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Kraa kraa! Kraa kraa!
“ugh…”The girls head pounded. Her eyes were closed shut but the sun beaming down on her stung, exacerbating the throbbing in her head. It was a hangover, a bad one too. She’d felt it before, not too common, but as a college freshman it was practically a right of passage. Her eyes fluttered open, cautious and pained in the midday sun blaring down on her, putting up a porcelain hand in a futile effort against the Sun. Her red hair was splayed out haphazardly along the ground, her white cotton dress stained with grass and streaks of dirt. She closed her eyes, admitting defeat and rolled over, pressed against the sturdy warmth next to her. She nuzzled up against it, smiling. It smelled good, breathing heavily, it’s firm chest rising and falling.“Mmm…” She sleepily groaned, content to bask gently in the warm sun.Kraa kraa! Kraa kraa!Her eyes shot open again as she flung herself away as she realized something was wrong.Sprawled out across the grass next to where she had laid was the figure of a tall young man, eyes shut,snoring slightly. His curly blonde hair, brown at the roots, was disheveled across his square face. Hermind immediately began to race of what she’d done or who she’d done it with. When she had gone offto college she’d sworn to herself she wouldn’t become that kind of girl, and yet…And yet, she began to realize, the more pressing question wasn’t who the mysterious handsome young man laying there was, nor even why she had been nestled up against his toned but lithe body, but more importantly: Where the Hell was she?
Kraa kraa! Kraa kraa!
She turned her head towards the persistent croak. Perched a few yards from her a duo of ravens sat on a tree branch extended over a towering brick wall. One tilted its head, looking at the girl with its obsidian eyes.“Kraa kraa! Kraa kraa!” It cried one last time before it and its partner took flight.Slowly the girl got up. Her arms and legs zapped with pain as small jagged rocks dug into her palms. In her confused haze, she had thrown herself into the middle of a gravel path, flanked by carefully manicured grass and low lying rose bushes, fully in bloom. Behind her a dusty red brick walltowered above her, topped with brutal razor wire that hummed with a rhythmic buzz of powerful voltage. The smell of Douglas fir caught her unaware, wafted by her by a sudden breeze. It was a nostalgic smell, one she had smelled much of her life growing up in the Pacific Northwest. A haze was over her, her thoughts were erratic and her mind scattered. She struggled to remember something, anything. Even her name was foreign to her. Panic began to set in quick as she jerked her head around, looking for answers. A large field laid out before her, its center sunken lower with a large reflecting pool in the middle. At the far end was another wall, like the one that surrounded the field and the rose garden she was in. To either side were arches, leading out into the forest beyond. With little thought she raced down the gravel path. She had no idea where she was going, or even why. She glanced back as she ran, the young man still unconscious in the grass. She had no clue he was, but something was strange about him. Why had she woken up next to him? Quickly she was spiraling, her breath growing erratic as her heart rate quickened. As she reached the arches, she fell to her knees, skinning them against the jagged gray rocks, staining the hem of her dress in crimson. Her stomach turned and went up through her throat, out onto the rocks and grass. Her vision narrowed and she slumped against the wall. It was cool in the shade, hidden from the oppressive sun above. She heaved for some minutes until her stomach settled, finally resting her face against the cool bricks. Exhaustion overtook her eventually, slipping into an uneasy sleep, light enough for her to hear the crunch of gravel after some minutes. She coiled up as she opened her eyes. The young man who had laid in the grass now stood mere yards from her. She dared not move lest she be noticed, inching slowly to make no noise around the edge of the wall. Her own feet betrayed her though, still weak, slipping against the gravel. The man shot a look to her, equal parts surprised and confused. A battle in the girls head waged over to fight or flee, flee winning handily. With the last of her strength she stood, breaking into an all out dash through the arc into the shaded thick forest. She forwent the road, pushing limb and brush and bramble from her path. She could hear the young man behind her, shouting something, but she dared not to listen or even turn her head to see him in chase. She ran until her legs gave up, falling into a heap on the forest floor matted with pine needles. Fear still coursed through her, her breathing labored and her lungs burning. Her body refused to move an inch, but over her sharp painful inhales, she heard nothing, just the silence of the trees and the far shrieks of a raven. Her breath finally calmed, pushing herself up, scooting back, and leaning against the trunk of a large tree, finally giving herself time to recover. As she calmed herself, simple things started to comeback to her, like names and places, what she had eaten for breakfast, faces of loved ones. Deeply she breathed, practicing an exercise a therapist had taught her as a child. Eyes closed, she counted. In and out, in and out. With a final exhale she opened her eyes again, this time surveying the situation with a level head. The last thing she had remembered was studying in the library. She had just had dinner across campus with her friends, as she often did. That had been at least 16 hours ago, or so she assumed. None of that really helped to figure out what had happened or where she was. Had she been roofied? That only happened in bars, she thought. And furthermore, why would they dump her in a place as strange as this? She felt