±

    ¡°Maybe Darius can turn this around, after all,¡± Elena¡¯s face beamed with happiness at the sight of Melanie¡¯s electrocution.

    The number on Darius¡¯ screen went from zero to five.

    ¡°How¡¯d you like that?¡± The kid sneered.

    Melanie shook off the pain from the electrocution, but her facial expression was something fierce. It must¡¯ve been humiliating having the tables turned on her like that.

    ¡°You fucker! I cooperated!¡± The punk rocker shouted.

    ¡°Now you know how it feels,¡± Darius dismissed the girl¡¯s anger. ¡°Think of it as a lesson learned.¡±

    Melanie growled in frustration as the signal for the fifth round came. Her eyes darted toward the betray button, but something inside her must¡¯ve refused the temptation. She reluctantly went with the cooperate option.

    Darius showed no such difficulty in making his choice. He pressed the betray button with clear malicious intent. His laughter, along with Melanie¡¯s screams, rang throughout the game room.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± Zoey looked perturbed as the game progressed. Her gaze moved from the players to the floor, as if she needed time to process her thoughts on the situation.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°Darius is starting to enjoy this,¡± Wyatt appeared sickened at the sight of the kid laughing at Melanie¡¯s pain.

    Sure, I thought the bitch deserved every electrocution she got. However, Darius¡¯ sudden shift in character worried the others. The games had that effect on those that played; then, God knows what would¡¯ve happened to anyone else in their position.

    ¡°Unlike him, I doubt Melanie will fall for his tricks three times in a row,¡± Henrika said.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to turn into a battle of endurance soon,¡± Salomon presumed.

    The gravity of the precarious situation weighed down on everyone. All of us understood the consequences of Darius and Melanie¡¯s actions throughout their game. The option to cooperate was long gone.

    None of them would surrender.

    The number on Darius¡¯ screen went up from five to ten.

    ¡°Bastard! I¡¯m done playin¡¯ with you!¡± Melanie yelled after she shook off the pain from her electrocution.

    ¡°Bring it on! You brought this on yourself!¡± Darius yelled back.

    When the sixth round arrived, both players chose the betray option and suffered through their electrocutions as punishment. They hunched over in their chairs and breathed heavily.

    ¡°Had enough?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°Not in the slightest,¡± Melanie answered. ¡°If you wanna tap out, now¡¯s the time. You¡¯ll die if you keep gettin¡¯ shocked.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fine with that? Killing me to win this game?¡± Darius asked. Despite his question, his voice was stern and steady¡ªas if he had no fear. He was an entirely different person.

    ¡°What¡¯s another notch on my belt?¡± Melanie responded with a casual shrug of her shoulders.

    On the seventh round, Darius and Melanie continued to torture themselves with electrocutions. The more they suffered, the weaker they got. They proceeded with their brutal pattern for two more turns until Melanie spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯re really tryna kill me, aren¡¯tcha?¡± She asked weakly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop if you promise to stop,¡± Darius said. Those were his terms of the agreement. ¡°Work with me, and I¡¯ll work with you.¡±

    ¡°Like hell, I¡¯mma believe a word you say,¡± Melanie adamantly refused with a shake of her head. The girl had made her mind not to trust Darius throughout the game.

    ¡°I¡¯m only betraying you because you betrayed me first. Karma¡¯s a bitch.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re okay with gettin¡¯ us both killed? I thought these games weren¡¯t about killin¡¯ each other.¡± Melanie countered with my own words from before.

    Darius¡¯ face contorted in pain as he looked down at the buttons on his chair. He seemed confused.

    On Caius¡¯ signal for the tenth round, Melanie pressed the betray button and closed her eyes in preparation for her electric shock. Her eyes snapped open when Darius was the only one to suffer through the punishment that round.

    ¡°Huh? My chair malfunction or somethin¡¯?¡± Melanie wondered.

    ¡°What is Darius doing?¡± Iris brought her hands to her head. Everyone saw the whole thing. Darius decided to cooperate with Melanie instead of betraying.

    ¡°He¡¯s trying to cooperate with Melanie?¡± Wyatt added the pile of questions coursing through the minds of the other players.

    ¡°Why the sudden change?¡± Elena asked.

    Everyone seemed confused, but I wasn¡¯t. I understood what Melanie had done to shift the tide of the game in her favor. She knew about Darius¡¯ good nature and used that to exploit him.

    She knew that the kid couldn¡¯t bear the responsibility of ending someone¡¯s life. The guilt would destroy him one way or another. Therefore, Darius decided to take the punishment himself to cleanse his conscience.

    I respected the kid¡¯s resolve. But it also raised the question if he would survive the backlash of his decision. He already walked a fine line between life and death throughout the game. His decision might as well have pushed him over the edge.

    ¡°Melanie¡¯s manipulating him by using my words against him.¡± I squeezed my hand into a fist to help suppress my rage. Knowing that the bitch used my words to help kill another player proved strenuous to hold back.

    ¡°Darius knows she¡¯s playing him, but he probably doesn¡¯t want to feel responsible for their deaths.¡± Zoey surmised.

    ¡°So he¡¯d rather die instead! No! I won¡¯t accept that!¡± Elena rushed across the room and yelled at the camera. ¡°Caius! I know you can hear me! Stop this madness!¡±

    The number on Melanie¡¯s screen changed from fifteen to twenty. The punk rocker smiled wickedly at the sudden turn of events and continued to exploit Darius for the following two rounds. After the twelfth and final round, Darius hunched over in his chair, completely unresponsive.

    ¡°The second game is over! The winner, leading with thirty points, is player number two, Melanie Slater!¡± Caius cheerfully announced. Confetti rained down from the ceiling, and fanfare blared from the speakers.

    The doors to the game room opened, allowing the people in black to enter and secure Darius and Melanie. The players got removed from the electric chairs.

    Melanie shoved the people aside and decided to walk on her own, albeit with a little hobble in her step. Meanwhile, Darius wasn¡¯t so fortunate. He collapsed to the floor, unable to stand on his own two feet.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Melanie approached the body and placed her ear against the kid¡¯s chest. With another cruel smile, she declared, ¡°Yup, can¡¯t hear a heartbeat. He¡¯s dead.¡±

 Alea Ludo Chapter 6 - Spiraling Tenacity!

    Just like yesterday, everyone stood in the lobby, too stunned to say anything. Melanie defeated Darius in the second game. His life completely in question. He suffered through twelve electrocutions. Each time the voltage had increased. It would¡¯ve taken a miracle to save that kid¡¯s life if there was even any left.

    The doors leading to the game room burst open. Four people in black suits entered the room with a stretcher. Two of them attended to Darius. The other two attended to Melanie. She snaked her arms around their shoulders and used them as a means of support. After she was situated, she left the room with them. Darius, on the other hand, was carried out.

    ¡°Oh my god! Darius! No!¡± Elena uncontrollably wept after the second game had concluded.

    ¡°Jesus Christ! Is he dead? Is Darius dead?¡± Iris stammered as she slowly backed away from the window.

    ¡°You all witnessed Melanie check his heartbeat. She confirmed it herself that he was dead.¡± Nicholas spoke with a solemn expression. He hung his head and released a sigh.

    ¡°Two of us have died in a row. And this is only the second day.¡± Henrika balled her hand into a fist.

    I did a quick eye sweep of the room and gauged the reactions of everyone else. Wyatt scowled fiercely at the television screen which showed instant replays of the electrocutions that Darius suffered. As if watching it before wasn¡¯t enough torture.

    Zoey also stared at the television screen. There wasn¡¯t any real indication of anger shown on her face. However, she clutched her wrist as if she were trying to hold something back.

    Salomon didn¡¯t show any anger as well. He just kept smoking his cigar with a blank expression.

    ¡°That bitch! Now we have two murderers among us that we have to keep an eye out for!¡± Wyatt claimed.

    Everyone¡¯s attention turned towards the entrance as Caius, Melanie, and her two supporters entered the room. Caius and Melanie had similar grins sprawled across their faces. It truly disgusted me how happy the two of them seemed.

    How could they smile so easily after causing so much pain to someone like Darius?

    ¡°Hello, everyone! Did you all enjoy the spectacular Prisoner¡¯s Dilemma game?¡± Caius inquired.

    Stepping away from her supporters, Melanie placed one hand on her hip. Her Cheshire smile disappeared for a moment after she swayed a bit too much, losing her balance. Her hand quickly pressed against the wall, saving her from an embarrassing fall in front of everyone. She must¡¯ve still felt weak after suffering through so many electrocutions.

    ¡°What¡¯s up bitches? What¡¯d you all think about my win?¡± She winked playfully at us before extending her free arm out to give us all the peace sign. That bitch was seriously pushing it. She knew that everyone had their limits. But, she clearly didn¡¯t care. She killed someone and acted like she was walking on cloud nine. People like her?¡ª?I believed they only existed in fiction. Someone that killed for the fun of it couldn¡¯t be allowed to exist.

    However, there she stood. She killed someone like it was nothing and she was happy about it. She mentioned that Darius wasn¡¯t the only body under her belt. Maybe that¡¯s why it all seemed like nothing to her.

    She had killed before.

    Elena approached Melanie then tightly gripped onto her shirt. She repeatedly shook the young girl as she continued to bawl her eyes out. ¡°Why did you do that? Why did you kill Darius? Why couldn¡¯t you just cooperate with him?¡±

    She ceased with her actions then stared the bitch directly in the eyes. She received no verbal response. The wicked girl only stood there¡ªsmiling her usual Cheshire smile.

    ¡°Elena¡­¡± Iris softly called out to her.

    ¡°Both of you would have survived this game without suffering any injuries. You could have both¡­¡± She released her grip on Melanie and dropped down to her knees. She covered her face with her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

    ¡°Hey, you saw what happened down there. I did try to cooperate with him, but he chose to betray me twice,¡± Melanie stated the facts, ¡°instead of blaming me, you oughta blame him for his stupidity.¡±

    I had enough of that girl and her attitude. I stepped in and glared at her. ¡°You were given plenty of chances to cooperate with him. You knew what you were doing out there. You wanted him dead.¡±

    She looked at me with a condescending expression then scoffed. ¡°Yeah, so what if I did? C''mon; any of you would¡¯ve done the same if you were in my position.¡±

    ¡°Allow me to speak on behalf of everyone else here,¡± Zoey confidently took a step forward, cutting her way into the conversation, ¡°none of us would have betrayed one another.¡±

    Another scoff of disbelief escaped from Melanie¡¯s mouth. She then raised her head slightly and folded her arms underneath her chest, meanwhile giving off an arrogant smirk. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit, and you know it, Cyclops.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying that the temptation of money can reveal the true nature of us human beings. We¡¯ll do things that we wouldn¡¯t normally do under any circumstances.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong! We won¡¯t become monsters like you!¡± Iris pointed at Melanie.

    A feigned gasp escaped past Melanie¡¯s lips¡ªtopping it all off by recoiling back in shock. ¡°Monster? You think Imma monster? Have you looked in the mirror lately, Rainbows?¡±

    She pointed a finger of accusation towards the black-haired girl.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    Disappointed with the response, the bitch raised her finger then wagged it back and forth, clicking her tongue in the process. ¡°Don¡¯tcha understand that by accepting to play these games that we¡¯re all practically monsters? I mean no doubt we know that this shit is totally illegal.¡±

    ¡°The girl has a point,¡± agreed Salomon as he put out his cigar. ¡°We had a vague idea of how this was going to turn out and yet we still accepted to play these games.¡±

    ¡°And for what? The promise of winning a million dollars? Would any of you wanna play these games if they weren¡¯t offering any money as a prize?¡± She confidently looked around the room as silence befell on everyone. No one dared to speak up to challenge her. We all knew that she was right. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought. Stop tryna act as if you¡¯re all a bunch of saints. In case none of you have realized it yet, normal people aren¡¯t chosen for these games.¡±

    I slammed my foot on the ground then pointed at her. ¡°Regardless of why we decided to play these games, it doesn¡¯t give you the right to go around killing us off as you please.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about that, Barkeep? It sure seems that way since I just killed Dumbass and I¡¯m getting away with thirty points. Perhaps even forty since his points have to go somewhere.¡± She mocked me, shrugging her shoulders.

    ¡°How can you speak about killing someone so nonchalantly? Do you not care at all?¡± Wyatt yelled at her. He erupted from the sofa, glaring intensely. If looks could kill, she would¡¯ve been dead days ago.

    The bitch extended her arm forward and smiled wickedly at Wyatt. Her eyes shone with clear malicious intent. ¡°Deciding to stick with the whole saint act, Doc? I overheard your conversation earlier about suggesting to kill me along with the other traitors. The fact that you¡¯re yelling at me for killing someone when you were planning on doing it is totally hypocritical.¡±

    ¡°No¡­you are mistaken¡­that was just¡­¡± Wyatt stammered with his words as he took a step back. She had got him. He found it difficult to come up with a logical response to her statement.

    Who could blame her? It was hypocritical of him.

    ¡°Face it, Doc. You¡¯re fine with murder if it¡¯s not you getting killed. As I mentioned earlier, if you were down there in that game, you would¡¯ve betrayed him. The only thing that you can care about or trust in this world is money. It doesn¡¯t betray you like everything else.¡±

    Having said her final piece, Melanie returned to her supporters. She placed her arms around their shoulders then walked towards the exit. I refused to let it end that way. I wasn¡¯t going to allow that girl to kill someone and get away like it was nothing.

    I quickly stepped out in front of her and blocked the exit. There was a moment of silence once again as the two of us engaged each other in a fierce stare down.

    ¡°Get outta my way.¡±

    ¡°Let me tell you something. You¡¯re not going to get away with this. You¡¯re going to get what¡¯s coming to you eventually.¡± I warned her.

    ¡°Oh yeah? Is that supposed to be some kinda threat or something?¡±

    I shook my head in response to her question. ¡°No. It¡¯s a promise. And I keep my promises.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, tough guy? What¡¯re you gonna do? Kill me?¡± She removed her arm from around one of her supporters. She slowly grazed her thumb across her throat with a condescending expression on her face as a taunt to me.

    ¡°No. I already said that this was not a game about killing each other.¡± I reiterated.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not gonna kill me, then there¡¯s nothing that you can do to harm me in any way.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± I stood aside, allowing her to pass through.

    ¡°Whatever. Oh, and you don¡¯t need to worry about me voting to keep playing tomorrow. Now that I¡¯m in the lead, I don¡¯t wanna play anymore.¡± Melanie exited the room with her supporters.

    Caius frantically clapped his hands together to gain everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°Well, that was interesting. Anyway, this concludes the end of today¡¯s game. You are all welcome to leave the lobby room now.¡± He announced.

    ¡°What are you going to do with Darius¡¯ body?¡± Elena looked over to Caius.

    ¡°Take him to the infirmary room and let the medical personnel treat him, of course. He needs to be in top condition if he wishes to keep playing these games.¡±

    ¡°Wait. Darius isn¡¯t dead?!¡± Henrika exclaimed.

    Caius stared blankly at her for a moment before his smile returned. ¡°Of course not. Do not be ridiculous. He has suffered some burns from all the electrocutions, but he will live.¡±

    Hope returned to the eyes of Elena as she quickly stood to her feet. She rushed over to Caius and firmly placed her hands on his shoulders. ¡°Oh, thank goodness! Please! Can we see him? Can we go and see how Darius is doing?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I too would like to see him. I am a Doctor after all. I do not trust the life of that young man in the hands of your medical personnel.¡± Wyatt said.

    An exaggerated gasp suddenly escaped from the game moderator¡¯s mouth after hearing those words from Wyatt. ¡°Well, I am just offended by your words, Wyatt! Our medical personnel are top of the line! The best of the best!¡±

    ¡°I will be the judge of that once I see them personally,¡± Wyatt said.

    Caius eventually relented and led the others to the Infirmary room.

    At first, I wished to join them to check on his condition. But, I realized that I would only get in the way. And plus, the overwhelming guilt that I felt for being one of the people responsible for Darius¡¯ fate also hindered me. He could¡¯ve died in that game. And it would¡¯ve been my fault. Well, a portion of it anyway.

    I had nothing against Darius. He seemed like an okay kind of guy. He tried to stay positive in most situations, despite failing most of the time. And he seemed eager to please, which annoyed me a little. But, it didn¡¯t mean that I wanted him dead.

    ¡°Thank goodness. I¡¯m happy to hear that Darius isn¡¯t dead after all.¡± Iris said after heaving a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Same here. Melanie had us worried there for a while,¡± mentioned Henrika.

    ¡°Do you think that she did that on purpose to get a rise out of us? Like how she intentionally told us that she voted to continue playing earlier today?¡± Nicholas asked.

    ¡°I would not put it past her. That girl has a couple of screws loose in her.¡± Zoey mentioned while tapping the side of her head.

    ¡°Tell me about it.¡± I agreed with her statement.

    ¡°But, I was so sure that Darius had died though. She pressed her ear against his chest and everything.¡± Iris reminded us.

    ¡°Now that I think back on it. Melanie placed her ear against the right side of his chest. The heart is on the left side.¡± Zoey stated.

    ¡°Oh yeah! You¡¯re right!¡±

    I clicked my tongue in annoyance. Everything Melanie had done was nothing more than an elaborate plot to piss off everyone. And I had fallen for it. Thinking about it only made me more upset. ¡°I¡¯m certain that bitch did that just to piss us off. I swear that little girl isn¡¯t going to get away with what she did.¡±

    ¡°Now, now, do not do something that you are going to regret,¡± Nicholas warned me.

    ¡°Oh, trust me. I¡¯m not going to regret it. I¡¯ve figured out a major weakness of hers after watching the match.¡± I announced to the group.

    ¡°I am fine with you doing whatever you have to do to her as long as it does not involve killing her,¡± Zoey told me.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go back on my word. I¡¯m not going to kill her. But, she can¡¯t keep going around doing as she pleases during these games. She¡¯s far too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°What do you plan on doing to her then? Physical violence isn¡¯t allowed outside of the games, remember?¡± Salomon reminded me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to harm her physically. But mentally, that¡¯s a different story.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile as a devious plan of revenge concocted in my mind.

    ¡°Oh! Attacking the mind instead of the body sounds awesome! I can¡¯t wait to see what you will do, Ambrose!¡± eagerly said, Iris.

    ¡°I would advise you to be cautious with that plan of yours, Ambrose,¡± Nicholas suddenly interjected, ¡°attacking the mind so carelessly can produce some unpredictable results.¡±

    ¡°You sound like you¡¯re speaking from personal experience.¡± Salomon looked over to Nicholas with a curious expression.

    Nicholas folded his arms and nodded his head. He lowered his head then said, ¡°I am a therapist after all. People tell me about their insecurities and mental weaknesses all the time. So, I know how to break one¡¯s mind.¡±

    ¡°What is it like breaking someone¡¯s mind?¡± I felt the need to ask.

    ¡°I have never done it before myself. But, I do remember a time when a colleague of mine got angry at one of his patients and verbally assaulted him.¡± He looked up from the ground and stared directly at me. ¡°He was truly relentless. He exploited the patient¡¯s weaknesses so much that the man eventually wound up killing himself.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god. That sounds horrible.¡± Iris brought her hands up to her face.

    ¡°It truly was. The media was all over it within hours, and they destroyed that man¡¯s career. He got blacklisted from his job, and he too eventually killed himself.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°I do believe that I remember reading about something like that happening somewhere before,¡± Zoey said.

    ¡°Anyway, I did not mean to create such a tense atmosphere for us. I am just warning you that you should be careful.¡± Nicholas told me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± I nodded my head in understanding.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s getting late. Perhaps we should get some rest and hope that we can all go home tomorrow.¡± Iris said before she let out a small yawn.

    ¡°I would not get your hopes up. Remember that besides Melanie, there are four other people that wish to continue playing these games.¡± Henrika reminded us.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I might vote to continue playing these games tomorrow,¡± I said.

    ¡°What? Why would you do that, Ambrose?¡± Iris exclaimed.

    ¡°Have you lost your mind or something?¡± Henrika and Iris glared at me in response.

    I slowly raised my hands in a defensive manner. ¡°I said that I might. I know it sounds selfish, but I don¡¯t like the fact that Melanie is in the lead.¡±

    ¡°You should just accept it. If you plan to knock Melanie down a peg, you might wind up getting others killed in the process.¡± Nicholas said.

    ¡°So, you just want to let her walk away with all of that money unpunished? She nearly killed Darius today. Who knows what she will do the next time she is chosen to play.¡±

    ¡°I do not like the idea as much as you do. But, there is nothing that we can do about it without risking the lives of the remaining players.¡±

    ¡°We have just witnessed another possible threat in choosing to continue playing these games for money. And you wish to continue playing for revenge?¡± Zoey¡¯s cold stare unnerved me. She looked at me like I was nothing more garbage. Eyes like those were familiar to me.

    ¡°It is not a good idea, Ambrose. I know what happened to Darius today was tragic, but we cannot risk staying another day in here.¡± Iris spoke softly.

    I looked at Iris, Zoey, and Nicholas. All three of them had stern expressions. My gazed lowered down to the ground, and I let out a sigh of defeat. Guess I was no match for those three. My anger subsided once they pinpointed me as the bad guy. That was the last thing that I wanted.

    ¡°All right. I will vote to leave tomorrow. But, it still does not change the fact that there are four other people here that still wish to continue playing.¡± I told them. The actual number was three, excluding Melanie and I. I didn¡¯t want to lie to those people, but I couldn¡¯t let them know what I voted.

    If they somehow found out that information, no doubt they would turn against me. Everyone would¡¯ve targeted me for the duration of the games. And I didn¡¯t want to be involved in an environment in which I had to look over my shoulder every ten seconds or less. I had gotten enough of that at home.

    Zoey approached me then placed her hand firmly on my shoulder. ¡°When the time comes we will weed them out. Until then we will just have to continue voting.¡± Her cold stare vanished. They returned to their neutral state.

    ¡°And if we do weed them out, then what? It¡¯s not like we can do anything to them outside of the games.¡± I said.

    ¡°If the games are going to continue to get dangerous from here on out, then we can use that to intimidate them.¡± Iris eagerly suggested.

    ¡°It is as good a plan as any.¡± Nicholas shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°I guess I can get behind that plan.¡± I nodded.

    ¡°Finding them in the first place will be the most difficult part though. I wonder how things will turn out for us tomorrow.¡± Salomon said.

    ¡°We will just have to wait and see. Until then let us get some sleep. We will need to make sure we are well rested for tomorrow.¡± Zoey said.

    ¡°Good night everyone,¡± Iris said goodnight to everyone before we all dispersed to our respected rooms.

    I entered my room then crawled my way to the front of the bed. I lied across on my back then stared blankly at the ceiling. My hand was brought to my stomach as I grimaced. It was like there was a knot in my stomach. Not that it was surprising, though. It was certainly an eventful day. I betrayed everyone and nearly got Darius killed. Despite yesterday¡¯s experience concerning Frederick¡¯s death, I had clearly learned nothing from it.

    If Darius were somehow killed during that game, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to forgive myself. Although we were nowhere near close enough even to be considered friends, I still cared about his well-being. Sure, he was an annoying brat, he seemed like he had a bright future ahead of him and I didn¡¯t want it ruined because of the games. Then again, it wasn¡¯t like I was the one that convinced him to participate in the first place.

    My train of thought shifted from thinking about Darius over to Melanie. That smug little bitch clearly didn¡¯t care about Darius¡¯ life. She openly betrayed him on multiple occasions throughout the game, nearly killing him. Because of her actions, she was in the lead with thirty points. So, if everyone chose to leave the facility, she would¡¯ve left with one million dollars. The thought of that happening left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn¡¯t care who won the money. I would rather the old man than that bitch.

    Something had to be done about her. I already knew about her mental weakness. It became clear to me during her match against Darius. However, it wouldn¡¯t prove to be of any use if she was in the lead or participating in any of the games.

    I clenched my hands into fists and shut my eyes to go to sleep.

    Time passed, and my eyes opened after I heard the doorbell to my room sound off. I groaned in irritation before having left my bed to answer the door. Lo and behold, Iris was the one to wake me up again.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s morning, Ambrose. It¡¯s time to wake up and have some breakfast with the rest of us.¡± She happily announced as she threw her arms up in the air.

    ¡°Just to be clear, are you going to be waking me up every single day for breakfast?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t just wake you up. I wake up everyone else.¡± She stated. So basically, the girl had elected herself as the alarm clock for everyone.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you just let us sleep and wake up whenever we want? People must be pretty exhausted after playing and watching the games so far.¡±

    ¡°But, if I did that then no one would wake up in time to eat my delicious breakfast.¡± Her mouth curved downward and her lower lip quivered. Small whimpering noises escaped from her mouth.

    What an odd transformation.

    She went from an alarm clock to a puppy. Then, her eyes suddenly widened. She gave me the classic puppy dog pout. Despite how embarrassing it may have looked and sounded, it somehow managed to affect me.

    ¡°You made breakfast again? Wait a second, how early do you wake up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s eight right now¡­so I wake up around five thirty and make breakfast around seven.¡± She answered.

    ¡°Why do you feel the need to wake up so early? You know what. Never mind. I will be right out.¡± I told her before I closed the door. After taking a moment to heave a sigh, I took a step forward then stopped upon hearing a crunching sound beneath my foot.

    I looked down.

    A piece of paper rested under my foot. I picked it up then read it.

    It read, ¡°If you wish to escape from this facility, you should know who your allies and enemies are. Do not trust Melanie or Nicholas. They are two of the five traitors that voted to continue playing the games. Don''t show this to anyone.¡±

    I scratched the back of my head then flipped the paper over to see the back. Nothing. I crumpled up the paper then put it in my pocket for the time being. Multiple questions raced through my mind.

    Who the hell sent me the letter in the first place? Was it Iris?

    Unlikely.

    She didn¡¯t seem like the type of person that would do that.

    I paced back and forth around the room, contemplating on how to proceed with the information given to me by the mysterious sender. Multiple theories raced through my mind. The first one was that it was the work of Caius to start some drama and sue seeds of distrust among us players. However, I dismissed the idea once I realized that was what the voting was for.

    The next theory was that someone was desperately trying to warn me about Melanie and Nicholas. I was already aware that Melanie was a dangerous individual. But, Nicholas, on the other hand, seemed a little too far-fetched. It crossed my mind to ask around and check to make sure. However, I cast aside that idea.

    I didn¡¯t want to be manipulated into starting something like a witch hunt.

    I headed to the bathroom then freshened up before I left my room and walked towards the cafeteria to join the other players. Along the way, I encountered Wyatt, who had left the infirmary. When our eyes met, and he called out to me.

    ¡°Ambrose? Were you planning on checking on Darius?¡± He inquired. ¡°He is conscious right now. You can go ahead and visit him if you wish.¡±

    With that said, Wyatt left and headed down the hallway. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t planning on visiting Darius. At least not until I was ready. I was partially responsible for what happened to him. Sure, I wasn¡¯t planning on telling him that directly, but still, I was already there.

    The infirmary room was right there in front of me. All I had to do was open the door and step inside, no problem. Or at least that¡¯s how I wanted to perceive it. Of course, it was a problem. I didn¡¯t know what I was going to do or what to say to him. I didn¡¯t even have a clue as to how he was going to react.

    It was all very complicated. It was too early in the day for me to be dealing with shit like that. Unfortunately, it was too late to back down. I mustered up my courage then entered the infirmary room. It was a rather large room. Large enough to contain twelve medical beds. All of them divided by white curtains hanging around them.

    Of course, one of them was occupied by Darius. But to my surprise, Elena and Iris kept him company. He was wrapped up in bandages while being spoon-fed oatmeal by Elena while Iris suspiciously looked on. Since he seemed to be enjoying himself, I decided to turn back and leave. However, Iris wandered over and forced me to join them.

    ¡°Ambrose, I didn¡¯t expect to see you come and visit. Please have a seat.¡± She smiled brightly, forcing me down into one of the seats next to Darius¡¯ bed in between Elena and him.

    ¡°Ambrose is here too? Man, I didn¡¯t know that I was this popular.¡± Darius weakly laughed.

    I guess I was worried about nothing. If he was capable of joking around in his condition, then he was completely fine. Or perhaps that¡¯s just how he wished to act while we were in front of him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to your head, kid. I was just passing by.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Regardless if you were passing by or not, it means a lot that you came to visit.¡± Elena chimed in.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the diagnosis?¡± I inquired.

    ¡°Wyatt and the other doctors mentioned that my wounds aren¡¯t too severe. I should be up and moving in about two days or so. I have to come by every now and then to change my bandages and apply cream to my burns.¡± Darius answered.

    ¡°Then make sure that you rest up.¡± My eyes bulged after hearing a familiar, obnoxious voice further down the room. Everyone reluctantly turned their heads in the direction of the white curtain that had been moved aside. To our immediate anger, the voice belonged to none other than Melanie. ¡°You¡¯re gonna need it for the next time you play the games.¡±

    ¡°You?! What are you doing in here?!¡± Darius exclaimed in horror. Certainly, the last person that he had expected to see was her.

    ¡°Have you forgotten? I was electrocuted during the game too, Dumb ass.¡± She clarified. ¡°Those people in the black suits brought me here to get some medical treatment. The doctors spent more time on you than they did on me for some reason.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Darius was far more injured than you were.¡± Iris angrily mentioned.

    Melanie puffed her cheeks then pouted in response. ¡°How rude. Whatever happened to chivalry? Ladies first, remember?¡±

    ¡°He nearly lost his life because of you,¡± added Elena.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Nearly. He¡¯s still alive and kicking, unfortunately. So, you guys were worried about nothing yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Nothing?! I almost died!¡± Darius yelled at her.

    He fiercely scowled at her. Not that I could blame him. The bitch was always so blunt and childish. But then again, I expected nothing less from that girl. She was a lost cause.

    To ease the tension in the room, Elena shoved the spoon of oatmeal into Darius¡¯ mouth. She then firmly placed her hands on his cheeks then turned his head so that he was facing her.

    ¡°Ignore her, Darius. She¡¯s just trying to rile you up like she does with everyone else. Don¡¯t fall for her taunts. You just focus on resting, okay? That¡¯s an order.¡±

    It was a rare sight to behold. Never thought that Elena was capable of ordering someone around like that. She was always so shy, quiet, and timid.

    Darius¡¯ face turned bright red. He averted his gaze away from Elena and nodded his head. He soon calmed down and reclined in his bed.

    Melanie lost interest as evident by the fact that she clicked her tongue and then moved the curtain to conceal herself.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to be doing the voting round again today, right? Hopefully, we¡¯ll be able to go home this time. I do NOT want to have another near-death experience like that again.¡± Darius said then groaned afterward.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about a thing. I¡¯m sure that we¡¯ll be going home today.¡± Iris proclaimed proudly. She stood up and struck a dramatic pose for emphasis.

    ¡°You suddenly seem confident in that statement of yours,¡± I noted.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m confident in my statement. I had a dream last night that we all voted to go home. Perhaps it was not a dream, but rather a premonition.¡± She told me.

    Elena¡¯s eyes seemed to brighten up as she said, ¡°A premonition you say? What? Do you have psychic abilities now or something?¡±

    ¡°Hey! When I have dreams like these, they usually come out becoming reality! Just you watch! We are going to leave this facility one day!¡±

    Almost immediately our attention was drawn up to the intercom in the ceiling. It was Caius. He informed everyone about the voting round. It was time to begin. The second round of the voting that would determine whether we would stay here or go. Everyone in the room, excluding Darius, stood to their feet then left the room, heading towards the voting room to decide our fate for the second time.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 7 - Guilt Ridden and Suspicion!

    The second round of the voting was about to begin. All the remaining players, excluding Darius for obvious reasons, were all gathered in the voting room. Caius stood in the middle of the room, his trademark smile annoyed me instantly. I swore that guy could never smile any other way than that one. Once everyone was there, he waved at us and spoke.

    ¡°Welcome back to the voting room everyone! I am happy to see that you all managed to make it here safely!¡± He looked around the room for a moment. His smile suddenly disappeared. ¡°Well¡­all except for Darius that is. He shall be excluded from the voting this time.¡±

    The first one to speak out of the group was Henrika. She raised her hand then asked, ¡°Will him not being here negatively affect the votes?¡±

    Caius shook his head. ¡°No. The rules are the same. If anyone votes to continue playing, everyone remains here. If everyone votes to leave, then you all leave.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± She lowered her hand. However, she still seemed skeptical about his answer.

    ¡°Ignoring the dumb ass for the time being. How''re the rankings?¡± The obnoxious Melanie spoke up next. ¡°I should be in the lead with the most points, right?¡±

    ¡°I am getting to that.¡± Caius pushed a few buttons on the tablet in his hand. He then turned it around to show everyone the rankings. ¡°As of now, Melanie is in the lead. Tied for second place are Darius and Klara.¡±

    The little bitch pumped her fist in the air, celebrating her dominant position. ¡°Hell yeah! That money¡¯s mine! All mine!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure of that,¡± Salomon said, flipping his coin in his hand. With a smirk, he showed it to Melanie. ¡°Fate may have other plans in store.¡±

    Melanie slowly lowered her arm down to her side. With a menacing expression, she turned to face the old man. Her Cheshire smile had vanished. ¡°That supposed to be a threat, old man? You gonna vote to keep playing just to piss me off?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Let¡¯s just wait and see how this round of voting goes.¡±

    ¡°Fine by me. Regardless of how this plays out, I¡¯ll still be in the lead.¡±

    ¡°If everyone is done stalling. I would like to get this over with already.¡± Wyatt rudely said.

    ¡°Yes, I agree with Wyatt. Let the second round of voting begin. Will you stay or will you go?¡± Caius announced for the voting to begin.

    Everyone listened to the game moderator then dispersed into respective voting booths. There I was again, standing over the black screen that sealed everyone¡¯s fate. It turned on once I held my bracelet over it. To my immediate disgust, Caius¡¯ face appeared on it again. It soon shrank, and then the two familiar buttons appeared on the screen.

    Continue or leave. Those were my options. They were such simple and yet complicated choices. If I were to press the continue option, everyone would be doomed to spend another day in the god-forsaken facility. And man, did that turn out well last time. Darius nearly lost his life because of me and four other people.

    I don¡¯t know about them, but I felt conflicted about my decision. I lacked the foresight and underestimated the games. There was no longer a doubt in my mind that they were dangerous and life-threatening. Choosing the continue option would be foolish. Any reasonable person would¡¯ve voted to leave on the second day.

    But it was just like Melanie mentioned yesterday. Ordinary people weren¡¯t chosen to participate in the games. Every single player had something about them that caught the interest of the shady organization. I didn¡¯t know if it was their personality, their convictions, or even the situations that they were in. But what I did know was that I wasn¡¯t a normal person.

    I was far from it.

    What happened to Darius was tragic, but I wasn¡¯t going to be swayed so easily just because he nearly lost his life.

    Sure, I felt guilty and regretted my decision. But something that I would regret far worse would be abandoning my only shot at winning enough money to save Maynard¡¯s bar. Some people would have to get hurt and possibly lose their lives just so that I could keep a bar. My home.

    It was the lesser of two evils.

    I pressed the continue button and sealed the fate of everyone once more. I honestly was a scumbag. But, I didn¡¯t care. I swore that I would do whatever it took to save my home. Once my screen turned off, I stepped outside the booth. Everyone else stepped out as well around the same time.

    Our gazes moved on to Caius. He didn¡¯t look at us, however. His attention was on the tablet in his hands. Once the votes were in, he graced us with his trademark smile once more. ¡°Congratulations players! Four out of the ten of you that voted have chosen to continue playing! It looks like you will remain here for another day!¡± He happily announced the results to everyone.

    ¡°Now why am I not surprised by this?¡± Wyatt complained, throwing his hands into the air while heaving a sigh.

    ¡°How unfortunate. It appears that Darius¡¯ near-death experience yesterday has done nothing to deter some of us.¡± Nicholas dejectedly spoke up next.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t come to a shock to anybody that we¡¯ll be here for another day. We still don¡¯t know the identity of the four-people voting to continue playing.¡± I mentioned to the group.

    ¡°But, I still can¡¯t help but feel upset over this. One of us has already died, and another one of us nearly died yesterday.¡± Iris started listing the events on her fingers. ¡°In less than two days, we almost lost two people. If we stay here any longer, more people are going to die.¡±

    ¡°Well, no point in complaining about it now. Might as well make ourselves comfortable for the next few days.¡± Melanie shrugged her shoulders then left the room.

    Klara closed her book and left the room as well, obviously not saying a word to anyone.

    ¡°I know that those two are responsible for keeping us here. We just need to figure out who the other two are and deal with them.¡± Wyatt plotted.

    Surprisingly, Henrika stepped forward and confronted the Doctor. ¡°You¡¯re still going on about Klara being one of the traitors behind this? What proof do you have that she voted to keep playing, Wyatt?¡±

    Wyatt took a step backward and grimaced at Henrika¡¯s sudden confrontation. He was as shocked as everyone else by her strange behavior. But, the doctor didn¡¯t back down. He stood his ground and spoke.

    "The rankings. She''s now in second place thanks to Melanie. That should be more than enough proof." The man brought up his assumption with much confidence.

    But to be honest, I wasn¡¯t all that convinced. Neither was Henrika. Sure, anyone would be upset after losing a chance to win one million dollars. But I never pictured Klara to be someone like that. Then again, it wasn¡¯t like she spoke with anyone of us. No one had any clue what went through that woman¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you have against Klara, but you need to cut it out. She hasn¡¯t done anything wrong. She doesn¡¯t deserve your suspicion.¡± Henrika pointed out.

    "It''s been three days, Henrika. That woman hasn''t spoken a word to anyone," Wyatt stated. "She should at least do something, say something to defend herself and prove her innocence."

    "Basing your suspicions on the silence of others?" Zoey stepped in.

    "You''re a detective, right? People are only silent when they have something to hide."

    "That isn''t always the case," Zoey shook her head. "If Klara were to come out and speak right now, would your suspicions of her disappear immediately?"

    "Well, no. But, talking is better than staying silent all the time."

    ¡°How do we know that you¡¯re not one of the traitors, Wyatt? You said that you wanted to earn enough money to give your wife the heart transplant that she needs, right? You have yet to win any money so far.¡± Henrika stated.

    Wyatt scowled at the mention his situation. Henrika wandered into dangerous territory.

    ¡°If you truly loved your wife and wanted to help her, would you run away from this place with no money in hand? It seems like it would be a waste of time to me,¡± She shrugged her shoulders, ¡°the way I see it, you¡¯re putting on an act. You¡¯re just waiting for your chance to win some money at the cost of everyone¡¯s lives.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± He suddenly shouted.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I strike a nerve?¡±

    ¡°You do not know what you are talking about! I love my wife! I would do anything to save her! But this¡­this is not something I should have agreed to! Killing people just to save a life is just¡­¡±

    ¡°You sound hypocritical again. You were the first one to suggest killing someone yesterday. Now you¡¯re against it? Which one is it, Wyatt?¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Zoey broke up their argument. ¡°Fighting among each other like this is what he wants. It is all going according to his plan.¡± She indicated over to Caius.

    Our attention was drawn over to the Game Moderator. He merely stood there, watching us all unravel with his dreadful smile and indifferent gaze.

    ¡°Plan? What plan? Whatever do you mean, Zoey?¡± He feigned ignorance.

    ¡°Do not play dumb with me, Caius. You mentioned it on the very first day that you are the game moderator. It is your job to manipulate the game as you see fit.¡± The Detective pointed out.

    ¡°You are correct about that.¡±

    ¡°So, could it be possible that you are manipulating the votes to keep us here for as long as you please?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re right!¡± Iris pointed accusingly at Caius. ¡°You totally could be manipulating the votes! I bet we all voted to leave Serendipity yesterday and you just changed the votes to keep us here!¡±

    ¡°Is that true? Does that mean that there are no traitors in our group?¡± Elena asked.

    ¡°If that¡¯s truly the case, then hurry up and send us home,¡± demanded Henrika.

    ¡°Calm down, calm down everyone. You are all giving me way too much credit,¡± Caius raised his hands up in a defensive manner. Not a single shred of nervousness or concern shook his voice. ¡°despite being the game moderator, even I have rules that I must follow. I am not permitted to manipulate the votes. The results are truly genuine and unaltered.¡±

    ¡°Do you expect us to believe that?¡± Henrika glared at Caius.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°I can believe it. I doubt that Caius is directly manipulating the votes.¡± I stepped into the conversation.

    Caius¡¯ eyes appeared to sparkle as he looked at me. I grimaced in disgust. I didn¡¯t want him to ever look at me with eyes like that ever again.

    ¡°Thank you so much for having confidence in me, Ambrose. I always knew that you were my favorite.¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± I demanded.

    ¡°So harsh!¡±

    ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s not directly manipulating the votes. He¡¯s manipulating us. The temptation of money is all that he needs to keep us here.¡±

    ¡°You are correct! Money makes the world go round! That is how the saying goes, right?¡±

    ¡°Damn it! Had I known I would end up in a situation like this, I would not have bothered agreeing to play these games!¡± Wyatt cursed himself.

    A sigh of exasperation left Iris¡¯ mouth. She placed her hand on her hips and said, ¡°So, now we¡¯re back to square one. We have to find out who the four traitors are as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Who knows how long that will take,¡± Elena said.

    ¡°We will just have to watch our backs for the time being,¡± Nicholas said.

    ¡°Saying something like that will make me feel even more paranoid,¡± Elena complained.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Elena. As long as I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡± Iris assured her then placed her hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°This is another part of Caius¡¯ plan. He wants to create feelings of opposition, doubt, and distrust among us.¡± I stated.

    ¡°And needless to say, it is working out wonderfully,¡± Caius announced.

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    He smiled at me before zipping his mouth closed.

    ¡°Anyway, if we suddenly start a witch hunt to find the traitors, we¡¯re bound to make a mistake and do something that we¡¯re going to regret.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We should tread carefully.¡± Henrika agreed with my statement. She then looked over at Zoey and smiled. ¡°Zoey, you¡¯re a detective, right? If anyone can find out who the traitors, it¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a good idea! Let¡¯s have Zoey find the traitors!¡± Iris suggested.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s such a good idea.¡± Zoey rejected the suggestion. Despite her refusal, the others didn¡¯t give up. Elena, Iris, and Henrika surrounded the poor woman. They continued to bombard her with requests and pleas until she eventually submitted to their will. ¡°Okay, okay, fine. I¡¯ll do my best to find them. But don¡¯t put too much faith in me. Even if I do find them, there¡¯s nothing much I can do to change their minds.¡±

    ¡°Do not worry about that, Zoey. I am sure that we will come up with something after we find them.¡± Nicholas spoke optimistically.

    ¡°All this talk about finding the traitors sounds interesting. I cannot wait to see how things will unfold from now on. Please put on a spectacular show. I will be sure to watch everything.¡± Caius told us before he left the room.

    ¡°I seriously do not like him,¡± said Zoey after watching the man leave.

    ¡°Ignore him for the time being. He¡¯s only meant to be a distraction from our main goal.¡± I mentioned.

    ¡°Well, he does a pretty damn good job of distracting us,¡± Henrika complained.

    ¡°Anyway, it looks like we¡¯re going to be stuck here for a while. Might as well try and get comfortable.¡± Iris said.

    With that said, everyone dispersed from the voting room. I tried to head back to my room to get some rest, but I was once again forced to accompany Elena and Iris to the infirmary room. The three of us caught Darius up on the situation. He wasn¡¯t too happy with the results.

    ¡°What?! We have to stay here for another day?!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can survive another day here!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you have anything to worry about. You¡¯ve already played one of the games.¡± I reminded him in an attempt to calm him down.

    ¡°And I¡¯m grateful for that. But¡­¡±

    ¡°How can you be grateful for nearly losing your life?¡± Elena asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. Sure, it sucked that I almost died. But, once I¡¯m able to take these bandages off, I¡¯m certain the cool scars across my body will attract all the ladies.¡± Darius looked over at Elena then winked at her.

    Elena let out a small, strained laugh as she looked away from him.

    Typical. All my feelings of guilt regarding his near-death experience all vanished at that exact moment. I should¡¯ve never felt sorry for the kid. He was one of those types that hardly ever learned a lesson.

    ¡°Anyway, we just came to fill you in on everything that happened. Please try and get some rest.¡± Elena told him, clearly avoiding his advances.

    Darius reclined in his bed, heaving a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can. Although I¡¯m excluded from the games, for the time being, I¡¯m still worried about everyone else. What kind of game will you guys be playing today? How dangerous will it be? Will you guys make it out alive? Those are the questions racing through my mind right now.¡±

    Perhaps the kid wasn¡¯t so bad after all. Despite his annoying traits, he genuinely seemed to be a good-natured person. Some of the guilt returned and formed a knot in my stomach. I had to leave. Remaining in the room would only prove to be disastrous for me sooner or later. But as my luck would have it, other players entered the room to visit Darius, preventing me from escaping at that moment. The ones that appeared were Zoey, Nicholas, Salomon, and Wyatt.

    ¡°Oh. It looks like they have already beaten us here.¡± Nicholas was the first one to speak out of the group.

    ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± Darius sat up on the bed, watching the others approach.

    ¡°We came here to check on you. But, it seems we¡¯ve come at a bad time.¡± Salomon¡¯s gaze directed towards Elena and Iris. He sent Darius a sideways glance, followed up with an unpleasant expression that irked me.

    ¡°No, no, you didn¡¯t come at a bad time at all,¡± Elena told them. ¡°We just finished explaining the situation to Darius.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to find the ones responsible for keeping us here, Zoey?¡± Darius looked at the detective with pleading eyes of desperation.

    ¡°I will do what I can.¡± Zoey vaguely responded.

    ¡°If anyone can find them, it¡¯s you, Zoey!¡± Iris enthusiastically said.

    That girl¡¯s level of optimism was something else. I wished some of that confidence would¡¯ve rubbed off on me sometimes. But, I didn¡¯t hold my breath.

    ¡°Do you have any guesses or clues as to who they could be?¡± Wyatt suddenly inquired.

    ¡°This is not the time or the place to discuss this.¡± Zoey dodged the question. Her attention was solely on Darius. ¡°How are you feeling, Darius?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me. You guys should focus on yourselves.¡± Darius said, looking at every last one of us in the room. ¡°You¡¯ll be forced to play another dangerous game today. Make sure that you¡¯re all prepared for it. I don¡¯t want to see any of you joining me in this room.¡±

    ¡°No need to worry about us. We will be fine.¡± Wyatt stepped forward. ¡°By the way, if you ever need help with any medical procedures, do not hesitate to call me.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the offer, Wyatt. But, Elena has been more than enough medicine for me.¡± Darius looked at Elena with another flirtatious glance.

    His comment flustered her. Her cheeks flushed with a shade of red before she brought her hands up to her face. ¡°Please don¡¯t kid around like that, Darius. You really should accept Wyatt¡¯s help. He¡¯s a doctor after all.¡±

    ¡°Anything you say, Elena.¡± He cooed, his gaze never leaving the blonde-haired woman.

    It got nauseating to watch his pathetic attempts at flirting. So, I left the room without saying a word to anyone. Unfortunately, I bumped into Melanie in the hallway. We stopped in our tracks, engaging in a stare down. Like usual, plastered on her face was her trademark Cheshire smile. Her eyes filled with defiance. I¡¯m sure that my expression wasn¡¯t too friendly, but she obviously didn¡¯t seem to mind.

    ¡°Fancy running into you here,¡± She said mockingly. She tilted her head to the side then continued to speak, ¡°how¡¯d it go by the way? Explaining the situation to the dumb ass in there?¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to talk to her. It would¡¯ve been in my best interest to walk past her then continue with my day. However, I had to confirm something. I couldn¡¯t waste the opportunity.

    ¡°Why bother asking? Not like you care in the first place.¡± I responded.

    ¡°¡­True¡­¡± She shrugged her shoulders.

    ¡°So, what did you vote to do during the second round?¡± I suddenly asked, deciding to just get things over with.

    She seemed surprised by my question. I couldn¡¯t blame her. It was the first time I ever directly asked someone what they voted. Her momentary expression of surprise was soon replaced with her usual smile.

    ¡°Oh my, why the sudden interest?¡±

    I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Curiosity. I just wanted to confirm whether you kept true to your word about voting to leave since you¡¯re in the lead now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that answer would work for anyone else¡­but I¡¯m a bit different.¡± She turned her head then gave me a suspicious glance. ¡°You¡¯re up to something.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t wrong about that. But, I doubted that I gave it away on my face. The little bitch was quite perceptive whenever she wanted to be. It was annoying.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t everybody?¡± I asked. ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to answer if you don¡¯t want to. As I said, it was pure curiosity.¡± I slipped my hands into my pockets then walked past her.

    ¡°Well since you¡¯re so ¡°curious,¡± I¡¯ll indulge you.¡± I stopped in my tracks after Melanie spoke with a condescending tone of voice. ¡°I voted to leave like I said I would. Now that I¡¯m in the lead, I see no reason to stay here any longer. Although waiting here for the rest of you to die does interest me, I have better things to do. I¡¯m a busy woman after all.¡±

    And with that, we went our separate ways.

    I had nothing else to say to her. It was unexpected, but she answered my question. Now it was up to me to figure out if she was telling the truth or not. To be honest, I didn¡¯t know. That girl was hard to read sometimes. Regardless if she kept her word or not, it didn¡¯t matter in the end.

    Everyone was trapped there for another day because of me and three other people. As to who those three people were, I had no idea. But someone among us had one.

    The mysterious person that wrote the letter.

    Not a lot of time had passed since I received the letter. But no one had mentioned receiving one. Was it possible that I was the only one? No, that wouldn¡¯t make any sense. Out of all the participants to hand it out to, why would someone choose me?

    What kind of sick game were they playing? Was this a setup by one of them? If so, then it was all just so frustrating. I was being played like a fiddle. Someone was enjoying watching me dance around to their little tune at my expense.

    Unforgivable. I refused to be someone¡¯s plaything. Not again. EVER again.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 8 - The Third Game!

    The second voting round was an absolute disaster. Thanks to me and three other co-conspirators, we trapped everyone inside of the hellhole known as Serendipity for another day. The guilt didn¡¯t eat away at me as fast as the first day. Perhaps I¡¯d lost more of my corroding soul with each passing day,

    Every secret that I kept¡ªevery lie that I told¡ªall of it hurt the other players one way or another. I felt that I could continue with my antics until I earned the money that I deserved. But someone amongst us was closing in on the others and me.

    I sat alone in my room, going over the contents of the letter sent by a mysterious individual. I racked my brain, trying to figure out who wrote the letter and why they sent it to me of all people.

    Did they send it out as an earnest warning? Or was it bait to draw us out into the open?

    Either way, I saw it as someone trying to use me to ignite a fire. I refused to play into the hands of the mysterious sender. They wanted to spread drama; they¡¯d have to do it themselves.

    I set the letter inside my drawer once Caius¡¯ came over the intercom, once again reminding everyone of game time. I left my room and met the other players inside the lobby.

    Upon everyone¡¯s arrival, the game moderator flashed his dreadful smile and proceeded with his announcement, ¡°Now that everyone is here, we shall begin with the third game! I will now select the players!¡±

    Caius pressed a button on his tablet and showed everyone the screen. Our faces raced across the monitor until coming to a halt on two players¡ªElena and me.

    Surprisingly, I felt no fear after getting selected. Perhaps it had something to do with my excitement. After all, the time had come where I¡¯d put my life on the line and win the money to save the bar. Or, it could¡¯ve been my sense of security knowing I¡¯d easily defeat Elena.

    The woman seemed far from a challenge, or even a warm-up for that matter. I glanced over at my opponent and immediately spotted the paleness of her face, the terror in her eyes. She wasn¡¯t cut out for the games.

    How they managed to recruit someone like her into risking her life for money was beyond me. But, I didn¡¯t put too much thought into it. It wasn¡¯t my business.

    All I knew was that easy money was coming my way.

    Or so I thought.

    Elena¡¯s eyes filled with tears upon the horrid realization that she¡¯d gotten selected. She backed away from Caius and shook her head, voicing her desperate refusal to playing. ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to play! I don¡¯t want to die!¡±

    It was a pathetic attempt¡ªfruitless even. The wicked smile on Caius¡¯ face practically gave away his uncompassionate mentality toward the woman¡¯s suffering. He didn¡¯t have to say a word for the others to understand that he wouldn¡¯t save her.

    ¡°Now, now, Elena, crying will do you no good here.¡± Caius callously stated. ¡°By now, you should know the rules. Refusing to play once selected is grounds for disqualification. You understand what that means, yes?¡±

    Elena focused her petrifying gaze to the bracelet on her wrist. I could imagine the thoughts that raced through her head at that moment.

    Death by lethal injection.

    Caius warned us about the deadly punishment on the first day. Thankfully, none of us had witnessed it, and I doubted many of us wanted to see.

    The precarious situation hit me all at once. What if Elena continued with her refusal to play, and Caius killed her? Would I receive her points? Would there be a game, after all?

    I wasn¡¯t much concerned about Elena¡¯s life as much as I was about the money. That was all that mattered. If Elena died and I missed out on my opportunity, then God knows how long it would¡¯ve taken for another chance to come my way.

    I made up my mind and approached Elena. I offered my hand and ordered, ¡°Get up.¡± Elena hesitated at first, but eventually cleansed her face and took my hand. Once I helped her to her feet, I continued, ¡°Stop crying. It won¡¯t get you anywhere.¡±

    Crying solved nothing in the world. It was high time someone taught Elena that lesson the hard way.

    ¡°Go easy on her, Ambrose,¡± Iris calmly suggested with a worrisome tone of voice. ¡°It¡¯s terrifying watching those games, let alone playing them.¡±

    ¡°So you think crying will make it better? That the games will magically disappear? Do you expect someone to come by and rescue her every time she¡¯s in danger?¡± I berated the girls with harsh questions. Elena flinched each time, but I didn¡¯t care. I stared directly into the frightened woman¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Do you want to live, Elena?¡±

    Her eyes dilated when I asked my question. She seemed to hesitate before answering, ¡°Yes, I would like to live.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± I yelled. Elena flinched by the sudden rise in volume. ¡°If you wanted to live, then you wouldn¡¯t have dropped to the floor crying! Did you expect someone to step in and take your place? What if they died doing that? Would you be satisfied with that outcome?¡±

    Elena brought her hands up to her chest and closed her eyes shut. That response alone brought Iris into the fold.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough! Leave Elena alone! Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s scared?!¡± Iris confronted me. ¡°Yelling at her won¡¯t make the situation any better?!¡±

    I respected Iris¡¯ conviction to protect Elena from all trouble, but that wishful thinking did more harm than good.

    ¡°You think coddling her will? Elena and I are the ones that are going into that game room, not you. She¡¯s alone in this.¡± I stated.

    ¡°She won¡¯t be alone. You¡¯ll be down there with her. You can help her if she comes into any trouble, can¡¯t you?¡± Iris asked with pleading eyes. The old me would¡¯ve fallen for that hook line and sinker.

    ¡°Why would I help her? The point of the games is to take points from the opponents.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Iris begrudgingly accepted that cruel fact of the games. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t mean that you can¡¯t help each other survive.¡±

    ¡°Practice what you preach,¡± I countered. ¡°Help me convince Elena to play. If she doesn¡¯t, she¡¯ll die right here and now.¡±

    Iris looked at Elena, who remained silent throughout our conversation. The girl slowly reached for her friend, but Elena wouldn¡¯t have any of it. She stepped back and shook her head in adamant refusal.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! I won¡¯t do it!¡± Elena cried out.

    ¡°Elena, I know you¡¯re terrified. But you have to play. You¡¯ll die if you don¡¯t,¡± Iris softly reminded. If anyone could help push Elena in the right direction, it was her. The two were often always hanging around together.

    I¡¯d say those two were the only ones that considered themselves friends.

    ¡°I¡¯ll die if I play, I know it,¡± Elena softly whimpered, fighting back the urge to cry in front of us again.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re going to die,¡± I agreed with Elena¡¯s statement. ¡°You¡¯re weak, Elena. You do nothing but cry and rely on others to help you. If you want to live, then you need to change.¡±

    ¡°Change?¡± Elena echoed. She lifted her head and stared at me. ¡°You think I can change?¡±

    ¡°Yes, change is possible for you,¡± Iris happily interjected. ¡°What¡¯s driving you to risk your life like this? You have a dream or goal in mind, right?¡±

    Elena moved her hand to her chest once again, as if reaffirming her desire. The tears in her eyes dried up, perhaps thanks to the determination that replaced her fear.

    ¡°There is,¡± The woman revealed.

    Iris smiled at the sight of Elena¡¯s sudden burst of confidence. The girl approached her friend and set her hands on her friend¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Good! Then use that to march forward into the game room and survive!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Iris,¡± Elena hugged her friend. Afterward, she faced Caius with a stern expression. ¡°Caius, I am ready.¡±

    ¡°Excellent! Let us move onto deciding which game you two shall play!¡± Caius went along with his usual routine. With a press of a button, the game wheel appeared on the screen of his tablet. It spun at a high-speed before it stopped on a panel displaying two figures wandering through a maze. ¡°Wonderful! Ambrose and Elena shall face each other in the maze!¡±

    ¡°The maze?¡± I asked.

    ¡°How exciting! Follow me!¡± Caius purposefully dodged my question and directed Elena and me toward the exit. We reluctantly followed the game moderator down the hallway.

    We trailed the man in awkward silence until Elena suddenly broke it, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble back there.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I dismissed Elena¡¯s apology since I got what I wanted out of our exchange. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid anymore, are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m still terrified,¡± Elena shamelessly admitted. ¡°But I won¡¯t be able to change if I don¡¯t make an effort.¡±

    ¡°Acting in spite of fear is commendable,¡± I informed her. She already made a tremendous step forward in the right direction. Now it was up to her the path she¡¯d take.

    ¡°I wish I could be braver like you and Iris,¡± Elena said. ¡°You two seem unaffected by all of this. Neither of you let anything that happens here scare you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make assumptions like that. We may not let our fear show, but it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re not scared.¡± I revealed.

    ¡°So, does that mean you¡¯re scared right now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on edge,¡± I corrected her. ¡°We¡¯re wandering into dangerous territory. But we have some idea of what we¡¯re stepping into.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any advice for me?¡± Elena twiddled away with her fingers as she stared at me with eyes of expectancy. I didn¡¯t know what she wanted me to tell her, but I gave her the best advice I could.

    ¡°Be careful, stay alive, and hope for the best,¡± I answered. I held those words of wisdom close to my heart.

    ¡°You say that line a lot, you know? Hope for the best?¡± Elena suddenly brought up with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s like your catchphrase.¡±

    I rubbed the back of my neck and looked away from the woman. ¡°My bad. The old man told me that phrase many times¡ªhe programmed it in my head.¡±

    ¡°Old man?¡± Elena asked.

    I shook my head and dismissed the woman¡¯s concern upon realizing my mistake. I nearly slipped up and brought up my past with my opponent. Elena¡¯s meek nature made it easy to lower one''s guard.

    Caius suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway, where the pathways split off into two different paths. ¡°Here is where you two will separate. Head into the preparation rooms, and once finished, step into the game room.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you in there, Ambrose,¡± Elena solemnly said before she headed down the hallway without much reservation.

    I went down the other pathway and entered the preparation room. It was a small area with a monitor on the far side. The screen turned on when I hovered my bracelet over the device.

    Loads of information flooded my eyes as the rules of the game appeared on the monitor. They seemed simple enough. Elena and I would traverse through a maze to reach the center where the prize resided. The first person to retrieve the item of interest and return to the entrance of the labyrinth would be declared the winner.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    A unique feature provided in the game were cards that had the power to alter the maze once inserted in a slot.

    The last line of the rules caught my attention the most. It mentioned that if I gambled more than half of my points, then I¡¯d receive certain advantages over my opponents. That one, simple line made everything click.

    Everything began to make sense.

    The mystery behind Frederick¡¯s continuous strokes of ¡®luck¡¯ during the first game were the results of the game''s shady rules. That¡¯s how Caius manipulated the players into gambling away more of their points than necessary. Any desperate moron would jump at the chance to obtain more information on the games or their opponent.

    Hell, I would¡¯ve fallen for the same trap if my opponent wasn¡¯t Elena. An easy mark like her wasn¡¯t a threat to me. One point was more enough to set things in motion.

    I followed the directions provided by the monitor and gambled away a single point of mine. Afterward, the door to the preparation opened, allowing me into the game room.

    I entered the large, white room and stared directly across at my opponent. Strangely enough, Elena stood firm with a determined look on her face. However, the occasional shaking of her legs brought me some level of comfort that she hadn¡¯t changed completely. Elena¡¯s cowardice was essential to my victory.

    My gaze shifted upward to the large, glass window where the other players stood. Iris looked down at me and waved with a bright smile.

    How that girl continued to show such optimism was beyond me.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to start with the third game, Maze!¡± Caius¡¯ voice thundered over the intercom. On his command, a small area on the floor opened up. Out from the opening came a table with a small deck of cards. ¡°Players, please take the cards.¡±

    Elena and I retrieved the cards from the tables. They descended back into the floor.

    ¡°Make sure not to lose those cards, players. They are a matter of life and death,¡± Caius enthusiastically warned us. ¡°Now, let the third game commence!¡±

    On the moderator¡¯s command, the floor shook vigorously. Elena and I nearly lost our balance as large sections on the floor split apart. Large walls rose from the open areas, constructing the maze.

    I closed my eyes and concentrated on my goal. It was time to put everything on the line. If I won the game, I¡¯d earn enough money to save the bar. I had to win, no matter what.

    I had no idea what waited for me in that maze, but I wagered it wasn¡¯t anything good. Whatever tricks or traps Caius had prepared¡ªI¡¯d tear through them all and leave the games as the winner.

    I cautiously surveyed the immediate area. I didn¡¯t spot anything suspicious, so I stepped into the maze.

    ¡°Player number twelve, Troy Ambrose, has taken the first step into the maze!¡± Caius announced.

    The first few steps into the maze were simple. I made some turns here and there, but nothing happened. The uneventful walk throughout the room left me anxious. It wasn¡¯t like Caius for something not to arise from out the gate.

    On my fifth turn around a corner, a section of the wall split open. A torrent of flames shot out from the wall and scorched my shoulder.

    I dropped to the floor in a panic and excessively patted my shoulder to extinguish the flames. Although it was just my shoulder, it felt like my entire body was on fire.

    I couldn¡¯t breathe. My heart pounded so hard against my chest. It was as if it planned to burst right out.

    I scrambled to my feet and escaped to the farthest wall away from the flames. My heartbeat settled when the fire went away, and the wall returned to its original state.

    ¡°Looks like things are heating up,¡± Caius annoyingly commentated on my predicament. ¡°Ambrose encountered one of many traps within the maze! Be careful down there!¡±

    I ignored the moderator¡¯s pathetic attempts at making jokes. I couldn¡¯t let him in my head¡ªnot while risking my life in his sick game.

    Despite my injury, I progressed onward into the maze. I didn¡¯t have time to check on my wound, or rather, I didn¡¯t make time. It was nothing more than a first-degree burn¡ªsecond-degree tops. It was easily treatable.

    On my next turn around the corner, I encountered another roadblock in the game. There were no other routes I could take. It was a dead end.

    But to my luck, on the far end of the wall laid a single card slot. There it was¡ªmy opportunity to alter the maze. I approached and inserted one of my cards into the open spot.

    Almost immediately, the walls around me began to shift, altering the maze. The wall in front of me never moved an inch, but the ones beside me did, providing me with alternate routes to take. I traversed through the nearest path without a second thought.

    ¡°Ambrose continues to advance in the game! He is the first one to find a card slot! The prize will be his at this rate!¡± Caius spectated. ¡°Oh? What is this? Player number eight, Elena Brooks, has now entered her way into the maze!¡±

    His announcement stopped me in my tracks. It certainly surprised me to hear that Elena, a well-known coward, and crybaby, decided to step into the maze. One wrong step for her, and she¡¯d be dead.

    Nonetheless, I put the thought of her dying in the furthest part of my mind and carried on. Wandering through the maze proved tiresome rather quickly. I had no map or indication if I was getting closer to the center or not.

    Luckily, no traps activated. But who knew how long that would last.

    The ground trembled vigorously once again. I recognized its significance and set my hand on the wall to keep steady. The maze shifted. The wall I used for support suddenly moved.

    I lost my balance and fell to the ground. Another wall closed in on me. It would¡¯ve crushed me if I hadn¡¯t rolled out of the way in time.

    ¡°What a devious tactic by Elena! She nearly killed Ambrose by changing the maze!¡± Caius alerted.

    ¡°What?!¡± A frightened shriek came from the other side of the game room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ambrose! I swear! I wasn¡¯t trying to kill you!¡±

    ¡°Be careful next time!¡± I called out to her. Although Elena¡¯s actions nearly cost me my life, I couldn¡¯t stay mad at her. It was surprising enough that she even found the courage to enter the maze, let alone make it to a card slot.

    While I wasn¡¯t mad, Elena annoyed me. Thanks to her, my path to the center got blocked off. She forced me to find another way around the dead end.

    The moment I peered my head around the corner, a volley of bullets raced past my face, missing me by mere inches. I retreated to the wall and took a bit to catch my breath.

    Yet again, I encountered another deathtrap. It was a security camera with a machine gun linked to it. The absurdity of the game reached another level. If I had been one second slower¡ªone second¡ªmy brain would¡¯ve been splattered against the wall.

    ¡°How do I get around this one?¡± I looked around for another card slot. Perhaps I¡¯d find one and change the maze to bypass the troublesome trap.

    But there were none in sight.

    Elena unintentionally screwed me.

    I had two choices to make. One, I could¡¯ve waited around and hoped that Elena would change the maze herself. Or two¡ªsomehow find a way through the machine gun trap.

    The first option was the safest, but ultimately risky. I didn¡¯t know if Elena would come across another card slot. There was no guarantee that she would even use it in the first place. Also, even if Elena used it, there was a possibility that my situation would only get worse. If I wasted any more time, she would eventually reach the center and win the game.

    The mere thought of that woman snatching the victory from me fueled my desire to win by any means necessary. I wouldn¡¯t rely on that woman to push the odds in my favor. I was in the game alone, and I¡¯d win it alone.

    I peered my head around the corner again. Gunfire immediately greeted me. I retreated behind the wall to avoid the onslaught of bullets.

    Twenty.

    The gun fired twenty bullets a second. It was a risky move, but I stuck my leg out into the open. About three seconds passed until the barrage of bullets returned. I quickly pulled my leg back.

    Three seconds.

    From everything I gathered, the gun fired twenty bullets a second and had a reload time of three seconds.

    ¡°I can make it,¡± I assured myself. My plan was suicidal, but I swore to do anything and everything to win.

    Once I steeled my conviction to see through with my plan, I set everything into motion. I stuck my foot out again and watched the bullets fly. I used the three-second window to sprint down the passageway.

    I made it about two-thirds of the way there before the machine gun activated again. My feet carried me as fast as they could, despite the gunfire that rained down toward me. Even when I reached the safety of the walls around the corner, I continued to run like my life depended on it.

    Adrenaline pumped through my body, and I didn¡¯t want to waste it. Too much time lost because of my hesitation. I had no idea how far Elena progressed throughout the maze.

    It was annoyingly ironic how I convinced Elena to play so that I could get the easy win. But because I told God my plans¡ªhe laughed and cruelly twisted fate at his leisure again.

    As if to further prove the point of my testament¡ªmy foot sank into the floor once one of the panels I stepped on lowered and activated yet another trap. Razor-sharp spikes shot up from the ground, stretching across nearly the entire passageway.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± I stopped and weighed my options. Once again, not a single card slot in sight. Turning back would only prove to waste more of my precious time.

    The best path was the most dangerous one¡ªforward.

    I stepped back until my back pressed against the wall. After a few deep breaths to steel my resolve, I bolted ahead as fast as I could. I jumped and briefly ran across the wall.

    When I felt gravity taking its course, I kicked off the wall and propelled myself past the spiked floor. I thankfully made it without sustaining a single injury.

    I didn¡¯t give the trap a second glance and proceeded. The next turn proved the best one, as it led me toward my destination¡ªthe center of the maze. A spotlight illuminated a lone table with a treasure box that rested on top of it.

    ¡°Gotcha,¡± I smiled at the sight of my meal ticket. The victory was within my grasp.

    The moment I approached the center, a familiar rumbling caught me off guard. The wall shifted around me and blocked off my path to the center, my prize.

    ¡°No!¡± I rushed the wall and kicked it as hard as I could muster¡ªa futile effort. The wall didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°What a huge upset! Elena closed Ambrose off from the center, thanks to another use of the card slot!¡± Caius callously mocked me through his commentating.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± I yelled out in frustration. Time after time, that woman proved more infuriating.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, Ambrose!¡± Elena¡¯s words carried over from the other side of the wall.

    At that point, I wasn¡¯t willing to listen to her¡ªlet alone believe her. My goal was beyond a thirteen-foot wall. I wasn¡¯t going to bother looking for a way around.

    If I couldn¡¯t go around or through it¡ªthen going over it was my best option.

    ¡°The surprises keep coming! Elena has reached the center and retrieved the prize! If she makes it back to her side with it¡ªvictory is hers!¡± Caius'' announcement forced me to pick up the pace.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I muttered as I stepped back to gain some distance on the wall.

    I sprinted forward then jumped, kicking off one wall, then to the other. I used the walls as steppingstones to help me reach the top of the medial wall. Once there, I caught a glimpse of Elena racing back to her side of the maze.

    She was surprisingly quick on her feet.

    But in terms of speed, I was faster. I decided to keep my advantage and run across atop the walls as I gave chase.

    The game wasn¡¯t over¡ªfar from it. Elena may have retrieved the prize, but there wasn¡¯t a rule stating that I couldn¡¯t take it from her.

    ¡°Come back here!¡± I shouted.

    Elena desperately ran through the maze, clutching the prized box close to her chest. She picked up the pace the moment she looked over her shoulder and spotted me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ambrose! I have to win!¡± Elena apologized in advance for her actions. She passed by a card slot and slapped one of hers inside it. The walls shifted again and nearly threw me off.

    I leaped across onto one of the still walls and resumed my pursuit. Throughout my chase, I found it highly suspicious of how Elena never triggered any traps. She ran blindly through the maze, but nothing happened.

    I looked ahead and spotted the dead-end that Elena approached. When she made the rightful turn, I dropped down onto the floor, blocking off her on means of escape.

    ¡°End of the line, Elena. Hand over the box,¡± I demanded.

    Elena held the box close to her chest and kept to the back wall. She shook her head and responded, ¡°I can¡¯t do that! I¡¯m so close! I have to win!¡±

    ¡°The only way for you to win is by getting through me,¡± I stated before I slowly approached her. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything to win. Will you?¡±

    My verbal challenge brought about a strange look in Elena¡¯s eyes. The woman set down the box behind her and raised her fists.

    She planned to fight me.

    ¡°I am!¡± Elena boasted before she charged me¡ªeverything about approach screamed amateur. She wasn¡¯t a threat to me at all.

    I stepped aside and easily evaded Elena¡¯s wild punch. She put everything behind it¡ªso much in fact that she lost her balance and fell to the floor when she missed.

    With Elena ¡®defeated¡¯, I turned my back and headed for the prize box. But a sudden tug on my pant leg stopped me. I looked down and spotted Elena clinging to me with all her might. Even when it was clear that she stood no chance, she continued to push through.

    I respected her tenacity. But I even I had my limits.

    I removed her hand from my pant leg immediately and snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± I raised my foot to strike her¡ªbut quickly came to my senses when I noticed her frightened expression.

    Elena¡¯s entire body trembled in terror as she glanced up at me with teary, pleading eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! Please don¡¯t hit me!¡± She repeatedly begged.

    An unwanted wave of nostalgia washed over me as I watched the woman desperately cower in silence. It reminded me of a memory I wished stayed buried and forgotten. The woman before me was no longer Elena¡ªbut someone else.

    Somehow, a familiar person replaced Elena in my eyes. It was a young girl with piercing blue eyes and curly brown hair.

    I stepped away from the girl in a panic and wiped my eyes in hopes of dispelling the illusion. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    The young girl slowly raised her head and stared at me with eyes void of presence¡ªof life. However, an intense hatred burned within them. That soulless, yet detested gaze forced me to retreat even further.

    My cowardice cost me dearly.

    I stepped on one cursed panel and sank into the floor, activating another hidden trap. It all happened so fast. In a span of a few seconds, a sharp, burning, agonizing pain tore through my back¡ªmy flesh.

    My excruciating screams echoed through the entire room. My legs gave out due to the pain and drove me to the floor in a bloody mess. It took a lot of my dwindling strength to look up and see what injured me.

    Buzzsaws.

    The jagged blades stuck out from the walls, ruthlessly spinning, decorating the area with my blood as if to taunt me. The searing pain in my back intensified as more blood poured from the open wounds.

    ¡°Ambrose!¡± The girl called out to me. She stood up and approached, unaware of the buzzsaw¡¯s that extended toward her from behind.

    ¡°Get down!¡± I summoned the strength to stand and tackle the girl to the floor, saving her life from almost certain death. I kept her head down until the whirring of the blades ceased. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. But, you¡¯re hurt,¡± The girl pointed out. She stood and gasped at the sight of the blood that pooled around us. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get you to the infirmary!¡±

    She helped me to my feet, acting as my means of support as she led me through the maze. My vision blurred and distorted the more time passed. My head and the prize box in my hand felt heavy. My heart pounded crazily against my chest.

    Staying conscious proved difficult, but I summoned the strength to stay alert until we reached the end of the maze on my side. I dropped to my knees as confetti rained down from the ceiling.

    ¡°This marks the end of the third game! Player number twelve, Troy Ambrose, is the winner!¡± Caius happily announced.

    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± I said weakly. I continuously dangled over the edge of consciousness.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ambrose. We¡¯ll have you in the infirmary soon,¡± The girl assured me.

    That alone brought a smile to my face. ¡°Come on, Trish. You can call me Troy.¡±

    ¡°Trish? What are you saying? I¡¯m Elena.¡± The girl corrected me.

    ¡°What?¡± I stared at the girl. She suddenly vanished right before my very eyes, reverting into Elena. Before she could say much more, the world around me went dark.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 9 - To The Victor Goes The spoils!

    I awoke in a state of panic. Everything around me was white, and I didn¡¯t recognize the ceiling. Excruciating pain tormented my entire body with each movement I tried to make. The source of the torture came from my back. Trying to sit up proved difficult.

    Moments of silence pass before the memories of my accident race back into my mind, sending me into another state of panic. I desperately looked around and called out.

    ¡°Trish? Trish?!¡±

    Nothing but silence greeted my call. I laid there alone for another moment until the curtains around me moved aside, revealing Henrika on the other side. The woman looked at me with that signature, nurturing smile of hers.

    ¡°Nope, sorry. No Trish here.¡± Henrika said apologetically. But, I sensed a hint of sarcasm in her tone. The woman pulled up a seat and sat next to me. ¡°So, who¡¯s Trish?¡±

    ¡°No one,¡± I dismissively answered as the memories flooded back all at once.

    ¡°Well, for someone that¡¯s no one, you sure mentioned her a lot in your sleep.¡± Henrika bluntly brought up. She proceeded to close her eyes and mockingly call out the girl¡¯s name repeatedly.

    ¡°Drop it,¡± I demanded in a low tone. Henrika noticed my frustration and surprisingly listened. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Do you have a problem with me checking up on you?¡± Henrika inquired. ¡°You nearly got sawed in half, Ambrose. You¡¯re lucky the medical staff got to work on you as fast as they did.¡±

    The woman reached down and showed me my torn up, bloodied shirt. I glanced down and noticed the bandages wrapped around my torso.

    ¡°Whatever, I wanna get out of here,¡± I tried to sit up again, but the searing pain in my back forbade me as if to leave me a warning to cease any further movement. I reluctantly obeyed the commands of my body and continued to lay on the medical bed in defeat.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t try moving if I were you,¡± Henrika casually warned. ¡°You¡¯ll open your stitches.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try and be careful,¡± I said.

    Henrika smiled, perhaps somewhat satisfied with my response to her warning. Afterward, she stood up and gestured toward the door.

    ¡°If you¡¯re feeling up to it, I¡¯ll call the others over to come and see you. They¡¯re worried sick.¡±

    ¡°Are they?¡± I skeptically asked. I highly doubted everyone was worried¡ªespecially since I decided to avoid the others as much as possible.

    ¡°Well, some more than others. You get my point,¡± Henrika approached the door and opened it, allowing the other players to flood into the room. They crowded around my bed¡ªElena and Iris made it their mission to be the closest ones to me.

    ¡°Ambrose! Are you okay?!¡± Elena desperately asked¡ªher eyes were on the brim of breaking out into tears.

    ¡°You¡¯re all put back together, right? The pain¡¯s all gone?!¡± Iris asked, although her choice of words sounded like I got sliced clear in half. It took a lot of mental strength not to check and see if I was still in one piece.

    I couldn¡¯t allow myself to get sucked into the girl¡¯s sick fantasy.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡ªfor the most part,¡± I revealed to the others. The pain in my back resurfaced from the smallest of movements. God knows how long it would take to recover after days of sleep and pain medication.

    ¡°Is all the blood gone?¡± Nicholas asked with his back turned to the group.

    ¡°If not, I¡¯m movin¡¯ away from the splash zone,¡± Melanie joked as she walked over to the medical bed directly across from mine. The punk rocker makes herself comfortable and jeered at me.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I inquired. Out of everyone, Melanie was the last person I¡¯d expect to visit me.

    ¡°Can¡¯t a girl come here ¡®cause she feels like it?¡± She shrugged her shoulders.¡±

    ¡°Ignore her,¡± Wyatt approached the foot of my bed. He picked up the clipboard and examined its contents. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Nothing to worry about,¡± I said.

    ¡°Nothing to worry about?! You lost so much blood.¡± Elena stated.

