The Elite Game

Chapter 4. Necessary Sacrifice.

"Yes."

She answered very frankly. 

We paused. She's got to be kidding.

"Every Elite will have to choose a stick, the one who has the longest is the seeker, and the rest will have to hide. 

If you all succeed in hiding so well that the seeker will be unable to find anyone within five minutes, everyone will be safe and the seeker shall be disqualified from this academy.

If you're caught, you go on to hiding, it'll go on until the end of the round, then, the seeker with the littlest catch will be disqualified.

I hope you all have a nice time hiding.

Yes."

Without turning our heads, all eyes turned towards a fellow student, except, it was the other gender. 

"Then how about the real game ma'am?"

She asked. 

"Ah yes."

There was this smile Mrs Baker had that once again irked me like the smile on the headmaster did. 

I saw a terrifying delightful smirk reeking of pleasure as her lips widened upwards. 

Ekk! Creapy. 

"Students, please make your way to the game wheel over there, and when you're ready, please make the spin, for the very first game."

A spinning wheel huh!

As we drew near, thirty of us stared at each of us, and once again our eyes were doing the talking, asking who would be brave enough to spin the wheel, whatever the case may be, I was not going first. 

"For heaven's sake, it's just a wheel, how difficult is spinning a wheel?" Someone said but he was all talk with no action since he also didn't move. 

Since we got to the wheel, no one's doing anything rather than murmuring to themselves. 

"Outta my way."

A guy around my age said as he pushed his way to the front, the prideful bastard pushed me as well.

I hear Zane chuckle from behind me, it seems he's began to gather his team of minions once again, how typical of him.

Sheesh.

Well at least someone's doing something.

His lips moved slowly and faintly, as he took deep breaths. 

As I watched him, I could understand and hear the silent whispers he made to himself. 

'three, two, one..'

The wheel spun for a while.

Like glue, our eye's stuck to the game wheel waiting and hoping the spin would end soon and in a game we can handle. 

My guts were telling me I shouldn't judge the game by its innocent name, so let's just hope this idiot does things well. 

"Let's play dead." I heard his voice say. "See, it wasn't that hard."

Yeah, that's true, but, what does that game mean?

"Yes, a very interesting game I tell you."

Mrs Baker said and all heads turned to hear what she had to say. 

She stood tall at the beginning of the table, holding a clipboard in her hand. 

"You see that hat on the table.

In it is a paper with something written in each one, your role will be assigned to you in the paper.

What you see there is what you will be. 

You have all week to finish this game, one of you will play the murderer.

Your aim as the murderer is to make sure no one finds out it's you, while the rest have to do everything they can to find the killer. 

If the murderer is not found, then everyone else will be disqualified, but if the murderer is found then you're all saved except the murderer."

"Okay, so we just need to pick a paper?" Asked Zane. 

"Yes, but not with your eyes open. You'll be blindfolded. 

Once you pick your paper, you'll be led to a different room where you are free to open your paper so each of you can know your status in this game, the tagger has five minutes before the game ends." She said. "Are we clear?"

"Yes ma'am!" We Chorused.  

With a devilish chuckle she walks away, "Now, have fun picking," we hear her say. 

The doors close with a loud slam, all of us staring at the papers in our hands. 

Nobody dared to move–

"Hmm. so who's it?" Zane asked, but there was no response. 

Ah–

So that's how we're playing it! Whoever it is was trying to blend in. 

Slowly I took a step back, the farther away from everyone else, the better. 

Beep-

Beep–

Beep—

The clock was ticking, the countdown had started, twenty six seconds was all we had before the games began and I had no idea who it was. 

Shit!

Drenched in cold sweat I take a proper look around, everyone seemed focused on their neighbors out of suspense, all except one. 

Zane you bastard! 

You were trying to trick us. 

His minion was it, his eyes, like a hawk, focused on me. To think I've become his target so soon.

Three–

Two–

One–"

Beep!!!!

"Damn it!" I yell as I began to flee. 

"Shit, where should I hide?" 

The exit doors were open and everyone headed for it. If I head towards it, I'd run into the other and they'll slow me down.

since I was the farthest away with the tagger right behind me, I head straight for the locker room. 

Shutting the door behind, I heard his body collide with the door with a loud bang!