all over herself. Nothing seemed particularly violated. Had she been robbed? Who robbed someone and changed their clothes, dumping them in the woods? She sighed, feeling herself beginning to spiral again. Standing up, she looked around through the thick forest to keep herself from freaking out again. Her eyes had begun to adjust from the bright light of the field. She could see far, but nothing but a sea of trees and low lying brush extended in all directions. Beams of light filtered through in places, dancing along the bed of needles as the leaves blew gently in the wind. She paused as she looked up at the trees. They were a mixture of firs and old growth oaks, fully green. Odd, she thought, and confirmed by a warm breeze blowing. It was early November in Seattle, the campus of the University of Washington long gray and dead, and yet standing in the strange forest it felt no later than early April. It only deepened her confusion. But as she stood still in the silence of the forest, she began to make out a faint sound. First it was the rustling of leaves and a bush, then the soft whimper of a woman, and finally audible sobs. She knelt down, creeping through the undergrowth towards the sound of misery. Wrestling through the low lying bush, she pressed forward, finally seeing a small clearing in front of her. A young girl in her late teens sat in the grass, her blonde hair disheveled, falling over her shoulder. She covered her face in her hands as she loudly sobbed, the top of her white cotton dress soaked in tears. The crying girl stopped, frantically glancing to the sounds of the bush. “Who’s...who’s there…” She said with trembling voice, crawling back against the oak she had cowered under.The girl stood up, revealing herself. The young crying girl seemed at first at ease, but then tensed back up as she eyed her up and down.“It’s fine, I’m not going to hurt you. I heard you…”“Who are you?!” She screamed, grabbing at a limb and pointing it threateningly as she could with her posh voice and demure look.The girl laughed, emerging from the bush and getting down to her knees. She smiled, thinking again for a second exactly what her name was.“Rebecca.” She said, “My name is Rebecca.”The scared girl continued to cry, staring at Rebecca in terror. She made no effort to get closer to the girl, allowing her time to process, clearly just as afraid and confused as she was. Eventually, she relented, letting down her guard.“Are you...going to hurt me?” She said, still cautious.Rebecca laughed, putting the girl back on guard.“No no, I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.”The girl set down the stick and crawled forward a bit towards Rebecca.“Where...where am I?” She said, her fear turning to desperation.“I don’t know.” Rebecca answered honestly, “What’s your name?”The young girl paused for a moment, again inching closer to Rebecca.“Grace…”“Grace, what’s the last thing you remember?”She thought for a moment, quietly, sitting back on her legs.“I was at home…” She said, shutting her eyes and shaking her head.“It’s OK, don’t push yourself. It’s all slowly coming back to me too.”Grace stared at Rebecca for a second. Her small frame flashed, shooting into Rebecca and tackling her, wrapping her arms around her as she began to cry. Rebecca was shocked at first, thinking the girl was attacking her, but as she began loudly bawling, she couldn’t help but smile, pushing herself back up and coddling the girl.“It’s OK.” She said, slowly rubbing the back of the blonde girls soft hair. And though she didn’t believe it herself, she faked it, for the girl’s sake, at the very least. Calming her had taken longer than Rebecca had thought. Eventually more had come back to Grace. She was 18, like Rebecca, still living at home. By her accent she had already assumed she was from abroad, London to be exact. She was small for her age and it took little to launch her into another fit of crying, almost childlike, despite being an adult. The two girls sat in the small clearing for almost an hour, but neither could remember much more than their names and scarce few moments of memories. She had woken up in the clearing it seemed, and had been sitting there crying until Rebecca found her.After talking for a while, Grace finally calm enough to move, Rebecca took her by the hand, the two set through the forest, finding the gravel path running through the forest. The brick arch was still visible through the trees, Rebecca taking the path away from it after kneeling in wait for a second to see if the tall man still lurked nearby. They walked for some minutes down the winding trail until the forest gave way to another large clearing, much larger than the field Rebecca had awoken in. They gasped as they looked up. Towering above them was a mansion of the same red brick as the walls. Dark windows peered down from the ramparts and a towering turret cast a long shadow across the gravel driveway below. The girls caught sight of a crowd gathering there. Rebecca looked down to Grace with an unsure glance, grasping the girls hand tightly as they walked forward together. As they approached though, they heard sounds of a fight and expletives being screamed.“Fucking FAGGOT. Whatchu lookin’ at me like that for?” A tall young black man yelled, held back by two white men, one blonde and the other with dirty blonde curls. Rebecca noticed the latter immediately as the young man before.She frozen, putting her arm around Grace’s shoulder as they stood back, appraising the situation. A younger boy laid on the ground. His jet black hair was disheveled, and his nose bloody, his jeans torn.“I wasn't…” He begged, putting a weak hand up in defense at the man towering above him.“Chill man,” Said the mysterious blonde man, “chill.”The tall black man shook loose from the two holding him back, staring down at the beaten young man.