    ¡°We were so worried that you¡¯d die,¡± Iris added.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not dead. I appreciate the vote of confidence in me,¡± I dismissed the concerns with sarcasm.

    ¡°You¡¯re not dead, but you sure as hell took some heavy hits out there,¡± Salomon pointed out. The dreadful reminder of my injuries brought another surge of pain through my body.

    ¡°First degree burns to your shoulder, deep and jagged cuts to your back, you suffered from class 2 hemorrhage, and bullet wounds to your legs.¡± Wyatt listed off my injuries from the clipboard.

    ¡°My legs?!¡± I exclaimed.

    The mention of my legs set me off. I fought through the pain and sat up, lifting the blankets just enough to inspect them.

    ¡°Calm down. The medics have already taken care of you,¡± Zoey informed me.

    ¡°Wyatt wanted to oversee your treatment, but Caius overruled him.¡± Henrika brought up.

    ¡°I see,¡± I settled down, if even a little, and laid back down on the bed. For once, I felt somewhat grateful to Caius, although the sentiment itself churned my stomach.

    ¡°What kind of idiot tries to outrun bullets from an automatic?¡± Melanie chastised me. I knew what she tried to do. She wanted to get a rise out of me like everyone else.

    The girl¡¯s a one-trick pony¡ªone that I refused to entertain.

    ¡°Hey, I made it, didn¡¯t I?¡± I retorted with a smirk.

    ¡°Yeah, but good luck walking for the next few months. You¡¯ve made yourself an easy target for everyone here,¡± Melanie gleefully announced.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°She has a point,¡± Salomon surprisingly came to Melanie¡¯s aid in the discussion. ¡°You took a risky move, and now you¡¯re paying for it. I respect you for it, but I¡¯ve got to ask what happened to you out there?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You were calm and composed at the beginning of the game. But you spiraled out of control the moment you had Elena cornered.¡± Salomon pointed out.

    The memories flashed before my very eyes again. I remembered it all, Elena, on the ground, then suddenly transforming into a different person. All it took was that one moment for me to risk my life for her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think no one noticed the odd change in your behavior,¡± Zoey added onto the pressure. All eyes were on me. Each player expected me to answer, but I refused. That moment for them was a moment of weakness for me¡ªone that I didn¡¯t want them exploiting.

    Everyone''s attention toward me shifted to Henrika once the woman frantically clapped her hands together. When all eyes landed on her, she said, ¡°We¡¯re getting off-topic. We¡¯re here to check on Ambrose¡¯s condition. He said he¡¯s okay, so let¡¯s leave it at that.¡±

    ¡°Poor misdirection attempt,¡± Melanie criticized. When silence met her provocation, the girl rolled her eyes and left the room without another word thankfully.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid to let me know if you need anything,¡± Wyatt earnestly said. The doctor set my clipboard back on the foot of my bed and then left the room with Nicholas trailing behind.

    ¡°Congratulations on your win,¡± Salomon praised as he left.

    ¡°Get some rest. We¡¯ll update you if anything changes,¡± Zoey said before she left.

    ¡°Thanks so much for helping me, Ambrose. I know you didn¡¯t have to, and I appreciate that.¡± Elena leaned over and carefully wrapped her arms around me for a hug.

    ¡°I knew you were a good guy, Ambrose. Thanks for proving me right.¡± Iris joined Elena in hugging me as well.

    I found myself trapped in the vice grip of two different girls at the same time. They seemed happy, smooshing their faces against mine without my consent. I allowed their warm embrace for about ten seconds before I shoved them off.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough!¡± I declared.

    The girls offered their half-hearted apologies before leaving me alone. Or, so I thought. The only person left in the room was Henrika.

    The woman stood by the exit with her usual, warm smile. But something about it felt different. It was unsettling.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve suddenly gotten popular,¡± Henrika teased.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± I said as I wiped my face with my blanket. Some of Iris¡¯ face-paint rubbed off on the sheet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell anyone,¡± Henrika sent a playful wink in my direction before she finally left me alone in the room in heavy silence.

    My moment of tranquility didn¡¯t last longer than a minute, as an incessant groan reached my ears from beyond the barriers of the curtains. The curtains moved aside and revealed the source of my annoyance¡ªDarius.

    ¡°Not fair, man! Not fair!¡± The kid complained as he pointed a finger of accusation at me. ¡°How come you get all the special treatment?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked. A wave of regret immediately washed over me. By choosing to engage the kid in conversation, I knew that I was in for an earful of complaints.

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb!¡± Darius¡¯ face contorted in anger. ¡°Those hugs from Elena and Iris, the flirty glances and gestures from the other women?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re delusional,¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to hog all the women for yourself?!¡± The kid accused. I swear, women must¡¯ve been the only thing on his mind.

    ¡°Delusional and stupid,¡± I rubbed my temples, trying to fight off the headache the kid induced onto me. As if the pain in my back wasn¡¯t enough torture already. ¡°Now shut up, you¡¯re too loud.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t silence me, you player! I know you¡¯re putting on a tough guy act to get women!¡±

    It was the same accusation after another with that kid.

    His priorities weren¡¯t in order. I was only around for the money¡ªnothing more. If the brat only came to get women, then he chose the wrong place.

    He was lucky that I couldn¡¯t find the strength to get up and leave the conversation.

    ¡°Do you want to get punched again?¡± I threatened.

    ¡°Go ahead and do it,¡± Darius surprisingly countered, seemingly unafraid of the potential outcome. ¡°You¡¯ll get yourself killed doing that.¡±

    The brat arrogantly tapped the game bracelet on his wrist. I hadn¡¯t forgotten about that noose that remained secured around our necks. One wrong move, and I¡¯d find myself injected with a lethal dose of poison.

    It was thanks to that one, crucial detail that Darius grew a pair.

    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to step on your game or anything,¡± Darius left his medical bed and approached me with a wide grin. ¡°I want you to give me some advice, some pointers.¡±

    ¡°Are you here to win money or get a girlfriend?¡± I questioned him. I couldn¡¯t sense any ambition from that kid. From what I could tell, the brat was around for skirt-chasing and games.

    Darius¡¯ grin disappeared for a moment. He brought his hand to his chin and pondered my inquisition. It didn¡¯t take long for his goofy grin to return as he responded, ¡°I don¡¯t see why I can¡¯t do both.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic,¡± I said.

    ¡°I know,¡± Darius whole-heartedly accepted my insult and took a seat by my bedside. ¡°That¡¯s why I think now is the perfect time to learn from the master.¡±

    ¡°Master?¡±

    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s you.¡± Darius pointed at me. ¡°I know you¡¯re here for the money and nothing else. You¡¯re driven and focused. Women are attracted to that.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not trying to pick up women.¡± I stated. With so much at stake regarding my life, the money, and the bar¡ªpicking up women was the furthest thing in my mind.

    ¡°And yet you¡¯re still getting all the attention! Cool guys like you piss me off so much!¡± Darius balled his hands into fists. He quickly settled down and brought his face uncomfortably close to mine. ¡°Teach me your secrets.¡±

    The desperation in his eyes, combined with the warmth of his breath, reaching my face, set me off. I pushed his face away from mine and responded to his pathetic rambling.

    ¡°Back off! There¡¯s no secret! I¡¯m acting like myself!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not good enough for me,¡± Darius complained and retreated into his chair. ¡°I¡¯m a bit of a coward, Ambrose.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± I rolled my eyes. It wasn¡¯t a secret to anyone. Darius¡¯ cowardice perfectly matched Elena¡¯s.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you did it, man. I can¡¯t imagine myself walking into that death trap of a maze,¡± Darius shuddered at the mere mention of it.

    The maze was dreadful. I couldn¡¯t count the number of times I looked over my shoulder, checking for any signs of danger. The traps were deadly, and the entire game itself was insane. But I managed to pull through and win it.

    ¡°If Elena could do it, then you could too,¡± I commented. I didn¡¯t necessarily believe it, but I felt it would boost the kid¡¯s confidence if even a little.

    Darius shook his head, ¡°She only went because she had an advantage.¡±

    ¡°You sure of that?¡± I challenged.

    ¡°Check the rankings.¡±

    The bluntness of the kid¡¯s tone roused my curiosity. I followed through with his suggestion and checked the rankings on my bracelet. I found my name in the third-place spot with fifteen points.

    Immediately, I understood what Darius meant.

    ¡°Elena gambled away five of her points. Now she only has five left,¡± Darius sadly mentioned. ¡°She¡¯s brave for taking such a risk. I know I never could.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not as much as bravery as it is survival,¡± I corrected him. I understood all too well why Elena succumbed to the temptation. Out of the both of us, she was in the most danger. So, when the opportunity of sanctuary dangled right in front of her face¡ªshe took it.

    What sane person wouldn¡¯t?

    I wasn¡¯t concerned about how many points the woman had left, but rather what information she learned about me.

    ¡°Well, whatever it was, I¡¯m grateful that you protected her. I don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve done if she died,¡± Darius awkwardly admitted.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I hesitated to ask.

    The kid¡¯s face turned as red as a tomato in response to my question. He avoided making eye contact as he responded, ¡°I may have some feelings for Elena.¡±

    ¡°You gotta be kidding me,¡± I grumbled. It was one thing after another with the brat. I¡¯d given up all hope that he was seriously here for the money. ¡°Why are you so fixated on this? You¡¯ve only been here for three days.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to understand or anything, but the only thing that kept me going in my game against Melanie were the words of Elena¡¯s encouragement.¡± Darius placed his hand over his heart and smiled. ¡°I would¡¯ve died down there if not for her.¡±

    ¡°This is stupid.¡± I gave up on the conversation and turned my back to Darius. I positioned the covers over my entire body and closed my eyes to get some sleep.

    ¡°Come on, Darius! Don¡¯t be like that, buddy!¡± Darius pleaded.

    ¡°Buddy? I don¡¯t remember ever becoming friends with you.¡± I said bluntly.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, maybe we¡¯ve gone beyond the bounds of friendship,¡± Darius said. ¡°Both of us shed blood in these games. We might as well be blood brothers.¡±

    ¡°Never. And I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve shed more blood than you,¡± I countered. ¡°Now stop talking to me. I¡¯m tired.¡±

    I kept quiet and ignored Darius¡¯ constant attempts to prolonging the conversation. Eventually, he fell silent and left me alone for the rest of the night.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 10 - Refusal!

    Four days.

    Four days had passed since we were brought to the secret facility of Serendipity. On the third day, I had accomplished my task in earning enough money to save my bar from foreclosure. I was in third place. If the games were to end on that day, I would leave the facility with eight hundred thousand dollars.

    I racked my brain about what I would even possibly do with such a significant amount of money. Obviously, three hundred and twenty-five dollars would go to saving the bar. That took priority over anything else. The rest would probably be put away in a bank somewhere just in case of emergencies.

    My thoughts on leaving the facility shattered once reality kicked in for me. It would be impossible to do that just because I achieved my goal. There were ten people in the facility that had their goals and ambitions. As far as I was concerned, they hadn¡¯t come close to achieving their goals. That was evident by the fact that four people voted to continue playing the games.

    Who were these four people? I had no clue. I couldn¡¯t trust anyone in the facility. I was sure they had their agendas for participating in the games, as did I. Any one of them could¡¯ve been the traitors.

    Because of them, everyone would be stuck there for an unknown amount of time until everyone¡¯s selfish desires were met. The chances of that were slim. There were numerous scenarios to consider through our time in the facility. Like Melanie¡¯s promise to continue voting to play if she was no longer in the lead. That single declaration would prove to be a problem in the future if nothing was done about her.

    Could she be talked down with reason and logic?

    No.

    Could she be bribed with the promise of money?

    Most likely.

    But would anyone be willing to surrender some of their money to her?

    No.

    The same could be said for the traitors. Like everyone else in the facility, their goal was to win large sums of money as soon as possible. They wouldn¡¯t let anything get in their way.

    I couldn¡¯t blame them. I was the same.

    From what I assumed, the traitors were people that hadn¡¯t yet had a chance to experience the dangers of the games personally. Those people were Wyatt, Nicholas, Iris, Henrika, Salomon, and Zoey. There was a huge possibility that the traitors were among them.

    It made sense after all. What would be the point in coming all the way there to just run away with nothing? It would be a waste of time.

    Another thing to consider was the fact that the number of people voting to continue playing decreased after each game. At first, five people voted to keep playing. That number dropped down to four after Melanie reached first place in the rankings. The number would drop down to three should I vote to leave the facility.

    But I was conflicted about making that choice. People had no doubt noticed the pattern about the drop-in votes. If I voted to leave the facility, the others would be able to piece together that either Elena or I were one of the traitors. It would be safe to assume that everyone would look to me judging by Elena¡¯s personality. Regrettably, I had no other choice but to vote to continue playing the game to avoid suspicion.

    I would have to wait until the next day to vote to leave. And even then, it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference. That would still leave three other people that would vote to keep playing.

    It was infuriating. But that was my only option until I could find a way to find the traitors and convince them to leave the facility. Time was of the essence. I had ten days left to save my bar. Sure, it seemed like more than enough time. But the faster I left the place, the better.

    Nearly losing my life yesterday made me open my eyes to the dangers of the games. The first two games paled in comparison to mine. But what about the future games? How dangerous were they going to be compared to mine? Would someone die? If so, then who?

    If I were lucky, then some of the traitors would be the ones to die in the next few games. Either that or the fear of death would be enough to scare them into voting to leave. Death had its mysterious way of changing people. That fact was certain.

    ¡°Starving¡­¡± I placed my hand on my growling stomach. My gaze moved to the clock hanging up on the wall. It was 9 A.M., which often meant that it was about time for Iris to come collect me for breakfast. I figured I''d beat her to the punch and get there myself. I got out from the bed, immediately feeling the painful tug of the stitches in my back.

    "Up on your feet already, Ambrose?" My eyes narrowed at the sound of the familiar, cheery voice of the Game Moderator, Caius. Out of all the voices I wanted to hear early in the morning; his was definitely among the last on my list.

    Reluctantly, I turned around and faced the man. He entered the infirmary with a set of clothes in his hands. "What are you doing here?"

    With a slight tilt of his head, the man responded, "Is it wrong for the Game Moderator to check on the condition of his players?"

    "You never checked on Darius when he got injured." I countered.

    "That is incorrect," Caius shot back. "I checked on him the other day when no one else was around."

    "Whatever, just answer my question. Why are you here?"

    "I have taken the liberty of bringing you a change of clothes," Caius set the clothes on my medical bed. Afterward, he wandered over to the medical cabinet and pulled out a bottle of pills. "Here, these will help ease the pain in your back."

    I shook my head in refusal of the pills. I''d be damned if I took some strange pills from that man. The pain in my back paled in comparison to anything else I felt throughout my life. If there was one thing I learned, it was to deal with the pain. Plain and simple.

    "Don''t need them. Knowing you, it may be poison." I assumed.

    "How brazen of you, assuming I would go so far as to poison my players." Caius'' tone turned brittle as if he was on the verge of tears. "No need for your suspicion. I gain nothing from poisoning you. I need to make sure you are in tip-top shape for future games. But, if you do not want them, I will not force you to take them."

    "If that''s all you came here for, you should leave," I demanded.

    "Hold on a moment. There is something else I need to tell you." Caius returned the bottle of pills into the medical cabinet.

    "Spit it out."

    Caius'' trademark smile painted across his face as he pointed at me, deliberately striking a pose as he said, "You are the esteemed winner of the Labyrinth Game! Therefore, you have earned the prize that comes with that title!"

    "Prize?" I asked as I thought back to the incident of the game. The only thing I honestly remembered was my blunder in mistaking Elena for Trish. Other than that, everything else was a complete blur.

    "Have you forgotten about the treasure box?" Caius pointed to the treasure box that lied under my bed. I grabbed the box and set it on a medical stand. "I hope you enjoy your prize."

    While his words reverbed in my mind, I cautiously opened the treasure box. I didn''t know what to expect. Whenever something involved Caius, I could only hope for the worst. I saw nothing but darkness as I stared into the open treasure box. With a stilted breath, I reached inside and pulled out small pieces of paper with Caius'' face printed on the sides of it.

    "What the fuck is this?" I asked.

    The painted smile on Caius'' face grew wider as he replied, "Those are Caius Coupons! You can use those to gain special privileges!"

    I flipped through the coupons in my hands. "Watch TV with Caius, play games with Caius, eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Caius..."

    In that instant, Caius drew close to my face. "Yes! Should you decide to use any of those coupons, I must oblige! Are you not excited?!"

    At that moment, I wasted no time in tearing the coupons in my hands to shreds. Were those coupons the grand prize of my game? That''s what Elena and I risked our lives for? I nearly got sliced in half for stupid fucking coupons? There were limits to my patience. That was no secret.

    And in that short timespan, Caius had managed to reach that limit.

    I dropped the shredded pieces of the coupons on the floor. It brought me little enjoyment watching the Game Moderator dropping down to his knees, scooping up the bits in his hands. Although it was only for a moment, I had the most power.

    "My coupons!" Caius cried as he looked up at me. "It took me hours to make these! How could you?!"

    The man''s absurdity knew no limits. He acted as if I had killed his first born child.

    "You''re wasting my fucking time! Get out!" I yelled.

    "After all, I have done to help you. This is how you repay me?" Caius stood to his feet and glared at me. I saw it, the fierce, seething rage in his eyes. However, I refused to be intimidated. "Henrika and Wyatt were adamant about tending to your wounds. But, out of the kindness of my heart, I made sure my medical personnel saw to your treatment to keep your secret."

    "Thanks so much," I nodded. "Feel better now?"

    "I would be careful if I were you, Ambrose. Upsetting the Game Moderator is never a good thing." Caius warned.

    "I''ll be sure to remember that," I took the change of clothes from the bed and left the room. I knew spending more time with that man would be detrimental to my health.

    "Good morning, Ambrose." I stopped in place when Nicholas called out to me.

    "Morning," I greeted.

    "Have you seen Caius? I have been looking for him." Nicholas said.

    I nodded my head and pointed to the infirmary door behind me with my thumb. "Yeah, he''s in there. He''s in a bit of a bad mood. So, careful what you say to him."

    "Understood. Thank you." Nicholas smiled and entered the infirmary. With that, I went to my room and changed my clothes. My feelings of hunger never subsided, so, I went to the mess hall.

    Along the way, I came across Zoey.

    ¡°Good morning, Ambrose.¡± She greeted me first. "You''re up on your feet already?"

    "Yeah," I nodded.

    "That''s surprising, considering you were shot." She mentioned.

    "Bullets only grazed me. No issues," I paced back and forth then stopped. "See?"

    "Yes, I do." Zoey lowered her gaze to my legs. Typical of a detective. Always observant. That talent of hers was dangerous. If I weren''t careful around her, then my identity as one of the traitors would¡¯ve been revealed.

    ¡°My eyes are up here.¡± I gestured to my eyes.

    She cracked a smile, raised her head, and looked at me. ¡°Forgive me. That was rude. Anyway, where are you heading off to?"

    "Mess Hall. I''m starving." I slipped my hands into my pockets and headed off toward the mess hall. Zoey took it upon herself to follow me. Being around that woman was uncomfortable. She was mostly silent and had an unreadable expression on her face most of the time. An unapproachable aura as some would say.

    So, to have her follow me around Serendipity made me feel a little tense. She was a detective. Her skills of observation were above average when compared to ordinary people. The fact that she only asked me once about my legs already unnerved me. Did she know? Was my answer not satisfactory to her?

    ¡°This may be rude of me to ask. But how goes the investigation?¡±

    ¡°It is going well. My list of suspects will decrease after today¡¯s voting.¡±

    ¡°You sound confident.¡±

    ¡°I am good at my job.¡±

    The two of us came to a stop when we spotted Klara coming toward us from the other side of the hallway. The woman didn''t bother to look up from her book as usual as she passed us.

    "Silent as usual that one," I stated.

    "Yeah," Zoey agreed.

    Eventually, we reached the mess hall. It was there we were greeted with a familiar scene of Wyatt and Melanie having a little dispute with each other. They stood face to face, glaring at one another. Iris kept close to Wyatt, grabbing his arm in case he tried to attack Melanie. Darius stood with Elena, and Salomon remained indifferent, smoking away one of his cigars.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± A voice came from behind us. Then, a pair of hands moved Zoey and me aside. The owner of the voice stepped out from behind us then approached Wyatt and Melanie. It was Henrika.

    ¡°This bitch is seriously trying my patience!¡± Wyatt angrily responded, his furious gaze never leaving Melanie.

    "It''s not polite to point, Doc," Melanie said.

    "Just cut it out already! She''s just trying to make you made!" Iris stated.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get in the way.¡± A smug expression appeared on Melanie¡¯s face. ¡°Let Doc do whatever he wants. He knows he wants to hit me."

    ¡°That is quite enough! Both of you!!¡± Zoey yelled, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to us. ¡°It is too early for any of you to be starting pointless drama!¡±

    Melanie turned her head to look at Zoey. Her expression was never changing. ¡°Nothing wrong with a little drama here and there. It keeps people on their toes. Don¡¯t wanna get too comfortable being in this place, y¡¯know?¡±

    That was some unique logic she used there. I knew that she was using that as an excuse to cause trouble though.

    ¡°So badmouthing my wife is your way of keeping me on my toes?¡± Wyatt continued to glare at Melanie.

    ¡°Sure, why not.¡± She shrugged her shoulders, infuriating the Doctor even more with her vague answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had just about enough of you! Since day one you¡¯ve done nothing but demean and ridicule everyone in this facility! Mocking us as we struggle to survive each day that passes!¡±

    ¡°Struggle to survive? Are you kidding me, Doc?¡± She seemed insulted by his words. But that was a hoax. Her Cheshire smile never vanished from her face. ¡°All you¡¯ve done so far is bitch and moan about your wife and how you wanna leave the facility as soon as possible. Can hardly call that struggling to survive. You haven¡¯t played a single game yet. From my perspective, you¡¯re nothing more than a bystander.¡±

    ¡°Why you¡­¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you two hear Zoey? She said that¡¯s enough!¡± Henrika raised her voice. Everyone¡¯s attention was on her. ¡°Quit causing trouble! We have enough problems to deal with, and we don¡¯t need you two adding any more!¡±

    ¡°I am not the one causing the problems.¡± Said Wyatt, pointing over to Melanie with a look of disdain. ¡°Your words should be directed towards her. This girl strives on causing nothing but chaos. Yell at her, not me.¡±

    ¡°If you realize that, then why are you allowing her to anger you, Wyatt?¡± Zoey called out to him. ¡°You are a grown man. You should not allow the taunts of a child to mess with your head.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ve been trying to tell him! But our warnings have just been going through one ear and out the other!¡± mentioned Iris, folding her arms across her chest with an annoyed expression.

    ¡°Wyatt, I can understand your frustrations. I want to leave Serendipity as much as you do. But allowing your frustrations to cloud your better judgment will not get you out of here any faster.¡± Zoey stated, keeping her sharp, cold glare on the Doctor.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Listen to the Cyclops, Doc. You don¡¯t wanna¡­¡±

    ¡°And you need to keep your mouth shut.¡± The detective sharply turned to face Melanie, giving the young girl the same, cold expression. ¡°You want to create chaos among the group? Go ahead and try. I will not bother trying to stop you. However, your actions will certainly have consequences. Continue acting the way you are now, and you will eventually come to regret the decisions you have made in this competition.¡±

    Everyone was speechless after hearing Zoey¡¯s words. It was surprising seeing her act like that. She was never as confrontational before. Something must¡¯ve happened for her to act that way.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s a threat if I¡¯ve ever heard one. You should be careful when threatening me. I don¡¯t take too kindly to threats.¡± Zoey''s threat didn''t deter Melanie. If anything, she seemed ecstatic. She engaged Zoey in a brief staring contest. Neither of them showed any signs of backing down.

    ¡°Okay, okay, that¡¯s enough.¡± Henrika stepped in between the two of them. ¡°We should be ashamed of ourselves. Fighting among ourselves like this causes nothing but trouble. Now it¡¯s no secret that some of us don¡¯t like each other. That¡¯s fine. But we should put that aside and work together to survive.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with Henrika on this one. Fighting doesn¡¯t solve anything. Only through cooperation can we prosper.¡± Darius jumped into the conversation.

    One by one the others stepped up and sided with Henrika and Leona in choosing to stick together, sans Klara and Melanie. However, the situation felt oddly familiar. At that moment, I was reminded of the first round of voting, when the others ¡°revealed¡± their votes. It didn¡¯t matter what anyone said.

    I certainly didn¡¯t take anything they said to face value. The fact of the matter was that three people would vote to continue playing the games as long as their greed would allow. No matter how much the others wished to work together.

    It was impossible.

    Everyone had to of known this. If so, then it made the scene even more pathetic as they tried to grasp onto a false sense of comradery. Or rather, a select few of them decided to aim for that point. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter. I wasn¡¯t going to be the one to the point that out to anyone.

    Unfortunately, the one to do that was none other than the bitch herself, Melanie, ¡°In case everyone has forgotten, working together is impossible. There are still four people in this group that are gonna vote to continue playing today.¡± She announced to everyone, breaking the ¡°happy¡± mood of the room. ¡°You can all go ahead and pretend to work together all you want; it makes no difference to me. But deep down you all know the truth of the situation. Not a single person in this facility can be trusted until the traitors are revealed.¡±

    Her words hit everyone like a ton of bricks. No one spoke out to protest. It was clear that she was right.

    Her expression grew more sinister as she continued to speak, ¡°What a horrible thing to do, Cyclops. Getting everyone¡¯s hopes up like that. Is this some kinda cruel and unusual punishment?¡± Her wicked eyes were on Zoey. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong; I love it. Torturing someone is always fun. If you enjoy it that is.¡±

    ¡°What¡­what are you talking about?¡± asked Elena, taking shelter behind the backs of Darius and Iris.

    ¡°Shut up, Funbags! I¡¯m not talking to you!¡± Melanie snapped at her before returning her gaze to Zoey. ¡°Back to the topic at hand¡­pretending to form ¡°peaceful¡± relationships with the other players sounds fun and all, but it¡¯s pointless. Everyone should know this. So, why are you wasting precious time lying to them about working together to survive?¡±

    ¡°I am not lying. Working together can increase our chances of survival.¡± Zoey answered.

    ¡°Oh really?¡± Melanie tilted her head back, looking at Zoey suspiciously. ¡°Because from my perspective, working with people that will betray usual ends up with you getting killed. For a detective, you¡¯re really stupid.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Melanie! We¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut the fuck up, Dumbass! The grown-ups are talking!¡± Melanie snapped at Darius as well. She then returned her gaze to Zoey. Only that time, her eyes were no longer wicked. They burned with rage. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing. This is your own sick and twisted way of finding the traitors. Giving people false hope, gauging their reactions, making your conclusions as to who they could be.¡±

    Zoey didn¡¯t respond. Neither confirming or denying the accusations coming from Melanie.

    Despite that, the little bitch continued to speak, ¡°Your silence is all I need for confirmation. As I said, I like what you¡¯re doing. But I hate the fact that you¡¯re not enjoying it. When you toy with the hopes and emotions of others, you should at least enjoy it. Otherwise, there¡¯s no point. It¡¯s no fun.¡±

    ¡°What are you going on about? You are not making any sense.¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°I¡¯m making perfect sense, Doc. You¡¯re the one that¡¯s too stupid to figure out what¡¯s happening right in front of you.¡±

    ¡°Melanie is accusing Zoey of toying with us to find out which of us are the traitors,¡± I explained.

    ¡°How can she be toying with us? Working together is the best possible outcome.¡± Iris assumed.

    ¡°Are you sure about that, Rainbows?¡± Melanie called her out. ¡°Sure, it may sound like the best outcome. But for who exactly? If we were all to work together, no doubt we¡¯d find knives in our backs sooner or later. The only ones that would benefit from ¡°working together,¡± would be the traitors.¡±

    ¡°Since you seem to be so against working together, then what do you suggest we do?¡± inquired Darius, showing an unpleasant expression while looking at Melanie.

    ¡°Not work together?¡± She responded with a shrug of her shoulders as if the answer should¡¯ve been obvious.

    ¡°Why in the world should we even bother listening to her? She is only trying to cause another commotion.¡± Wyatt turned his back to us then headed towards the exit. ¡°I do not know about any of you. But I refuse to listen to any more of her nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and call it whatever you want, Doc. We¡¯ll see which one of us is left standing by the end of this game.¡± She spoke menacingly. Wyatt stopped in his tracks. His shoulders raised, his hands clenched into fists. ¡°Placing your trust in strangers is a good way to get you killed. Only by trusting yourself can your chances of survival increase.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with you today?¡± I stepped forward, staring blankly at the teenage girl. It was odd hearing her speak so much. She was insistent on keeping the others separated. ¡°Why are you so adamant about this topic?¡±

    She cracked her usual smile in response to my question. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I wanna create more drama and tension. No one knows the identities of the traitors, and yet most of you are continuing to go through the days like they don¡¯t exist. It¡¯s boring as hell to watch.¡±

    ¡°So¡­this is just another game to you?¡± Wyatt slowly turned around, glaring daggers at Melanie.

    ¡°Of course.¡± She happily answered without a care in the world. ¡°But this time, it¡¯s my game. You have two choices. One, trust the other players and work together. Or two, don¡¯t trust them and continue throughout the remaining games by yourself.¡±

    ¡°Those choices are a bit¡­¡± Elena trailed off.

    ¡°However you choose to play this game doesn¡¯t matter to me. In the end, you¡¯re all gonna die.¡± Melanie nonchalantly proclaimed. She performed a cutthroat gesture with her thumb for emphasis. ¡°But when you do die, please make it interesting for me at least. It¡¯d be boring if you all died similarly.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± said Darius.

    ¡°Insane? Perhaps. But you can¡¯t argue with the results.¡± She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m the one in the lead after all.¡±

    Before anyone else could speak out against her, our attention was drawn to the entrance of the room where Caius stood, frantically clapping his hands. Although I never admitted it aloud, that was the one time I was glad to see him. I could only handle so of Melanie¡¯s shit.

    ¡°Good morning everyone! Already up to your usual shenanigans I see!¡± He cheerfully greeted us.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it shenanigans as much as it is a warning,¡± Melanie told him. ¡°You taking us to the voting room?¡±

    ¡°You are correct!¡± He snapped his fingers then smiled. ¡°It is time to start the third voting round!¡±

    ¡°Can¡­can we skip the voting for today?¡± The sudden request came from Darius.

    In response to the request, Caius over exaggeratedly gasped. He leaned back and placed his hand on his chest. Honestly, he was one for the dramatics.

    ¡°Skip¡­?! Skip¡­?! You want to skip the voting?!¡± He exclaimed.

    ¡°Darius? What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Iris looked at Darius.

    ¡°Listen to me for a second. As Melanie said, there¡¯s no point getting our hopes up, pretending like the traitors don¡¯t exist. If we go and vote again, it¡¯ll be like yesterday.¡± He solemnly answered.

    ¡°The dumbass is right.¡± Melanie agreed. ¡°No one¡¯s gonna go home today. Might as well skip the voting altogether.¡±

    ¡°How can you all come to such a ridiculous conclusion? The voting rounds are exceptional! No one knows what the outcome will be by the end of it!¡± Caius desperately continued with his attempts to goad us into voting.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie, and you know it,¡± I called him out on his words. ¡°Nothing has changed in the past four days, and nothing will change now.¡±

    ¡°I also agree. At this point, the voting seems to be redundant.¡± Nicholas added.

    ¡°Unforgivable! How could you deny the other players hope of ever returning home?¡± Caius threw a temper tantrum by stomping his feet on the floor. ¡°Do you not understand that by refusing to vote, all of you will be stuck here for another day?¡±

    ¡°It was going to happen regardless if we voted or not. Might as well make things easier on ourselves.¡± Darius said.

    ¡°It is regrettable, but it is the choice we are making. Nothing will change until the traitors are found.¡± Wyatt said.

    Caius bewilderingly looked to everyone. He took immediate notice of their solemn expressions. He then hung his head and sighed in defeat, complying with their demands.

    ¡°Very well. If you all refuse to vote, then I shall not force you. We will commence with the games at the scheduled time.¡± He begrudgingly announced to us. Once he was done, he weakly waved goodbye to everyone before leaving, dragging his feet in the process.

    It was odd, and yet satisfying watching Caius act all dispirited.

    After he left, Darius heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m glad there¡¯s an option just to skip the voting. No more getting our hopes up for the time being.¡± His expression turned grim afterward. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m happy about not being able to get my hopes up.¡±

    ¡°Although unfortunate, it was the best move.¡± Wyatt consoled Darius. ¡°By skipping the votes, we are saving precious time. Time that we could be using finding the traitors.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Also, it spares us from any more disappointment and heartbreak.¡± Elena added.

    ¡°But by doing so, aren¡¯t we also giving up?¡± All gazes were on Salomon once he spoke up for the first time.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°By refusing to vote, we¡¯re practically waiting for someone to die.¡± He solemnly answered. ¡°The identity of the traitors is still unknown. Right now, if someone¡¯s alive, we¡¯ll refuse to vote.¡±

    ¡°By refusing to vote, there will be no progress,¡± Nicholas announced.

    ¡°And there can only be progress through death.¡± Said Melanie, a dangerous glint flashed through her eyes as she chuckled at the revelation.

    ¡°So, until someone else dies¡­no one¡¯s going to vote?¡± Darius hesitantly said. His body trembled.

    There was no immediate answer to his question. There was no need to answer. He already knew what it would be.

    It was idiotic of him to suggest skipping the votes without correctly thinking things through. Overall though, I wasn¡¯t too bothered by the sudden turn of events. Since everyone decided to skip out on the votes, it saved me the trouble of having to vote to stay another day. But while I was rescued from one problem, another one reared its ugly head.

    No one was going to vote until someone else out of the group died. It was unfortunate. But that¡¯s just how things were going to be. The identity of the traitors was unknown. No one could be trusted.

    It was bound to happen sooner or later. Even if the traitors were found before the suggestion was made to skip the votes, their deaths would most likely be the key to the progression of the game anyway. It didn¡¯t bother me if someone died. However, several questions lingered in the back of my mind.

    Would someone die? Who would die?

    When would someone die? Would it be sooner? Later?

    My train of thought was derailed after hearing Elena¡¯s distinctive cry again, ¡°No! That¡¯s not right! It shouldn¡¯t be this way! No one else should have to die!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the way it¡¯s gonna be, Funbags! Deal with it!¡± Melanie harshly told her as she headed for the exit. ¡°Someone else had better drop dead soon! I don¡¯t wanna be cooped up in this facility if nothing¡¯s gonna happen!¡±

    One by one the others began to leave the room, making claims about losing their appetite and whatever other excuses they could build on the spot. I stayed behind, however. Despite the situation, I was starving. The food had gone cold, but I didn¡¯t care. I grabbed a plate of food, took an empty seat, then filled my stomach in complete silence.

    I looked up from my plate and noticed Elena seated across from me.

    "What are you doing?" I asked.

    "Sitting with you," Elena answered.

    "Why?"

    "You don''t want me here?"

    "Don''t bother me," I demanded and returned to my food. We sat there in awkward silence for what seemed like forever. Eventually, Elena succumbed to the quiet and decided to break the ice.

    "So, how are your wounds?" She asked.

    "Fine."

    "I see..." She lowered her head. "So, you know about the rankings, right? About what I had to do?"

    I nodded my head in understanding. Not once did it cross my mind to blame Elena for anything she did throughout the game. In fact, she did everything she could to come out on the winning side. Perhaps if she had a different opponent, things could''ve ended differently for her.

    "I don''t blame you. It was the right decision." I said.

    "Was it? I only have five points left. I''m in last place." Elena lamented as her sight moved to her game bracelet.

    "Hey, should we leave soon, you''ll have one hundred thousand dollars. Isn''t that enough to help with your dream?" I asked.

    Elena moved her hand to her chest and smiled. "It''s more than enough."

    "You do that a lot, you know? Put your hand on your chest. What are you hiding?" I wondered.

    Elena shifted in her seat and blinked in surprise. She looked everywhere around the room except at me. "Hiding? I''m not hiding anything."

    "You''re a terrible liar," I pointed my fork at her. The woman sighed in defeat and reached into her cleavage, pulling out a diamond ring. "You''re married?"

    "Yes, I''m here because of him." Elena stared at the diamond ring longingly.

    "And you''re happy about that?"

    "I''m not happy to be here. But, I am happy to risk my life for him. For us." Elena moved the ring back into her cleavage.

    "Why?"

    No matter how much I tried to wrap my mind around it, I couldn''t figure out how Elena could be so happy about her situation. I understood that she fought for a loved one. Both of us were similar in that aspect.

    "He''s risked so much for me. A lot more than he should have. He helped me get out of that mansion." The light in Elena''s eyes vanished at that moment. They turned dark and cold. Eyes like those were far too similar to mine.

    "Mansion?" I questioned. Elena quickly returned to normal once she blinked in surprise, having realized what she said, she moved her hand over her mouth. "You''re rich?"

    Elena shook her head. "No. Far from it. My mother works as a maid for a rich man."

    "What was so bad about it that you had to leave? Couldn''t handle being around the rich while you''re poor?"

    "It was the people. No, that''s not right. They were monsters. All of them." Elena gripped onto her arm and grimaced. "I couldn''t find a single shred of humanity in those husks. They did whatever they wanted in that place, to whoever they wanted."

    "Sounds about right. The rich are powerful ''cause they have money."

    "I know. I learned that lesson the hard way when I met that man''s son."

    "Your mom''s bosses son, right?" I asked. Elena nodded. "Something happened?"

    "Things started off small at first. He''d simply tease or pull pranks on me. But, over time his antics dreadfully grew. I still have nightmares about him sneaking into my room at nights to--"

    "That''s enough. I understand." I interrupted her. I didn''t want to hear any more.

    "When I told my mother about what he was doing to me, do you know what she told me to do? Keep my head down, mouth shut, and endure it. She didn''t want to risk losing her job because of my complaining."

    When tears streamed down Elena''s face, I tightened my grip on my utensils and slammed them on the table. "What kind of mother says something like that to her daughter?!"

    "Calm down, Ambrose. It''s in the past now. I''m free from that place and her." Elena reminded.

    "But, you''re trapped here," I stated.

    "I know. But, I''ll survive. I''ll leave this place and repay the debt to my husband." Elena claimed, her voice beamed with confidence and determination. That was something I wasn''t used to. In my eyes, Elena had always been weak. But, the one before me at that moment was someone completely different.

    "What do you mean by debt?"

    "My husband and I took out a loan from these men so that we could start our dream business. But, things didn''t work out, and we couldn''t pay them off." Elena revealed.

    "Loan sharks?" I asked.

    "Yes."

    "So, that''s your financial issue."

    "The loan sharks cornered and told us that they would hurt us if we didn''t pay them back. I told them that I''d do anything and they gave us two options."

    "And those were?"

    "Either they could rape me as much as they wanted, or we could risk our lives in these games until we earned enough money to pay them back."

    "I see."

    "Coming here was the worst choice. But, I just couldn''t let them put their hands on me. Not again." Elena closed her eyes and wiped her tears away. "Someone''s going to die, aren''t they?"

    "We don''t know that for sure."

    "But, everyone said that they wouldn''t vote unless someone else died."

    "They''re scared, Elena. Waiting until someone dies is the easiest way to weed out the traitors."

    "And just because it''s the easiest, that makes it right?" Elena frowned.

    "Never said that." I shook my head.

    "Honestly, I don''t see why need to hide why they''re here or the amount of money they need. Why can''t we all just work together until everyone is satisfied with they money they have?"

    That thought crossed my mind on the first day we were brought into Serendipity. Everyone working together to earn the money they needed to settle their financial situations. It seemed like the best thing to do at the time. However, I wasn''t foolish enough to believe in such a fantasy.

    It was a pipe dream.

    The personalities and convictions of the other players conflicted with one another. Coming to a consensus would be impossible. There also lied the fact that it wasn''t always about the case of how much money someone needed. But, instead of how much they wanted.

    "I wouldn''t mind going through with your idea. But, it won''t be easy convincing the others to go through with it." I said.

    A bright smile appeared on Elena''s face. "You mean? If I manage to convince the others, would you be willing to help me, Ambrose? I want to save as many lives as possible."

    "Yeah, I wouldn''t mind, but--"

    "Thank you! Thank you! I''ll find Iris and Darius! They''d surely want to help!" Elena quickly got up and ran out of the room. She ignored my pleas for her to wait.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 11 - Hope For A Better Tomorrow!

    After I finished my breakfast, I decided to wander throughout the facility. My destination was the lounge. After the four days of stress, I needed a drink to calm my nerves.

    Nothing more.

    The situation had grown more troublesome since none of the players wished to vote until someone else died. It was a cruel, yet efficient way to figure out if someone was a culprit or not. It certainly gave me a chance to vote to leave, although it wouldn¡¯t make a difference in the long run.

    Four people.

    Four people prevented everyone from leaving Serendipity. It was apparent that even if one of them managed to die, that would still leave three more to deal with. There was also the problem of someone not dying in the first place. How were the other players planning on having someone die?

    Would they kill them in the games? It was possible. But that action would place targets on their backs.

    Would someone be stupid enough to gamble away all their points as Frederick did? The chances of that were low as well. No one would be stupid enough to follow that man¡¯s example.

    But then again, when it came down to someone¡¯s greed. There were no absolutes.

    After all, it was a massive shock to me when I learned that Elena gambled away five of her points to gain an advantage in our game. It didn¡¯t do her any good in the end though. Despite her advantage, I won.

    Although, I doubted that she gambled away more points out of greed. For her, it was most likely a survival instinct. No one could blame her for that situation. She managed to survive in the end, albeit with my help. But that¡¯s all that mattered to her.

    I eventually reached the door to the lounge. It was open. I stepped inside then found that there were others in the room. Darius, Elena, and Iris turned to look at me. Their expressions brightened.

    Almost immediately, I turned to leave. However, my attempts to escape were disrupted by Iris. The young girl quickly crossed the room then grabbed my wrist.

    ¡°Where are you going, Ambrose? Did you come here for something?¡± She asked.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing. I just entered the wrong room.¡± I answered, trying to pull my arm away from her in the process. Surprisingly, the girl had a firm grip.

    ¡°What room were you looking for?¡± Darius asked, sitting up on the couch he had made himself comfortable on.

    ¡°None of your business.¡±

    ¡°Harsh as usual.¡± He accepted my cold answer with a shrug of his shoulders.

    ¡°It¡¯s rare seeing you outside of your room like this, Ambrose.¡± Elena jumped into the conversation. ¡°You only seem to come out for food or when there¡¯s about to be a game.¡±

    ¡°Is there any other reason why I should leave the room?¡± I asked.

    ¡°How about to hang out with us?¡± Darius answered. Afterward, he gave me a bright smile, as if it would persuade me into going with his suggestion.

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    ¡°Oh come on! Don¡¯t be like that!¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t kill you to hang out with us for a little while. I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand being cooped up in a room all day, waiting for the next game to begin.¡± Iris said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not so bad. The peace and quiet calm me.¡± I told them. ¡°Besides, you¡¯d be better off not hanging out with me.¡± I escaped from Iris¡¯ grasp then wandered over to the bar counter. On the shelf lied dozens of bottles of alcohol. All of them were untouched.

    The nostalgic sight of the alcohol shelf brought back memories. Most of them were unpleasant. But there were still my memories nonetheless. It was odd how such items could make me feel a mix of emotions so easily. It was for a moment, but I was no longer in the facility.

    Instead, I was back at the bar. It was just Maynard and I. He talked to me, mentored me on how to properly make drinks in his establishment. The old man was quite the hard ass when it came to his tutoring.

    Everything had to be just right with him. A single mistake would earn one a rough scolding or beating. Most of the wounds across my body ached by the mere thought of those lessons. Back in my youth, I assumed being a bartender was all about the technique and showmanship. However, Maynard opened my eyes through more aggressive methods.

    Nonetheless, those were some of my brightest of memories.

    ¡°Ambrose¡­are you okay?¡± Elena asked.

    "Huh?" I broke away from my train of thought then looked over my shoulder. Darius, Elena, and Iris were gathered at the table.

    "Bro, where did you go?" Darius tilted his head to the side. "You stood there completely frozen for a moment."

    "Yeah, and you had this smile on your face. I didn''t know that you were capable of doing that." Iris teased.

    ¡°Was there something the three of you wanted? If not, leave me alone." I demanded.

    ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s right!¡± Darius suddenly snapped his fingers. ¡°Ambrose mentioned that he¡¯s a bartender! Why not serve us up some drinks, barkeep!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why do you want us to drink alcohol suddenly? Especially at this time of day? You¡¯re not planning anything weird, are you?¡± Iris glared suspiciously at Darius.

    ¡°What made you come to that conclusion? I¡¯m not up to anything suspicious! I swear!¡± He desperately tried to defend himself. But, Iris didn''t appear convinced.

    ¡°Quit teasing him, Iris.¡± Elena came to Darius¡¯ rescue.

    ¡°Thank you, Elena. I knew I could count on you.¡±

    ¡°If you three are about done.¡± I turned around to face the group. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m giving any of you any alcohol. Aren¡¯t the three of you below the age of twenty-one?¡±

    The three of them exchanged glances for a moment before returning their gazes to me. In unison, they laughed. All I had done was ask a simple question. And they laughed at me.

    ¡°Dude, does it matter?¡± Darius asked. ¡°You do realize that we¡¯re trapped here in this facility, playing a series of games for the chance to win a million dollars, right? What part of any of this seems legal to you? I¡¯m sure drinking a little alcohol is the least of our problems.¡±

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯m twenty-two. So, I can legally drink unlike them.¡± Elena said. She then looked over to Darius and Iris, giving them a playful smile and wink.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rub it in,¡± Iris said before pouting.

    ¡°Well, the answer¡¯s still no. If you three want to drink, then come around here and get it yourselves.¡± I told them.

    ¡°You know, you could tend to be a little nicer.¡± Iris pointed at me. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re talking to us a little more and spending some time outside your room. But you need to be a little friendlier towards us. We¡¯re your friends after all.¡±

    ¡°None of you are my friends.¡±

    ¡°Cold as usual.¡± Darius nonchalantly stated, shrugging his shoulders again. ¡°Just give him a little more time, Iris. Ambrose is the introverted, reserved type of person. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be willing to become our friends soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Really? Is that true?¡± Elena frequently traded glances between Darius and me to confirm the boy¡¯s statement.

    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head.

    The three of them acted far too carefree despite the situation. They may have become friends during their stay in the facility, but I didn¡¯t have any plans to. The other players were strangers when I first came to Serendipity, and that¡¯s how I planned for them to stay after leaving.

    They still didn¡¯t understand that there were no friends in the games¡ªonly enemies. There was no point in making friends. Making friends in a series of death games would only result in tragedy. Anyone could die at a moment¡¯s notice.

    Those three knew that. But they didn¡¯t care. They were the optimistic type. They believed that their friendship alone would help them survive the harsh games that were soon to come.

    Or, perhaps they were just using that as a coping mechanism. I couldn¡¯t blame them if they were. Being trapped in the facility for four days trying not to die must¡¯ve been stressful for them. It was for me.

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I¡¯d like to become your friend.¡± Elena appeared disheartened after my cold response. ¡°That way, I¡¯d be able to repay you for all you did to protect me yesterday. Even though you didn¡¯t need to.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about repaying me. I didn¡¯t do it for any personal gain.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Then why did you do it?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Just enjoy the fact that Elena¡¯s alive.¡±

    ¡°Believe me, Ambrose. I do. I¡¯m sure that once I leave the facility someday, my fianc¨¦e will be proud as well.¡± Elena announced.

    For a moment, the room fell silent. The silence shattered once Darius and Iris shot up from their seats, slamming their hands on the bar. "What?! You have a fianc¨¦e?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Elena fished into her cleavage then pulled out a diamond ring, revealing it to everyone.

    I covered my ears once Iris squealed and clapped her hands together repeatedly. Meanwhile, Darius, on the other hand, didn¡¯t seem too excited about the revelation. He returned to his seat then lowered his head onto the bar counter. Small groans came from him seconds later.

    ¡°Elena, I didn¡¯t know that you had a fianc¨¦e! Since when? How? Who?! Give me all the details!¡± Iris grabbed onto Elena¡¯s hands then shook them.

    Elena¡¯s face turned bright red as she stammered to find the words. She glanced at Iris and me.

    ¡°Iris, take your conversation elsewhere,¡± I ordered.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Yeah, that sounds good. Come along, Elena.¡± She pulled Elena from her seat then out the room, leaving me all alone with the ¡°broken¡± Darius.

    For the first few moments, there was nothing but silence. He took the time to process everything he had learned about Elena. To be honest, it was surprising to me as well. That girl was often so shy and timid. How someone like her found a fianc¨¦e was a mystery to me.

    Despite my surprise, it was nothing when compared to Darius¡¯. It was no secret to anyone that he had a crush on Elena. Sure, there were times when he flirted with the other girls in the facility, but his main point of interest was her. But now thanks to the shocking reveal of a fianc¨¦e, he was crushed.

    Perhaps anyone else would¡¯ve felt sorry for the poor kid, but I didn¡¯t. What was he honestly expecting to happen? Trying to find love in the facility was pointless. Everyone, there were only after one thing ¡ª money. He had no one else to blame but himself for his foolishness.

    But, I poured him a shot glass of alcohol then passed it over to him. He slowly looked up from the table with a weary expression. He was truly overdramatic.

    It was annoying.

    He picked up the shot glass then took it to the head. Almost immediately, he made an expression of complete regret. His face contorted in disgust as he set the glass down back on the counter.

    ¡°So¡­that¡¯s alcohol?¡± Darius¡¯ voice shook a little as he stared intently at the empty glass.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­it tastes awful¡­¡± His shoulders trembled. His face showed evident distress as he closed his eyes, tears ran down his face.

    Was Elena¡¯s indirect rejection that painful to him?

    He slouched in his seat, resting his head on the bar counter. He continued to sniffle and sob until I finally spoke out.

    ¡°Shut up already. It¡¯s not that bad. There are more fish in the sea.¡± I decided to use the primary line used when consoling heartbreak. I didn¡¯t know what else to say. I wasn¡¯t good with¡­emotions.

    The crying soon stopped. He wiped away his tears then forced out a sentence, ¡°It¡¯s not that. Yeah, it sucks that Elena¡¯s taken, but I¡¯m happy for her. I was crying about the alcohol.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I answered with disinterest.

    Then, I turned my back to him to continue looking through the types of alcohol on the shelf. I didn¡¯t care for his reasons. I didn¡¯t want to know. I hoped that if I kept giving him the cold shoulder, he would just end the conversation there.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    But I was wrong. It didn¡¯t end there. Despite my apparent signs, Darius continued to speak. ¡°You know, for a bartender, you¡¯re very apathetic.¡± He mentioned. ¡°Usually, bartenders would sympathize with their depressed customers and try to console them.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, go find another place to drink.¡±

    ¡°No thanks.¡± He pushed the empty glass away from himself. ¡°I¡¯ve already mentioned that it tastes awful.¡±

    ¡°Then, do you want to try something else?¡±

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t want any more alcohol. I can¡¯t see why anyone could get addicted to something so terrible.¡±

    ¡°Probably because it helps.¡±

    A scoff came from Darius as a response. ¡°Helps? With what exactly? To kill yourself? Abuse beloved family members? Gamble away anything and everything you can get your hands on?¡±

    A familiar sensation coursed through my body after hearing his words. I slowly turned around to look at him. It was a rare sight. He was furious. His body was tense; his teeth were bared. His eyes were intense.

    His gaze wasn¡¯t focused on me. It was on the bottle of vodka set on the bar counter. In a short burst of frustration, he swung his arm out then knocked the bottle onto the floor. It shattered into pieces, and the alcohol spilled onto the carpet floor.

    ¡°Calm down, Darius,¡± I said, outstretching my hand to stop him just in case he decided to get violent. It was rare to see him act like that, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be cautious around him. I¡¯d expect a reaction like that to come from Wyatt; not Darius.

    The kid took several deep breaths. The veins on his forehead disappeared as he brought his hand up to his face to calm himself down.

    ¡°Sorry¡­about that.¡± He apologized, lowering his gaze to the bar counter. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you do,¡± I called him out. ¡°Want to talk about it?¡±

    He slowly looked up at me; his eyes narrowed. ¡°Why the sudden interest in my problems now?¡±

    ¡°Well after seeing you act like that so suddenly, how could I not be curious?¡± I responded with a shoulder shrug. ¡°But I could just as easily walk away. So, talk.¡±

    He was hesitant at first. But he eventually gave in and spilled everything about his past. He mentioned that he came from an abusive household. His father was a drunkard, and his mother was a drug addict. A combination like that could only result in disaster.

    And disastrous it was. Food and money were scarce in the household because of the addictions the parents suffered from. The only reason he managed to survive in that environment was that of his older brother, who was a senior college student. He was the only person that took care of him in his time of need. However, even that was short lived.

    In a single night, Darius lost his parents and older brother in a car accident. Custody of him then fell to his aunt. When he entered middle school, he was often teased about his family. He snapped one day and assaulted the bullies, eventually resulting in him being expelled and then moving away to hide from the media.

    From then onward he remained homeschooled. In his free time, he would write novels then sell them to make money. However, his small paychecks weren¡¯t enough for his aunt¡¯s financial troubles. It was then he mentioned being approached by a recruiter in the organization.

    Someone I knew. It was Tanet.

    The bastard manipulated Darius when he was vulnerable, convincing him that participating in the competition was the best course of action. It was infuriating to learn that I wasn¡¯t the only one that had been played. The bastard had gone around and used the same methods to recruit Darius as he had done to me.

    In fact, I had begun to suspect foul play. It couldn¡¯t have been a coincidence that Tanet suddenly appeared when Darius encountered financial troubles. It was far too convenient.

    ¡°So, your true reason for joining this game was to help your aunt?¡± I assumed.

    ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded his head. ¡°She¡¯s done so much for me. I want to do everything I can to repay her for taking care of me in my desperate time of need. She was never able to have any children of her own. So, she considers me to be her actual son, despite how weird that sounds.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she would approve of you participating in games like these?¡±

    He shook his head, chuckling slightly before replying, ¡°Hell no. She¡¯d be pissed if she ever learned what I¡¯m doing right now. Hopefully, that¡¯ll never happen.¡±

    ¡°Better hope so.¡±

    His gaze fell on the bar counter. His fingers fidgeted around. There was more he wanted to say. ¡°I have to get out of here, Ambrose. I¡¯ve been trying my best to stay strong and optimistic in front of Elena and the others. But I don¡¯t know how much longer I can keep this up.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve only been here for four days.¡± I flatly reminded him.

    ¡°Four days. Trapped in a secret death trap facility. You¡¯re telling me you¡¯re not stressed out at all?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± I poured myself a glass.

    ¡°Well, the stress may not be getting to you yet. But it¡¯s getting to me. I have to get out of here.¡± He buried his face in his hands.

    ¡°We.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He removed his face from his hands to look at me.

    ¡°We have to get out of here. All of us.¡± I told him before taking a drink. Although I had a problem with alcohol just like Darius, I drank with moderation. I ensured that I never got drunk. I would never reach that point¡­ever.

    After my drink, I looked to Darius. He was smiling at me. It was creepy.

    ¡°There¡¯s the nice guy Ambrose I always knew you were.¡± He pointed at me.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try and hide it now.¡± He rested his arms on the bar counter, leaning closer towards me with a bright smile. ¡°You try and act like a cold-hearted person, but deep down you¡¯re nothing but a big softy. Am I right? I¡¯m right aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± I pressed my hand against his forehead, pushing him away from me. ¡°I was only correcting your previous statement. It wouldn¡¯t be good if only you left the facility. Everyone should have the opportunity to leave.¡±

    His eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at me in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re right about that for one thing. Although it¡¯s thanks to the traitors that we¡¯ve been stuck here for so long. I¡¯d be willing to forgive them if they just voted to leave.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen anytime soon, and you know it,¡± I told him.

    ¡°Yeah, I know. This sucks.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I poured myself another glass.

    As I went in for my drink, Darius suddenly asked me, ¡°Do you have any clue as to who the traitors could be?¡±

    I paused, then set my drink down. It was a difficult question to answer. I had an answer, but the problem was whether I should. By that point, everyone should¡¯ve had their assumptions as to who the traitors were. I know I did. But I didn¡¯t want my answer to influence the others. ¡°You should ask Zoey that question. She¡¯s the one investigating about the traitors. Not me.¡± I answered before finishing with my second drink.

    ¡°It seems kinda unfair that we¡¯re leaving all the hard work to her though. I wish there were something we could do to help her.¡±

    ¡°Try your best to stay alive. One of us has already died. We don¡¯t need any more bodies.¡±

    ¡°Trust me; I have no plans to die.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we all?¡±

    Darius let out a chuckle before he nodded in agreement. What followed afterward was nothing but silence. It was good.

    But, it didn¡¯t last long. Although his words were soft, Darius spoke up and asked, ¡°Hey Ambrose. Do you think it was a good idea for me to suggest skipping the vote for today?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask? Do you believe you made the wrong choice?¡± I responded to the question with my own.

    He averted his eyes away from me before nodding his head. ¡°At first I didn¡¯t. But then once the others pointed out that they wouldn¡¯t vote until someone else died, I started to realize that I unintentionally created tension between everyone.¡±

    He was kidding himself if he thought he was the one that caused tension between everyone. The stress had been there since the very beginning. We were all trapped in a secret facility with a bunch of strangers, playing games against one another for the chance to win one million dollars. If that scenario didn¡¯t create tension, then I didn¡¯t know what would.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. And even if you did, there¡¯s no point in regretting it now. You¡¯ll just have to live with the choice you made and accept the consequences that¡¯ll come with it.¡± I told him.

    Darius brought his hands to the side of his head, ruffling up his hair while groaning in frustration. ¡°You make it sound so easy though!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy.¡±

    ¡°I just feel like¡­I¡¯ve caused some rift between everyone. As if people are beginning to break off into groups, praying for the deaths of one of us.¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond to his statement. I couldn¡¯t say that he was wrong. It was a possibility that the others were forming their groups among themselves. And if so, things would drastically change for the better or worse. I was leaning more towards worse.

    ¡°What if my choice gravely affects the games from now on? Like what if someone decides to act on their murderous impulses?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°Only one you have to worry about doing that is Melanie.¡± I reminded him. ¡°You¡¯ve already played a game against her. The chances of you going against her again are slim.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me feel any better.¡±

    ¡°Look, you¡¯re thinking too deep into this. Now it¡¯s no secret that some of the other players will be wishing for the deaths of one of us. After all, survival and money are the only things on their mind. Everyone has their reasons for being here, and they¡¯re probably willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like murder the other players.¡±

    ¡°As I mentioned, Melanie¡¯s the only one you have to worry about. I doubt that the others would run the risk of doing something as outrageous as that.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure of that?¡± His voice was full of skepticism.

    ¡°I¡¯m not. But if someone were to act on killing one of us during the games; that person would most likely get alienated from the group and become the next target. Could you imagine that? Dealing with nine other people seeking to kill you?¡±

    ¡°Since I was nearly killed by someone two days ago, yeah I can.¡± He answered, constantly nodding his head. ¡°It would be overwhelming.¡±

    ¡°Just keep your mind off it. You¡¯ll drive yourself crazy.¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Is that how you manage to get through each day? Because to be honest, I¡¯m frightened of what¡¯s to come in the future.¡± He admitted. ¡°You and I have suffered through the games already. So, we have a clear grasp of the dangers.¡±

    ¡°All we can do is push through each day and hope for a better tomorrow.¡± I decided to use the same words that were repeated to me regularly by Maynard.

    ¡°When do you think that better tomorrow will come? It¡¯s been three days, and so far, we¡¯ve done well not to let anyone else die here. But how long do you think that will last?¡±

    My gaze raised to the ceiling as I let out a sigh. His barrage of questions annoyed me. But he needed guidance, and for some reason, I was the person chosen to give him some. So, I decided to give him the best advice that I could offer.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not a psychic or a miracle worker. I can¡¯t guarantee that none of us will die today, tomorrow, or the next day. As I said, all I can do is push through each day, hoping for a better tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Push through each day¡­¡± He softly repeated my words. A smile soon appeared on his face, as if he was satisfied with my advice. He then stood from his chair and said, ¡°Thanks, Ambrose. I¡¯ll be sure to follow your advice.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡± I nodded.

    And with that, Darius soon left the room, leaving me all alone. Instead of heading back to my home like I usually would¡¯ve. I decided to stay behind in the lounge and drink. Darius may have hated alcohol, but I didn¡¯t. His father may have been an alcoholic, but I wasn¡¯t.

    I could control myself. I drank in moderation. After all the stress that I had built up throughout my stay in the facility, I needed some form of release. And a bottle of Jack Daniels was just the right thing.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 12 - Bonds!

    The rest of the day went on without incident. Or at least as far as I was concerned. I drank a few more shots of alcohol before heading over to the couch to rest my head. I wasn¡¯t drunk ¡ª just exhausted. It was going to be a long day. So, I had to prepare myself for what was to come.

    That time, however, was abruptly cut short at the beat of approaching footsteps that came from the hall outside of the room. They came to a stop inside of the lounge. I didn¡¯t open my eyes to see who they belonged. I already knew.

    It was Henrika.

    ¡°Not in here either.¡± She voiced her dissatisfaction but remained in the room. Her footsteps grew louder as she approached me. I kept my eyes closed and pretended to be asleep. I didn¡¯t know what she wanted, but it wasn¡¯t my intention to get involved. Unfortunately, things never tended to go my way. ¡°Ambrose?¡± She placed her hand on my stomach then shook me gently, trying to ¡°wake¡± me. I didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Ambrose.¡± The volume of her voice increased slightly. I still didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Ambrose!¡±

    Her voice resonated in my head after she yelled in my ear. I ¡°woke¡± up and fell off the couch ¡ª hitting the floor next to her feet.

    ¡°Damn it! What the hell did you do that for?¡± I placed my hand on my ear to hopefully stop the pain in my head.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re awake.¡± She ignored my question entirely. That woman surprisingly acted differently compared to the times when she interacted with everyone else. ¡°I need your help.¡±

    ¡°After what you just did? Fuck off.¡±

    ¡°This is serious. I need your help.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I returned to the couch, glancing up at the woman whose face displayed obvious concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Nicholas. Have you seen him around anywhere?¡± She continued to look around the room.

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Have you tried searching for him in his room?¡±

    ¡°That was the first place I tried. There was no answer.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m out of ideas.¡± I returned to the comfort of the couch, where I stared aimlessly at the ceiling, hoping that she''d leave.

    She didn¡¯t.

    ¡°You¡¯re no hope at all.¡± She crossed her arms and frowned. I didn¡¯t know what her problem was with me. She rudely interrupted my moment of peace, asked me a question ¡ª which I honestly answered, and then she deemed me to be of no use?

    ¡°What were you honestly expecting from me? How am I supposed to know where he is?¡± I irritably glanced over at the brown-haired woman. ¡°I¡¯m not his keeper. Look for Wyatt. Maybe he knows.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already done that too. Wyatt doesn¡¯t have a clue where Nicholas is.¡± Henrika answered.

    ¡°Why the sudden urge to find him anyway?¡±

    ¡°I need to talk to him about something important.¡±

    ¡°Well if he isn¡¯t with Wyatt and he¡¯s not in his room, try searching elsewhere. Away from here.¡±

    Her arms unfolded then moved down to her waist. ¡°So, you¡¯re not going to help me look for him?¡±

    ¡°Why should I help you?¡±

    ¡°It would be the nice thing to do. We could cover more ground that way.¡±

    ¡°Let me rephrase then. Why would I help you?¡±

    She smacked her lips in response, dropping her arms down to her sides. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be nicer.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know who told you that.¡±

    ¡°Darius, Elena, and Iris.¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re mistaken.¡±

    ¡°Clearly.¡±

    ¡°So, are you going to leave or not? Nicholas isn¡¯t in here.¡±

    She tilted her head to the side, placing one hand on her hip. ¡°Why in such a hurry to get rid of me?¡±

    ¡°You rudely interrupted my time of peace. Forgive me if I¡¯m in a bit of a bad mood.¡±

    She had nothing to refute. However, she remained in the room ¡ª staring at me dubious eyes.

    ¡°Anything else you wanted to say?¡±

    ¡°No¡­nothing.¡± She eventually surrendered then left the room. Once she was gone, I closed my eyes and tried to rest. But even that time was cut extremely short. Someone else entered the room with a distinguishable haughty laugh.

    I recognized the person immediately. It was Salomon.

    ¡°Oh, so you do leave your room besides for meals or the games.¡± He stopped at the entrance and looked over at me with a bright smile.

    ¡°Does everyone have to make it such a big deal?¡± I exasperatedly asked him.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve made yourself out to be the loner type for the past four days. Can you blame them?¡±

    ¡°Whatever. Do you want something from me too?¡±

    The old man shook his head then wandered over to the bar counter. ¡°No. I only came here for a drink.¡± He inspected some of the bottles on the shelf. ¡°You mentioned that you¡¯re a bartender, right? What drink do you suggest for me?¡±

    ¡°Ginger Ale.¡±

    ¡°Funny,¡± He grabbed two bottles off the shelf then placed them on the bar counter. He switched glances at them every few seconds, ¡°Can¡¯t decide. Guess it¡¯s time for Fate to decide for me.¡±

    ¡°Fate?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but lean up from off the couch. The old man was an eccentric believer of fate. I for one don¡¯t believe in such garbage. What had fate ever done for me? Or anyone else for that matter? It was just as convoluted and worthless as religion, something to help distract clueless idiots; reassure them that there was a higher power looking after them in their life.

    Salomon reached inside of his coat then pulled out his coin. He flipped it into the air then caught it in the palm of his hand. His expression brightened at the sight of it.

    ¡°She¡¯s made her choice.¡± He took the bottle on the right, letting out another laugh of triumph.

    ¡°Is that how you make every decision?¡±

    ¡°Not every decision. Just the ones I believe that Fate should intervene.¡±

    ¡°Choosing what kind of alcohol to drink is a situation where you need to rely on fate?¡± My skeptical tone brought out another laugh from the old man as he poured himself a glass.

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised, youngster. Fate knows best. She¡¯s kept me alive this far.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned that you joined this game to test your luck.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I did.¡± He took a swig.

    ¡°How were you recruited?¡± I wandered over to the bar counter, taking a seat on the stool.

    He set the glass down then responded, ¡°Quite the personal question. Why the sudden interest?¡±

    ¡°Curiosity.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°You going to answer or not?¡±

    ¡°I was found lying unconscious in an alleyway. Damn near starved to death,¡± He finally revealed, ¡°a man named Tanet approached me, and offered the chance to play in these games.¡±

    My hands curled into fists at the mention of Tanet. It was no longer a coincidence. I was sure that man was responsible for the recruitment of the other players. Even with the fact in mind, a question still lingered. What was it about the old man that interested Tanet enough to recruit him? Obviously, the old man was eccentric. But that didn¡¯t seem to be enough to convince me. There had to be something else about him.

    ¡°You also mentioned that you¡¯re a war veteran?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. As are you,¡± Salomon pointed out, ¡°How many years you sacrifice for your country?¡±

    ¡°Enough.¡± My hands rested on my legs. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Takes one to know one, I guess.¡± He took another swig, finishing off the glass in a flash. ¡°You remind me of myself when I left after my second tour. The brooding attitude, you¡¯re antisocial, you isolate yourself. I bet you still have nightmares.¡±

    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡± I averted my eyes away from him. It was oddly assuring speaking with the man. He reminded me so much of Maynard.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Have any recent ones?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Figures.¡±

    ¡°¡­Do they ever stop?¡±

    ¡°No, but alcohol sure helps.¡± He poured another glass then passed it over to me.

    ¡°I hear that.¡± I accepted the glass then finished it all down in one gulp.

    ¡°So, how did you find your way into this mess?¡± He suddenly asked me.

    ¡°Same as you. Tanet found me in my moment of weakness and convinced me to join in on all the fun.¡± I sarcastically waved my hands in the air.

    A chuckle came from the old man before he responded, ¡°You¡¯re suddenly very talkative.¡±

    ¡°As are you.¡±

    ¡°I talk all the time. You¡¯re just usually locked away in your room.¡±

    ¡°With good reason.¡±

    ¡°I understand. You don¡¯t want to get too close to anyone. You¡¯ve probably lost more friends and family than you can count. I understand it all¡­that pain¡­¡± Salomon finished off another glass.

    ¡°I bet you do,¡± I recalled back to the time when he showed some of his battle scars on the first day of the games. Unlike him, I wasn¡¯t willing to do the same. My scars weren¡¯t something to simply show off to a bunch of strangers. ¡°Don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯d rather keep my distance.¡±

    ¡°Getting to know people isn¡¯t a bad thing. You said so yourself that this game wasn¡¯t about killing one another. The best way to accomplish that is by getting to know each other better.¡±

    A groan escaped from me as I looked away from him again. I hated it when people used my words against me. My past self should¡¯ve learned to keep his mouth shut.

    ¡°That may be the case for others. But not for me.¡± I told him.

    ¡°By getting to know each other, we can help each other survive through this.¡±

    ¡°You can go ahead and hang on to that belief. I¡¯ll stick to flying solo.¡±

    ¡°That attitude won¡¯t help you in life.¡±

    ¡°Blindly putting faith in things such as God or Fate won¡¯t help me in life either. I¡¯ll stick to things that I know are real ¡ª like myself.¡± I firmly placed my hand on my chest.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about God. But, I know for a fact that Fate exists. She¡¯s helped me through some terrible hardships through my life. If not for her, I would¡¯ve died a long time ago.¡± He quietly mentioned before he placed the coin on the table for me to see. ¡°Now, I won¡¯t complain. I have no qualms about living or dying. Things happen that are just out of our control. I¡¯m just here for the ride.¡±

    ¡°How reckless of you.¡± I scoffed at him.

    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. It¡¯s not up to me to decide¡­¡± He picked up the coin then placed it back in his pocket.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you can so confidently spout such nonsense about fate. How can anyone put their faith into such a ridiculous concept?¡± I averted my eyes from the old man. ¡°In my opinion, people that rely on fate and religion are cowards that use those concepts as excuses.¡±

    Another haughty laugh came from the old man before he responded, ¡°You¡¯re one troubled guy, Ambrose. You must¡¯ve gone through some dark stuff to say things like that so maliciously.¡± He poured two more glasses then passed one of them over to me.

    ¡°You could say that.¡± I took the glass then drank.

    ¡°Well, let me tell you. You¡¯re not the only one that¡¯s gone through rough experiences, obviously. But, through those experiences, people need something to rely on or latch onto for comforting reasons. It can be something spiritual like religion, or physical like drinking and gambling. Either way, everyone needs something to help them live their lives as comfortably as possible.¡±

    My mind immediately went to the bar after I heard his words. The nostalgic and yet nauseating sour smells, the annoying co-workers and customers ¡ª all of those things made me feel right at home. The bar was the thing that I latched onto for comforting reasons. I didn¡¯t feel safe anywhere else in the world other than there. The old man was right. Everyone had something that they needed to help them live throughout their lives as comfortable as possible.

    Others had religion, gambling, etc. ¡ª and I had the bar.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Guess it isn¡¯t my place to look down on people based on their beliefs or insecurities.¡±

    ¡°I knew talking with you would be interesting. It¡¯s good to see you coming out of your shell,¡± said Salomon as he poured himself another glass.

    I turned my head to face him. ¡°I was never in a shell.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say,¡± The questionable expression on his face said it all. ¡°You know, the other youngsters were off-put around you at first. They mentioned how you looked like a thug.¡±

    I smacked my lips. ¡°Bastards.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t throw a tantrum. You have to admit that you didn¡¯t make it easy to talk to you at first.¡± He tried his best not to laugh as he said, ¡°First thing you did was tackle poor Darius to the ground when you came out of the room."

    ¡°Can you blame me? I woke up in a dark room, then later entered another room with a bunch of strangers. Being on my guard seemed like the best option at the time.¡±

    Another haughty laugh came from the old man. I don¡¯t know what it was that he found so damn hilarious.

    ¡°It¡¯s one of those, better safe than sorry situations, huh? I understand. But, it was still funny to watch.¡± He finished off another cup. By that time, I had forgotten how many he had. It didn¡¯t seem to be that much since his speech hadn¡¯t deterred at all. He had gotten rowdier, however. ¡°I tell you, should you ever start coming outside your room more, you¡¯d realize how interesting the other players are. Did you know that Zoey has a strange fascination with technology?¡±

    ¡°Technology?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah. Almost every time I come across her; she¡¯s just staring off at some of the machines in this facility. Almost like she¡¯s never seen them before.¡± He continued to list off some habits of the other players that he considered unusual. Halfway through the one-sided conversation, I lost interest and resorted to merely nodding my head. It was unfortunate, but I had unknowingly been dragged into that man¡¯s pace.

    He felt all too familiar. Breaking away from him was difficult. His gestures and mannerisms felt all too like Maynard was originally when I met him. Being around him put me at ease for the first time since I came to Serendipity. It was reassuring, but also upsetting. I promised myself that I wouldn¡¯t get too close to any of the players in Serendipity. After all, we weren¡¯t comrades. We were enemies. Although it was for a moment, I had forgotten that fact. Forgetting something as crucial as that was extremely dangerous.

    Getting too comfortable with the other players would be a mistake. A mistake that I wouldn¡¯t want to risk. I couldn¡¯t trust anyone. I wouldn¡¯t trust anyone.

    ¡°Well, not that this hasn¡¯t been fun or anything, but I¡¯m going to head back to my room now.¡± I stood from the chair. ¡°I¡¯d like to get some rest before the next game starts.¡±

    ¡°No need to come up with an excuse for me. If you¡¯re not ready to open up yet, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Salomon nonchalantly told me. I immediately opened my mouth to defend my excuse, but I knew it would be pointless. Despite his old age, Salomon¡¯s mind was sharp as a blade. I believed that hardly anything could get through him. I bid the old man farewell then headed towards the door. I came to a stop once he said, ¡°Oh before you go, you may want to learn how to lighten up sooner or later. Your footsteps sound a bit heavy.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take that under advisement.¡±

    And with that, I left the lounge then headed for my room.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 13 - The Fourth Game!

    The hours of the day passed quickly. I stayed in my room of solitude until notifications for the next game were announced to everyone. With great reluctance, I left my room then wandered over to the lobby. All players were present, as well as the ever so eccentric game moderator, Caius. He gave us all his usual smile as he stood in front of the monitor.

    ¡°Welcome back everyone. By now you should all know what time it is.¡± He said.

    ¡°Time for us to regain our freedom and go home?¡± The nervous suggestion came from Darius. Immediate laughter followed afterward as a response. Caius and Melanie were the culprits.

    ¡°What a pleasant joke, Darius. But, no.¡± Caius shook his head. ¡°It is time for the fourth game!¡±

    ¡°Figures¡­¡± Darius lowered his head dejectedly. ¡°Thought I should give it a shot anyway.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t see why you even bothered. It¡¯s game time, and you know it,¡± stated Melanie. She then wandered over to the couch where she proceeded to make herself comfortable. ¡°Go ahead and roll the dice, Caius. Let¡¯s get the game over with already.¡±

    She appeared more relaxed than usual. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that she remained in the lead. Whatever her reason, I didn¡¯t care. For as long as she kept her mouth shut and didn¡¯t cause any further problems, things could probably progress smoothly.

    ¡°In due time, Melanie my dear. In due time.¡± Caius pressed a button on his tablet. Like all the other times, the monitor turned on then the digital dice rolled. They eventually stopped. The lucky numbers turned out to be five and seven. ¡°Excellent! Will numbers five and seven please step forward?¡±

    Henrika and Salomon were the ones that stepped up. The florist versus the retired war veteran. An interesting match up to say the least. If I decided to put some points down on anyone, I¡¯d bet it on the old man. Despite his eccentric attitude and cryptic sayings, the old man had a sharp mind and keen intuition. Underestimating him in the games would prove to be a mistake on his opponent¡¯s part.

    None of them appeared too shook up about the realization that it was their turn to play. In fact, Salomon smiled the moment his number got called. Henrika folded her arms and kept her attention on Caius.

    ¡°What kind of sick game do you have in store for us today, Caius?¡± She asked with a harsh tone of voice.

    ¡°We shall see, Henrika. The game wheel is the one that will determine that.¡± Caius happily maneuvered his way over to the wheel. Like before, he spun the wheel with all his might. All of us watched with mild interest as it soon came to a complete stop. The needle landed on the panel that featured stick figures on colored platforms. ¡°Oh, how exciting! Henrika Calanthia and Salomon Sanders shall face off in the Twister game!¡±

    ¡°Twister?¡± inquired Elena as she brought her finger up to her chin, deep in thought.

    ¡°You mean, like that game with the vinyl and the circles?¡± Iris followed up.

    ¡°Something tells me it¡¯ll be a lot more dangerous than that,¡± Darius said.

    A sigh of exasperation had come from Henrika afterward. She covered her face with her hand then shook her head. ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°You planning to back out?¡± Salomon looked at her. His usual, cheerful demeanor still presented on his face.

    I swore that guy hardly took anything seriously. He honestly played things by ear.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t have a choice in the matter, now do I?¡± She raised her hand then pointed to the bracelet still clamped around her wrist.

    She was right. If she tried to weasel her way out of the match, she¡¯d find herself in a body bag soon enough. By then everyone knew that refusing to play the games if selected resulted in disqualification and death by lethal injection. We had yet to see what would happen to those injected with the poison. But, none of us were in a hurry to see it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Henrika. You¡¯ll be okay. Your opponent is Salomon. He¡¯s one of the nicest guys here.¡± Iris assured her before she playfully glanced at the old man. ¡°You¡¯ll be sure to play nice down there, right?¡±

    Surprisingly, the old man didn¡¯t give an immediate response. He reached into his coat pocket then pulled out one of his cigars. After lighting it, he spoke.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just see how this goes. I can¡¯t guarantee anything since I don¡¯t know the rules of the game.¡±

    ¡°If you are all about done, let us move on to the game room. Follow me, please.¡± Caius led Henrika and Salomon out of the room, leaving the rest of us to our own devices for that time being.

