"What kind of rewards are those!!??" shouted Brad. "You have to pay something to get them!!!"
"I never said that the rewards were going to be something you enjoyed. The rewards are there to make the game more exciting and for me to see what kind of decision you will make. It helps me understand you as a person."
Brad started to feel the anger rise in his chest, but before it began to consume is thinking, he released it with a deep breath. Anger was not something that controlled Brad very often. Even though he was barely becoming an adult, he was quite good at controlling his emotions.
"I have to stay calm. I need to be able to think about the situation and what the best option to take is." A slight look of shock appeared on Brads face.
"Why did I use the word option? Was it because he said while telling me the possible rewards or…"
"Sorry to interrupt your thinking, but I need you to decide what option you are going to chose." interrupted the voice. Brad was brought back from the world of his thinking. He always did this. He would get so wrapped up in what he was thinking; he did not even realize what was going on around him.
"Sorry. It is a bad habit of mine." Brad smirked. "I think I will go with the option of food."
"Interesting. Interesting indeed. Well then, proceed to the next room and your meal will be waiting for you. The rest of the people playing in your game will also receive their meals." A door on the opposite side of the room that Brad had entered opened. He gradually made his way towards the door. He looked at his hands expecting the heat or a change of color, but nothing happened. As he entered, he looked up to see that this room was quite different than the previous one. The left side was a bright red with a tinted window in the middle of the opposite side of the room, while the right side was a bright blue with a tinted window in the middle of the opposite side of the room. The only think that was similar to the other room was the intercom in the upper-right corner of the room. In the middle of the room, there was a video game chair with the Nintendo™ logo on the back of it. That was the chair he used for studying, playing video games, and everything thing else that involved sitting for a period of time. Next to it laid a plate with six vegetarian sushi pieces and a bottle of water.
"Please enjoy your meal Mr. Smith. It took quite a bit of research to figure out what I should you if you asked for the meal. The rest are receiving their meals as we speak."
Brad hurries to the plate and starts eating. As Brad is eating, the door quietly shuts. After a few moments, there were barely any traces of food or water left.
"Ah! That was refreshing." exclaimed Brad. "But why have my rings not heated up?"
"I prefer to give the rewards before the requirements. Like paying after you eat at a restaurant." replied the voice. Soon after the voice finished talking, Brad could feel the heat from the rings. It continued until if felt like his knuckles were in hot bath water. Brad gridded his teeth and took the pain.
"With your meal finished, we will now proceed to the development of your next game."
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"A difficult choice." Shauny thought. "Pain for food, and I am getting quite hungry. I wonder how long I've been here. I could save her in exchange for one of my fingers. The fourth path isn't an option. But the second one........"
"I will choose the path of knowledge, but I need to think of my questions first." declared Shauny.
"That is perfectly fine. Take your time and truly consider your question." replied the voice. Shauny stood for a long moment before asking his questions.
"Ok. I have my questions. First, what did you nearly let slip? It has been bugging me ever since it happened."
"Let me try to remember what I was saying. A lot has happened since then. Ah yes. I almost said something about another participant's information. It is not for me to speak about, so I cannot tell you exactly what I was going to say."
"Second, what is the reason for this 'game'?"
"That one is quite simple. I was bored with the everyday life so I decided to play a game with people, and I am sure a good story will come out of it. Also, people tend to take their life for granted and I am tired of it happening. Once you have finished, that is if you finish, I truly hope that you can understand how great your life really is."
Shauny carefully considered his last question. In the end, he decided to go with the emotional question.
"Third, where is my sister now?"
"She is safely on her way back home. The question you need to ask yourself now is whether or not you are going to be able to go back as well. Now that you have had your fill of your reward, could you please enter into the next room?"
A door to Shauny's left opened. Feeling a little disappointed at the answers to the questions, Shauny entered into the next room. After Shauny had entered, the door automatically shut. It seemed quite strange compared to the last room. The rooms color was split down the middle with bright read on the left side and blue on the right, and two tinted windows. One was in the middle of the red wall on the opposite side of the room and the other window was parallel to it on the blue side. There was also a small, but comfy looking, chair in the middle of the room that was facing towards the tinted windows. Of course, there was the intercom in the upper-left of the room. Shauny walks over to the chair to realize that it was the one that he had in his room back home.