“Do that shit again, DARE you.” he said, walking away in a huff.The crowds attention was glued to the ruckus, only the curly haired boy taking notice of the two girls standing at the edge of the driveway. He smiled, waving them over. Rebecca looked to Grace with uncertainty and fear, but held tightly to her hand and walked forward. Watching him diffuse the situation had confused her at first, assuming since she had first seen him earlier on the gravel path that he was dangerous. It occurred to her though, after meeting Grace, he was just as lost as they were. As Rebecca walked forward, she took notice that all the group was dressed the same: The girls in white cotton dresses and the young men in polo's and blue jeans.“Hey y’all.” The boy said in a cheery tone, like he hadn’t just been trying to break up a brawl, “Y’all just wake up?”Rebecca stopped a few yards short of the boy, nodding her head.“Yeah, in the forest.”“Oh shit” He said as he recognized, growing concerned, “you was the girl I seen there in the garden.”He put a hand to his head, cringing.“Im awful sorry, I wasn’t trynna…”“No,” Rebecca laughed, blushing slightly, “It’s ok.”“I really didn’t mean to scare ya,” He said as he stuck his hand out, flashing a smile of perfect white teeth. “Adam Owens.”Rebecca considered his hand for a second before stepping forward and taking it in her own. He gripped tightly, giving it a vigorous shake. They were warm, but rough, dwarfing her own tiny porcelain hand.“Rebecca...Norton. This is Grace...she’s…” She began to say, only to find Grace had bolted behind her, hiding. “...kinda shy.”Adam laughed.“I get it. Not a lot going on that makes any sense.” He said, putting his hands on his hips and looking around.Standing close to him, Rebecca began to get a better look. His face was smooth, but with a hint of stubble. His green eyes sparkled slightly in the sun. He was handsome, she thought, exceedingly handsome actually, catching herself staring, her heart again beginning to race as her face felt flush. She chided herself though, realizing it was no time to be fawning like a schoolgirl. Rebecca looked beyond him, over the crowd. Most appeared to be around her age, looking like a mix of college students, maybe a few older, all murmuring to themselves. However, they fell silent as a loud creak echoed out from the massive oak front doors of the mansion as they opened. All eyes immediately went to the yawning dark abyss beyond. Emerged a lone man in a tux descending down the rough hewn stone steps to the gravel below, though as he came closer into view, revealed himself to be less than a man. His head was metallic and gray, riveted along the center with a single glowing yellow eye. One of the girls in the crowd screamed as the robot lurched forward.“In...side...please.” the metal man spoke in a broken electronic voice, before turning and disappearing into the house once more.The crowd remained silent, casting glances at each other in equal parts horror and confusion. Adam was the first to move, jogging towards the steps. He put one foot on and turned back around, giving a commanding but vaguely unsure look, moving the others to motion. It took a second for Rebecca’s eyes to adjust back to the darkness as she stepped into the cool interior of the mansion. When they did, her breath was once again taken away. A single hall spread out before her, lined on both sides by a line of marble columns. The dark mahogany floor was covered in along light red runner. The walls on either side were lined with rows of portraits, 13 in total. Young men and women in tuxes and dresses, each labeled with a name and a year. The crowd pressed forward on the heels of the robot, emerging at the end of the hall into a great chamber. At its center was a grand marble staircase, leading up to a small platform and spreading up to both sides into a gallery that encircled the room. The walls there were paneled in dark wood. On the platform stood a man, studying the crowd as he took a drag from his cigarette. His dark hair was well quaffed and his suit was perfectly tailored with a black tie. Rebecca laughed to herself, thinking how much he resembled an old 1950s TV host, one of those corny sci-fi shows her dad used to watch. As the last of the crowd came into the chamber, he threw his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out with his black loafer.“All accounted for, Barnaby?” He said in a thick Trans-Atlantic accent“Yes...sir…” the robot buzzed.The man nodded, pulling at the cuffs of his shirt and crossing his arms.“Everyone, if you would look up here.” He said, in a loud voice, snapping his fingers.The murmur of the crowd died out, as every eye turned to the man with confused, angry, and even sad eyes, desperate for answers. He looked down at them, studying their faces for a moment, his own face riddled with its own questions. Finally he spoke.“Welcome to The Ravenwood Games.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Stunned silence hung over the great hall. The young adults looked to each other, strangers as they were, looking for some sort of answer. Above them, the man that called himself The Host watched them, his gray eyes cold as he scanned the crowd, looking at the young confused cases. He reached into the pocket of his black suit jacket, pulling out a pack of Lucky Strikes. In one impressive motion he thumbed the top open, and with a flick of his wrist shot a single cigarette out. He raised the pack to his mouth, wrapping his lips around the smoke and pulling out a lighter as his face glowed a sickly yellow orange for a second. Deeply he dragged as he still watched the now murmuring crowd, its anxiety growing with each second. A chubby black girl, with long dreads stood next to Rebecca. She had not reacted yet to anything. She stood silently, looking at The Host. Suddenly, her hand shot into the air. The Host cocked his eyebrow, reaching back into his pocket and pulling out a small notepad.“Ms….Moore, do you have a question?”The young woman put her hand back down quickly and stepped forward.