    ¡°So¡­was anyone else off put by the fact that he vaguely answered Iris?¡± Darius waited until the group had left to speak.

    ¡°Salomon has always been a bit¡­well, odd. But, we should not jump to any harsh conclusions about him,¡± said Nicholas. ¡°He has never given us any reason not to trust him.¡±

    ¡°I am not worried about the players or the game this time,¡± said Wyatt as he crossed his arms. ¡°Both Henrika and Salomon seem quite level-headed and trustworthy. Plus, how dangerous could a game of twister be?¡±

    He didn¡¯t realize it. But the doctor accidentally raised a death flag with those words of arrogance. The number one rule for me within Serendipity was never to underestimate the games. Sure, most of them were loosely based on simple, child games.

    But, Caius always had to add his little sick and twisted stipulations. If anything, the others should¡¯ve been more worried about how the game moderator would transform such a harmless game into a death match.

    ¡°Have you seriously not learned anything in the past four days?¡± Zoey looked at Wyatt with her natural hardened expression. ¡°Never underestimate the games. You will get killed that way.¡±

    The venom in her words spread to everyone instantly. Even though some of the other players tried to make light of the situation, their faces grew solemn. All except for Melanie.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have told him that, Cyclops.¡± She threw her arms up in the air in a dramatic show of disappointment. ¡°Now whenever it¡¯s Doc¡¯s turn to play, he¡¯ll be on his guard and not die.¡±

    ¡°You bitch. You have no heart, do you?¡± Wyatt sharply turned to face Melanie.

    ¡°No heart? That¡¯s impossible, Doc. My heart can¡¯t help but race whenever you¡¯re around. I think I¡¯ve fallen for you.¡± She mockingly blew him a kiss.

    Just when Wyatt prepared to approach her; Nicholas held his arm out in front of the doctor to stop him from doing anything.

    ¡°That is enough. The game is about to begin.¡± Nicholas informed everyone. All eyes turned to either the window or the television screen.

    Henrika and Salomon stood on opposite sides of the room. They didn¡¯t move an inch until Caius¡¯ annoying voice came over the intercom above their heads.

    ¡°Attention players! The Fourth game is about to begin! Both players have offered up their game points, so now I shall commence with the explanation of the rules!¡± The Game Moderator announced. ¡°The game of today shall be an old-fashioned game of Twister! Everyone should know that game, right?¡±

    I knew about it. However, I could only wait in dreadful anticipation for the deranged stipulation the man had in mind for the simple game.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m aware of it,¡± Henrika stated.

    Afterward, the floor of the game room changed. Different sections of the level changed colors from red, blue, yellow, and green.

    ¡°Now then, the objective of the game is for the players, Henrika and Salomon, to outmaneuver one another on the game board until only one of them is left standing. The player left standing will be declared the winner.¡±

    A section of the wall split apart, revealing a large spinner. Multiple colored circles were displayed around the spinner, as well as illustrations of hands and feet.

    ¡°This is just like the regular game,¡± Iris commented.

    ¡°Yeah, even got the spinner and everything,¡± added Darius.

    ¡°I will be acting as the Referee for this game. Each turn, the spinner will activate. The players must set the illustrated body part on the spot displayed on the board." Caius ordered.

    ¡°I sure do hope these old bones of mine are up to par for this game. Or else this won¡¯t last very long.¡± Salomon joked as he rotated his shoulder.

    ¡°The players are only allowed to occupy one space with one limb. Should a situation occur in where the players try and reach for the same space, the first one to get it will be awarded the spot.¡± Caius explained. ¡°Once limbs are set in their respective places, they cannot be moved or lifted without my direction or permission. However, there are cases where I will allow a limb to be moved or lifted if it involves letting another limb pass by.¡±

    ¡°Pretty much this game will be one of endurance,¡± concluded Wyatt. ¡°No doubt the players will be placed in uncomfortable positions sooner or later. Thankfully, this game still does not appear to be all that dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Now be warned, certain spots have been rigged with elaborate traps. If a player places their limbs on those designated spots, they¡¯ll be in for quite the surprise as to what may happen.¡± Caius sadistically revealed to everyone.

    ¡°How does your foot taste, Doc?¡± Melanie teased as Wyatt¡¯s expression went stiff.

    ¡°Besides the traps, there are ways of being eliminated in this game. If a player refuses to follow the directions of the referee, if a player does not place the right limb on the right spot, if a player falls from their position, and if a player¡¯s elbows or knees touch a section of the game board, it is game over.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Is that everything? I¡¯d like to get this game underway.¡± Henrika said.

    ¡°No need to rush,¡± Salomon said.

    ¡°The rules of the game have been explained to the players. Before we can begin, would both players please step forward and place your feet on the color sections of the board.¡± Caius instructed.

    Henrika and Salomon followed his instructions then stood on their respective spots.

    ¡°This good?¡± Henrika called out to the Game Moderator.

    ¡°Perfect! Now, let the Twister Game begin!¡± Caius happily announced. The spinner on the wall spun rapidly. It eventually slowed down and pointed at a red circle on the left-hand section. ¡°The first move of the game shall be, left hand, red!¡±

    ¡°Be careful, okay?¡± Henrika expressed clear concern as she looked over to Salomon. ¡°I mean no disrespect. But, you are an old man. Don¡¯t push yourself any further than you need to.¡±

    Salomon let out his signature haughty laugh as Henrika squatted down and placed her hand on the red circle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I may be old, but I¡¯m not that old.¡± The old man showed no difficulty in setting his hand on a red circle as well.

    Once both players were situated, the spinner spun again. That time, it pointed to a green circle on the right leg section. Henrika and Salomon once again moved their limbs to the designated spots with ease.

    The game continued for a few more turns without incident¡ªuntil Henrika set her hand on a rigged circle. The circle flashed red and blared an alarming siren. Immediately afterward, volts of electricity zapped her. She convulsed violently and nearly lost her balance.

    However, through some force of will and determination, she kept herself in her position.

    Albeit with difficulty.

    ¡°That was a close one,¡± Zoey stated.

    ¡°Flower girl should¡¯ve just fallen. The game would¡¯ve been over.¡± Melanie showed apparent disinterest in the match as she looked away from the screen.

    ¡°Are you alright? Can you still play?¡± Salomon called out to Henrika.

    The woman¡¯s face contorted in pain. Her breathing grew ragged, and her arms and legs wobbled. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s just keep playing.¡±

    The game continued without much incident. There were a few near falls here and there. Most of them came from Henrika. Surprisingly, Salomon held his own quite well. He was sturdy for his age. He showed no signs of discomfort, unlike Henrika.

    When the next turn came, Salomon was the one to activate the next trap. Once his foot landed on the green circle, alarms blared in the room once again. Afterward, all the circles on the game board floated off the ground, carrying both players into the air.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! What is this?!¡± exclaimed Henrika. She held onto her secured spots as if her life depended on it.

    ¡°They¡¯re floating! They¡¯re floating!¡± Iris repeatedly pointed at the window.

    ¡°Yes, we can see that.¡± Wyatt stared at the scene in disbelief. ¡°I had no idea this facility had access to such technology.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that surprising to me anymore. I¡¯m now under the impression that Serendipity has everything.¡± Darius commented.

    ¡°Nothing bad would happen if they fell, right?¡± Elena questioned as she nervously looked towards the others for confirmation.

    ¡°From that height, they would only suffer a broken limb or two. Or at least that would be the case for Henrika,¡± Nicholas said. ¡°Salomon is a different story. He may suffer far worse injuries with his fragile body.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the old man,¡± I said.

    ¡°Salomon has activated the anti-gravity trap! Enjoy the ride!¡± Caius taunted.

    ¡°Sorry about that! Try not to fall!¡± Salomon cautioned.

    ¡°Thank you, Salomon! I¡¯ll keep that in mind!¡± Henrika nodded her head.

    On the next turn, Henrika moved her hand on a blue circle as instructed by Caius. Another alarm set off to alert her to the trap she activated. The floor beneath spread apart, revealing a layer of spikes.

    ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± Darius grimaced at the sight of the spikes. ¡°Should any of them fall¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be riddled with more holes than Stains.¡± Melanie¡¯s eyes beamed as she pressed her face against the glass. ¡°Which one of them will fall? The old coot? The flower girl? Both?¡±

    ¡°No! None of them are going to fall!¡± Iris rushed over to the window. ¡°Hang in there you two!¡±

    ¡°I wish these things were labeled,¡± complained Henrika as she arched her back. From her position on the board and the game room, well, everyone watching got a good view of her ass.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Darius moved over to the window to get a better view. ¡°Knew it! Henrika''s got a booty!"

    ¡°You pervert! Get away from there!¡± Iris moved behind Darius and pulled him away from the glass while covering his eyes. ¡°How can you think of something so indecent at a time like this?!¡±

    A catcall had come from Caius before he said, ¡°Was not expecting to see a full moon tonight! Thanks for the show, Henrika! Let us give our viewers a close-up!¡±

    The television in the lobby room zoomed in on Henrika¡¯s ass. The only ones that cheered during the incident were Caius and Darius.

    ¡°Idiots!¡± Iris snapped at them. The other players turned their heads until it was time for the next round.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna get you for this, Caius!¡± Henrika shouted in frustration.

    ¡°Ah, to be young again.¡± Salomon teased.

    The spinner spun again. It pointed to a yellow circle in the right-hand section. Henrika and Salomon made their moves; luckily no traps were set off that time. But, as time passed, they both showed signs of exhaustion. Their positions weren¡¯t exactly the most comfortable. And the fact that the floor of spikes beneath them remained didn¡¯t make their predicament any less stressful. It would¡¯ve only been a matter of time until they lost their balance and fell to their deaths.

    ¡°Salomon,¡± Henrika cried, ¡°we need to do something.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me. I¡¯m losing more strength as the minute''s pass.¡± Salomon mentioned. ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s a circle that can fix all this mess?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. But, there lies the problem. Which one of these circles do that?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. We got to try and find something to save ourselves. At this rate, we¡¯ll be skewered.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d ask Fate to try and figure something out. But, I can¡¯t reach into my pocket right now.¡±

    ¡°Will you please take this seriously?¡± Henrika snapped at him. Her seemingly endless patience reached its breaking point.

    ¡°I am.¡± Salomon nodded.

    The spinner on the wall went again as the next round continued. Once it landed in its spot, the players obeyed its instructions. No traps were activated. As the series continued, Henrika and Salomon drew close to each other. They were careful not to get jumbled up in any more awkward positions.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much longer I can keep this up. My arms and legs feel like wet noodles,¡± informed Henrika. ¡°Not to mention my fear of heights, and being impaled by spikes isn¡¯t making me feel any better.¡±

    ¡°If we die, we die. Our lives are in the hands of Fate. I trust she¡¯ll lead us down the correct path.¡± Salomon said with genuine confidence. Although everyone else seemed confused or irritated by his nonsense rambling, I for one found myself believing in him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let fate choose my path. I¡¯d rather find my own.¡± Henrika stubbornly announced. When the next turn came, she set her foot on the designated spot. Another alarm warned everyone about the incoming trap.

    As if their situation weren¡¯t already troublesome enough. All the circles in the room spun around at a rapid rate. Henrika and Salomon held on for dear life, but, one of them eventually lost their grip and fell.

    It was Henrika.

    Her screams of terror alarmed everyone as she plummeted toward the floor of spikes. However, through some act of intervention, the ground returned to normal before she hit the ground.

    Sure, she hit the ground hard. But, she didn¡¯t get impaled.

    A loud buzzer wailed throughout the room to signify the end of the game.

    ¡°Player Number Five, Henrika Calanthia, has fallen! The winner of the Twister game is Player Number Seven, Salomon Sanders!¡± Caius announced. Soon enough, the entire game room returned to normal.

    Salomon wandered over to Henrika and checked on her condition. The woman barely moved since her fall. The old man knelt in front of her then offered his hand as he asked, ¡°Hey, are you okay? You took one nasty fall there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been better¡­¡± Henrika groaned. Once she reached for Salomon¡¯s hand, she cringed in pain and moved her hand to her sides. ¡°I think I broke a few ribs.¡±

    ¡°Better that than losing your life.¡± Salomon helped Henrika to her feet and acted as her means of support.

    ¡°You saved me, didn¡¯t you?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Fate saved you.¡± He reached into his pocket then pulled out his signature coin. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that it was all thanks to her that I found the means to help you.¡±

    ¡°Well, whatever or whoever it was¡­thank you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    The doors to the game room opened and allowed Henrika and Salomon to leave.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 14 - A Day of Harmony!

    The fourth game of the competition concluded. The crowned victor was the old man, Salomon Sanders. Some of the other players in the lobby room couldn¡¯t stop talking about how surprised they were about his victory. The old man still had a lot left to teach us, youngsters.

    The moment Henrika and Salomon were led back into the lobby room by Caius; Darius, Elena, Iris, and Wyatt rushed over to them. They all kept their attention on Henrika. They wanted to make sure that her injuries weren¡¯t so severe. A few broken ribs were considered lukewarm compared to the injuries some of the other players obtained throughout the games. However, one couldn¡¯t be too careful.

    ¡°You suffered a nasty fall, Henrika. Let us go to the medical room. I will take care of you in there.¡± Wyatt offered.

    ¡°Thank you, Wyatt.¡± Henrika accepted the offer. ¡°Salomon, can you help me get to the medical room?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Salomon nodded.

    ¡°Hey, Fatass,¡± Melanie called from the couch. ¡°How¡¯d it feel, losing to an old man?¡±

    ¡°From Flower Girl to Fatass? Seriously, Melanie, your nicknames are improving as the days go by.¡± Henrika sarcastically responded before she flashed the teenager her warm, soothing smile.

    Albeit, the blood in my body, turned cold when I saw it. Women were frightening when angered. Hell had no fury like a woman scorned.

    ¡°Just trying it out. I meant no harm by it.¡± Melanie blatantly lied before she made herself more comfortable on the furniture.

    No other words exchanged between the two of them. Unlike some of the other players, Melanie attempted to intimidate; Henrika wouldn¡¯t fall for her tricks. She was far too mature and intelligent for that.

    ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re okay!¡± Elena and Iris embraced Henrika in a group hug.

    ¡°My ribs! My ribs, remember?!¡± Henrika winced. The two girls immediately backed away and sincerely apologized.

    ¡°We thought you were going to die! We were so worried about you!¡± Elena revealed with watery eyes.

    ¡°I told you that Salomon wasn¡¯t a bad guy! He saved Henrika just in the nick of time!¡± Iris proudly boasted before she patted the old man on the back.

    ¡°I can¡¯t take all the credit. I just put my life in Fate¡¯s hands and hoped for the best.¡± Salomon revealed.

    ¡°Whatever the case, we are glad that we went another day without anyone dying,¡± Nicholas said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go putting words in my mouth, Shades.¡± Melanie stood from the couch then headed toward the door. ¡°You¡¯re all only delaying the inevitable. Someone else is gonna die sooner or later.¡±

    With those words of wisdom, Melanie left the room. I didn¡¯t want to agree with her. At least not out loud. I kept those foreboding thoughts buried in the back of my mind. Another day passed without a death.

    Sure, there were some close calls. But, that was beside the point.

    ¡°If everyone is done, I would like to get to the medical room and see to it that Henrika is not suffering from internal bleeding,¡± Wyatt announced.

    No one had any complaints and allowed the doctor to take his patient out of the room. One by one the other players went their separate ways. I headed back to my room and slept there for the rest of the night. As usual, I awoke hours later to the annoying sound of my doorbell. With great reluctance, I opened the door then greeted the one responsible for waking me¡ªIris.

    ¡°Morning, Ambrose.¡± Iris waved at me.

    ¡°Morning,¡± I said.

    ¡°Today¡¯s breakfast will be French toast and eggs.¡±

    ¡°Sounds delicious.¡±

    ¡°It will be once you taste it. I¡¯ve put a lot of work into making it.¡±

    ¡°The others and I appreciate it. I¡¯ll be in the cafeteria in a moment.¡± I moved to close the door, but Iris stuck her foot out and blocked it. ¡°Something wrong, Iris?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t come to visit Henrika in the medical room last night. Why?¡± Her usual cheerful and lighthearted tone had vanished. Even her gaze that brightened the darkest of rooms turned cold and dim as she stared at me.

    ¡°I was tired.¡± I gave my answer.

    Her eyebrows furrowed in response. ¡°So was everyone else. But, most of us waited then visited her once Wyatt said we could.¡±

    ¡°The diagnosis?¡±

    ¡°She has a few broken ribs. Other than that, she¡¯ll make a full recovery in a couple of weeks.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully we won¡¯t be here for that long.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, make sure you find the time to visit Henrika. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d appreciate it.¡± Iris leaned forward then winked at me. Afterward, she skipped down the hallway.

    I didn¡¯t know everything that went through that girl¡¯s mind. But, one thing was for sure, she concocted some half-baked scheme that I had no intention of being a part of. I closed the door to my room and got cleaned up for the day. Afterward, I left my room and headed for the cafeteria. But, of course, my path had to be blocked by yet again another roadblock.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    It came in the form of Darius.

    The teenager called out and approached me. He snaked his arm around my shoulder then forced me down the hallway toward the medical room. He spouted nonsense about how our meeting was a coincidence and how we had to visit Henrika. I didn¡¯t need to be an ace detective to figure out that Darius and Iris were in on something.

    I was forcibly led into the medical room, where Wyatt, Klara, and Henrika were gathered. An awkward tension hung in the air. It was no secret that Wyatt hated Klara and that Henrika didn¡¯t like Wyatt because of it. However, the three of them found themselves together. I understood why Wyatt was there. He was a doctor, and Henrika was injured. But, what shocked me most of all was that Klara was there. I couldn¡¯t for the life of me figure out why she would be in that room.

    She spent most of the time in the corner of rooms, staying silent and not interacting with anyone. Sure, she hadn¡¯t said anything. In fact, she left the room the moment we entered.

    ¡°That woman still worries me,¡± Darius admitted once he made sure that Klara was gone.

    ¡°Ignore her.¡± I moved over to Wyatt and Henrika.

    ¡°What are you two doing here?¡± Henrika inquired.

    ¡°We¡¯re here to make sure that you¡¯re okay, beautiful.¡± Darius used an amorous tone as he took a seat next to her.

    The kid was something else. Just the other day he told me how he fell madly in love with Elena. But, when another woman caught his eyes, he had moved on. Teenage hormones were truly an oddity.

    Of course, he had no chance of getting with any of them. But, it was amusing to watch him try.

    ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Henrika looked at Darius with apparent disdain.

    However, the kid either ignored or didn¡¯t seem to notice it. ¡°Yeah, I even came across Ambrose along the way. We just wanted to stop by.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the real story?¡± Henrika turned her gaze of skepticism towards me.

    ¡°Darius and Iris made some half-baked scheme to get me here,¡± I answered.

    ¡°How¡¯d you know?!¡± Darius exclaimed.

    ¡°Subtly isn¡¯t your strong suit,¡± Henrika answered.

    ¡°Well, at least I didn¡¯t lie about wanting to make sure that you were okay.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, Darius. I appreciate the sentiment.¡± She sent Darius her trademark smile. However, that soon changed as the corners of her lips twitched. ¡°Also, I was told that you made quite a scene during the game yesterday.¡±

    ¡°A scene?¡± Darius averted his eyes from her. He nervously laughed and feigned ignorance. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Elena and Iris said that you and Caius made a big deal about staring at my ass.¡± Henrika¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    At that point, beads of sweat poured down his face. The pressure from Henrika¡¯s sharp gaze of judgment overwhelmed the poor kid.

    ¡°Well, you know, it was just out there. It¡¯d be rude of me not to look.¡± Darius stammered.

    ¡°Goodbye, Darius.¡± Henrika gently waved. Her order came through to him loud and clear. He stood up from his chair then quickly ran out of the room.

    ¡°Henrika, you should not mess with him like that,¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°Kid deserves it,¡± I stated.

    ¡°If not for the no physical violence rule, I would¡¯ve hit him,¡± Henrika grumbled. ¡°Yesterday was so embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± I said, ¡°yeah, Caius teased you by saying that you had a fat ass, so what? At least you¡¯re alive.¡±

    Silence hung in the air once more as Wyatt and Henrika stared at me as if something were on my face.

    ¡°Wow.¡± They said in unison.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say that Ambrose is beginning to warm up to us.¡± Henrika looked at Wyatt then smiled.

    ¡°Yes. That appears to be the case.¡± Wyatt agreed.

    ¡°You think he¡¯ll want to start hanging out with us too?¡±

    ¡°I think that would be pushing it.¡±

    ¡°That''s a shame.¡±

    ¡°Stop talking about me like I¡¯m not here,¡± I demanded.

    ¡°We¡¯re just messing with you, Ambrose. Lighten up a little.¡± Henrika patted my shoulder.

    ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re feeling alright, Iris said that she made French toast and eggs for today¡¯s breakfast.¡± I brushed her hand off my shoulder then stood up.

    ¡°That sounds delicious. I¡¯ll be there in a moment.¡±

    Just when I turned to leave the room, I found Zoey by the door. Oddly enough, she had a grim expression on her face.

    ¡°Something wrong, Zoey?¡± Wyatt nervously questioned.

    ¡°I need everyone over by the women¡¯s restroom right now,¡± Zoey ordered. ¡°Something¡¯s happened.¡±

    She didn¡¯t say anything else after that. She gave us one last suspicious glance before she left the room. A knot formed in my stomach. No one had any idea what had happened. But, if it made someone as hardened as Zoey make such an expression¡ªthen it couldn¡¯t have been good.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 15 - Murder in Serendipity!

    When we reached the entrance of the women¡¯s restroom, we found all the players gathered around. No, that was wrong. One player wasn¡¯t there. Frantic sobs and cries of despair came from inside the bathroom. With Zoey''s permission, we entered.

    The source of the cries came from Iris. The girl was down on her knees in a puddle of blood. ¡°Oh my god, Iris! What happened?¡± Henrika called out to her. But, the teenager didn¡¯t respond. Her eyes were vacant.

    Everyone traced their line of sight to the blood trail that led to the stall in front of Iris. It was then we witnessed the horrifying sight. A body lied in the stall. Not just any body, however.

    But, Elena¡¯s.

    </a>

    It was like looking at a portrait of hell. Blood seeped from her eyes, nose, and mouth. It spilled on the floor and left a trail that led to the front of the stall. What topped it all off was the number of knives lodged in her body.

    ¡°What¡­the¡­fuck?!¡± Darius exclaimed. He took a few steps back then fell on his ass. ¡°What the fuck is this?! Is that Elena?! Is that really fucking Elena?!¡± He continued to slowly back away until I went over the blood on the floor. He looked at his hands in disgust then wiped the blood on his jacket.

    ¡°No. No, no, no! This can¡¯t be happening!¡± Henrika stared at the body in disbelief. Her body trembled uncontrollably. Suddenly, she placed her hand over her mouth then wandered over to the furthest stall.

    Nicholas followed suit.

    ¡°This is sick. Who could do such a thing?¡± Wyatt grimaced.

    ¡°This has to be a joke, right? She isn¡¯t dead. There¡¯s no way that Elena is dead.¡± Darius muttered in denial. He forced a laugh afterward and looked around for assurance that he was right.

    ¡°Whaddya mean Funbags isn¡¯t dead? There are knives all over her body.¡± Melanie made her way toward the body. But, Zoey stood in front of her before she could do anything further.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her,¡± Zoey ordered. ¡°This is a crime scene now. I just wanted everyone to see that Elena was dead.¡±

    ¡°Ominous,¡± Melanie said with glee.

    ¡°How did this happen?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Someone murdered her with those knives,¡± Salomon concluded.

    ¡°But, how? When did this happen? How come no one heard anything like screams or cries for help?¡± Nicholas asked after he came out from the bathroom. He wiped the corners of his mouth with toilet paper.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that.¡± The hazardous voice came from Iris. She slowly stood to her feet and glared daggers at everyone. ¡°Who was it? Which one of you killed Elena?!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Darius shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Iris, what are you saying? Do you really think one of us did this?¡±

    ¡°Who else could¡¯ve done it?! Everyone in here is a prime suspect! One of you wanted her dead because she seemed like an easy target, right?!¡±

    Her eyes burned with fierce intensity for vengeance.

    ¡°Hit the nail right on the head, Rainbows,¡± Melanie announced. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s exactly what the killer thought as they stuck those knives into Funbags¡¯ delicate body. I mean, it was obvious she was gonna die sooner or later. The killer did her a favor. I¡¯m surprised she even made it this far into the games.¡±

    ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?!¡± Iris aggressively approached Melanie. Her intent became clear as day when she raised her fist. Darius and I quickly restrained her.

    ¡°Iris! Calm down!¡± Darius pleaded.

    ¡°Calm down? Calm down?! There are knives in my friend¡¯s body! She was killed in cold blood by that fucking bitch!¡± Iris shouted at the top of her lungs as she struggled to break free from us. ¡°Let go of me! I¡¯ll kill her! I¡¯ll fucking kill her!¡±

    Despite the outburst of pure rage, Melanie found it as a source of entertainment. The girl laughed loudly in the face of the potential danger. She counted on Iris succumbing to her rage.

    ¡°You? Kill me? What a joke, Rainbows! You¡¯d be dead long before you even got the chance to land the second strike!¡± Melanie arrogantly proclaimed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her get into your head, Iris! She wants you to hit her so that you¡¯ll die! Don¡¯t let her win!¡± Darius pleaded.

    ¡°Come on, Iris! Take a few deep breaths and settle down!¡± Henrika joined in with the attempts to calm down the infuriated teenager.

    Albeit with great reluctance, Iris ceased with her struggling and dropped down to her knees. She looked at Elena once more and wept. However, it didn¡¯t last long. Her attention then returned to the cause of it all¡ªMelanie.

    Even with teary eyes, they continued to burn with murderous intent.

    ¡°I hate you. I fucking hate you¡­¡± Iris seethed.

    ¡°What good hating me will do you. Won¡¯t help bring back Funbags, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Melanie dismissed Iris¡¯ words of hatred.

    I approached Melanie then stopped inches away from her. I leaned forward and made direct eye contact with her as I said, ¡°If you had anything to do with this, and I do mean ANYTHING, I¡¯ll make sure that you pay for it.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t we already been down this road before, Barkeep? We already know that you don¡¯t have the balls to do anything.¡±

    ¡°Wanna bet? You sure you¡¯re ready to take that risk?¡± I challenged.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we¡¯re all here in the first place?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough! All of you!¡± Zoey suddenly raised her voice. ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to fight among ourselves! We need to stay calm and focus on the matter at hand!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like figuring out who killed Elena,¡± Darius responded then glared at Melanie. ¡°Although, it isn¡¯t much of a mystery.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡± Zoey chastised him. ¡°All we know for sure is that Elena is dead. We won¡¯t know the cause until we run an autopsy.¡±

    ¡°Does this facility even have the supplies to do something like that?¡± Henrika asked after she came out from her stall.

    ¡°Yes, they do,¡± Wyatt confirmed. ¡°I will act as the coroner and perform the autopsy myself.¡±

    ¡°Do we need to go that far? The knives in her body should be a clear indicator.¡± Melanie pointed out.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Mind your own damn business,¡± Iris demanded.

    ¡°Whatever. Have fun.¡± Melanie shrugged her shoulders then left the restroom.

    ¡°That bitch is involved with her death. One way or another, she has to pay for her crimes.¡± Iris balled her hands into fists. She couldn¡¯t hold her tears back any longer. She wept uncontrollably while Darius and Henrika tried to console her.

    That sight wasn¡¯t something I ever wanted to see. In my mind, Iris was a bright light of optimism and hope in our group. To had seen that light turn dark left an unsettling feeling in my gut. That feeling only intensified once Caius casually strolled into the room.

    ¡°What is going on? How come everyone is in the women¡¯s restroom?¡± He pushed past us then looked over at Elena¡¯s corpse. He jumped and let out an exaggerated gasp. ¡°Oh, my goodness! What happened here?!¡±

    ¡°As if you did not already know.¡± Wyatt glared at the Game Moderator.

    ¡°I doubt anything happens in this facility without you knowing about it,¡± Nicholas added.

    ¡°Wait, if that¡¯s true, then he knows exactly what happened to Elena! You know who killed her don¡¯t you?¡± Darius accused.

    ¡°Please, Caius! You have to tell us! Who killed Elena?¡± Iris pleaded for an answer. The girl¡¯s pathetic display of misery brought a smile to the ever-sadistic Game Moderator.

    I don¡¯t know why she even bothered to request anything from the man. To him, everything was a game. As far as he was concerned, we were nothing more than playthings, pawns him for him. If some of us died, then so be it.

    No skin off his nose.

    Throughout all the days we suffered from playing his demented games; Caius had never batted an eye. If we suffered, he¡¯d watch. If we died, he¡¯d laugh. Someone like him couldn¡¯t be called a human being.

    ¡°Unfortunately, I am unable to do that, Iris. More important matters must be taken care of now.¡± Caius said.

    ¡°Like what?¡± Darius hesitated to ask.

    With a snap of his fingers, people in black suits entered the bathroom. They pushed past us then moved towards Elena¡¯s corpse. However, before they could get any further, Zoey stepped out in front of them.

    ¡°What are you doing, Zoey? Move out of the way and let the nice people do their jobs.¡± Caius insisted. But the woman refused to move from that spot.

    ¡°Where are you planning on taking her body?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°That is none of your business. Where does it matter where we take her? It will not do anyone much good in here, stinking up the place.¡± Caius pinched his nose close then looked away from the body in disgust. ¡°We need to get this place cleaned up. Now move.¡±

    ¡°No. This is a crime scene. I am going to need some time to investigate.¡± Zoey stood firm on her convictions. One by one, the other players sided with her against the Game Moderator despite his protests.

    ¡°Have you forgotten that you are no longer a detective, Zoey? What do you hope to accomplish by doing this?¡±

    ¡°Is that not obvious?¡± Zoey asked. ¡°A player has died outside of the games. I want to investigate and find the cause of Elena¡¯s death so that something like this does not happen again.¡±

    ¡°Even if you were to find out the cause, what would you do then?¡± Caius rolled his eyes.

    ¡°We will cross that bridge once we get there. However, to make things more interesting, what do you say we turn this into a game?¡± A sudden smirk appeared on the woman¡¯s face. That pure expression alone unnerved me. I had never seen the woman smile until that moment.

    ¡°Game?¡± Iris harshly responded. ¡°You want to make Elena¡¯s death into a game?!¡±

    ¡°Zoey, even for you, that¡¯s horrible,¡± Henrika added.

    ¡°A game you say? I cannot say that I am not interested. Tell me, what do you have in mind?¡± Caius inquired as he leaned in closer with his trademark sadistic smile.

    ¡°Give everyone forty-eight hours to investigate Elena¡¯s death. After those forty-eight hours, all the players will give their statement as to what they believe happened to her. Whoever wins the game, earns two points from the losing players.¡± Zoey explained.

    Caius brought his hand up to his chin and let out a happy hum. Whatever gears turned in his head at that moment couldn¡¯t have resulted in anything good for us.

    ¡°Well, it is not the traditional game that I had in mind. But, I will allow this. All players have forty-eight hours to discover what exactly happened to poor, little Elena. The winners will be awarded two points from the losing players.¡± Caius announced.

    ¡°Since this is going to be an investigation, then we should be granted access to the security cameras in this facility,¡± Nicholas demanded.

    ¡°I cannot allow that, Nicholas,¡± refused Caius, ¡°a dispute between players must not be revealed to outside sources. It would be too easy. Use other methods to discover the truth. You may see the footage after the game is over.¡±

    ¡°Then, at least can we run an autopsy on her?¡± Wyatt requested.

    Caius looked at the doctor then nodded his head. ¡°That is fine. These lovely people in black will take the body to the medical room.¡±

    Satisfied with the turn of events, Zoey stepped aside and allowed the people in black suits to put Elena in the body bag. Once they carried her out, Caius bid everyone farewell before he followed them.

    ¡°Zoey, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Iris turned her glare of contempt at Zoey.

    ¡°Keeping us safe,¡± Zoey answered bluntly, unfazed by the girl¡¯s aggressive expression.

    ¡°How is making this situation into a game keeping us safe?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°I just secured us a two days reprieve from having to go into that game room. Plus, we need to figure out what happened to Elena so we can make sure the same thing does not happen again.¡± Zoey stated. ¡°I know that you are upset, you have every right to be. But, you need to keep a cool head.¡±

    ¡°How can you possibly expect me to do that?¡± Iris hung her head.

    ¡°Find solace in the fact that we will find out what happened to her. One way or the other.¡± Nicholas said.

    ¡°Whoever murdered Elena will not get away with this. Mark my words.¡± Wyatt turned then left the room. One by one, we all left the room in search for clues about Elena¡¯s death.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 16 - The Investigation Begins!

    I didn¡¯t know what to do. It was all so sudden. Elena had died. No, that wasn¡¯t right. Murdered. She was murdered. That was the prevailing belief among the others. It wasn¡¯t that hard to discern considering everyone found her with numerous knives lodged in her body.

    One of us, the players, murdered Elena in cold blood. That very thought made my blood boil to extreme levels.

    I wasn¡¯t that close with Elena. We were far from friends. However, she didn¡¯t deserve to get killed. Elena was one of the nicest people in Serendipity along with Iris.

    To had seen her lying dead in the bathroom stall¡ªit brought up memories that I had long since buried. Corpses were nothing new to me. A long time ago, I couldn¡¯t ever go anywhere without seeing them. I had thought that my body grew numb to the feeling of death. But for some reason, Elena¡¯s death brought up a dreadful uneasiness that swelled up inside of me. Her gruesome fate left me in a dangerous mindset.

    From the beginning, I understood that people would die when the games began. There was no avoiding that fate. However, I never expected someone would get murdered outside the game room.

    Why Elena of all people? That woman was innocent. I doubted that she¡¯d even hurt a fly. Perhaps that was why she was targeted.

    Her innocence.

    It made her an easy target. Anyone out of the players could overpower her. The one player that repeatedly flashed through my mind was Melanie. She was the only one that picked on Elena. Of course, that wasn¡¯t enough evidence to prove that she had anything to do with her death.

    Not that I had been bothered to help with the investigation anyway. I wasn¡¯t a detective. I wouldn¡¯t pretend to be. The chances of discovering the truth behind Elena¡¯s death were slim. I knew I sure as hell wouldn¡¯t have figured it out¡ªnot with my mindset.

    I returned to my room and remained there for several hours. Even a drink couldn¡¯t settle my disoriented mind. My thoughts were in shambles.

    Elena was murdered.

    No doubt about that. How it happened didn¡¯t matter to me. What did matter was who had done it.

    Someone among the players didn¡¯t want to wait for the games to kill us. So, they took matters into their own hands and murdered someone themselves. It frustrated me. I couldn¡¯t paint a clear picture as to who could¡¯ve done it.

    Despite the days I spent with the other players, I kept myself at a distance for the most part. I had a grasp on some of their personalities, but not their ambitions or determinations. I couldn¡¯t trust any one of them out there. If I got careless, I could¡¯ve been the one found dead.

    I used Elena¡¯s death as a catalyst to strengthen my resolve to survive no matter what. I refused to get killed off so easily. I swore I¡¯d avoid death and reach the end of the games.

    It was more than just my life at stake.

    Eventually, I left my room and headed toward the cafeteria. Along the way, I noticed a group of players down the hall. They stood in front of the medical room.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I asked as I approached the group.

    ¡°Wyatt and Zoeyare almost done with Elena¡¯s autopsy,¡± Iris answered. Her eyes were red and puffy.

    ¡°We¡¯re waiting to hear what they found,¡± Henrika added.

    ¡°I still cannot believe that someone would murder Elena.¡± Nicholas sadly commented. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off the ground.

    ¡°We have to find the killer. No matter what. We need to do whatever it takes to avenge Elena.¡± Iris declared.

    ¡°Vengeance will not solve anything,¡± warned Salomon as he put out his cigar. ¡°It won¡¯t bring her back.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, Salomon. I don¡¯t care.¡±

    All eyes turned to the door of the medical room as Zoey and Wyatt came out. They didn¡¯t utter a single word. They only signaled for us to enter the room¡ªwhich we did. We all gathered around the table where Elena¡¯s body rested. A white sheet covered her body.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the diagnosis?¡± Henrika inquired.

    ¡°Well, we can confirm that Elena was indeed killed. However, it was not the knives that did the deed.¡± Wyatt answered.

    ¡°What? How is that possible?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°The knives were lodged in her body post-mortem. Likely it was used as a diversion to lead us away from the actual cause of her death.¡± Zoey explained. She walked over to Elena¡¯s body and raised her left arm. Then, she pointed to a puncture wound on her wrist. ¡°There¡¯s a trace of the needle piercing through her skin. The cause of death was poisoning.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°So, someone poisoned her? How?¡± Salomon asked.

    ¡°No one poisoned her. The bracelet did.¡± Wyatt revealed as he picked up Elena¡¯s bracelet from the table nearby. He then directed our attention to the needle that stuck out from the accessory. ¡°Remember, the bracelets have needles that inject poison into our bloodstream.¡±

    ¡°But, that is only supposed to happen when one of us breaks the rules,¡± Nicholas stated.

    ¡°So, Elena died because she broke the rules? Which one did she break?¡± Iris asked. She hung her head in defeat. She was so dead set on the idea that Elena had been murdered. I couldn¡¯t begin to understand what went through her mind at that moment.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know all the details for sure. However, we can¡¯t toss out the idea that she was murdered.¡± Zoey affirmed. ¡°After all, why lodge knives into her body to conceal the fact that the poison killed her?¡±

    ¡°We also need to figure out who put the knives in her body,¡± added Wyatt. He set the bracelet back on the table then looked at Elena¡¯s body. He raised her left arm and showed everyone her hand. ¡°Something else to mention, all the nails on her left hand are broken.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Henrika asked.

    ¡°Not sure yet. I will still have to investigate some more.¡± Zoey answered.

    ¡°This is just sickening. Why would someone do something so heinous?¡± Iris lamented.

    ¡°Gee, you don¡¯t think money would have something to do with it?¡± All heads turned to the entrance of the room. The sarcastic remark came from none other than Melanie.

    ¡°No one invited you here.¡± Iris¡¯ eyes burned with hatred as the punk rock girl casually entered the room.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t think I needed an invitation to check out the dead body.¡± Melanie stopped nearby the autopsy table. She glanced over Elena¡¯s body with mild interest. ¡°Poor, poor, Funbags. She will be missed.¡±

    ¡°If you only came here to mess around and cause a scene, we want you out of here,¡± Wyatt demanded.

    ¡°What? And let you all win the game? No thanks, Doc,¡± Melanie refused as she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I wanna know all there is about Funbags¡¯ death. To think, she died by the poison. I wish I could¡¯ve seen that.¡±

    Not a shred of empathy came from the punk rock girl.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to offer any assistance, then we don¡¯t need you here,¡± Henrika said. ¡°We¡¯re not here to play games.¡±

    ¡°Quite the hypocrite, ain''tcha?¡± Melanie tilted her head to the side then displayed her Cheshire smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all here to play games? We¡¯re playing one right now. Suggested by Cyclops herself.¡±

    ¡°You know what I meant.¡± Henrika shook her head.

    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t like any of you, and none of you like me. We mutually dislike each other,¡± Melanie began.

    ¡°Try hate.¡± Wyatt corrected.

    ¡°Whatever. Despite our feelings towards each other, let¡¯s put them aside and work together on this investigation.¡±

    Silence met her suggestion. Surely, no one in that room wanted to ever work with Melanie. Even the thought of it made my skin crawl. She was a loose cannon¡ªunpredictable. No one would want to run the risk of teaming with her. Besides, the most obvious reason she¡¯d suggested the idea was to earn herself more points. There was no way she¡¯d be able to win the game all on her own. She knew something that we didn¡¯t. But, that meant nothing without all the information that everyone else knew.

    ¡°No. I refuse to work with you.¡± Iris sternly rejected the suggestion.

    ¡°Same here. You are on your own.¡± Wyatt added.

    Melanie smacked her lips then placed her hands on her waist. ¡°So, that¡¯s how it¡¯s gonna be, huh? Don¡¯t come crying to me if you guys need something. I tried to help.¡± She turned her back to us then left the room.

    ¡°Moving on, is there anything else we need to know?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, judging from the condition of the rigor mortis, Elena died around 2 to 3 a.m. today,¡± Wyatt revealed.

    ¡°2 to 3?¡± Henrika brought her hand up to her chin. ¡°That¡¯s early. What was she doing up that early in the morning?¡±

    ¡°Since she died in the restroom, it¡¯s safe to assume she had to use the toilet,¡± Salomon surmised.

    ¡°So, along the way to the restroom, Elena broke a rule which in turn activated the bracelet to inject her with poison?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°This is getting more confusing. There are still many details that we are missing here.¡± Nicholas stated.

    Many things didn''t make sense concerning Elena¡¯s death. The time of her death didn¡¯t matter. But, why she died did. The poison killed her.

    That was an undeniable fact.

    But, why had the poison been injected in the first place?

    For that to happen, a rule had to be broken. No matter what scenario I played in my head, I couldn¡¯t imagine Elena breaking a rule. She was frightened by the thought of death. So, I¡¯d imagine she¡¯d do everything in her power to follow the rules.

    The only thing that made sense to me was foul play. Someone had coerced Elena into unknowingly breaking a rule. But, which rule was the one that bothered me. I racked my brain trying to figure out what it was. But, no immediate answer came to mind.

    ¡°Well, now we have a bit of a better understanding of what happened. However, we are no closer to solving this mystery.¡± Wyatt claimed.

    ¡°Perhaps we would find more clues if we searched through Elena¡¯s room,¡± Iris suggested. She then looked at the bracelet on the table. ¡°The bracelets act as key cards to our respective rooms. So, getting inside of Elena¡¯s shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot.¡± Henrika agreed.

    ¡°What are we expecting to find in her room?¡± Nicholas asked.

    ¡°Something. Anything that would give us a clue as to what happened to her.¡± Iris answered.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± Zoey walked over to the table then picked up the bracelet. Everyone followed the detective as she led the way to Elena¡¯s room. She used the bracelet on the electronic scanner then pushed the door open.

    To our immediate surprise, the entire room was in tatters.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 17 - Cornered?

    ¡°What happened in here?¡± Iris stammered as she wandered into the ransacked room. Anything not bolted down was on the floor. There were numerous holes and tears in the walls.

    ¡°It looks like a hurricane came through here,¡± Wyatt commented. When he stepped into the room, he reached his hand out to grab the nearest thing to him. But, Zoey stopped him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything,¡± Zoey ordered. ¡°In fact, I want all of you out of this room immediately.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what? Are you serious?¡± Henrika exasperated.

    ¡°Zoey, we came all this way to help. You cannot just drive us away now,¡± said Wyatt.

    ¡°Help me by leaving the room. I need to investigate this place alone.¡± Zoey firmly announced.

    ¡°But, why?¡± Nicholas asked.

    Zoey folded her arms then looked away from us. She heaved a sigh before she responded, ¡°Look, I¡¯m just going to come out and say it. At this point, I don¡¯t trust any of you. One of you could potentially be the killer, and I don¡¯t want you to contaminate possible evidence. And even if you¡¯re not, I don¡¯t want any of you to ruin evidence accidentally.¡±

    That woman never minced words. It took guts to tell everyone that she didn¡¯t trust us. No one blamed her. After all, no matter how many days passed in Serendipity, the fact of the matter was that we were all still strangers. Five days certainly wasn¡¯t enough time to get to know someone.

    So, regardless if any of us were the murderer or not, we had no clue how to conduct a proper investigation. One way or another, we¡¯d find some way to mess things up for Zoey. She made the right call to order us out of the room.

    ¡°But, we can¡¯t just leave everything to you. I don¡¯t want to stand around and do nothing.¡± Iris argued.

    ¡°I assure you that I will give frequent updates regarding my progress. No one will be left out of the loop.¡± Zoey affirmed.

    ¡°Quite hypocritical to say when you are kicking us out of the room,¡± Nicholas complained.

    ¡°Deal with it. Now leave.¡± Zoey pointed to the door. I was the first one to move towards it. The others seemed more hesitant. But, they eventually followed her orders and left. Before she closed the door on us, she left us with one piece of advice. ¡°Stay on your toes. There may be more to this than we realize. Don¡¯t let your guard down around anyone.¡±

    No one voiced any objections to her words. How could they? It wouldn¡¯t have been wise to let our guards down around anyone at that point. One of us caused the death of Elena. No one was safe from suspicion.

    I didn¡¯t know about the others. But I took her words to heart. I said nothing else to the other players as I headed back to my room.

    Along the way, I came across Darius. He came out from the medical room¡ªfiddling with the bandage on his cheek. When he spotted me, he jumped and yelled as if he had seen a ghost.

    ¡°Oh, Ambrose! You scared me!¡± The kid placed his hand on his chest then settled his breathing.

    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± I crossed my arms over my chest.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just sneak up on a person like that! It¡¯s not good for my heart! Especially since a murderer is roaming around!¡±

    ¡°Relax. You¡¯re not going to get killed out in the hallways like this.¡±

    ¡°You do not deny that I won¡¯t get killed, however¡­¡± Darius dejectedly hung his head.

    ¡°Well, that isn¡¯t entirely up to me, now is it?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, how¡¯s the investigation going? Find any leads?¡±

    ¡°A few. Elena died around 2 to 3 a.m. this morning. The cause of death was through poisoning, not the knives.¡± I reluctantly revealed. Speaking of Elena¡¯s death left a bad taste in my mouth.

    ¡°Poison? Wait, you mean the poison from the bracelets?¡± Darius exclaimed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that only activate when a player runs out of points or breaks the rules?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded.

    ¡°Elena couldn¡¯t have lost all her points. She only played in one game. So, she must have broken a rule.¡± He deduced.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°That¡¯s the assumption.¡±

    ¡°But, which rule did she break? And why?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the million-dollar question.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully, we can find the one responsible.¡± Darius crossed his arms over his chest then gripped his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you. But, I don¡¯t feel safe being under the same roof as a murderer, Ambrose. What if Elena was only the beginning? What if the killer decides to target another one of us?¡±

    I had considered that possibility. That was why I decided to keep my distance from everyone. I would only show my face when necessary. Everyone had forty-eight hours to find out what happened to Elena.

    Throughout that time, I planned to stay in my room. Two days in solitude was nothing compared to wandering around Serendipity¡ªlooking over my shoulder every five seconds. The accumulated stress would wear me out in no time.

    I didn¡¯t want that.

    ¡°Just stay on your toes and keep an eye out. If you¡¯re careful, you¡¯ll come out of this alive.¡± I consoled him. However, my words didn¡¯t seem to reach him. He looked away from me dejectedly.

    ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just¡­really regretting my decision to play these games.¡± Darius revealed. ¡°I mean, compared to Wyatt, my problems aren¡¯t that severe. Nothing that a little hard work couldn¡¯t fix.¡±

    ¡°You only wanted the money to help your aunt, right?¡± I recalled.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± He nodded. ¡°I knew this organization was shady. But, I didn¡¯t think that people would actually die.¡±

    His naivety was as surprising as ever.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just the hand we¡¯ve been dealt,¡± I stated.

    ¡°But, two people have died in less than a week. That¡¯s not good. And we still haven¡¯t found the traitors yet. Just how much longer are we going to stay trapped in here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t have all the answers.¡± I found it difficult to maintain eye contact with him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t mean to bother you with my problems again. We¡¯re all under a lot of stress.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    ¡°How can you stay so calm? Elena was murdered and don¡¯t seem upset in the slightest.¡± Darius pointed out.

    ¡°Believe me; I am upset. It¡¯s just taxing to express it right now.¡± I revealed.

    ¡°If you ever need to talk to someone, don¡¯t be afraid to come to Nicholas or me.¡±

    ¡°Nicholas?¡± My eyebrows arched as I sent the kid a suspicious glance.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been talking with him in private recently. He¡¯s been helping me out with keeping my emotions under control. He¡¯s really good at what he does.¡± Darius answered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. Anyway, I¡¯m heading back to my room. I¡¯d suggest that you do the same.¡± I advised him. ¡°Since the murderer is still around and about, try not to make yourself a target.¡±

    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Darius nodded his head. His eyes beamed with confidence. Satisfied with his determination, I left in good conscience. I remained in my room for several hours¡ªalone with my thoughts. Around the time the games would typically start, no announcement came from Caius.

    He kept his word and didn¡¯t make anyone go into the game room. It was a relief despite the circumstances. No one had to worry about risking their lives while looking for Elena¡¯s killer. I hoped that Zoey would find the bastard.

    Suddenly, the doorbell to my room went off. I approached the door then gazed through the peephole. Surprisingly, the person that stood on the other side of the door was Zoey.

    I opened the door for the former detective.

    ¡°Yes?¡± I answered.

    ¡°Ambrose, forgive me for troubling you. But, if you wouldn¡¯t mind, may I ask you a couple of questions?¡± Zoey inquired.

    ¡°Sure. Come on in.¡± I stepped aside and allowed Zoey into my room. She situated herself on a chair while I stood near the bed.

    That woman¡¯s piercing gaze was as unnerving as ever. With every second that she stared at me, I felt as if she saw through me. Out of everyone in the facility, Zoey was the hardest one to get an accurate read on.

    ¡°Now then, shall we begin?¡± The corners of her lips slowly slid upwards.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 18 - Cooperation!

    There I was¡ªall alone in my room with Zoey, the former detective. A woman with excellent skills of deduction and attention to detail when compared to everyone else in Serendipity. I didn¡¯t think about it at first, but, it probably wasn¡¯t a good idea to let her in my room. She was supposed to investigate the murder of Elena.

    But, it all soon dawned on me when I saw that soft smile spread across her face. Ever so rarely had I ever seen her smile. Whenever she did, I always felt a wave of uneasiness wash over me. From my perspective, she was a stone-cold woman with a heart of ice. So, whenever she smiled, it ruined the image I initially had of her.

    That woman¡ªthe only reason I figured she had come to me was to conduct an interrogation. She had me labeled as a suspect.

    ¡°I will just get right to the point. As of right now, I believe that everyone is a suspect in the case of Elena¡¯s murder.¡± Zoey notified.

    ¡°I see. So, when you said you only wanted to ask me a few questions¡­¡±

    ¡°I meant that I wanted to interrogate you. However, I believed that you would not allow me into your room if I started with that choice of words.¡± She admitted.

    ¡°Sneaky¡­¡± I sarcastically commented. ¡°And it¡¯s not like I can force you out of here either. Just for the record, I would¡¯ve let you in even if you did tell the truth.¡±

    ¡°That does not matter anymore. Let us begin with the interrogation.¡± Zoey interlocked her fingers then rested them on her lap as her gaze turned fierce. ¡°Now, where were you between the time of 2 to 3 a.m. this morning?¡±

    ¡°In my room, asleep,¡± I answered.

    ¡°Can anyone vouch for that?¡±

    She was in complete detective mode. For every second that passed, her sharp gaze never left me. It was like she could see through anything and everything that I would say or do. I couldn¡¯t help but feel apprehensive the more she stared at me.

    The intense pressure that weighed down on me in that room was overwhelming. But, I put on my best poker face. I couldn¡¯t let her intimidate me.

    ¡°Pretty much anyone that knows me. I spend most of my time in my room.¡±

    ¡°But, I have heard that you have spent some time outside your room recently. Usually, you''d only leave your room for meals or the games.¡± She countered. ¡°So, forgive me if I cannot trust your answer so earnestly. Quite the coincidence that Elena wound up dead around the same time you began to leave your room more frequently.¡±

    I felt my face go stiff after she made the broad accusation. True, it was a coincidence. But, the satisfied expression on her face pissed me off.

    ¡°It¡¯s the truth, honest. Whether you choose to believe it is up to you.¡± I merely waved off her accusation; albeit with great difficulty. I didn¡¯t like being on the end of her interrogations or her unsettling gaze.

    ¡°Mind telling me what kind of relationship you had with Elena?¡± Zoey continued without hesitation.

    ¡°Neutral at best. At least from my side of things.¡± I brought my hand up to my temple and fought off a brewing headache. I thought back to all my interactions with Elena. Most of them weren¡¯t as pleasant as I imagined. But, from those memories, I could classify our relationship.

    ¡°That neutral relationship appeared to become quite hostile once you two were pit against each other in the third game. That seemed to come from your side of things, however.¡±

    How one could remain calm around her was a mystery to me. In just five days, she had many incidents that she used against me.

    ¡°Are you talking about when I convinced her to play the game? It saved her life.¡±

    ¡°At that moment, it did. However, I believe you mainly did it so that you could play the game and increase your spot in the rankings. You would not have been able to do so if Elena refused to play and died.¡±

    ¡°Hit the nail right on the head.¡± I tapped the side of my head for emphasis. Perceptive as always. Almost nothing escaped from her sight. Although, it wasn¡¯t like I tried to hide that fact in the first place.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    If I hadn¡¯t convinced her to play, Elena would¡¯ve died on the spot. I made the right choice, even if it was for a selfish reason.

    ¡°You are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. As should everyone else that agreed to play these games.¡±

    ¡°I do not believe that I ever heard your goal.¡±

    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±

    The detective closed her eye then allowed a soft chuckle to escape past her lips. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t figure out what she found so damn amusing about her interrogation. In fact, the more the time passed, the more irritated I became.

    She may have tried to find out what happened to Elena. But in my eyes, she was only playing games.

    ¡°Let us move on. During your game against Elena, there came a moment when you nearly harmed her. Why did you hesitate?¡± Zoey inquired.

    That question hit too close to home. Out of all the things I didn¡¯t want to look back on¡ªit was that moment. When I nearly kicked Elena¡ªthe way she begged and pleaded not to harm her. It reminded me of someone.

    Someone that I didn¡¯t want to remember. It was far too painful for me to remember.

    That pain must have shown on my face. Zoey¡¯s suspicious glance changed¡ªbut only for a moment. All it took was that moment for me to regain my composure.

    ¡°No need to kick someone when they¡¯re down,¡± I stated. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I lost my temper at that moment. But, it was never my intention to harm her. Let alone kill her.¡±

    That soft smile returned to Zoey in response. She seemed satisfied with my answer.

    ¡°I believe you. From the very beginning, I knew you did not kill Elena.¡± Zoey revealed.

    It was like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I didn¡¯t know why I felt such relief. I knew all along I didn¡¯t kill Elena. However, to have heard those words soothed me somewhat as if I needed confirmation that I didn¡¯t do it.

    ¡°Then, what was the point of all this?¡± I suddenly asked. Although I felt relieved that she believed me, I was extremely annoyed by the entire ordeal. If the interrogation could¡¯ve been avoided, then what was the point in wasting my time?

    ¡°It was just my little way of gaining more intel on you, Ambrose. You rarely give away any information about yourself willingly. I mainly had to observe you to get as much information as I did,¡± informed Zoey as she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Anyway, you could not have killed Elena. You said so yourself that this was not a game about killing each other.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve been lying?¡± I questioned her.

    ¡°I considered that possibility. When you first said those words, you were in a heated argument with Melanie. But, when you had the opportunity to abandon Elena in that maze¡ªyou did not.¡± Zoey reminded. ¡°You had the chance to let Elena die. But instead, you saved her. You kept true to your words. And for that, I have no reason to suspect you.¡±

    ¡°While I thank you for that, I don¡¯t think you should be wasting your time with me if I¡¯m not a suspect.¡±

    ¡°Do not worry. I still have plenty of time for the investigation. This murder was textbook.¡±

    Whether it was a look of confidence or arrogance, the way Zoey phrased her response unsettled me. It was as if she genuinely thought that the investigation was a game. She was the one that suggested it after all.

    ¡°Wait, does that mean you already figured out who the killer is?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes and no.¡± She answered bluntly. I didn¡¯t know how she could do that with such a straight face. I, for one, nearly reached my limit with the woman. Throughout the entire interrogation, it seemed like she only desired to mess with me.

    That alone wholly tarnished the image I had of her in the beginning.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Do not worry about it. All will be revealed soon enough.¡± Zoey cryptically said before she stood from the chair. ¡°I am sorry if it seemed like I wasted your time.¡±

    ¡°You most certainly did.¡± I watched the woman head towards the door.

    She reached out to grab the doorknob then suddenly stopped. ¡°I have a few more questions before I go. Have you noticed anything strange with any of the other players? Or has anything strange happened to you recently?¡±

    The letter immediately came to mind. I had nearly forgotten about it. So many things had happened throughout the games. The mysterious sender of that said letter also came up.

    I understood the intent of the letter. However, I found it odd that the sender didn¡¯t want me to mention the letter to others. So, I decided to keep it that way.

    ¡°Nothing really,¡± I answered.

    ¡°Is that so? Very well then. Now, to my last question¡ªwould you be willing to work alongside me in this investigation?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? You seemed adamant about working alone earlier.¡±

    ¡°I am only using you as a means of insurance. If I were to present all the evidence to this case, certainly there would be a few people that would doubt my words. I need someone that I trust to back me up.¡±

    ¡°You know you¡¯re very blunt when asking for a favor.¡± I rubbed the back of my head. I was flattered that she had such trust in me. But, I wasn¡¯t sure that I deserved it.

    Helping her with the investigation would¡¯ve been a lot of responsibility. I wanted to find Elena¡¯s killer. But, I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d honestly be of any use.

    ¡°I will try to work on that. So, what do you say?¡± She turned to face me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can. Let¡¯s find the son of a bitch that murdered Elena.¡±

    ¡°My thoughts exactly.¡± Zoey bid me farewell then left the room.

    Definitely a strange one that woman. I had never figured her to be so sly. I guess she had to have a side like that to her personality. The fate of Elena¡¯s murder case rested on our shoulders. The severity of the situation was too much for me to bear. But, I still carried it nonetheless. I wanted to find the bastard that killed Elena. They had to be stopped. If not, the number of bodies would only continue to pile up. And I refused to let that happen without a fight.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 19 - Interrogations!

    Day Seven.

    Time moved faster than expected. Being trapped inside of Serendipity for an entire week took its toll on me and others. It would be a lie if I said the experience hadn''t been spiritually taxing. So much had happened in those seven days.

    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem the horror would stop anytime soon. In fact, it felt like everything I witnessed was only the beginning.

    And that it was.

    Almost like every other day, I woke to the chime of my annoying doorbell. Although that time, the person that rung it was Zoey. I was personally selected to be her partner in the investigation. We had twenty-four hours to find and gather enough evidence to solve the murder case. Time was of the essence.

    ¡°Good morning, Ambrose.¡± Zoey greeted me as I left my room.

    ¡°Morning.¡± I returned the greeting. ¡°So, how are we going to start off the investigation?¡±

    ¡°We are going to interrogate the other players. You are the only one that I have questioned so far.¡± She answered.

    Was I supposed to take solace in that? The fact that she questioned me first?

    Did she do it because I was the most suspicious? Or the least suspicious? I feared the question would only linger in my mind. Most of the time it was pointless to question Zoey.

    Her mind was that of a steel trap.

    ¡°Who do we start off with first?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We will go in numerical order. So, Wyatt will be first.¡± She placed her hands inside of the pockets of her trench coat as we proceeded down the hallway.

    We entered the cafeteria and found some of the others¡ªWyatt, Melanie, Darius, Henrika, Nicholas, and Salomon.

    ¡°Almost everyone is here. Should we start?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No. We need to separate them. We have to prevent as many leaks as we can.¡± Zoey shook her head.

    ¡°What are you two whispering about over there?¡± Melanie called us out from the other side of the room.

    ¡°Everyone, I have an announcement,¡± Everyone turned their glances of curiosity towards us. ¡°I have decided to make Ambrose my partner in this investigation. He will assist me in questioning all of you concerning your whereabouts during Elena¡¯s murder.¡±

    Mixed gazes from the other players met me. I was just as surprised as they were when Zoey first requested for me to help her.

    Was I the best choice?

    ¡°That¡¯s great! If you two work together, there¡¯s no doubt that the murderer will be caught!¡± Darius shot up from his seat. His face beamed with the utmost of confidence.

    ¡°When did you two become so trusting of each other, huh?¡± Melanie questioned us.

    ¡°Keep quiet,¡± demanded Wyatt, ¡°I think it is a good idea. Whatever you need from us, do not be afraid to ask.¡±

    ¡°Then, I would like to interrogate all of you in your respective rooms. I would like to start off with Wyatt.¡± Zoey requested. ¡°Please note that you are not obliged to comply with the request. However, it will not help your case in proving your innocence.¡±

    ¡°I would be more than willing to agree to the interrogation. Let us get it over with.¡± Wyatt complied with the request then led us to his room.

    Once inside, Zoey and I took a seat on the edge of the bed while Wyatt pulled up a chair. The man was calm and collected. His exuded confidence from his straightened posture. Even I felt that he couldn¡¯t have killed Elena.

    But, there lingered a sliver of doubt in the back of my mind. One was innocent until proven guilty. That was how I wished to perceive things.

    ¡°How are you feeling, Wyatt?¡± Zoey suddenly started things off with a lighthearted question.

    ¡°Is there a point to even asking that question?¡± Wyatt¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°I am simply curious. You did not seem very well when you performed the autopsy on Elena.¡± She pointed out.

    ¡°How could I be? Someone I knew was murdered in cold blood. By someone in this facility¡­¡± Wyatt set his hands on his lap. They trembled as he continued, ¡°How I am feeling is irrelevant. But, if you must know¡­I am infuriated.¡±

    ¡°You have every right to be. What happened to Elena was unfortunate. I will be sure to find the one responsible for this.¡±

    ¡°Please do.¡±

    ¡°Now, where were you between the time of 2 and 3 A.M.?¡±

    ¡°I was here in my room asleep.¡±

    ¡°Can anyone vouch for that?¡± I asked. A sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over me.

    ¡°No. I was all alone. I guess that does make me a suspect, huh?¡± Wyatt stared up at the ceiling and ran his hand through his hair.

    ¡°Potentially.¡± Zoey nodded. ¡°What time did you head to your room?¡±

    ¡°It was around 12 A.M., I think. I was with Nicholas, but then I left once Darius showed up.¡±

    ¡°Darius?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes. Ever since he sustained his injuries at the hands of Melanie; Darius would come talk to Nicholas or me now and then.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± asked Zoey.

    ¡°Well for me, he would request for me to help him change his bandages and apply cream for his burns. I have no idea what he would speak with Nicholas about.¡±

    ¡°I see. Last question, did you notice anything odd about any of the other players for the past couple of days? Anything that would indicate any of the others possibly being the killer?¡±

    ¡°At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I will say it anyway. I believe the killer to be Melanie. That bitch had it out for Elena since day one. It was no secret that she bullied her daily.¡±

    Zoey nodded her head then stood from the bed. We bid Wyatt farewell then moved on to our next person of interest. Player number two, Melanie Bella. We walked next door then rang her doorbell.

    Fortunately, she answered. She let us into her room without a fuss and allowed us to proceed with the interrogation. We started off with the basic questions regarding her location between the times of 2 and 3 A.M. the other day.

    Her response was the usual; she was asleep phrase. However, I didn¡¯t believe it. Perhaps it had something to do with the smirk on her face after she answered. That girl was nothing but trouble.

    Everyone knew that.

    No one would¡¯ve been surprised if she turned out to be the murderer.

    She was the only one that expressed evident joy at Elena¡¯s death. I wanted to do nothing more than cave her smug face in. But, that wouldn¡¯t have solved anything.

    ¡°So, Barkeep and Cyclops have teamed up, huh? Wouldn¡¯t have ever guessed something like that would happen. How did you two hook up suddenly?¡± Melanie looked up from her nails then sent us a glare of suspicion.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a cross-interrogation. We¡¯re the ones that will be asking the questions here.¡± I strictly informed her.

    ¡°Oh, how scary.¡± The grin on the girl¡¯s face widened. ¡°Does it make you feel good? Playing the hero, I mean. Someone you had the hots for gets murdered, and you¡¯re suddenly on the case? Guess it just goes to show how far you¡¯re willing to go for some piece of ass.¡±

    A flash of red. That was all I saw. My anger erupted, and I approached the bitch, more than prepared to strike her. But, a force on the back of my shirt stopped me. I glanced over my shoulder then saw Zoey looking at me with an unreadable expression.

    My fist fell to my side, losing its original purpose at that moment. I managed to calm down, but the rage still simmered beneath my skin.

    I couldn¡¯t let Melanie do that¡ªplay me. It¡¯s what she did best. She riled up people and used their anger against them. Despite that I knew that fact, she still got me.

    ¡°You seem to hold no regard for Elena¡¯s life. Or the lives of others for that matter, Melanie.¡± Zoey continued with the interrogation as if nothing happened.

    ¡°You got that right. I say good riddance. One less player to deal with now. Although, I never considered her much of a challenge in the first place.¡±

    Her eyes didn¡¯t meet either of us as she spoke. But instead, she shifted her attention to her nails. To her, they were far more important than the life of a human being.

    Disgusting.

    She truly disgusted me.

    ¡°Someone apparently did since they chose to target her.¡± Zoey¡¯s gaze turned sharp¡ªas if she¡¯d be able to see through anything Melanie would try to hide.

    ¡°Then they¡¯re more stupid than I thought. Funbags posed no threat to anyone. Killing her first was a waste. There must¡¯ve been something Funbags did to upset the killer.¡±

    She spoke with great confidence. But, her eyes never lifted from her nails. She knew more than she was willing to let on.

    ¡°Could the same be said for you, Melanie?¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You went through a lot of effort to make Elena¡¯s time here a living hell. You constantly bullied and teased her. Had she done something to upset you?¡±

    That single question had done it. Melanie looked up from her nails then sent the detective a glare of her own. ¡°Don¡¯t try and this turn around on me, Cyclops. I¡¯m not gonna fall for it.¡±

    ¡°I am just trying to figure out the facts here, Melanie. Right now, you are the most suspicious of being Elena¡¯s killer.¡± Zoey pointed at the girl. ¡°You were the only one that displayed any hostile feelings towards her. I would like to know why.¡±

    The ferocity in Melanie¡¯s eyes vanished. The corners of her lips nearly reached her ears before she responded, ¡°Why not? Funbags was weak. She couldn¡¯t hide that fact at all. I¡¯m like a predator, Cyclops. The moment I sense weakness, I go for it.¡±

    ¡°So, you saw an opportunity to kill Elena, and you took it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Nice try there, Barkeep. I¡¯m not gonna come out and confess like that. Go ahead and assume I¡¯m the killer if you want. See how well that does you in the game tomorrow.¡±

    There she went again¡ªexuding such confidence. How could she do that? Was there more to what she knew?

    ¡°You seem confident that you will win.¡± Zoey pointed out.

    ¡°Because I will. It¡¯ll be another victory over the¡­¡± Melanie paused. She turned her head and averted her gaze. ¡°Anyway, are you two about done?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you for your cooperation.¡± Zoey and I stood up then left the room without a fuss. Honestly, I felt like I hadn¡¯t learned anything new about the case.

    However, I did learn something about Melanie.

    The investigation continued as usual. We stopped by Klara¡¯s room. But, she didn¡¯t answer the door. So, we moved on to the next location¡ªroom number four¡ªDarius¡¯ room.

    Darius allowed us into his room without complaint, knowing full well the gravity of the situation. Like before, we asked him the usual questions. He gave us the same responses as the others.

    ¡°Where were you around 12 A.M.?¡± Zoey questioned him.

    ¡°I was with Nicholas in his room at that time. You can ask him or Wyatt; they can vouch for that.¡± He answered truthfully.

    ¡°What were you doing in his room?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little embarrassing. But, since Nicholas is a Therapist, I figured I¡¯d speak with him about some of my problems. It was mainly about the games and other personal issues.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to bring them up if you don¡¯t want to.¡± I said.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t see the point in questioning Darius. He never seemed like the murdering type. The kid could hardly stand the sight of blood. Plus, he had a crush on Elena. He and Iris grieved the most upon finding her body.

    With that fact alone, I would¡¯ve marked them off my suspect list.

    ¡°Around what time did you leave Nicholas¡¯ room?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d say around 1:30 A.M.? After that, I went straight to sleep in my room.¡± Darius averted his gaze then brought his hand up to his cheek, fiddling with the bandage placed there.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Huh? No, it¡¯s just my burns. They¡¯re acting up a bit. I just need to apply more cream, and it¡¯ll settle down.¡± He waved off Zoey¡¯s concerns. ¡°Anyway, was there anything else you wanted to ask me?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Zoey nodded, ¡°Was there anything strange that you noticed about the other players recently? Something that could indicate anyone possibly being the killer?¡±

    Darius¡¯ face became strained at that moment. Had an idea crossed his mind? If so, he took a long time to answer. Whatever idea had come to his mind lit up his features as he replied.

    ¡°Melanie. There¡¯s no other person it could be. She always terrorized Elena whenever she found the chance.¡±

    Yet another finger pointed towards Melanie as the killer. I figured that pattern wouldn¡¯t stop anytime soon. It wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to assume Melanie was the common enemy of all the remaining players.

    ¡°Final question, Darius. Has anything strange happened to you recently?¡± Zoey inquired.

    ¡°Strange? Like what?¡± His voice cracked. His eyes flickered between Zoey and me.

    No doubt¡ªhe tried to hide something.

    ¡°That is what I would like to know. You seem to be hiding something.¡± Zoey pointed out.

    Darius¡¯ eyes were all over the place. He desperately tried to find any other space in the room other than us to look at.

    ¡°Darius, if you know something that will help us solve this case. You have to tell us.¡± I said.

    His frantic eyes settled on me. His face showed great reluctance as he reached into the pockets of his green hoodie. He pulled out a piece of paper and showed it to us.

    ¡°I got this on our second day here. It¡¯s a letter saying that Melanie and Nicholas are some of the traitors among us.¡± He revealed.

    Zoey took the letter¡ªher eyes scanned it as if looking for any discrepancies. I, for one, hadn¡¯t noticed anything. It perfectly matched the letter that I received.

    ¡°Did you show this letter to anyone else?¡± Zoey¡¯s voice turned cold. Darius and I both shuddered as the woman continued to stare at the piece of paper.

    ¡°Besides you two, I¡¯ve only shown it to Nicholas,¡± Darius answered.

    Zoey lowered the letter down to her lap. She sent a sharp, piercing gaze at him as she asked, ¡°And what did he think of the letter?¡±

    ¡°He immediately said that it was a hoax. He showed me the letter that he received, and it said something entirely different from this one.¡±

    ¡°Really? What did it say?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It said that Elena and Zoey were the traitors. But, that just can¡¯t be right.¡± Darius brought his hand to his chin. ¡°Since our letters were entirely different, we decided that they were fakes set up by Caius to trick us. Especially the part that mentioned not to show it to anyone. Why would someone send us a letter and then expect us not to show it to the other players?¡±

    ¡°You have a point. It¡¯s suspicious alright.¡± I agreed.

    Perhaps the letter was a fake after all. If other letters besides mine mentioned other players, then it was a hoax set up by Caius.

    ¡°Did you guys get letters like these as well?¡±

    ¡°That is enough questioning for now. These letters have nothing to do with Elena¡¯s murder.¡± Zoey and I stood up then headed for the door.

    ¡°Please find the person that did this,¡± begged Darius as he lowered his head to us. ¡°I don¡¯t want to believe that any of us killed her. But, if that¡¯s the case, please find the killer.¡±

    ¡°We will. I promise.¡± Zoey assured him before we left the room.

    Our next destination¡ªroom number five¡ªHenrika¡¯s room. She allowed us into her room where we began with the interrogation. We asked the essential start-up questions. She gave us the same answers as the others.

    ¡°You don¡¯t truly believe that I¡¯m the murderer, do you? I often try to keep people together,¡± Henrika pleaded her case. ¡°I can¡¯t stand the sight of blood. Just the sight of it makes me want to throw up.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, I know,¡± I recalled the moment Henrika barfed in the women¡¯s bathroom upon finding Elena¡¯s corpse. I didn¡¯t know if she was squeamish, but apparently, she wasn¡¯t good around dead people.

    She couldn¡¯t have killed Elena.

    ¡°This is just protocol. I plan to question everyone.¡± Zoey stated.

    ¡°I understand.¡± Henrika nodded her head with a solemn expression. ¡°I hope you find the killer. They can¡¯t get away with this travesty. They just can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any idea as to who the killer could be? Have you noticed any of the other players acting strange lately?¡±

    ¡°Well, the obvious choice for me would be Melanie. She was the only one that showed any hostility towards Elena.¡± Henrika mentioned. ¡°But, something about her attitude suggests otherwise. She didn¡¯t come out and own up to the murder. She revealed that she was one of the traitors without hesitance. So, why now?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps she doesn¡¯t want people voting for her being the killer?¡± I suggested. ¡°If Melanie did kill Elena, then two points would get deducted from her own points depending on how many people vote for her. She¡¯d lose a lot of points in the game if that happened.¡±

    ¡°That is true, but, Zoey didn¡¯t suggest for the game until Caius arrived. Melanie had plenty of time to confess beforehand. That girl strives on chaos. She would do anything to rile everyone up.¡±

    ¡°I see. So, the fact that she missed out on a chance to stir up more trouble has left you with suspicions.¡± Zoey brought her hand up to her chin.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a suspicion, however. Please don¡¯t waste time looking too deep into it.¡±

    ¡°No, it is okay. Your suspicions are justified. They may lead us to more clues.¡±

    With no further questions for the woman, Zoey and I went over to the next room. Room number six¡ªNicholas¡¯ room. He let us in and underwent our interrogation process.

    ¡°Where were you at 12 A.M. yesterday?¡± Zoey asked¡ªher voice tinged with suspicion. It was the far most suspicious she sounded since all the other interrogations.

    ¡°I was with Wyatt and Darius. However, Wyatt left shortly after Darius arrived.¡± Nicholas answered. The story matched the ones that Darius and Wyatt gave us. Their alibis were solid.

    ¡°Do you have any idea as to where Wyatt could have gone?¡±

    ¡°I assume back to his room. You may have to question him about that.¡±

    ¡°Around what time did Darius leave your room?¡±

    ¡°It was 1:30 A.M., I believe. After he left, I decided to get a late-night snack in the cafeteria. There I encountered Salomon. We shared a conversation for a while until the others showed up.¡±

    ¡°The others?¡± I inquired.

    ¡°Darius and Melanie. They both showed up in the cafeteria roughly around the same time.¡± Nicholas revealed.

    ¡°What were they doing there?¡±

    ¡°I have no clue. Darius went into the kitchen, perhaps for a drink or something. He left without saying anything. Perhaps about thirty minutes after that, Melanie came into the cafeteria and rushed into the kitchen. She came out about a minute later with a trash bag.¡±

    ¡°Trashbag?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She claimed that she was helping Caius with trash duty.¡± Nicholas shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I did not believe her. But, I was not going to question her either.¡±

    ¡°Around what time did you go back to your room?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Sometime after three,¡± He answered. ¡°If I may ask, why are you two bothering with this investigation?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    Nicholas removed his shades then looked me in the eyes, ¡°The killer is Melanie, is it not? She has been the one tormenting poor Elena ever since the games started. There is no one else I can see murdering someone other than Melanie. Plus, her actions recently have been most suspicious.¡±

    ¡°You seem adamant about that.¡± Zoey pointed out.

    ¡°Did the other players you question not suggest the same person?¡± Nicholas put his shades back on his face. ¡°Great minds think alike. The common enemy of everyone is Melanie.¡±

    ¡°What about the traitors? Are they also not our enemies?¡± Zoey¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    A heavy tension weighed down on me as the interrogation continued.

    Nicholas brought his hand up to his face then let out a small chuckle before he responded, ¡°I meant that Melanie is the common enemy at the moment. The traitors will have to wait for later. Top priority should be finding Elena¡¯s killer.¡±

    ¡°I agree. Ambrose and I have every intention of finding them.¡±

    ¡°Please do. I do not appreciate the fact that another one of us has died¡ªespecially through unforeseen means. Elena¡¯s death is tragic. It should not have happened.¡±

    ¡°Once again we agree. Thank you for your time, Nicholas. That will be all for today.¡± Zoey and I stood up then left the room. We moved all the way to the other side of the facility towards the other set of rooms. We entered room number seven¡ªSalomon¡¯s room.

    He seemed more than happy to answer our questions. Fortunately, we received a different answer when he was asked our basic questions.

    ¡°Around 2 to 3 A.M., I was in the cafeteria eating a late-night meal with Nicholas,¡± Salomon said.

    ¡°Anything happen while you were there with him?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Yes. Darius and Melanie also found their way into the cafeteria. Darius showed up around 2:00 A.M. and headed into the kitchen. He didn¡¯t say anything to Nicholas and me. Perhaps he had no idea we were there.¡±

    ¡°What was he doing in the kitchen?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No idea. I assume he wanted a drink of water or something.¡± He shrugged his shoulders.

    Things didn¡¯t add up. Darius said that he went straight to his room after he left Nicholas¡¯ room at 1:30 A.M. However, Salomon claimed to have seen him in the cafeteria around 2 A.M.

    ¡°So, when did Melanie show up?¡± Zoey inquired.

    ¡°Some time pretty close to three. She seemed to be in a hurry though¡ªa little giddy too,¡± mentioned Salomon before he put out his cigar. ¡°She ignored me and went straight into the kitchen. She came out minutes later with a trash bag¡ªtelling us that she was helping Caius with trash duty.¡±

    ¡°An obvious lie.¡± I presumed.