"You better get comfortable Mr. Takei because we are about to go over the profile of your next game." announced the voice.
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"Those are not even rewards for a game, more like punishment." shouted Arthur.
"They are here for me to see what kind of person you are and what decisions you will make, not for your enjoyment. A game is only important when the people watching your turn are thrilled." replied the voice with a chuckle.
"What is the outcome you wish for?"
Arthur stood there in a rage, but after a few moments, he calmed down enough to reply to the voice's question.
"Since you probably won't tell me who is here, how many people do I know do you have here?"
"Well, subtracting the person that just left, nine left." replied the voice in an annoyed tone.
"Why have you picked me and people related to me for this game?" asked Arthur.
"You seemed a better candidate than an average person. Something has happened in your life to make it do a one-eighty. Having an average person would be boring. You add excitement." said the voice enthusiastically.
"Will I ever come face to face with you?"
"Most likely not. Once you are through with this game, you will never have to hear from me again. Since that was your final question, please proceed to the next room."
Feeling frustrated that he was never going to be able to beat the instigator of this game to a pulp, Arthur walked to the door that had opened opposite the side he had entered. When he entered he realized that the room was significantly different. Not only had the room switched from white to being bright red and blue with two tinted windows in center of each half of the opposite wall. The left side of the room was red, with the right side was blue. Both were in the middle of each colored side. There was also a rugged looking chair in the middle of the room.
"I brought a chair from your house so that the environment will seem a little bit homier. Take a seat Mr. Douglas, because this next case may give you quite the shock.
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"I figured that the rewards would be something as twisted as they are. It is the only thing that was missing so far." stated Frank.
"I am delighted that you expected as much. It seems that th…There I go again, mentioning things that are not needed yet. I apologize for my absentmindedness. Which topic would you like to take Mr. Flynn?"
"I choose the position of knowledge," Frank replied instantly. He had no wish to endure any pain, nor sacrifice others. Food was a necessity, but he could get to that later.
"First question: What do you want with me?"
"I merely want to play a game with someone that I see fit to play a game with. That is all." replied the voice.
"Ok then. Second question: Why include anybody in this sick game of yours?"
"I was feeling bored with the way things were going. Everyone is so caught up in their supposed 'misery,' that they cannot see the wonderful and elegant life in front of them. Either too caught up in work or tragedy to actually live life. I will show the world what they really need to care about. Life."
"That is quite the mouthful there. Third Question: Is there anybody else here?"
"There are many people here. Now that you question limit has been reached, would you mind proceeding to the next room."
As a door on the opposing side that Frank had entered opened, he turned away from the window and nodded to himself. Satisfied with the information that he had acquired, Frank walked towards the door and entered. As he was examining his surroundings, the door silently closed behind him. It was oddly colorful after only being in white rooms. The left half was a bright red with a tinted window in the middle of the opposite end, whereas the right side was bright blue with a tinted window in the middle of the opposite end. A metal desk that is used in cramped cIassooms at a cheap school could be seen in the middle of the room.
"Sit down Mr. Flynn, the briefing of the next game will begin shortly."
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Cnix remained quiet after he received his list of rewards. He absorbs the silence, an experience he know quite well, and looks round the room on the other side of the window.
"Well I guess that is the last time I will see her..."
"I have many ways of getting information on finding people. If I am satisfied with your performance in the game, I may be willing to help you contact her again, aaaannndd help her with her addiction." replied the voice.
"WHAT!? How and why would you do that!!??" exclaimed Cnix in udder shock.
"If you are asking a question, I am guessing you are going to go with the scenario of knowledge, and I do not allow you to change your reward once you have picked. Are you using that as one of your questions?" Cnix flinched at that he fact that he picked a reward by accident.
"I can figure out how he can do that later, right now I need to ask meaningful questions." he thought.
"No, I will not use that as one of my questions. My first question will be about what you let slip. I have guessed that what you let slip what that there were other people involved in this game. How many are there?"
"If you are asking how many there were to begin with, and not including myself. Seventy-seven people are here." A look of horror appeared across Cnix's face.
"That is insane! How could you gather that…" but Cnix stops himself before he made another mistake and asked a useless question.
"Next, you seem to be interested in my favorite color favorite color. What's yours?" asked Cnix as he took another glance at his ebony rings.
"I would have to say the darker shade of teal. I am not sure why, it just always caught my eye."