“I do. Who are you? Where are we?”The Host smirked, putting his hand on the banister as he descended the stairs, beginning to speak.“That is a great question, and I assure you, it will be answered by the end of the evening. But for now, I think you all should get some rest.”The Host came to the base of the stairs. Up close Rebecca could see he was an older man. His face showed years of age and stress. Every time he smiled, it looked strained and forced. He was tall, towering over even the tallest of the boys.“Nah, fuck that. Fuck all this” The young black man who earlier had been quarreling said.He clicked his tongue and turned quickly, pushing his way through the crowd towards the now closed oak front doors.“Mr. Wilkerson.” The Host said calmly, calling after him.The boy froze, but didn’t turn around.“You’re welcome to leave, but I’ll have to insist you stay, at least until dinner.”The Host crossed his arms, taking the cigarette from his mouth and ashing it on the ground.“Insist you suck this dick.” The boy said with a spit.He continued down the main hall, reaching the doors and throwing them open. As the sunlight flooded in, a set of side doors opened, a trio of men emerged in suits and black raven masks. They grabbed the boy by the arms, dragging him out to the gravel driveway. The crowd began to run, filing down the hall and out back into the day.“Ay, get the fuck off me man!” he yelled.He struggled with all his might, but the men easily had him overpowered. Rebecca came out last, just in time to see the third man reach into his suit and pull out a pistol, placing it to the back of the young mans head. A few of the girls screamed and covered their faces. The gunman looked back to The Host, who stood behind Rebecca.“As I said, Mr. Wilkerson, I have to insist. Choosing to quit is an option, but the result is death.” He said, looking not at the boy anymore, but the rest of the crowd.He stopped fighting, going limp. The other men looked back to The Host, who simply nodded his head. They released him, pulling him back up to his feet and escorting him back into the mansion, after the crowd. The men closed the doors back and disappeared into the side room without a word. The Host ascended the stairs to the landing, assuming his original position above the crowd.“You will all be comfortable here. 3 meals a day will be served in the dining hall.” He said, motioning to his left through a broad set of wooden doors. "There’s also plenty of rooms for all of you to have your own accommodations if you prefer. Bunking up is allowed, however, but we have to insist against any sort of co-ed habitation.”He took a last drag from his cigarette, throwing it to the floor as well with another stamp of his foot.“Barnaby.” He said, leaning over the rolling to the robot below, “Our guests are exhausted from their day so far. Show them to the residential wing.”He looked back to the crowd, and with a grim look, turned back across the platform to a door.“Follow….me….” The robot said, its speaker crackling as it spoke.The crowd murmured, but obliged. They filed out the left hand side of the main hall. The room immediately off of it was a small art gallery with a vaulted ceiling. Some of them stared around at amazement, the walls covered in recognizable portraits. In the center a massive marble sculpture stood of a man, resplendent in his masculinity, pointing to the heavens. They pushed past through the far set of doors, back into another large hallway terminating in a T. He took them to the right and stopped at the foot of another stairwell.“Men...up. Girls...down…” He crackled, pointing as he spoke.The crowd segregated itself, the young men pushing past as they mounted the stairs and ambled up. The girls continued on down the hall. A seemingly endless row of doors stood beyond, stretching so far Rebecca could barely see the termination of the hall at the end. She nearly jumped out of her skin for a moment as she felt a grasp on her hand, looking down to see the still terrified face of Grace. She smiled, doing her best to reassure her new friend. As they walked, the girls peeled off, choosing rooms for themselves. Most chose single rooms, but a few paired up until it was just Rebecca and Grace. Barnaby turned back, leaving the girls alone in front of the bedroom door.“Wanna stay with me?” Rebecca said, already knowing the answer.Anxiety seemed to drain from Grace’s face as she began to smile, nodding her head eagerly. Rebecca smiled and turned, opening to the room behind her. She was taken aback for a second as they came into the room.“Wow…” Grace said.The room was huge, its ceiling reaching up high above their heads in ornate crown molding and gold trimming. A large chandelier hung from the center, casting a warm light across the room. Two four poster beds sat on either side of the room, headboard pushed up against the wall and pointing towards the center where a small sitting area laid.“I’ve never been anywhere this nice.” Rebecca said with a laugh, running her fingers along the heavy comforter on the bed.It was soft, a dark red with intricate black patterns sewed in. A folded note laid softy on the pillows stacked against the headboard. Rebecca paused and looked at it for a second. She picked the black envelope up, turning it in her hands. A heavy red wax seal closed it, stamped with a raven sigil. She pulled it open, pulling out a thick stock note.
“Ms. Norton,
Welcome to Ravenwood Manor. We hope you enjoy your time here and are victorious in the games. Our home is open to you. Feel free to request anything you need from our staff who are on-call 24/7. A selection of outfits have been stocked in your room that we hope are to your tastes. Meals are served at 8AM, Noon, and 7PM. Snacks and other sundries can be purchased at the store on the bottom floor of the residential wing across from the stairwell. There will be a mandatory orientation this evening at 8PM.