    ¡°Yeah, I figured. But, I didn¡¯t think much of it at the time.¡± Salomon grabbed a new cigar from his coat pocket then lit it. He took a long drag then exhaled the smoke. ¡°When I went into the kitchen to put away my dishes, I noticed that the knives on the counter near the sink were missing from the rack.¡±

    He didn¡¯t continue any further beyond that. Everyone had already pieced together what happened next. Those very knives were soon found in the body of Elena.

    ¡°Around what time did you leave the cafeteria?¡± Zoey asked with a somber tone.

    ¡°A little after 3:30 A.M., I guess. I spent a little time looking for the knives.¡± Salomon ran his hand through his hair then exhaled more smoke. ¡°If only I had noticed them missing a bit sooner. Perhaps the poor girl would still be alive.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take the blame for this, old man,¡± I said. ¡°None of this is your fault. No one could have predicted this murder.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but still¡­I can¡¯t help but feel somewhat responsible. If only I could figure out when the knives went missing.¡± Salomon bit down on his cigar, breaking it in half. He caught the falling piece then crushed it with his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to suspect anyone. But, I won¡¯t turn a blind eye to this. Someone among us murdered that girl.¡±

    ¡°And that person is very clear to me.¡± Zoey suddenly announced. Salomon¡¯s eyes momentarily widened as he stared at the detective in shock.

    ¡°Who do you think it is?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That is enough for today. All shall be revealed tomorrow.¡± Zoey cryptically answered before we left the room. She thanked me for helping her then headed to her own room.

    I didn¡¯t deserve it, however. I didn¡¯t feel as if I had helped at all. But, I couldn¡¯t help but feel flattered that she asked me out of all people for assistance.

    That woman was something else. I could never hope to understand what went through her mind through all the interrogations. She claimed that she figured out who the killer was. Even after all that, I still had no concrete idea.

    But, as Zoey said, all would be revealed by the next day.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 20 - The Fifth Game!

    Day Eight.

    The time had come for the fifth game to get brought to an end. All players were requested to meet inside of the game room¡ªwhich we obeyed. To our surprise, the game room looked like it went through a complete makeover. It appeared as if we had wandered into a courtroom. In the far back of the room was a large bench. A wooden, roundtable resided in the center. Lastly, security team members sat on benches on the other side of the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Darius nervously asked as he looked around the room.

    ¡°No doubt this is the handiwork of Caius.¡± Wyatt surmised. ¡°Speaking of which, where is he?¡±

    ¡°He called us all out here, and yet he isn¡¯t even here,¡± Melanie complained. She then walked over to the round table situated in the center of the room. She took a seat and rested her feet on the table.

    ¡°Give it some time. I am sure Caius will show himself eventually." Nicholas joined Melanie at the table. One by one, everyone gathered at the table and took their seats.

    We sat there in silence. Despite the ridiculous decor of the room, the situation itself was tense. Someone in that room was a murderer. One way or the other, they''d get revealed.

    I mulled over my investigation with Zoey. From all the clues we gathered, I couldn''t paint a clear picture in my mind as to who the killer could be in the group. My first assumption was Melanie.

    But, that seemed too easy.

    That girl rarely hid anything and always spoke what was on her mind. Whenever a situation came to chaos drama; Melanie was the first one to step up. However, when everyone discovered Elena''s corpse, Melanie didn''t take credit for the murder.

    "Sorry for the wait," A familiar, joyful tone reached my ears and broke me from my train of thought. I raised my head and looked at the door. Caius entered the room, dressed in a Judge costume. He went the whole nine yards. White, powdered wig, dressed in a black gown, and carried a gavel in hand. He sat behind the large bench and banged the gavel against it. "It is time to put the fifth game of Who Killed Whom to an end!"

    An unexplainable tension hung in the air as we waited for Caius to explain to us the rules of the game.

    It was a first for us.

    All players in the game room, playing at the chance of stealing points from the others. Certainly, it was a situation that one couldn¡¯t take lightly.

    ¡°So, how is this game going to work?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°Do we all just give statements on what we think happened to Elena?¡± Iris followed up.

    ¡°No, no. Something like that would be boring.¡± Caius immediately dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. ¡°Chances are none of you would be entirely correct about poor, Elena¡¯s death. So, this will all come down to a debate.¡±

    ¡°A debate?¡± I inquired.

    ¡°Yes. All the players will spend most of the time discussing the turn of events that led to Elena¡¯s death. Then afterward, you will all vote on who you all think killed her.¡±

    ¡°So, there¡¯s no doubt that she was murdered?¡± Henrika lowered her head.

    ¡°No doubt at all! I can guarantee you that Elena was murdered!¡± Caius announced with glee as he threw his hands up in the air. Once again, he proved that he was far from human.

    ¡°Any idiot with a decent pair of eyeballs could tell that from the start!¡± Melanie said.

    ¡°Moving back to the topic of the debate. What happens if everyone votes for the same person? Was there not a rule saying that the losing players would have points taken from them?¡± Nicholas interjected.

    ¡°That is indeed correct! Should a situation arrive where everyone votes for a single player, then points will be deducted from that voted player! So, everyone should be careful who they vote for!¡±

    And like that, the stakes of the game increased. If a single player got voted as the killer, then everyone would gain points from that one person. And, if that person didn¡¯t have enough points to compensate everyone¡ªthey¡¯d most certainly die.

    There were ten players left in the games. So, if nine players voted for one person, that person had better have more than eighteen points. The only ones that would be safe in that situation were Melanie, Klara, and Darius. Anyone else would die.

    ¡°You sure know how to make boring games like this more enjoyable, Caius! I¡¯d tip my hat to you if I had one!¡± Melanie expressed her delight of the situation.

    Iris slammed her hands on the table and stood from her chair as she exclaimed, ¡°This isn¡¯t a game! Someone¡¯s life is on the line here!¡±

    ¡°Wrong!¡± Melanie pointed her finger at Iris. ¡°This is a game, Rainbows!¡±

    Before things could escalate any further, Caius banged the gavel on the bench. All heads turned towards him as he said, ¡°That will be enough arguing, players. The debate has not even started yet. Please allow me to finish explaining the rules.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Iris returned to her seat.

    ¡°Now then, during the debate, all players can do whatever is necessary to discover the truth behind Elena¡¯s murder,¡± Caius stated.

    ¡°Whatever is necessary? Even if that involves physically harming someone?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Why, of course! We are in the game room after all! Remember, physical violence is allowed within the game room!¡±

    ¡°Oh, now that sounds exciting.¡± Melanie¡¯s Cheshire smile crept onto her face.

    ¡°However, I will not condone an all-out brawl. Should someone die during an act of physical violence, then I shall punish the perpetrator. We have to keep this game somewhat civilized.¡±

    ¡°That does not mean much coming from you.¡± Wyatt criticized.

    ¡°All the rules have been explained! Now then, let the fifth game of Who Killed Whom begin!¡± Caius banged the gavel on the bench once more.

    ¡°To start off with the debate, let us begin with a summary of the case.¡± Wyatt took the initiative and started off the discussion. ¡°The one that was murdered was Elena. She was killed in the women¡¯s bathroom.¡±

    ¡°Around 2 or 3 a.m. when everyone else was asleep.¡± Nicholas followed up.

    ¡°Not everyone,¡± Iris chimed. ¡°The murderer was definitely with Elena when she died. They couldn¡¯t have killed her if they weren¡¯t there to ensure her death in the first place.¡±

    "No duh," Melanie teased.

    ¡°Since the murder took place in the women¡¯s bathroom, is it too much of a stretch to assume that the murderer is a female?¡± Darius fretted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with that theory. But, which one of us lovely ladies are you suspecting killed Funbags?¡± Melanie removed her feet from the table then leaned forward. Her mocking glance caused Darius to avert his eyes.

    ¡°As if it isn¡¯t already obvious enough! If anyone killed Elena, it had to be you!¡± Iris pointed her accusing finger at Melanie.

    Melanie leaned back and released an exaggerated gasp of shock. ¡°Are you sure about that, Rainbows? If you are, then how about you cast your vote for me then?¡±

    "You think I won''t?!" Iris exclaimed.

    ¡°Calm down, Iris. You''re letting your emotions get the best of you," Zoey warned.

    Iris took a few deep breaths; her face seethed with unrelenting rage. I understood her outrage all too well. Keeping calm after a death of a loved one wasn''t something anyone could do within a day or two. I doubted anything we said to her would quell her rage. Eventually, Iris settled down and took a seat. However, her eyes remained locked on Melanie.

    "Anyway, Darius, it''s too early to assume the killer''s gender. If anything, it''s irrelevant right now." Henrika said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but, how is it irrelevant? Elena died in the women¡¯s bathroom.¡± Darius stated.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "Why are we even staying focused on that one aspect of the case?" Salomon questioned. "Let''s leave aside the gender of the killer and the location of Elena''s death for now. Is there anything else we know?"

    "From my investigation, I''ve learned that before Elena died, she was first attacked in her room," Zoey revealed.

    "Her room?!" Darius exclaimed.

    ¡°Yes. When we entered Elena¡¯s room, we found it completely trashed. There were clear signs of a struggle everywhere I looked.¡± Zoey announced. ¡°My theory is that the killer attacked Elena in her room. Afterward, she escaped and fled to the bathroom, where she eventually died.¡±

    "Okay. Now that just raises the question as to how the killer got inside of Elena''s room in the first place," Nicholas said.

    "Maybe they snuck their way in? Like, they could''ve picked the lock or something?" Darius surmised.

    ¡°Impossible. The locks are controlled by the scanners nearby the doors. The only way inside is by using the bracelets on our wrists.¡± Wyatt stated.

    "What if the scanners got hacked? Is that a possibility?" Iris asked.

    "Do we even have a hacker in our group?" Henrika wondered.

    "It''s possible. We don''t know everything about one another." Wyatt''s gaze quickly shifted to Klara, who naturally remained silent, utterly unconcerned with the entire situation.

    "What if Elena allowed the killer into her room," I suggested.

    ¡°The only person I can imagine Funbags letting into her room is¡­Rainbows¡­¡± Melanie accused Iris.

    All heads turned to Iris. The black-haired girl frantically tried to deny the accusation. But, she fumbled with her words several times. As I looked around the room, I noticed a few of the players make complicated expressions, as if they were going to entertain the idea presented by Melanie.

    ¡°That is true. Elena and Iris did have a close relationship.¡± Nicholas pointed out.

    ¡°They were never too far apart either,¡± Salomon added to the debate.

    "Friends have the best opportunity to place a knife in one''s back. Or in Rainbows'' case, the entire body." Melanie claimed. Her grinned widened as Iris'' face paled. The pressure stacked against her.

    ¡°Hold on a second!¡± Iris desperately pleaded. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill Elena! I would never do such a thing!¡±

    ¡°Then how else do you explain the killer getting into Funbags¡¯ room? I doubt she¡¯d let anyone else other than you into the room at such a late hour, Rainbows.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t good. Melanie shifted the topic in a whole other direction. She possessed a terrifying talent. If left alone, I believed that everyone would turn their suspicions towards Iris.

    Hell, even I began to suspect her. It was true that Iris and Elena were close. Perhaps the closest out of anyone in Serendipity.

    However, that information alone wasn¡¯t enough to entirely convince me to the idea that Iris killed her. And the fact that Melanie of all people led the charge against Iris also influenced my decision.

    ¡°What if she did?¡± I blurted out. The gazes of the others moved to me at that moment.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Melanie tilted her head.

    ¡°What if Elena did allow someone other than Iris into her room? Elena was a pushover after all. A glorified doormat. I¡¯m sure all someone would have to do was ask, and she¡¯d go out of her way to do it.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s true. It''s no secret to anyone that Elena was weak-willed.¡± Henrika agreed with my argument.

    ¡°That fatal part of her personality is what ultimately led Elena to her demise,¡± Wyatt concluded.

    ¡°So, whoever Elena let into her room, attacked her in there?¡± Salomon asked.

    ¡°Yes. That is what the crime scene led me to believe.¡± Zoey answered with an affirmative nod.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then the killer couldn¡¯t have been any of us.¡± Darius suddenly shot up from his chair with an expression of delight. His face beamed with confidence as he continued, ¡°The no physical violence rule is always in effect; except when inside of the game room. If any of us attacked Elena, then our bracelets would¡¯ve killed us on the spot. If that were the case, then there would be two dead bodies instead of one.¡±

    ¡°Hey, he has a point¡­¡± Iris nodded.

    ¡°What are you suggesting exactly, Dumbass?¡± Melanie demanded. ¡°Caius already said that the killer was one of us.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the killer was one of us.¡±

    ¡°Darius, would you please enlighten the rest of us as to what you are thinking?¡± Nicholas requested.

    ¡°Prepare to have your minds blown! For I believe that there is a mystery player in these games! A thirteenth player to be exact!¡± He daringly declared. ¡°And that thirteenth player is the killer!¡±

    A thirteenth player? While his declaration was daring and shocking, it held no merit. From the beginning, we were made aware that there were only twelve players.

    ¡°Hey, Dumbass, mind keeping your mouth shut?¡± Melanie harshly suggested.

    ¡°What?! Why?!¡± He exclaimed.

    ¡°We¡¯re trying to solve this case. If you keep talking, I fear your idiocy will infect the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°Your theory is impossible, Darius. There were only twelve players at the beginning of the games.¡± Wyatt politely affirmed.

    ¡°I know it sounds crazy, but just hear me out.¡± He pleaded with eyes of desperation. No one objected to the idea as he continued, ¡°When we all woke up, we all met in that basement with thirteen doors. Sure, the thirteenth door led us higher into the facility. But, what if it also belonged to the mysterious thirteenth player?"

    ¡°I''m getting sick of hearing you talk," Melanie suddenly shot up from her chair. "Shut up, or else I''ll beat the shit out of you!"

    ¡°What?! Why?!"

    ¡°Darius, if you check your bracelet, it shows you how many players are in the game as well as the rankings.¡± Zoey touched the screen of her bracelet and showed it to everyone. ¡°There are only twelve spots. So, your theory about a thirteenth player is wrong.¡±

    ¡°Another thing to mention,¡± chimed Iris, ¡°if there were a thirteenth player, they would have died on day one. Remember, one of the rules state that all players must be present in the lobby when the games start.¡±

    ¡°If there were a thirteenth player, then where¡¯s their body?¡± Melanie asked as she sat back down.

    ¡°Their body is in this very room. Because the Thirteenth player is none other than Caius himself.¡± Darius proclaimed as he pointed accusingly at the Game Moderator.

    Caius unleashed a shrill shriek of astonishment.

    ¡°Talk about a plot twist!¡± Melanie said¡ªher tone filled with excitement.

    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening, right?¡± Henrika appeared vexed by the situation.

    ¡°It seems like the cat is out of the bag¡­¡± Caius lowered his head dejectedly. However, he quickly raised it and said, ¡°Just kidding! Did I fool you? Huh? Did I fool you?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Wait, so you¡¯re not the thirteenth player?¡± Darius slowly lowered his arm in confusion.

    ¡°There was never a thirteenth player, to begin with, Darius. While I do enjoy the moment of suspense, you brought to the courtroom, making erroneous accusations towards the judge is a big no-no.¡± Caius shook his head and wagged his finger. ¡°Do something like that again, and I will have you in contempt.¡±

    ¡°Something tells me that you don¡¯t want that,¡± teased Melanie.

    ¡°Darius, please keep quiet for a little while. I believe that you have wasted enough of our time.¡± Wyatt suggested. His tone tinged with frustration.

    ¡°Right. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Darius returned to his seat then hung his head.

    ¡°Let us move on to the subject of the murder weapon,¡± Salomon suggested.

    ¡°We initially thought that the kitchen knives were the cause of Elena¡¯s death. But, thanks to the autopsy, we learned that it was, in fact, the bracelet that killed her.¡± Henrika revealed.

    ¡°The bracelet activated and injected poison into Elena¡¯s bloodstream,¡± Wyatt added.

    ¡°But, that only happened because Elena broke a rule while in the girl¡¯s bathroom,¡± Iris said.

    ¡°So, we have to find out which rule she broke.¡± Nicholas mused as he brought his hand up to his chin.

    ¡°Where would that possibly get us? Does it matter which rule she broke?¡± questioned Melanie as she leaned back in her chair. ¡°It doesn¡¯t change the fact that she died. So, what¡¯s the point?¡±

    ¡°Finding out which rule she broke is crucial to the murder case.¡± Zoey solemnly revealed.

    ¡°Says you¡­¡± Melanie challenged.

    ¡°Are you going anywhere with this?¡± Iris aggressively asked.

    ¡°You all put your faith in Cyclops. But, what if she was the one that killed Funbags?¡±

    No one entertained the idea of Melanie¡¯s accusation. Out of everyone, Zoey worked the hardest to uncover the truth. It was a no-brainer that she was innocent. As far as everyone was concerned, Melanie was only trying to divert our attention from the real issue.

    ¡°Then, shall I expunge the doubt from your mind and prove my innocence?¡± Zoey crossed her arms and smirked. Once again, it unsettled me. Whenever I saw her break away from her usual stone-cold expression, a wave of foreboding always coursed through my body.

    ¡°That¡¯d be a nice start, yeah.¡± Melanie dismissively shrugged her shoulders. She seemed more annoyed than usual.

    ¡°Fine, but before that, let us return to the main topic regarding Elena¡¯s death. As mentioned earlier, the killer attacked Elena in her room. Then, she fled to the bathroom to hide. Tell me, is that not a suspicious place to hide?¡± Zoey questioned.

    ¡°She has a point,¡± Iris agreed. ¡°Based on the floor plan of Serendipity, the restrooms are located on the farthest side of the hallways. If Elena ran all the way there to hide, why hadn¡¯t she tried calling for help by ringing the doorbells in the rooms she passed along the way?¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± interjected Nicholas as he raised his hand to gain everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Certain functions in the facility cease working at a particular time. Caius listed them in the rules.¡±

    ¡°That particular time is 12 a.m., right?¡± Wyatt asked. ¡°Since Elena was attacked around 2 or 3 a.m., there is no way the doorbells would have worked.¡±

    "Also, certain rooms are locked down as well. If we follow the floor plan of Serendipity, the only rooms available around that time are the bathrooms." Henrika said.

    ¡°Elena chose the bathrooms because it was the only option left. The killer was smart and chose the correct time to attack her." Zoey said.

    My gut wrenched when I heard the former detective praise the efforts of the killer. Words of praise were the last thing I expected to come from that woman''s mouth.

    ¡°This is good and all. But, I don¡¯t see how this proves your innocence, Cyclops.¡± Melanie said.

    ¡°I will get to that now.¡± Zoey reached into her coat and placed several pictures on the table. They were pictures of Elena¡¯s corpse in the bathroom.

    ¡°When did you have the chance to take these?¡± Wyatt picked up some of the pictures and examined them.

    ¡°I was the first one to discover the body. I borrowed a camera from art room and took a few pictures just in case.¡± Zoey picked up a particular photo that caught my attention. It wasn¡¯t that of Elena¡¯s corpse, but of a strangely shaped bloodstain on the floor.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°A bloody footprint I noticed on the floor near Elena¡¯s body. I was able to get a part of it captured since most of it got covered with Elena¡¯s blood.¡±

    ¡°Are you insinuating that the owner of this footprint is the killer?¡± Nicholas asked as he lowered the shades from his face to get a better look at the picture.

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±

    ¡°Judging from the tread¡­it looks like the soles of a boot. But, the only people that wear boots are Klara and Melanie.¡± Henrika pointed out.

    All eyes turned towards the two mentioned. Klara never moved her attention from her book. Melanie, however, seemed interested in the turn of events.

    ¡°Then, would you two mind showing us the soles of your boots?¡± Wyatt asserted.

    A long, drawn-out sigh came from Melanie as she shrugged her shoulders. She complied with Wyatt¡¯s demands without complaint. She set her leg on the table and allowed everyone to compare the sole of her boot to the footprint in the photo.

    To the surprise of no one, it was a perfect match. The eyes of many players burned with rage as they focused their attention on Melanie. It seemed at any moment they¡¯d lunge across the table to attack her.

    I wouldn¡¯t have minded seeing that.

    ¡°Melanie¡­you better start explaining yourself right now.¡± Iris slammed her hands on the table then stood from her chair. She made no other aggressive movements. But, she looked ready to pounce at any moment.

    If things continued to progress the way they were¡ªI feared for what would happen to the killer.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 21 - The Final Verdict!

    An intense atmosphere filled the room as all eyes moved to Melanie. She was suspected of being Elena¡¯s killer once again. That time, there was significant evidence that labeled her as one. An incriminating photo that placed her at the scene of the crime before anyone else. A picture of her footprint.

    The chances of her being the killer skyrocketed in the eyes of the other players judging from the suspicious glances they gave her. Naturally, Melanie didn¡¯t seem fazed by the negative attention.

    ¡°You turned the tables on me, Cyclops. Well done. Well done.¡± Melanie sarcastically clapped her hands together.

    ¡°How come you¡¯re taking this so well? You¡¯re being suspected of murder!¡± Henrika pointed out.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know.¡± She dismissed Henrika¡¯s words as she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I was there before everyone else.¡±

    ¡°So, you admit to having killed Elena!¡± Iris angrily declared. The venom in her voice made me shudder. I had never expected to hear such spite in her words.

    ¡°You either killed Elena, or you suddenly came across her after the murder took place. Judging from the footprint, you were pretty up close and personal.¡± Wyatt stated.

    ¡°Make it easier on yourself and confess to your crimes,¡± Nicholas demanded.

    Impish chuckles had escaped from Melanie¡¯s lips before she exploded into bursts of laughter. Everyone exchanged glances of confusion while the girl continued to laugh her problems away. The mindset of that girl was a complete mystery.

    ¡°Look at you all, jumping the gun because of a stupid footprint. Have you all forgotten that Funbags was attacked in her room first? Any of you think she would¡¯ve let me in?¡±

    The room fell silent as everyone processed her statement. The belief was that the attack started in Elena¡¯s place. For that to have happened, Elena would¡¯ve had to allow the killer into her room. It was no secret to anyone that Elena feared Melanie. She wouldn''t have let the bitch into her room.

    So, Melanie couldn¡¯t have killed Elena.

    ¡°No. Elena wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Iris reluctantly accepted the statement and returned to her seat. The defeated expression on her face afterward took its toll on me. I understood her pain¡ªwanting to find the person responsible for the death of a loved one.

    It was a dreadful feeling that ate away at one¡¯s soul¡ªtheir entire being. No matter what, death changed people. Never for the better.

    ¡°And besides, I¡¯d never be stupid enough to attack someone in their room. The no physical violence rule is always in effect. I¡¯d be dead the moment I hit her.¡± Melanie explained.

    ¡°However, that did not stop you from trying now did it?¡± Zoey continued to grill her for more information.

    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Henrika asked.

    ¡°Come clean, Melanie. It cannot hurt to tell the truth.¡± Zoey and Melanie engaged in a brief stare down. The tension between the two of them was massive. However, Melanie eventually succumbed to the will of the detective.

    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Melanie rested her cheek against the palm of her hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill Funbags. But, I did have the pleasure of stabbing those knives into her body.¡±

    The world stood still at that moment. No one dared to move, to breathe. To had dropped that bombshell on us so nonchalantly¡ªI didn¡¯t know whether to be shocked or furious. Hell, I didn¡¯t see why I couldn¡¯t feel both. So, the reason we found those knives in Elena¡¯s body wasn¡¯t that of the killer. But, it was the doing of Melanie. So many questions raced through my mind.

    ¡°You! You¡¯re the one that did that?! Why?! Why would you do that?!¡± Iris shouted at the top of her lungs. Her brows furrowed and many veins protruded on her forehead. She immediately lunged across the table and attempted to attack Melanie.

    It took the combined efforts of Wyatt, Nicholas, and Darius to restrain her.

    ¡°I wanted to test something out. And it worked out quite nicely.¡± Melanie examined her fingernails with a bored expression while the others continued to restrain the wild Iris. ¡°Turns out when a player dies, you can harm them all you want.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you can. When a player dies, they are no longer considered a player. So, physically harming a dead body is okay.¡± Caius gave Melanie a thumbs up.

    Monsters. All of them. Not a single shred of humanity resided in those fucking husks as they mocked the corpse of Elena.

    ¡°The fact that you felt the need to test that out sickens me beyond belief.¡± Wyatt seethed. His face, along with Iris¡¯, was red.

    ¡°You have no heart! No soul! You¡¯re a god damn monster! You deserve to burn in the deepest pit of hell!¡± Iris shouted.

    ¡°The deepest pit of hell is actually cold. Or so the stories say.¡± Melanie nonchalantly informed, only further infuriating Iris.

    ¡°You can all vent your anger towards Melanie if you like,¡± interjected Nicholas, ¡°however, it does not change the fact that we are back to square one. We are no closer to finding out the killer.¡±

    ¡°No, that is not entirely accurate.¡± Zoey countered. ¡°There is one last piece of evidence that will point us in the direction of the killer¡¯s identity.¡±

    ¡°What piece of evidence?¡± Salomon asked.

    ¡°Elena¡¯s body,¡± She began, ¡°all the nails on her hand were broken once we discovered her body.¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Darius asked.

    ¡°I believe it ties in with the rule that Elena broke. We have frequently mentioned it in this debate.¡±

    ¡°The no physical violence rule, right?¡± I assumed.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Correct. I believe that when Elena got cornered in the restroom, her body immediately went into fight or flight mode. Her instincts took over, and she scratched her attacker.¡±

    ¡°Which in turn resulted in her death.¡± Henrika solemnly said.

    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is how come the killer wasn¡¯t killed for breaking the rule as well. They were the ones that started the assault. Elena only defended herself.¡± Iris cried.

    ¡°That¡¯s probably because the killer never actually landed a hit on Elena. Sure, they took several swings at her. But, their attacks never made contact.¡± Zoey presumed.

    Having heard enough, Iris dropped down to her knees and uncontrollably wept. Her wails of sorrow resounded throughout the entire room. Wyatt and Darius moved to comfort her.

    ¡°I know you are upset. But, now is not the time for tears. We must put this game to a close.¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°Zoey, you mentioned that Elena managed to wound her attacker with her nails, right? So, one of us must have scratches on our bodies.¡± Nicholas assumed.

    ¡°Oh, is this the part where we go around in a circle and remove all our clothes?¡± Melanie stood from her chair then placed her hands on her cheeks. She swayed her hips from side to side as she continued, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind putting on a show. However, it¡¯s gonna cost you all.¡±

    ¡°Please spare us from the horror of having to see you naked.¡± Darius pleaded.

    ¡°There is no need to do something that drastic. No article of clothing will have to be removed.¡± Zoey stood up and walked over to Darius. ¡°Darius, would you mind removing the bandage on your cheek?¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡± The teenager exclaimed.

    I nearly let out an undesirable sound as well. Her request was far too sudden and unexpected.

    ¡°Did you not hear me? Remove the bandage from your cheek.¡± The detective ordered.

    The eyes of judgment rested on Darius¡ªone of the least suspected players out of the group. Bullets of sweat poured down his pale face. None of his mannerisms helped the fact that he looked the most suspicious at that moment.

    ¡°L-Look, it¡¯s not what you think! Honest! It¡¯s just that¡­¡±

    His mouth closed shut the moment a chair flew across the room, eventually colliding against the wall. The perpetrator was Iris.

    ¡°No excuses! Take off the fucking bandage!¡± She demanded.

    With great reluctance and teary eyes, Darius lowered his head and removed the bandage. There lied scratch marks on his cheek. Certainly, they matched with Zoey''s testimony.

    ¡°This must be some mistake. Darius would never¡­he could not have¡­¡± Wyatt found it difficult to make complete sentences.

    ¡°The evidence is quite compelling¡­¡± Nicholas brought his hand to his temple.

    ¡°Darius. Please tell us that you didn¡¯t do this.¡± Henrika pleaded.

    Just when Darius opened his mouth to protest, he was knocked to the ground after he received a punch from Iris. She immediately followed up with a few kicks to his abdomen. Wyatt came from around the table and restrained her.

    ¡°Murderer! You¡¯re a god damn murderer! I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll fucking kill you!¡± Iris kicked and screamed, thrashing about like a wild animal as Wyatt dragged her as far away from Darius as possible.

    Darius violently coughed as he got back to his feet¡ªalbeit with difficulty. He clutched his ribs and looked at everyone with teary eyes of desperation.

    ¡°I¡­I swear¡­I had no idea that I really did it. I¡­I want to believe that I didn¡¯t kill her¡­¡± Darius nearly choked on his words. Tears flowed from his eyes uncontrollably.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to believe that you didn¡¯t kill her? What do you mean?¡± Salomon inquired.

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what happened. It all slowly came back to me yesterday,¡± Darius began, ¡°it came in flashes. Me, attacking Elena. She begged and screamed for me to stop. But, I didn¡¯t listen¡­¡±

    He slowly brought his trembling hand up to his face where the scratch resided. The moment he touched it, he flinched.

    ¡°Why?!¡± Henrika exclaimed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Something just came over me! I was just so angry! But, when she scratched me, I suddenly snapped out of it¡­¡± His gaze dropped to the floor as he brought his hands up to his head. They trembled tremendously as if they struggled to keep his head between his shoulders. ¡°Next thing I knew, her bracelet activated and injected the poison into her bloodstream. She cried¡­begged for me to help her¡­But, I couldn¡¯t do anything. There was so much blood. I panicked and ran away.¡±

    I wanted to plug my ears and deafen myself to the story Darius told. Although his words sounded sincere and pure¡ªhis actions did not. He just suddenly lost it and attacked Elena? That excuse wouldn¡¯t fly with anyone; especially not me.

    ¡°Darius¡­¡± Henrika softly called out to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I swear to god¡­I didn¡¯t want to kill her¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± He dropped down to his knees and sobbed uncontrollably. Although a few players expressed sympathy, no one dared to approach him.

    A long, drawn-out sigh of frustration had come from Melanie as she stood from her chair. ¡°What¡¯re you bitching about? What does it matter if you killed her? Killing isn¡¯t a bad thing; especially not when playing a game where the players should be prepared to die. If not, what¡¯s the point?¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Iris demanded. ¡°This is a person we¡¯re talking about! A human being! A life was taken because of that monster!¡±

    ¡°You call him a monster. But, all I see is a little bitch.¡± Melanie walked around the table then approached Darius. ¡°Look at him. He killed Funbags and yet he isn¡¯t enjoying the moment. Piece of shit. When you do something as thrilling as murder, you¡¯d best enjoy it.¡± She knelt down and got in Darius¡¯ face.

    He shrieked in terror and backed away from her. Melanie stood and laughed hysterically. Everything was just a big game to her.

    ¡°I guess there is no point in this debate anymore.¡± Wyatt solemnly said.

    ¡°Is everyone ready to cast their votes?¡± Caius asked. ¡°If so, then let us move to the voting room.¡±

    No one offered any objections to Caius¡¯ order. Everyone followed Caius to the voting room, where we proceeded to cast our votes of judgment. As I stood there, over the screen that listed the names of the remaining players, I mentally went through the debate again.

    All the evidence provided, all the of testimonies given¡ªI wanted to make sure that I didn¡¯t have any regrets about my decision. A life was possibly on the line after all. Although, it probably didn¡¯t matter when I considered that life took another.

    He regretted it. That much was certain. However, it couldn¡¯t be forgiven.

    Elena was a sweet woman. She didn¡¯t deserve what happened to her. She only defended herself in a dire situation, and that got her killed. Had Darius not attacked her; she¡¯d be alive. I steeled myself then pressed the icon over Darius¡¯ name. And like that, my vote had cast. When I stepped out from the booth, all the players had gathered around Caius.

    The Game Moderator looked at his tablet with his signature grin. An electronic sound had come from the device and alerted him about the results.

    ¡°The results are in!¡± Caius announced. ¡°Eight players have voted on Darius as the killer! Since they are correct, those players will be rewarded with two points! Of course, the points are being deducted from Darius!¡±

    I looked over my shoulder and spotted Darius at the back of the room. He whimpered quietly and mumbled apologies to himself. Or perhaps, they were directed towards everyone, but no one bothered to pay attention.

    ¡°So, how are the rankings looking?¡± Melanie asked.

    ¡°Melanie is still in the lead, this time leading with thirty-seven points. Klara is in second place with twenty-two points. In third place is Ambrose with seventeen points. Salomon takes fourth place with fifteen points. Wyatt, Nicholas, Iris, are tied for fifth place with twelve points. Henrika has sixth place secured with nine points. Zoey has seventh place with eight points. And lastly, Darius is in eighth place with four points.¡± Caius revealed.

    ¡°Are these results supposed to make us happy?¡± Iris said. Her tone¡ªdismal. All the energy that she had at the beginning of the games vanished. If not for the fact that she spoke at all, she could¡¯ve been mistaken for an empty husk.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know about any of you, but I¡¯m happy! Sooner or later we¡¯re gonna leave this joint, and I¡¯m getting my one million dollars!¡± Melanie cheered.

    ¡°You are never going to change, are you?¡± Wyatt said sardonically.

    ¡°Have you not been fazed at all from the debate? Elena was murdered.¡± Henrika stated.

    Melanie placed her hands on her waist then pushed her chest forward confidently. It seemed as if their complaints bounced off her body. No one else threw any comments her way. Everyone seemed far too exhausted. Not physically¡ªbut mentally. We suffered significant losses from Elena¡¯s death.

    There was no doubt that it changed us. Whether it was for better or worse had yet to be seen.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 22 - Aftermath!

    The fifth game ended¡ªbut not the incident. There still lingered many questions about Darius¡¯ motives for killing Elena. No matter how much we pressured him, he responded all the same about how he didn¡¯t remember. Thankfully, a man of his word, Caius provided us video footage of the incident.

    Most of the players gathered around the Game Moderator as he played the video on his tablet. It started with Darius walking down the hall towards Elena¡¯s room¡ªknife in hand. He knocked on the door, and she allowed him inside.

    The camera switched views into the room, where we witnessed the savage attack that took place. Elena screamed and begged for mercy as Darius swung the knife around like a madman. In the process of attacking Elena, he thrashed the entire room.

    I¡ªI didn¡¯t want to see any more after that. The visuals were more than enough. But, the fact that audio played along with the attack made it worse. To hear Elena''s desperate cries for mercy¡ªknowing the result¡ªit ached my entire body.

    I stepped away from the group. I wanted to get as far away from the range of the audio as I could. Unfortunately, that led me over to Darius. He sat in the corner of the room¡ªhe held his knees close to his chest.

    Pathetic.

    He looked utterly pathetic. I didn¡¯t understand how that kid could act so differently when killing someone. On the video, he seemed cold and emotionless. I never figured that he¡¯d have a side like that to him.

    But, at that moment, he was someone else. It was easy to tell that he sincerely regretted what he did, even though he made poor excuses. No one gave him the time of day. How could they?

    He murdered Elena.

    That was the fact. No changing that.

    ¡°Son of a bitch¡­¡± Iris stormed off from the group then approached Darius. Once her shadow loomed over him; he slowly raised his head to look at her. The kid looked broken.

    At first glance, anyone could tell that he had given up. There was no light in his eyes¡ªno hope.

    ¡°Iris¡­¡± Darius spoke softly.

    ¡°Save it!¡± Iris raised her foot and kicked the wall inches away from his face. ¡°You¡¯re a murderer! A monster! You killed Elena, and I¡¯ll never forgive you for that! Next time you end up in a game, I hope you fucking die!¡±

    She had lost it. The once ever so sweet girl from before was far gone. With those words of contempt, she left the room. One by one, the other players followed her example.

    I returned to my room for the rest of the night.

    Falling asleep was a challenge. I dreaded for what the next day had in store. The two-day reprieve expired. The games would resume as usual with no hope of stopping anytime soon.

    Elena¡¯s murder case was solved. But, there still lingered a problem¡ªthe traitors. They were still out there. I had no idea as to who they could¡¯ve been.

    As far as I was concerned, everyone was a suspect. There wasn¡¯t a single person that I could¡¯ve trusted out of the players.

    Elena¡¯s death taught me that.

    Even if the players stood out in the light, their true selves hid in darkness. It was foolish to believe that things could end smoothly in survival games. Hell, at that point, they couldn¡¯t even be called that.

    The games were no longer about survival. It was about killing until the games came to an end. I for one never imagined I¡¯d ever be driven that far. But, I couldn¡¯t dismiss the possibility.

    Like Iris, I had a strong desire for Darius to die. He played the nice guy for so long. But, the bastard eventually showed his true colors and murdered someone out of the blue. He was dangerous. It reminded me that I couldn¡¯t let my guard down at all.

    The games were no longer the only thing I had to watch out for.

    The restless night passed agonizingly slow. I rose hours later¡ªstrangely enough, it felt weird having not been awoken by Iris. I managed to sleep a lot longer than I intended to.

    I left my room and headed for the mess hall. Wyatt, Nicholas, and Salomon greeted me when I arrived. Breakfast plates lined one of the tables as usual.

    ¡°Iris make these?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No. Breakfast this time is courtesy of me,¡± Salomon revealed. ¡°Can¡¯t have her doing all the cooking every day, you know. Girl needs a break; especially after what happened yesterday.¡±

    ¡°I still can''t believe that Darius killed Elena. I want to believe that the footage was faked or something.¡± Wyatt said.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°I would not see the point in it. I have no idea what goes through the sick mind of Caius. But, I trust that the footage is legitimate.¡± Nicholas said.

    ¡°Unforgivable!¡± Wyatt balled his hand into a fist. ¡°I swear it, Darius will be punished for his crime!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s been punished enough?¡± Salomon asked.

    Wyatt sharply turned his head and faced the old man. In a few steps, he stood face to face with him. ¡°What do you mean by, ¡°punished enough¡±?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been outed as the murderer. Inevitably, he¡¯ll become an outcast in the group and suffer throughout the games from here on out. Plus, he only has four points left.¡± The old man said, not budging an inch from the intense glare Wyatt sent his way. ¡°Unless you plan to kill him yourself, there is not much else you can do to him.¡±

    A sound argument. Wyatt struggled to find the words to give a proper retort. Despite Salomon¡¯s age, his mind and wit were sharp. He sent the Doctor back over to his table, grumbling in defeat.

    ¡°I am just unsatisfied with the result. I feel as if no justice has been administrated here.¡±

    ¡°That is true. It is not like Darius will be sent to prison once these games are over,¡± added Nicholas as he brought his hand to his chin. ¡°In fact, it is almost like he will be rewarded for his actions.¡±

    Wyatt raised his fist above his head. With a show of frustration, he slammed it onto the table.

    ¡°That cannot happen,¡± he declared. ¡°I refuse to stand by and let Darius be rewarded for killing Elena!¡±

    ¡°Stop it. Just¡­just stop it¡­¡± Henrika solemnly entered the room. She just stood there, by the entrance¡ªher head hung low as she avoided making any eye contact with anyone. ¡°For one day, can we just not yell and curse one another? Is that too much to ask?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry. I¡­I spoke out of turn¡­¡± Wyatt immediately apologized.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Nicholas inquired.

    ¡°Yes. Iris won¡¯t come out of her room. I¡¯ve rung her doorbell several times. But, she refuses to answer.¡± Henrika answered.

    ¡°Can you blame her? She has been through a tough time recently since Elena¡¯s murder.¡± Wyatt stated. ¡°Give her some time and space. She will come around eventually.¡±

    ¡°But, I¡¯m anxious about her. I don¡¯t want her to deal with this by herself. She needs to talk to someone.¡± Henrika suggested. She raised her head then set her sights on Nicholas. ¡°Nicholas, can you talk to her? I think you have the best chance of getting through to her than the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°I will certainly try.¡± Nicholas nodded.

    ¡°No, leave her alone for the time being.¡± Zoey entered the room. ¡°Iris is a big girl that can handle herself. We have another problem to deal with right now.¡±

    Before anyone asked, Caius instantly popped out from behind the Detective¡ªas if waiting for an entry cue.

    ¡°Good morning, players! How is everyone doing this fine morning?¡± Caius greeted. However, no one acknowledged him. We all went back to our breakfast¡ªhoping he¡¯d leave if we ignored him. ¡°Geez, what have you all so upset today? You all look like someone died or something.¡±

    Those words unsympathetic words lit a match inside my stomach. I stood from the table then approached the Game Moderator. Zoey stepped in between us and spread her arms out. It surprised me to see her defend him. But, I remained resolute.

    ¡°Ambrose, do not do something that you are going to regret,¡± Zoey demanded.

    But I paid her no attention. I set my sights on Caius. One way or another, I was going to give him a piece of my mind.

    ¡°I assure you that I won¡¯t regret this.¡± I placed my hand on the woman''s shoulder and gently moved her out of the way. Afterward, I stared directly into Caius¡¯ eyes. People say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. I saw nothing but a void. Not a shred of humanity resided in the man.

    ¡°Oh my, Ambrose, if you keep staring at me like that, I may get the wrong idea. You are a handsome man and all, but relationships between player and game moderator are strictly forbidden.¡± Caius blushed and looked away from me. He placed his hand on his cheeks and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had it with you and your demented games, Caius! We¡¯ve all suffered for eight days! It must be nice, standing there watching us all nearly get killed every day!¡±

    ¡°To be fair, you all agreed to participate in the games. Whatever happens to you here is of your own volition. Not mine.¡±

    He was right. Everyone decided to come to Serendipity of their own free will. We understood the risks. Everyone may not have come with the resolve to die, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that the recent death infuriated me.

    It didn¡¯t need to happen.

    And yet, it did. That one death impacted the players gravely. But, Caius thought nothing of it. He didn¡¯t care for it. Everything was a big game to him.

    ¡°Even so, don¡¯t speak so lightly about someone¡¯s death!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°You know, I would take you more seriously if you felt this way about Frederick¡¯s death.¡± Caius dismissively shrugged his shoulders. ¡°How come you did not approach me like this when he died?¡±

    ¡°There was a huge difference between Frederick and Elena¡¯s death! Frederick deserved it for gambling all his points then losing! Elena was attacked and murdered in cold blood!¡± Wyatt came to my defense.

    ¡°Oh? Are their deaths really that different?¡± The Game Moderator arrogantly tilted his head back and folded his arms across his chest. ¡°From my standpoint, there is no difference. Death by firing squad, death by poisoning, death by crushing, it is all the same. In the end, someone dies.¡±

    There was no excitement or malice in his words. He spoke in a matter of fact tone¡ªas if it were natural.

    Once again, he was right.

    There indeed was no difference between the deaths of Frederick and Elena. Both were murdered¡ªbut only in different circumstances. Perhaps the only reason everyone was so worked up about Elena¡¯s death was that they liked her more.

    ¡°Let it go for now, Ambrose,¡± called Nicholas, ¡°there is nothing we can do about it right now. Let us all continue with the games as usual until we are finally allowed to leave.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of leaving, I came here to announce that the voting round will commence!¡± Caius cheered as he threw his arms up into the air. No one returned his show of enthusiasm.

    ¡°Voting round?¡± Wyatt asked. ¡°I thought we agreed we would skip those until the traitors were found.¡±

    ¡°There was also the condition that we would vote if a player died.¡± Salomon reminded.

    ¡°But, it is ridiculous. Elena was not a traitor.¡± Wyatt proclaimed.

    ¡°Can we be entirely sure?¡± Nicholas suddenly questioned. ¡°Darius becoming a murderer was surprising enough, surely. But, can we honestly say for certain that Elena was not a traitor? I do not mean to suspect her. It is just that completely trusting someone is difficult in these games¡ªespecially now.¡±

    ¡°So, are we going to go through with this?¡± Salomon asked.

    ¡°Perhaps we should. Just to put our suspicions aside.¡± Wyatt suggested.

    No one else offered any further complaints. Caius announced to the remaining players concerning the voting round. Afterward, we followed the Game Moderator to the voting room.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 23 - Nothing Changes!

    We returned to the voting room, one of the most dreadful areas in the entire godforsaken facility. It was the place that crushed hopes, dreams, and expectations. No one entered the room in high spirits. Not after everything we went through. Everyone kept silent and followed the instructions of the game moderator. One by one we entered our booths and cast our votes. That time, it wasn''t a difficult choice to make. I had more than enough money to save the bar.

    I couldn''t hit the "leave" button fast enough.

    Too many people suffered in Serendipity. I wanted it all to end. However, a lingering dread stayed in the back of my mind. Deep down, I already knew that nothing would change. Two deaths weren''t enough to deter one''s greed.

    I stepped out of the booth and gathered around Caius along with the other players. The results came in and proved the feelings of my anxiety. Caius smiled and turned his tablet over to show us the results.

    ¡°Amazing,¡± He cheered, ¡°Despite everything you players have been through; three of you still wish to play! I admire your tenacity!¡±

    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± Wyatt cursed.

    ¡°Another day in paradise? Fine by me.¡± Melanie accepted the situation all too quickly. She shrugged her shoulders and left the room along with Klara without a fuss.

    ¡°What was the point of this? Of course, we¡¯re not going home¡­¡± Iris solemnly stated.

    ¡°Iris? Are you okay?¡± Henrika asked.

    ¡°Far fucking from it¡­¡± The young girl¡¯s voice tinged with frustration and malice.

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±

    ¡°Just leave me alone.¡± Iris showed herself out the room, not even bothering to look at anyone else.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand seeing her like that.¡± Henrika lamented.

    ¡°What did you expect would happen to her? She found out that her friend was murdered by someone that she trusted.¡± Wyatt moved his piercing gaze to Darius. ¡°I am surprised that she is not like him.¡±

    ¡°She really needs to talk to someone.¡±

    ¡°I agree. Keeping her emotions bottled up would do her no good in the games.¡± Nicholas added.

    ¡°Leave her alone for the time being. She will talk whenever she is ready.¡± Salomon assumed.

    ¡°When concerning a person¡¯s death, sooner is better than later,¡± Zoey stated.

    ¡°Speaking of later; the games will start back up again,¡± I mentioned.

    Henrika shuddered as she brought her hand up to her injured ribs. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back into that dreadful game room.¡±

    ¡°Compared to the other games, we got off easy. And you gave everyone quite the show with your¡­¡± Salomon stopped once he received a harsh glance from the woman.

    ¡°Tell me the same thing after you suffer from a fifteen-foot fall and sustain broken ribs.¡±

    The old man, in response, raised his coat and revealed his grotesque scars. Henrika clasped her hand over her mouth and looked away. It was her defeat.

    ¡°Well, same as before, let us do our best to survive.¡± Nicholas declared.

    Afterward, everyone left the room and went their separate ways. I headed to my room. But, along the way, I caught Darius standing in front of the door.

    ¡°Move,¡± I ordered.

    ¡°I¡­I need to talk to you¡­¡± Darius pleaded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°I know, I don¡¯t blame you. There¡¯s no excuse for what I did.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. Now move.¡±

    ¡°Not yet. I know that I was found guilty of Elena''s murder, but, I refuse to accept it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t care. There¡¯s physical evidence on your cheek, and there was a video of you doing it as well,¡± I reminded him. He cringed at the memory of it. But, I didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°Face it. You killed her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to believe that!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°I don¡¯t remember the thought of killing her every crossing my mind! I¡¯ve never thought about killing someone¡ªever!¡±

    I had nearly come close to knocking him on his ass again. I didn¡¯t want to hear his pathetic excuses. Matter of the fact was¡ªhe killed Elena. Nothing would change that.

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you one last chance. Move.¡± I demanded.

    ¡°Or else what?!¡± He suddenly challenged. The kid must have thought killing someone helped him grow a pair. ¡°You can¡¯t force me out of the way, or else it will count as physical violence.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure you know all about that rule.¡±

    ¡°Please, just hear me out. Give me some time to explain myself.¡±

    ¡°I already told you that I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± I showed my back to him and walked down the hallway. I heard his pathetic cries and wails, but I ignored them. He wouldn¡¯t get sympathy from me. That was the last thing that he needed.

    With my room off limits, I moved to the lounge to relax. There, I came across Henrika. The woman sat alone at the bar, possibly drowning her sorrows away.

    ¡°Hey, Ambrose.¡± She called out to me as she set her drink on the bar counter.

    ¡°Hey¡­¡± I wandered over to the couch and took a seat. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit early in the morning to drink?¡±

    ¡°What do you care?¡± She argued. In a show of defiance, she raised her glass and chugged down the entire thing.

    ¡°Just curious,¡± I answered. ¡°Try not to get yourself too wasted. Don¡¯t think getting drunk is the best thing to do right now.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what else to do right now.¡± She pushed her glass aside and rubbed her temples. ¡°Everything is just so messed up. I need something to help me calm down.¡±

    The warmth of her once never ceasing smile had long faded. The time spent in Serendipity tore away at her piece by piece--at all of us. We had already lost so much¡ªI couldn¡¯t stand to lose anymore.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind¡ªmay I suggest something lighter for you?¡± I stood from the couch and moved behind the bar counter. I searched through the vast choices of drinks for the perfect selection.

    One drink crossed my mind.

    ¡°What? Mr. Scowls-a lot is making me a drink?¡± scoffed Henrika. ¡°Now I know the whole world¡¯s gone topsy-turvy.¡±

    ¡°I am a bartender, remember?¡± I gathered the ingredients for the intended drink and set them out on the counter.

    ¡°Yes, I do. Forgive me for the little jab.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    We remained awkwardly silent for the five minutes it took me to make the drink. It was only our second encounter alone in Serendipity after all. So, joyous conversation topics were scarce.

    But, I didn¡¯t mind.

    I had no intention to have a long conversation with her in the first place. I just wanted her to settle down before I returned to my room. Tensions were already high from the previous game. I tried to do what I could to ease the situation¡ªif only a little.

    ¡°Here¡­¡± I passed the drink over to her. She stared bewilderedly at it¡ªas if it were some vile concoction. ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me what it is?¡± Henrika demanded. ¡°I didn¡¯t personally request this drink. So, I have no idea what it could be. When you serve drinks to a customer, you should always inform them of the drink you¡¯re serving. Are you sure you¡¯re a bartender?¡±

    I felt my face stiffen. That woman had a lot of nerve to talk to me that way; especially after I went through the trouble of making the drink. If we were at my bar, her ass would¡¯ve already been out on the street.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pomegranate martini¡ªgarnished with a lemon. It¡¯s one of the very first drinks I learned to make.¡± I answered.

    Satisfied with my explanation, Henrika flashed me her usual smile before she tasted the drink. Her face brightened once she removed her lips from the glass.

    ¡°My goodness. It tastes delicious. Thank you very much, Ambrose.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± I stepped out from behind the counter and prepared to leave. But, Henrika reached out and firmly grabbed hold of my wrist.

    ¡°Hold on. You¡¯re not just going to leave, are you? Why not stay and join me for a drink or two?¡± She suggested.

    I weighed my options.

    Staying for a few drinks didn¡¯t sound all bad. However, it was hardly the time for it. I made the drink specifically for her¡ªnot me. I¡¯d need something a bit stronger. If I left and tried to head back to my room, there still stood a chance that Darius would be there.

    ¡°Fine.¡± I relented to Henrika¡¯s suggestion and took a seat right next to her. She passed me a glass then filled it with the martini.

    ¡°Nice to see you being a bit more sociable.¡± She commented as she filled her glass back up.

    ¡°Why do people keep saying things like that?¡±

    ¡°Well, compared to how you were the first day we all met, you¡¯re a lot tamer.¡± Henrika ran her finger across the rim of her glass.

    ¡°What do you all expect? I was placed here in this death trap with eleven other strangers. Forgive me if I didn¡¯t feel like getting chummy with any of you day one.¡± I said as I raised my glass. I downed the drink in one go. The sweet taste of the beverage soothed me as it went down my throat.

    It reminded back to my early days at the bar. Maynard would spend hours forcing me to make that single drink. And it just had to be perfect.

    No mistakes. None.

    If he found anything wrong with it; he¡¯d get in my face and chew me out for long strands of time.

    ¡°It was just a joke, Ambrose. Settle down.¡± Henrika said. ¡°Anyway, can I talk to you about something?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Are you satisfied with the results of Elena¡¯s murder case? You know, with Darius being found guilty as the killer?¡±

    ¡°You have doubts?¡±

    Henrika¡¯s expression turned strained as she moved her head away from me. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d go as far as to call it doubt. But, something about all this just grates.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I feel so stupid that I didn¡¯t bring it up. But, no one during the debate mentioned a motive.¡±

    ¡°Motive?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know? It¡¯s the reason why Darius killed Elena in the first place.¡± She sternly explained.

    ¡°I know what a motive is. I meant that I couldn''t see one.¡±

    Henrika turned her body to face me and held her finger close to my face. ¡°I know! And that¡¯s the problem! No matter how much I think about it, I can¡¯t come up with a clear motive for him to kill her!¡±

    ¡°What about just wanting to get rid of her? Out of everyone, Elena was the weakest.¡± I stated.

    ¡°Can¡¯t deny that. But, wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to save her for last then? Elena posed no threat to anyone.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he just wanted to get her out of the way? I mean, she only had five points. Perhaps he thought he¡¯d take them for himself?¡±

    ¡°But those points of hers didn¡¯t go anywhere. She was killed outside of the game room. If Darius wanted her points, then killing her like that was pointless.¡±

    She made some excellent points. When I thought about it¡ªthings didn¡¯t make sense at all. Overall, we were right about Darius as the killer. But, it seemed we glossed over important details.

    ¡°The only way we¡¯d learn the motive is if we ask Darius himself.¡± I reluctantly said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯d get the same response as before.¡± Henrika rolled her eyes then poured us more drinks. ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember. He doesn¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°A likely excuse.¡± I sarcastically admitted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave him alone for now. My focus now is making sure that Iris gets better. She can¡¯t possibly play the games in the condition that she¡¯s in.¡±

    ¡°Just give her some time to grieve. Death of a close friend isn¡¯t something one quickly gets over.¡± I solemnly explained.

    ¡°I know. But grieving alone isn¡¯t the best thing for her. She isn¡¯t the only one that lost someone, Ambrose. We have to make her understand that.¡±

    ¡°Then go talk to her.¡±

    A heavy sigh leaked from her as she hung her head in defeat. ¡°I¡¯ve tried. She won¡¯t open her door for me.¡±

    ¡°Tough.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± She slowly raised her head and turned to face me. Instinctively, turned my face away from hers. I knew exactly where she planned to go with the conversation.

    If I hadn¡¯t known any better, I¡¯d say she manipulated the flow of things from the very start. When I tried to leave, she grabbed my wrist. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to run.

    But, I couldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t know how to explain it. It wasn¡¯t fear that kept me there¡ªfrozen. It was¡­something else.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 24 - Moving Forward!

    There I stood¡ªin front of the entrance leading to hell. I didn¡¯t want to be there. But, I couldn¡¯t escape because of the guard dog stationed behind me. Although out running her wouldn¡¯t be a problem¡ªthrough some act of witchcraft, voodoo magic, or curse; she managed to convince me to go to Iris¡¯ room.

    As she demanded, I rang the doorbell to the girl¡¯s room.

    There was no answer.

    Quick to give up, I turned to face Henrika and shrugged my shoulders in defeat. I gave it my best and had nothing to show for it. Unfortunately, Henrika wasn¡¯t too keen to let me leave that easily.

    ¡°Try again,¡± Henrika ordered as she pointed at the doorbell.

    ¡°She won¡¯t answer. Give it a rest.¡± I complained.

    ¡°Just try a few more times. I promise if she doesn¡¯t answer in the next few tries, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± She pleaded.

    ¡°I¡¯m holding you to those words¡­¡± I reluctantly turned around and rang the doorbell a few more times as instructed.

    Same as before¡ªno answer.

    A wave of concern washed over Henrika¡¯s face as she held her hands together. Her eyes remained fixated on the door¡ªhoping that Iris would open it. Unlike her, I didn¡¯t expect much.

    One couldn''t quickly get over the death of a close friend. Elena and Iris were close. Perhaps the closest out of any of the players. Nothing could come in between them.

    Well, almost nothing.

    Eventually, when Henrika and I prepared to leave, the door slowly opened. Iris stuck her head out and called out to us. Her eyes were red and swollen¡ªher face, puffy.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± She demanded.

    ¡°We came here to check on you,¡± answered Henrika. ¡°You didn¡¯t come for breakfast. You need to eat something.¡±

    ¡°Not hungry.¡±

    ¡°Look, at least let us come in and talk. It¡¯s not good to stay cooped up in your room all day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll come out when it¡¯s time for the next game to start.¡±

    ¡°Fine. But we must talk. I refuse to let you carry the burden of Elena¡¯s death alone.¡±

    Iris¡¯ gaze shifted from Henrika and I a few times. Her eyes of judgment soon rested on me. ¡°Then what¡¯s he doing here? I didn¡¯t think he cared.¡±

    ¡°What gave you that idea?¡± I questioned her.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t seem disturbed at all when Elena died. You rarely spoke during the debate.¡± She moved her sight to Henrika. ¡°I bet she forced you to come here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡±

    ¡°Ambrose!¡± Henrika scolded me.

    ¡°But regardless of why I¡¯m here¡ªI¡¯m here. Carpe Diem.¡± I threw my hands up in a cheap imitation of Iris¡¯ cheer. That action alone damaged my pride significantly. However, it brought a soft smile on the girl¡¯s face.

    ¡°You¡¯re terrible at cheering,¡± Iris teased as she stepped aside and allowed us into her room. Henrika found a nearby chair while I preferred to stand. I had no intention to stay long.

    The first few moments passed in awkward silence. Surely, no one had any definite clue how to begin. In fact, I had no idea what the meeting was after all.

    An intervention? Therapy? Counseling?

    Counseling seemed like the best term.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw Henrika making faces at me. She also gestured for me to start things off. But, I ignored her. She was the one that forced me along. No harm in having her finish what she started.

    However, the one that eventually broke the silence was none other than Iris.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°For people that came all this way to talk, you¡¯re sure not doing very much of it.¡± She pointed out.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Henrika shifted her attention to Iris. ¡°So, how are you feeling?¡±

    Iris smacked her lips and rolled her eyes. A fair response. If the girl¡¯s messy hair and swollen eyes weren¡¯t a clear indicator of her mood; Henrika needed to get her eyes checked.

    ¡°Starting off with that, huh? Okay then¡­¡± Iris ran her hand through her hair. A few strands of it were left in her palm once she showed us her hand. ¡°Obviously, I¡¯m not doing so great. I''m under a lot of stress here."

    ¡°That¡¯s fair. You just lost a dear friend after all.¡± Henrika nodded her head in agreement.

    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. I didn¡¯t lose Elena. She was taken. By that bastard Darius¡­¡± Iris tightly clasped her hands together. Veins popped up on her hands and forehead. ¡°That son of a bitch. He¡¯s going to pay for this. One way or the other.¡±

    The poor girl went down a dangerous path. Her frustration and rage buried her better judgment¡ªher morality.

    Henrika hurriedly approached Iris and placed her hands on the girl¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t speak that way, Iris! I get that you''re angry! You have every right to be! But, don''t do something that you''re going to regret!"

    In a show of defiance, Iris removed Henrika¡¯s hands from her shoulders. ¡°Too late for that! It¡¯s far too late for that! I regret all of this! I wish I never decided to play these stupid games! If I knew I¡¯d go through all this pain again¡­¡±

    ¡°Again? What are you talking about?¡±

    It was at that moment Iris told us everything about her situation. Throughout all her school years, she had a best friend named Tam. The two of them were inseparable. Unknown to others, the two of them were in a relationship¡ªa couple.

    When their status as lovers was revealed through mysterious sources, their lives took a turn for the worst. Iris¡¯ parents demanded that she cut ties with Tam and that she sought treatment for her disease. Tam¡¯s parents called her a disgrace to the family and disowned her.

    The constant bullying and harassment at school didn¡¯t make their lives any more comfortable. It eventually got to the point where Tam reached her breaking point and committed suicide by jumping off the school roof. No funeral arrangements were made for her.

    Tam¡¯s parents didn¡¯t even bother to claim the body.

    Iris was the one that took the burden of doing that. She did several odd jobs to raise enough money to give her lover a proper funeral and burial. It was then she encountered a recruiter for the games¡ªTanet. The son of a bitch manipulated her during her time of stress into becoming a player.

    ¡°Iris that¡¯s¡­that¡¯s just awful. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Henrika lowered her head.

    ¡°What do you have to be sorry for? You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. None of this lies on any of you. It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± Iris¡¯ voice shook. Her body trembled as she hunched over and wailed, ¡°It was my fault! I couldn¡¯t protect them! I couldn¡¯t protect either of them! I swore that I would!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think like that! It¡¯s not your fault!¡± Henrika sternly protested.

    ¡°Yes, it is! Tammy jumped off the roof because I couldn¡¯t stop others from bullying her! Elena died because I wasn¡¯t there to protect her!¡± Iris shouted, erupting from the bed. ¡°Both had goals¡ªdreams that they wanted to achieve! I swore that I would help them! And what was the result? They¡¯re both dead!¡±

    ¡°Their deaths are unfortunate. But, you can¡¯t solely take the blame for them.¡± Henrika looked over at me with pleading eyes for assistance.

    I didn¡¯t know what to say. What could I say to remedy the tense situation?

    I understood where Iris came from. She felt responsible for the deaths of her friends¡ªloved ones¡ªthose that she failed to protect. She witnessed firsthand her lover jump off a rooftop. And another friend of hers was found murdered in a restroom.

    That alone could break a person; especially someone like Iris. When someone fails to protect the ones that they care about¡ªsevere feelings of self-deprecation and judgment cloud the mind. They blame themselves for their inability to stop certain circumstances from taking place. I understood all too well how that felt.

    The guilt.

    Even then, it continued to eat away at me. It would never go away. I was surprised I wasn¡¯t more than just an empty husk.

    Iris blamed herself for the unfortunate deaths of her loved ones. No amount of cheap or half-assed words would ever convince her otherwise. I didn¡¯t blame her.

    ¡°Iris, you can blame yourself for the deaths of Tam and Elena all you want,¡± I said. Henrika and Iris turned their eyes of confusion and frustration towards me as I continued, ¡°They¡¯re dead. Nothing is ever going to change that fact. However, it doesn¡¯t matter. What does matter is what you¡¯re going to do afterward.¡±

    ¡°Afterward?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°When Tam died, you mentioned that you tried to raise money to give her a proper funeral and burial, right? That¡¯s a noteworthy and admirable goal to have. It¡¯s the real reason you joined these games, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It is¡­¡± She nodded.

    ¡°Good. Let that continue to drive you to push through these times of hardship.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound so easy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be easy. I can assure you of that.¡± I bluntly stated. ¡°The deaths of your loved ones will continue to weigh on you for the rest of your life. You¡¯ll never get over it. But, that doesn¡¯t mean that it must keep you down. Use their deaths as inspiration to move forward.¡±

    ¡°What is there to move forward to? Should I survive all this and have the funeral for Tammy¡ªwhat then? What¡¯s left for me to strive for?¡± Iris returned to her seated position on the bed. She kept her head down and stared at the floor.

    ¡°That¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to figure out on your own.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just not fair. Tammy and Elena had dreams. I don¡¯t have anything like that. Why did they have to die?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have all the answers. You can¡¯t switch places with those that have died. All you can do is live on.¡±

    The river of tears ceased. Hollow laughs had come from Iris as she stood up once again. ¡°Thank you. Both of you. It will take some time, but I promise that I will move onward from this.¡±

    I was nearly blinded by the intensely bright smile from Iris. It only lasted for a moment. But the Iris that I grew accustomed to had returned.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 25 - The Sixth Game!

    Satisfied with our talk with Iris¡ªHenrika and I left her room then went our separate ways. Everything that happened in that room heavily weighed on my mind. I hadn¡¯t expected Iris to have such a complicated backstory and goal. It just went to show that everyone in Serendipity had their situations and reasons for being there.

    Wyatt wanted to use his prize money to fund his wife¡¯s heart transplant. Darius wanted to help his aunt and get her out of crippling debt. Salomon just wanted to test his luck. Nicholas hit a slump in his life. And Iris wanted to give her lover a proper funeral.

    Although in my opinion some goals were more lackluster than others¡ªbut, it was their goal nonetheless. I wanted to save Maynard¡¯s bar¡ªmy home. If anyone learned of that fact, I had no idea how they would react.

    Well, regardless of their reaction, it didn¡¯t change the fact that I had already made the decision. I put my life on the line for the bar. No matter what, I¡¯d survive and save it. My resolve wouldn¡¯t allow failure.

    I went back to my room. Thankfully, Darius wasn¡¯t there to guard it that time. I spent the rest of my time there in gracious solitude until the time came for the sixth game to begin.

    As usual, all players gathered in the lobby room. Caius welcomed us with his sadistic smile, but no one paid him any particular attention. By that point, everyone just wanted to get to the part where he made the damn decision. The game moderator activated the randomizer on his tablet.

    Images of Iris and Zoey filled the screen. Already used to the routine, Iris and Zoey stepped forward.

    ¡°What is wrong with all of you? How come none of you look nervous?¡± The enthusiasm in Caius¡¯ voice disappeared.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been in this facility for more than a week. We''re sick and tired of your games.¡± Iris said.

    Caius reeled back and released a terrified yell. Overdramatic as always.

    ¡°Are you through playing around?¡± Zoey called out to the man. ¡°Or do you intend to continue wasting time?¡±

    ¡°None of you are any fun today.¡± Caius folded his arms and wandered over to the game wheel. His sadistic smile returned when he grabbed the wheel and spun it. When it stopped¡ªthe needle pointed to the panel that displayed stick figures with question marks over their heads.

    ¡°What kind of game is that supposed to be?¡± Melanie asked.

    ¡°Oh, how wonderful! Players Iris and Zoey will face off in a game of Guess Who!¡± Caius revealed with glee.

    ¡°I remember that game.¡± Henrika nonchalantly commented.

    ¡°For such a boring game to be placed on that wheel¡ªwhat exactly do you have in mind for Cyclops and Rainbows, Caius?¡± Melanie questioned him.

    ¡°All will be revealed in due time. But first, we must get the players prepped for the game.¡± Caius announced then gestured for Iris and Zoey to follow him out of the room, which they did.

    When all was said and done, both players found themselves in the game room. In the center of the room was a table with a stack of cards. With the instructions of Caius; Iris and Zoey approached the table then grabbed a single card from the pile.

    The startled expressions they made when their eyes scanned the cards caught me off guard. Not so much that it was Iris¡ªbut the fact that Zoey seemed unnerved as well. So rarely had I ever seen her make different expression than her default cold and stern one. Whatever featured on those cards¡ªacted as a prelude to what was yet to come.

    ¡°What is this?¡± The venom in Zoey¡¯s voiced leaked out. Her eye never left the card.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?! What¡¯s with this picture?!¡± Iris exclaimed.

    The table before them sank into the floor¡ªonly to get replaced with a large wall that featured photographs of nearly four dozen people. I grimaced at the sight of the pictures. All of them displayed people with grim and frightened expressions. Some appeared tied up; others were held up at gun and knifepoint.

    ¡°Now this is interesting!¡± Melanie ecstatically left the sofa then pressed her face against the glass window.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the looks of this.¡± Henrika grimaced.

    ¡°What kind of twisted scenario does Caius have in store this time?¡± Wyatt shook his head.

    ¡°Attention players! The Guess Who Game will commence shortly! Please sit back while I explain the rules!¡± Caius announced. ¡°The game aims to guess your opponent¡¯s mystery character. As you can all see, there are forty selections to choose from on the wall before you. Both players will take turns asking differential yes or no questions to discover the mystery character. The first person to guess the opponent¡¯s mystery character wins.¡±

    ¡°That sounds easy enough¡­¡± Zoey lowered her arm down to her side. ¡°However, explain the meaning of the pictures. How come they all look like they are in trouble?¡±

    ¡°That is because they are, Zoey. You see, there is a special stipulation to this game. For whoever loses the game, the character they picked will suffer a tragic accident.¡±

    ¡°What?! No! You can¡¯t do that! That¡¯s not right!¡± Iris cried. ¡°Leave them alone! They had nothing to do with this!¡±

    ¡°No can do, Iris. The rules have already been set in stone. There is no going back.¡± Caius said.

    ¡°No¡­no¡­this can¡¯t be happening¡­¡± Iris slowly dropped down to her knees in despair.

    ¡°Now, I will continue explaining the rules. Players are only allowed to ask one question each turn. The question must pertain to a physical characteristic of the characters shown. For example, if Zoey should ask if a character has brown hair and she is correct, then she must eliminate all the characters on her side of the wall that does not have brown hair. However, if she is wrong, then she must remove the characters that do have brown hair on her side of the wall.¡±

    ¡°Just like the regular game,¡± I mentioned.

    ¡°Except the fact that the loser will have their mystery character killed by the end of the game,¡± Nicholas said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions,¡± ordered Henrika, ¡°we don¡¯t know that the mystery character will be killed. Caius only mentioned that they would go through a tragic accident.¡±

    ¡°Knowing him, it will result in the unfortunate person¡¯s death.¡± Wyatt sternly claimed.

    ¡°Hope we get to watch it all happen. I¡¯m putting my points on Cyclops. There¡¯s no way that Rainbows will have the guts to win this game.¡± Melanie said.

    ¡°Another thing I would like to add¡ªthe players have a thirty-second-time frame to ask their opponent a question. If they are unable to do so, then they will be disqualified. Lying is also a no go. Anyone caught lying will be disqualified.¡± Caius announced.

    ¡°This is impossible. I don¡¯t want to play a cruel game like this¡­¡± Iris lamented.

    ¡°Too late to go back now,¡± Zoey stated.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Zoey, we have to find a way out of this. There must be some way we can end this without anyone dying. I don¡¯t want my¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± ordered Zoey. ¡°Do not say any more. You almost gave me a clue as to who you picked as your mystery character.¡±

    Having realized the mistake she nearly made, Iris clasped her hand over her mouth.

    ¡°The rules of the game have been explained! Let the Guess Who Game begin!¡± Caius declared.

    ¡°Since you are younger, I will let you go first, Iris,¡± Zoey said.

    ¡°Zoey¡­are you sure you want to go through with this?¡± Iris hesitated. ¡°Isn¡¯t the person you picked important to you as well?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, they are. Which is why I will fight to ensure that they survive. You should do the same as well.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°No matter how this game ends, I will harbor no ill feelings towards you. So, I hope that you will feel the same.¡±

    ¡°Zoey¡­¡±

    ¡°Hurry. You are running low on time.¡± Zoey pointed to the timer displayed on the wall.

    Iris regained her composure then stood to her feet. With newfound confidence, she asked, ¡°Does your character have tan skin?¡±

    ¡°No, they do not,¡± answered Zoey.

    From Iris¡¯ side of the wall, the eight pictures of the characters with tanned skin turned over. On the other side of the pictures featured large, red X¡¯s. Iris placed her hand on her chest then sighed in relief.

    ¡°My turn. Does your character have a mole?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t.¡± Iris shook her head. On Zoey¡¯s side of the wall, five pictures turned over. ¡°Does your character have a hat?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Six pictures on Iris¡¯ side turned over.

    ¡°Does your character have blonde hair?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Five more pictures turned over on Zoey¡¯s side of the wall.

    ¡°Is your character a female?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Zoey answered.

    With that, half of the pictures on Iris¡¯ side turned over. She was left with only thirteen people; while Zoey had thirty. The odds certainly weren¡¯t in favor of the former detective. But, despite that, she showed no frustration, no fear.

    She remained as stoic as usual. Nothing about the game fazed her.

    ¡°Geez, at this rate Rainbows is gonna get the win over Cyclops.¡± Melanie stepped away from the window and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°That¡¯d be quite the upset for sure.¡±

    ¡°Do not count Zoey out of the game just yet. I am sure she is planning something.¡± Wyatt assured.

    ¡°I figured that to be the case as well. So far, Iris has asked broad questions. While Zoey, on the other hand, has been asking specific questions.¡± Henrika revealed.

    ¡°Asking specific questions in a game like this isn¡¯t very good,¡± I added. ¡°If she keeps going like this, her mystery character is going to get killed. In just a few more turns, Iris could win.¡±

    ¡°What if that is what she wants?¡± Nicholas suddenly inquired.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Zoey is a smart woman. Her attention to detail is top notch. I believe that she is losing on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Why would she do such a thing? Does she not care for the life of her mystery character?¡± Henrika pondered.

    ¡°That could be the case. It would explain her weird strategy.¡± Salomon accepted the idea.

    ¡°Is your character female?¡± Zoey inquired.

    ¡°¡­Yes¡­¡± Iris hesitated to answer. She strained expression alone told everyone how dearly she wanted to lie. She knew it, I knew it, everyone knew it.

    Zoey was getting close. While Iris still had fewer choices than her¡ªthat alone wouldn¡¯t stop the former detective. She was sharp. She had a keen eye.

    From that one question alone, over half of the pictures on Zoey¡¯s side flipped over. At that point, the two of them were neck and neck. Anyone of them could claim victory at any moment.

    But, could they do it?

    If any of them won¡ªthe loser¡¯s mystery character would get killed. Iris expressed obvious distress about the situation. However, Zoey remained as hardened as ever. She stood firm and confident that she wouldn¡¯t lose the game.

    Even then as the game drew closer toward the end, the expression on her face never changed. She knew the choice that she was going to make. She was prepared for the consequences.

    Iris, on the other hand, I wasn¡¯t too sure. That girl already suffered enough from Elena¡¯s death. And certainly, the suicide of her lover weighed heavily on her mind. If she failed to protect another person close to her¡ªI feared for the worst.

    ¡°Next turn, I am ending this.¡± Zoey declared.

    ¡°Huh?! But, don¡¯t you still have several pictures left on your side?¡± Iris stammered.

    ¡°I do. But, I have managed to narrow things down a bit. I have a pretty good assumption as to who your mystery character is.¡±

    ¡°But¡­don¡¯t you want to wait until you narrow it down to a single character? If you get it wrong, your mystery character will get killed.¡±

    ¡°Do not worry about me, Iris. Worry about yourself. Your mystery character will be killed if I get it right.¡±

    Iris hung her head and sighed, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. But still¡­I don¡¯t want either of our characters to die.¡±

    ¡°There is no way out of this. One of our characters will die. Prepare yourself for that.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I just can¡¯t! It¡¯s not right! It¡¯s just not right!¡± Iris exclaimed.

    ¡°You have ten seconds left, Iris.¡± Zoey pointed out.

    ¡°Does your character have dark hair?¡± Iris asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Zoey nodded. Five more pictures flipped over on Iris¡¯ side. Only eight characters remained. However, Iris showed no joy¡ªonly despair. It was all because of Zoey¡¯s declaration.

    Her words only weighed heavily on everyone. Hell, even I couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious as to how it would all end. Someone was going to die. That fact was certain.

    ¡°Zoey¡­please¡­don¡¯t win the match¡­¡± Iris desperately begged as she lowered her gaze to the picture held tightly in her hands¡ªit got soaked by her flowing tears. ¡°I know I don¡¯t have any right to request this of you. But¡­I can¡¯t lose. I can¡¯t lose again. Not another one.¡±

    ¡°Iris¡­¡±

    ¡°Please! I know it¡¯s wrong to ask of you to throw the life of your character away! But, you¡¯re so much stronger than I am! I¡¯m sure you can endure anything the world throws at you! I can¡¯t!¡± Iris wept uncontrollably. ¡°I¡¯ve already lost so much! I don¡¯t want to lose any more!¡±

    ¡°You are wrong, Iris. I am not as strong as you think I am. I have my breaking point just like everyone else.¡± Zoey revealed. ¡°Unfortunately, I cannot concede with your plea. I will not throw away the life of my character to save yours. I have steeled myself for the decision that I am going to make.¡±

    ¡°No! No! Please, don¡¯t do it! I¡¯m begging you! I¡¯ll do anything!¡±

    ¡°Is your character, Hannah?¡± Zoey ignored Iris¡¯ cries and made her guess. The whole room went silent. No one dared to make a single sound as we waited for Iris¡¯ reply.

    The picture in the girl¡¯s hand slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor. The picture featured a woman that looked almost identical to Iris. Written below the photo was the name ¡®Hannah.¡¯

    Iris couldn¡¯t mutter a single word. The only response she could give was a nod of her head.

    Triumphant music blared around the room from the speakers, signifying the end of the game.

    ¡°The Guess Who Game has come to an end! The winner is Zoey Galen! Congratulations!¡± Caius happily declared.

    ¡°How¡­how did you know?¡± Iris managed to utter.

    ¡°Process of elimination. Simple as that. There were forty people on the wall; I knew twenty of them. So, I simply assumed the other twenty were people that you knew. Judging from your reaction before the game started, you must have drawn someone incredibly close to you.¡±

    ¡°My reaction, huh¡­¡± Iris slowly repeated those words¡ªdefeated.

    ¡°When the game drew closer to the end, your reactions told me everything that I needed to know.¡±

    ¡°There was no point for me to even try in the first place, was there? You had this game in the bag from the very beginning.¡± Iris picked up the picture from off the floor.

    ¡°Do not think like that. You should be proud that you fought to protect the one you cared about to the very end.¡±

    ¡°But what does it matter?!¡± Iris shouted¡ªher eyes intense with frustration and rage. ¡°Even though I fought¡ªthey¡¯re still gonna die! It¡¯s my fault! I wasn¡¯t good enough! Smart enough!¡±

    ¡°Do not blame yourself. The one you should blame is Caius. He is the one pulling strings here.¡±

    ¡°That is incorrect, Zoey. The ones you should be blaming is yourselves,¡± Caius interjected. ¡°You all agreed to risk your lives in these games for money.¡±

    ¡°That is right. Our lives. Not the lives of people that have nothing to do with this.¡± Zoey countered.

    ¡°She¡¯s right! So, let them go!¡± demanded Iris. She ran over to the closest corner of the room then shouted at the security camera. ¡°None of them deserve to get killed because of our decisions!¡±

    ¡°How noble of you both. It brings a tear to my eye to see how desperately you wish to save the lives of your loved ones. If it were up to me, I would grant your wish.¡± Caius said. ¡°The rules have been set in stone. Even I cannot change them once they have been decided.¡±

    ¡°No way¡­¡± Iris hung her head.

