"Well mate, see ya on the other side." Becca states as she walks to her class. I wave goodbye then proceed to walk to my entrance. Pushing and squishing each other along the way. After what feels like an eternity, the end of the entrance finally starts to appear.
As soon as we all step inside of the dimly lit room that seems to fit in all of us, the whole room lights up revealing the rest of the room. No beds in sight, just piles of pillows and blankets scattered all over the floor. The space feels chaotic, with softness and comfort strewn about in a seemingly haphazard manner.
One person starts to run towards the pillows and blankets. Instinctively, we all follow including me. I guess even in here we have to fight even before the games begin.
After a few hours of all of us fighting, I manage to get only a single, thin blanket and a pillow. The blanket is wide so I am able to fold it. I find an empty spot next to a man who has already tucked himself and fast asleep. I do the same.
7 hours later
I wake up due to shuffles of plastic and murmurs. I sit up as I stretch the stiffness caused by sleeping on the cold floor. I see a small bottle of juice and 4 slices of bread with a paste in it. I look next to me, the man is already eating and staring at me. I do the same, immediately devouring the slices and bread. At least we don't have to fight for food.
"Attention players, get ready, your first game is in an hour. Stand in 10 rows and wait for further instructions." We comply, lining up. My heart starts to race as 10 doors on the other end of the room open and we hear footsteps coming from those 10 doors.
Each step representing my heartbeat. What is this? Has the game begun? But the timer hasn't hit zero? Whats going on?
As they step closer, their identity is revealed and my heartbeat slows down. They are just the guards, 5 each pulling huge trolleys filled with bags, together with them.
One guard presses a button again causing a robotic voice to come to life, filling in the whole room. He presses another button causing holographic screens to appear above again. Stretching out across the room.
"Greetings players, numbers matching the ones on your neck are going to be displayed
My hand instinctively goes to my neck and I still feel nothing. As I look around, people are already asking each other.
I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn around. I look down and I see a short, really skinny blonde girl. She seems really young, roughly my age.
She taps on her neck, as an indication of asking for help with hers. I nod slowly in agreement to help. She tilts her head to the side so I can see the number.
"Number 106879." I state. "Can you help me with mine?" I ask and she looks up and nods. Her blue eyes sparkling in the process. I lean down tilting my head to the side.
"Number 107239..." She whispers as I stand back up straight. I look at her with confusion as to why is she whispering.
"Player 106870 come forward." The guard instructs, holding a bag in his hand and something in his other hand. The player comes foward and the gaurd opens the small box in his other hand.
"These are your eye contacts, you wear them whenever you play the games. If they get damaged, you can request for new ones after the game, meaning that you can't get new ones during a game. You are the only one who can see whats in the contacts once you put them on. We'll start calling out your numbers and we'll assist you with putting them on." He states them gives the player his contacts and the guard in the entrance assists him.
They all start calling, and people start to go to the entrances. We are also given bags.
"Player 107239." I get called and immediately go to the guard. He gives me a bag and my contacts which have my number on them.
"Lay here." The other guard assists me with putting them on. I blink a few times to adjust to the uncomfortable feeling.
I carry my backpack and begin to walk. Its another long passageway and we converge with eachother into one hallway, me and the rest of the Lower-class.
The door to the end of the long hallway grumble, then opens. As we walk into the game tournament arena. I look around as soon as my feet step inside the arena.
I'm standing in an abandoned industrial area on the outskirts of the city. A fimiliar place, like a place back at home. The air is thick with smoke and the sky is clear of clouds, only the sun is evident but it isn't hot like its supposed to be. The walls of abandoned apartments/houses are covered in layers of graffiti, and the air is thick with the smell of smoke.
As I look around, I see the remnants of a forgotten era, with crumbling concrete and rusty machinery scattered throughout the area. The atmosphere is heavy with tension, and the silence is oppressive, punctuated only by the creaks and groans of the old buildings.
I can feel the weight of the space bearing down on me, a sense of foreboding that makes my skin prickle. This is a place where the rules don't apply, where the ordinary world doesn't exist, and anything can happen.
I observe around further and I realize, its only lower class. A very familiar voice blares, engulfing the whole arena.
"Welcome to the first game players. Remember me? No? Anyway, in those bags you're holding are things to help you out in this tournament. I bet you guys are excited..."
No response from everyone
"Ok...clears his throat... Tough crowd. Anyway, I have made this years game tournament a bit challenging and a few stuff have changed.
The tournament consists of 10 levels with each level having a game separated into 3 stages: Easy, Medium and Hard. Meaning the more you progress, the harder and complex the game gets.
Now to your first game, are you guys ready?"
Crickets...
"I don't know why I keep doing this to myself.
Anyway, your first game is called MAFIA. Has anyone ever played it? No? Okay... Let me break it down to you:
Each will be assigned a role of either being a Mafia or a townspeople.
During the day, townspeople have to determine who the mafia is and eliminate them.
Whilst during the night, the mafia have to eliminate townspeople before the day arrives.
No ,MAFIA is allowed to eliminate during the day, and no TOWNSPEOPLE is allowed to eliminate during the night. If you do so, you'll automatically get eliminated by the game. Same applies for other rules.
Each stage consists of 2 hours and in those 2 hours, the day phase and night phase will alter each other: 1 hour for day phase and 1 hour for night phase.
More rules will be sent to you through your contacts and only you can see them. More roles will be introduced as the game progresses.
The more a Townspeople eliminates a Mafia, they will gain 5 points. The more a Mafia, eliminates a townspeople, they can only get 1 point. As those points accumulates, it'll determine whether you can move to a different class or slightly up, meaning you'll receive the privileges of that class.
The countdown before the game begins is about to start and good luck." The intercom stops. Silence engulfs the whole arena then murmurs follow. The doors behind us close shut indicating that the only way out is by winning.
10
A timer in my eyes begins.
"Are you ready?" A random man next to me, clutching his bag asks. I shake my head.
7
"What will you do if you lose?" He asks. You can clearly tell he's nervous and I am too.
"I'll just return home. You?" I answer, saddening since the reason for me returning home is dead.
4
"Me too, I have children to look after and my wife. I'm here participating, for them" The man states, looking ahead. Ready to play.
2
"You are a good father." I state. Now facing him and he faces me as well and smiles.
1
"Thank you ki-" Before the man could finish his sentence. A bullet flies through his skull. It exits on the other side of his head, taking some of his brains out. Some of his blood splattering on my face. His eyes wide open as he falls to the ground. DEAD.
Pow...pow...pow
Before I could comprehend anything, more bullets come flying from every direction. Shocked and frozen in place I look around, people running and screaming, pushing and stomping each other. Dead bodies on the floor, everywhere... I get bumped back into reality.
I instinctively run to look for cover and I run into an abandoned building. My heart racing and sweats start to form as I catch my breath. An alarm blairs indicating that the game has begun.
My contacts automatically display a holographic screen infront of me which reads MAFIA with rules following after as well as the map of the arena with dots on it. The sun in the arena sets, indicating that its time to ELIMINATE. I have to survive at all costs. I have nothing more to lose anyway.