Our Best Wishes,
The Ravenwood Estate”
Rebecca read it and reread it several times., somehow becoming more confused with each reading. What games? It was almost surreal how procedural this seemed to be, while utterly horrifying. One thing kept coming up in her mind, however.“How did they know I’d…” she started to say.She wheeled around when she heard Grace squeal. The young girl stood in front of an open wardrobe on the opposite side of the room, opposite the windows. It was overflowing with brightly colored dresses and outfits. She simply stood in awe, mouth hanging open as she watched Rebecca come to her.“Oh wow…” Rebecca said, pushing her hair behind her ear as she filtered through the wardrobe.Everything from ball gowns, to simple dresses, to casuals and slacks and even gym clothes and swimming suits. Below in a pull out drawer was a selection of shoes as well, with heels and sneakers to match.“Do they fit?” She asked, looking through the clothes.Grace shrugged, reaching up on tiptoes to pull a red satin dress down. She held it to herself and looked up at Rebecca.“Try it on!” She said with a laugh.Grace stood still for a second, looking at the girl and blushing.“Oh, sorry.” Rebecca smiled, turning her back to the girl.She heard a moment of rustling and the girls stained white dress hitting the floor. Grace fumbled for a second, almost falling before clearing her throat for Rebecca to turn around. The girl was nearly unrecognizable. Though as small as she was, she still had the figure of a woman. The dress clung to her perfectly, accentuating her curves. Grace blushed, and fidgeted in place as Rebecca stared at her.“Grace...”Grace covered herself and frowned.“No, you look beautiful!” Rebecca said, nearly squealing.“Really?” The young girl said, beginning to blush again.“Yeah, and it fits perfectly…” Rebecca said, her suspicions beginning again to rise.“Can I try something else on?” She asked.Rebecca smiled and nodded her head.“We might as well see if they all fit!”The door was half ajar as Adam approached. Peering in through the crack he could see the young black man from earlier sitting on the felt chair in the middle of the room, bent over, head on his hands. He had thrown his sweat soaked shirt to the floor, sitting there alone, his muscular torso scrawled with hard to read tattoos against his dark skin. He ran his hand through his rough tightly curled hair that led down to his nape in a soft fade. He knocked softly, letting himself in before getting a response.“Fuck off, man.” The boy said without looking up.“I ain’t here to start nothin’.” Adam said quietly, closing the door back behind him, “just coming to see how you are.”“Yeah? And why the FUCK do you care?” The boy blurted out, finally looking up, “I don’t know you, ol’ cowboy bitch.”He sneered at Adam, leaning back into his seat with a deep sigh. “This shits fucked, man.”Fucked indeed it was, thought Adam.“You mind if I sit?” He asked, inching towards one of the empty chairs.The boy waved him off, leaning on his side and covering his face with his hand, rubbing his forehead.“What was the deal with you and…” Adam asked as he sat down.“Lil nigga outside? Shit, he lookin’ zesty, nigga theatrical, plays for the other team, na mean?”Adam stared at him with confusion.“Im sayin’ that nigga GAY!” he yelled, “You seen how he was lookin’ at me!”“I didn’t actually but yeah, I guess he did look a little…” Adam said, shacking his outstretched palm side to side.The black boy clicked his tongue.“I’m Adam, by the way.” He said, reaching his hand out.The dark skinned man looked at him for a second with disgust.“Nah, don’t tell me you fruity too.”Adam just smiled and laughed.“Ain't gay to be friendly.”The boy thought for a second and sat up, leaning forward and taking Adams hand in a brief but firm shake.“Fredrick. You aight, farm boy. Where you from?”“Jean Lafitte, little shithole south of New Orleans.”“Aight aight. I’m from the ABQ.”“ABQ?”“Albuquerque….New Mexico. That Breaking Bad shit.”“Oh yeah yeah, pretty hot out there, huh?”“Pfft, you the one living in a swamp, cornbread.” Franklin laughed.Adam started to laugh too, leaning back in the chair. He was glad to have broken the ice and held at least one person back from the ledge. Fredrick had seemed so tightly wound since they first met as he held him back from assaulting the young man in the courtyard. Adam sat back up again suddenly as he heard a shrill shriek from downstairs far away. Short after a boom of a loud bell echoed through the house, followed by another.“What the hell?” Fredrick asked.Adam had already gotten up and was halfway out the door. He rounded the corner of the hall down the stairs, leaping to the halfway landing and slingshotting himself around the banister to the ground floor. Fredrick had hardly made the stairs when another shriek came again from main hall. He caught up to Adam just outside the art gallery. They ran shoulder to shoulder into the hall to see a young platinum haired girl standing in the center of the room.“Are you OK?” Adam asked, nearly out of breath.He approached her slowly, noticing her eyes tilted up in a dead gaze to the second floor balcony. Adam turned and let out a “shit” under his breath. Dangling from above he saw the still tanned feet of a young girl hanging from the banister, a white bed sheet tied tightly around her thin neck. “Whats…” Fredrick began to say as he turned, “Fuck!”“Get her down!” Adam yelled, running over to the wall. He slid his arm across the table, clearing it off as he dragged it under the girls dangling feet.Fredrick bounded up the steps and began fumbling with the bed sheet. Adam wrapped his arms around the girls skinny legs and lifted her up. Fredrick cussed as he fumbled with the sheet, eventually getting it free. Carefully, Adam cradled the girl, leaping off the table and laying her down on the floor. He pulled the bed sheet from around her neck quickly and checked her pulse. Nothing. He leaned it, putting an ear to her mouth. Nothing.“Dog she don’t look good.” Fredrick said from the upper floor.“Get down here man!” He yelled.He looked back to the girl. Her neck was raw and bleeding from the bed sheet. Blood dripped from her fingers, nails ripped off from clawing at the makeshift noose.“She’s dead.” A deep cold voice said.Adam looked up with an angry glare to The Host who had appeared on the platform.“We have our first elimination.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“DO SOMETHING!” Fredrick yelled, nearly snarling at The Host.The old man barely even reacted, simply taking a puff from his cigarette, looking down at Adam and the young girls corpse.