    ¡°Now, if you would all so kindly turn towards the screen.¡± Caius requested.

    One of the walls in the game room divided, revealing a large television screen. Video footage played of pedestrians walking across a street. It zoomed in on a particular person of interest. It was Iris¡¯ mystery character¡ªHannah.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Iris shouted as she rushed over to the screen.

    ¡°No point in shouting, Iris. She cannot hear you where she is. Or rather, where she is going to be.¡± Caius menacingly said.

    ¡°Stop this, Caius! Please don¡¯t kill my mom!¡± She begged.

    ¡°I am not going to kill her.¡± He revealed. ¡°However, one should always look both ways before crossing the street.¡±

    Then, out of nowhere, a car zoomed across the screen and took Iris¡¯ mom with it. The camera panned over then focused on the scene of the wreck. The car was utterly totaled as it crashed into the side of a building.

    The fate of Iris¡¯ mom was¡ªgrotesque. The poor woman was unfortunately pinned between the wrecked car and the brick wall. Her body snapped in half. Blood everywhere.

    The driver of the vehicle stepped out of the car. It was a man dressed in a black suit. He shrugged off the incident and walked away as if nothing happened. The moment he walked out of frame¡ªthe video ended.

    Iris only stood there¡ªimmobilized. Too stunned to move. What she had witnessed¡ªno one could begin to imagine what went through her mind. As if everything finally registered in her mind, she bellowed in uncontrollable anguish.

    Afterward, she completely shut down. All strength left her body, and she collapsed.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 26 - Near Fall!

    The sixth game came to an undesirable conclusion. The victor of the match was Zoey, who soundly defeated her opponent, Iris. As a punishment for her loss, the poor girl¡¯s mother was brutally murdered by a hit and run. It had come out of nowhere. One moment, the streets were clear of vehicles. And then the next, one plowed through the unsuspecting woman.

    Getting hit by a car¡ªI couldn¡¯t imagine the pain. But, from what I saw, the way that woman¡¯s body snapped forward upon impact, only to be crushed between the car and a brick wall a moment afterward¡ªit was just too much. Expressions of horror washed over nearly every player in the lobby room. No one uttered a single word.

    Just when I thought the situation couldn¡¯t have gotten any worse¡ªthe universe decided to prove me wrong again. When Iris witnessed the sight of her mother¡¯s brutal execution¡ªher mind broke. I saw it in her eyes, her expression. It was one that I¡¯d seen far too many times.

    But, it didn¡¯t end there. When Iris screamed at the top of her lungs in uncontrollable anguish, I covered my ears. Her shrill voice resonated in my head, as did many others.

    Soon enough¡ªeverything stopped. Iris collapsed to the floor, and Zoey rushed to her side. Immediately afterward, people in black suits entered the room and carried the unconscious girl away.

    ¡°Damn it! Damn it!¡± Wyatt slammed his fist against the nearest wall. ¡°Why?! Why the fuck did that have to happen?!¡±

    ¡°Wyatt, please calm down.¡± Nicholas pleaded.

    ¡°Calm down? Calm down?!¡± The doctor whipped around and glared at the man. ¡°How do you expect me to do that after everything I just saw?! The bastards killed Iris¡¯ mother, Nicholas! Her mother! That woman had nothing to do with these games! Nothing!¡±

    ¡°I know that, but¡­¡±

    ¡°But, nothing! They killed her! Like it was nothing! If they have the influence just to execute someone like that¡­what if they decide to go after our loved ones next?!¡±

    ¡°Then I guess that means I¡¯m in the clear.¡± Melanie boasted. ¡°Any of you other suckers better make sure not to lose when it comes your turn to play. Or else the same thing may happen to you.¡±

    ¡°This is just too much.¡± Henrika lamented.

    ¡°That poor girl. She¡¯s already lost so much.¡± Salomon added.

    ¡°When Caius shows his face, I am going to¡­¡± Wyatt stopped the moment Caius and Zoey entered the room.

    ¡°Going to what, Wyatt?¡± Caius inquired, feigning ignorance to his actions.

    How could he stand there like that? As if he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong? Because of him, Iris¡¯ mother was murdered in cold blood. And yet, it didn¡¯t faze him at all. That wicked smile never left his face for a moment.

    ¡°You! How could you do such a thing, Caius?!¡± Wyatt exclaimed as he approached the Game Moderator. Zoey stepped out between the two, but the doctor didn¡¯t pay her any mind. ¡°I understand you have a sick and twisted mindset! But, these games should not extend to people that have no part in them! Iris¡¯ mother did not have to die!¡±

    ¡°I agree with you, Wyatt. Poor Hannah did not have to die. Zoey here could have let Iris win. But, she did not.¡± Caius attempted to shift the blame to Zoey.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try and put that all on her! If she had, then her character would¡¯ve been killed!¡± I pointed out. ¡°No matter who lost, someone was going to die because you dictated it so!¡±

    ¡°That is correct. No matter what, death would occur. It makes for excellent entertainment, no?¡± Caius tilted his head to the side. ¡°Well, this marks the end of the sixth game. Please feel free to do whatever you wish until the next game tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Hang on! Where do you think you are going?! We are not done here!¡± Wyatt yelled.

    ¡°Let him go, Wyatt. There is no point in shouting at him.¡± Zoey stated.

    She was right. No matter how loud we shouted, or how many names we called him¡ªCaius wouldn¡¯t be affected in the slightest. Not a shred of humanity could be found in that husk.

    But, even then, I couldn¡¯t help but feel infuriated about the situation. Since Caius was the game moderator, whatever he said went. None of us could challenge his authority while in Serendipity. We were helpless¡ªkept at his mercy at the heel of his shoes.

    ¡°Wyatt, how about we go and check on Iris?¡± Nicholas placed his hand on the doctor¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Fine. But, this is not over. Not by a long shot.¡± Wyatt eventually left the room with Nicholas following behind.

    ¡°That was horrible. Absolutely horrible¡­¡± Henrika said, ¡°Zoey, how are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I am fine. Do not worry about me.¡± The detective turned her back to us then prepared to leave. But, Henrika quickly reached out and grabbed the woman¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try and play it off as if it was nothing. I¡¯m fine won¡¯t cut it with me.¡± Henrika exclaimed. ¡°Someone died because of you. That¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking, right?¡±

    With one swift motion, Zoey broke free from Henrika¡¯s grasp. ¡°Do not presume to understand what I am feeling. I know that this is not my fault. As I told Iris, the fault lies with Caius.¡±

    That woman was as calm as ever. Her voice never shook. She never broke eye contact when she spoke. It was as if the game never fazed her in the first place.

    She stood firm in her belief that she wasn¡¯t at fault. I believed her. The blood of Iris¡¯ mother was on Caius¡¯ hands¡ªnot Zoey¡¯s. Everyone understood that.

    However, indirectly causing the death of someone wasn¡¯t something one could just walk away from unscathed. There was no telling how much damage it did to the mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s true. Caius was the one that pulled the trigger on the execution.¡± Salomon had come to Zoey¡¯s defense.

    ¡°But, he wouldn¡¯t have pulled the trigger if Cyclops had just let Rainbows win,¡± rebutted Melanie as she approached Zoey. She stopped in front of the woman then continued with a euphoric expression, ¡°How did it feel by the way? Ignoring the cries and pleas of someone down on their knees? Did it make you feel powerful?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Melanie!¡± Henrika demanded.

    ¡°Tell me, Cyclops. Who were you protecting by killing off Rainbows mom? Must have been someone important. Husband? Sibling?¡± Melanie ignored Henrika. She kept badgering Zoey until the woman finally responded.

    ¡°It is none of your concern.¡± With those final words, Zoey ignored the calls from the others and left the room.

    Getting a read on that woman was difficult. No matter what happened, she refused to get overwhelmed by the adversity that we faced. I admired that¡ªher tenacity and determination.

    She wouldn¡¯t falter. She had a goal in her mind, and she wouldn¡¯t allow anything to get in her way. Consequences be damned.

    It only strengthened my resolve to survive and win the games.

    After some time, all the players left and went their own ways around the facility. Along the way to my room, I walked past the infirmary. Perhaps subconsciously I wanted to check on the condition of Iris.

    Nicholas remained posted on the door. When our eyes made contact, he softly smiled.

    ¡°Hello, Ambrose.¡± He greeted me.

    ¡°What are you doing, Nicholas?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Making sure no one interrupts Wyatt and the other doctors as they treat Iris. Poor girl suffered a mental breakdown.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bet. She did watch her mother get murdered.¡± I mentioned.

    ¡°No one should ever have to witness something as gruesome as that. I never imagined Caius would do such a thing¡­¡± Nicholas removed his shades then rubbed his temples. The bags under his eyes were horrendous. The stress he must¡¯ve accumulated over the past week certainly took their toll on him.

    Out of all the players, Nicholas rivaled Zoey in having a calm and collected demeanor. Not once I had seen either of them lose their composure.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    How could they do that?

    Zoey, I understood. As a former detective, the cases she must¡¯ve participated in must not have been for the faint of heart.

    However, Nicholas, on the other hand, I couldn¡¯t understand how he could always remain so calm. He was a therapist. His line of work didn¡¯t require dealing with death directly.

    ¡°Are you surprised? Caius has proven time and time again how heartless he is.¡± I stated. ¡°In fact, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he wasn¡¯t even human at all.¡±

    ¡°Now, now, try not to veer too far away from reality, Ambrose.¡± Nicholas returned his shades to his face. ¡°We have enough problems on our hands. We do not need to add you losing your mind to the pile.¡±

    ¡°I assure you that I¡¯m far from losing my mind,¡± I averted my eyes from him. ¡°I¡¯ve seen worse than a hit and run. What about you though? How do you manage to keep it all together?¡±

    Nicholas leaned against the wall then folded his arms. He tilted his head down, keeping his gaze on the floor. ¡°I am a therapist, Ambrose. It is my job to keep a cool head at all times and listen to the worries and problems of others. If I had such a weak constitution, I would not have accepted to play in these games.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fair, I guess¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you not satisfied with my answer?¡± He raised his head.

    ¡°Whether I¡¯m satisfied or not isn¡¯t the issue. I¡¯m only asking out of curiosity in the first place,¡± I answered. ¡°Speaking of which, who do you talk to about your problems?¡±

    ¡°There was a friend to whom I spoke with frequently. However, since our stay in Serendipity, I mainly talk to Wyatt.¡±

    Before our conversation could go any further, the door to the infirmary opened. Out came Wyatt¡ªhis expression was grim. No good news could ever come from a look like that.

    ¡°I have finished treating Iris. You can come see her if you want.¡± He solemnly said before he walked back into the room. Nicholas and I followed.

    All three of us stood by Iris¡¯ bedside. The poor girl only lied there¡ªmotionless. It pained me to see the hyperactive girl, whom would often burst with limitless light and energy, lie there completely unresponsive. It just went to show how much the games had changed her.

    Perhaps she would¡¯ve been better off never learning about the games in the first place. Serendipity was no place for her.

    ¡°What¡¯s the diagnosis?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Iris has gone catatonic. She was overwhelmed by the shock of losing her mother. That combined with the death of Elena caused her to shut down.¡± Wyatt answered.

    ¡°How terrible.¡± Nicholas grimaced. ¡°Perhaps there is some way we can wake her up?¡±

    ¡°Well, I will not say that it is impossible. However, I am not confident that we would be able to accomplish such a feat.¡±

    ¡°We have to try, do we not? We cannot leave her like this.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked. Both their heads turned towards me as I continued, ¡°What¡¯s the worst that could happen to leave her like this? She won¡¯t have to worry about playing any more games. Anything else that happens from here on, she won¡¯t have to deal with any of it. If you ask me, she¡¯s perfectly secure in the position she¡¯s in now.¡±

    ¡°Ambrose?! How could you say such a thing?!¡± Wyatt scolded me.

    ¡°What? Would you prefer for her to suffer more throughout our time here? With Elena gone, Iris is now the weakest one out of the players. As you can clearly see the state she¡¯s in.¡± I said as I pointed to her to make my point. Nothing I said was out of spite, but rather compassion. That girl had suffered more than enough pain and strife.

    In my opinion, perhaps it was best if she didn¡¯t wake up anytime soon.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but still¡­¡± Wyatt stopped once Nicholas placed his hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°Let us try not to argue here.¡± He pleaded. ¡°For now, let us leave Iris be and give her time to rest. If nothing changes in the next few days, then we will try to search for some methods to wake her up.¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s expression became strained. He looked back and forth between Iris and Nicholas¡ªweighing his options. Eventually, he released a sigh, showing his resentment of his choice.

    ¡°Fine. We will leave her be for now.¡± He nodded his head. ¡°But, we must hurry and get out of this place. Every game played has resulted in someone gaining an injury. I fear for what may happen in the next one.¡±

    ¡°You are right. Hopefully, that last game will frighten the traitors to vote on leaving tomorrow.¡± Nicholas said.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bet on that,¡± I said. ¡°If Frederick''s death didn''t deter the traitors on day one. Then, I¡¯m sure the death of Elena, and Iris¡¯ mother won¡¯t have any effect either.¡±

    ¡°Damn it! What is taking Zoey so long to find them?¡± Wyatt balled his hand into a fist.

    ¡°To be fair, a lot of things have been happening lately. You cannot expect her to find the traitors so easily.¡± Nicholas had come to the woman¡¯s defense.

    Wyatt glanced at Nicholas then responded, ¡°She found Elena¡¯s murderer in two days. How long could it take to find the traitors among us?¡±

    Since the conversation veered from its original purpose, I tried to leave the room. But, Wyatt aggressively called out to me. I stopped mere inches away from the door.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I demanded. I didn¡¯t bother to turn around and face him.

    ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± He questioned me.

    ¡°Back to my room. I only came here to check on Iris. Now that I¡¯ve done that, I¡¯m going to bed.¡± I answered.

    ¡°You chose a rather interesting time to leave the conversation. Was there something about it that troubled you?¡±

    That bastard. He didn¡¯t even try to hide the malice in his words. There was no doubt about it.

    He suspected me.

    That one small action of mine caused him to doubt me. I mentally cursed at myself for not having read the mood and situation. But, I wasn¡¯t worried. I believed I could talk my way out of it one way or another.

    ¡°No, nothing.¡± I dismissively answered.

    ¡°Really? How odd. I figured that you would get upset if you learned others were keeping you here against your will.¡±

    His gaze. I could feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head.

    ¡°Wyatt, perhaps this is not the time to talk about this.¡± Nicholas had come to my defense.

    ¡°I think it is a perfect time. To be honest, Ambrose. I have suspected that you have been one of the traitors for the longest time now.¡± Wyatt shamelessly revealed.

    Silence filled the room. Tension weighed down on my entire body. Why wouldn¡¯t it?

    He was right on the money.

    I was one of the traitors. However, I wasn¡¯t anymore. Not at that moment.

    But, Wyatt didn¡¯t know that.

    I had no intention of telling him. I wouldn¡¯t entertain the idea of letting him know that I was one of them. His reaction to that information was clear as day to me.

    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± I slowly turned around to face the doctor. ¡°Tell me, Wyatt. What made you come to that conclusion? You best have compelling evidence.¡±

    ¡°That reaction alone is more than enough.¡± Wyatt crossed the room then stopped right in front of me.

    There it was. His signature scowl. He looked at me with such disgust and contempt. I recognized looks like that. To him, I was nothing more than garbage.

    Maybe he was right. However, it didn¡¯t change the fact that it pissed me the hell off.

    ¡°More than enough?¡± I asked, trying my best to conceal my irritation.

    ¡°An innocent person would have immediately denied such an accusation. But, you, however, did not attempt to do so. That in itself is all the proof that I need.¡± His gaze grew fiercer.

    If not for the no physical violence rule, I was certain that he would have tried to kill me.

    ¡°If I had tried to deny it. Would you have believed me?¡± I countered. ¡°You said it yourself that you suspected me for a long time now. Would your suspicions of me have been cleared so quickly if I had denied it?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. But, I guess we will never know now. It is evident to those in this room that you are one of them.¡±

    ¡°You know, Wyatt. You keep going on and on about how I¡¯m a traitor. But, you haven¡¯t shown any evidence to back up that accusation. I¡¯m getting tired of hearing all your barking. Put up or shut up.¡± I demanded.

    Wyatt¡¯s brows furrowed. Beads of sweat trickled down his cheek.

    It was far too late to back down. The ring had been set. We¡¯d verbally throw down until one of us reigned victoriously. I¡¯d do whatever was necessary to come out on the winning side.

    Wyatt struck the first blow and presented a piece of his argument, ¡°On the first day we arrived in Serendipity, you chose to keep the reason you are here a secret. What do you have to hide, Ambrose?¡±

    ¡°Nothing that is any concern of yours. What does that have to do with me possibly being a traitor?¡±

    ¡°If you are hiding the very reason as to why you are here, then who is to say that you are not hiding the fact that you are a traitor?¡± He pointed an accusing finger at me.

    ¡°How baseless. Did you spend all night thinking of that?¡± I mocked him. ¡°If you¡¯re going off that assumption, then you must believe that Henrika, Klara, and Zoey are traitors as well.¡±

    ¡°Please stop with this argument. There is no point to this.¡± Nicholas cut in. But, his voice didn¡¯t reach us.

    ¡°I¡¯ll start pointing the fingers now. In your current situation, you¡¯re tied with other players, and your position in the rankings doesn¡¯t give you enough money for a heart transplant.¡± I pointed out. ¡°Heart transplants are very challenging and risky. I¡¯d wager you¡¯d need at least close to one million dollars to afford the surgery.¡±

    Wyatt gritted his teeth and took a step back. My words hit their mark. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The doctor paused. His eyes averted away from me.

    I didn¡¯t hesitate to continue my verbal counterattack.

    ¡°You revealed your reason for being here quite easily. Now, let me show you why that was a huge mistake on your part.¡± I returned Wyatt¡¯s gesture and got in his face. I saw my scowling face in the reflection of his wide eyes. ¡°You want to save your wife, yes? You came all this way just to do that. I refuse to believe that you would come here, risk your life, only to go back to her with nothing to show for it. What kind of man would you be if you did that?¡±

    ¡°Do not mention my wife¡­¡± He demanded.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have known about her if you hadn¡¯t brought her up on day one. The very reason you¡¯re here is suspicious enough to accuse you of being a traitor. You don¡¯t have enough money for the heart transplant, do you?¡±

    Wyatt smacked his lips then shook his head. ¡°No, I do not.¡±

    ¡°That very fact alone should be more than enough evidence to prove that you¡¯re one of the traitors. Your very actions and motivation are what points to you.¡±

    Before I could say any more, Wyatt grabbed my collar then shouted, ¡°I am not a traitor! You son of a bitch!¡± He pulled his fist back then swung.

    His fist fueled by rage had come exceedingly close to connecting with my face. I did not attempt to block or dodge it after all. If he wanted to strike me, that was all on him.

    But, it suddenly stopped. It was there¡ªmerely inches away from my face. It was if some external force prevented him from following through.

    A single punch would¡¯ve ended his life. For a single moment, a feeling of disappointment crossed my body.

    That was dangerous. Far too dangerous.

    Was I expecting him to hit me? Did I want him to die? I knew that he pissed me off, but he was justified. And yet, I wasn¡¯t satisfied with the turn of events.

    I almost got the man killed.

    ¡°Look, we can go back and forth pointing fingers at each other. But, it won¡¯t solve anything. None of us have concrete evidence that we¡¯re traitors or not. For now, let¡¯s just keep moving forward and hope for a better tomorrow.¡± I said.

    ¡°You think that is possible? In the situation we are in now?¡± Wyatt questioned me. His entire body trembled as he lowered his arm down to his side.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. As I said, all I can do is hope. I¡¯m sorry for what I said. I hope that you survive and save your wife.¡± I turned my back to the doctor then left the room.

    Although my apology seemed hollow¡ªI sincerely meant it. It was never my intention to bring the doctor such strife at that moment. I had lost it¡ªmy temper. If I hadn¡¯t left¡ªI feared for what would¡¯ve occurred further down the line.

    I didn¡¯t want to lead someone to death.

    Not again.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 27 - Another Down!

    Day nine.

    I awoke to nothing but the unpleasant silence. What made it even stranger was that I woke up around the same time Iris would usually come by my room. My body grew accustomed to her forceful routine.

    However, on that day, she never came by the room. She couldn¡¯t. No update about her condition had been announced. So, as far as I was concerned, the poor girl still rested in the infirmary¡ªunresponsive.

    I didn¡¯t know how much more I could take. In just nine days everyone went through a roller-coaster of disaster. Tensions were high, and an unexplained feeling lingered within me.

    I had to leave Serendipity. No matter what, I had to do it.

    When I left my room, the sound of hurried footsteps and ragged breaths greeted my ears. I turned in the direction of the sounds. The source had come from Henrika. She stopped mere inches away from me.

    Her eyes swam with tears, racing down her face and drenching her blouse. Her horrified stare pierced me with an inexplicable sense of dread. The only other time I witnessed her make such a look was when Elena died.

    My entire body stiffened¡ªfrozen by apprehension as I desperately waited for Henrika to tell me what happened.

    ¡°A-Ambrose! It¡¯s Iris! S-She¡¯s¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t bother to give her time to complete her sentence. Just from her facial expression and trembling voice alone, I could imagine only the worst.

    Next thing I knew, I took off down the hallway as fast as my legs would allow. I was never the praying type, but I couldn¡¯t help but mentally bargain with the all-powerful one to produce good results. Although, I knew deep down that would never come true. I knew what waited for me in the Infirmary room.

    At that point, I just had to confirm the situation for myself.

    When I arrived on the scene, I saw the remaining players gathered around a single bed in the Infirmary¡ªIris¡¯ bed. Mixed expressions all around. The only one that seemed to marvel at the situation was Melanie. It was like her expression alone told me everything that I wanted to know.

    No one uttered a single word to me as I approached the bed. The other players slowly stepped aside and allowed me to see what all the trouble was about.

    That was the first thing that caught my attention.

    Blood everywhere. It all poured from the hollow gaps where her eyes should¡¯ve been. The liquid of crimson seeped through an endless abyss of darkness, staining the poor girl¡¯s face, shoulders, and chest. It colored the bed sheets and even the floor.

    Her lifeless face combined with her dark gaze haunted me. I couldn¡¯t bear to look at her any longer.

    She was dead. No way she¡¯d be alive after having lost so much blood. My eyes scanned the room, searching for anything that would help me piece together what could¡¯ve happened to Iris.

    I¡¯d be damned if I just accepted the fact that she died. Iris was murdered.

    Plain and simple.

    Someone in that room was responsible for it. I swore at that moment that they would pay.

    ¡°What the fuck happened here?!¡± I demanded answers from the other players.

    ¡°We''re trying to figure that out for ourselves,¡± replied Wyatt. His face was pale. Almost blue even.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Melanie spoke up, pointing her finger at the corpse in the bed. ¡°Someone gouged out Rainbows'' eyes straight outta her sockets.¡±

    ¡°So, we have another murder mystery on our hands here,¡± Salomon stated.

    ¡°It pains me to make such an accusation, but¡­¡± Nicholas turned his head and faced Darius, who situated himself in the far corner of the room. ¡°Darius, you were not the one that did this, right?¡±

    ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t me!¡± Darius immediately declared with a desperately frantic tone of voice. ¡°I swear! I didn¡¯t do it!¡±

    ¡°You made the same pathetic excuse before with Elena! I am sure you are hiding something!¡± Wyatt approached the frightened teen then roughly grabbed the collar of his jacket. ¡°What? Killing her was not enough? So, you had to target Iris as well? Do you enjoy targeting weak and defenseless women?!¡±

    ¡°That is enough, Wyatt. It is too soon to go around accusing anyone without evidence.¡± Zoey immediately defended Darius.

    ¡°What more evidence do we need? Darius has already proven he is capable of murder.¡± Wyatt pointed out.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it! Oh, dear god! I didn¡¯t do it!¡± Darius pathetically bawled his eyes out. Even in his weakened mental state, he forced those strained words out from the bottom of his heart.

    Wyatt clicked his tongue at the sight and released Darius.

    ¡°So, how should we proceed with this situation?¡± inquired Nicholas.

    ¡°For starters, I am going to conduct an autopsy on Iris. Confirming how she died will help us determine who her killer is.¡± Wyatt answered. He then wandered off to the other side of the room, collecting all the supplies he¡¯d need for the autopsy.

    ¡°You think Caius would be generous enough excuse us from the games while we investigate?¡± Henrika wondered.

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Caius suddenly appeared from behind us. All of us stepped back, startled by the sudden intrusion.

    ¡°Were you waiting by the door the entire time?¡± Zoey questioned the game moderator, giving him a skeptical gaze.

    ¡°That is not important,¡± Caius dismissed the question with a sly wave of his hand. ¡°I am here to inform you that the games will proceed as usual, despite the death of Iris.¡±

    ¡°What? But this is a serious matter! Surely finding the killer is more important than some stupid games!¡± Wyatt yelled.

    Utterly stunned by the revelation, Caius released an overdramatized shriek.

    ¡°I cannot believe what I am hearing! I have gone through a lot of work for these games to happen! I will not allow a single death to get in the way!¡± Caius stood firm in his declaration. ¡°If you wish to investigate the murder, that is fine. But, when it comes time for the games to begin, the games will commence. Understand?¡±

    ¡°What if we play the same game as before?¡± Zoey suggested.

    ¡°Playing the same game twice? What blasphemy are you spouting?¡± Caius yelled¡ªas if it was the worst thing he had ever heard in his entire life. ¡°Do you realize how boring that is? No! I will not allow it!¡±

    ¡°But, if we don¡¯t, then the killer will get away with this!¡± Henrika pleaded.

    ¡°That is of no concern of mine.¡± Caius turned his back to us. ¡°Should you manage to find the killer yourselves, you are all more than welcome to punish them in the games.¡±

    ¡°Sweet. I¡¯m looking forward to finding out who did it.¡± Melanie nonchalantly accepted the situation.

    ¡°Well then, I have other matters to attend to. Good luck with your endeavors. I shall see you all for the games later tonight.¡±

    And with that, Caius left the room without a care in the world. The lives of the players were meaningless to him. A murderer lied among us¡ªthreatening to take us down along with Iris.

    ¡°Bastard. I am going to find the one responsible for this. I swear it.¡± Wyatt furiously declared. He set up the supplies for the autopsy on the table next to him. Afterward, he looked at us and demanded, ¡°I want everyone to leave the room now. I need complete silence while I work. I will alert everyone when the job is done.¡±

    No one offered any objections to his demands. Without another word, everyone left the room then went their separate ways. Instead of going to my room, I headed for the lounge. After everything I endured the past couple of days, I needed a drink.

    I secured my spot in the lounge and proceeded to drown my sorrows with the devil¡¯s nectar. The burning sensation the alcohol gave me as it went down my throat paled in comparison to the scorching rage in my chest.

    I shook my head and grimaced at the bad taste in my mouth and the disturbing imagery in my head. Varied emotions swirled inside of me, building up until it burst. My grip on the glass up tightened enough to shatter it into pieces. Shards of glass tore into my flesh.

    But, the pain didn¡¯t register.

    I merely sat there and watched as my blood dripped from my hand to the table. The images of Elena and Iris¡¯ corpses flashed through my mind¡ªalong with many others. They all died in such horrible, gruesome ways imaginable.

    They didn¡¯t deserve it.

    None of it.

    Why did they have to suffer?

    ¡°Ambrose?¡± A soft voice had come from behind me. Afterward, I felt the person¡¯s hand grasp my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding¡­¡±

    I slowly looked over my shoulder. The person was none other than Henrika. She grabbed my wounded hand and inspected it.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± I dismissed her. I tried to pull my hand away, but she held it firmly.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°You say that. But, you¡¯re losing quite a bit of blood here. We¡¯re gonna have to get this fixed up in the infirmary.¡±

    ¡°Go away.¡±

    ¡°No can do.¡± She shook her head with a stern expression. ¡°As of right now, I don¡¯t want to be alone. Not with there being a killer on the loose.¡±

    ¡°And you immediately assume that I¡¯m not the killer?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Henrika stood up and pulled me to my feet. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you to the infirmary.¡±

    She forced me along with her. I didn¡¯t have the strength to resist her. I didn¡¯t know if it was because of the alcohol, or all the stress my body accumulated. Either way, I was at her mercy again.

    When we arrived at the Infirmary, Wyatt had finished with the procedure of Iris¡¯ autopsy. He appeared startled when we entered.

    ¡°Ambrose? Henrika? What are you two doing in here?¡± His expression was¡ªgrim. His body language also unsettled me.

    ¡°Ambrose¡¯s hand is injured,¡± Henrika informed him, pointing to my bloodied hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. She¡¯s the one making a big deal out of it.¡± I complained.

    ¡°You¡¯re dripping blood all over the place, and there are glass shards in your hand. You could die of blood loss or infection if left untreated.¡± Henrika sharply turned to face me then repeatedly wagged her finger in my face. She truly carried herself as a mother figure.

    ¡°She is right. We should get that looked at.¡± Wyatt approached me and took my hand. After a quick inspection, he brought me over to one of the medical beds, then wandered over to the cabinets to gather supplies.

    Henrika stood by the exit, watching me like a hawk¡ªas if I¡¯d try to make a break for it. The thought did cross my mind. But, I didn¡¯t plan to put it into action.

    ¡°So, care to explain to me how you injured your hand?¡± Wyatt inquired as he began to remove the glass shards from my hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± I averted my gaze from him. ¡°Worry about Iris. Did you learn anything from the autopsy?¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s face went pale again. When he removed the last shard from my hand, he poured disinfectant alcohol over the wound. It stung like hell¡ªbut the pain meant that it was working.

    ¡°Well, I learned that the bracelet did not kill her. I did not find a puncture wound on her left arm.¡± He informed us. ¡°However, her right arm was riddled with horizontal scars.¡±

    ¡°Horizontal scars?¡± Henrika softly repeated. Cautiously, she wandered over to Iris¡¯ body. She gazed at the girl¡¯s right arm and saw them¡ªthe scars.

    ¡°Looks like Iris has attempted to kill herself on numerous occasions.¡± Wyatt sadly revealed. ¡°My diagnosis is that she died from blood loss.¡±

    ¡°After getting one¡¯s eyes gouged out, yeah, I¡¯d assume they¡¯d die from that,¡± I said.

    ¡°No. I believe that the removal of her eyes was done post-mortem,¡± Wyatt shook his head then grabbed Iris¡¯ right arm. He raised it up then showed us the freshest cut. The blood from before had completely dried. ¡°My theory is that the killer witnessed the scars on Iris¡¯ arm, then slit her wrist so that she could bleed out. That way, we would assume that Iris committed suicide.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why did they go as far as to remove her eyes?¡± Henrika wondered.

    ¡°That part is a complete mystery to me,¡± Wyatt said before he placed his hand over his mouth as if fighting back the urge to hurl. ¡°But, if I were to guess, I would say that the killer did it to conceal their mistake.¡±

    ¡°Mistake?¡± I asked.

    Wyatt directed our attention to the cut across Iris¡¯ wrist once again. ¡°The angle of the cut gives away that Iris did not commit suicide. I approximated the direction of entry by looking at the tangential surface of the wound edge. The wound is angled downward toward the left. This suggests that Iris used her left hand to cut herself.¡±

    ¡°Well, that only makes sense, right?¡± Henrika asked. ¡°Since the cuts are on Iris¡¯ right arm, it only goes to show that she used her left arm to cut herself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that was only with the previous cuts. This cut, however, is entirely different from the rest of them.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± I asked.

    I couldn¡¯t spot any significant difference between the rest of the cuts. Sure, the length of each cut was different. But, I hardly believed that was what the doctor referred to.

    ¡°The tangential surfaces of the other cuts are angled towards the left. Also, there are slight deviations from the previous cuts¡ªmost likely from Iris flinching or cringing each time she cut herself. However, the most recent one points towards the right.¡±

    ¡°So, whoever cut Iris is right handed?¡± Henrika assumed.

    ¡°It is a possibility, but I would not base the assumption entirely on that,¡± Wyatt responded. ¡°Anyway, what I am trying to explain is that the most recent cut is far too different from the ones Iris did to herself. This cut is more practical¡ªprecise¡ªwell performed.¡±

    Henrika moved in closer and examined the cut for herself. A silent hum had escaped from her lips before she backed away.

    ¡°He¡¯s right. It looks completely straight. No hesitance in the cut.¡± She pointed out.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re now one hundred percent sure that Iris was murdered. Next order of business¡ªfiguring out what was used to cut her.¡± I said. ¡°Any clue as to what sharp object was used, Wyatt?¡±

    The Doctor paused. He appeared deep in thought. We waited in tense silence until he finally answered, ¡°After measuring the length and width of the cut, I concluded that the object used was sharp on only one edge. The wound has one sharp edge and a dull edge.¡±

    ¡°Something that¡¯s bothering me is how the killer bypassed the no physical violence rule,¡± Henrika commented.

    ¡°She has a point,¡± I agreed. ¡°when someone gets cut, that¡¯s physical violence. I don¡¯t see how the killer manipulated that rule.¡±

    ¡°I believe that this is a matter of perspective at this point.¡±

    Our heads turned toward the entrance¡ªZoey entered the room with her usual stern expression. She wandered over to Iris and examined the body. It made me uncomfortable with how she made it seem so easy. There were no signs of hesitance in her movements.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Wyatt rushed over to Zoey and stood between her and Iris.

    ¡°Examining the corpse,¡± answered Zoey¡ªas if it were natural.

    ¡°The corpse?! Show some god damn respect!¡±

    ¡°Why are you getting in my way? You examined the corpse yourself, did you not? You had your turn. Now move aside.¡± Zoey demanded.

    ¡°There you go again, referring to Iris as a corpse¡ªlike you do not even recognize her anymore! How can you be so cold-hearted?!¡±

    ¡°Now is not the time to worry about pointless feelings. My concern right now is to find out who killed her. And you are preventing me from doing that.¡±

    ¡°Please stop fighting,¡± Henrika stood between the other players, keeping them at arm¡¯s length. ¡°We should work together to find the killer. Wyatt, let Zoey examine Iris.¡±

    Wyatt clicked his tongue and stormed out of the room¡ªnot muttering another word.

    ¡°What¡¯s his problem?¡± I asked while I bandaged my wound.

    ¡°No idea.¡± Henrika shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Anyway, what did you mean earlier, Zoey? That this situation was a matter of perspective?¡±

    Zoey turned her back to us and proceeded with her examination. ¡°This is just a hunch. But, what if physical violence could not be determined in this case?¡±

    ¡°How can it not be determined? Wyatt said so himself that he believes Iris was cut.¡± I mentioned.

    ¡°I believe that theory as well. However, we lack critical evidence to prove that fact.¡± Zoey pointed to Iris¡¯ sockets. ¡°The object used to cut her was not large. There are no cuts around her sockets. So, it is safe to assume the object was long and thin.¡±

    ¡°So, why does Iris getting cut not count as physical violence?¡± Henrika questioned.

    ¡°How can one determine physical violence if the assaulted is unresponsive?¡± Zoey suddenly proposed the question.

    ¡°W-What?!¡± Henrika stammered.

    ¡°It is mentioned in the rules that if a player is caught physically harming another player, the offender will be disqualified and killed on the spot,¡± Zoey reminded us. ¡°However, if the one being harmed is unresponsive¡ªwho is to say they are hurt?¡±

    ¡°Are you fucking with me?! The killer managed to escape death because of such a loophole?!¡± I exclaimed.

    Anger swelled inside of my body once again. I figured that loopholes existed in the rules. However, I didn¡¯t think that someone could manipulate them to such an extent. Iris¡¯ killer managed to survive on a fucking technicality.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­¡± Henrika brought her hand to her face then took a seat on one of the medical beds.

    ¡°The fucking coward,¡± I clenched my hands into fists. ¡°So, the murderer found a loophole in the rules, then capitalized on it. Bastard. They won¡¯t get away with it.¡±

    ¡°To kill someone so helpless, defenseless¡­the killer must be a complete monster.¡± Henrika solemnly said.

    ¡°And we¡¯re stuck in here with them. Sooner or later, we¡¯ll find the fucker.¡± I swore it. One way or another, the killer would be revealed, even if I had to find them myself.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 28 - Crossroads!

    After Zoey completed her examination of Iris¡¯ corpse¡ªshe rounded up the remaining players into the cafeteria. Well, all except for Klara, who had refused to leave the sanctuary of her room. Smart move, but also suspicious. Everyone found their seats at one of the tables. We sat there in heavy silence, unsure of what to make of the situation. Another murder had occurred right under our noses. One of us were the culprits.

    Tensions were high.

    We didn¡¯t know who we could completely trust.

    ¡°So, is anyone gonna do something or what?¡± The first complaint had come from Melanie. The girl irritably tapped her fingernails against the table. ¡°I got shit to do and I don¡¯t wanna be here all fucking day!¡±

    ¡°What could you possibly have to do that is more important than this?¡± Henrika questioned her.

    ¡°Anything. Absolutely anything.¡± The punk girl responded dryly.

    ¡°You seem to be in quite a hurry to leave, Melanie.¡± Nicholas pointed out. ¡°Perhaps there is something you are trying to hide from the group?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear that from you of all people, Shades.¡± She pointed accusingly at the man.

    Nicholas raised his shades to his forehead and sent the girl a quizzical glance. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Zoey demanded. She stood up from her seat and took charge of the meeting. ¡°I requested that we all meet here because of Iris¡¯ death. As you all know, she was murdered by one of us.¡±

    ¡°But the question lies as to which one of us, right?¡± Salomon asked.

    ¡°So, what? You wanna have us give out our alibi¡¯s like before?¡± Melanie assumed.

    ¡°That would be a nice start,¡± Zoey affirmed with a nod of her head. ¡°I want to try and point out the killer as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°So, hypothetically speaking, even if you do find out who the killer is¡ªwhere does that get us? It¡¯s not like any of you retards are gonna do anything to them.¡± Her gaze of judgment rested on Darius. ¡°Dumbass over there killed Funbags, and yet he¡¯s gone unpunished.¡±

    ¡°Since when did you care about punishing people?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Have you awakened a sense of justice?¡± Salomon sarcastically asked.

    That was far from the truth. Not a single shred of justice resided in that thing she called a body. All I could sense from her was malice. A need¡ª a desire for chaos and destruction.

    ¡°I¡¯m just stating the facts,¡± Melanie nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders. Her tone, her body language, she appeared so unconcerned with the entire situation. She acted no different during Elena¡¯s murder investigation. Nothing seemed to faze the girl.

    ¡°Regardless if they are punished or not, I would still like to know who they are,¡± Nicholas said. ¡°I do not feel safe being in the same room with a murderer.¡±

    ¡°Smug bastard,¡± Melanie commented.

    ¡°Anyway, before we begin with the alibis. We should start with a summary of Iris¡¯ autopsy report.¡± Zoey said. Her gaze shifted over to Wyatt, who had strangely been quiet the entire time. ¡°Wyatt, would you care to fill us in?¡±

    Silence.

    All eyes moved to the doctor, who seemed to be off in his own world. He merely sat there in silence, as if he were left in a daze. It wasn¡¯t until he was called again did the man respond.

    ¡°Huh? What? I am sorry. What is going on?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Pay attention, Doc!¡± Melanie commanded, snapping her fingers together with an irritable expression. ¡°We wanna hear your autopsy report!¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Wyatt collected himself and went over his autopsy report with the others. Mixed expressions crossed the faces of the other players as Wyatt went into extreme detail about everything that he found.

    ¡°So, because one cut was different from the rest, the killer decided to fuck up Rainbows by gouging her eyes out?¡± Melanie summed up the report in her own, sick and demented way. ¡°Sounds like overkill to me. I like it.¡±

    ¡°This is coming from the girl that lodged knives into a dead body,¡± Henrika angrily commented.

    ¡°You got a problem with that?¡± Melanie taunted.

    ¡°Now is not the time to argue amongst ourselves,¡± Nicholas stated. ¡°Another murder has occurred, and we must find out who the killer is. If not, I fear these heinous acts will continue.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Yeah, I bet.¡± Melanie agreed with a firm nod of her head. ¡°So, we go in a circle and tell everyone where we were at the time of the murder, right?¡±

    ¡°I will start,¡± Wyatt volunteered. ¡°Iris¡¯ estimated time of death was around 4 A.M¡­around that time; I was alone in my room¡ªasleep. So, I guess that makes me a suspect.¡±

    ¡°I was asleep in my room too.¡± Melanie rested her head against the table, possibly bored of the situation.

    ¡°Same here,¡± Darius nodded his head.

    The pattern continued for the others. Around that time, everyone revealed that they were in their rooms.

    Likely stories all around.

    One of them had to be lying. But, without evidence to back up my suspicions, I would only cause more harm than good.

    ¡°Well, this has gotten us nowhere.¡± Melanie complained.

    ¡°One of us has to be lying,¡± Henrika stated, looking between each of the players as she continued, ¡°Someone killed Iris. I refuse to believe that we were all conveniently sleeping around the time of her death.¡±

    ¡°I believe that is completely possible,¡± interjected Nicholas. ¡°Wyatt estimated Iris¡¯ death around 4 A.M., and the cause of death was blood loss. It can take some time for someone to bleed out. So, perhaps the killer cut Iris earlier in the day, then left her to her fate.¡±

    That was the only possible situation that stuck in my mind. It had to be the only explanation.

    ¡°How smart, Shades.¡± Melanie agreed with the assumption.

    ¡°I can see that.¡± Salomon nodded his head.

    ¡°But, where does that get us? Everyone is still a suspect then.¡± Wyatt stated. ¡°Since we cannot determine when Iris was cut, everyone that entered the infirmary is under suspicion.¡±

    ¡°So, that would leave me out of the guilty box.¡± Melanie confidently declared. ¡°I never went into the infirmary room the other day. So, I guess I¡¯m in the clear!¡±

    ¡°Can anyone vouch that you weren¡¯t in the infirmary room yesterday?¡± Henrika sent a suspicious glance towards Melanie. ¡°You could have snuck in at any time when no one was around.¡±

    ¡°No. The girl may be right.¡± Wyatt had come to Melanie¡¯s defense surprisingly. ¡°I was in the infirmary room for nearly the entire day. I never saw her come in.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ever leave the room to go to the bathroom or something? She could have snuck into the room during those times and cut her then.¡± Henrika remained adamant with her theory.

    ¡°It is a possibility,¡± Wyatt brought his hand up to his chin, deep in thought. ¡°I may have only been away for about a minute or so. That is enough time to cut someone and leave undetected.¡±

    ¡°You both seem determined in setting me as the killer again, huh?¡± Melanie complained. However, I couldn¡¯t sense a single amount of concern in her voice. She gave off mixed signals that she was involved, and yet not involved. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad theory. But, that¡¯s all it is. Unless someone saw me go into the Infirmary room, I¡¯m clear from blame. Perhaps you should suggest those that went into that room.¡±

    ¡°If we go off that, then everyone besides Melanie would be a suspect,¡± Salomon stated.

    ¡°No, we can go a step further than that,¡± interjected Wyatt. ¡°Other than the time we all gathered to check on Iris. Only a few other people entered the Infirmary while I was there.¡±

    ¡°Who were they?¡± Nicholas inquired.

    ¡°Darius, Henrika, and Nicholas. They were the only three that I saw come into the Infirmary room while I was there.¡± He sternly revealed. Gazes of judgment moved to those three individuals.

    The first one that cracked under the pressure was Darius.

    ¡°What? No! I didn¡¯t kill her!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°I only went to the Infirmary because I needed to apply cream to my burns and change my bandages! You can tell them, Wyatt! I never went anywhere near Iris!¡±

    ¡°I did go to check on Iris,¡± Henrika revealed. ¡°However, I didn¡¯t touch her. Wyatt made it clear for me not to do that.¡±

    ¡°I went to check on Iris and Wyatt. But, I never got close to Iris.¡± Nicholas said.

    All three of them pleaded their cases. Wyatt confirmed each of their statements. So, we hadn¡¯t come any closer to finding Iris¡¯ killer. There wasn¡¯t much to go on in the first place.

    We spent about an hour arguing back and forth, throwing speculations and accusations at one another. However, all we managed to do was waste time. Before we even knew it, the time for the seventh game drew near. We were at a crossroads.Exhausted from all the arguing, we called it a day and went our separate ways. I headed to my room. Just before I entered, a horrifying shout carried through the halls.

    With great haste, I charged down the hallway and headed in the direction of the noise. When I arrived, I found Wyatt on the floor with the other players gathered around him. The doctor ignored our presence. His eyes horridly gazed at the door to his room.

    His face was beyond the point of mere paleness¡ªbut a ghostly white.

    ¡°Wyatt? What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± Henrika exclaimed.

    He didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Wyatt! Say something!¡± Nicholas pleaded.

    Still no response.

    ¡°What the fuck¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Melanie nonchalantly poked Wyatt in the face.

    As if the lights in Wyatt¡¯s brain had turned on, the doctor returned to reality. He looked around in a daze, the color in his face slowly returned.

    ¡°Wyatt?¡± Zoey called out to him.

    ¡°Y-Yes?¡± He nervously answered.

    ¡°Are you okay? We heard you scream and came running.¡± Salomon told him.

    ¡°A scream? Oh, right, yes¡­forgive me,¡± Wyatt slowly returned to his feet and took a few deep breaths to regain what was left of his composure. ¡°When I entered my room, I saw a spider hanging down in front of my face. I am deathly afraid of spiders.¡±

    A nervously forced laugh leaked from his mouth. Everyone stood bewildered¡ªunsure of how to respond to the information. For such a scream of horror to leave Wyatt¡¯s mouth, all for a spider, it left me with conflicted feelings.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?! You screamed like a bitch because of a fucking spider?!¡± Melanie berated him. ¡°Damn it! I thought someone had died again! Fuck! What a complete waste of my time!¡±

    The girl stormed off in a rage. But, no one paid her any mind.

    ¡°I am truly sorry for causing such unnecessary problems for everyone. Please do not worry about me anymore. I will head back to my room and get some rest.¡±

    ¡°Do you want one of us to deal with the spider?¡± Darius suggested.

    ¡°No!¡± Wyatt hastily refused the offer. ¡°No, that will not be necessary. I am a grown man. I will take care of it myself.¡±

    The doctor quickly scanned the bracelet across the scanner and entered his room¡ªimmediately closing it without another word to anyone. Although highly suspicious, no one could figure out the cause behind the man¡¯s odd behavior. One by one, everyone separated once again.

    When I tried to head back to my room, I was confronted by Henrika. The woman grabbed my arm and declared, ¡°I need to speak with you in private, Ambrose. It¡¯s important.¡±

 Alea Ludo Chapter 29 - Alliance!

    I got forced into another troublesome situation. Once again by the forceful actions of Henrika. She pulled me aside from the group and requested to speak with me in private. That stubborn woman didn¡¯t even give me time to respond. Next thing I knew, I found myself sitting on the edge of the woman¡¯s bed. She sat directly across from me in one of the chairs in the room. The meaning behind her acute gaze drowned my mind with many questions.

    What did she want to speak with me about? Why had she chosen me out of everyone else?

    An awkward silence lingered in the room. Although our eyes met, it seemed as if she looked right through me. Her face wore an incomprehensible expression; as if so much weighed on her troubled mind.

    I couldn¡¯t blame her.

    ¡°So, what was it that you wanted to speak to me about?¡± I decided to break the silence, ¡°you said that it was important, didn¡¯t you? Hurry up and spit it out.¡±

    Henrika¡¯s head raised slightly at the sound of my voice. ¡°Not one to beat around the bush, are you?¡±

    A forced laugh left her throat after her little joke. The corners of her mouth drooped as did her head.

    ¡°In this situation, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s time for that. I¡¯m tired, you know.¡± I told her with a weary tone of voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one,¡± Henrika brought her hands up to her head. ¡°We¡¯re all tired, Ambrose. So much has happened in the past few days. I¡¯m surprised I haven¡¯t lost my mind yet.¡±

    ¡°Is that the reason you brought me in here? To provide you with moral support or something?¡± I questioned her.

    ¡°No, nothing of the sort.¡± Henrika removed her hands from her head and looked at me with eyes of intense determination. ¡°The reason I brought you in here is that I want to ally with you.¡±

    It was a phrase that I never imagined I¡¯d hear from someone¡¯s mouth throughout the games. An alliance? Seriously? Was that even possible in the games?

    How would it even work? Two people form an alliance¡ªa verbal agreement to work together until they both achieve the money that they desire?

    Impossible.

    There were far too many chances for someone to get betrayed in that alliance. But, even if trust weren¡¯t an issue, the games themselves would be.

    ¡°An alliance?¡± I skeptically repeated. ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°What for? Are you kidding me?¡± Henrika leaned forward and narrowed her eyes as she continued, ¡°People are dying left and right, Ambrose. At this rate, someone else is going to die. Either we work together to survive, or we¡¯re all going to die here. That¡¯s my belief.¡±

    Acceptable logic.

    An ordinary person would''ve accepted her statement and joined her alliance. But, I wasn''t so convinced. Other than her survival and the money, I believed there was more to her request than she let on.

    My initial thought was that Henrika was scared¡ªterrified even. Possibly at her wits end from all the deaths and recent murders.

    ¡°So, you want to stick together? Watch each other¡¯s backs until we reach the end?¡± I assumed.

    ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it. Of course, there are other things I would like to address concerning the alliance.¡± Henrika eased back into her chair. ¡°Like, ensuring that we get out of here alive and find the traitors in the group.¡±

    ¡°Look at you, talking away as if I¡¯ve already accepted your proposal to join you.¡± I pointed out.

    That woman was far too careless. Forget the fact that she asked me to ally with her. She had loose lips. She caught my irritation. However, that didn¡¯t bother her at all. She continued to speak without restraint.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that you haven¡¯t accepted. But, it¡¯s also true that you haven¡¯t rejected the offer either.¡± She confidently countered, tilting her head back with an arrogant smirk as she pointed at me. ¡°You know what I¡¯m saying is sensible. You¡¯re weighing your options. Otherwise, you would¡¯ve walked right out that door long ago.¡±

    ¡°You got me there.¡± I nodded my head, acknowledging that she had me figured out. By not immediately refusing her proposal, I entertained the idea of going through with the alliance.

    ¡°As I said before, I¡¯d like for us to work together and survive. However, the traitors in our group aren¡¯t making it easy for us. The first agenda for the alliance should be finding them.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Zoey already on that?¡±

    ¡°She already has so much on her hands trying to find Iris¡¯ killer. We can¡¯t put all our faith into her. If we want to find the traitors, we¡¯ll have towalk on our own two feet.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any leads?¡±

    Henrika lowered her head and folded her arms underneath her chest. A quiet hum escaped from her throat as a thoughtful expression crossed her face.

    ¡°Besides the fact that Melanie claimed to be one of them, all we have are suspicions.¡± She answered.

    ¡°We?¡± I called her out. She immediately brought her hand over her mouth from the sudden slip of the tongue. I leaned forward and decided to press her on the matter, ¡°What did you mean by that? Who¡¯s we?¡±

    When the sly woman removed her hand from over her mouth, she immediately smacked her lips. As I suspected, she was up to something. One suspicious glance from me was all it took to get her talking.

    ¡°You caught me,¡± She shrugged her shoulders and heaved a sigh a defeat. Afterward, she spilled the beans. ¡°Besides you, there¡¯s one other person I¡¯ve allied with.¡±

    ¡°And who would that be?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°That person will not be named.¡± Henrika brought her hands up to her face then crossed her index fingers. ¡°In fact, that person doesn¡¯t even know that I¡¯m doing this.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    That woman seriously hadn¡¯t thought things through, had she? She tried to ally with me while withholding crucial information. How did she expect me to trust her when she did something like that?

    ¡°You know, you¡¯re not very good at this¡ªconvincing me to join your alliance when you keep secrets.¡± I folded my arms and leaned back.

    ¡°It¡¯s for a good cause, I swear,¡± Henrika said.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse me if I can¡¯t seem to take your word for it.¡±

    ¡°Look, Ambrose, I¡¯m scared.¡± Henrika¡¯s voice shook as she dropped her hands down to her lap. ¡°Two people were murdered outside the games. I don¡¯t want that to happen to anyone else. I don¡¯t want anyone else to die. But, I can¡¯t be everywhere at once. I need help.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where the mystery person and I come in, right?¡± I assumed.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Henrika confirmed with a nod of her head. ¡°Right now, there are only a few people left in this facility that I can trust. You¡¯re one of them. That¡¯s why I need your help. We have to get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Who do you suspect to be a traitor?¡±

    ¡°Wyatt.¡± She answered quickly. No hesitation.

    ¡°Why him? He¡¯s always talking about how he wants to leave this place as much as anybody else.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s eager to leave this place. However, I feel he¡¯s too eager¡ªor perhaps ambitious would be the correct term. If push comes to shove, I will bet that he¡¯d be willing to do whatever it takes.¡± Henrika¡¯s gaze turned intense as she continued to speak, ¡°After all, he was the only one that brought up killing the traitors on the second day.¡±

    ¡°The man wants to save his wife.¡±

    By no means was it my intention to defend him. Personally, I didn¡¯t like Wyatt all that much. But, I respected him and his tenacity. Everything that he did was for those that he loved.

    ¡°I understand that. However, Wyatt''s expressed his potential to kill someone to do so. Taking a life, or perhaps the lives of others just to save a single person is just¡­¡± Her expression had become strained as if something had lodged in her throat.

    ¡°You believe the needs of many outweigh the needs of the few?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated. Look, I know that Wyatt is in a desperate situation. We all are. Perhaps if we all could come together and explain our financial troubles, maybe we could help each other out in a way.¡±

    ¡°Impossible. Elena suggested the same thing and look where that got her.¡± I immediately dismissed the thought. Since day one, I figured that coming to a consensus with the others was a fool¡¯s dream. We all had our goals and desires. Even if they were similar, one¡¯s conviction would outweigh the others.

    ¡°Well then, we¡¯re just going to have to make it possible.¡± Henrika straightened her posture and brought her hand up to her chest. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you what I refused to tell everyone on the first day we arrived here.¡±

    The first thing that crossed my mind was the reason she joined the games. And I was right. She told me everything.

    How she was born and raised in a wealthy and influential family. Her father was a politician, and her mother was a florist. Since her father was obsessed with his job and obtaining power, he often worked a lot and neglected the family. So much that when her mother was diagnosed with a deadly disease and passed away, the man didn¡¯t even bother to show up to the funeral.

    That left a deep scar in her heart, which fueled a buried desire to see the man pay. In the act of vengeance, she revealed the corruption and scandals of her father, which got him arrested and sent to prison.

    She figured that he¡¯d learn his lesson there and come to love his family upon his release. Unfortunately, that day had never occurred. For her father got killed in a prison riot.

    Even after the loss of both parents, Henrika¡¯s suffering refused to end. She was blamed continuously and harassed by the victims of her father. It eventually escalated to where arsonists burned down her mother¡¯s flower shop.

    ¡°You joined these games to buy a new flower shop?¡± I asked once she finished her story.

    I believed that any other person would¡¯ve either laughed or spat at Henrika after hearing the story. But, I didn¡¯t do either. Who was I to judge her?

    To me, it soundedkind of stupid. Risking one¡¯s life for flowers in pots. But, I was in a similar situation. I risked my life for a place filled with the devil¡¯s nectar.

    ¡°Go ahead and laugh. I know that it sounds stupid. I regret ever allowing myself to fall victim to that man¡¯s sly words¡­¡± Henrika avoided making eye contact with me. She lowered her head and set her hands on her lap. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­my mother worked so hard to make her business succeed on her own, without having the shadow of my father¡¯s name looming over her. She taught me so much. And yet, no one cared. My mother was innocent. But the bastards burned down her shop anyway. All the years she spent tending to those flowers¡­¡±

    ¡°Henrika¡­¡± I softly called out to her.

    ¡°At first, I came here because I wanted to die. I had nothing to live for. My family was dead, the only place that I called home got burned to the ground¡ªthere was nothing left for me. So, when Tanet recruited me, I didn¡¯t care whether I lived or died,¡± Her sorrow felt words continued to pour from her mouth. ¡°But, after spending a few days here, I realized that I still have much to live for. These days of horror have made me determined to survive and start anew.¡±

    That woman beamed with newfound confidence. She exuded such an overwhelming radiance of determination and goodwill.

    It reminded me of them.

    ¡°Why me?¡± I struggled to say.

    ¡°What?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Why did you choose me to join your alliance? Aren¡¯t there more deserving people you could¡¯ve asked?¡±

    Why did it hurt so much¡ªspeaking to that woman? The longer I remained in that room, the more anxious I felt.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Henrika left her chair and approached me. She stood in front of me and placed a hand of comfort on my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re one of the most deserving people that I know.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± I shot down her words.

    ¡°I do know that,¡± She stubbornly refused to acknowledge my statement as the truth. ¡°You proved yourself during your game with Elena. You inspired her to fight for herself. You also helped her survive even though you didn¡¯t have to. If that¡¯s not deserving, then I don¡¯t know what is.¡±

    As I said, she didn¡¯t know. She didn¡¯t see the reason behind my actions. They were far from the acts of a noble knight saving a damsel in distress.

    It was greed.

    That¡¯s what drove me.

    Same with the votes. Money tempted me--swayed me. Nothing more.

    I endangered the lives of everyone in Serendipity. There were no excuses for my actions. I wanted the money. That¡¯s the bottom line. To be called deserving brought up mixed emotions. Sure, I believed that I deserved to win¡ªentitled even. But, did I?

    Were my selfish goals more important than the lives of the others? Who was I to discern that?

    ¡°Ambrose? You okay?¡± Henrika called out to me with a soft tone. I looked up at her after I felt the softness of her hand against my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re crying.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± My senses returned to me. I brought my hand up to my face. I felt them. The tears.

    When did that happen?

    I quickly used the sleeve of my shirt to rid myself of the tears. How long had it been since I cried? Far too long.

    And it had to be in front of a woman no less.

    Pathetic.

    ¡°Damn it. You caught me in an embarrassing situation,¡± I removed my sleeve from my face then forced a laugh. I couldn¡¯t look Henrika in the eyes anymore. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll join your alliance.¡±

    ¡°You will? Oh, thank god!¡± Henrika brought her hand up to her forehead then took a seat in her chair. ¡°This went better than I expected.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re reckless as hell though; I hope you know this.¡± I scolded her. ¡°What would you have done if I had refused your offer and told the others about your alliance?¡±

    Henrika opened her mouth to respond, but then quickly closed it. She averted her eyes from me with a dumbfounded expression.

    That woman had no clue what she would¡¯ve done. But I decided to join her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯d be able to lie my way out of it. My father was a politician after all,¡± Henrika shameless brought up.

    ¡°Going with that stereotype, huh?¡±

    She giggled at my joke then answered, ¡°Also, it¡¯s not like you have any proof that this conversation happened anyway. If anything, you¡¯d only cause more trouble for everyone.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty sly,¡± I commented.

    ¡°I have to be. Adapting is crucial for survival. That¡¯s what I¡¯m looking to do here¡ªsurvive.¡± Henrika¡¯s measured tone returned to her. ¡°I refuse to let these games beat me. Ambrose, work with me, ensure that we leave this place alive no matter what.¡±

    ¡°You can count on me.¡± I declared.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 30 - The Seventh Game!

    I had done it. I finalized my membership into the three-way alliance with Henrika and the mystery person. From my understanding, the three of us would work together to uncover the identities of the traitors among the other players. Upon finding them¡ªwe¡¯d wing it from there.

    Sure, it wasn¡¯t a well thought out plan. But, it was better than nothing. I had to do something to speed things up. If not, I feared for what would happen if I stayed in Serendipity for too long.

    Two people got murdered outside of the game room. The killers found loopholes in the rules and thoroughly exploited them one way or another. I didn¡¯t want to be cooped up in the same facility with them anymore.

    I thought I passed the point in my life where I¡¯d have to look over my shoulder every few seconds. But, it turned out karma tended to bring things around full circle.

    Go figure.

    With the discussion of our alliance completed, I left Henrika¡¯s room and decided to head back to my own. Almost immediately, I encountered Nicholas on my way out.

    ¡°Oh, hello, Ambrose,¡± Nicholas looked over at me then smiled.

    ¡°Hey, Nicholas,¡± I responded.

    ¡°What are you doing on this side of the facility? Is your room not on the whole other side?¡± He questioned me. He moved his shades to his forehead. His eyes beamed with curiosity.

    ¡°Henrika wanted to talk to me about something.¡± I vaguely answered.

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Nicholas brought his hand up to his chin as an unreadable expression crossed his face. Being alone with that man made me uncomfortable. I could never quite understand what went through his head at times.

    ¡°I''m going back to my room. Need to get some rest before the next game starts.¡± I bid the man farewell and tried to walk past him. But, he reached his arm out and grabbed my shoulder.

    ¡°I am sorry, but, would you mind if I asked you something?¡± Nicholas inquired.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It is about Wyatt. Do you find it odd how strange he has been acting lately?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure everyone finds it odd.¡±

    ¡°It may be nothing. But, I am going to try and talk to Wyatt. Something is wrong here, and I want to get to the bottom of it.¡±

    ¡°And you think Wyatt may have a clue?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. There is only one way to find out.¡± Nicholas turned his back to me and walked off down the hall. ¡°I am sorry if I wasted your time. I will let you know if I learn anything.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure thing.¡± I rubbed the back of my neck. Afterward, I headed back to my room. I spent the rest of the time there in solitude until the most dreadful time of the day arrived¡ªthe games.

    The seventh game. I didn¡¯t even want to begin to imagine what we were all going to witness.

    All the remaining players gathered around Caius, waiting anxiously for who out of us would get chosen to play. Like all the other times, the Game Moderator pressed the button on his tablet and activated the randomizer. Pictures of Wyatt and Nicholas were the couple of faces that matched up on the screen.

    It was a matchup no one expected.

    Out of the other players, those two often hung around each other. For comrades such as them to face one another¡ªit couldn¡¯t have been good. However, the only one that showed distress of the situation was Nicholas. Wyatt quietly stood there¡ªfrozen¡ªoff in his little world with a grim expression plastered on his face.

    Honestly, I didn¡¯t believe that a single word spoken in that room had reached him.

    ¡°I think Doc¡¯s broken,¡± Melanie approached Wyatt and waved her hand in his face. The man didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Holy shit. The fuck happened to him?¡±

    ¡°Maybe the thought of playing a game himself is too much for him to handle?¡± Salomon suggested.

    ¡°Wyatt? Wyatt, speak to us,¡± Henrika approached the man and placed her hand on his shoulders. Once she gently shook him, the doctor snapped out of his trance.

    ¡°Huh? What? What¡¯s happening?¡± Wyatt looked around in a daze. His sights soon rested on the woman in front of him.

    ¡°You and Nicholas were picked to play in the next game, Wyatt. Focus.¡± Henrika commanded.

    ¡°We cannot let our guards down, Wyatt,¡± Nicholas added.

    ¡°No need to tell me that,¡± Wyatt shook his head. ¡°I had no intention of doing that from the beginning.¡±

    ¡°Then, please go ahead and spin the wheel, Caius.¡± Nicholas requested.

    ¡°You two seem confident today. Hopefully, that confidence stays with you in today¡¯s game.¡± Caius approached the wheel and spun it. His expression filled my body with dread. He too appeared confident in the game.

    The wheel eventually stopped on a panel that depicted two stick figures operating on other stick figures.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Darius¡¯ face paled at the sight of the picture.

    ¡°Congratulations! Player number one, Wyatt Ackerman and player number six, Nicholas Damon, shall face off in a game of Operation!¡± Caius happily announced.

    ¡°Operation? Well, I guess Wyatt already has an overwhelming advantage.¡± Nicholas nonchalantly mentioned.

    ¡°While that may be true, I will not let it get to my head. I am sure that Caius will find some way to shake things up.¡± Wyatt crossed his arms and looked over to Caius. No enthusiasm crossed his face despite his advantage in the game.

    ¡°We shall see,¡± Caius didn¡¯t bother to hide the mischievous look on his face. ¡°Now, if both players are ready to proceed, follow me.¡±

    Soon enough, all three men left the room.

    Operation.

    I remembered that game. The thought of Caius manipulating that childish game made my hair stand on end. I pictured the horrors that game could offer. I hoped none of them would come to fruition.

    However, I knew better. That wasn¡¯t how things worked for me.

    Everyone¡¯s attention turned toward either the glass window or television screen. Wyatt and Nicholas stood in the middle of the game room. People in black entered the room, pushing around a wheeled table with a white cloth draped over them. Underneath the white fabric, everyone spotted the outline of a human body.

    More and more people in black entered, setting up medical equipment around them. After they left, Caius¡¯ voice echoed from the intercom and surround sound speakers.

    ¡°The game of Operation shall begin shortly,¡± He announced. ¡°I will now begin with an explanation of the rules. As the name suggests, Wyatt and Nicholas will act as surgeons and perform operations on their patient."

    ¡°Is it possible to allow a single person to operate?¡± Nicholas raised his hand. ¡°I do not do so well with blood.¡±

    ¡°It is possible,¡± Caius answered. ¡°However, it can only be done on a single part of the operation. I will not allow Wyatt to play the entire game himself. That is no fun.¡±

    ¡°I figured¡­¡± Nicholas lowered his gaze to the floor.

    ¡°Now then, would the players please remove the cloth from their patient?"

    As instructed, Wyatt and Nicholas lifted the cloth from the table. Their faces contorted at the sight of their patient.

    It was a man, possibly in his late forties with a well-groomed beard. An odd contraction with a lock resided over the man''s chest.

    "Who is this guy? What''s with that thing on his chest?" Wyatt asked as he reached his arm out and grabbed the lock. Nicholas, on the other hand, remained silent. He moved his index finger and thumb to his chin. A small smile creased across his lips. "Nicholas? You have any idea?"

    Nicholas'' smile faded. He looked up at Wyatt and shook his head. "No clue."

    "What are we going to do here, Caius?" Wyatt looked up at the security cameras for confirmation.

    "The point of the operation game is to remove specific organs and other items from the patient," Caius revealed.

    Nicholas'' face turned pale as he brought his hand over his mouth. Likely to resist the urge to hurl at the idea. "Why do we have to do that?"

    "You have not figured it out? Remember how Wyatt claimed that he needed a heart for his wife? Well, here is his chance to get one." Caius said.

    Wyatt''s eyes lit up as he examined the lock over the patient once again. "You serious? I can get a heart from this game?! Is this man''s heart even suitable, Caius?!"

    "We would not have brought him here if he was not, Wyatt," Caius said. "This is your chance to save your wife."

    "My chance to..." Wyatt kept his gaze affixed to the lock on the man''s chest. "Where''s the key?"

    "Please do not tell me that it is in the--"

    "Yes, Nicholas. The key is hidden somewhere within the body of the patient. Therefore, it is up to you two to find it." Caius revealed.

    "Great..." Nicholas'' shoulders dropped. His grimace remained plastered on his face as he looked over the body on the table. "I would not even know where to begin to look."

    "That is where these come in," Right on cue, a section of the floor split open, allowing a single table to rise from the open space. On the said table were two small decks of cards. ¡°On the table before you are your Doctor and Specialist cards. The doctor cards determine which ailment you must operate on. Should a player fail to treat the ailment, the one holding the specialist card may take a shot at it. Should that player succeed, they will get awarded double the original points.¡±

    "What kind of objects did you put in that man''s body?" Wyatt inquired.

    "You will find out when you both take turns operating on him," Caius'' tone turned menacing.

    "How do you determine if we fail to treat an ailment?" Nicholas asked.

    ¡°Like in the original game of operation, numerous objects are placed in the body of the patient. However, unlike the original, you do not have to worry about something silly like touching the sides. To make up for that lack of effect, I have decided to implement a time limit.¡± Caius answered. Right on cue once more, a section of the farthest wall split open, revealing a large screen with a timer on it. ¡°Players will be given fifteen seconds to remove the ailments from the patient. Should they fail, their turn will be over.¡±

    ¡°This is dangerous,¡± Zoey stated.

    ¡°How so?¡± asked Darius.

    "Wyatt''s goal is to get that heart by any means necessary. He hasn''t even asked Caius if the game room has been disinfected or sterilized. So, even if they get the heart, there''s a chance the heart will get infected if they remove it." Zoey answered.

    After she listed off a few potential problems with the game, the severity of the situation sank in. Wyatt¡¯s entire purpose for playing the games was right there in front of him. His wife¡¯s life rested in his hands. One misstep could prove fatal.

    The pressure the doctor felt must¡¯ve been insurmountable.

    ¡°So, how will we know when the game ends?¡± Nicholas asked.

    ¡°When all the cards on the table are gone. Now that you know the rules let the game of Operation begin!" Caius announced.

    Almost immediately, Wyatt rushed over to the table and grabbed a card. Once he gave it a quick read, he rushed over to the equipment table. In a matter of seconds, he put on the apron and gloves. The man moved with urgency and yet professionalism.

    Meanwhile, Nicholas stood in place, confused as to how to move about in the game.

    ¡°Nicholas, I need you to get your head in the game,¡± Wyatt called out to the man as he approached the patient.

    ¡°It is, but, I am not sure how to proceed,¡± said Nicholas as he stepped aside. He could only stand there and watch as Wyatt used the scalpel in his hand to make an incision down the patient¡¯s ankle.

    The blade glided across the man¡¯s skin without resistance. Wyatt quickly looked up and noticed the timer on the wall. He had ten seconds left. The doctor split open the man¡¯s torn flesh and reached inside. He pulled out a wad of tangled string.

    ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± Wyatt¡¯s face contorted in disgust as he tossed the bloody string over his shoulder without a care in the world.

    ¡°Wad of string?¡± Nicholas tilted his head to the side.

    ¡°A tangle in the ankle,¡± Wyatt corrected as he showed Nicholas the doctor card he drew from the deck earlier. The exact words displayed on the card.

    ¡°Hilarious, right?¡± Caius¡¯ joyous tone brought solemn expressions on the faces of Wyatt and Nicholas. Neither of them seemed amused by the card. ¡°Anyway, Wyatt has successfully treated the ailment. He has earned himself ten points."

    ¡°It is your turn now, Nicholas.¡± Wyatt set his card aside and gestured for the man to head for the table.

    Nicholas looked back and forth between Wyatt and the card table. Reluctantly, he approached the table and drew one of the cards. Once he read it, he followed Wyatt¡¯s example and dressed for the operation.

    Afterward, he joined Wyatt by the patient and took a few deep breaths. One hand was placed on the patient¡¯s face, keeping it steady while the other slowly inched the scalpel toward the man¡¯s throat. The blade cut deeper into the man¡¯s throat than intended, which I judged by Nicholas¡¯ frantic reaction. He quickly backed away from the patient once blood leaked from the slight opening in his throat.

    Nicholas¡¯ face turned pale as he covered his mouth with his bloodied hand. The red liquid smeared across his face, only intensifying his reaction of disgust. The once calm and collected man lost his composure, and his lunch, all over the floor.

    ¡°I guess Nicholas wasn¡¯t kidding when he said he wasn¡¯t good around blood,¡± Henrika commented. She turned her head away from the sight of the man hurling.

    ¡°This game isn¡¯t in his favor,¡± Salomon added.

    ¡°You think there¡¯s an option for him to give up? Cause if Shades is just gonna keep hurling each time he sees blood, Imma take a nap.¡± Melanie complained.

    ¡°Nicholas¡¯ time has run out! He has failed to treat the ailment! However, he may have a second chance if he has the specialist card for the throat!¡± Caius announced.

    Eventually, Nicholas straightened himself out from his hunched over position. He cleansed his face from the barf and blood with the sleeve of his shirt. Afterward, he searched through his specialist cards and heaved a sigh of relief upon not finding it.

    ¡°You have it, Wyatt. I leave it to you.¡± Nicholas showed no hesitation in passing off the objective to the doctor.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Wyatt quickly took over where Nicholas left off. He grabbed the scalpel lodged in the patient¡¯s throat, then slid it across the throat. Fortunately, he did not have to reach into the open flesh wound. A sheet of paper was visible. The doctor grabbed the paper then pulled it out.

    ¡°What does it say?¡± Nicholas turned his head away from the bloody paper, placing his hand over his mouth again just in case.

    Wyatt turned over the sheet of paper then frowned. ¡°I can''t read it. If there was something written on this paper, it''s illegible now because of the blood.¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Congratulations! Wyatt has successfully treated the note in the throat ailment! And because he used the specialist card, he has acquired double the reward points! The doctor is now in the lead with thirty points!¡± Caius declared.

    ¡°Thirty points?! Already?!¡± Melanie exclaimed. ¡°Son of a bitch! Doc is gonna take first place from me if this goes on!¡±

    To had seen Melanie act panicked for a moment brought a small smile to my face. The bitch didn¡¯t deserve a million dollars anyway.

    ¡°I don''t have time for this madness. I have to find the card that has the keys.¡± Wyatt headed for the table and drew one of the cards. He smacked his lips once he read it, but went to perform the treatment anyway.

    Like before, he cut through the designated body part¡ªwhich was the forearm that time. He reached into the wound then pulled out what appeared to be some charm.

    ¡°Charm in the forearm,¡± Wyatt revealed in monotone as he tossed the charm aside. ¡°It''s your turn now, Nicholas.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I do not know if I can keep this up¡­¡± Nicholas placed his hands on his stomach. ¡°Too much blood. I do not feel so well.¡±

    ¡°Caius, is it possible to skip turns?¡± Wyatt inquired as he turned his gaze to the security camera.

    ¡°Absolutely not! I said so in the beginning that both players must play! It does not matter if Nicholas fails or not! As long as he attempts to play, everything will be fine!¡± Caius answered.

    Wyatt returned his gaze to Nicholas then shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I''m sorry, but, you must go.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Nicholas reluctantly approached the table. He drew his card then grimaced. ¡°Oh god¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Wyatt.

    ¡°I¡­I do not want to do this¡­¡± Nicholas backed away from the table. He dropped the card then used his hand to keep his trembling one steady.

    ¡°What do you mean?!¡± Wyatt snapped at him, fiercely glaring at the man with eyes of contempt. ¡°We don''t have time for this, Nicholas! Perform the damn treatment!¡±

    ¡°Wyatt, calm down and think,¡± pleaded Nicholas, ¡°Something is wrong with this game. I believe we should think this through.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing to think through! Caius gave us all the facts! The key to save my wife is in this man''s body!"

    ¡°Yes, I know that. But, something has been bugging me since the start of the game.¡±

    Wyatt approached Nicholas and gripped the collar of his shirt. He pulled the man closer to him and whispered something into his ear. Nicholas¡¯ face paled once again after Wyatt released him. With great reluctance, Nicholas approached the body and proceeded to cut open the stomach.

    His cringed and grimaced as blood seeped through the cut and stained his hands. It must¡¯ve taken every ounce of his strength and willpower not to hurl over the body. He eventually reached into the body in search of his specified item.

    However, he quickly retracted his hand in a state of alarm when his patient let out a horrified, pained scream.

    A man believed to be dead, was in fact, not.

    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Darius exclaimed.

    ¡°Oh shit! This is getting good!¡± Melanie exasperated.

    ¡°Oh my,¡± A feigned tone of surprise had come from Caius, ¡°it appears that the sedatives we gave him have worn off.¡±

    ¡°Sedatives?! You mean he has been alive this whole time?!¡± Nicholas dropped his scalpel and stepped away from the hollering man.

    ¡°I do not recall claiming that the patient was dead. However, you should continue with the operation.¡± Caius nonchalantly suggested.

    ¡°Continue with the operation? Are you crazy? If this man has been alive the entire time, we cannot go through with this.¡± Nicholas shook his head. ¡°Wyatt! Help me close him back up! I will check and see if there are any more sedatives on the medical table!¡±

    Nicholas rushed to the medical table and desperately searched for any sedatives to nullify the pain of the hollering man. Meanwhile, Wyatt didn¡¯t budge an inch. He stood there¡ªfrozen¡ªperhaps every word was drowned out by the screams of the unfortunate patient.

    ¡°Wyatt!¡± Nicholas desperately called out to the man again. When he received no response, he rushed over to the doctor then shook him. ¡°Wyatt! Wyatt! Come on! Snap out of it!¡±

    ¡°He is¡­that man is going to die¡­¡± Wyatt mumbled.

    ¡°What?! No! We can save him! Help me save him!¡±

    Wyatt took a step back and shook his head. ¡°No. He has to die. Once he does, I can take his heart and save my wife.¡±

    ¡°Listen to yourself! A man is dying here! You are a doctor! You took an oath to save lives!¡±

    ¡°I am! I am choosing to save my wife! It is no different from a heart transplant! Someone has to die in the first place!¡±

    ¡°Have you lost your mind? If that man dies, we become murderers!¡±

    ¡°No. You are the murderer.¡± Wyatt declared as he pointed at the frightened man. ¡°You are the one that cut his stomach open like that. No reason for you to get cold feet now after all you''ve done.¡±

    ¡°I only did it because of you¡­¡± Nicholas stopped abruptly once the screams finally died down. Both Wyatt and Nicholas turned their heads and expressed complete horror as the man lied there motionless¡ªundoubtedly dead that time.

    But, Nicholas didn¡¯t want to accept it. He moved over to the patient and shook the body, calling out to the man, but received no response. Afterward, he rushed back over to the medical table in search of supplies that could potentially save him.

    ¡°Give it up, Nicholas. The man is dead.¡± Wyatt coldly told him. No ounce of guilt or remorse hinted in his tone. ¡°Let''s continue with the game until we get the key and his heart.¡±

    Nicholas slammed his hands on the table. He took several deep breaths then responded, ¡°How can you be so heartless?¡±

    It was a tone that I had never imagined would come from his mouth. Nicholas had always been so calm and collected. Even when others had died around him¡ªhe never lost his composure. But, at that moment, he snapped.