"Hey, I hear your name's Ande, why don't you be nice and open the door you little prick!" He yells. 

"Well I'd be stupid if I opened the door, wouldn't I?" I yelled from inside. 

"You fucking cunt!"

Shit! Where do I hide. 

With so many questions on my mind, I finally get the answer to my question, and it was right above me. 

The vent!

Hurriedly I set up a chair and climb up, using my leg foot to kick the chair away to avoid Zane's minion from guessing my location before closing the vent. 

Bang!

He had gotten in quicker than I thought he would have. 

I hear his footsteps, silent, steady, and calm. 

He's right below me, looking around while I held my breath. 

"Hmm.

I wonder where he is?" He muttered to himself. 

I couldn't help but feel a little relieved knowing he couldn't find me, that is until our eyes met. 

"Ther–e you are–" he mumbled with laughter. 

He draggs the chair right next to him, I must admit, this was a very bad idea. 

He climbed up the chair, I could hear him banging on the vent in a desperate attempt to take it off. 

I begin to crawl further, there was absolutely no way I'd get caught by the likes of him. 

"Come on Ande, you don't need to be a pusy," his voice echoed. 

He brings himself up, half of his body already visible. 

Brrr–

"Times up!" 

Mrs Baker's voice echoed loudly all around as I sighed in relief. 

"Tch!"

I climbed down after confirming that he had left. 

Everyone gathered back in the room where Mrs Baker waited with her clipboard and a disappointed look in her face. 

Zane with a sigh walked towards her, angered to see that I wasn't caught and evicted. 

His minion, failing to catch anyone he's spent all his time trying to catch me, walks to Mrs Baker, "Um.. I couldn't find them, so how do I do this, would they come out so we can pick someone…."

Poof!

At the loud explosion, I shut my eyes and turned away wondering what could have happened right now.

Something warm seemingly splattered on my face. 

It felt thick and eerie and I did not like it.

It's smell, so sickening that it stirred my stomach, it was coming from Mrs Baker, or was it…

"..mmm. 

Ahhh!" A girl screamed with great terror. 

I opened my eyes to find at my greatest horror, a minced body with blood all over and no sign of Zane, save the bloodied body wearing our uniform. 

My eyes widened with great disbelief as I stared at Mrs Baker who smiled, blood all over her face which she wipes away with a black handkerchief.

"Ah yes, forgive my short memory," she said, "I forgot to let you all know what disqualified means, but I'm sure you'll have a better understanding right? Now, shall we start again."

Everyone remained quiet, shivering in fear, some with legs too weak to support them collapsing in the floor. 

"That wasn't so bad now was it.

Today's exercise was a warm up so no one was hurt except that one mistake."

One mistake? 

Did she call that a mistake? 

I'm trying to understand how a person exploding is a mistake but nothing seems to add up. 

"Alright, on to the next event." She said. "Who goes first? However I must remind you, that the game we're playing is Let's Play dead and one of you would get to be the victim."

Ah! Finally the real purpose of this game kicked in. 

Just like now, one of us will need to be a victim that means, someone will have to die…!

Mrs Baker stares at everyone with glee, "I hope you can keep your necks to yourself, good night."

"No!!!!" 

Everyone begins to yell in plea, some running after her as she leaves the room. 

"Ouch!" A voice cries from besides me. With a frown he touches his neck. "Wha– the hell–!"

His voice lowering as he sways side to side. 

I turn towards the people who were running after Mrs Baker, all of which seeming to have passed out. 

Flick!

I hear it when suddenly a light sting lands on my neck. 

With great horror I reach towards the spot and find a small needle most likely laced. 

My vision starts to blur, my legs wobble like spaghetti as I fall on my knees. 

"... Don't sleep!

Don't sleep!!

Don't…" 

It's no use, I've already lost as my eyes slowly close. 

Ah! Oh no I slept.

"Ande! Ande!!!" 

I feel a violent shake on my shoulder and slowly open my eyes. 

This familiar room white ceiling, I'm back in my room. 

I turn my neck to the right and find my room mate staring at me. 

My lips, dry and throat hoarse, "What… happened?" I asked with such difficulty. 

Ethan's face is the very first thing I see upon opening my eyes, but he looks very distressed, causing me to recall everything that had happened. 

"Someone— someone just died! And it does not look pretty." He says.