“Mothafucka…” The brash black boy muttered, as he stepped up onto the bottom of the stairs.Quietly, Adam signed the cross and closed the girls eyes before standing.“She’s gone. There’s nothing to do.” He said solemnly, but looking up at The Host with hatred in his eyes, “You let her die, didn’t you.”The Host continued his silence, puffing away.“You were there, behind that door. There’s cameras everywhere. You saw it.”He had yet to say anything to someone else, but he had noticed them throughout the day. Every room, every corridor and common space. Some were more hidden than others, but they were always there. Barely visible black domes. Adams hands began to shake as he clenched them tightly, so tightly that small dribbles of blood began dripping against the floor.“What the fuck is going on here...” Adam growled, angry and confused.Silence fell on the main hall.“Dr. Corvus, would you please see to Ms. Aguilar’s body.”Adam turned quickly to see a tall man behind him. He wore a white lab coat over a red button up shirt tucked into a black pair of slacks. Silently he had entered the main hall and stood looking down at the young girl. He looked up to The Host and nodded, waving over two of the Raven masked men.“I think you all have had enough time to get comfortable.” The Host finally said, raising his arm up to his mouth.His cuff slid back, revealing a black metal band around his wrist. He reached up to it, pressing an unseen button and spoke.“Contestants. Would you please gather in the dining room immediately.” He said flatly, his voice echoing throughout the entire mansion via unseen speakers. He stared at Adam, narrowing his eyes as he descended, exiting out the eastern door. Adam looked to Fredrick, who responded with an equally angered look. The masked men had disappeared with the young girls body, along with the doctor as the two boys followed The Host through the eastern door. A similar art gallery laid beyond the doors, again displaying famous works of art no doubt worth untold millions. The far set of doors, unlike the opposite side opened into another wood paneled large room that ran north south. A massive marble fireplace roared to the their right. In the middle of the room was a heavy wooden table that ran nearly the length of the dining hall. Half a hundred empty red cushioned ornate wooden chairs sat tucked in neatly under it.“Take a seat.” The Host said, himself already seated at the head of the table.The two boys cast an angry glance at the man, but obeyed. They were joined only a few moments later by a steady stream of their fellow contestants. The Host eyed them all, silently counting each one as they entered. Adam averted his stare only to see Rebecca entering, hand in hand with Grace, as usual. The two had change from their white dresses into floral evening dresses that flowed down all the way to their feet. He caught himself staring then at her instead, much in a different way than he had The Host. She caught his gaze, smiling and hurrying over, taking a seat next to him.“What’s going on?” She asked, confused.He said nothing, instead casting his gaze back with anger to The Host. He checked the metal band around his wrist, putting a finger to his ear, nodding his head to an unheard voice before standing up, pushing his chair back in. The two masked men appeared from the door they had come in, carrying each of them two metal briefcases.“I hope everyone found their rooms to their liking.”A quiet mumble came across the table, most nodding and talking among themselves.“Before we get started with tonight's orientation, I have some sad news to share with you all. Ms. Eva Aguilar has been eliminated.”The mumble grew louder, with many of the young men and women looking to each other and The Host with confusion, some with fear. All but one, Adam noticed. At the far end of the table sat a young man, his brown hair perfectly styled, slicked back. He had changed from his jeans and polo into a three piece suit and a red tie. He sat still and silently, his fingers tented looking ahead at nothing in particular. As if he felt Adams gaze, he blinked, his eyes casting a cold gaze at him. The two boys locked eyes for a second until The Host spoke again.“Unfortunately, that is the nature of this competition, and we will miss Ms. Aguilar. For the rest of you…” He said, motioning to the masked men.“What FUCKING competition?” Fredrick shouted, jumping up from his seat.“The Ravenwood Games.” The Host said calmly. “The Ravenwood Games are what you would call, a reality show. The 19 of you will live in this house. There will be challenges, games, and eventually, more eliminations. Until only one of you remains.”“Reality show? What channel is that on?” Fredrick said indignantly.“You wouldn’t have. It’s on no TV channel or streaming service. It’s somewhat of a...private event. Streamed over closed circuit to private clubs and the homes of our generous Benefactors.”As he smoked the masked men stepped forward, setting their briefcases on the table and opened their latches. The boxes hissed open as they each picked one up.“There are a few rules here in the house that all of you must abide by. First of all of them is your watches. You must wear them at all times. Any intentional attempt to remove them or tamper with them will result in immediate elimination.” The masked man reached Adam, who reached into the case, pulling one of the cold metal bands from the soft plastic padding. He put it around his wrist, the watch immediately clasping shut with a strong magnetic snap. Lights danced across the bands dark surface. The time and date popped up first, followed by a “1,000”.“Some of you will noticed your points just below the time on your watches. These are the most important element of the game. Points come from winning challenges and games in the mansion, as well as from the audience. A bit of a...popularity contest.”Adam looked to the corner of the room. A cold black dome hung from the ceiling. He knew he was being watched, but by who or how many he didn’t know. He knew he hated them though, every single one of them.“Secondly, no damaging the estate. That includes trying to break into locked doors or damaging furniture, and most importantly, none of the equipment used in the production of the show. Thirdly, do not try and scale the walls the surround the estate. This is less a rule than a warning. The barbed wire is electrified, and a simple touch is enough to kill.”The masked men finished handing out the watches, collecting their briefcases and exiting back out the door. The Host watched them as they left, closing the door behind themselves.