    ¡°Is that supposed to be a joke?¡± Wyatt walked over to the dead body. ¡°Nothing has changed. We don''t have the heart yet."

    ¡°Nothing has changed?!¡± Nicholas sharply turned to face the doctor¡ªseething with intense rage. ¡°A man died, Wyatt! We killed a person!¡±

    ¡°It had to be done to save a life!¡±

    ¡°Do not give me that shit! Before, you had no idea the man was alive!¡±

    ¡°Of course! Caius mentioned that he was dead!¡±

    ¡°I already told you, Wyatt. I made no such statement.¡± Caius corrected.

    ¡°No matter! The man''s dead! We need to finish this!¡±

    ¡°Look at you¡­your eyes are completely different from how they were in the beginning. You are losing your morality.¡± Nicholas took a step back.

    ¡°I told you from day one that I would save my wife¡­¡± Wyatt threateningly brandished his scalpel at Nicholas, ¡°Her salvation is right in front of me! I will not let her die! No matter what the cost!¡±

    ¡°Wyatt put the scalpel down. Calm yourself.¡± Nicholas pleaded.

    ¡°I don''t want to hurt you, Nicholas. But, you are leaving me with no choice. If you don''t want to die, then you will continue with the game.¡±

    ¡°Well, Doc¡¯s gone fucking nuts,¡± Melanie commented. ¡°Sweet! Wonder what¡¯ll happen next!¡±

    ¡°Nicholas should grab a weapon and defend himself! Wyatt will kill him if this goes on!¡± Darius exasperated.

    ¡°If he does choose to fight, then things could get bloodier than before,¡± said Salomon.

    ¡°Avoiding a fight is the best solution.¡± Henrika chimed in, ¡°it¡¯s terrible that the man is dead. But, Wyatt has a point. Nothing can be done for him. Helping his wife should be the priority now.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do, Nicholas?! If you''re not with me, then you''re against me!¡± Wyatt slowly approached Nicholas. His eyes showed clear malicious intent.

    Left with no other options, Nicholas raised his hands and exclaimed, ¡°Alright! Alright! I am with you!¡±

    ¡°Smart choice.¡± Wyatt lowered his scalpel then gestured for the man to continue with his turn in the game.

    Since Nicholas failed to retrieve the item within the dead body the first time, he would receive a second chance if he possessed the specialist card for that item. It turned out he did.

    He cautiously approached the body again, keeping a close eye on Wyatt. Then, he reached inside the tear and searched for the item. He turned his head away, expressing his evident disgust of the situation. When the timer ran out, he instantly removed his hand from the body.

    ¡°Nicholas has failed in both attempts to treat the ailment. Therefore, the ailment will remain in the body and no points will be awarded to either player.¡± Caius declared.

    ¡°My turn again.¡± Wyatt drew his card then smiled at the sight of it. ¡°Key in the knee.¡±

    ¡°Which one?¡± Nicholas asked.

    Wyatt paused. He looked at both knees of the corpse, trying to discern which one he should choose. He approached the body and examined the knees. His hand ran across the left knee, smearing foundation that covered up a scar.

    ¡°This one,¡± The Doctor cut open the knee and reached inside. He pulled his hand out when the timer ran out, scowling in response.

    ¡°Wyatt has failed to treat the ailment! Should he possess the specialist card, he may have a second chance!¡± Caius announced.

    Wyatt searched through his specialist cards and frowned.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± He cursed.

    ¡°It lies on me then, huh?¡± Nicholas reluctantly shifted through his specialist cards. A grimace crossed his face the moment he found it.

    ¡°Nicholas, this is the last chance I have to save my wife. You need to find that key.¡± The desperation in Wyatt¡¯s voice resonated in my head. His will¡ªhis desire to save something important to him mirrored my own. Sure, he went to extreme lengths to do it.

    But, who wouldn¡¯t?

    ¡°I will try my best¡­¡± Nicholas approached the corpse then stuck his hand into the opening. He rummaged around for a few seconds. But, it still proved far too difficult for the man. He turned his head away and barfed again.

    ¡°Nicholas! Pull yourself together before¡­¡± Wyatt stopped abruptly once the timer ran out.

    ¡°Time is up! Both players have failed to treat the ailment! Therefore, they must move on to the next operation!¡± Caius announced.

    ¡°Move on?! No, no, no! Wait a minute! That last attempt did not count!¡± Wyatt yelled. ¡°You have to give Nicholas another chance! Or at least let me go again!¡±

    ¡°No can do, Wyatt. I cannot bend the rules just because an event occurred that was not in your favor. The game will proceed.¡±

    ¡°Wyatt, forgive me¡­¡± Nicholas straightened his posture then wiped his face clean with his apron. ¡°I¡­I messed up¡­¡±

    Wyatt said nothing.

    He stood there¡ªfrozen in place. His face grew red as nerves on his forehead pulsed. To say that he was pissed would¡¯ve been an understatement.

    Slowly, the doctor turned to face Nicholas. ¡°You¡­messed up?¡±

    ¡°¡­Wyatt?¡±

    ¡°You messed up? You messed up?! You make such a huge blunder, and that is how you respond?!¡± Wyatt hollered. ¡°Because of you, my chance to save my wife is gone!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Wyatt! You can still save her! You just cannot do it right now!¡± Nicholas desperately assured him. ¡°We can keep playing the game. Once it is over, we can keep trying to find ways to escape."

    ¡°How long do you think that will take?! With the traitors still at large, we could be here for weeks! By then, my wife could be dead!¡±

    Nicholas was left speechless. There was no telling how much longer we would remain in Serendipity. Time was of the essence for some players, but that wasn¡¯t the case for others. Wyatt needed the heart transplant done as soon as possible.

    But, thanks to Nicholas, his hopes were destroyed.

    ¡°You are going to pay for this¡­you traitor¡­¡± Wyatt raised his scalpel then approached Nicholas. ¡°Because of you, my wife may become a victim of your games¡­¡±

    ¡°Wyatt put the scalpel down. We can talk about this¡­¡± Nicholas slowly raised his hands and took a few steps back.

    ¡°I''m done talking! I''ll kill you!¡± Wyatt lunged at the man and drove his scalpel into his chest. Nicholas staggered back with his hands over the sharp instrument in his chest. He collided into the equipment table and knocked it over, hitting the floor with the objects.

    ¡°Holy shit! Did Doc just kill Shades?!¡± Melanie pressed her face against the window, fogging up the glass with her hot breath.

    ¡°He¡¯s lost his god damn mind!¡± Henrika cursed.

    The facility fell silent. The only sound heard were Wyatt¡¯s heavy breaths as the man attempted to calm himself down. He stared at Nicholas¡¯ motionless body.

    Afterward, he moved over to the patient and reached within the knee in search of that elusive key again.

    ¡°Wyatt, by trying to find the key again after I told you not to is a direct violation of the rules,¡± Caius warned him. For once, there was no joy in his tone. For once, the game moderator spoke in a monotone.

    ¡°Shut up! I am sick of you and your games! The only thing I beg of you is to let me save my wife!¡± Wyatt shouted.

    ¡°Last warning, Wyatt¡­¡± Caius alerted. But, the doctor refused to heed it. He continued to search through the corpse until he finally found what he was looking for. He pulled his hand out and held the key up to the light.

    Its shine of crimson and gold brought a smile to Wyatt¡¯s face. The moment he took a step toward the patient. His eyes glanced down at the bracelet on his wrist.

    ¡°You¡­you did not¡­¡± Wyatt sharply turned to the security camera.

    ¡°You were warned, Wyatt. You broke the rules and must face punishment. You have therefore been disqualified from the games and sentenced to death by lethal injection.¡± Caius announced.

    ¡°You¡­you can''t do this to me! All I wanted to do was¡­¡± Wyatt placed his hand on his chest while the other clamped over his mouth. He coughed violently for a moment and withdrew his hand. Blood covered it. ¡°No! No! This can''t be happening!¡±

    The doctor desperately looked at the bracelet on his arm. The bracelet tightened, blocking his circulation. The nerves on his arm pulsed exceedingly fast while he attempted to remove it¡ªbut with no success.

    Eventually, he dropped to his knees. Copious amounts of blood leaked from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth as his body convulsed violently. His arm slowly reached out in a desperate, yet futile attempt to reach for us.

    ¡°Chloe¡­¡± He softly called out and collapsed.

    All went silent.

    Wyatt Ackerman had died.

    </a>

 Alea Ludo Chapter 31 - Undeniable Truth!

    Another undesirable conclusion came at the end of the seventh game. Nicholas Damon got crowned as the victor through disqualification. Wyatt broke the rules of the game and acted against the orders of the Game Moderator, Caius. As punishment, Wyatt faced the ultimate penalty¡ªdeath.

    As cautioned to us on the first day, the doctor got injected with the lethal poison in his bracelet. It was a gruesome sight. Blood poured from the poor man''s eyes, nose, ears, and God knows where else.

    No matter how many times I saw it, the images remained on a constant loop in my head. The fiery determination in that man''s eyes abruptly diminished.

    All the man wanted to do was save his wife. He was willing to risk everything for her. And he did.

    Where did that get him though? He risked everything¡ªfought for what he believed in¡ªwhat he wanted to protect. In the end, he failed. There he lied, in the middle of the game room, drenched in his blood.

    A gut-wrenching scene.

    The security team rushed into the room with a stretcher. They collected Nicholas and left the room while the other members took care of Wyatt. They put the man in a body bag and carried him out.

    ¡°Well shit,¡± Melanie said as she stepped away from the window with shrugged shoulders. ¡°Doc¡¯s gone now. This place won¡¯t be much fun without him.¡±

    ¡°Enough with the sarcasm,¡± demanded Henrika as she clenched her hand into a fist. ¡°You don¡¯t give a damn that he¡¯s dead. You never give a damn when any of us dies.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ain''t true.¡± Melanie defended. ¡°We¡¯ve been here for quite some time. I think I¡¯m finally starting to feel attached to you all.¡±

    She dramatically placed her hand over her heart. Both her body language and expression were nothing more than mere taunts. Her honeyed words didn¡¯t work for anyone. At that point, everyone knew to ignore her for the most part.

    ¡°This is just¡­so fucked up!¡± Darius exclaimed. He punched the glass window and grimaced. He retracted his bruised hand and shook it. ¡°Frederick, Elena, Iris, and now Wyatt! We¡¯re not gonna make it! We¡¯re gonna die! We¡¯re all gonna die!¡±

    The poor boy had lost it. He backed away from the window; his hands gripped tightly in his hair.

    ¡°Darius, calm down,¡± Zoey ordered.

    ¡°Calm down? Calm down?! How can I calm down?! Another one of us is dead! There are only eight of us left!¡± He shouted. His brittle and frightened voice echoed throughout the room.

    ¡°Might be seven if Shades doesn¡¯t make it,¡± Melanie added.

    ¡°We¡¯re all gonna die here! There¡¯s still another murderer among us! One by one, we¡¯re gonna get killed off!¡± Darius continued to panic. He moved his hand to his chest as his breathing turned ragged.

    When Zoey attempted to approach him; Darius took off out of the room. No one tried to chase after him.

    What was the point?

    The traumatic events throughout his days trapped in Serendipity took their toll on him. The games, the rules, the voting, the traitors, the murders, the deaths; any ordinary person would¡¯ve broken a long time ago.

    But, at that moment, only one person did. From what I could tell, everyone else kept it under control for the most part. But, there wasn¡¯t doubt in my mind that most of them struggled internally.

    I know I did.

    Although Wyatt appointed himself as the de facto leader of the group, there were times when I saw him as one. He was steadfast and strong, unwavering in his convictions to save his wife.

    Sure, the man had his faults. But, who didn¡¯t?

    To that man, the end justified the means. Unfortunately, the ending wasn¡¯t in his favor.

    ¡°Well, I see no reason to be here anymore,¡± Melanie headed for the exit without a care in the world. ¡°I¡¯ll see you all tomorrow, if you¡¯re still alive, that is.¡±

    Klara closed her book and led herself out¡ªsilent as usual.

    No one else tried to leave. We stood there in silence, waiting for Caius to return as he always did after a game. When he did, the man didn¡¯t have his usual zeal and enthusiasm.

    ¡°Well, I must say the end of that game was not as satisfactory as I imagined,¡± Caius complained. ¡°What an unfortunate turn of events.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t act asif you care,¡± demanded Henrika, ¡°Wyatt¡¯s death, Iris¡¯ death, Elena¡¯s death, Frederick¡¯s death, none of them mean anything to you.¡±

    ¡°Your words cut me deeper than any blade could, Henrika.¡± Caius overdramatically placed his hand over his nonexistent heart. ¡°The lives of the players are precious to me. Whenever any of you die, it wounds me deeply.¡±

    ¡°Your past actions say otherwise.¡± Salomon pointed out.

    ¡°Does anyone not have anything nice to say about me?¡± The Game Moderator hung his head, dejected.

    ¡°Enough with the games,¡± I stepped forward. ¡°How¡¯s Nicholas doing?¡±

    Caius¡¯ dejectedness immediately disappeared as he lifted his head. Nothing about his eccentric and erratic behavior surprised me anymore.

    ¡°The wound Nicholas suffered is not fatal. The scalpel deviated from his chest, barely missing his ribs.¡± Caius informed, his voice carried much weight and professionalism. ¡°His wounds will be addressed by the medical team in the Infirmary. I advise that they not be interrupted during this time.¡±

    ¡°I have a few questions of my own now,¡± Zoey joined in on the conversation. ¡°What was the point of this game? What do you plan to do with the remaining organs from the corpse?¡±

    "Especially the heart," added Salomon. "Since it''s still untouched, you can send that heart to Wyatt''s wife."

    "You can at least do that much for him, right?" Henrika asked.

    "We know you have the power to do that," I said.

    "Yes, it is possible for me to have that happen." Caius nodded his head. Hope returned to the faces of the other players. However, I didn''t get my hopes. I knew better than to expect things from the Game Moderator without there being some strings attached. Unfortunately, that feeling of mine came true as the man continued, "However, you all have a choice that you must make."

    "A choice?" Henrika wondered.

    "A heart transplant is a difficult task to complete. It would require the full efforts of the medical team. For that to happen, they would need to ignore Nicholas'' treatment." Caius revealed.

    "Then so be it," Zoey said without hesitation. "You said it yourself that his injury wasn''t fatal."

    Caius nodded his head. "Indeed, I did. However, it does not mean that he will not die if left untreated for hours."A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "Then quickly treat him and get the heart later," Henrika demanded.

    "That will take some time as well, Henrika. Probably by the time the medical team get finished with Nicholas--"

    "The heart will be unusable." Salomon interrupted.

    "Therefore, I will give you all the choice to decide what should happen next. Do you want the medical team to treat Nicholas? Or, do you want them to retrieve the heart for Wyatt''s wife?"

    Everyone kept quiet and pondered over the choices. It wasn''t one that we could make without proper consideration. There were various scenarios to factor into the discussion.

    As Caius mentioned, Nicholas'' injury wasn''t fatal. But, if left untreated for several hours, there lied a possibility that he could die.

    Wyatt sacrificed everything for his wife. Even in his death, the possibility to save her remained. But, a heart transplant was a delicate procedure. There was no guarantee that she''d survive the operation or that the heart would suit her.

    I couldn''t think of a way to do right by both Wyatt and Nicholas. No matter what choice anyone made, someone had to get the short end of the stick.

    "Time is running out, players," warned Caius. "You must make your choice soon."

    "How can you expect us to make this impossible choice?!" Henrika exclaimed.

    "Someone will die regardless of what we do," Salomon added. "It''s just a matter of who should die. Wyatt''s wife or Nicholas?"

    "We should pick to save Nicholas," I decided. All eyes focused on me. "I don''t know much about Wyatt''s wife. But, I don''t think she''d be happy to learn about what happened to Wyatt for her to get the heart."

    "Because of that, she deserves to die?!" Henrika asked.

    I shook my head. "No. But, she must be in a lot of pain every day waiting for that heart to come. We should end her suffering. Nicholas'' life is in far more danger than hers."

    "Does anyone have any objections to Ambrose''s choice?" Caius inquired.

    "You''re damn right I have objections!" Henrika stated. "No one should have to die! We should be able to save them both!"

    "That is impossible," Zoey said.

    "God damn it!" Henrika stormed out of the room.

    "Well, if there are no objections. We will treat Nicholas as soon as we can. If there is enough time to retrieve the heart, I will make sure that it gets done." Caius tipped his fedora and left the room.

    Afterward, no one muttered a single word. I didn''t know about the others, but an unsatisfying, bitter taste of total defeat filled my mouth. I took no part in the game. But, having watched the abrupt, dreadful ending was more than enough to take its toll on me. My split few seconds of playing God didn''t help either.

    I trudged across the facility and into my room, finding minuscule comfort in the softness of my bed. It was a struggle, but my exhaustion took over and put me into a deep sleep.

    I awoke hours later to complete silence.

    Something that I wasn¡¯t used to thanks to Iris usually waking me up early in the morning. But, those days were over. Iris was gone, along with the others.

    I stayed in bed, refusing to move. All my accumulated stress weighed me down. So much had happened in Serendipity. How had I managed to make it so far without breaking?

    My train of thought derailed when the chime of my bell rang throughout my room. Reluctantly, I left my bed and approached the door. When I opened it, Henrika barged her way in.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re awake.¡± The woman quickly made herself comfortable on my bed.

    ¡°Good morning to you too, I guess,¡± I said.

    ¡°Nothing about this is a good morning, Ambrose.¡± She stated. ¡°I stopped by the Infirmary on my way here, and the medical team has finished treating Nicholas.¡±

    ¡°You want to go pay him a visit?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. He¡¯s still resting.¡± Henrika shook her head.

    ¡°Then why are you here?¡± I found a seat on a nearby chair.

    ¡°Well, for starters, I wanted to see how you were fairing with all this.¡±

    ¡°About as well as you can expect considering the circumstances.¡± I shrugged my shoulders. They felt heavy. The event of Wyatt¡¯s death burdened me more than I was willing to admit. But, I was adamant not to let it show.

    In that situation, I had to stay strong. Not only for me but the others as well. It¡¯d cause more trouble if I panicked and lost my nerve.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to try and put up a front with me. I already know how sensitive you are,¡± Henrika said with a humorous tone. I couldn¡¯t tell if she was affected at all by the situation.

    ¡°Was there something else you wanted?¡± I folded my arms across my chest.

    ¡°What was your relationship with Wyatt? What do you think of him?¡± She suddenly asked.

    A difficult question to answer. At best, I¡¯d say that my relationship with Wyatt was neutral at best. There were times we got along, and times when we didn¡¯t. I respected his conviction.

    I didn¡¯t hate the man.

    ¡°Our relationship was alright for the most part,¡± I said.

    ¡°You did notice him acting strangely yesterday, right?¡± She continued to drill into me with questions.

    I narrowed my eyes and got straight to the point, no longer wanting to beat around the bush.

    ¡°Where are you going with this? If there¡¯s something you want to say, then spit it out.¡± I demanded.

    ¡°I spent all night racking my brain around it. But, I think Wyatt had something to do with Iris¡¯ death.¡± She reluctantly revealed.

    I was frozen. My brain needed time to process the cruel information given to me. Out of everyone to suspect as Iris¡¯ murderer, Wyatt was one of the last people on my list. After all, he offered to do Iris¡¯ autopsy. We learned of her cause of death thanks to him.

    I¡¯d never understood why someone would go through so much trouble to help others solve a murder, only for them to be the murderers in the end. It just didn¡¯t make any sense. I racked my brain, trying to find a reason, a motive for Wyatt to want to kill Iris.

    But, I couldn¡¯t find anything.

    ¡°Your face is saying everything. You don¡¯t believe me.¡± Henrika pointed at me. She frowned.

    ¡°I¡¯m just having trouble believing that Wyatt of all people would kill Iris,¡± I affirmed my reasons. ¡°It was thanks to him that we learned so much about her death.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know. But, Wyatt was still acting strange the entire time. Remember when Zoey tried to examine her body?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. He freaked out and tried to keep her away from it.¡± I recalled. ¡°But, that¡¯s still no reason to suspect him.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t start suspecting him until Wyatt¡¯s game against Nicholas.¡±

    ¡°What tipped you off?¡±

    ¡°The way he used his scalpel to cut into that man¡¯s body,¡± Henrika began. Her face slowly turned pale as she continued, ¡°they matched the cut on Iris¡¯ body that Wyatt showed us. You know, the one that was different from the others.¡±

    ¡°Really? Are you basing your suspicions on that? There¡¯s no telling if they were the same.¡±

    ¡°My eyes don¡¯t lie, Ambrose. The cuts were similar. Wyatt was the one that killed Iris.¡± Henrika declared with much certainty. Not a single doubt resonated in her voice. Whenever she spoke like that, I¡¯d find myself being inclined to believe her.

    I couldn¡¯t come up with a single reason as to why she¡¯d lie to me in the first place.

    I heaved a heavy sigh, knowing that no good would come out of the situation without proof.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s say that I believe you. Do you have any proof?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°Not yet?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still working on that, okay?!¡± She snapped at me. When she realized her outburst, she took a deep breath and settled down. ¡°I¡¯m going to collect evidence from Caius.¡±

    ¡°Caius?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Henrika stood from my bed and approached the nightstand. She pointed to the list of phone numbers posted on the wall above it. ¡°We can use the phones to contact Caius and ask him to examine the body from yesterday.¡±

    ¡°You think they still have it?¡± I left my chair and approached Henrika.

    ¡°Won¡¯t know until we try.¡± Henrika picked up the phone and dialed the number for Caius. We anxiously waited for him to answer. Honestly, it was the first time I witnessed the phones being used.

    All my anxiety washed away when Caius¡¯ irritably joyous tone came from the other end of the phone.

    ¡°Hello, Ambrose! What a surprise, having you call me around this time of day! Or rather, calling me at all!¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t Ambrose.¡± Henrika corrected him.

    ¡°Huh? Henrika? What are you doing using Ambrose¡¯s phone?¡± Caius questioned.

    ¡°Never mind that. There¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Quite the stern tone you are using,¡± Caius noted. ¡°I am listening.¡±

    ¡°When Elena was killed, you refused to show any footage of her death until we completed the game, right?¡± She started.

    ¡°Yes, that is correct,¡± Caius confirmed.

    ¡°But with Iris, you have not given us the option to see the footage of her murder as well. Since there was no game to find out who killed her, we¡¯re left in the dark about her murderer.¡±

    ¡°Your point?¡±

    ¡°There should be no reason to hide the footage from us, Caius. We have the right to know who killed Iris.¡± Henrika¡¯s tone grew fiercer as the exchange between the two continued.

    There was silence on the other end of the phone for a while. Eventually, a playful hum came from Caius as he responded, ¡°Very well, I shall show you the footage. And to be fair, I was not hiding it. None of you requested to see it in the first place.¡±

    Even from the other side of the phone, I sensed Caius putting on his disgusting smile.

    ¡°No tricks, Caius. I want the full, unedited footage.¡± Henrika demanded.

    ¡°I would watch my tone if I were you, Henrika. I am only doing this as a courtesy. I do not have to do this for you.¡± Caius warned.

    Almost immediately, the television in my room turned on. Displayed on the screen was the security footage inside of the Infirmary room on the day of Iris¡¯ death. It started at the beginning of the day where the security team placed Iris on the medical bed.

    Afterward, Wyatt entered the room and kept watch over her. One by one, other players entered the room to check on Iris. Eventually, the time came when Wyatt removed the glove on Iris¡¯ arm and slit her wrist with his scalpel.

    That action alone was more than enough to convince me that he was the murderer. But, it didn¡¯t end there. The footage continued to reveal that he was also the one that removed the poor girl¡¯s eyes.

    I saw Wyatt in a whole new light after the footage cut to black. Inexplicable feelings swirled inside of me. Time stood still. Nothing seemed to register around me as the footage of Wyatt killing Iris continued to replay in my mind.

    There wasn¡¯t a single doubt left in my mind. Wyatt was a murderer.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 32 - Confrontation!

    The footage was haunting. That bastard, Wyatt Ackerman, killed a poor, defenseless girl as she lied unconscious in a medical bed. He slit her wrist with a scalpel and gouged her eyes out¡ªlike something out of a god damn horror film. What troubled my mind the most was the vacant look on the man¡¯s face¡ªin his eyes. He moved efficiently, with a purpose.

    He seemed dead set on killing Iris at that moment.

    When the screen turned to black, I looked over at Henrika and gauged her expression. Nothing. Entirely nothing crossed her face.

    No anger. No grief. No sadness.

    Like Wyatt¡¯s face in the video; Henrika¡¯s face remained blank. However, her eyes were focused¡ªunwavering. She took the remote from the nightstand and replayed the video several times. I don¡¯t believe she blinked even once the entire time.

    ¡°Henrika, that¡¯s enough.¡± I approached the woman and took the remote from her. I turned off the television then tossed the remote on the bed.

    ¡°I hoped I was wrong¡­¡± Henrika said with a brittle voice. She backed away from the television, shaking her head. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t want Wyatt to be the killer. I didn¡¯t. But¡­there¡¯s no denying it anymore, is there?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­Wyatt killed Iris.¡± I reluctantly stated. Even though we both already knew that fact. One of us had to come out and say it¡ªto make it real. Neither of us wanted it to be real¡ªany of it. We couldn''t deny it.

    ¡°Damn it! God damn it!¡± Henrika frantically paced back and forth around the room. ¡°None of this is making any sense, Ambrose! None!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just take a moment to calm down and try to make sense of this then,¡± I suggested as I grabbed a nearby chair for Henrika to take a seat. The frustrated woman paced a few more times before she made herself comfortable on my bed.

    Settling down frustrated women was never a strong point of mine. But, I tried.

    Henrika took a moment. She folded her arms and tapped her foot on the floor. When something came to her mind, she said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try and figure out what Wyatt had to gain from killing Iris.¡±

    ¡°Well, Iris was completely defenseless in her state. And it¡¯s no secret how desperate Wyatt is to get what he wants.¡± I pointed out.

    At times, Wyatt was one of the most irrational people out of the group of players. Which was surprising when I considered Melanie in the equation. However, unlike her, Wyatt knew where the line was. But, it didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t capable of crossing it.

    ¡°Okay, Wyatt said that he needs a new heart for his wife. That¡¯s all he¡¯s been about since the first day we got here,¡± Henrika brought her hand up to her chin. ¡°How does killing Iris get him closer to getting a heart?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s one less player to deal with in the long run,¡± I answered. ¡°Considering how Elena died on a technicality, maybe Wyatt figured he could end the game faster if he got rid of the other players like that.¡±

    It was just a theory, but it unsettled me how plausible it seemed. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I was inside of Wyatt¡¯s mind at the time. I saw it, his desires clouding his better judgment, goading him into committing evil for the greater good.

    We were no different.

    ¡°This all seems like something Melanie would do. Not Wyatt.¡± Henrika mentioned.

    ¡°We already saw the video, Henrika.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you want to stop for now?¡±

    ¡°No, let¡¯s keep going.¡± Henrika shook her head; her eyes continued to burn with determination. ¡°Okay, so let¡¯s say Wyatt decided to kill Iris for that reason. It doesn¡¯t explain why he removed her eyes.¡±

    ¡°Scare tactic maybe?¡± I shrugged my shoulders. The removal of the eyes confused me the most about Iris¡¯ death. ¡°Or, maybe it¡¯s like Wyatt suggested, and they were removed to cover the mistake of the killer.¡±

    ¡°You mean when he slit Iris¡¯ wrist, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, exactly.¡± I nodded my head. ¡°When Elena died, Wyatt performed an autopsy on her and detailed everything about her death. Since Iris died, Wyatt knew he¡¯d have to do the same thing on her.¡±

    ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t gouge her eyes out, none of us would¡¯ve noticed the differences in the cuts if he hadn¡¯t shown us.¡±

    For a second, I almost agreed with her. But suddenly, a single person popped in my head at that moment. I looked Henrika in the eyes and shook my head.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s one person that would¡¯ve spotted the differences. Zoey.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, you¡¯re right. She wouldn¡¯t have been able to miss that detail.¡± Henrika agreed. ¡°But, I still don¡¯t understand why Wyatt had to remove her eyes simply because of that.¡±

    ¡°To distract us most likely.¡±

    Henrika brought her hand up to her temples and rubbed them. She groaned and laid herself across the bed.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m getting a migraine from this discussion.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. This isn¡¯t something we should be dealing with.¡±

    ¡°You know what¡¯s been bothering me about the video?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I reluctantly asked. Unlike Henrika, I stopped watching the video the second time. Seeing Iris¡¯ death over and over wouldn¡¯t do my head any favors. I had enough nightmares to deal with.

    ¡°Wyatt¡¯s behavior. It suddenly changed.¡± Henrika pointed out. She grabbed the remote from the bed and sat up, turning the television on again. She rewound the video and pointed, ¡°He seems normal for the first few hours when he was watching Iris. However, after Nicholas leaves the room, Wyatt changes.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s more to this than what this video is letting on,¡± Henrika turned off the television and turned to face me. Her blank face altered to an expression of determination. ¡°We need to talk to Nicholas. That¡¯s how we¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s still resting, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Henrika crossed her arms under her chest. The corners of her lips curved down as she shook her head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m sure he can spare some time to answer a few of our questions. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Henrika brushed past me and headed for the door. Whenever that woman had her mind set on something, nothing would get in her way. I followed close behind her as we walked through the facility. We entered the infirmary and found ourselves next to Nicholas¡¯ medical bed.

    He rested peacefully on the bed, his torso covered in bloodstained bandages. No medical personnel or security team members in sight. The man was utterly defenseless.

    ¡°He¡¯s sleeping,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Maybe we should come back another time.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s now or never,¡± Henrika announced. Nothing I said could¡¯ve changed her mind. The woman set her hands on Nicholas¡¯ body and shook him. ¡°Hey, hey! Nicholas! Wake up!¡±

    Nicholas woke up immediately from the vigorous shaking. Pain crossed his face as he sat up and clutched his wounded torso.

    ¡°Henrika? Ambrose? What are you two doing here?¡± He asked.

    ¡°We have some questions we would like to ask you,¡± Henrika answered. Her tone was assertive and firm. Her usual calm and soothing voice had long disappeared.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Nicholas reached across to the bed and picked up his shades. He put them on his face then looked at us. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about Wyatt,¡± I said.

    ¡°What about him?¡±

    ¡°When you came to visit Iris in the infirmary, did you notice anything odd about Wyatt¡¯s behavior?¡± Henrika asked.

    Nicholas shook his head. ¡°No, nothing that I can think of. I did not stay in the infirmary for very long. Why? Is there something I should know?¡±

    ¡°We have reason to believe that Wyatt was the one that killed Iris and removed her eyes,¡± Henrika revealed.

    Nicholas¡¯ expression stiffened, but not to the extremes I expected.

    Wyatt and Nicholas spent a lot of time together in Serendipity. I¡¯d go as far to claim they were friends. So, when we revealed Wyatt¡¯s part in Iris¡¯ death; I figured Nicholas would turn hysterical.

    The man sat there¡ªsilent.

    ¡°Nicholas?¡± I waved my hand in front of his face, ¡°You alive?¡±

    Nicholas raised his head. ¡°Sorry, I got lost in thought for a second there.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised by my announcement,¡± Henrika noted.

    ¡°Unfortunately, I had my suspicions about him for a while. I spent a lot of time with Wyatt throughout our stay here. I noticed subtle changes about him recently.¡±

    ¡°Any of those subtle changes tip you off about his potential to murder?¡±

    Nicholas shook his head again. ¡°Everyone has the potential to murder, that is a known fact. If Wyatt truly intended to kill Iris, I doubt I would notice the signs.¡±

    ¡°No one did,¡± I said.

    ¡°Wyatt was a very complex person. He was a man with good intentions, but, his actions were not always the noblest. I never imagined that he would ever go this far.¡± Nicholas rested his hands on his legs. The sorrow in his voice resonated in my head. The atmosphere in the room stagnated, weighing down on my body.

    ¡°Nicholas¡­¡± Henrika softly called him.

    Nicholas ran a hand through his hair and sighed. ¡°Our time here is weighing on us. We are changing. Not in a good way.¡±

    ¡°Two of us have already been driven to murder,¡± I stated, thinking back to the murders in Serendipity. I clenched my fists and dismissed the images, knowing no good would come of trying to wish that I could¡¯ve done something for them.

    Elena and Iris were dead.

    That was that. Nothing I could do to bring them back.

    ¡°And I fear that number may increase if we do not get out of here soon,¡± Nicholas added. The man stood from the bed and put his shirt on. ¡°Whatever you two are up to, please let me in on it. If you know something about what is happening, I deserve the right to know.¡±

    Henrika and I traded glances. Mentioning our alliance was the first thing that crossed my mind. But, I kept my mouth shut and decided to let Henrika control the reins. It wasn¡¯t my place to reveal the alliance when I had barely joined.

    ¡°Ambrose and I discovered that Wyatt killed Iris from the video footage,¡± Henrika began as she crossed her arms.

    ¡°Video footage?¡± asked Nicholas.

    ¡°Yeah. Caius let us see the video of Iris¡¯ murder.¡± I answered. ¡°We wanted to ask you questions about Wyatt because his behavior suddenly changed after you visited him.¡±

    Nicholas¡¯ expression turned grim. He took a step back and returned to his seated position on the bed. His entire body shook as he struggled to form a complete sentence with his murmurings.

    ¡°Nicholas? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Henrika asked. The woman approached him but stopped at the sight of the tears that ran down his face.

    A rare sight.

    Never had I ever seen a single tear shed from Nicholas. I never expected one of the calmest people in Serendipity to get overwhelmed with despair. It just went to show that even the mightiest could fall there.

    ¡°It¡­it is my fault. All of it¡­¡± Nicholas revealed, his voice filled to the brim with anguish and sorrow. The tears streamed down his face continued, dropping down to his clothes.

    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± Henrika demanded.

    ¡°When I spoke with Wyatt that day, I mentioned a strange letter I received from a mysterious sender,¡± Nicholas began. From that point, my entire body tensed up at the mention of that damn letter. ¡°It said that Iris and Melanie were some of the traitors.¡±

    Those damned letters. One way or another, they¡¯ve caused more trouble in Serendipity than I thought.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t believe it, did you?¡± Henrika asked.

    Nicholas immediately shook his head. Afterward, he removed his shades and wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his shirt.

    ¡°Of course not. I am not foolish enough to easily believe such nonsense wholeheartedly,¡± The man placed his shades back on his face. ¡°However, I could not entirely dismiss it either. After all, Melanie did reveal herself as one of the traitors.¡±

    ¡°Do you still have the letter?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Nicholas answered. ¡°I discarded my letter along with Darius¡¯ after we compared ours.¡±

    ¡°Compared? There were more?¡± Henrika¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Her voice tinged with frustration and irritation.

    ¡°As far as I was concerned, there were only two. Darius and I were the only ones to get a letter.¡±

    I opened my mouth to speak but quickly closed it. I couldn¡¯t do it. I couldn¡¯t tell them about my letter. Things were already chaotic enough without me adding more fuel to the fire.

    ¡°So, someone sent out two mysterious letters and only you and Darius got them, right?¡± Henrika brought her hand up to her chin and paced around the room. ¡°How come none of you decided to come forth with this information?¡±

    ¡°After Darius and I compared our letters, we concluded that they were fakes, poor attempts to cause doubt and opposition in the group. We did not want to cause a scene with something that was probably nothing.¡±

    I nodded my head in understanding. That was the exact thought that went through my mind when I got my letter from the mysterious sender.

    ¡°If it was probably nothing, why did you tell Wyatt about the letters?¡± Henrika continued to grill Nicholas for information. For once, Nicholas made a troubled expression and kept silent, as if the words got caught in his throat.

    ¡°Honestly, there was always a sliver of doubt that lingered in my mind,¡± Nicholas tapped his finger against the side of his head. ¡°Wyatt was the only person I could confide in with this matter. After everything that happened with Darius, I began to believe the contents of the letters were true.¡±

    Henrika got in Nicholas'' face and shouted, ¡°Because of you, Wyatt killed Iris!¡±

    ¡°I know that!¡± Nicholas uncharacteristically raised his voice.  ¡°I did not want any of this to happen! I wanted Wyatt to help me think of ways to wake Iris up and question her!¡±

    ¡°And what a good job he did of that!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, both of you.¡± I wedged myself between the two of them.

    ¡°No! I¡¯m not going to calm down!¡± Henrika pointed at Nicholas. ¡°That son of a bitch drove Wyatt into killing Iris!¡±

    Without another word, Henrika stormed out of the room. I took one last look at Nicholas. The man¡¯s voice shook. He settled down on his medical bed and covered his face with his hands.

    It was one of the most pathetic states I¡¯d ever seen the man. Wordlessly, I left and chased after Henrika. She continued down the hallway with a fierce look of determination in her eyes.

    ¡°Where are we going now?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to find Caius and get Wyatt¡¯s game bracelet. Maybe we¡¯ll find something in his room that will help us.¡± Henrika said.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 33 - Forgeries!

    Henrika was out on a mission. The woman lit a fire under her feet and stormed across the entire facility of Serendipity in search for Caius. None of the remaining players knew anything about his whereabouts. When I thought about it, I never knew where Caius spent most of his time.

    Not that I ever bothered to look for the bastard in the first place. The farther I was away from him, the better.

    Left without further options, Henrika and I returned to my room and used our last resort. The phone. It was the second time we used the damn thing.

    Both times were used to call Caius. Each time I heard his cheerful voice and unconcerned tones, it made my skin crawl. There weren¡¯t many people that could make me feel that way.

    ¡°What are you expecting to find in Wyatt¡¯s room anyway?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Something. Anything.¡± Henrika¡¯s desperation reached me. The woman was at the end of her rope. Nothing went according to her half-baked plan. Wyatt¡¯s death swerved her off track.

    ¡°Just gonna grasp at straws now?¡± I called her out. She paused and set the phone down. Her back stayed turned to me. ¡°Do you ever think things through? ¡®Cause if you keep half-assing like this, the alliance won¡¯t last, and we¡¯ll die here.¡±

    Henrika sharply turned around and glared at me. She shouted in a brittle voice, ¡°If you have any ideas, I¡¯d love to hear them!¡±

    It only took a moment, but she regained her composure and took a deep breath.

    ¡°You good?¡±

    ¡°No, but, I¡¯ll manage.¡±

    ¡°What are you hoping to find in Wyatt¡¯s room?¡±

    ¡°A letter,¡± Henrika finally answered. ¡°Nicholas claimed he and Darius believed they were the only ones to get one. But, I doubt that¡¯s true.¡±

    She was right. They weren¡¯t the only ones. Thanks to my investigation with Zoey the other day, I learned that other players received letters. Some got more than others, which only increased my suspension about them.

    ¡°You¡¯re right about that,¡± I told her. Since we were a team, I figured keeping that information hidden from her would do more harm than good in the long run of things. ¡°When I was with Zoey, I went into the rooms of the other players.¡±

    ¡°Did you find their letters?¡± Henrika asked.

    ¡°No. They only mentioned them,¡± I shook my head. ¡°Everyone had the same thought that Caius was the one behind them.¡±

    ¡°So, they destroyed them, right?¡± Henrika closed her eyes and grinded her teeth.

    ¡°Did you ever get a letter, Henrika?¡± I asked. As I thought back on it, I remembered that I never questioned the woman about them. Since she seemed so interested about the letters, I figured she never got one.

    ¡°Did you?¡± Henrika opened her eyes. Her gaze made me freeze. It was purely a look of judgment. She was testing me. Something deep inside of me warned me of the potential danger I¡¯d face if I answered incorrectly.

    It was a make or break decision.

    I tried to think over every possible outcome that could happen if I made the right or wrong choice. Eventually, I relented and answered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Turning back was no longer an option. I walked over to my nightstand and opened the drawer. There, I found the letter I tossed aside several days ago.

    It was just as I predicted. The letters caused more problems that I wanted to handle.

    I approached Henrika and handed the letter over to her. She took it and glanced over it.

    ¡°This is the same letter I received,¡± Henrika glanced up at me. ¡°Same wording and the people listed as the traitors. But, there¡¯s a problem.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°I got two letters,¡± Henrika raised up two fingers. ¡°Same wording, but two different people pointed out as the traitors.¡±

    ¡°Do you have them?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Henrika handed my letter back over to me. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get rid of something important as that. I needed them both to analyze.¡±

    ¡°What did the other note say?¡±

    ¡°It said that you and Wyatt were traitors,¡± She announced.

    ¡°Do you believe that?¡± I wondered.

    ¡°What I believe doesn¡¯t matter at this point,¡± Henrika deflected. ¡°I need to confirm my suspicions about these letters. I think I can do that if we get one more.¡±

    Henrika wandered over to my nightstand and picked up the phone again. She pressed a single number and held the phone to her ear.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Hello, Ambrose!¡± Caius answered.

    ¡°This is Henrika again,¡± Henrika sternly announced to the Game Moderator.

    ¡°Oh? You two are in the same room again? What are you up to this time?¡± Caius teased.

    ¡°We need Wyatt¡¯s game bracelet,¡± Henrika answered.

    ¡°What for if I may ask?¡±

    ¡°We want to get into his room. We can¡¯t do that without his bracelet. You¡¯re the only one here that can make it happen.¡±

    ¡°Such an odd request. But, it can be done.¡± Almost immediately, the doorbell to the room chimed. Henrika and I jumped and stared at the door. ¡°You may want to answer that.¡±

    I cautiously approached the door and opened it. A small box wrapped in a red bow rested outside. I picked up the box and brought it back inside the room.

    I opened the box and looked inside. I grimaced at the sight of our requested item.

    Wyatt¡¯s game bracelet.

    Bastards didn¡¯t even bother wiping off the blood that remained on the object. I reached inside the box and picked up the bracelet. Henrika nodded her head and hung up the phone when I showed it to her.

    With that, we had everything we needed to investigate Wyatt¡¯s room. We left my room and headed for the doctors.

    Henrika held the bracelet over the scanner while I opened the door. Upon entering, I took a quick look around the room. Nothing suspicious caught my attention. Everything was neat and organized.

    ¡°Where to begin?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Anywhere,¡± Henrika replied. The first place she searched was the deceased man¡¯s nightstand. She pulled open the drawers and rummaged through them.

    We spent about a half hour tearing the place apart. We searched through the drawers, his trash, and any place we figured the doctor would want to hide somewhere. All hope seemed lost until we looked through one final place¡ªunder his mattress.

    There we found another letter. Henrika snatched it as fast as she could and read through it. Her expression turned grim once she finished.

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± She swore under her breath. Her hands trembled. Out of caution, I took the letter from her hands before she tore it to pieces.

    I used that moment and read through the letter. It was the same as Nicholas¡¯. It claimed that Iris and Melanie were one of the traitors.

    At that moment, I saw what went through Wyatt¡¯s head. Since he learned that he and Nicholas got the same letter, he¡¯d assume that they were correct. The doctor didn¡¯t seem like the type to believe in coincidences.

    He wouldn¡¯t think twice about acting out on his impulses. Iris died because the bastard couldn¡¯t take a moment to think things through. He had no clue that he was being used in someone¡¯s plot.

    ¡°If I knew the letters would cause this much trouble, I would¡¯ve come out about them sooner,¡± I said. I knew to lament over my choices were pointless, but I at least had to say something to soothe the situation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up over it,¡± Henrika patted my shoulder. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have known this was going to happen. Whoever made these letters is the one to blame.¡±

    ¡°So, do you have everything we need?¡± I asked.

    ¡°For now, yes.¡± Henrika nodded. We left Wyatt¡¯s room and headed for Henrika¡¯s. She approached her nightstand and pulled out her letters. We stood by her bed with all the notes found lined up.

    I kept silent while Henrika examined each of the letters. I didn¡¯t know what she expected to find, but I remained hopeful that she would.

    Henrika sighed and stepped away from the bed. She rubbed her temples and took a seat.

    ¡°Find anything?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°Yes. It only costed the severe strain of my eyes,¡± She replied.

    ¡°What did you find?¡±

    ¡°Two different people made these letters,¡± Henrika announced as she grabbed two different letters. ¡°It looks almost identical, but someone forged the letters to try and trick us.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t all of them made to do that in the first place,¡± I inquired. I always figured the letters were created by Caius to sow seeds of discord within the players. In a big way, it worked. So, I didn¡¯t see the need to develop more letters.

    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. I don¡¯t know.¡± Henrika shook her head. ¡°But, the forgery here is pretty damn close to the original.¡±

    She passed the letters over to me. I narrowed my eyes and focused on them as hard as I could. But, I couldn¡¯t spot any difference between them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t notice anything.¡± I shrugged my shoulders and handed the letters back to her.

    ¡°To the untrained eye, you¡¯ll miss it.¡± Henrika ran her fingers across the letters. ¡°The fake letters show hesitance in their strokes. As if the forger struggled to try to make it as authentic as possible.¡±

    ¡°And your eyes are trained to spot things like this?¡± I questioned her.

    ¡°I worked as my father¡¯s secretary for a few years, Ambrose. I¡¯ve read through hundreds, if not thousands of files and documents. I can spot forgeries if I look hard enough.¡± She boasted and flashed me an arrogant smile.

    I rolled my eyes and took another look at the letters. ¡°Okay, so if you¡¯re right about this, what would the forger gain from sending these fake letters?¡±

    ¡°Probably to trip us up as they did with Wyatt and Nicholas,¡± Henrika assumed.

    ¡°So, which one out of these are the fake ones?¡±

    Henrika grabbed the letter that I received and set it on one side of the bed. ¡°The one you got was a fake.¡± She took some time and separated all the other letters. ¡°Same with one of mine and Wyatt¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s another question I wanna bring up. How come some people got two letters while others got one?¡± I wondered.

    Henrika brought her hand up to her chin. She mulled over the question. ¡°I¡¯ve got a theory. What if one person sent out the letters to warn specific people about the traitors? And then the second person found out about the letters and sent out some to everyone else?¡±

    I could see that. If someone tried to warn everyone about the traitors, and one of the traitors learned about the letters, they¡¯d come up with a plan to trip everyone up.

    But, that theory only raised more questions. If one of the players tried to warn the other players about the traitors, how¡¯d they figure out the identity of the traitors in the first place? If certain players got two letters instead of one, wouldn¡¯t that cement the fact that they weren¡¯t traitors? And since I only got one letter and it turned out to be a fake; didn¡¯t that point me out as a traitor?

    I took a quick glance over to Henrika. Her eyes were affixed to the letters. I hoped that she didn¡¯t piece the information together. If she learned that I was one of the traitors, I didn¡¯t know how she ¡¯d react.

    No doubt she¡¯d tell others that she felt she could trust. And the problem was I didn¡¯t know who those people were. I didn¡¯t forget that there was one other person in our mysterious alliance. No matter what happened next throughout our stay in Serendipity, I couldn¡¯t let my guard down.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take these letters and look them over some more with our other partner later tonight,¡± Henrika collected the letters in her hands. ¡°After that, we should tell everyone else about the letters and collect them.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, by now everyone should assume that we all have letters.¡± I nodded my head. The plan didn¡¯t sound bad. If he collected all the letters and analyzed them, perhaps it could point us in the right direction as to who¡¯s been screwing with everyone. ¡°But, do you have a plan to catch the forger?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m working on that, okay?¡± Henrika frowned at me. ¡°One thing at a time. Right now, let¡¯s get some rest. It¡¯s almost time for the next game to start.¡±

    ¡°I know, I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡± I sighed. With that, we said goodbye to each other and went our separate ways, dreading the time when the next game would come.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 34 - The Eighth Game!

    Like all the other days, the most dreadful time came. The remaining players entered the lobby room. God, there weren''t many of us left. In the beginning, twelve people became captives inside of Serendipity. At the time, only eight of us remained. While grateful I had my life, others possibly didn''t feel the same.

    Alarming smiles plastered on the faces of Caius and Melanie. Only those two could find reasons to smile in the worst possible situations. Were our pain and torture that amusing to them?

    "Welcome back to the lobby room, players!" Caius greeted us with his well-practiced gesture. He removed his fedora and bowed to us. "Are you all ready for the next game? Hopefully, it does not end so abruptly as the last one."

    "Fingers crossed," Melanie responded first as she crossed her index and middle fingers together. "C''mon, Fedora. Which one of us is gonna play this time?"

    For once, even I was interested in finding out the answer to that question. All the players had a chance to play a game. I rattled my brain, trying to figure out all the possible outcomes we''d come across. Hopefully, I wouldn''t have to play against Henrika.

    We were in an alliance, after all. I wouldn''t want to go against my comrade.

    Caius adjusted his posture and put his hat back on. Afterward, he grabbed his tablet and went through the usual selection process. Faces of the players raced across the screen, eventually settling on Klara and Darius.

    An odd matchup for sure.

    All eyes turned to the two players that hid at the back of the room. Klara kept her nose buried in her book while Darius buried his face in his knees.

    "Congratulations! Player number three, Klara, and player number four, Darius, will face off against each other!" Caius proclaimed. Klara and Darius raised their heads. They looked at each other and approached the front of the room.

    Oddly enough, Klara appeared to have more life in her than Darius did. He doggedly walked behind Klara with heavy steps. He kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with the others.

    It was fair to say that he hadn''t gotten over the fact he murdered Elena. He hadn''t earned much scrutiny from the other players since that game, at least to my knowledge.

    Caius walked over to the game wheel and spun it. It eventually came to a stop, and the needle pointed to an illustration of stick figures standing in front of a tower of blocks. The game moderator frantically clapped his hands together.

    "Excellent! Klara and Darius will play in a game of Jenga!" He announced.

    "Oh, great..." Darius held no enthusiasm in his response. That was fair of him considering the situation. No one besides Caius and Melanie looked forward to the games.

    "Follow me, you two," Caius instructed. He and Klara were the first ones to leave the room. Darius lingered behind for a moment.

    He slowly turned and faced the rest of us. His eyes resembled Klara''s, dead, and unmotivated.

    "So, anyone gonna bother wishing me good luck out there?" Darius wondered.

    Silence.

    No one bothered to offer any words of encouragement to the poor kid. He dejectedly accepted the situation with a slow nod of his head. He turned his head away from us and took a deep breath.

    Afterward, he slapped his cheeks.

    "I know my words won''t mean much to any of you. But, I''m sorry for what I did." Darius apologized. "I''m still confused about everything, but it''s still no excuse. After this game, I''ll make it up to all you."

    With those last words, he departed and followed Caius and Klara. We all waited in silence until Melanie broke it.

    "Idiot. Can''t ever make up for murdering someone," She declared and crossed her arms. Strangely enough, I sensed nothing but malice in those words of hers. No one called her out on that statement.

    I know I didn''t plan on doing it. I agreed with Melanie one hundred percent. Murdering someone wasn''t something one could ever make up for, no matter how much they tried. But, Darius was young and naive. Of course, he wouldn''t understand the full weight of the situation.

    Perhaps more time out there in the real world would help him realize that.

    Time passed. Everyone gathered around either the glass window or the television screen when Klara and Darius entered the Game room from opposite sides. The players looked down at their game bracelets. When they pushed a button, large, stacked blocks came out from the floor behind them.

    "Don''t remember a game of Jenga going like this," Henrika noted.

    "Caius sure does enjoy adding his spin on games like these," Zoey added.

    "Well, C''mon, who''d wanna sit here and watch ''em take a bunch of blocks down the whole time?" Melanie complied. "I dunno how Fedora wants to go about this, but I''m hooked so far."

    "Of course." I shook my head.

    "The players have gambled away their points. Now, I shall explain the rules of the game," Caius'' joyous voice came from the intercom and surround sound speakers in the rooms. "I am sure that you have all noticed that this is not your traditional game of Jenga. Yes, it is much different. The goal of the game is to knock down the tower of your opponent. The players have an arsenal ready at their disposal to knock down the towers. However, they are also equipped with methods to defend their towers when the situation arises."

    "Knockdown the tower, and you win, easy," Melanie nodded her head. "C''mon, get to the fun part already!"

    "The rules have been explained. Let the eighth game commence!" Caius announced.

    Neither Klara or Darius made any immediate moves. They merely stood still and stared at each other. No one could''ve had any clue as to what went through their heads at that time. The two of them rarely had any interactions with each other, if any at all for that matter.

    For two strangers to face each other with their lives on the line, well, it wasn''t something one could easily do. However, it had to be done. They couldn''t wait around forever.

    Darius looked down at his game bracelet with a grim expression. "Sorry about this, Klara. I''ve got nothing against you. But we gotta play." He pressed one of the buttons on the bracelet. One of the floor panels to the right opened. A gun turret rose from the opening and fired a projectile towards Klara''s tower.

    The projectile struck the tower and burst into flames upon impact. It knocked over a few pieces of the tower. Klara remained perfectly still and unfazed as burning pieces of blocks lied on the ground by her feet.

    Meanwhile, Darius wasn''t as calm as Klara. The moment the projectile burst into flames, the kid''s jaw dropped. He slowly backed away into his tower, almost knocking it over himself and prematurely ending the game.

    "Holy fucking shit!" He exclaimed. "Was that a fuckingincendiary round or something?! That''s fucking dangerous, Caius!"

    Klara moved her glance to her game bracelet. She pressed a button on it. Like with Darius, one of the floor panels opened up. However, it was the one directly in front of her. A turret came from the opening and shot a projectile at Darius.

    The kid shrieked in terror and pushed a button on the bracelet. Seconds later, a wall erupted from the floor in front of him and shielded himfrom immediate death. The wall took the brunt of the projectile and remained standing, even when it burst into flames from the incendiary round. Afterward, the wall lowered back into the floor, leaving Darius and his tower unharmed.

    "So, that''s what Caius meant," Zoey brought her hand up to her chin. I knew she referred to when Caiusmentioned defensive measures the players had to protect their towers. Everything they needed to win could be activated from their bracelets.

    "Fuck," Melanie groaned. "Dumbass would''ve gotten roasted if that hit him."

    "Thankfully, that didn''t happen," Henrika shot Melanie a cold-glance.

    "W-What was with that, Klara?! You aimed directly at me on purpose, didn''t you?!" Darius exclaimed. He waited for a response from the silent girl. But, it never came. Klara merely adjusted her glasses and looked at her game bracelet again. "Well, guess I deserve it."

    Darius shifted his gaze to his game bracelet. He mulled over his choices and made his decision. He pushed a button and activated another turret. It came from the floor to the left of him. The turret aimed and launched another shot at Klara''s tower.

    It hit its mark and knocked over more blocks. Klara looked up and jumped out of the way before the blocks could crush her. During her evasive maneuvers, she used her bracelet and retaliated with an attack of her own.

    A turret rose from the floor on the far right. It fired a shot and struck downa few blocks from Darius'' tower. The kid screamed and moved out of the way when they nearly came crashing down on him.

    He slid across the floor with his hands covering the back of his head. When everything settled, he stood up and checked on his tower.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    "Okay, still good." Darius nodded. He turned around and smiled at Klara, who didn''t seem to share his enthusiasm. "Get ready, Klara. I''m just getting warmed up now."

    "Darius is acting strange," Henrika noted.

    "Strange, how?" Salomon questioned.

    "His attitude in general," She kept her eyes on the television screen. "He''s completely different from when he first went in there. It looks like he''s enjoying himself down there."

    "I don''t know if he''s enjoying himself. But his adrenaline''s pumping," Salomon concluded. "Things like that can happen in dangerous situations like this."

    "He better not let it get to his head," Zoey warned. "He''ll lose his life if he gets careless."

    "Say goodbye to your tower!" Darius proclaimed. He pressed down on a button on his bracelet. A turret came out in front of him and fired a shot at Klara.

    The girl acted quickly. She used her bracelet and called up a defensive wall. It shot up from the floor and protected her from Darius'' attack. That time, volts of electricity flared wildly upon impact with the wall.

    Klara stepped back and shielded herself just in case she''d be on the receiving end of electrocution.

    "The rounds changed?" Darius blinked in surprise upon the newfound development. While it not being what he expected, he shrugged his shoulder and nodded his head in acceptance. The games always found ways to switch things up on the players.

    When Klara''s defensive wall returned to the floor, the girl used her bracelet and returned fire on Darius.

    The kid did not attempt to avoid the incoming projectile. Instead, he pressed a button on his bracelet and smiled. However, that smile washed off his face when the projectile struck him. He convulsed wildly and dropped to the floor as volts of electricity surged through his body.

    He got back up to his feet when the electrocutions stopped. He panted heavily and stared at his bracelet in desperation. Something went wrong with whatever plan he had in store.

    "The fuck was that?! Why didn''t the wall show up?!" He maneuvered through his settings and found the cause of the problem. "What?! A cooldown time limit?!" He exclaimed.

    "Of course, Darius," replied Caius from the intercom system in the ceiling. "It would not be fair if you could activate the wall all the time. They have a time limit before they can be used again."

    "Thanks for telling me that now of all times, Caius!" Darius complained. He used his bracelet and launched his counter-attack. That time, it wasn''t aimed at Klara, but rather her tower from the far left side.

    Having no time to defend it, Klara watched as more pieces of her tower collapsed right before her very eyes. Judging from their towers, Klara''s could withstand a couple more. Meanwhile, Darius'' tower only suffered damage once. It was clear who had the overall advantage.

    "Better step up your game, Klara. If you don''t, I''ll win this thing." Darius boasted and flashed her an arrogant smirk.

    I didn''t understand his game plan. What did he hope to achieve from taunting Klara like that? Goad her into making a mistake? If so, what kind of error could that woman make?

    I racked my brain to figure out his plan. I came up with nothing. All I could do was wait and see what he''d do.

    Klara narrowed her eyes and responded to his provocation. She activated a turret from her bracelet and fired at Darius'' tower from the far right side. Darius smirked and summoned his defensive wall. It absorbed the full force of the projectile.

    However, unknownst to him, cracks appeared in the wall. It slowly descended back into the fall. During that process, Darius took the initiative and fired another shot.

    Klara didn''t bring up her wall. Instead, she moved out of the way when the projectile struck her tower and encased some of the blocks in ice. They fell to the ground and shattered, scattering shards all over the floor.

    "Now it''s ice, huh?" Darius noted. While he was distracted by the ice on the floor, Klara knocked down more blocks from his tower. "Ah! No fair! I wasn''t paying attention!" The kid jumped out of the way as ice blocks came crashing down around him. Even as he slid across the floor, he used his bracelet and attacked.

    Once again, Klara didn''t try and stop the projectile from freezing and knocking down more blocks from her tower.

    "What''s Klara doing?" Henrika repeatedly tapped her foot. She leaned forward from her position on the couch to get a better view of the television. "She''s just standing there."

    "C''mon Bookworm! Do something interesting already!" Melanie complained as she threw her hands up into the air.

    Klara fired another projectile at the tower thanks to her bracelet. Darius called up his defensive wall and shielded himself when flames stretched around it, nearly burning him.

    "Back to flames now?!" Darius yelled. More cracks appeared on his wall as it returned to the floor. While hidden behind it, he used his bracelet to launch a surprise attack.

    The incendiary round shot across the room and blasted down another portion of Klara''s tower. At that point, only the middle section of the tower remained for Klara to protect. The woman brought her finger down on her bracelet. It activated her turret, which fired the projectile at Darius'' tower from the left side.

    It caught several of his blocks ablaze. They fell from the tower in a burning heap.

    "Time to end this!" Darius declared. He used his bracelet and fired another projectile straight at Klara. That time, she brought up her defensive wall. From behind the safety of the wall, she followed up with a surprise attack of her own. The turret ahead of her shot at Darius.

    He summoned up his wall. However, the projectile broke through the barrier and struck him in the stomach. His jacket caught ablaze as he was blown back into his tower. He flew straight through it; knocking the entire thing over. A loud buzzer blared through the room, signifying the end of the game.

    "This marks the end of the game! Darius'' tower has fallen! Therefore, the winner of the game is player number three, Klara Ismene!" Caius happily announced.

    Upon the announcement, sections of the roof split open, allowing confetti and streamers to rain down into the room. The door on Klara''s side of the room opened. The woman turned her back and left without a word as usual.

    Meanwhile, Darius stayed on the ground after extinguishing the flames on his clothes. He closed his eyes and laughed.

    Why did he do that? What was so funny about him losing?

    "Son of a bitch is laughing?" Melanie asked.

    "Something''s wrong," Henrika quickly stood up from the couch with a grim expression. "Why hasn''t the door on his side of the room opened up yet?"

    "Wait, what?" I looked through the glass window. Henrika was right. The door on Darius'' side didn''t open. Usually, when a game was completed, the doors would open. The only time that didn''t happen was back on the first day after Frederick and Klara''s game. "That idiot. You don''t think--"

    I didn''t finish my sentence. I didn''t want to. I figured out exactly what happened at that moment. But, if I said it out loud, I feared that it''d become a reality. I sincerely hoped that if I kept my mouth shut, then my envisioned, disturbing thought wouldn''t come true.

    "He gambled away the remaining points he had left," Zoey finished.

    "Dumbass is gonna die then?" Melanie smiled. She pressed her face against the glass window. "Oh, my God! Can''t wait to see what Fedora''s got in store in for him!"

    "God damn it!" Henrika cursed. "What was that kid thinking?!"

    Once Darius finished laughing, he dusted himself off and stood up. He faced the glass window with a forced smile. I had seen smiles like those before. It was one of exhaustion and acceptance.

    The kid knew what was going to come next. He knew that he was going to die.

    "Player number four, Darius Haldis has run out of GP! Therefore, he is no longer considered a player! The death wheel shall determine his method of execution!" Caius appeared on the television screen. Directly behind him was that dreadful death wheel. I''d only seen it once before. I hoped I''d never see it again.

    Frederick''s execution repeated in my head. I couldn''t shake the gruesome image of its aftermath.

    "Well, I guess this is the end of me, everyone." Darius scratched the back of his head. "I can''t say that this has been a fun experience. ''Cause honestly; it''s been terrifying. I don''t know how I''ve managed to stay sane throughout this whole thing."

    "What''s this? A goodbye speech? Fuck that! Kill him already, Fedora!" Melanie demanded.

    "Shut up!" Henrika snapped at her.

    "Bet you''re all confused why I did this. Well, I planned to win and earn a few more points to secure a more stable lifeline here. But, I messed up, just like I always do." Darius clenched his hands into fists, nearly choking up as tears streamed down his face. "I know it doesn''t mean anything to you. But I''m sorry. I''m sorry for all the trouble I caused you. I''m sorry I killed Elena. I could apologize for that a million times, and it''d never be enough. So, I''ll prove how serious I am by giving up my life to atone for my crime."

    "Blah, blah, blah," Melanie grew disinterested in his speech. She moved over to the couch and laid herself across it. "Lemme know when he starts dying."

    "That idiot! That fucking idiot!" I approached the glass window and struck it with my fist. "Why''s he gotta be so fucking stupid?! What does killing himself do in the long run?! Elena won''t come back! His aunt won''t know about his disappearance! God damn it, Darius! Death isn''t an apology!"

    A firm hand grabbed my shoulder. I looked over my shoulder and stared at Salomon. "Don''t bother. He''s made his choice. We''ll have to accept it. Consequences and all."

    "Before I die, I just wanna get some things off my chest," Darius took a deep breath. "Ambrose, I know you didn''t like me very much, but I''m glad I met you. You''re the kind of man I aspired to be. Strong and determined."

    "God damn it!" I continued to strike at the glass window. I didn''t want to watch it. I didn''t want to see the kid get killed over a stupid mistake that he made. He didn''t deserve it.

    At that time, I thought back to all the things I could''ve done to prevent the situation. I could''ve spoken to him when he needed me. I could''ve said something to him.

    Did he aspire to be someone like me? He didn''t know how idiotic that sounded to me. I wasn''t anything anyone should''ve wanted to become. I didn''t deserve his praise.

    "Melanie, you''re one hell of a psycho bitch. I''d suggest counseling, but I doubt it''d work." Darius chuckled.

    "Oh, good one," Melanie rolled her eyes.

    "Klara, I''m sorry I put you through something like this. But, I''ve got a feeling you''re a tough girl. I wish I could''ve heard your voice, though," Darius complained. "Henrika, you''re a beautiful woman. I would''ve loved to have gone on a date with you if we survived through this. Also, I''m sorry I stared at your ass so many times when you weren''t looking."

    Henrika covered her mouth and stepped back from the group. She shook her head and looked away from the television screen.

    "Nicholas, thanks for being there when I needed you. You helped keep me going through these tough times." Darius continued with his speech. "And Salomon, you''re one cool dude. You should probably stop smoking, though. Those things will kill you eventually."

    Salomon chuckled and put out his cigar. "I don''t need you to tell me that."

    "There are still so many things that I want to say to you all and the others. But, I''ll talk to the others in the afterlife. Well, if one exists anyway."

    Having had enough of the speech, Caius spun the death wheel. It eventually came to a stop. The needle pointed to an illustration of a stick figure on fire.

    Right on cue, flames erupted from one side of the room. Darius turned and stared at them. His smile faded. Immediate fear crossed his face as the fire drew closer towards him, growing in size and intensity the closer it got. The kid backed away to the farthest wall in the room. With his back pressed against the wall, all he could do was watch in horror as walls of scorching flames approached him.

    When it finally got to him, I looked away from the window. I shut my eyes closed as tightly as I could and covered my ears with my hands to drown out the screams. But it was futile.

    I heard it. I heard everything. Darius'' screams. Their screams. Over and over, replaying on an endless loop that I couldn''t drown out. Their cries of excruciating anguish, their bodies were writhing agonizing pain.

    They called out to me. I couldn''t do anything.

    Darius'' voice intermixed with their cries. It was so loud; deafening even.

    "Shut up..." I groaned quietly. I thought my ears would bleed if the noise didn''t stop. How anyone could''ve stood there without covering their ears surprised me.

    How long did I keep my ears covered? A minute? Two? Three? Five? I didn''t know.

    It felt like an eternity.

    The screams continued to plague my ears and mind.

    "Shut up...shut up...shut up...SHUT UP!!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Then, all was silent. I couldn''t hear a thing.

    I opened my eyes and saw everyone staring at me with wide eyes. They said nothing to me as I stood up and took a moment to process everything. Against my better judgment, I turned around and looked through the glass window. The flames were gone.

    All that remained in the game room was a burned, charred up corpse that was once Darius Haldis.

    </a>

    My eyes widened. I slapped my hand over my mouth when the urge to hurl came. I rushed out of the room and never looked back.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 35 - Burdens of the Past and Future!

    I heard someone shout my name when I dashed out of the lobby room. But, I didn''t look back. I didn''t bother to try and recognize the voice either. What did it matter? What would it change?

    Another one of us died.

    Darius Haldis put everything on the line and failed. Everything he dreamed about, everything he wanted to accomplish, all of it came to a fiery end. Even though I knew he was dead, his screams and theirs continued to echo in my head endlessly.

    The comfort of my room wasn''t enough to quell the agonizing screams. I tried several methods to silence them. Nothing worked. All I could do was sit in my bed and wait. How long did I sit in the darkness? Thirty minutes? An hour? Three hours? I had no clue. I kept my eyes closed the entire time. I had to focus on shouting out the racket.

    Was I going mad? They were dead. Long dead. But, I could still hear them.

    No one else could. The others couldn''t handle the volume of the screams, the weight of the guilt that I felt. It was my punishment. No matter how tormenting or agonizing, I''d accept it. It was my curse to bear.

    Itwasn''t the first time I suffered, and it wouldn''t be the last. Like the previous times, I''d pull through; I''d manage. I''d survive and continue to live through my life with all the choices I made, consequences and all like everyone else in the world.

    Despite my closed eyes, the gruesome and vivid images of all their corpses remained in my mind. Every grotesque and horrid detail hoisted up as if put on a pedestal. My brain wouldn''t allow me to forget what happened. Everything I''ve done, all the lives I''ve ruined in some shape or form.

    The newest addition to that gallery; Darius Haldis. The poor kid didn''t have to die. He was so young and full of potential.Sure, he wasn''t the smartest or the bravest, or even the most useful. However, that didn''t mean that his life didn''t have meaning.

    Maybe, just maybe if I had accepted his offer to talk to him, his death could''ve been avoided. Perhaps my refusal to speak with him was the final nail that sealed his coffin. Because I joined the others in isolating the kid; he concluded that he didn''t deserve to live. Was that his thought process?

    There was no way of knowing anymore. Dead men don''t talk. His final thoughts would stay with him forever. In heaven, hell, or oblivion. It didn''t matter.

    How much longer would I stay trapped inside the hell that was Serendipity and my mind? The deadline drew nearer as the days passed. And with one less player in the games, perhaps my chances of escape increased?

    In a moment of weakness, I allowed a scoff to leak from my mouth. Did I unconsciously revel in the fact that there was one less person? With Darius'' death, there were only seven players left. In less than two weeks, five people died in Serendipity.

    If things continued to proceed as they were, I wondered if I''d end up like them. Would I get careless and wind up dead? If I died, only one person would miss me. I didn''t mind that fact.

    However, I couldn''t stand the fact that if I were to die, then that one person would have no idea what happened to me. Why I suddenly disappeared without a trace. No letter, no phone call, nothing. I couldn''t do that to the old man. After all, he''d done for me in my life; I wouldn''t cause him any more trouble. No matter what, I''d push through the adversity and survive through the hellish games and trials.

    Just when my confidence returned, my eyes snapped open when the doorbell chime to my room rang. As if a work of magic, the screams and horrible images in my head vanished. For once, my room was devoid of sound. I took a moment to enjoy the silence, however short-lived it was.

    The constant rings from the doorbell ruined my moment of bliss. I got up from my bed and opened the door to stop the cursed bell. The person on the other side was Henrika. As usual, she barged her way into the room and made herself comfortable.

    When I closed the door and took a seat in a nearby chair, she started the conversation, "What the hell was that all about back there, Ambrose?"

    A fair question to ask. When I thought back to that dreadful moment, I recalled my uncharacteristic behavior. No one in Serendipity ever saw me act that way before. And with good reason, I''d always try and make it a point to keep myself in check. Often at times, I''d succeed. But there were times when I failed.

    "It''s none of your business," I immediately tried to shut down the conversation. Henrika attempted to steer the discussion in a direction I had no plans of going down. Reopening old wounds wasn''t something I''d prefer to do.

    "I''m making it my business," Henrika declared, her voice thundered with authority, "never seen you raise your voice like that before. And you ran out of the room before anyone could stop you."

    "I haven''t broken any rules, have I?" I questioned her, "no rule says I have to stay after a game''s over."

    Henrika nodded in confirmation. She couldn''t refute that fact. "True. But, this is the only time you''ve rushed out like that. I want to know why. Out of the other deaths you''ve witnessed, what made Darius'' so hard for you?"

    "You saw it, didn''t you? Bastard got himself burnt to a crisp," I half-heartedly replied, "if you can sit there and watch someone get burned to death, then you must have a stronger stomach than me."

    "Probably. But, there''s more to it. I could tell from your body language."

    "The fuck were you doing watching me?"

    "You were acting strangely. This is the first time someone''s death got that kind of reaction out of you," Henrika pointed out. She wasn''t wrong. "I assume it had something to do with the fire?"

    I resisted the urge to clutch my chest when a lurching sensation reached it. Henrika was quite perceptive when she wanted to be. I wish she spent more time using that skill of hers on other people rather than me.

    She hit the nail right on the head. Hopefully, I didn''t show that fact on my face.

    "I only ask because I noticed you freak out a bit when you burned your shoulder during your game with Elena." Henrika pointed to my shoulder.

    "Wouldn''t anyone get freaked out when getting burned?" I moved my hand to my burned shoulder out of reflex.

    "Maybe. However, you were more than freaked out. You were terrified. You''re afraid of fire, aren''t you?"

    I got out from my seat and pointed to the door at that moment, "Get out," I demanded. That woman overstepped her boundaries. She had no right looking into me like that and asking ridiculous questions.

    "I''m right, aren''t I?" Henrika stood from the bed but made no attempts to leave my room. "There''s nothing wrong with having fears, Ambrose. Everyone has some."

    "You think I don''t know that?" I countered.

    "There''s more to your fear than just fire, right? If you want to talk about it, I''m all ears." Henrika offered, her soothing tone and generous gesture reminded me of my mother.

    "I don''t want to talk about it. Get out of my room and let me get some sleep." I ordered.

    "You want to shut me out, that''s fine. But, it''s not going to help you, Ambrose. If something''s eating away at you, then you need to talk to someone." Henrika walked over to me and set her hands of comfort on my shoulders. "You need to trust me on this just as much as I trust you."

    I removed her hands from my shoulders and backed away from her. Henrika relied far too much on that word. Trust. Something that could easily through the easiest of conditions. I wondered how much of her trust I''d lose if I did as she suggested and talked to her.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    If I told her everything, would she be able to look me in the eyes and continue to talk to me as if we''re comrades? Because as much as she claimed to trust me, I didn''t believe it. And I doubted she trusted me all that much, considering the situation of our alliance.

    We promised to work and trust each other, however, she didn''t want to reveal the third person in our alliance. A team that kept secrets from each other wasn''t a team at all.

    "Have you gotten worse at lying?" I called her out.

    "What?" Henrika blinked in surprise as if she had no idea what I went on about.

    "You claim you trust me, but that''s far from the truth. You won''t tell me who''s the third person in our alliance," I pointed out, "how can you lie to me right in my face like that? Oh, that''s right, your father was a politician. That''s your excuse, right?"

    "An alliance is about give and take. Why would I tell you when you won''t even tell me why you''re here or the reason for your outburst back there?" She countered.

    "My outburst has nothing to do with the alliance or you for that matter. Stay out of my business!"

    "I have to make it my business! Because if we''re going to work together, I need to know I can count on you when the time comes!"

    "Time comes for what?!"

    "I don''t know!" She proclaimed. "I don''t know what we can expect to face while we''re here anymore! But, whatever it is, I want us to work together and survive! That''s my goal! And it should be yours too!"

    "It is! I want to get out of here just as much as you do! There''s someone I need to see again no matter what!"

    The heat of the argument subsided. Henrika stepped back and suddenly smiled at me. "There we go. That''s the first time you truly opened up about yourself."

    That bitch.

    She used the argument to goad me into talking. I got careless and let my guard down around her. Henrika was a dangerous woman, regardless if she was an ally or enemy.

    I slapped my hand over my face and sighed. "God damn it."

    "Come on, Ambrose. You''re off to a good start," Henrika''s soothing and nurturing tone returned as she sat back down on the bed. She patted the area beside her. "Sit next to me. Let''s talk."

    My body moved on its own. I found myself obeying her commands. I crossed the room and sat down next to her with my hands on my knees.

    "This is stupid," I complained.

    "No, it''s not. Now, you said there was someone you needed to see again. Who is it?" She asked.

    "My old man," I reluctantly answered.

    "Your father?"

    "No. But, I wish he was. The old man''s been more of a father to me than that sack of shit ever was," I corrected her, "hope he''s burning in hell right now..."

    While the thought of my father burning in hell brought a sense of joy back into me, it also brought back the scorching sensation of that time. My back, legs, and shoulder ached at that moment. I hunched over and clutched my shoulder.

    "You okay?!" Henrika held on and stopped me from falling over.

    "I''m fine," I assured her, although she didn''t look convinced when I noticed the troubled look on her face, "the thought just brought back some bad memories."

    "What kind?"

    "You sure you want to hear this?" I answered the question with one of my own. My story wasn''t one that I often told people, especially strangers. Henrika didn''t even take a second to consider my warning. She nodded her head without hesitation, more than prepared to hear my story. "I''m here because the IRS is looking to audit the old man''s bar. We shed our blood, sweat, and tears to get that place to ourselves. It''s our home."

    "A bar?" Henrika inquired. "You''re willing to risk your life over a bar?"

    Initially, I interpreted those words of hers as ridicule. However, when I remembered her circumstances, I realized that it wasn''t. We all had different reasons for why we did what we did. It brought me small joy that she didn''t laugh at me.

    "The old man and I didn''t have the easiest of lives. That bar acted as our sanctuary. A place where we could go without having to worry about our past troubles. For once, I looked forward to the future."

    "And now?"

    "I''m uneasy, but I''m still looking forward to it. As I said, I don''t intend to die here. I''m going to survive, get my prize money, and save the bar no matter what. Even if the old man refuses to fight, I will."

    "He doesn''t want you to save the bar?"

    "No. He wants them to take it. Says that place is keeping me shackled."

    "If you think of him as a father, then shouldn''t you listen to him?"

    "I''m a grown ass man. I don''t need to follow every word he says. I''m more than capable of making my own decisions."

    Henrika nodded her head and glanced around the room. "And what do you think of the decisions you''ve made thus far?"

    I scratched the back of my head and sighed. That was a difficult question to answer, but, I gave it my best shot. "Of course, I regret a few choices I''ve made. But, I can''t turn back time. I''ll have to live with everything I''ve done and hope for the best."

    "That''s fair," Henrika nodded, "I hope you don''t mind me asking, but what do you have against your real father? I sensed a lot of hatred when you mentioned him."

    At that moment, I saw a smile etch onto the woman''s face. But, it wasn''t any general expression she often made. No. It was one that made a chill run down my spine. It was the same, sinister smile she made when she mentioned how much she wanted her father to suffer.

    That woman was a sadist.

    "He was a fucking dirtbag," I announced, "cancer to my mother and little sister, Trish."

    "You shouted her name back in the infirmary," Henrika remembered.

    I nodded my head. "Yeah. He wasn''t physically abusive or anything. But, he didn''t do anything in the house, except sit on his ass all day drinking beer, watching television, and blowing away all my mother''s hard earned money on gambling. It never made sense to me why my mother worked so hard and enabled that fucker''s habits."

    "Did you ever ask her why?" Henrika wondered.

    "I did. Once. My mom said that she loved him and that he was going through a rough patch. I was just a kid at the time, so, I believed her and hoped for the best."

    "Did the best come?"