"Final question, what happens once I run out of rings? Whether they burn off a finger or are released, it does not matter."
"Hopefully nothing, well, unless you step on them when and if one of them is still hot. I would assume you would go on living unless you have some sort of deep connection with your fingers and you commit suicide. Now that your questions have been answered, continue to the next room."
Cnix felt that this game was bigger that what he had originally thought and knew that it growing even larger. Cnix turned to see a door on the wall left of the window had opened which he walked over to and entered. The first thing that he noticed as he invaded the silent room was his rolling chair that he always used at home. The next thing that was different about the room was its color. The room was divided by bright colors of red and blue. The left side was dominated by the red and the right side by blue.
"What game do you have planned now?" demanded Cnix.
"The time for questions has ended. A new game is about to be presented so you better get in a familiar spot. The summary of your next game will begin shortly."
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"You're joking right? Do you really not know what I am going to pick?" laughed Javier.
"I like to have the contestant say what they choose. If I choose for you, it would not really be your reward, but turn into something that I wish to happen. I want the player to feel like he actually has a choice." replied the voice.
"I choose freedom. Like I give a f*** about the person who is going to die. Everyone dies eventually, I just sped his up."
"I expected nothing less from you Mr. Gonzaga. I will remove a ring now."
Javier could feel a little bit of pressure being removed from his right thumb. He used his left had to remove the ring and looked into the inside of the ring. There was nothing special about it. Smooth as can be.
"Why don't I have to watch first?"
"You should be able to enjoy your reward before you suffer the consequences, not that you are going to suffer anyway. Speaking of which, here is your friend Mark now."
Mark entered the room again through one of the side walls. A surprised look manifested on his face as the two door close. His voice could not be heard, but he speaking, and was not pleased at the fact that he ended up in the same room as before. Probes begin to extend from the wall. Javier can see that the probes are electrified and that Mark was frightened. He backed up into the center of the room and started to spin around to find an escape. Unfortunately for him, there was none. The probes reached Mark and began to shock him. After a few long moments of Mark thrashing, the probes retraced and Mark went limp. Only a look of pleasure could be seen on Javier's face.
"That was not as near as exciting as I would have hoped. A little anticlimactic even. I suppose that is to be expected from you Mr. Gonzaga. Now that the requirement for your deal is complete, please proceed to the next room."
"I don't even think that counts as a requirement." stated Javier as he made his way to the door that had just opened. When he entered the room, he examined the room. The color for the left side was bright red and the right side was a bright blue. An old, beaten chair rested in the middle of the room, the one from his rundown apartment room.
"The chair is there if you want to sit Mr. Gonzaga, the information on your next game will be given briefly."
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Greg could not stop his laughing. He had doubled over and had tears in his eyes.
"This is too easy. I thought I was going to be challenged." Greg chuckled as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Now, back to business. It looks like my finger will be saved. Ian is insignificant and a disgrace to the world as we know it. I prefer to have my right index finger to be saved; I use it to test the temperature of a meal before eating it."
"The flavor of freedom it is."
The ring on Greg's left pinky relieved some pressure. Shocked, Greg pulled it off.
"But I asked for my right index finger to be saved."
"First, I never said you get to choose. Second, I would not let someone as pompous and annoying as you get what you want. You do that with your normal life, not this one. Your friend Ian's death will be presented shortly. Watch."
Ian reentered the room a door right next to the one he had exited. Confused he turns around and sees the two doors shut. Panicked, he begins to pound on the spot where the door had closed. Concealed barrels reveal themselves. Ian slowly backs up and as he reaches the center of the room, the barrels fire. Hundreds of bullets pierce his body and his blood sprays all over the room. Ian falls to the floor and a pool of blood begins to collect.
"Since you have taken the time to finally shut up, continue to the next room." ordered the voice.
Furious, Greg stormed to the door that had opened. When he entered, his irritation caused him not to notice the change of color in the room. The left side's color changed to a bright red, and the right side's color changed to a bright blue. He dashed to the large, leather chair and sat down. He propped his elbows onto his knees and his chin on his crossed hands.
"Let's get this next game over with." Greg ordered. "I am already bored of this annoying venture that you have created.
"What happened to the joy that you were showing me just a few moments ago? Not very funny or pleasing once you cannot control what happens, is it? Anyway, your next game will begin.