“Most important of all, is do not interfere with the operation of the show. Do no speak to any of the staff, except for me. Any attempt to lay hands on any of the members of the crew will result in immediate elimination.”His eyes met with Adam as he emphasized the last point.“I don’t want to waste anymore of your time. Barnaby, if you would please bring in the contestants meals.”As he spoke, the doors at the far end of the hall flew open, a small army of robots in french maid outfits and tuxedos issuing forth carrying trays of steaming plates. The wheeled silently around, placing a meal in front of each of the contestants. Adam’s clattered in front of him, a delicious smelling cut of roast beef, cooked medium rare with a side of boiled baby potatoes seasoned with basil and thyme. Another robot rolled behind, plopping a silver goblet next to him, pouring out a clear stream of water. Despite his reservations and still simmering anger, Adam couldn’t deny he was starving. He didn’t even remember the last time he had eaten, his final meal a burger he had taken 3 bites of. He picked up the spotless silverware and tore into the meal. Silent they fell, the only sound the quiet clanking of porcelain and silver. It was a welcome comfort, many of them running all day on empty stomachs, thankful for a real meal. It did little to assuage an unspoken horror among them. A bevy of questions still remained about the prison they were now in, though by all appearances it was anything but. The brighter of them had realized what was happening: That they had been kidnapped, taken far away from their homes to be spied on by rich voyeurs, forced into a sick game that easily could lead to their deaths. The duller and slower had yet to realize this, but felt nonetheless that something wasn’t right, though all too willing to thoughtlessly continue on with their lives as if nothing had changed.“When you are finished with your meals, please return back to your rooms. We do not enforce a lights out, but it is getting late and I know you are all tired.”The Host watched them silently as they began to eat, still standing at the head of the table.Adam had glanced at him occasionally, nearly motionless in his vigil.“Take a few days to become familiar with the mansion. You’ll find many doors are locked, for the mansion holds more than its fair share of secrets. All will be revealed in time, and we ask you stay within the west and central wings.”With a final glance to Adam, he exited from the dining hall, leaving the contestants to their meal.Rebecca fell to her soft down bed in exhaustion. What a day it had been. She had meant to take a nap and try and clear her mind, but Grace had her trying on clothes until they were called to dinner. She rolled to her side to see the young blonde knelt in front of the wardrobe, still sifting through the piles of silk and cotton. She found it odd and a little funny how oblivious the girl had become to the danger. Most of them were, she realized, remembering how the others had laughed and talked, gorged themselves at supper, like animals fattened up before a slaughter. Rebecca could feel it, something truly sinister brewing just under the surface. The mansion gave such a fake veneer of sophisticated refinement, but she knew it was just a cage. They had not gone through the trouble of all this: the kidnapping, the mansion, all of it, just to watch them. A shiver went up Rebecca’s spine. Something terrible was going to happen, and soon. But that was a problem for tomorrow, she thought to herself, trying to compartmentalize and manage her stress. For the moment, all was peaceful. After supper everyone mostly had gone back to their rooms. She could hear a soft murmur from outside her door, a few girls gossiping away in the common room at the end of the hall. Maybe it was comforting, she thought, for them to be so unaware, so blissful in unknowing. She drifted of to sleep with that thought, the burden of the day finally overtaking her.
“Rebecca… ”
Moonlight bathed the bedroom through the large windows, casting a silver glow on the Victorian room. Rebecca woke with a start. Her heart was racing, her mind struggling to grasp the quickly retreating threads of a nightmare. Unable to remember, the specter of the dream still haunted her. She leaned over, covering her face with her hands. Crying would feel good, she thought, but none came to relieve the pressure. Across the room Grace laid in her bed, covered in the heavy sheets, balled up blissfully asleep. Rebecca slid out of bed, realizing she had dozed off still wearing the evening dress. She fumbled around her back, stretching her arms with a grimace to reach the zipper, letting the dress fall to the floor. She opened the wardrobe, selecting from a plethora of silk night gowns. In the dark they all looked the same, pulling one at random and slipping it over her head. The fine fabric felt cool and soft against her skin, hoping over in front of a mirror to see it on herself. It was beautiful, she thought, losing herself in her own image. In her reflection though, she noticed her face still made up, having fallen asleep without her usual before bed ritual or even a shower. The downstairs rooms had two communal bathrooms at either end of the hall. The bathroom was huge, as large as one of the bedrooms, divided equally in 3 parts for showers, toilet stalls, and sinks with counters lined up, chairs neatly tucked in. One of the showers was running, emanating a warm steam through the bathroom, another of the girls no doubt taking a midnight bath.“Hello?” Rebecca said, inching towards the curtain.No response.“Hey, I’m in here, just gonna be...taking my makeup off…”And still no response.She shrugged, assuming she couldn’t be heard over the sound of the rushing waters. She turned back towards the counter, running the sink as she wet a rag, sitting down as she turned on one of the well lit mirrors and meticulously wiped away the makeup from her face. She looked awful, she thought to herself, despite how she had made herself up. To her, her face looked like it had aged a decade within the day. Her mind still raced, still attempting to process everything that had transpired in the past 24 hours. She stood at the precipice of what felt like a breakdown, forcing herself to stay strong, knowing that anything else would be pointless. If she was forced into a game, all she could do was win, or at least play it to the best of her ability. Anything she had to do to get back home. The shower stopped behind her as she jerked her head around. The room was still dark despite the low lighting. She stood, approaching the curtain, the room quiet save for the slow drip of the shower head. The curtain jerked back as she approached, scaring Rebecca as she lept back, nearly falling flat onto the floor. But the initial shock was nothing as emerged from the shower Adam’s tall frame. He held a towel to his midsection, covering only his manhood. His muscled body was moist, glistening in the faint twinkling lights of the vanity mirror. Rebecca’s breath left her as she mouth agape, stared at the young man. An awkwardness sat between them for a moment before they both reacted, Rebecca turning from him, covering her eyes as she felt her cheeks burning.