    "No. So, I tried to make it happen," I tightened my grip on my knees, knowing that I was about to wander into dangerous territory. I took several deep breaths. Those horrid moments flashed through my mind as I recalled them to Henrika, "one day when I spotted my father passed out on the coach again, I decided to put an end to everything. I took one of his cigarettes and set the house on fire."

    "You killed your father?" Henrika''s body trembled. At first, I believed it was out of shock and horror. But, when I took a second look at her, I figured it was excitement.

    "It wasn''t the fire that did it. My father escaped without a scratch," I shook my head. I nearly got choked up as I resisted the urge to cry in front of her again. "But, my mother and sister weren''t so lucky. I didn''t know they were in the house. So, I ran back inside to save them. We nearly escaped, but a support beam fell on us."

    "Oh my God," Henrika gasped.

    "I don''t remember how long it was, but I still remember their screams, their painful cries as we burned. Eventually, firefighters got us out of the house. But, I was the only one that survived. So, I was left with my father, the man I wanted dead in the first place."

    "That couldn''t have been easy for you,"

    I stood up and quickly paced back and forth in the room. That woman had no idea how difficult it was with that man. He was nothing but garbage. If anyone deserved to die in that house fire, it should''ve been him. If not just him, then me too. As long as my mother and sister were safe, I would''ve been okay with that outcome. Just as long as my father was out of the equation.

    "It only got worse. While I was recovering in the hospital, my father told me he knew I started the fire. He threatened to turn me over to the police if I didn''t listen to him,"

    "What did he want you to do?"

    "Help him run a scam," I revealed, "he started a fundraiser campaign in honor of his family. He played the grieving father and gathered hundreds of thousands of dollars in support, using me as the figurehead. When he got enough, he ran off with the money and left me to deal with the backlash."

    "That motherfucker!" Henrika exclaimed. It was good to see how invested she was in my past.

    "Since the money stopped coming in, I was eventually kicked out of the hospital. Thankfully, I made friends with the old man who was also admitted into the hospital at the time. He took pity on me and decided to give me a place to stay until I could get back on my feet."

    "That''s very nice of him."

    "I took advantage of his goodwill and used that opportunity to hunt down my father. Took me three years, but I eventually did. Found him drunk off his ass under a highway bridge. I didn''t even bother trying to talk to him," I pointed at Henrika and raised my thumb as if I had a gun on her. "I shot him to death. Sixteen times. Eight in his stomach, and another eight in his face."

    "Jesus Christ," Henrika placed her hand over her mouth.

    "Almost ended my life at that moment, but, the old man stopped me. He talked me down and helped me stay out of jail by lying to the police. After everything I''ve done, he''s stuck by my side," I turned my back to Henrika. I couldn''t stop the tears from flowing down my face. "I killed my entire family, took advantage and relied on the goodwill of a man that knew nothing about me, and now I''m causing him more trouble by being here. Oh god, what the hell am I doing?!"

    I kicked the chair across the room. It broke into pieces when it contacted the wall.

    Henrika hugged me from behind and rested her chin on my shoulder. "You''re letting your walls down. You''ve always been so guarded."

    "How can you keep talking to me like that? I''m a murderer, Henrika."

    "I killed my father too, Ambrose. We''re both murderers," She proclaimed.

    "Your father died in a prison riot. I literally ended my father''s life."

    "I sent him to prison. So, figuratively I killed him."

    "Don''t try and compare me to you. Our situations are entirely different,"

    It was strange, but I fought off the urge to laugh thanks to our banter. It was a little funny, fighting over which one of us were actually murderers.

    "That''s true, but, you can''t ignore the similarities. I won''t judge you on your past, because it''s just that, Ambrose, the past. You''re completely different from how you were back then," Henrika assured me.

    "I don''t think so."

    "I know so. From the beginning, you said that this game was about survival, not murder. You''ve kept your word about that. You''ve had chances to kill others, but you didn''t." Henrika pointed out.

    "I--"

    The chime of the doorbell interrupted me. Henrika released me from her hold and approached the door. She opened it immediately and allowed someone to come in without my permission. My eyes widened when the person turned out to be Klara.

    Klara and Henrika stood together, side by side.

    "Klara? Why are you--"

    "She''s here to help, Ambrose," Henrika set her hand on Klara''s shoulder and flashed me a bright smile.

    "Now, the only question remains is if you are," For once throughout my entire time in Serendipity, I heard Klara speak. Her sharp gaze focused on me as she adjusted her glasses.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 36 - Plan B!

    I was at a loss for words. Henrika and Klara stood side by side in front of me with unreadable expressions. For the first time throughout my time in Serendipity, I heard Klara speak. Surprisingly, her apathetic voice sounded precise as I imagined it. It matched her gaze and words of judgment.

    When I came back to my senses, my shock of the matter vanished. Who did that woman think she was? I couldn''t imagine what I did to earn myself such a glance from her. Dozens of scenarios raced through my mind. But, nothing concrete struck. Klara and I hardly interacted with each other. Regardless of her attitude toward me, I found little comfort in the fact that she was the third person in our alliance.

    She was the last person on my list.

    I figured Klara as a wild card. I knew next to nothing about her. My thoughts filled to the brim with curiosity. It boggled my mind on how Henrika managed to recruit an enigma like Klara into the alliance.

    "What do you mean by, "If I''m here to help"?" I asked.

    "Playing dumb?" Klara turned her back to me, "let''s get out of here, Henrika. This man''s wasting our time."

    "Wait for a second, Klara," Henrika stopped the woman from leaving and forced her back around, "give him a chance. I told you, he''s a good guy."

    Klara''s skeptical glance didn''t change. She remained unconvinced of her partner''s words.

    "I doubt that. We can''t trust him." Klara pointed at me. Did she know something? She seemed determined to finger me out as untrustworthy.

    "Have a seat." Henrika pulled up a chair. Klara reluctantly accepted and took a seat. Not once did she look away from me. Afterward, Henrika filled the woman in on our previous conversation about my past and reasons for being there in Serendipity.

    It was hard to sit there and listen to everything. My past wasn''t something I enjoyed bringing up to people, regardless if they were friends or strangers. There were several moments when I wanted to shout out and stop Henrika from mentioning certain circumstances. But, I bit my tongue and kept quiet.

    When Henrika finished, Klara adjusted her glasses and responded, "So, you had a rough life. Whatever. That has nothing to do with our situation."

    The woman stayed unfazed by the new information.

    Henrika nudged Klara side with her elbow. "Klara, you''re being rude."

    "I''m being honest," Klara corrected, "this man can''t be trusted. Maybe neither of you can be trusted."

    "Why me?!" exclaimed Henrika, as if it were the most absurd thing she heard in her life.

    "You brought him into our alliance without taking it up with me first. Who knows who else he told about us."

    "I haven''t told anyone," I cut my way back into the conversation. With the direction it took, I foresaw a lousy ending. One that I wished to avoid at all costs. I couldn''t let the alliance end over a small mistake of miscommunication. "What''s your problem with me anyway? What have I ever done to you?"

    Klara icy glare returned. She raised her index finger and replied, "You have one chance at this. Answer truthfully. Did you ever vote to stay here?"

    My heart rate skyrocketed at that moment. Out of any question, Klara could''ve asked me; it just had to be that one. I felt an immense amount of pressure weigh down on my shoulders as I struggled with finding out how to answer.

    Should I tell the truth? What are the repercussions for doing so? Would Klara and Henrika kick me out of the alliance? We''d become enemies at that point, right?

    Should I lie? If they believed me, then we''d continue to work together. I didn''t see a problem with that.

    But, I took another moment to reconsider the question. Why had Klara asked me that? Did she know? If she did, how? Was everything just a test for me?

    I didn''t know. I couldn''t know.

    Eventually, I steeled myself and threw caution into the wind as I answered, "Yes. I''ve voted to stay here."

    Eyes of judgment pierced through me. Klara and Henrika''s gazes brought about goosebumps over my body. Anxiety hit me like a ton of bricks as I waited for a response from them. At that point, I didn''t care what they would say, just as long as they said something.

    The overwhelming silence took its toll on my body.

    "Maybe having him around won''t be so bad after all," Klara looked at Henrika and nodded her head in acceptance.

    "Wait, what? You''re letting me stay in the alliance?" I asked. I revealed my status as one of the traitors, and the woman didn''t bat an eye. She accepted it without complaint.

    "You told me the truth. It must''ve been tough for you, but you did it." Klara looked back at me. That time, her gaze was different. It seemed she accepted me.

    "Alliances are built on trust, Ambrose," Henrika declared, "without it, we''re doomed to fail."

    "How did you know I was a traitor?" I wondered. I thought I hid that fact very well. If there was something I missed, I wanted to know about it.

    Henrika smiled and set her hand on Klara''s shoulder. "Klara here is good at reading people. She can tell what you''re thinking just by watching your facial expressions."

    I glanced over at the woman. Was what she told me the truth? I heard of people that possessed that skill. Was Klara truly one of them?

    "You''re skeptical," Klara suddenly called me out. "Your eyebrows furrowed when you looked at me."

    My hand unconsciously moved to my eyebrows. Perhaps it was just a lucky guess? I couldn''t easily believe her claims just because of that.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    "Go ahead and try to fool Klara if you can, Ambrose. I''ve already tried, and she saw through all my lies," Henrika sighed. "I take pride in my lies."

    "I think you should''ve kept that to yourself," I said. Henrika''s careless habits got on my nerves. I saw her as the de facto leader of the team, and that worried me greatly. "Whatever. Say I decided to believe you, what''s your plan to get out of here?"

    Klara opened her book and pulled out several pieces of paper. They were the letters Henrika, and I collected.

    "I''m the one that wrote these letters," The woman revealed. One bombshell after another. Had I tried to lie to her earlier, no doubt I would''ve gotten kicked out of the alliance. If she wrote the letters, then, of course, she''d discern the genuine from the fakes. "I didn''t think someone would make fakes and send them to the other players. That miscalculation is on me."

    Miscalculation.

    That''s how she worded her mistake. An error of hers that caused several problems within Serendipity. My first instinct was to lash out at her. But, that wouldn''t solve anything.

    However, it didn''t change how I felt about Klara taking the problem so lightly. Her tone of voice stayed monotone regardless of what subjects she brought up in the conversation. Did she not care about anyone or anything going on?

    "So, Klara and I plan on luring out the person that wrote out these fakes." Henrika proclaimed.

    "How do you plan on doing that?" I asked.

    "We''re going to make a petition," Henrika answered, "we''ll have everyone sign a piece of paper under the guise of wanting to convince Caius to let us out of here."

    "Our real aim is to get everyone''s signature and compare it to the fake letters. From there, Henrika should be able to figure out who wrote the fakes." Klara added.

    "And when we point out the person?" I questioned.

    "We bring them out into the light," Henrika harshly responded. "Klara tried to warn others about the traitors, but someone went and fucked it all up. They''ll pay for that."

    "I never pictured you as the caring type." My attention shifted over to Klara. At that point, the woman had her book opened.

    "I''m not. I don''t care about anyone''s reasons for being here. I want my money as soon as possible," Klara flipped to the next page in her book. "I thought warning everyone about the traitors as soon as possible would benefit me in the long run. Unexpectedly, that didn''t turn out to be the case."

    Once again, not a single shred of urgency or dread showed in her voice or body language. Klara spoke as if everything in Serendipity was a minor inconvenience. What kind of life did that woman live to have such a cold exterior?

    "You don''t look like you''re in a rush to get out of here," I noted. "What could you possibly want with money besides books?"

    For a moment, Klara sharply looked up from her book and glared at me. "Getting rid of gambling debt for starters."

    I was taken aback for a moment. I never figured Klara the gambling type. It just went to show that I shouldn''t judge a book by its cover. "You? Gamble?"

    "Not me. My parents. They acquired a lot of debt from gambling. When it got too much for them, they committed suicide by driving themselves off the road with me in the backseat." Klara revealed.

    "...Oh, I''m sorry to hear that." I apologized. I felt like I made her bring up old wounds.

    "No need to apologize. You had nothing to do with their deaths. I don''t feel sorry for them. They were idiots." Klara returned to the realm of her book. "Causing unnecessary problems for their child due to their incompetence."

    Klara''s cruelty knew no bounds. Her thoughts and attitude towards her parents wasn''t something I expected. I empathized with her to a certain degree, at least when it came to my father. I looked over at Henrika. She didn''t seem fazed by the woman''s words. Perhaps she already knew about Klara''s circumstances.

    "Let me guess; their debt went to you afterward?" I wondered.

    Klara nodded her head in confirmation. "Correct. Loan sharks chased me for months. Nearly caught me until Tanet found me and offered me the chance to come here."

    "Yeah, apparently Tanet''s sunk his teeth into everyone here," I mentioned and rolled my eyes. It was thanks to conniving bastards like Tanet why I didn''t believe in coincidences. "Do you regret answering his call?"

    "No," Klara shook her head. "Accepting his offer proved beneficial to me. I have more than enough money to pay off the loan sharks and have enough left over for easy living."

    "At the cost of a man''s life." I reminded her of Frederick''s death.

    "That was his undoing. He chose to gamble all his points. That''s all on him," Klara countered. "It takes a special kind of moron to use all their points in the first game."

    Not a single lie spewed from her mouth. Her response was entirely logical. However, that wasn''t what I was looking for. I wanted to gauge her unreadable expressions. Nothing changed.

    She was as cold and uncaring as before.

    Even though I didn''t know Frederick all that much, his death still impacted me. But, Klara was different. She wasn''t shocked or disturbed. She didn''t care. Whether he survived or not, she wouldn''t think twice about the man.

    Perhaps in her eyes, no matter what happened in Serendipity, Klara wouldn''t bat an eye. She''d shrug off everything until she left with her money.

    "Why are you choosing now of all times to speak up?" I inquired. That was one of the greatest questions that bothered me about Klara. There were plenty of moments where she could''ve spoken up and brought several things to light. Most importantly, the mystery of the traitors and letters could''ve been solved almost immediately.

    Maybe then certain deaths could''ve been avoided.

    "You''re angry," Klara spotted. She must''ve reread my facial expressions. My face stiffened. "You think me being silent caused all this?"

    "Certainly didn''t help." I retorted. It wasn''t my intention to argue with Klara. Nothing would change the past or bring back the lives lost. If anything, it''d be just a bunch of hypothetical scenarios. "If you spoke up about the--"

    Klara slammed her book closed. "Arguing over what-ifs is pointless. I didn''t speak before because I didn''t see the point of communicating with strangers. I couldn''t trust any of you at the time."

    "That''s your excuse?"

    "It''s my reason. If I couldn''t trust my parents, what makes you think I''d trust a bunch of greedy strangers?"

    "So, you trust us now?"

    "To an extent," Klara nodded. "I know now that I can''t wait for these games to end anytime soon. We need to take action, or else we''ll all die here."

    "If you''d concludethat before, some of the deaths here could''ve been avoided." I proclaimed.

    "Maybe. But, we''ll never know for sure. Agreeing to come here and expecting no one to die is foolish. You should count your blessings you haven''t died."

    "I''m grateful for that. But, I''m still burdened by what''s happened here."

    "That''s your choice. Everything that''s happened is because of the choices everyone''s made. You can sit there, blaming yourself or me, but nothing changes in the end."

    "I know that."

    "Then pull yourself together. We''ve come this far. Let''s push a little more." Klara suggested.

    It was strange hearing words of encouragement come from her, potentially one of the coldest people here. I didn''t necessarily like her, but I didn''t have to. I just needed to work with her until we were all free.

    "Fine, I''m with you." I nodded my head.

    Klara stood from her chair and returned my gesture with a nod of her own. "Good. We''ll begin with our plan tomorrow."

    "Can''t help but feel excited," Henrika pulled Klara and I together until all three of us were bunched up. "We''re like a super covert team now."

    "Yeah, yeah, make sure to pull your weight. Don''t count on me to do everything for you." Klara complained.

    "Who was that meant for?" I wondered.

    "Both of you," Klara slipped out from Henrika''s grasp and left the room.

    "She''s a little...intense..." I surmised. Klara''s attitude and personality far exceeded my expectations. I pictured a shy and timid bookworm initially. But, that was far from the case.

    "Try not to be too hard on her. Klara has some trust issues." Henrika stated.

    "That''s putting it lightly," I said.

    "She''s rough around the edges, but she has good intentions. I''m sure she feels terrible about what''s happened concerning her letters. She''s brilliant, and she''ll help us catch the bastard that did this." Henrika''s voice beamed with confidence. Even I couldn''t resist smiling in response.

    "That''s yet to be seen. But, I''ll go along with it. Let''s end this," I said. Henrika nodded in agreement with my statement. With that, Henrika left my room, and with a heavy heart and a determined mindset, I fell asleep and hoped for a better tomorrow.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 37 - Sudden Determination!

    Another night of nightmares. Despite leaving on good terms with Henrika and Klara, my night terrors continued. I didn''t know why I expected anything different. For seventeen years, the same reoccurring dreams haunted me. Over, and over, and over, stuck in an endless loop, I''d watch my mother and sister burn to death.

    The only difference in that particular nightmare was the sudden addition of Darius.

    The poor kid burned right alongside my family. Like before, their voices intermixed and harmonized. A hellish symphony.

    Even when their bodies got reduced to dust, it didn''t take long for them to take form, only for them to burn again. Whenever I tried to escape, the flames followed. I''d run for what felt like an eternity but get nowhere, at least from what I could tell. I was trapped in an abyss of darkness with hellish flames chasing after me.

    No matter how fast I ran, the flames were much quicker. It consumed me.

    I joined the likes of Darius and my family in the burning. It tore me apart and ate away at my skin. I conceded to the torment and hollered in excruciating pain. That was a mistake.

    The fire seeped into my mouth and scorched me from the inside out. I no longer saw the point in fighting it. Regardless of what I wanted, it didn''t matter. I''d die.

    Eventually, the fire burned away at me until I was nothing more than a pile of ash. But, the punishment was over.

    Far from it.

    The flames magically restored my body to its original form, only to return to the burning. The roles reversed. Darius and my family remained untouched and unharmed while only I suffered through the hellish, unforgiving torment.

    It was only fitting.

    They were innocent. They didn''t deserve to die.

    I did.

    I accepted my punishment, but even then, they jeered at me and proclaimed that everything was my fault. They were right. Ibroughtso muchpainand suffering to everyone; it was a matter of time until it was my turn.

    An inevitable demise and eternal damnation in the fire and brimstonewas a fittingplace for someone like me.

    The chime of my doorbell woke me up and freed me from the chains and shackles of my nightmare. I cleared off my sweat and opened the door.

    "Good morning," Henrika barged into my room without warning as usual.

    "Morning," I looked around outside and shut the door. "Klara didn''t come with you?"

    "No. She wants to avoid getting spotted around us unless necessary. People would find it suspicious if she suddenly started following us around." Henrika replied.

    "That''s true." I agreed. Klara''s constructed a reputation of being a silent loner. If she came out and spoke all of a sudden, following us around, we''d rouse the suspicions of the other players.

    "You ready to start?" Henrika asked. She handed over to me a blank piece of paper. "Go ahead and sign your name on it. Afterward, write down some grievances you have in staying here."

    "You sound like you''re getting into this," I noted. Had she forgotten about the pivotal point of the plan? "What''s the point in writing down my grievances?"

    "So that others can follow your example. We need the other players to write as much as possible so it''ll be easier for me to point out the forger." Henrika sternly explained.

    "Okay, okay, I got it." I pulled up a chair and started writing at the desk. During the process of writing down my grievances, I heard Henrika get on my bed. I jumped from my seat and turned when she cried out. "What?! What''s wrong?!"

    "Your bed''s wet!" She angrily retorted. Her back arched as disgust spread on her face. "Did you pee in the bed?! Oh my God, I swear if I just lied down in pee--"

    "It''s sweat!" I interjected. Like hell, I''d allow her to make a blatant mistake. I couldn''t trust that woman to keep her mouth shut about sensitive matters.

    Henrika settled down and looked me over as if to confirm my statement.

    "You do look like hell," She noted. Rude as ever that woman. "Did you have a nightmare?"

    How did she come to that conclusion? I irritated and frightened me how perceptive she was whenever the time didn''t call for it.

    "It''s just hot in here."

    "No, it''s not."

    I quickly grabbed the petition paper and shoved it back into her hands. I didn''t want to get sucked into her pace again.

    "It''s your turn," I said. Henrika nodded her head and swapped places with me.

    "If it makes you feel any better, I had a nightmare too." She revealed.

    "That''s nice," I replied sarcastically. I didn''t want to delve any deeper into the conversation about nightmares. It was gone, in the past. No point in bringing it up.

    "Seeing Darius burn to death reminded me of my mother''s flower shop burning down. I can''t imagine what that did to you considering--"

    "Drop it," I demanded. That time, it took. Henrika kept her mouth shut and finished writing her portion of the petition. Had I known being a part of the alliance would''ve involved her digging into my personal life, I probably wouldn''t have joined in the first place.

    "I''m sorry," Henrika apologized. It felt sincere, but I couldn''t be certain knowing her habit of lying. I half-heartedly accepted it with a nod of my head. I thought that would be the end of it. But, I was wrong. She continued to speak, "If you ever need to talk with someone, I''m here for you."If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "Good to know," I said. "Are we going to get moving anytime soon?"

    Henrika narrowed her eyes and nudged her head toward the door. She said nothing else of the issue. We walked around Serendipity in search for the other players to receive their signatures. Our first destination was the Infirmary, where we were sure someone was there.

    We spotted the medical personnel tending to the wound on Nicholas'' torso. When they finished, Henrika and I gathered around him.

    "Good morning Henrika, Ambrose," Nicholas greeted us while he buttoned up his shirt, "here to check on me? If you are, I am doing well."

    Henrika didn''t waste any time. She reached out and handed Nicholas the piece of paper and a pen. "I''m starting a petition. I''m gathering signatures from the others. When I have them all, I''ll show it to Caius."

    Nicholas raised his shades to his forehead. His gaze affixed to the petition in his hand. "What do you hope to accomplish with this? Surely, you realize that this will not deter Caius in the slightest. I know you are desperate, but--"

    "We have to try anything we can to escape without any more casualties," Henrika interrupted with a curt tone. "I''m aware it''s a long shot. But, it''s worth a try."

    It amazed me how Henrika could blatantly lie to us like that. She did it, so naturally, not a single misstep or beat in the conversation missed. Getting signatures from all the players took top priority.

    The plan wouldn''t work without them.

    "You want to get out of here, don''t you?" I joined the conversation, adding more pressure onto Nicholas. He couldn''t do much in that situation. Not with us staring him down. We backed him into a corner.

    We all knew that the petition wouldn''t work. But, that wasn''t the point of it all. By refusing to sign it; one would get pointed out as a traitor. An elaborate trap set up by us.

    "Okay, I understand." Nicholas accepted his defeat and surrendered to our will. He followed our instructions and signed the petition, along with writing his grievances.

    Once he finished, the man handed the piece of paper back over to us.

    "Thank you," Henrika took the paper and showed her usual smile.

    "Good luck," That''s all Nicholas had left to say before he headed out of the room.

    "That''s three down," I said.

    "Three more to go," Henrika declared. We wasted no time in hunting down the others for their signatures. We found them all gathered in the Mess Hall.

    Henrika walked to the center of the room and took charge of the situation as usual. She revealed her intentions of the petition with sincerity and professionalism.

    "The fuck is up with this bullshit?!" Melanie called Henrika out. Of course, nothing could ever go smoothly whenever that girl was around. I wondered if she figured out our true intentions. Or, did she only seek to stir up more trouble?

    "It''s just as I said, Melanie. I need your signatures for my petition." Henrika repeated with a professional tone.

    "The fuck is a piece of paper gonna do?" Melanie challenged. "Fedora made it clear we ain''t leaving unless we vote. Trying anything else is pointless."

    "We won''t know until we try," Salomon flipped his coin into the air. He caught it and smiled. "Bring it over here. I''ll sign."

    "See? That''s the kind of attitude I like to see." Henrika walked over and handed the old man the petition. He wasted no time in putting his signature down. While he did that, my attention shifted to Zoey. She kept to herself with her usual hardened expression.

    I walked over to her and asked, "Are you going to sign?"

    "Is there a point to any of it?" She suddenly retorted with a question of her own. "Melanie''s right. Caius won''t let us go just because we sign a piece of paper."

    "Yeah, you''re probably right." I agreed.

    "You agree with me, and yet you continue with this fruitless attempt?" Her piercing gaze reached me. Had I been any less of a man; I probably would''ve told her the entire plan on the spot.

    "We''re just desperate," I answered. It wasn''t that far from the truth. Many of us died in Serendipity. We had to leave before any more of us got killed.

    "How many signatures did you collect?"

    "Four. If you sign, it''ll be five."

    Before she could respond, our eyes darted to the center of the room after we heard Henrika''s cry. The woman was down on her knees, scooping up shred pieces of paper. Melanie stood in front of her, laughing hysterically at the mess she made.

    "What are you doing?!" Henrika exclaimed.

    "Doing you a favor," Melanie dropped the remaining pieces of paper on the floor. She raised her leg and stomped on them. "This shit wasn''t gonna work, and you know it, Fatass."

    "You don''t get to decide that!"

    "Just did."

    "That girl again..." Zoey heaved a sigh.

    "Can''t help but cause trouble, huh?" I called Melanie out. "Henrika worked hard putting that together."

    "That doesn''t mean shit to me," Melanie snidely remarked. "It''s a waste of time. We all know it."

    "Then, do you have any ideas of getting out of here?" I asked.

    "It''d be nice if you all did me a solid and dropped dead." She answered coldly, as one would expect from a psychopath like her. "That way I could get outta here with my money."

    "You''re the one that should drop dead," I proclaimed. My fuse when that girl was concerned was already short. All she ever did was run her mouth. I was sick of it.

    "Is that right, Scraggly?" Melanie approached, stopping inches away from me. "We''ve already been through this song and dance. I''m not gonna die. Not like any of you got the balls to kill."

    "But you do, right?" I asked.

    "That''s right. I''ve got bigger balls than all of you combined," She taunted, "you''ve all bitched and moaned about wanting to escape, but you haven''t done shit about it. Only two ways out. Voting, or killing everyone else. No piece of paper''s gonna change that."

    "It''s better than the alternative."

    "You sure?" Melanie cocked her head to the side and flashed her Cheshire smile. "Dumbass had the right idea when he murdered Funbags. Can''t wait until it''s my turn to play again. Don''t care who I''m up against, I''mma kill ''em. And even if it''s not in the game room, I''ll find other methods."

    Every word that spewed from her mouth weighed heavily on me. I couldn''t count how many times the damn girl ran her mouth. But, that time I felt like she''d see through to her words. If nothing changed soon, I feared that Melanie would kill someone. She used Elena''s body as a knife rack before.

    Who was to say that she wouldn''t resort to murder? Hell, who was to say that I wouldn''t?

    "Must be wearing you out, huh? Being stuck here for so long." I wondered.

    The dreadful smile vanished from the girl''s face as she adjusted the position of her head. "Huh? The fuck areyou talking about?"

    "When we first came here, sure, you talked about watching everyone die. When you captured first place, you mentioned you didn''t care what happened around here. But now, suddenly you''re eager to kill everyone else." I pointed out.

    "This supposed to go anywhere?" Melanie shrugged her shoulders.

    "Yeah," I raised my hand and pointed at Melanie, "you''re getting scared. People are dropping left and right. It must be terrifying not knowing if you''ll be next."

    Melanie smacked her lips and shook her head before she responded, "Ain''t no way I''m dying here. I''m not a complete moron like the rest of you. You''re all gonna die one way or the other. I''m just speeding up the process."

    "Why the rush? Thought you enjoyed watching us suffer."

    "Even watching an animal bleed to death can get boring once they lose the strength to do anything," Melanie crossed her arms under her chest and averted her gaze from me for a moment. "It''s been fun while it lasted, but I''m through playing games. I want my money, and I wanna get outta here. You''re all in my way."

    She left the room without another word. Her declarations and desires were explicit. She''d stop at nothing to kill everyone and get out. While that fact was never a secret, in the beginning, something about her proclamation raised red flags.

    Her words that time carried tremendous weight and determination compared to her nonchalant and callous tone from before. My body got covered in goosebumps at the thought of facing against a Melanie that was out on a mission. Regardless, I wouldn''t falter.

    No one could afford to.

    We were nearing the final stretch of the games. A single mistake could cost someone their lives. And with how little of us were left around the time, it wasn''t something we could afford to allow.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 38 - The Ninth Game!

    "That bitch!" Henrika''s venomous voice forced my eyes open. I stared blankly at the familiar ceiling of my room for a moment, listening to the furious woman continue to spout out her discontent for the object of her rage. "She has no idea who she''s messing with here! I''ve tolerated her long enough! Someone''s got to teach that girl a lesson!"

    I yawned and closed my eyes again. I knew it was pointless trying to get some rest, but it sure as hell beat wasting time arguing over something that couldn''t be helped. Melanie was a lost cause. I knew that was the case a long time ago.

    "You shouldn''t let her get to you," I warned my partner. That''s how someone like Melanie operated. Once she got her target angry, she''d get inside their head and make them lose their focus. She was dangerous. That was for sure.

    "I don''t want to hear that from you!" Henrika''s booming voice caused me to open my eyes again. I sat up from the bed and met her sharp gaze. The incident with the petition affected the woman more than I expected. "You''re usually the first one to snap at her whenever she does something! When did you start getting all calm?!"

    "When I realized I was dancing right in the palm of her hands," I answered. It pained me to admit it, but Melanie played me on more occasions that I wished. She wasn''t a genius by no means. I was just an idiot. "Keep a cool head."

    Henrika sighed and paced back and forth in the room. She stopped and took a few deep breaths before evidently settling down. "Okay, okay, I''m calm."

    "You sure?"

    "Yeah, I''m good to go," The woman nodded her head and approached the shredded remains of the petition left on my desk. "Thankfully, this is salvageable. The signatures are still eligible."

    "You''re not going to try and get the last two signatures from Melanie and Zoey?" I left my bed and walked over to her.

    "No point. Melanie won''t bother, and Zoey will get suspicious," Henrika shook her head and collected the pieces of paper from the desk.

    "Bet she already is," I assumed. It was no secret to anyone that Zoey''s detective skills were top notch. There was no telling how much she knew was honestly going on around Serendipity.

    "As long as she doesn''t get in our way, there won''t be any problems."

    "Is that a threat?"

    Henrika responded with her usual, warm smile. Afterward, she left me alone in my room without another word. The unsettling silence unnerved me. Had I gotten used to having someone else in my room?

    When I first arrived at Serendipity, it wasn''t my intention to get along with my opponents. But, there I was, teaming up with two of them and caring whether or not the others died. Had I gone soft?

    The old me wouldn''t have given two shits of the others dropped dead in the games. As long as I won and got my money, nothing else mattered in the end. But, things were different.

    I was different.

    The hours of silence passed very slowly. Eventually, the most dreadful time of the day came.

    Game time.

    I left my room and joined the other players in the lobby. Oddly enough, Caius hadn''t arrived to greet us. Punctuality was one of his main rules. So, it felt strange not to have him there before all of us.

    "What''s taking Fedora so long?!" The first complaint of the night came from Melanie. She threw her arms in the air and plopped down on the couch.

    "It is quite unlike him to be late," Nicholas stated. He looked toward the door as if expecting him to walk through it at any moment.

    "Zoey''s not here either," Salomon pointed out. Everyone looked around the room and confirmed his statement.

    "What''s going on?" Henrika muttered.

    Before we knew it, Caius walked through the door and stopped at the front of the room. He cleared his throat and spoke with his usual joyous tone, "Good evening, everyone! I hope you are all ready for the next exciting game tonight!"

    "What took you so long, Fedora?! Can''t keep us waiting like that!" Melanie snapped at him.

    "I humbly ask for your forgiveness, Melanie," Caius removed his hat and bowed to her in a smooth motion. "The security staff and I had trouble dealing with a situation. But, we have taken care of it. Now we can move on to the game."

    "Wait, what about Zoey?" Nicholas inquired. "Can we not wait until she arrives?"

    Caius straightened his posture and put his hat back on his head. His smile that followed afterward made my skin crawl as he answered, "Zoey will not be here, as she is already dead."

    "What?!" I exclaimed.

    "Oh, shit? Really?!" Melanie''s Cheshire smile returned once she heard the sudden news.

    "Is this some joke?! It''s not funny, Caius!" Henrika raised her voice and pointed at the Game Moderator. "Where''s Zoey?! Bring her over here right now!"

    "Do you have any idea how long it takes to drag a corpse back and forth around this facility? It is tiresome and unnecessary. Zoey is dead. No point in wasting time on her." Caius'' adamant refusal of Henrika''s demands infuriated me.

    I didn''t want to believe it. I couldn''t believe it. Zoey was one of the most hardened members out of the players. She seemed the most likely to survive the whole ordeal. It didn''t make any sense for her just suddenly to drop dead.

    She was always so careful; so vigilant. I couldn''t have been the only one that sensed foul play.

    No.

    I wouldn''t accept that outcome.

    Something was up. And I wanted to know what it was.

    "You son of a bitch! What do you mean she died, Caius?!" I shouted. "How''d she die?! What did you do to her?!"

    Caius stepped back and gasped. His hand moved to his chest. "How dare you?! You think I had something to do with Zoey''s death?! I am innocent!"

    "Bullshit," challenged Henrika, also not buying the load of shit Caius spewed from his mouth. "People don''t just suddenly drop dead here!"

    "Not unless they''re murdered." Melanie boldly stated. All eyes in the room focused on her, who took pleasure in the situation, judging from that sickening smile on her face.

    "Did you have something to do with this?" I demanded answers.

    Melanie shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe. Maybe not. I''ve done so much shit here; it''s hard to keep track of everything."

    "If you had anything to do with this, I swear I''ll--"

    "I''mma stop you right there, Scraggly. You''re not gonna do a damn thing. You ain''t got the balls." She proclaimed with utmost certainty. She reached into her cleavage and pulled out Elena''s necklace. "What about Dumbass? Or Funbags? Or Rainbows? Or Cyclops? You''ve all made pointless threats. I''ve kept true to my words."

    "That ends today," I declared. My patience with that girl reached its peak. Before, she was only a mild inconvenience to everyone. All bark and no bite.

    But, that wasn''t the case anymore. Melanie sank her teeth into several people, hoping to get them killed. Well, no more. I wouldn''t let her cause any more trouble. If I had to, I''d kill her.

    "Oh? Is that right?" Melanie tilted her head to the side. "What makes you so sure?"

    "Whose playing today, Caius?" I looked at the Game Moderator. He activated the randomizer on his tablet. The dreadful smile on his face told me everything that I wanted to know. When he showed the screen to everyone, my attention shifted back over to Melanie. "That''s how I know."

    Melanie glanced over at the screen and smiled. "Fucking sweet. You''re my next victim. You can say hi to Doc and the others in hell."

    "You can tell them that yourself." I countered.

    "Oh, how scary."

    "If you are both done with your banter, turn your attention to the game wheel," Caius instructed. He spun the wheel and stepped back, watching with glee as the pictures on the panels blurred. Eventually, it came to a stop. The needle pointed to a panel depicting stick figures on battleships. "Congratulations! Player number two, Melanie Slater, and player number twelve, Troy Ambrose, will face each other in a game of battleship!"

    "Let''s get this over with," I demanded.

    No one offered any complaints. Melanie and I followed Caius'' instructions and went through the usual routine of the game preparation. I didn''t bother with Caius'' crude attempts of trying to get me to gamble more points. One was more than enough.

    With Melanie as my opponent. I knew exactly what to expect from her. I entered the game room. Oddly enough, several barrels with chains attached to them were situated all around us.

    Melanie wasn''t bothered by them. She sat upon one and playfully kicked her feet back and forth.

    "Bet you''ve been dreaming of this day, Scraggly. Must be a dream come true for you; getting your chance to lay your hands on me." She followed up her taunt with a wink.

    I ignored her. I didn''t want to waste my time or breath on that bitch.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    She noted my silence and smacked her lips. Our attention moved to the ceiling when Caius'' voice came from the intercom.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, the ninth game, Battleship, will begin shortly! I will first explain the rules!" Caius announced.

    "Hurry it up," I ordered.

    "In mere moments, a wall will rise and separate you two. After that, water will fill the room until both players are submerged."

    From that announcement alone, I understood the point of the barrels. They were meant to act as our air pockets while underwater.

    "The barrels serve two purposes; to act as your battleships and provide you air while submerged. Each turn the players will have a chance to call out an attack on their opponent. I will announce whether they land or miss."

    "How do we announce our attack while underwater?" Melanie questioned.

    "Use your bracelets," Caius answered.

    "How do we decide the winner?" I added to the questions. "When we destroy all the barrels on the enemy side?"

    "That is one way, yes," Caius confirmed. "Of course, I have taken the liberty of adding a few changes to the game. Both players will act as admirals to their fleet of ships. So, even if the ships are sunk, if the admiral wishes to continue, then the game will not end."

    "Sweet," Melanie cooed.

    "However, there is a faster method to ending the game. Below your feet are drains. Should any of you remove your respective drains, the game will end with your loss." Caius revealed. "If there are no more questions, then let the game commence!"

    At his command, a large wall rose from the ground, separating Melanie and I. Afterward, panels in the walls opened and allowed copious amounts of water to fill the room. The entire game room submerged in water within minutes. I swam into the safety of one of my barrels, taking refuge in the air pocket it provided.

    I checked my bracelet and grimaced at the sight of Caius'' face on the screen.

    "Ambrose, you have been selected to fire the first shot. Choose wisely," Caius instructed. Coordinates on Melanie''s side appeared on the screen. I chose at random and hoped for the best. If I were lucky, perhaps I''d end everything in the first round.

    Those hopes of mine were dashed when a red x blinked across my screen. It didn''t take a genius to know that I missed.

    Unfortunately, Caius rubbed it in my face when he reappeared on my bracelet. "Too bad, you missed. Melanie has launched her counterattack. It is a direct hit." He revealed.

    "What?!" I wasted no time in diving out from the barrel. Harpoons shot out from the floor and tore through it. I winced at the thought of those objects piercing through my body.

    I swam into the safety of another barrel while the planks of the previous one scattered in the water.

    "That was a close one, Ambrose. Make sure to choose more carefully this time around," Caius suggested. I wasn''t convinced. His joyous tone and the cruel smile plastered on his face told me everything that I needed to know.

    The bastard didn''t give two shits if I chose correctly or not. As long as one of us suffered throughout the game, it was more than enough for him.

    I checked my bracelet and observed a slight change on my screen. The coordinates I chose previously greyed out.

    "Okay, so I can''t select that anymore." I nodded my head. It was simple enough to understand. Once again, I selected a spot at random.

    Like before, Caius'' face returned to my screen. His trademark smile said it all. "You have missed again. Melanie has signaled for another counterattack. Direct hit."

    I swam out of the barrel again. That time, harpoons propelled from the wall and pierced through it. It didn''t take long for me to find shelter inside of another one.

    "Game just started, and I''m already down two barrels. Can''t keep this pattern going," I looked at my bracelet. Thankfully, Caius'' face didn''t appear on the screen. I selected another spot.

    It was no good.

    I dove out from the barrel again once Caius warned me of Melanie''s counterattack.

    I wasn''t the type of person to believe in coincidences. I missed three times in a row while she lands direct hits that many times. It didn''t take a genius to know what was going on. The bitch gambled more points than me.

    Somehow, she knew my exact location.

    I didn''t go into another barrel right away. I looked around the room for anything that would help me turn the situation around. There were two possible ways Melanie could''ve known my location. One was my bracelet.

    But, since I couldn''t remove that, I figured the second option was the security cameras in the room. I tested my luck and grabbed one of the harpoons that floated around. I swam over to the security cameras and stabbed them through the lens.

    Afterward, I returned to a barrel in the far back of the room. I had no clue if my plan worked. All I could do was hope for the best.

    I set in the coordinates for an attack. Of course, I missed. But, that wasn''t my main concern. It was whether Melanie''s would hit.

    Surprisingly, it didn''t. I looked out from my barrel and found scattered remains of another that got destroyed. While disheartening, a sense of relief washed over me. My plan worked.

    I evened the playing field.

    We went back and forth several times. None of our attacks hit one another, but we sank a bunch of barrels. I had no clue how many Melanie had on her side of the room. Me, on the other hand, I didn''t have much left. It wouldn''t be long until I''d get forced into forfeiting the game.

    My bracelet alerted me to another attack. Only that time, it was different. Instead of harpoons, the panels in the floor opened, allowing naval mines attached to chains to float around.

    "Are you serious?! Naval mines!" I exclaimed.

    If not for the fact that they were chained up, I probably would''ve pulled the drain to end the match. It wasn''t a game anymore. A single mistake would cause those things to detonate. While they didn''t look that big, I wasn''t stupid enough to underestimate thepunch they packed.

    I swam over and collected the debris of the barrels away from them. I made sure I was safe for the time being before I made another choice.

    Another miss.

    Melanie made her turn.

    Another miss as well.

    The pattern continued a few more turns until it finally happened. Melanie''s last attack destroyed my last barrel. I watched in horror as my final piece of salvation floated away.

    There weren''t any choices left. I stared hopelessly at the drain which was blocked by the naval mines. If I fucked up in trying to remove the drain, then the mines would explode, killing me instantly. Either that or I could wait and drown.

    Dying instantly sounded better than drowning painfully. But, either way, those choices ended with Melanie''s victory. That was something I couldn''t allow. If she defeated me, it''d practically glorify everything she''d said and done to everyone. There wouldn''t be anyone left to stop the girl''s rampage.

    That very thought drove me to do something suicidal. I grabbed a harpoon a swam over to the mines. I carefully used the instrument to break the chains keeping them to the floor. Afterward, I grabbed the chains and maneuvered over to the wall, making sure that the mines didn''t touch each other.

    My target was the wall.

    I tossed the mines over to the barrier and swam to the farthest part of the room, hoping to get as much distance away from the blast as I could. The mines contacted the wall and exploded. The shockwave itself threw me for a loop.

    Intense pain coursed through my body and made me lose consciousness for a moment. When I came to; I found a massive hole in the wall. There, I saw Melanie, who also got blown away by the blast. All her barrels were long gone.

    However, unlike me, the bitch had a rebreather mask on her face. That probably explained why none of my attacks were direct hits. She never had to use her barrels for air pockets. As long as she had that mask, she could stay anywhere she wanted.

    I covered my mouth and slowly swam over to the motionless girl. Each movement caused severe pain. My whole body was on fire. Added with the fact that I was nearly out of air only made matters worse for me. When I reached Melanie and tried to remove her mask, the bitch regained consciousness and grabbed my hand.

    She targeted my stomach and landed several kicks there. Each blow hurt like hell, but I managed to endure it. I removed the mask from her face and shoved her aside, which bought me enough time to equip it and receive some precious oxygen.

    Those few seconds of heaven shattered when Melanie came up behind me and wrapped her legs around my neck. She snatched the mask off myface and strangled me. My vision blurred. Oxygen-depleted quickly. I felt myself drift in and out of consciousness.

    All strength in my body left me as we sank further down closer to the floor. When my eyes finally closed, Melanie''s chokehold on me loosened; which was exactly what I waited for. My eyes snapped open, and with my final burst of strength, I removed the drain from her side of the room.

    All the water in the room disappeared shortly afterward, leaving Melanie and I down on the floor, coughing up a fit. I coughed up more blood than water, but at least I survived.

    Despite the situation, Melanie laughed. The bitch tossed her head back and laughed at me.

    "Pretty crafty, Scraggly! Played dead, did you? Sure got me good," Melanie flashed her Cheshire smile, "too bad you still lost though. You pulled the drain. It''s my win."

    She sounded so confident. Unfortunately, I wasn''t the one that broke the bad news to her.

    "Melanie," Caius'' voice came through from the intercom, "Ambrose is the winner of this game. The drain on your side of the room was removed. Therefore, it counts as you having forfeited the match."

    "What?!" Melanie exclaimed. The broad smile on her face dropped immediately, which only brought one to mine.

    "Loopholes," I chuckled after I got most of the water out of my lungs. "Gotta love those loopholes."

    Melanie gritted her teeth and growled in frustration. She stomped her foot on the ground and roared. Afterward, she ran her hand through her hair and took several deep breaths.

    "Alright, fine, whatever. You win this round. Who cares? I still got plenty of points left." Melanie taunted. While her smile returned, the look in her eyes displayed clear disdain. Losing was the last thing that crossed her mind. That much was clear to me. "And as you can see, I''m still standing."

    "Good for you," I said.

    "Yeah, but not for you." Melanie approached me and kicked my sides. I hobbled over in pain and clutched my ribs. "Game''s over, but we''re still in the Game room. I can kill you here. It''s not against the rules."

    I spat my blood on the floor and forced a smile. "You''re a sore loser, aren''t you?"

    "Call me whatever you want. I said I was killing you. I''m sticking to my word," Melanie raised her leg for another kick. I rolled out of the way and struggled to my feet.

    A fight against Melanie after a game was one of the last things I expected to happen. However, deep down, I was excited. It was one of my only opportunities to beat some sense into that girl. I didn''t want to waste it.

    "This is your only warning. Stand down..." I ordered, not that I expected her to listen. It was more of an excuse to justify my actions.

    "You should take your advice." Melanie approached me with a sickening smile. "You don''t look too good. It looks like you can barely stand."

    "You''ll look far worse than me if you come any closer," I warned her.

    "Empty threats don''t scare me!" Melanie rushed me and went for a high kick. I ducked under the leg and punched her in the solar plexus. Her legs buckled. She dropped to her knees and keeled over, going into a coughing fit.

    The joy I felt from finally punching that girl nulled most of the pain within me. While disappointed I couldn''t go further, it was more than enough to keep her down as I reached for the necklace around her neck. It didn''t belong to her. I''d be damned if I let the bitch keep it.

    I stopped when I caught a glint of steel from the corner of my eye. Melanie whipped around and swung her leg out. Thankfully, I evaded in time. However, the blade at the front end of her boot sliced through a large portion of my pants.

    The shredded pieces of fabric fell to the floor. Melanie chuckled and looked at the blade. "Damn. No blood. I wanted to skewer your legs..." A twisted expression of shock and confusion plastered on her face when her eyes landed on me.

    It was something I planned to keep hidden throughout my entire time at Serendipity. But, it was impossible.

    "Which one of my legs did you want to skewer?" I asked while my prosthetic legs were on full display for everyone to see.

    For a moment, Melanie''s mouth remained shut. She stared in bewilderment at my prosthetics. A chuckle escaped from her mouth when she regained her composure.

    "That explains so much," Melanie stood to her feet. "don''t expect sympathy from me ''cause you''re handicapped."

    "Sympathy''s the last thing I''d ever want from you," I told her. "now hand over Elena''s necklace. You do that; I won''t hurt you anymore."

    "Why would I do that? Nothing wrong with a little pain." Melanie charged me again and threw more kicks at me. I evaded each lethal strike. I couldn''t get careless unless I wanted those blades in my body.

    Her attacks were far too direct and predictable. The only issue I had in fighting her was my wounds. Had I been at one hundred percent, I would''ve put her down in the ground within seconds. When I spotted a hole in her offense, I took advantage and pinned her to the ground.

    She struggled and kicked around wildly, but wrapped my hands around her throat and squeezed. All my anger and frustration built towards her exploded within that moment. I watched the color in her face wash away as the air in her lungs left her. Eventually, she stopped moving.

    I softened my grip and stared at her motionless body. I didn''t know if I killed her or not. At that moment, I didn''t care.

    "I''m taking this," I snatched Elena''s necklace off of her body and placed it in my pocket. Afterward, I got off Melanie and sat beside her, contemplating my next action.

    I could''ve left her there to die. It would''ve been easy. If Melanie died, the problems in Serendipity would''ve dropped significantly. However, I knew that I swore I wouldn''t kill anyone. The games were about survival. Not murder.

    Against my better judgment, I performed CPR on Melanie. It took a few tries, but I managed to save her life, unfortunately.

    Security team members entered the room and collected us, bringing us out of the game room.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 39 - No Better!

    The day put me through a rollercoaster of emotions. And it wasn''t even over yet. I found out Zoey, perhaps the most likely to survive out of the players mysteriously died. No explanation from anyone. That was it. Poof. She was just gone.

    It didn''t make any sense.

    She was the most levelheaded person in Serendipity. How someone like her managed to die was beyond me. Or so I thought until Melanie spoke up about the situation. At that point, I knew the bitch had something to do with Zoey''s death. That fucking grin on her face at the time said it all.

    Defeating her in the game brought me great joy. However, beating her down was something else. Almost euphoric in a sick and twisted way. The girl was lucky that I decided to keep my word about not killing anyone. If I weren''t a man of my word, she would''ve joined the likes of my father in hell.

    Besides sticking it to Melanie, the only other solace I got in the aftermath was the fact that I retrieved Elena''s necklace. I hadn''t the slightest clue as what to do with it though. Returning jewelry to a corpse was pointless. Elena didn''t need it. I know I sure as hell didn''t.

    Well, it was fine since Melanie didn''t have it anymore.

    When I returned to the lobby, everyone''s gazes rested on me for a moment before they lowered them. I expected to get surrounded and showered with praise for beating Melanie. It wasn''t a stretch to say that she was the most hated person out of the players ¡ª instead, their sights set on perhaps my greatest shame in life, my prosthetic legs.

    I had hoped to keep them a secret to everyone. But, that wasn''t possible anymore.

    "Well, this is surprising..." The first person that broke the awkward silence in the room was Nicholas. He moved his shades to his forehead and got a better look at my legs.

    "This surely explains a few things," Henrika added. Strangely enough, I expected more of a reaction from her.

    "Those must of cost a pretty penny," Salomon walked over and tapped his foot against my legs. "Neoframe."

    "Neoframe? What''s that?" Henrika asked.

    "Military grade prosthetics. Not just anyone can get their hands on these." Salomon answered.

    "Ambrose must have some friends in high places," Nicholas concluded. His deduction wasn''t too far off the mark.

    "Hey, hey! My eyes are up here!" I informed everyone. A sharp snap of my fingers gained everyone''s attention. "You all about done now? Can we move on?"

    "Are you kidding me? Move on? This is incredible," Henrika surprisingly said. Her face beamed with interest as she circled me, admiring the sight of my prosthetics. She didn''t understand. There wasn''t anything incredible about my prosthetics or how I got them. "There''s so much I want to ask you."

    "Drop it," I demanded. The moment Henrika looked up and saw my face, the excitement in her eyes vanished, as did her smile. "If it''s alright with everyone, I''m exhausted."

    I brushed past everyone and left the room, not wanting to stick around long enough for Caius to enter with his usual enthusiasm. At first, I planned to head to my room for the rest of the night. But, another idea crossed my mind when I passed the Infirmary.

    I knew the security team brought Melanie there to recover. I didn''t plan to give her the satisfaction of that yet. There was so much that I wanted her to answer for. And that time was as good a chance as any.

    I made sure no saw was around before I entered the Infirmary. The second I went in, I spotted Melanie occupying the last medical bed in the farthest corner of the room. No security members or medical personnel in sight. I felt a grin crease on my face.

    There she lied, completely defenseless. It was perhaps the most vulnerable I''d ever get the chance to see her. I planned to take full advantage of the situation.

    "You still alive?" I wasted no time in calling out to her.

    Melanie opened her eyes and turned her head toward me. A scowl spread across her face by the mere sight of me. Oh, how the tables had turned from our first few days in Serendipity.

    "What the fuck do you want, Scraggly?" She harshly asked.

    "Answers," I responded and stopped at the foot of her bed. "I want to know what you did to Zoey."

    "Fuck off, I''m not in the mood," Melanie dismissed me without hesitation. Often enough her attitude would''ve annoyed me. However, that was in the past. I was different. That time, I found it rather amusing how that girl could act all tough despite her condition. Well, I intended to change all that.

    "You''re not in any position to refuse sadly," I shrugged my shoulders and moved to the side of the bed. "All this time you''ve caused nothing but trouble for everyone here. I''m putting an end to that."

    "Oh?" The defiance in Melanie''s eyes never flicked, even as I stood over her. "What''re you up to?"

    "I just want to talk," I pulled up a chair and took a seat. "Play nice and answer my questions, everything will end well for you. If not, well, I can''t be held responsible for what happens next."

    Melanie scoffed at me, "Is that so? Cut the tough guy act. We both know you can''t do shit to me in here. You had your chance in the game room, and you wasted it."

    "No. It wasn''t a waste." I shook my head. "I learned quite a lot. Now, what did you do to Zoey?"

    "Not tellin''," Melanie taunted me with that Cheshire smile of hers. Once again, not a single shred of irritation spiked within me. I never expected our encounter to go smoothly. "Know that Cyclops is gone and joined the others in hell. Gimme enough time, and you''ll join ''em."This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    "You''ll be in hell a lot sooner than I will," I ensured her, knowing that my words wouldn''t reach her. Therefore, I decided to go with plan B. I stood from my seat and gathered some tools from the medical trays nearby, only to return to my chair with them in hand.

    "What''re you doing?" Melanie asked. Her voice shook for a moment.

    "Nothing yet. We''re still just talking." I told her as I slowly brandished the scalpel back and forth in front of her face.

    "You don''t scare me, Scraggly! You can''t do shit to me in here! There''s a camera!" Melanie smugly pointed out. However, that expression faded when I closed the curtain, obscuring ourselves from the view of the security camera.

    "How about now?" I challenged her bravery. Melanie tried to get out of the bed, but I kept her pinned, holding the scalpel inches away from her throat.

    "Get the fuck off me! I''ll scream!"

    "Go ahead. No one will hear you. Everyone''s already off to bed. It''s just you and me here," I informed Melanie. "Curtain''s blocking us from the camera, so, I can do whatever I want to you, and I won''t get penalized."

    "So, what? You gonna kill me here? What''s the point in that? You won''t get what you want." Melanie countered. But, the defiance in her eyes wasn''t as strong as before. I felt her body tremble from under me. "Besides, whatever happened to this not being a game about killing others? I thought you were a man of your word."

    "I am. I''m not going to kill you. But, I''ll make you wish that I did." I warned her. I shed some blood from her neck to prove how serious I was about my promises. A wince crossed her face. But, she didn''t move too much, knowing that I could cut deeper into her throat if she did.

    "How scary. Never heard that line in a movie before," Melanie continued to taunt me. "Y''know, you and I aren''t so different, Scraggly. I may answer your questions if you make sure to answer truthfully from where you are. You may not believe it, but, I liked Cyclops. She was a badass, unlike the others."

    I tried not to show it, but the way she mentioned Zoey in past tense thathit it home for me that she was truly dead. Against my better judgment, I eased up and pulled the scalpel away from her neck.

    "Must be hard, huh? Watching the others drop dead one after the other so quickly? Makes you wonder how this all could''ve happened." Melanie grasped her neck and looked down to her bloody palm. A sinister smile etched on her face as she continued, "The answer is simple. They were weak ¡ª all of them. It''s how life works. The strong live while the weak die."

    "Don''t try that survival of the fittest bullshit on me. That''s not how it works here." I argued.

    "So you say, but, there''s a reason people like us are still alive. What''s wrong with weeding out the weak so that only the strong remain?" She wondered with a cocky tilt of her head.

    Even though the girl sprouted such bullshit right in my face, I couldn''t get angry at her. It wasn''t that I agreed with that philosophy, but I knew it wasn''t hers. Something else was at play.

    "That''s not what you want. You don''t give a damn about who''s strong or weak. All you care about is getting your money," I reminded Melanie. The little bitch made it no secret about her desires.

    "Oh, that''s true. But, you people got in my way. So, I knew I had to get rid of you one way or the other." Melanie said. "Since day one, it was easy for me to point out my targets. Dumbass, Funbags, Rainbows, Stains--easy pickings."

    "So with them gone, you decided to move on to bigger game?"

    "Exactly. I knew people like you would be difficult to take down, but not impossible. That''s what kinda made it fun in a way. Despite how scared you all were, you still looked me in the eye."

    "How''d you take down Zoey?" I asked.

    Melanie closed her eyes. A haughty laugh leaked from her mouth. "Poor Cyclops wasn''t as alert as she claims to be. The moment she let her guard down, I struck."

    "Your answer''s too vague. What did you do?" I demanded answers. I had to stop her from repeating the same tactic on the others. I didn''t want anyone else to die. Not in that place.

    "Are you having fun, Scraggly? Dominating me? Holding me here against my will with that scalpel? Does it make you feel good inside? Do you feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins?" She reached out and grabbed my arm. She didn''t try and break free. Her touch felt oddly gentle. "Makes you want to vent all that built up energy on someone or something. Too bad, even though you have an opportunity to do just that...you won''t."

    "What makes you say that?"

    "The fact that you haven''t done it already. You''re right at the edge, but hesitate when you need to do what needs to be done. You don''t have much of that killer instinct like I do."

    "I don''t--"

    "Can''t blame you though. It''s not in your DNA."

    "What are you talking about?"

    Melanie chuckled again and replied, "Did you know that I was born to be a killer? My father was a psychopath, so, it''s only natural that his most prominent quality passes over to me."

    "That has nothing to do with my question," I stated. She had gone off track. I had to get her attention.

    "Oh, it''s got everything to do with it. Whatever I did to Cyclops, you can''t blame me. Killing''s in my DNA. Can''t help that. Can''t fight biology."

    "You could at least try and not look so damn excited about it." I sternly said. The smile on her face sickened me. I figured the bitch was a psychopath long before she revealed that information. But, it was something else actually hearing it from her directly.

    "How can I not be? It''s not my fault I like killing people. I''m a poor, helpless girl that so happened to acquire horrible genes from my father," Melanie mocked me with a playful tone. "Cyclops just so happened to end up as another unfortunate victim. We both are."

    "Like hell you are,"

    "You may not realize it yet, but you and I aren''t so different. Back when you were strangling me, I saw you smiling. You enjoyed feeling the life leave my body with your own two hands, didn''t you?"

    I couldn''t answer. No, that wasn''t right. I didn''t want to answer. I knew all too well that Melanie was right. In the most profound, farthest part of my mind, I enjoyed every second of it. However, I didn''t like it the way she described.

    It wasn''t the fact that I nearly killed her as much as it was that I almost ended the primary source of problems in Serendipity. If Melanie died, I doubted anyone would''ve been at each other''s throats as much if she were around. When I brought her to the brink of death, I felt a wave of peace for a moment.

    I wanted her to die. Oh, how I wanted her to die. But, that would''ve made me the next enemy. The other players would''ve targeted me. That''s not what I wanted. Keeping Melanie alive was a bad choice, but not the worst one perhaps.

    "You''re no better than me, Scraggly. I know that. You don''t smile like that unless you''ve been through something like that before," Melanie pointed out. My mind immediately brought me back to the past where I killed my father. I was sure back then that I smiled.

    Why wouldn''t I smile? I put an end to the bastard that put the rest of my family through hell. Who wouldn''t smile after doing something like that?

    In the eyes of the others, I''d get called a monster. They wouldn''t understand. I didn''t care if they did. My past was my business.

    "Why lie to yourself? Be whoever you wanna be and do whatever the fuck you want. What''s the point in living a life that''s a lie?" Melanie continued to spout her nonsense. "In here, I can be what I want; consequences be damned."

    "No. There are consequences, no matter where we are. You murdered Zoey, and you''ll pay." I said.

    "How? You threatened to torture me and haven''t done shit," Melanie grazed her cheek against the scalpel, drawing more blood. The crimson liquid trickled down to the corner of her mouth, where she proceeded to ingest it with her tongue gleefully. "If our positions were swapped, you''d be dead already. Y''know why that is? I''m willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want."

    I got off the bed and put the scalpel down on the table.

    "That''s enough," I said. "I''m more than willing to do the same."

    "Actions speak louder than words," Melanie countered.

    "I agree," I turned and headed for the exit.

    "What''s wrong? I thought you wanted answers." Melanie said mockingly. The defiance in her eyes returned. Bitch turned the tables on me.

    "I got the answers that I needed," Was all I had left to say to her. With that, I moved the curtain out of the way and left the Infirmary. My encounter with her tired me out more than I cared to admit. I went off to my room and spent the rest of the night asleep, dreading the next day.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 40 - The Real Enemy!

    My interrogation with Melanie didn''t exactly go as I planned, but, I did leave the situation with some crucial information. My threats scared her. That much I knew for sure. However, the bitch kept her wits about her for the most part. That told me that she either knew that I wouldn''t see through to my threats or, there was something else she feared more than me.

    Maybe someone else.

    I returned to my room and lied out on my bed. That day was perhaps the most stressful out of my days in Serendipity. It felt good to let the soft mattress ease away my aches and pains. My fatigue got to me, and I dozed off.

    I didn''t know how long I was out, but my eyes snapped open when I heard a voice call out my name.

    My eyes scanned the room in search of the voice''s source. No one was around. Had I finally lost my mind? When I lied back down and shut my eyes, the same voice called out to me again.

    I jumped out of bed and found the source of the annoyance. It came from the television. The visual on the screen displayed the familiar face of Zoey.

    "Are you awake now?" The woman asked.

    I blinked a few times before I rubbed my eyes. "Not sure," I hesitated to answer. "A dead woman is on my television screen. So, probably not."

    "This isn''t a dream, Ambrose. I''m not dead," Zoey revealed, although it was tough to believe her when I considered the circumstances. The first scenario that popped into my mind was that it was all some trick orchestrated by Caius. After all, he was the one that announced Zoey''s death to everyone.

    I wouldn''t put it past him to concoct something like this as a form of cruel and unusual entertainment.

    "Where are you right now?" I asked, deciding to go along with things for the meantime.

    "I''m in the security room right now. I can''t stay here much longer," Zoey stepped aside and showed the numerous monitors behind her.

    "The security room? What the hell? How''d you get in there?"

    "I knocked out the guards when they...never mind that right now. Listen to me carefully; you''re all in danger."

    "Tell me something I don''t know," I sarcastically responded to her warning. Since day one when everyone stepped foot in Serendipity, all of our lives were in jeopardy. It was something stated before everyone even agreed to participate in the games. "What''s so different from our first day here to now?"

    "They''ve grown impatient," Zoey replied. She pressed several keys on the keyboard in front of her. Video footage played on my television screen. It showed Nicholas and Zoey enjoying cups of coffee. That was the case until Melanie showed up and caused a ruckus.

    The moment Zoey turned her back to confront Melanie; Nicholas reached across the table and put something in Zoey''s drink. When Melanie noticed the slick move, she left the room, and Zoey returned to the table for her coffee. Whatever Nicholas put in her drink took effect minutes later, leaving the poor woman down and out on the floor.

    "Melanie and Nicholas?" I muttered in complete shock. It was a Frankenstein combination if I''d ever seen one.

    "Remember when Nicholas crashed into that medical table during his game with Wyatt?" Zoey asked.

    "Yeah, can''t forget that." I nodded my head.Stolen story; please report.

    "Well, he stole some of the medical supplies when everyone wasn''t looking and used those to drug me. It kept me out long enough to miss the scheduled game."

    "How are you even alive right now? Didn''t your bracelet inject you with the poison?"

    Zoey rolled up her sleeve and tore off the skin from her right arm, revealing a prosthetic like mine. "I survived the lethal injection thanks to this."

    "You''re full of surprises, aren''t you?" I chuckled.

    "So are you," She indicated to my prosthetic legs.

    "How much have you seen from the security room anyway?"

    "More than enough to achieve what I came here for," Zoey answered. "I''ve collected files and information on everyone here. But, I focused more on Nicholas."

    "Why?"

    "From the moment I met him, my database told me that Nicholas Damon was dead."

    "Dead?"

    "Sentenced to death by the electric chair,"

    "Nicholas went to prison?" I stepped away from the television, taking a moment to process the newfound information. Not only was it surprising to hear, but some things Zoey said didn''t make any sense to me. "I don''t understand. What''s this shit about a database?"

    Zoey sighed and revealed another surprise she''d kept hidden. She parted her hair aside and showed me another prosthetic of hers.

    An eye.

    "Anything I scan with this eye gives me immediate information as long as there''s a record of it somewhere. So, when I first met Nicholas, imagine my confusion when it told me that he was dead."

    "With that gadget, you''d be suspicious immediately," I commented.

    "I tried to uncover the mystery behind him as soon as I could. Unfortunately, he''s caused more problems for everyone than I realized,"

    "What do you mean?"

    "He''s behind everything," Zoey pulled up several videos of Nicholas'' exploits throughout the games.

    It was all true.

    He forged the letters Klara left and slipped them under everyone''s doors, which explained why some people had two instead of one. He hypnotized Darius and Wyatt into committing the murders of Elena and Iris. And he teamed up with Melanie to help get rid of Zoey.

    "No fucking way..." I sat down on my bed and clutched the sides of my head. "Darius and Wyatt killed the others because they were under Nicholas'' influence?"

    "Yes, Nicholas had an occupation as a Hypnotherapist before his arrest. He used his skills to hypnotize the others into committing those murders." Zoey reluctantly revealed.

    I didn''t want to hear or believe any of it. In my mind, Nicholas was a good man that wanted to keep everyone alive and together. Even when the evidence played in front of me, I refused to acknowledge it as the truth.

    "There''s gotta be an explanation. None of this makes any sense. Why would Nicholas do any of that?"

    "I can think of a million reasons why," Zoey coldly stated, referring to the million dollar cash prize. "Regardless of his reasons, it doesn''t change the fact that he''s a murderer and must be stopped."

    "How do you plan on doing that from there?" I inquired. I figured that from her position, she had control of Serendipity. Everyone within it was at her mercy.

    "I''m trying to see if I can send out a signal to my team. That way, they can come and extract us," Zoey answered.

    "Wait, what? Your team? Extract? Zoey, who the hell are you?" I demanded answers.

    "I''m agent Zoey Cooper," She introduced herself.

    "Agent?"

    "I infiltrated to put an end to these games and the organization that runs them,"

    "This is insane; I can''t believe this shit..." I nervously laughed and shook my head, hoping that everything I heard was a dream.

    "Seeing is believing, Ambrose. You saw what Nicholas did. You and the others need to stay on your toes. Because Nicholas and Melanie won''t stop until you''re all dead." Zoey warned me.

    That much I knew without her even needing to tell me. Melanie, I understood. Nicholas, I didn''t. And that''s what frustrated me the most out of everything. I didn''t know much about Nicholas; I never tried to get to know him or anyone else for that matter.

    That bastard flashed false smiles every day, playing the role of a good guy while orchestrating everyone''s deaths from the shadows. If that''s how the bastard planned to play the game, then I planned to bring him out into the light. He pulled everyone''s strings long enough.

    "How long until your team can get here?" I suddenly asked when I concocted a plan to take the bastard down.

    "Depends on how soon I can get the signal out. Probably a day or two depending on where we are," Zoey replied. "What are you planning?"

    "An endgame," I said. "I''m going all in on this gamble of mine."

    "Don''t do anything reckless. Focus more on surviving more than anything else," Zoey instructed, but I had no plans on listening to her.

    "You should do the same," I retorted. "Make sure you don''t get captured; security will know something''s up sooner or later. So do whatever you need to do and get out of there. I''ll take care of things on my end."

    "Okay. Be careful," Zoey said before the television screen shut off, leaving me alone in silence to process my thoughts of revenge against the bastard that betrayed everyone from the very begging.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 41 - All In!

    I didn''t get much sleep that night; not after everything that happened. I couldn''t possibly sleep with all the information that swam around in my head. Zoey, who I believed dead was alive and well. So well in fact that she snuck her way into the security room to warn me. Her warning weighed heavily on my mind, perhaps even fueling my insomnia.

    The partnership of Melanie and Nicholas wasn''t something I ever imagined. They were polar opposites. But, despite that, it was rather ingenious.

    If they''d been working together since the beginning, then several pieces fit into place. Melanie spared no expense to make herself public enemy number one, keeping everyone''s attention on her. Meanwhile, Nicholas kept to himself and worked his magic from the shadows; taking us out one by one.

    The bastard was going to pay, that I swore. From the very beginning, Nicholas pulled our strings like we were fucking puppets. All those fake smiles and words of encouragement. It meant nothing to him.

    The fire within me roared the more I thought about it.

    All that time I spent in Serendipity, interacting and engaging with the other players; how could I not see Nicholas'' true nature? It made sense that Zoey spotted it when I considered her profession and cybernetics.

    No matter what, I planned to end everything.

    I got out of bed and freshened up before I headed to Henrika''s room. She was the first person I had to warn about the situation. Luckily, Klara was there as well, which saved me a lot of time explaining.

    "Didn''texpect you to be here this early," I commented.

    "I spent most of the night looking over the letters," Klara removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes. The bags under her eyes probably equaled up to mine. "Henrika forced me to stay here overnight,"

    "I never had a sleepover before," Henrika happily commented as she fixed up her hair.

    "Nice to know you''re taking this seriously," Klara walked over to the desk where the gathered letters resided. "I''ve got some good news about the letters. I found out who the forger is--"

    "It''s Nicholas," I interrupted. The women stopped what they were doing and looked at me, their eyes laserfocus. "Am I right?"

    "You are," Klara nodded and put her glasses back on. "But, how did you come to that conclusion?"

    Suspicion practically leaked from their bodies the longer they stared at me. I held nothing back and told them everything that happened to me the other night. However, I didn''t use my words.

    Instead, I wrote down the essential details on sheets of paper and showed it to them. Hours passed since my conversation with Zoey. There was no telling if she was still in the security room or not. I didn''t want to blow her entire operation unintentionally.

    When I finished, silence overwhelmed the room.

    "Well...there''s a lot to unpack here," Henrika broke the silence and took a seat on the bed.

    "That''s an understatement," Klara added. "If what you say is true, then we''ve been at a disadvantage the whole time."

    "Are you doubting me?" I questioned her.

    "I have every right to," She countered.

    "Don''t take it personally, Ambrose. It''s a lot to take in on such short notice," Henrika came to Klara''s defense. "I mean with Nicholas and the other thing..."

    "Regardless if you believe me about the other things, the fact remains that Melanie and Nicholas are the enemies."

    Henrika and Klara exchanged glances. I don''t know what went through their minds, but a simultaneous nod of their heads assured me that we were on the same page.

    "Okay, how should we deal with this?" Henrika wondered.

    "Confront them," answered Klara, "Let them know that we''re onto their charade."

    "I like that plan," I agreed with her. That was the majority of my plan down to the letter.

    "Sure, I''m fine with confrontation. But, what will that solve in the end?" Henrika asked. "We''ll still be trapped here until...you know what? Follow me,"

    The woman got up and led us out of the room. We followed her to the next location, the women''s restroom. While uncomfortable, I figured out her plan the moment I got dragged inside.

    There weren''t any cameras in the restrooms. Everyone confirmed that back when we found Elena''s corpse. Vivid images of the trails of blood rushed back into my head all at once.

    "Why are we in the women''s restroom?" I complained.

    "Because there aren''t any cameras here," Henrika answered. "Now we can talk freely."

    "Yeah, I got that. But, why the women''s restroom?"

    "What? You''re not feeling uncomfortable here, are you?"

    "A little,"

    "Grow up. Besides, it''s a lot cleaner in here than it is in the men''s restroom." Henrika spoke with high confidence as if she''d taken a stroll in there before.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "You say that, yet I''m sure no one''s died in the men''s restroom here." I countered. A touchy subject. One that angered me to bring up. No one had wholly healed from Elena''s murder in the restroom.

    "Can we move on?" Klara demanded.

    "Right, as I was saying earlier, even if we confront Nicholas and Melanie about their partnership, nothing changes. We''ll still be trapped here until Zoey, and her team comes to extract us."

    "There''s also the problem that they might fail, which could get us all killed. And in the event the team succeeds, the chances of us getting our money are practically zero."

    Silence overwhelmed the room again. That possibility, I didn''t even consider it. Zoey worked for the government. It was her mission to infiltrate and take down the organization that hosted the games. We became willing participants in the illegal event.

    Therefore, there lied the possibility that we''d find ourselves in jail cells ¡ª the mere thought of all my efforts going to waste caused an enormous amount of rage to swell inside me. I didn''t come all the way to Serendipity to leave with nothing and rot away in prison for God knew how long.

    It wouldn''t go down like that. I wouldn''t allow it.

    Henrika wanted to buy time until the evacuation team came to rescue us. Well, I wanted to make sure I had my money before that happened.

    "Then let''s end the games today," I suddenly announced. Their eyes of confusion and curiosity focused on me when I continued, "We confront them and make the biggest gamble, an all in duel that''ll end everything."

    Perhaps the craziest idea, but the most efficient that I could muster at the time. If we ended the game ahead of schedule and escaped Serendipity before Zoey''s team arrived, then perhaps we''d all leave with our money and move on with our lives. That was the hope.

    "What do you mean by all in?" Henrika questioned me. Her tone was full of concern. I couldn''t blame her. The more time I had to think about it, the more idiotic the plan sounded to me. But, it was the best option.

    "Exactly as it sounds," I raised my arm and lifted my sleeve, showing them my game bracelet. "I''ll challenge Nicholas to a game with all of our points on the line. Once I win--"

    "Stop," Klara commanded. A fierce glint appeared in her eyes as she confronted me about the plan. "This is suicidal, and you know it."

    "It''s the best option we''ve got,"

    "No, it isn''t," Henrika came to Klara''s defense. "Your plan''s full of desperation. If you want to gamble with your life, keep us out of it."

    "Don''t you want the money anymore?" I asked. She wasn''t wrong about my desperation, but I didn''t see any other way to leave Serendipity with the money.

    "Not really," Henrika shook her head. "I''d rather survive and escape than risk my life for money. I''ve learned my lesson. It seems that you haven''t."

    "I''m fine with either outcome as long as I live. But, I won''t let you use my life as a bargaining chip for your selfish ambitions." Klara pointed at me. "You want to challenge Nicholas? Go ahead. But, offer your own life,"

    "Then that''s what I''ll do," I accepted their terms without hesitation. Henrika''s eyes widened for a moment, while Klara''s narrowed. "I haven''t forgotten why I came here in the first place. All we''ve been through, it can''t end like this. Those fuckers toyed with us from the very beginning and got good people killed."

    I promised the old man I''d get the money to save the bar. It was within my grasp that much I could tell. I wouldn''t let it escape when it was so close.

    "That''s just an excuse," Klara called me out. Nothing got past that woman and her sharp sense of intuition. "Sure, you''re rattled about the deaths. But, in the end, it''s all about the money."

    Looks of pure disappointment locked onto me. But, I didn''t care. None of them understood how I felt. They thought I enjoyed doing the things I did? Not by a longshot.

    I never aspired to be someone driven by their need for money. But, life never worked the way most people wanted. Those were the cards dealt to me. I merely played them any way I could.

    "So what if it is? It doesn''t change that Melanie and Nicholas need to go down. And if you''re not with me, then stay out of my way." I turned my back to them and left the room without another word. I had nothing else to say to them. Nothing I''d say would convince them to take my side on the matter.

    I was alone again. That''s how it was when I came into Serendipity, and I didn''t mind if it all ended that way.

    I wandered around Serendipity until I found the object of my wrath. Nicholas and Salomon sat comfortably at one of the tables in the mess hall. I approached the couple and grabbed Nicholas by the collar of his shirt. Without warning, I pinned him to the wall.

    "Ambrose?! What is the meaning of this?!" Nicholas exclaimed. Even with the shades concealing his eyes, I could tell the bastard wasn''t frightened at all. How could I not see the fucker for who he was the entire time?

    "What''s going on?" Salomon got up from the table and put his hand on my shoulder. When I felt him add some force to his grip, I snapped at him.

    "Don''t fucking touch me!" I shouted. The moment he backed off, I looked back at Nicholas. "You mother fucker, this whole time, you''ve been playing us like fucking fiddles!"

    "What are you talking about? I do not understand," Nicholas said, feigning ignorance.

    "Don''t play damn with me! Frederick, Elena, Iris, Wyatt, and Darius, you got them all killed! You had a hand in their deaths!"

    "That''s a bold accusation," Salomon called me out. It made me wonder if he was in on the whole thing as well. It was hard to tell. The old man did not move to stop me.

    "It''s the truth! Nicholas here is a hypnotherapist! He''s been manipulating us from the shadows, killing us off one by one!"

    "That is ridiculous," Nicholas objected to my accusation. "I would never do such a thing! I had nothing against the people that died!"

    "That''s why it must''ve been so easy for you to kill them, especially since you teamed up with Melanie to help you." I decided to plant a seed of doubt in the man''s mind. Sure, I had more than enough evidence to prove his guilty conscience, but I couldn''t show it since it would reveal Zoey in the process. I had to gamble everything on that single, half-baked plan of mine. "I confronted her in the infirmary after our game. Tortured her until she spilled the beans about your partnership."

    "W-What are you...this is nonsense. I never--"

    "If it''s nonsense, then how do I know that you and Melanie met in your room after you hypnotized Darius? Or that you hypnotized Wyatt into slitting Iris'' wrist? Or that you stole sedatives from your game with Wyatt and used those to drug Zoey? Or that you''re supposed to be dead, death row inmate, Nicholas Damon?" I continued to bombard him with questions. The moment I stopped, all was silent.

    That was until Nicholas chuckled. He relaxed his body; his laughter turned wild. My irritation reached its limit. I raised my fist and punched the wall inches from his face.

    Nicholas didn''t flinch. He removed his shades, revealing his sharp, green eyes.

    "Well, I guess there is no point in hiding it anymore, is there?" The bastard tossed his shades aside. "People always told me that my eyes always gave away my intentions. I thought it was rubbish at first, but then I felt inclined to believe them. So, tell me, Ambrose, how did you come across all that information?"

    "You''re not going to deny my accusations? Come up with some excuse like before?" I asked. I expected him to try and talk his way out of the situation.

    "No point," Nicholas shook his head and smiled. It was one deprived of any guilt or remorse. "Even though I doubt you could physically prove your accusations, the fact that they hit too close to home truly intrigues me. You know far too much than you should."