“Oh, shit, Rebecca.” He said, quickly wrapping the towel around his midsection, tucking it in to hold it fast in place, “I didn’t hear you...upstairs bathroom showers are out and I…”“NO! It’s fine!” Rebecca shouted, her hands still covering her face.The room fell silent again. Rebecca turned her head to take a peek at the man. Awkwardly he stood, fidgeting in place. It almost made her laugh, such an imposing figure flustered like a middle schooler.“I’ll...I gotta go” Rebecca stuttered.As she turned to leave she felt a tight grip on her arm.“No, don’t…” Adam said.He jerked her around, face to face in the dim light of the steamy bathroom. She stared up at him, his face almost too much to bear.“I intruded, you go on and do what you was doin’. I’ll get dressed and go.”They looked at each for a moment before he nodded his head and turned to go. He stopped as Rebecca laughed loudly. Turning back around, he saw her head held back, rubbing her face with her hands.“This is all so fucked up.” She said in a loud sigh.Leaning her head forward, he could tell she was doing everything to keep herself from crying, from breaking down. He’d noticed it all day, the way she projected strength, lying to herself in an attempt to make it all better. But the facade was starting to crack. Pity overtook him, or maybe it was something else. In one motion he stepped forward, grabbing onto her wrist and pulling it behind him, pulling her petite frame towards him. Her check pushed up against his bare chest, still moist and dewy from the shower. She felt the strength of his rough hand against the back of her head, and as she had consoled Grace, he consoled her.“It’s gonna be aight…” he whispered.She could hear his deep words reverberate through his chest. The feeling of his warm skin, the smell of him, the safety of his embrace. It was too much for her walls to contain, and in the middle of that strange bathroom, Rebecca broke. Tears began falling down her face, first slowly, then in torrents. She wrapped her arms around Adam’s bare midsection tightly, burying her face into his chest as she began to scream. She screamed so loud she was afraid the whole mansion would hear, but it felt too good to stop. The entire day had been a nightmare. She had been torn from her life, pedestrian as it was, and thrown into Hell. He throat began to hurt and her lungs to burn again she she finally went limp, held up only by Adam’s grip. Feeling her legs giving out, Adam scooped her up in his arms, carrying her to a red upholstered bench, its fabric etched with gold filigree and mahogany legs. He laid her down, reaching over to the counter and grabbing a carefully folded towel to rest under her head. Her heavy eyes had fallen shut and Rebecca remembered nothing more.
“Rebecca…”
Groggy, she sat up, looking around. The bathroom was still dark and empty, the steam and warmth had long dissipated, leaving only a coolness wafting through.“Adam?” She asked, squinting through the darkness, but the young man was nowhere to be found.She pushed herself up from the bench, making her way over to one of the sinks to splash some water against her face, still fighting the tired feeling. The marble counter stretched from one side of the room to the other. Some of the girls had already laid out various makeup kits, still open tubes of lipstick laying haphazardly on the counter. She did her best to straighten things up, being a bit of a busybody and cleaning up always helping to calm her mind. Sighing, her shoulders finally began to slump, feeling like a great weight had finally begun to lift. She smiled, maybe the truest smile she had show all day, turning and leaving the bathroom. Shafts of moonlight lit the hallway in 10 foot intervals all the length of the wing. In the distance she saw a lone maid, no doubt one of the mansions peculiar mechanical men, sweeping. She feared them, a little, such odd creatures, like something out of a bad Cold War alien movie.“Rebecca…”The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, a word barely heard before now echoing in her ears. She felt something behind her, slowly turning her head. Intervals behind her, a small figure stood in the silver light.“Grace? What are you…” she began to ask, sighing at the young girl.As she approached though, she saw it was not Grace, but a young boy. A puddle formed around him at his feet, his clothes drenched. His hair was white, in a bowl cut, the only color a spot of crimson on his forehead. Rebecca opened her mouth to scream, but like a nightmare found no sound came out.“Ma’am….”Rebecca nearly fainted as she shot around to see the eerie amber glow of the maids artificial eye inches from her face. Its voice buzzed like all the others through its singular tinny speaker. Quickly she turned back around to find the boy gone, any trace of him gone with him, if it ever existed at all.“Did you just see a boy? There…” She said, pointing behind her at the nothingness.The machine drove past on its singular wheel with a quick whir, stopping short just past where the boy had been.“I see everything.”But the voice from the robot was not what she had come to expect, the electric arcing of sound. It was almost crystal clear, feminine but deep and terrifying, but more haunting was how natural it sounded. It rolled on quietly, turning and disappearing into the bathroom. Rebecca stood frozen in a confused terror. Finally she shook herself to action, running back to her room and throwing the door closed. She braced her body against it, holding it shut as if it would be beaten against and attempted to be thrown open at any moment. No such thing came, as Rebecca finally slumped to the ground. She looked around the room, seeing nothing but Grace sleeping quietly in her bed. She pulled her knees up to her, burying her head in the space in between.“What the fuck…” She said, broken, as she began to cry again, quietly