    "Yeah, you could say that."

    "What have you done?" Salomon dropped his cigar on the ground and crushed it underneath his foot. He grinded it into the floor and glared at Nicholas.

    "Salomon, old friend, you and Ambrose might as well take a seat. I feel like we may be here for a while," Nicholas walked back over to his table and pulled up a chair, gesturing for us to do the same. The calmness of his voice and the arrogance of his movements only proved to incite me even more. "You want answers? Very well, I shall happily oblige until I lose interest."

 Alea Ludo Chapter 42 - Desires!

    It was the moment of truth. I confronted Nicholas and exposed the bastard for the monster he was. Sure, he feigned ignorance and attempted to absolve my doubt about him as expected. But, I wasn''t swayed. It wasn''t until I backed him into a corner did he drop his act.

    Something about his unusual calmness unsettled me. Instead of being flustered or erratic about the situation; Nicholas appeared relieved. Like he was satisfied that he''d finally gotten caught. That expression of his pissed me off beyond belief. Relieved wasn''t how I expected him to feel.

    Not even close.

    He should''ve been afraid. That''s how I pictured things going in my head.

    "Well, are you going to take a seat or not?" Nicholas gestured to the seat across from him. The tension in the room didn''t affect him at all.

    "I''d rather stand," I replied.

    "Suit yourself," Nicholas rested his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together. A demeaning smile spread across his face as he continued, "Just so we are clear, this conversation will be about give and take. If you want information from me, you best be willing to give some yourself. Do you understand?"

    The bastard was surprisingly forceful when the mask came off.

    "Fine," I decided to play along with his little game and let him set the agenda.

    "Excellent. So, what would you like to know?"

    "How about you start with why you''re trying to kill us?" I asked perhaps one of the most criticalquestions.

    "Probably for the money," Salomon assumed.

    Nicholas closed his eyes and chuckled. The smug bastard chuckled.

    "I have no interest in the money," He casually admitted; which raised more questions. If not for the money, why''d the son of a bitch get everyone killed?

    "Then what is it that you want? What do you hope to gain from this?" I demanded answers.

    Nicholas lifted his index finger and wagged it back and forth, "Incorrect. It is my turn to ask a question, Ambrose. Were you not paying attention?"

    He earnestly tried my nerves and patience. God, how I wanted to smash his head through a fucking wall. I bottled up my anger for the most part and responded, "What''s your question?"

    "Who told you about me?" Nicholas inquired, his tone of genuine curiosity nearly caught me off guard. "You could not have gained such extensive knowledge about me without some form of assistance."

    That much was true. If not for Zoey; Nicholas'' web of lies would''ve trapped me. Eventually, I would''ve been another victim of his. Although infuriated, I was grateful to her.

    "It was your partner, Melanie," I answered. "After I tortured her in the infirmary, she spilled the beans about you."

    The room fell silent. Nicholas closed his eyes and mulled over my response. There was no telling what went through the man''s mind. I hoped he believed my story.

    "How barbaric," He snidely commented. "Now, back to your previous question. It is wrong. It is not about what I have to gain. It is that I cannot afford to lose."

    Even with that response, I felt nothing but seething rage in my gut. Nicholas made no sense. I couldn''t understand a damn thing from his words.

    "Why can''t you afford to lose?" Salomon wondered.

    "My life is at stake," Nicholas revealed, the arrogance in his voice faded. A fire roared behind his eyes. "I am as much of a victim as everyone else trapped in here."

    "Say that to the people that you''ve killed!" I slammed my fist on the table. Nicholas didn''t even blink or flinch.

    "Always inclined to resort to violence," Nicholas sighed. "Not that I blame you. It must be frustrating, learning about everything that I have done."

    "Frustrating doesn''t even begin to explain how I feel. From the very beginning, you played us for God damn fools!"

    "You are making it sound like I enjoyed doing this," Nicholas shook his head, his tone turned somber. "I told you, I am a victim."

    "You sure as hell don''t act like one," I noted. Someone like Nicholas was far from what I pictured as a victim. Elena fit the bill better than him. "Do you think it''s fair to call yourself a victim when compared to others that you''ve killed?"

    "How old are you, Ambrose?" Nicholas suddenly asked.

    "What does that have to do with anyth--"

    "How have you forgotten the rules again?" He interrupted him. "Remember, I do not have to do this."

    I gritted my teeth and answered, "Thirty-six."

    "Hmm, interesting, you and I are more alike than I thought," Nicholas commented. That thought alone made my skin crawl. I didn''t want that bastard comparing us at all. We were nothing alike. "It amuses me that we both learned a valuable lesson around that age."This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    "What are you talking about?"

    "Life is not fair, Ambrose," Nicholas broadly announced. However, something about that unsettled me. He wasn''t acting as arrogant or aloof. Instead, he sounded pissed off. "Life is cruel and unfair to everyone. No matter one''s accomplishments or status, life will find a way to remind everyone of that undeniable fact. It takes one moment to ruin everything."

    "Speaking from personal experience?" Salomon asked.

    "Unfortunately," Nicholas clenched his hands into fists. "This situation is not something I aspired to find myself in. But, a certain turn of events led me down this path."

    "I don''t care for them," I stated. Whatever sorrow story the man planned to tell, I wasn''t having any of it. "It doesn''t change anything."

    "I never claimed it did. Do not get me wrong, Ambrose. I am not seeking redemption for my actions like you are," Nicholas'' sudden rebuttal caused my eyes to widen. His tone of arrogance returned as he continued, "For the things that we have done in the past, there is no redemption for us. The only thing we can do now is to keep moving forward."

    "What do you know about my past?" I hesitated to ask. Something deep down inside me warned me about speaking out about that. That feeling only worsened once a sinister smile spread across the bastard''s face. He knew more than he let on.

    "Where should I start? Perhaps the part where you slaughtered your entire family?" Nicholas carelessly revealed. But, it didn''t end there. His gaze shifted over to Salomon as he continued, "Or how about you, Salomon? You were dishonorably discharged from the military since you refused to obey orders after the love of your life died to protect your unit."

    For once, an incomprehensible expression showed on the old man''s face. I already knew about the death of his lover. However, I didn''t know he was dishonorably discharged. Not that it mattered too much. What shocked me the most was that Nicholas knew so much about our pasts.

    I reached my tipping point. I grabbed Nicholas by his shirt and lifted him from his seat. It took all my willpower not to punch him in the face.

    "How do you know all that?!" I shouted.

    Nicholas reached into his pocket and pulled out something familiar. My rage continued to rise the moment those items caught my attention. In the bastard''s hands were coupons.

    Coupons that were once in my possession after I won my game against Elena days ago.

    "What are those?" Salomon sternly asked.

    "Caius coupons," Nicholas and I answered in unison.

    "Why do you have those?! I''m the only one that should have them!" I shook him.

    "Unhand me," Nicholas demanded. I didn''t want to, but, I had no other choice. Once freed, he resumed, "That would have been the case if you had not forgotten your prize in the infirmary. I asked Caius if I could keep them instead and he had no problem with that. Therefore, they are mine now."

    "What do those things do?" Salomon questioned.

    "They allow me special privileges during my stay here. I used several coupons to manipulate the games as I saw fit. Say, Wyatt and my game for example. None of you found it suspicious how we played a game that pertained to Wyatt''s skill of expertise?"

    It dawned on me at that moment on how convenient things played out on that day. It was as if someone set up the chess pieces all across the board how they wanted. And that person was Nicholas.

    "Of course, I had no plans on getting stabbed, but everything else worked out in my favor. I knew Wyatt''s stupidity would get him killed. Mention his wife at all, and he will allow his "love" to blind him." Nicholas had no qualms mocking the dead. "I also used the couples to learn the history of the other players. I know all of you more than you know yourselves."

    "That''s a bold statement," Salomon noted. He took the cigar out from his mouth and crushed it against the table. "What gives you the right to do as you please with our lives?"

    "I do not want to hear that from you, Salomon. Unlike the others, you came here on a whim. No ulterior motives other than testing your luck," Nicholas pointed out. While it didn''t surprise me to hear that, it pissed me off to an extent since Nicholas knew too much about us. It explained everything how he could manipulate so many people at once for so long seemingly unnoticed.

    "Why are you doing this?" I demanded to know. Despite everything he told us, it didn''t make any sense. He didn''t want the money. He claimed to be a victim. I couldn''t put his desires together.

    "What do you think of this place, Ambrose? Or the organization that runs it?" Nicholas threw me off again with his random questions.

    "This place is hell, and the people that run this belong in prison or worse," I answered without hesitation. I never put much thought into Serendipity or the people that run the place. It''d only prove to add more unnecessary stress.

    "To me, I see freedom," Nicholas happily revealed. He flashed a bright smile before he continued, "on the day of my execution, these people approached and offered me a way out. They manipulated the government system and brought me here. My, with the power they have, I can hardly imagine what else they could get their hands on if they so desired."

    "You''re infatuated," Salomon pointed out as if he were disgusted. I felt the same.

    "In a way," Nicholas shamelessly agreed. "I wish to learn more about this organization. I want to join them. The only way to do that is to make sure that you all die."

    I raised my leg and slammed my foot on the nearest table, denting it severely. Imagining that it was Nicholas'' head helped vent out some frustration.

    "So, we all have to die for you to join a stupid club?! Is that what you''re telling me?!" I shouted. "All those people died because of that?!"

    "I do not expect you to understand my situation, Ambrose." Nicholas sighed and shook his head.

    "Then help me understand!"

    "What do you think would happen to me if I were to return to the outside world? Away from the watchful eye of this organization?" Nicholas asked another random question. But, it didn''t take me long to find an answer from thin air.

    "You''d die," I said.

    "You''re a death row inmate after all. If you suddenly showed your face out in public, you''d be arrested and executed for sure." Salomon added.

    "Exactly," Nicholas heaved another sigh. It annoyed me how far the fucker thought ahead of everyone else. "My only option of salvation is to join these people. I am sure I would be welcomed with open arms. I need all of you to die."

    "You''re making itsound as if it''d be easy," I scolded him.

    "I already got six people killed. Five more will not be a problem." Nicholas held up his hand and smiled.

    "You even plan to kill your partner?" I questioned. I didn''t care for Melanie''s safety. I just wanted to know how far the bastard planned to go to achieve his goals.

    "Melanie was an...interesting person to have around, but she is no longer useful. Now that I am allowed to express myself out in the open, I see no point in keeping her around."

    "You''re a sick son of a bitch!"

    "Your incessant remarks grow weary on me, Ambrose," Nicholas walked passed Salomon and I. He headed for the exit.

    "Where do you think you''re going?!"

    "To my room," He answered. "I would like to get some rest before the time for the next game comes."

    He stopped and looked at Henrika and Klara that entered their way into the room.

    "Nicholas? What happened to your glasses?" Henrika asked.

    Nicholas smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "I look forward to seeing you all again later."

    With those parting words, Nicholas left us all in the room to contemplate our next course of action.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 43 - All In Wager!

    My confrontation with Nicholas helped nail in my decision that compromising with that son of a bitch was impossible. He was a man out on a mission with everything to lose. That made him dangerous. He''d proven that fact on numerous occasions. I''d heard that it took life or death situations to bring out someone''s true colors.

    Staying trapped in Serendipity brought out the worst in everyone. Or at least those that survived long enough to reach that crucial point.

    Time was running out, and with Nicholas'' intentions for everyone revealed, my anxiousness grew.

    "Ambrose?" Henrika''s call broke me away from my thoughts. Concern mixed with confusion appeared in her eyes. "What happened here?"

    "Nicholas admitted to everything," I answered. "How he killed them, why he killed them..."

    Henrika clenched her hands into fists and bit down on her lip. She would''ve drawn blood if Klara hadn''t moved her hand on the woman''s shoulder. Afterward, she settled down and spoke, "I won''t bother to ask. I don''t care for his reasons."

    "There something I''m missing here?" Salomon cut into the conversation. It dawned on us that everything must''ve been confusing for the old man. Since the beginning, he remained neutral in every situation despite all the drama, turmoil, and deaths. Salomon appeared to go through each day without a care in the world.

    While I admired and respected him; it also terrified me. It made me wonder what it would take to faze the old man. Henrika wasted no time and filled Salomon in on the situation.

    "Figured people would start teaming up sooner or later," Salomon said, not at all surprised by the turn of events. He looked at Klara and asked, "So, you talking now?"

    "Only when the situation calls for it," Klara answered.

    Salomon chuckled and lit another cigar. "So, what''s your plan in beating Nicholas? Sounds like he''s had the games rigged for a while."

    "All thanks to the Caius coupons," I reluctantly stated. I thought back to that moment hundreds of times. The things I could''ve done differently. The lives I could''ve saved. If I hadn''t forgotten that damn treasure box, none of it would''ve happened. "It''s my fault,"

    I prepared to shoulder the burden alone. That treasure box was my responsibility, and I allowed it to fall into that bastard''s hands. If not for me, he wouldn''t have gotten the others killed the way he did.

    "No, it''s not, Ambrose." Henrika immediately came to my defense.

    "No, he''s right, it''s his fault." Klara remained straight forward and blunt as usual. I found it strangely comforting. "Absolving you from blame won''t solve anything."

    "Absolution is the farthest thing from my mind right now," I admitted. It was probably my imagination, but I thought I spotted a smile creep on Klara''s stone face. "Fastest way out of here is defeating Nicholas in a game."

    "Fastest, yes. Smartest? No," Henrika countered. Of course, she wouldn''t agree with my suicidal plan. "If we bide our time and survive, we''ll be out of here soon."

    "You sound confident," Salomon noted. "How can you be so sure?"

    "I''ll explain later. I can''t do it here,"

    Salomon simply nodded his head and blew smoke into the air. "We might not make it to later from the sounds of things. If we don''t act fast, we''ll probably end up dead."

    "Acting too hastily leaves room for error; one that''ll get us all killed if we mess up!" Henrika claimed. "That''s what Nicholas wants us to do. He wants us to panic, rush things and fail to make preparations. If we keep a cool head and think, we can survive."

    I heard it, the fear and desperation in her voice. Her confidence wavered. I sympathized with the poor woman. We were close to the finish line. Anything could happen, whether it be for better or worse.

    But, I put everything on the line to make it as far as I did. I wouldn''t settle for leaving with anything less than the money I deserved.

    "I won''t mess up," I declared.

    "You don''t know that," Henrika exclaimed and slammed her hands on the table.

    "You''re right; I don''t. But it sure as hell beats sitting by and waiting for the bastard to pick us off," I got up and left the room without another world. I made up my mind. Nicholas had to go down.

    I headed for his room and rung the doorbell. He answered shortly and allowed me inside. Nicholas pulled up a chair and offered me the seat, but I refused. It wasn''t a God damn social call.

    "I cannot say I am surprised that you are here," Nicholas nonchalantly commented as he took a seat on the chair. "What brings you here, Ambrose?"

    "I want to end this," I sternly answered. Nicholas'' expression didn''t change. He expected the confrontation.

    "Oh? And how do you plan to do that?" His tone of mockery infuriated me. I would''ve loved to drive his head through the fucking wall. But, I kept it together for the most part.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    "I''m challenging you to one final game with everything on the line. Winner takes all." I pointed at him. For once, genuine shock appeared on his face.

    "How...unexpected..." Nicholas brought his hand up to his chin. He mulled over the announcement, but I didn''t give him much time. The bastard was smart. If I gave him too much time to think, God knows what sick plan he''d come up with.

    "You and I meet in the game room tonight; we gamble all of our points. If I win, you die. Should you win, everyone else dies, leaving you as the sole survivor." I laid down the stipulations for the final game.

    Nicholas'' eyebrows raised. I caught his interest. That was a good sign despite the circumstances. "This is amusing," He chuckled. "You are willing to risk your life, as well as others to defeat me? I am flattered."

    "You''re standing between me and my goals. Besides, didn''t you say that we''re not so different?" I questioned him.

    "Indeed, I did," He nodded his head. "However, I cannot help but question if everyone else agreed to these suicidal terms."

    "They didn''t," I shook my head. It wasn''t the smartest decision, but it was the one I made. I chose to stick with it for better or worse. I had enough of him and his games. It had to end.

    "Why bother coming here in the first place, then? You cannot make this match of yours happen." He stated.

    But, that''s where he was wrong. I planned to prove that to him. "I can''t. But, you can. You still have a Caius coupon, don''t you? As long as you have that, their compliance isn''t a factor."

    The corners of Nicholas'' lips nearly reached his ears in response. That dreadful smile of his reminded me of Melanie. Those two were more alike than I dared to admit.

    "You are truly desperate," Nicholas surmised. He wasn''t wrong. That fact didn''t bother me too much. I agreed to risk in my life in the first place for the sake of money. Everyone shared that trait of desperation one way or another. "Have you no heart for those that are still alive here? Surely they do not wish to throw their lives away recklessly."

    "Are you seriously asking me that? The man that mercilessly killed six people?" I countered.

    Nicholas placed his hand over his heart. "I still feel the beating in my chest. Yes, it is here. I will, however, admit that it ached when I first conspired to kill you all."

    Not that I believed him, but I felt compelled to ask, "What changed?"

    "I spent more time with you people. Learned of your passions and desires, witnessed your greed and selfishness. My decision to kill you all came to me when I looked into your backgrounds," Nicholas boasted.

    "You went that far?"

    "Of course, I cannot leave a single stone unturned when dealing with anyone of you." Nicholas taunted me with a wag of his finger. If I didn''t know any better, I''d say he took a sadistic pleasure in the situation. "I know why you are all here and what you hope to gain once you leave. Unfortunately, that will not happen."

    "You''re a real piece of shit; you know that?!" I yelled. Nearly from the beginning, Nicholas had us all playing in the palm of his hand, dancing around thanks to the strings he pulled. If he knew about our pasts and our reasons for being in Serendipity, then he should''ve realized how desperate everyone was.

    "How so?" He feigned ignorance. The bastard had the balls to play dumb right in my face. It was that, or he was far too gone to realize the gravity of the situation.

    "You looked into our backgrounds right? Then you should know not all of us are here out of greed." I told him.

    "Oh, I am well aware of that fact. However, while most may not be for greed, they are still idiotic."

    I gritted my teeth and restrained as much of my anger as I could before replying, "Idiotic?! You have no right to say that, you bastard!"

    Nicholas'' eyes widened after my sudden burst of anger. However, his expression quickly changed. "Oh? Is that so? Tell me, if you were in my position, you are willing to lose your life for someone trying to save a bar?"

    His question stopped me in my tracks. Not because I didn''t have an answer, but instead I didn''t want to respond to it. Nicholas and I both knew what it would be. The bar was important to me. I was more than willing to risk my life for the home the old man and Igot for ourselves.

    But, that meant nothing to Nicholas. Why would it? We never crossed paths in our lifetime until Serendipity. He wasn''t there throughout all the hardships and struggles I went through.

    So to him, I was a stranger trying to keep a business afloat. Even if I explained my situation, he wouldn''t care. His mind was made up about killing everyone.

    "...No," I reluctantly answered.

    "It must have taken tremendous strength to admit that, Ambrose. Now, we are connecting. Have you begun to see things from my point of view?" Nicholas inquired.

    Another question I hesitated to answer. From the moment Nicholas told me about his circumstances, I could see things from his point of view. It wasn''t fair, but I felt no sympathy for the man. He got himself thrown in prison. It was his actions that got him on death throw.

    "Seeing things from your point of view won''t change a thing. Sure, it''s not a fair situation we find ourselves in. But, it still doesn''t excuse your actions." I pointed out. Nothing he could tell me would ever change my opinion of him. "Elena, Iris, Wyatt, Darius, and Zoey didn''t deserve to die."

    "Perhaps not. However, they have no one to blame but themselves for their deaths. They did not need to come here," Nicholas countered.

    "No one to blame but themselves?!" I yelled. "All they wanted to do was help people they loved!"

    "They could have found alternative methods than this," Nicholas bluntly stated. "Loanshark debt, funeral plans, heart transplant, financial trouble, and plain old revenge. They risked and lost their lives for such moronic reasons."

    His words brought me to the brink of explosion. I knew that''s what he wanted, but it was Goddamn challenging to keep it together. I didn''t care much for everyone''s reasons, to each their own. But to hear Nicholas calling them moronic was an insult to his victims.

    Unfortunately, I stood there and let him rant on about them.

    "Darius and Elena could have gotten jobs to take care of their financial troubles. For Iris; she should have let the government provide a box for her dearly deceased. After all, what do the dead care where or what they are buried in? Wyatt should have waited his turn on the transplant list like everyone else. And lastly, Zoey was here for revenge." He said. "With goals like that, I say they deserve what happened."

    "You mother fucker..." I swore under my breath.

    "All of your goals are moronic. I am the only person in Serendipity that deserves a second chance at life," Nicholas proclaimed as he stood from his chair. "Therefore, I accept your challenge. I will see you in the game room today, Ambrose."

    "Yeah, I''m looking forward to it," I sarcastically responded and left the room without another word to the bastard. With that, my mind was set. It went against my principles and my promise, but I was going to kill Nicholas. He was the final obstacle. With him out of the way, there was no one else that could stop me from getting my money and saving my home.

    If killing one last person brought me to that goal, then I was more than prepared to put everything on the line. It was a gamble, but one that I wasn''t afraid to make.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 44 - The Final Game!

    The passage of time weighed heavily on my mind when I returned to my room. This final game meant everything. It was all or nothing. Any ordinary man would crumble and break under such intense pressure. Hell, I''m far from ordinary it nearly broke me.

    The isolation didn''t help ease my nerves, but, the threat of constant ridicule from the others would only make things worse. Nothing could change the course of the game anymore. The wheels were in motion. In a matter of hours, I''d face off against Nicholas in the last game. Failure wasn''t an option.

    A loss would cost everyone their lives. One man had to die for everyone else to survive. It wasn''t fair, not by a long shot. But that was the situation. I held no sympathy for Nicholas since it was thanks to him that people lost their lives.

    Honestly, killing him did nothing to my conscience. His death would free everyone. What was another death under my belt? While not the mindset of a saint, it was the one I had to have. Any hesitance from me gave Nicholas the edge over me. I couldn''t let that happen, no matter what.

    Soon enough, the dreaded time came. Everyone gathered in the lobby room, waiting for Caius to make his appearance. It was dead silent. Nicholas and his partner in crime, Melanie, stood at one corner of the room, while the others and I were on the other side.

    The tension in the room was palpable.

    The smiles on their faces infuriated me. They didn''t bother trying to hide their wickedness. Their real personalities were out in the open, and they didn''t care who saw it. As far as they were concerned, they had the last game in the bag.

    "You''ve got a lot to answer for Nicholas," Salomon broke the silence and put out his cigar.

    "Please, Salomon, try not to ruin this moment with needless chatter," Nicholas arrogantly pleaded. "You should choose your words more carefully. Never know when they might be your last."

    Salomon prepared to approach the man, but Henrika got herself in between them. The last thing she wanted was to lose the old man for breaking the rules. There wasn''t a doubt in my mind that Salomon wouldn''t have attacked Nicholas.

    "Don''t let him rile you up," Henrika tried to divert Salomon''s anger.

    "Good evening, everyone!" Caius'' joyous voice rang throughout the room as he entered with a bright smile. "It is time for the most anticipated time of the day! Game time!"

    "Yeah, yeah, we know, Fedora," Melanie said.

    "Caius, I have a special request I would like to make," Nicholas approached the Game Moderator and reached into his pocket. He pulled out the familiar Caius coupon and handed it over to the man. "I would like to use my Caius coupon to alter the game for tonight."

    Caius holds the coupon up to the light, smiling wickedly as usual. It was clear that it wasn''t the first time Nicholas and Caius had transactions like that in the past. "How would you like to change the game this time around?"

    "If possible, I would like it if Melanie and I teamed up against the other players in a winner take all game," Nicholas suggested.

    "Winner take all? That sounds exciting!" Caius frantically clapped his hands together.

    "I would appreciate it if you made sure that the other players gambled all of their points before the start of the game. Because should Melanie and I win, the losing team should die."

    "Arranging that will not be a problem," Caius nodded his head and ripped the ticket to shreds. His glance then turned toward us as he continued, "What a magnificent turn of events if I do say so myself."

    Eyes of judgment soon affixed onto me. There was no hiding it anymore. They knew Nicholas couldn''t have gotten the idea for a winner take all match unless I gave it to him.

    "I hope you''re proud of yourself," Henrika spat.

    "I didn''t expect anything less out of you," Klara added her input of disappointment toward me. I swallowed my tongue and kept silent. There was nothing I could say to remedy the situation. We were all in it thanks to me, and the only way out was to win. With the four of us against thetwo of them, it should''ve been an easy win. At least that''s how it sounded on paper.

    But, there still lied the problem of the game we''d play. While Nicholas couldn''t choose the games himself, he could manipulate them to some extent. Regardless of the match, I''d have to trust in myself to make sure that he''d lose.

    I didn''t decide to put everything on the line to suffer defeat. It wasn''t an option. I refused to let it be one. Whether the others were on my side or not, I''d defeat Nicholas and Melanie and take home my prize money.

    "We''re all going into the game room at once?" Salomon asked.

    "Yes," Caius nodded his head enthusiastically. "This is the first time anything like this has happened. So, you all will have to excuse my excessive amount of excitement."

    "I''m about as excited as you, Fedora," responded Melanie as she placed her hands on her hips. Her sharp gaze landed on me as she continued, "I wanna get some payback on Scraggly anywhere for what he did to me."

    "You deserved it, and everything else that''s going to happen to you in this game." I shot back.

    "We''ll see about that," My threat to the girl bounced right off her chest. She nudged her head toward Caius and ordered, "Go ahead and tell us what game we''re gonna play, Fedora."

    "Very well," Caius grabbed his tablet and went through the usual routine. He flipped the device over and showed everyone the display on the screen. It was a picture of stick figures hammering away at blocks of ice. "I hope you are all prepared for the exciting game of Don''t Break the Ice!"

    No one expressed any amusement or interest in the game. Instead, the stakes of it all weighed heavily on our minds to care what kind of match it would be. With nothing else left to say, Caius led everyone to our respective prep rooms.

    I stayed in the back of the room while the others huddled around the monitor.

    "Okay, I think we got this," Henrika said after gambling away all her GP to the monitor. "There''s three of us and two of them. If we play our cards right, we can take them out of the running in the first few turns."

    "Don''t underestimate Nicholas'' intelligence or Melanie''s tenacity. Strength in numbers doesn''t always work." Klara warned her.

    "Also, it''s four against two," Salomon corrected and looked over his shoulder. He motioned for me to approach them, but I remained in my spot. I didn''t deserve to team up with them, not after what I did to get that situation.

    I''d ally myself with them. But, I wouldn''t refer to myself as their team member.

    "Don''t worry about me, Salomon," I dismissed his gesture of companionship, although I appreciated it. "I understand their frustration, but--"

    "Frustration? Frustration?!" Henrika broke away from the group and confronted me. She poked my chest and yelled, "We''re in this mess because of you! Our lives are at risk because you went off on your own and fed Nicholas this insane idea of yours! We''re infuriated! Enraged!"

    "I know..." I kept my words short and sweet, knowing that nothing I said would quell the woman''s anger and scorn. Nothing short of a victory would turn the woman''s mood around.

    "That''s enough," Salomon set his hand on Henrika''s shoulder and gently pulled her aside. Strangely enough, he never expressed any anger or frustration toward me. I know I deserved it. "Yelling at him won''t change anything. We''re all stuck in this situation together, and we''ll get out of it together."

    "It annoys me to agree with him, but Salomon''s right. If we exclude Ambrose from the team now, it''ll only add another opponent to deal with in the game." Klara added.

    "Yeah, yeah, I know," Henrika ran her hand through her hair, groaning in frustration as she pushed me over to the monitor. "Hurry up and gamble your GP. The sooner we get through with this, the better."

    "It''s okay, we''ll win this," I declared. I went through the menus and gambled away all my points as promised. There was no going back. I put everything on the line along with everyone else. It was either victory or death.

    "You don''t know that for sure," Klara called me out on my bluff. Even my attempts to lighten the mood in the team couldn''t go by unnoticed by the girl''s sharp eyes.

    With everything said and done, the door to the game room opened. Everyone steadily proceeded forward, where Melanie and Nicholas waited.

    "''Bout time you losers showed up! What took you so long, huh?" Melanie called out to us. But at that point, no one was stupid enough to respond to the girl''s provocations. It was a waste of time.

    "It was a pleasure meeting you all up to this point. I wish things could have gone differently." Nicholas added to the provocation with a false smile.

    "Don''t speak asif you''ve won," I demanded. Melanie, I could tolerate to a certain degree, but Nicholas was another matter. I swore to make sure the bastard got everything he deserved for toying with everyone''s lives. We weren''t his puppets.

    "Is everyone ready for the game to begin?" Caius'' voice rang from the intercoms in the ceiling. The center section of the floor split open, allowing a single table to rise from the open space. On the said table were six sledgehammers. "Please take one," He instructed.

    Everyone followed his instructions and collected one of the sledgehammers. Afterward, the entire floor rose about fifteen feet in the air. I looked over the edge and saw many pillars that kept us hoisted up on the platform.

    "Heights again?" Henrika complained, mostly like she had flashbacks to her previous game against Salomon.

    The walls in the room also split open, allowing copious amounts of water to flood inside.

    "What''s Caius planning now?" Salomon inquired.

    "Now then, allow me to explain the rules before you all begin! The game aims to knock your opponents off the platform into the cold, freezing water down below. The two teams will take turns using those sledgehammers to strike the panels of the platform, thus removing spots for your opponent''s throughout the game. Be careful though, as some panels are connected to others in more ways than one. The last team standing will be declared the winner."

    "Easy enough to remember," Melanie rests the sledgehammer on her shoulder and smirks.

    "Having now explained the rules, I give the go-ahead for the game to begin! Since Nicholas'' team has the disadvantage, I permit them to start things off." Caius announced.

    "Since I am a gentleman, I will let you have the first move, Melanie," Nicholas nodded.

    "How kind of you, Shades," Melanie stepped forward and examined the panels in front of her. After giving it some thought, she slammed her sledgehammer down on the one to her right. Red X''s appeared on random panels before they fell into the water below. Thankfully, none of those belonged to us. "Damn! No luck!"

    "There will be plenty of opportunities to get them," Nicholas assured her, showing no signs of concerns about the progress of the game. After all, it was only the first move.

    "Which one of us should go first?" Henrika asked, looking for anyone to show an ounce of eagerness to make the first move.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "I''ll do it," I stepped up and raised my sledgehammer. I brought it down on the panel in front of me. I didn''t spot any red X''s appear on the panels in front of me. So, I turned to find that they showed up behind me. One of them was right underneath Henrika. "Henrika! Move!" I shouted.

    Henrika looked down and spotted the X. She let out a yell and moved out of the way before it plummeted into the water.

    "Watch where you''re swinging that thing!" She pointed her sledgehammer at me.

    "Sorry!" I quickly apologized. One thing I know I didn''t want to do was knock my allies into the water.

    "Hey! That''s cheating! You can''t dodge it!" Melanie complained.

    "Settle down, Melanie. The rules never stated that they could not do that." Nicholas corrected her.

    Melanie clicks her tongue and annoyance, "Fine!"

    "My turn now," Nicholas hit the spot to his left. No X''s appeared on the platform at that time. Instead, only the spot he hit fell to the water. "Well, that is awkward."

    "I''mma need you to do better than that, Shades," Melanie demanded. Even during the game with their lives on the line, they felt no tension or fear in their situation. We outnumbered them, and they didn''t give a damn. Their confidence, no, their arrogance blocked out their doubts of losing.

    That was something I wanted to exploit.

    "I''ll go this time. Keep an eye out," Salomon warned everyone, which was a fair move when I considered how random the selection in the game was. The old man struck a spot with his sledgehammer. A bunch of X''s appeared around the platform. That time, the panels underneath Melanie and Nicholas got marked.

    The duo moved to separate spots and witnessed their panels descend into the water.

    "Alright, one of you are takin'' that ice bath this time," Melanie taunted. She playfully pointed her sledgehammer at the area in front of her. Her Cheshire smile appeared when she made her decision. Her sledgehammer contacted its intended spot. No X''s popped up that time. "Fuck!"

    "Calm yourself, Melanie. It is a random process." Nicholas said.

    "Yeah, yeah, I know!" Melanie snapped at him. It wasn''t that far into the game, and their partnership already seemed like it was on the brink of collapse.

    "Wish me good luck," Henrika decided to go that time. She took a few deep breaths and chose her target. Upon impact, the X''s appeared. No one was in danger of falling, so no one bothered to move from their positions once the panels fell.

    "Perhaps, this one?" Nicholas made his move. The panels underneath my teammates and I got marked. We desperately moved to the unmarked ones. "So close," The man complained.

    Klara quickly chose a spot and struck it with her sledgehammer. That woman was in no mood for the game itself. Thankfully, no other panels fell to the water beside the one she hit.

    "You know what, fuck this!" Melanie raised her sledgehammer and dashed across the platform. Her target was Klara, but I intercepted and forced the girl back with a swing of my hammer. "Outta my way, Scraggly!" She demanded and pointed her sledgehammer at me.

    Her demands didn''t threaten me in the slightest. I''d already dealt with the girl once. Doing it again didn''t bother me. I wouldn''t let her or Nicholas harm anyone else. Not on my watch.

    "You''re gonna have to get through me if you want any of them," I told her. Sure, it was a cheesy line, but I wanted her to know my intentions to stop her.

    "Fine by me!" Melanie approached me and swung her sledgehammer around like a mad woman. Thankfully, her swings were wide and predictable, so they weren''t anywhere close to hitting me. Her last strike hit one of the panels. The X''s appeared and sent multiple spots into the water.

    Unfortunately, Klara occupied one of those spots. The woman fell into the water.

    "Klara!" I looked over the edge for any sign of the woman. Her head popped up above the surface within seconds, but it didn''t mean she was out of danger.

    "We have one person in the water!" Caius joyfully announced. "The temperature is below freezing! So, Klara will start suffering the effects of hypothermia in a matter of fifteen minutes!"

    "God damn it! We gotta get here out of there!" I yelled to Henrika and Salomon. By the time I looked back, Melanie''s sledgehammer had come close to bashing my head in.

    That would''ve been in the case if not for Salomon, who came in and grabbed the shaft of the object, stopping it nearly inches away from my head. The old man disarmed Melanie and kicked her in the gut. The girl stumbled back over to Nicholas, coughing violently.

    "It''s not your turn anymore," Salomon casually tossed the girl''s sledgehammer into the water.

    "Fucking old man!" Melanie growled through her clenched teeth.

    "Is there some way we can get Klara out of there?!" Henrika desperately called out to us. Watching Klara float around in the freezing water disrupted our focus.

    "Only way is by winning," Salomon concluded and made the next move. He struck a panel and watched the X''s appear randomly on the spots again. None of them belonged to our enemies.

    "Hmmm, so it is not against the rules to physically force them off the platform," Nicholas brought his finger to his chin with a sadistic grin. From there, he handed his sledgehammer over to Melanie. "Go ahead and run wild, Melanie."

    "Thought you''d never ask," Melanie accepted the sledgehammer and rushed us again. As long as she didn''t hit any of the panels, then it''d always stay on her turn.

    That time, she went for Henrika. That damn girl acted like a predator; always targeting those that strayed from the pack. But, she made a mistake in thinking that Henrika was a poor, defenseless woman. Henrika showed no hesitance or fear in facing Melanie in battle. The woman dodged the first swing with ease and reacted with a swing from her sledgehammer as well.

    Melanie jumped back and smiled. "Didn''t think you had any fight in you, Fatass."

    "Like hell, I''m going to let a psycho bitch like you kill me," Henrika countered. Just when they prepared to clash again, Salomon and I joined up with her, ready to take the psychopath head on.

    Melanie gritted her teeth, knowing she couldn''t handle all three of us at once. If she wanted to attack, she''d end up down in the water in no time.

    "Alright, alright, I get it," Melanie tapped her sledgehammer against one of the panels. The X''s appeared again. It forced all three of us to separate and find safe areas on the platform. There weren''t that many footholds left for us.

    I went ahead and made my move for the team. I chose a spot and hit it. I didn''t spot any X''s until Henrika called out to me. My gaze dropped to my feet. And there it was ¡ª that dreadful X.

    The nearest spot was isolated, but I made the jump and safely landed there.

    "Fatass is all alone," Melanie happily taunted and twirled the sledgehammer in her hand.

    "Focus on her teammates instead," Nicholas demanded. Melanie frowned but ultimately followed his lead.

    "Which one of you wants to take a dip next? The old man? Or Scraggly?" Melanie asked.

    "How about you?" Salomon took everyone by surprise and rushed Melanie. He swung his sledgehammer at her before she could make a decision.

    Melanie ducked and rolled out of the way. "What the fuck, old man?! It''s my goddamn turn!"

    "It was never stated I couldn''t attack you during yours!" Salomon pointed out another loophole in the rules. He chased Melanie around the platform in hopes of eliminating her early. Without Melanie; Nicholas wouldn''t be much of a threat.

    "Back off!" Melanie cried out and struck a random spot with her sledgehammer. X''s appeared as usual; one of them marked Henrika''s panel. However, from her position, she wouldn''t reach safety.

    "Henrika!" I yelled and ran over to the nearest edge. I extended my sledgehammer out. "Jump and grab the hammer! I''ll pull you up!"

    "You''re crazy!" Henrika yelled back but complied with my plan nonetheless. She leaped from her spot and reached out in hopes of grabbing her only method of salvation. She caught it and held on for dear life, nearly dragging me over the edge.

    I gripped the shaft of the hammer and pulled with all my might.

    "Pull me up! Pull me up!" Henrika cried out.

    "I''m...trying..." I grunted. "You''re just too..."

    "I swear to God if you say that I''m heavy. I''ll kill you!" She warned me.

    "I''ve got you!" Salomon came up and helped me pull Henrika back onto the platform.

    "Thanks you two," Henrika said through heavy breaths.

    "Don''t thank us yet. The game''s not--"

    Suddenly the back of Salomon''s head got struck. The old man fell forward and off the platform, into the freezing, unforgiving water below.

    "Salomon!" Henrika shouted.

    "I''ve got him!" Klara announced. She dove underwater in search of him.

    Meanwhile, Henrika and I moved our attention to the perpetrator behind the cowardly attack. Of course, it was Melanie. She looked at the blood on her hammer as if she were in a frenzy.

    "That''s two down," Melanie smiled at us and pointed her hammer at us. "Two more to go."

    "You god damn bitch!" Henrika lunged at Melanie and tackled the girl to the ground. Once she had her pinned, she grabbed her sledgehammer and forced it against her neck, strangling her. "I''ll kill you! I''ll fucking kill you!"

    Melanie spat in Henrika''s eye, granting her the opportunity to kick Henrika back over to me. I lost my footing, sending us both over the edge. In a desperate attempt, I grabbed the side of the platform and reached out for Henrika with my spare hand. But it was too late for her.

    The woman fell into the water with my other partners.

    Pain surged through my hand once Melanie''s boot stomped down on my fingers.

    "Well, isn''t this a pretty sight?" Melanie taunted me again. It never crossed my mind that I''d find myself in such a vulnerable situation. "You talked all that shit earlier and look where you are now."

    "Quit it with the idle chatter and finish this, Melanie," Nicholas ordered.

    "Shut the fuck up, Shades! Lemme have my fun!" Melanie flipped him off and then returned her sadistic gaze to me. "Any last words you wanna say to me before you die with the rest of them?"

    "You know, if you win this game, you''ll die too," I warned her. It hit me at that moment as to why Melanie would team up with Nicholas despite their differences in goals.

    "What?" Melanie blinked in confusion, clearly not understanding the meaning behind my statement.

    "Quit talking with him and end the game!" Nicholas approached, more than prepared to kick me over the edge himself. However, he stopped once Melanie pointed her sledgehammer at him.

    "Stop right there, Shades. I wanna hear this," Melanie told him. "Whaddya mean I''ll die if we win?"

    "Nicholas told me how he wanted to kill everyone in the games, including you. The moment you win the game, you''ll die alongside everyone else. It''ll all go according to his plan." I told her, playing off my knowledge about her fear of death.

    "He is lying to you, Melanie! It is the desperate, pathetic ramblings of a beaten man!" Nicholas yelled. His calm and collected composure vanished at that moment.

    "Come on; you knew from the beginning that he''s been using you for his agenda. He never gets his own hands dirty unless he has no other options. And as long as you keep teaming with him; you''re that other option. He can''t win without you." I continued to plant my seeds of doubt in her mind, regardless if they were the truth or not. I saw it on the girl''s face. It slowly took root. Her stance on my fingers eased up little by little. She needed a few gentle pushes in the right direction.

    "That is complete and utter nonsense!" Nicholas objected. "You should listen to me, Melanie! Remember the terms of our partnership? You help me get what I want, and you get to keep all the money! I do not want a single cent of it! It is all yours for the taking!"

    His words struck her as well. While I played to her fear, he played to her greed. At that moment, I genuinely feared which side of her would take control. If I couldn''t convince Melanie to betray Nicholas, then it was all over for everyone.

    "You don''t find it strange that he doesn''t want any money despite coming here?" I called out to Melanie. "What else could he possibly want? Do you know?"

    "...He never told me," Melanie shook her head.

    "He wants a membership into this organization. The only way inside for him is to win this game by being the sole survivor," I relayed the information that Nicholas himself gave me. Hopefully, the man''s arrogance would bring about his downfall. He told me everything he wanted because he felt I couldn''t stop him. "Say you win, and we die, it''ll only be the two of you. Nicholas knows he''ll have trouble killing you, so that''s why he wants to end it this way, just so that he doesn''t get his hands dirty."

    "Lies! It is all lies!" Nicholas shouted.

    "I don''t know, Shades," Melanie brought her finger to her chin as if she needed the time to process the sudden information. "Scraggly isn''t smart enough to make up such convincin'' bullshit on the spot. Plus, you''ve been makin'' me do all the dirty work since our partnership. Even in this game."

    "Melanie, think about what you are doing!" Nicholas said. "You are going to let him ruin everything we have done to this point? For what?"

    Melanie removed her foot off my hand and turned her back to me. "I''m pretty sure Scraggly''s tellin'' the truth. You''ve been actin'' pretty fuckin'' scared every since he''s been talkin''." She pointed out the man''s frantic change in behavior.

    "That is because his ramblings are completely idiotic! And you are falling for them!"

    "Ah, so you''re callin'' me stupid now?" Melanie inquired and playfully tilted her head to the side. With that, she slowly approached Nicholas with her sledgehammer at the ready. "Tell me the truth, Shades. You plannin'' on killin'' me with the rest of ''em?"

    "What are you doing, Melanie? Your enemy is right behind you!" Nicholas quickly backed away with hands up. Meanwhile, I pulled myself back up onto the platform and grabbed the sledgehammer off the floor.

    If I remembered correctly, it was my turn. While the two were distracted, I hit one of the panels in hopes of taking them both out at once. The X''s appeared on numerous spots. Nicholas stood on one of the safety areas.

    Melanie jumped over and landed on the same spot as her "partner."

    "Now we can have a little chat about our partnership, huh, Shades?" The pink-haired girl smiled at him. Nicholas gritted his teeth and tried to take the sledgehammer from her.

    "You stupid girl! Things did not have to go this way! Why do you always have to make things so difficult?!" Nicholas yelled.

    "My therapist said I''ve always had an anti-authoritarian attitude!" Melanie snapped back with a laugh. However, a well-placed knee to her stomach silenced her. The girl slumped over and let go of the hammer.

    "Go ahead and die with the rest of them,"

    "You first!" Melanie sank her teeth into Nicholas'' neck. An excruciating cry left the man''s mouth before he shoved the girl off the panel and into the water.

    "That marks another elimination! We are now down to the final two! Nicholas and Ambrose! Which one will reign supreme?" Caius'' voice boomed from the intercom.

    "God damn it! That fucking bitch!" Nicholas angrily cursed the downed girl and proceeded to spit into the water. Blood poured profusely from his neck. Probably tore through an artery with her teeth.

    "Psychopath''s," I shrugged my shoulders and smirked at the man. "Very unpredictable. It probably wasn''t the smartest choice to have her as a partner in crime."

    "Go ahead and get out as many jokes as you can, Ambrose. Everything will come to an end here..." Nicholas staggered and moved his hand to his neck. It shook violently as he removed it and stared at his bloody palm. "B-Blood? M-M-My own blood?!" The man panicked.

    His cheeks swelled up, and his face paled. His squeamishness gave me the opportunity to end it all. I threw caution to the wind and made my gamble. I tossed the sledgehammer aside and rushed him.

    "It''s over, Nicholas!" I shouted.

    "Go to hell!" He responded and swung his sledgehammer in a fit of rage. I ducked under the object and landed a swift punch to the man''s solar plexus. His legs buckled and he fell off the platform. The satisfying sound of him hitting the water brought a broad smile to my face.

    The fantastic fanfare that blared through the room announced my victory. It was finally over.

    "That marks the end of the game! The winner is player number twelve, Troy Ambrose!" Caius announced.

    All the strength in my body left me. I dropped to my knees, crying tears of joy. Despite the hell I went through, it was finally over. With Nicholas'' defeat, the prize money was as good as mine. The bar, my home, it was as good as saved.

    The only thing left to do was escape from Serendipity.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 45 - Home Free?

    It was all over. I''d done it. We''d done it. My team and I managed to defeat Melanie and Nicholas in the final game. That victory marked our last time in the game room, in Serendipity even. The fanfare music and raining confetti stopped. The water drained from the chamber, and my platform returned to the floor.

    From there, I approached my team members and checked on their condition. Henrika and Salomon weren''t in the water for long, but the old man suffered a deadly blow to the back of his head, courtesy of Melanie. Although freezing their asses off, Klara and Henrika shook the man and called out his name, but he didn''t respond. Blood stained their hands as they supported his head.

    "We need medics in here!" Henrika cried out, and as if on her command, the door opened, and the medical personnel burst into the room. They collected Salomon and carried him out on a stretcher. Henrika and Klara followed shortly afterward.

    I planned to leave as well, but I stopped. A sudden burst of laughter drew my attention to the other side of the room where Melanie and Nicholas lied out, defeated. Nicholas suddenly rose to his feet, clutching his wounded neck with his hand.

    "Bravo, Ambrose. Bravo indeed. I would applaud you if this meant anything," Nicholas strangely taunted. I didn''t understand the meaning behind those words of his ¡ª a knotformed in my throat. Something was up. Nicholas had a trick up his sleeve.

    "You, bastard! What did you do?!" I shouted. My rage went through the roof. After all that pain and turmoil, the bastard found a way to sneak away with his life intact.

    "In the case of my defeat, I only gambled one point," Nicholas raised his index finger. "I instructed Caius to make sure that you all gambled your points. I never agreed that I would do the same."

    "You, snake!"

    "Call me what you will, but the fact remains that I am still alive. No one is leaving until you are all dead." Nicholas proudly boasted. "I do not care how long it takes. Every one of you will die so that I may acquire the life that I deserve."

    I reached my limit at that moment. How many more days would we spend trapped in Serendipity if that bastard was left alive? The lousy thought to kill him crossed my mind. We were in the game room, after all. Crushing his neck would''ve been simple. By no means was Nicholas a fighter.

    My gaze dropped to the sledgehammer next to my feet. It would''ve been easy to smash Nicholas'' head open. I''d suffer no consequences. He noticed my intentions and rushed for the door behind him. However, the door never opened.

    "What is going on here?! Caius, open the door!" He desperately pleaded, banging on the door with all his might.

    "No can do, Nicholas. You are not allowed to leave the room." Caius sadistic voice rang from the intercom.

    "What?! Why not?!" Nicholas exclaimed.

    "You gambled all your points and lost. Therefore, you are eliminated and shall be executed." Caius revealed. That was perhaps the first time I felt relieved to hear that someone was going to die.

    "W-What?! No! That is impossible! I made sure to gamble only one!" Nicholas yelled. "There must be some mistake!"

    "According to my tablet, the only person that gambled one point was Melanie. Technology does not lie, Nicholas." Caius joyously announced.

    "Shades is gonna die? Sweet," Melanie got up and sauntered to the exit without a care in the world. Her life was no longer on the line. So no one could blame her.

    "Melanie! Where are you going?! Help me!" Nicholas pleaded with an outstretched hand as if the girl would accept.

    "Nah, I''m done with you, Shades. Good luck though," Melanie gave the man one final wave before she left the room, leaving only the two of us remaining.

    I had no words for the man.

    "What did you do?! Huh?! What did you do, Ambrose?!" Nicholas shouted. "I don''t deserve to die! Don''t you understand what I''m supposed to become?! The sort of life that I should have! The kind of life that I deserve?!"

    I ignored him furious ramblings. I didn''t know the answers, nor did I care to give them. His time was up. There was nothing I could say that would change his fate. With one last glance, I turned and headed for the exit.

    A sudden rage driven roar drew my attention back to Nicholas. The man picked up the sledgehammer and charged me. His attempts to kill me were pathetic. I quickly disarmed him and kicked him in the stomach.

    He dropped to the floor, clutching his gut. I left the game room and watched the door close behind me. I returned to the lobby where only Melanie resided.

    "I think Shades has lost it," Melanie pointed to the window looking into the game room. Nicholas staggered around the room, swinging the sledgehammer around like a madman.

    "You''re not killing me! I don''t deserve this!" He shouted.

    Our sights shifted to the monitor, where Caius'' ugly face appeared.

    "Are we prepared for another exciting execution?" He enthusiastically asked. We didn''t give him a response. The game moderator continued with his routine without missing a beat. The dreadful wheel decided Nicholas'' method of execution.

    Death by hydrofluoric acid.

    There mere thought of it sent a series of shivers down my spine. Hydrofluoric acid could easily melt through metal and glass. So, the image of what it could do to human flesh wasn''t something I looked forward to.

    Melanie, however, was more than excited for the brutal execution. She pressed her face against the window and said, "Can''t wait to see this!"

    "God damn it! I was cheated! I only gambled one point! Fuck!" Nicholas deplorable shouts fell on deaf ears. Caius went through with the execution without hesitance. The killing had begun.

    The panels in the ceiling split apart, revealing an absurd sprinkler system. Eventually, the acid poured down into the room. Nicholas had nowhere to run as the acidic liquid melted away at his flesh bones. His agonizing screams lasted for only a few seconds until there was nothing left of him than a pile of mush.

    "Holy fucking shit! That was awesome!" Melanie pushed away from the glass, holding her sides in laughter. I found no amusement in the man''s death. But rather an odd sense of relief and satisfaction. With Nicholas dead and gone, everyone was free to leave.

    It was a shame that so many others had to die for that goal of ours to become a reality, but reality was often disappointing.

    I didn''t waste any time. I headed to the infirmary to let others know the good news.

    "How''s Salomon?" I asked the moment I entered. Klara wrapped herself in multiple blankets, keeping herself warm from her extended stay in the freezing water earlier. Meanwhile, Henrika covered Salomon''s head in bandages.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "I''m alive," The old man groaned. "I''ve had worse hangovers than this."

    "Well, Nicholas is dead." I dryly announced. No one appeared saddened by the news. No one would mourn for the man, not after all he''d done.

    "Good," chided Henrika, "Whatever happened to him; he deserved it."

    "So that''s it? We can leave?" Salomon asked.

    "Melanie''s still around," Klara pointed out. "She may prove to be our last hurdle."

    "I dealt with her once. I can do it again," I proclaimed. If I needed to step up again and force the girl into submission, then I''d get it done.

    "We can deal with her later," Henrika pat the medical bed. "Come sit with us for a while. Rest up."

    "No, I''m fine." I refused her offer, solely ''cause the fact that I didn''t deserve it. Thanks to my greed and rashness, I nearly got everyone killed. Sure, my team won the game. But, if we''d lost; that would''ve been our lives.

    "Might as well do as the woman says," interjected Salomon. "Unless you want another enemy."

    I took his warning to heart and sat down on the medical bed.

    "So, have you reflected on your actions?" Henrika scolded me. Her and Klara''s cold eyes of judgment landed on me.

    I gave a nod of my head as a response. I didn''t need her scoldings or glares to reflect. I did more than enough of that without their assistance.

    "Yeah, we won. But, we''d all be dead if we lost." Henrika reminded me of the obvious.

    "Despite knowing that, you still chose to put all our lives on the line," added Klara.

    "For what? Revenge against Nicholas for the people he killed?" Salomon cut in.

    "Revenge was part of it. But, it was mostly for the money." I replied. "There''s no excuse for my actions, and I doubt there''s anything I can do or say to make any of you forgive me. But we won. Nicholas is gone, and Melanie won''t be a problem."

    "The end justifies the means," Klara said in her usual monotone. The disappointment in her voice weighed heavily on me.

    "I''m not condoning what I did. It''s in the past, though. It''s over. Nothing more, I can do about it." I said. Begging for forgiveness wouldn''t be any good.

    "As he said, it''s over. We should count our blessings and hope we can leave tomorrow." Salomon said.

    "We better," sighed Henrika. "I don''t know how much longer I can stand being here."

    "So, are we done?" I asked.

    Henrika and Klara exchanged glances. It felt like they had much more to say, but they shook their heads instead. With that, I split off from the group and returned to my room. And for perhaps the first time throughout my stay in Serendipity; I slept peacefully.

    Time passed, and I woke up to the nostalgic sound of my doorbell. I opened the door, allowing Henrika to barge her way through again.

    "Great, you''re up." The woman smiled and adjusted my clothes. "Come on out to breakfast. Today''s the day we leave."

    "You sound a lot more confident compared to yesterday," I pointed out. I wondered if I found myself in another dimension. Either that or Henrika had killer mood swings.

    "I''ve had the chance to sleep on it, and now I''ve decided to have faith."

    "Faith? That''s odd coming from you."

    "What? You don''t think I''m a person of faith?"

    I didn''t have a response to that question. At least not one that wouldn''t result in some unnerving glare.

    "Regardless, we should go," I dodged the question and opened the door, gesturing for Henrika to leave the room with me. She complied, and we met up with the others in the mess hall. We gathered around one of the tables and enjoyed perhaps our final meal in Serendipity.

    Of course, the happy times were ruined when the game moderator, Caius showed up with his annoying voice as usual. He joyfully strode into the room and asked, "Is everyone ready for the votes?"

    "Yes!" Henrika slammed her hands on the table and jumped from her seat. "For Christ sake! We can finally leave this place!"

    "Your words wound me, Henrika," Caius whimpered and placed his fedora over his heart. A crocodile tear formed in the corner of his eye, which he proceeded to wipe away. "I have quite enjoyed the time we have spent together."

    "None of us did," Klara harshly countered.

    "I''ve had a good time," Melanie proudly boasted.

    "Oh, look at me, talking as if the vote has already been determined. Come along, everyone. The voting room awaits," Caius gestured for everyone to follow him and that we did. We returned to the dreadful room once again. It wasn''t long ago where I sealed everyone''s fate by voting to stay. It took some time for the regret to sink in, but it eventually did.

    The burden I carried on my shoulders wasn''t easy. All the deaths in Serendipity could''ve been prevented if everyone put forth their best effort to survive. But, there wasn''t any point dreading over it. The others were dead. But I wasn''t. I was one of the lucky ones to reach the end.

    "You all know what to do," Caius left us to our own devices. Like before, we spread out and entered the voting booths. I didn''t hesitate to choose the leave option at that time. I had enough of Serendipity and its insanity. I feared it''d be the death of me if I remained any longer.

    Shortly, everyone gathered around Caius for the results. The game moderator grabbed his trusty tablet and inspected the screens, showing no emotion. That much in itself felt very odd. Often enough, no one could make Caius not express himself.

    The uncomfortable silence nearly broke me.

    "W-well?" I cautiously called out to Caius.

    "What are the results?" Salomon asked.

    Suddenly, tears streamed down Caius'' face. He cried and sniffled like a damn baby as his arms dropped to his side. "Bad news, players! Everyone has voted to leave! Therefore, I hereby announce the official end of the games!"

    "Yes!" Henrika and I cheered in unison, ignoring Caius'' cries of sorrow in the background. The bastard could cry himself river for all I cared.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s it,¡± Salomon put out his cigar and approached our group. He scooped Henrika, Klara, and I into a group hug with his absurd strength. ¡°It¡¯s been fun playing with you all.¡±

    Despite everything that happened, all the horrors that we experienced trapped in the hell hole known as Serendipity; Salomon was the only one that never succumbed to anger, adversity, or fear. He remained cheerful and optimistic the entire time. I secretly hoped those qualities would rub off on me one day. But I didn¡¯t hold my breath.

    ¡°Can¡¯t say the same,¡± said Klara once Salomon released everyone. ¡°But I¡¯m thankful that we survived.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s make sure never to do something this suicidal ever again,¡± Henrika instructed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± I assured her. No matter how despite things would seem for me in the future, I knew I¡¯d never make a stupid decision like a survival game ever again. The rush of emotions and stress I felt over the past two weeks were insane. There was no telling what went down with the old man and the bar in my absence.

    I couldn¡¯t wait to return.

    While Henrika and the others continued to converse with themselves, I looked over at Melanie who headed for the exit without a word.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I called out to her.

    She stopped and sighed, ¡°Whaddya want?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you decided to leave. I figured you¡¯d want to stay and cause more trouble for us,¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Scraggly. The thought crossed my mind,¡± She assured me with a tone of confidence. ¡°But I don¡¯t feel like taking you all on at once or one at a time. Either I¡¯d lose, or it would take too long. So, I¡¯ll end it here.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want the million dollars?¡± I taunted her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll settle for second place,¡± Melanie smirked. ¡°Nine hundred thousand dollars should be more than enough for what I want to do.¡±

    ¡°Just a warning, you keep going down this path, there will be no coming back. You¡¯ll find yourself ending up like your father.¡± I told her. Not that I cared about what would become of the girl in the future. Once we left Serendipity, I¡¯d never investigate her whereabouts, status, or anything. I¡¯d try my best to erase my memories of the horrid place.

    However, I felt that perhaps if someone gave her some advice, maybe she¡¯d want to change her ways. If not, then it was all on her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t guilt trip me or nothin¡¯, Scraggly. I¡¯ve already made up my mind. Take your million bucks and never talk to me again,¡± With those parting words and a middle finger, Melanie walked out of the room.

    ¡°At least you tried,¡± Henrika placed a soft, comforting hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± I brushed my hand off and looked at Caius. He finished wiping his face of tears and mucus. ¡°So, when can we expect our money?¡±

    ¡°Or our departure time?¡± Klara added.

    ¡°Try not to act too eager to leave, players.¡± Caius sniffled. ¡°I shall have your money within a half hour, along with rides back to your homes.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Henrika smiled.

    The time passed in a flash. Everyone gathered in front of the elevator that brought us into the place. Caius presented us with several briefcases filled with our money. He called us out one by one, handing us our prize. I was the last one called.

    ¡°I hope to see you again someday, Ambrose,¡± Caius sadistically smiled. He extended his arms out and handed me the briefcase.

    ¡°I¡¯ll forget you the moment I leave,¡± I responded and snatched the money from him. It was heavier than I imagined. I never thought I¡¯d come across this much money in my lifetime. With this money, the bar was more than saved.

    ¡°Everyone, please step into the elevator,¡± Caius pressed the button on the wall and smiled as the elevator doors open. However, that smile of his dropped when Zoey and several men in black suits stepped out armed with guns. ¡°Z-Zoey?! What are you do¡ª¡±

    Zoey pistol-whipped the game moderator across the face. He hit the ground hard and stayed down when the men in black surrounded and cuffed him.

    ¡°The fuck is this?!¡± Melanie yelled when she found herself restrained as well.

    ¡°About time you showed up,¡± I smiled at Zoey.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Zoey apologized.

    ¡°No need to apologize for being late,¡± I said.

    ¡°No, not that. For this,¡± Zoey suddenly had me and the others restrained and cuffed. She and her group took our briefcases and had us thrown in the back of squad cars. Despite our cries, our pleas for release, they fell on deaf ears as we got taken to the nearest station.

    We escaped from one cell only to find ourselves placed in another.

 Alea Ludo Chapter 46 - Home Sweet Home!

    If Serendipity was hell, then my time in the police station was purgatory. Of course, the officers kept me separated from the others. They locked me away in one of their interrogation rooms and left me to stew. It went about as I expected from several cop tv shows I watched as a teenager. The lights flickered constantly; air conditioning was non-existent, and the chair they left for me was faulty.

    <div>

    ¡°Got that off my dating site profile, did you? Man, I¡¯m so embarrassed.¡± I rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°Here you are, knowing everything about me, and I don¡¯t know a damn thing about you.¡±

    Oliver slammed his fist on the table. My joke didn¡¯t register. ¡°This isn¡¯t a game! Do you understand me?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been playing games with me all this time. So, why not have my turn?¡± I suggested. He looked more than ready to punch me across the face. Bastards got a rise out of me by locking me up and taking away my money. I didn¡¯t plan to make anything easy for them.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d be a real son of a bitch. Good thing I have plenty of time to talk.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t I get a chance to have my phone call? How about a lawyer?¡± I asked.

    Oliver threw his hands up in the air and chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the gravity of your situation, do you? Well, let me explain. You and your friends are going to rot in federal prison for the crimes you committed.¡±

    ¡°And what crimes have I committed?¡± I inquired.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with illegal gambling for one,¡± Oliver reclined in his chair, making himself comfortable for perhaps a long interrogation session. ¡°We acquired the security footage from your stay in Serendipity. We saw everything you and your friends did. Manslaughter''s the next charge. All that carnage, mayhem, and death. For what? Money?"

    I couldn¡¯t refute anything after that. There was nothing I could say that would justify the things the others and I did to survive and leave Serendipity as the winners. We did things that we¡¯d have to live with for the rest of our lives.

    ¡°I hope putting your life on the line for that money was worth it, because you¡¯re not going to see a fucking dime.¡± Oliver spat.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got no fucking right!¡± I shot out of my seat.

    Oliver didn¡¯t even flinch. Our roles switched. He remained calm, determined even, while my rage spiked.

    ¡°Sit your ass back down,¡± He demanded. ¡°You¡¯re the one that doesn¡¯t have the right. You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t throw your ass in a cell right now.¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you?¡± I reluctantly returned to my seat. I balled my hands into fists and squeezed as hard as I could to quell my rage hopefully. The money was my reward for the time spent in that hell hole. And yet those government bastards took it away without a second thought. No forethought, no consideration for the struggles everyone went through to get what they wanted.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got questions. Answer them, and maybe I can cut you in on a deal.¡± Oliver proposed. ¡°You¡¯re already going to jail for a long time. So, might as well cut that time down a little bit.¡±

    I gritted my teeth at the mention of jail time. It was as I feared. I escaped from one prison, only to find myself locked away in another. There was no light at the end of the tunnel. No means of escape from the situation. That was it ¡ª the end of the road.

    ¡°What do you want to know?¡± I sighed.

    ¡°We know you wanted the money, but what were you planning to use it for?¡± The man questioned. Of course, he had to start the interrogation with a touchy subject. Even I knew my reason wasn¡¯t the most righteous or logical for that matter. But it was mine, and I had to own up to it.

    ¡°The IRS was planning to foreclose on the bar where I work. I couldn¡¯t let that happen, so I accepted their invitation to Serendipity.¡± I answered. That time around, it wasn¡¯t that hard to do. What nearly killed me was waiting for the man¡¯s response.

    He nodded his head and continued with the interrogation as if he only needed my answer to confirm his suspicions. ¡°You risked your life and got five other people killed for a bar.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t a question in that statement ¡ª only accusation and judgment. I knew no one else would understand my reasoning for the things I did. It was all for the old man ¡ª no one else.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear shit from you,¡± I dismissed his words of spite.

    ¡°You do. Of all the other reasons I¡¯ve heard from the others, yours and the old man take the cake. I honestly don¡¯t understand how you could¡¯ve survived this long.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a survivor,¡± I said.

    ¡°Try, murderer,¡± Oliver countered. ¡°Granted two of the people that died there weren¡¯t contributors to society, but you got people killed nonetheless."

    ¡°Is there another question in there somewhere?¡±

    ¡°No, just stating facts,¡± Oliver cracked a smile for the first time. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say the bastard was playing games with me. ¡°A rundown bar is far more important to you than your life or the lives of others. Well, I hope it was worth it. You¡¯re done, and so is that bar.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m sent to prison. Please, give the money I earned to a man named Gideon Maynard. At least do that for me.¡± I desperately pleaded. Even if I rotted away in prison for the rest of my life; if the old man got the money to keep his home, then it was all worth it. My life for his. A small price to pay.

    The man seemed unfazed by my desperation. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything for you,¡±

    Suddenly, the door opened, and Zoey entered. Oliver quickly rose from his seat. Immediate surprise reflected in his eyes.

    ¡°Zoey? What are you doing here? You should be resting,¡± Oliver approached Zoey and placed his hand on the woman¡¯s shoulder. From his body language and soft, concerning tone, something was going on between them. If not, it was one-sided at least.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ollie,¡± Zoey brushed off the man¡¯s hand of comfort. Her usual cold gaze rested on me as she continued, ¡°How much has he told you?¡±

    ¡°Not too much,¡± Oliver replied. ¡°I¡¯m still trying to get some information out of him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take over from here,¡± Zoey pulled up a chair and sat directly across from me. ¡°You¡¯re good to go, Ollie.¡±

    ¡°What? No, I¡¯m staying in here with you.¡± Oliver shook his head in refusal.

    ¡°You¡¯re good to go,¡± Zoey repeated herself. Only that time, it sounded harsher. Lucky for Oliver, he couldn¡¯t see the look on her face. But his body certainly felt the authority in her demanding voice. The man bit down on his lip and reluctantly left us alone in the room.

    ¡°Ollie?¡± I suddenly asked. ¡°Boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°Ex-husband,¡± Zoey answered.

    ¡°That must be awkward at the workplace,¡± I joked.

    ¡°It can be,¡± Zoey looked down at the folder left on the table. She scanned through the papers. ¡°Make sure you get your jokes out of the way now, Ambrose. Things aren¡¯t looking good for you.¡±

    ¡°They never do,¡± I surmised. That was my fact of life. My reality. Good things never lasted long for me. I somehow magnetized misfortune.

    ¡°Certainly, Oliver told you that you¡¯re all facing serious jail time.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to rot there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an accurate description. Agreeing to come to that place was the worst mistake any of you could¡¯ve made.¡± Zoey stated.

    I nodded my head in agreement. ¡°For the losers it was. But we won.¡± I stated. The winners survived, and the losers died. It was unfortunate, but we understood the risks of going in there. Those that didn¡¯t make it out were simply victims of their choices. Not that I didn¡¯t feel bad for them. I just couldn¡¯t let it weigh me down so much.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    I wasn¡¯t the sole cause of their deaths.

    ¡°And where do you find yourselves now?¡± The woman countered. She spread her arms out and displayed the interrogation room I found myself trapped inside. I was brought from one prison to another. Not the most accommodating situation. ¡°Seriously, Ambrose, how did you plan for this to end for you?¡±

    ¡°With me leaving Serendipity with my money,¡± I answered. It was the most honest answer I could give. That was my ignorant belief; my hope. It was the only thing that kept me going through those days of hell. ¡°Had I known a secret agent was hiding among the other players, perhaps I would¡¯ve refused the offer.¡±

    ¡°Federal agent,¡± Zoey corrected me.

    ¡°So, was this your plan from the beginning? Arrest all the players once the games were over? Is that why you were so adamant on trying to keep us all alive?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a small part of it,¡± She admitted. ¡°We arrested most of the staff when we stormed Serendipity.¡±

    ¡°Most?¡± I inquired.

    ¡°Trent¡¯s still out there in the wind,¡± Zoey sighed as she ran her hand through her hair. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time until we catch him.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you wasting time interrogating me for? I¡¯ve got nothing else I could give you guys.¡± I sighed. The whole situation was hopeless. If I was going to rot in federal prison, then they should¡¯ve gone and thrown me in there already.

    ¡°Do you have any regrets?¡± Zoey suddenly asked. Strangely enough, her tone was soft and concerning.

    I sat in silence for a moment. Of course, I had my regrets. I regretted the innocent ones that died in Serendipity, the traumatic events we went through, and the entire outcome. However, I had no one to blame but myself. There were other roads I could¡¯ve taken to avoid the whole thing. But I didn¡¯t take them.

    My stubbornness and pride brought me to Serendipity. My desire to save the bar was a mere excuse. I only wanted to show the old man that I could do something worthwhile. Something that I could do to pay him back for everything he¡¯d done for me. But in the end, I failed. There was nothing I could do for him.

    Now I¡¯d sit in federal prison without him ever knowing what happened to me. That was perhaps my greatest fear and regret at that moment.

    ¡°I do,¡± I nearly choked on those words as I held back my tears. I wasn¡¯t going to cry. Not in front of her or anyone else ever again. ¡°I¡¯ll accept my punishment. But can you at least leave a message to a man named Gideon Maynard for me?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Zoey sternly answered. Afterward, she escorted me out of the room and into the back of a vehicle. She got in the backseat and drove off. I couldn¡¯t see where we headed since the windows were tinted black.

    ¡°Are you taking me to prison?¡± I wondered.

    ¡°All this for a bar,¡± Zoey said in a cold, mocking tone. ¡°You realize how stupid that is, right? I don¡¯t care if the place has sentimental value to you. It¡¯s not worth it.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± I called her out. If the woman planned to chew me out in the car, then I¡¯d do the same. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to take shit from the woman that put herself in the same situation as the rest of us. That hypocrisy wouldn¡¯t stand with me. ¡°You got yourself into that mess as well.¡±

    ¡°It was part of my mission to infiltrate the games,¡± Zoey countered.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good excuse. But I¡¯m not buying it. There was more to this mission, and you know it.¡± My rebuttal caused the woman to glance at me from the rearview mirror. ¡°I know the look in someone¡¯s eyes when they¡¯re out for revenge.¡±

    I knew them all too well. I had that same look in my eyes for years when I hunted down my father. Every time I made eye contact with Zoey within our stay in Serendipity, I saw my own eyes.

    Her glance left me. She returned her attention to the road ahead. Her silence was all the answer that I needed to continue with my pestering.

    ¡°What did that organization do to you?¡± I inquired. ¡°Were they the ones that took your arm and eye?¡±

    Nothing but silence on her end again. Strangely enough, I managed to interpret that silence as the wrong answer.

    ¡°No? How about having killed a family member?¡±

    ¡°Keep quiet,¡± The woman¡¯s low, powerful words kept me silent. Her reaction alone was the answer that I needed. I hit the nail right on the head. Perhaps for once, I wish I hadn¡¯t. We rode around in awkward silence until Zoey suddenly broke it. ¡°My sister¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°My sister was killed playing in those games,¡± Zoey revealed. She spoke with great reluctance. Her voice shook, finding it difficult to continue with her explanation. ¡°We never got along. It was thanks to our mother that we could even stand to be in the same room. But it wasn¡¯t until our mother died that we had our fallout and split apart. I never saw her again until I watched her execution from a videotape; I got off some perp.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t even begin to search for the right words to comfort Zoey. Not even once had she shown an ounce of weakness inside of Serendipity. How could she? That place was as cutthroat as they came. Trusting anyone in that facility warranted death if one wasn¡¯t careful. I didn¡¯t know if she ever believed anyone, but she surely wanted us to leave with our lives.

    ¡°I never got the chance to apologize for all the pointless arguments and fights we had, all the words I wish I could¡¯ve taken back,¡± The strength in Zoey¡¯s words slowly returned as she regained her composure. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say it took everything for her not even to shed a single tear. ¡°Seeing her death made me realize how stupid we acted for all those years. Instead of ignoring her, I could¡¯ve tried to get to know her better. Perhaps become a real family.¡±

    ¡°Zoey, you don¡¯t have to talk about it anymore if you don¡¯t want to.¡± I offered those words of condolence. It was the best I could do. I didn¡¯t know her sister or even Zoey all too well for that matter. An apology wouldn¡¯t suffice for anything, not to that woman.

    Zoey stopped the car and stepped out. I looked out the window, immediately recognizing the area. It was about a block away from the bar.

    Suddenly, Zoey opened the door and pulled me out onto the street. She removed my handcuffs with a key.

    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret this decision.¡± Zoey opened the passenger door and reached inside the vehicle. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the sight of a familiar briefcase. She shoved it into my chest, then closed the door. ¡°I¡¯m not finished with that organization. I¡¯ll tear it down with my own two hands soon enough. If I see your name show up on their radar again, I¡¯ll come back and arrest your ass. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± I answered quickly. I couldn¡¯t believe it. I wasn¡¯t going to prison. After everything, I was released and given my prize money. The bar was saved.

    ¡°Good luck, Ambrose.¡± Zoey flashed me a small smile before she got into her car and drove off. I couldn¡¯t even thank the woman for all that she¡¯d done for me. Words alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to express my eternal gratitude. When her car disappeared from my line of sight, I made a mad dash toward the bar.

    I had done it. I survived through the death games and obtained the prize money. The bar was saved. I couldn¡¯t wait to see the look on the old man¡¯s face upon my return.

    It took about five minutes to reach the bar running at full speed. All the hopes and dreams I had of saving the bar vanished when I turned the corner vanished. The briefcase that I previously held tightly fell to the ground. My legs gave out, dropping me down to my knees as I gazed ahead in horror.

    The bar. My home. Our home.

    It was gone.

    A burnt pile of rubble replaced the bar that once stood proudly on the street corner. Police barriers and tape closed the area off. But I ignored them all.

    ¡°No¡­no¡­no, no, no, this is not fucking happening!¡± I picked myself off the ground as well as the briefcase. I jumped over the barricades and approached the destroyed bar. It didn¡¯t make any sense. I had the money. I could¡¯ve saved it. Why? Why had it been burned down? Why was all that hard work, effort, and sacrifice wasted? All the blood, sweat, and tears spilled for the sake of saving the bar¡ªall meaningless.

    I absentmindedly wandered into the burnt wasteland, aimlessly searching for anything that could¡¯ve survived the fire. Many memories flashed through my mind with each step I took. Nineteen years of memories all gone.

    With the bar, my home gone, I had nothing else. I didn¡¯t know when the bar burned down or where the old man was if he even stuck around after my disappearance. I sat in the ashes for God knows how long, contemplating my next move.

    ¡°Troy?¡± A familiar voice called out to me.

    I turned my head, hoping to God that it was who I thought it was. Thankfully, it was the old man. He stared at me, dumbfounded behind the police barrier. Held tightly in his hands were missing posters with my face on them.

    ¡°Old man?¡± I softly called out to him in return. In no time at all, I got up and rushed over to him, embracing him as tight as I could with no plans to let go anytime soon. I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t cry again, but I couldn¡¯t hold them back anymore. The days I spent holed up in Serendipity, wondering if I¡¯d ever make it out alive. All the regrets I had even agreeing to participate in the first place. Every painful and horrifying thing I witnessed in that facility; I unleashed all my sorrow on the old man¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°H-h-hey! What the hell¡¯s going on, Troy?! Where have you been?!¡± Maynard tried to shove me off, but I refused to let him go. I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d ever let him go ever again.

    It took me a moment to even complete my sentences. I sobbed uncontrollably while apologizing repeatedly. It wasn¡¯t just him I apologized to¡ªit was to everyone else. My family, my friends, and those that died in Serendipity. I owed it to everyone that I hurt to get to where I was that day. Even then, it would never be enough.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­I didn¡¯t think¡­I¡¯d ever see you again!¡± I continued to bawl my eyes out, not caring about the fact that he¡¯d chew my ass out for crying so pathetically out in public.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one saying that?¡± Maynard used his strength in my moment of weakness to shove me off him. He inspected his shirt afterward, grimacing at the snot I left behind. ¡°Son of a bitch. What the fuck is wrong with you, boy? What¡¯s with the tears? And where have you been?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I answered. I wiped away as much as the mucus and tears as I could. My focus shifted to the bar behind us. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, old man. The bar burned down. Maybe if I got back here faster¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize for shit you had nothing to do with, Troy.¡± He interrupted, setting a firm grasp on my shoulder.

    ¡°But it¡¯s our home.¡±

    ¡°Home is wherever we want it to be, Troy. We could¡¯ve left this place at any time. It¡¯s a shame that it took someone burning it down for you to get it across your thick skull,¡±

    Even in that desperate moment, the old man found the time to crack jokes. How shameful of me. He tried to lighten the mood while I continued to let my sorrow overwhelm my senses.

    Yes, the bar was gone. The place where I spent some of the happiest years of my life¡ªall gone in a pile of ash and rubble. It took my reunion with Maynard for me to realize that it wasn¡¯t all lost.

    ¡°Do the police have any leads as to who burned the bar down?¡± I suddenly asked.

    Maynard narrowed his eyes and looked around the area. There was no one around, which was why I found it odd as to why the old man¡¯s head was on a swivel.

    ¡°It was me,¡± He revealed.

    ¡°What?!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°Keep your voice down, Troy,¡± Maynard demanded. ¡°Ever since we got the letter, I planned to burn the bar down. Like hell, I was going to give those bastards the satisfaction of taking our home from us. So, about a week after you disappeared, I torched the place. I¡¯m waiting for the insurance money when the police are through with their investigation.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°And you didn¡¯t want to tell me at the time because?!¡±

    ¡°Plausible deniability,¡± He answered without missing a beat. The sly fox planned the whole thing out ahead of time. ¡°It worked out that you disappeared. The police searched around for you for questioning, but they couldn¡¯t find you anywhere. Speaking of which, where the hell did you go? And what¡¯s with the briefcase?¡±

    The whole situation dumbfounded me. Everything I went through to save the bar was all for nothing. Maynard planned on getting rid of it from the very beginning. If not for the prize money in my hands, I would¡¯ve snapped.

    I cracked a smile and opened the briefcase, revealing the prize money. ¡°So, where do you wanna go? The Bahamas or Hawaii?¡±