Chapter 5: The Second Game
The waiting was unbearable. Two hours felt like two days as the participants tried to distract themselves, but most sat in quiet anticipation, tension thick in the air. Conversations were strained, movements careful. Everyone was on edge after witnessing the first elimination.
At exactly 8 PM, the speakers crackled, and the Dealer's voice filled the room.
"Participants, please proceed to the game room immediately."
The announcement sent a ripple of unease through the group. Without a word, they began to file out of the lounge, their footsteps echoing in the silence.
The game room looked as pristine and ominous as before, its circular table gleaming under the chandelier. This time, however, the room had been rearranged. At its center was a massive glass tank, filled with dark, murky liquid. Beneath it, faint shapes moved, but the liquid obscured any clear view of what lay beneath the surface.
The group hesitated at the threshold, exchanging wary glances.
"Lovely," Evelyn muttered, stepping inside with a forced smirk. "What do we think it is this time? Sharks? Piranhas? Radioactive sludge?"
Alex tried to steady his breathing as he followed. Sofia and Noah were close behind, their eyes scanning the room for any clue about what they were about to face.
The Dealer stood at the head of the room, his golden mask glinting in the light. He raised his hand, motioning for the participants to gather.
"Welcome to the second game," he said, his voice calm and precise. "This game is called Blind Betrayal."
Murmurs broke out among the group.
"You will be divided into pairs," the Dealer continued. "Each pair will choose a leader and a follower. The leader's task is simple: reach into the tank and retrieve one of the objects hidden inside. The follower's task is to guide the leader, as the tank is filled with a chemical that causes temporary blindness upon contact. If the leader cannot retrieve an object in time, both members of the pair will be eliminated."
The room erupted in whispers, participants turning to one another with a mix of dread and suspicion.
"There's always a catch," Marcus muttered, shaking his head.
"And what's the catch here?" Evelyn asked, crossing her arms.
The Dealer tilted his head slightly. "The follower has the option to betray the leader. If the follower presses the red button on their control panel, the leader will be paralyzed, and the follower will be given an extra minute to retrieve the object themselves. Betrayal guarantees the betrayer's survival assuming they succeed. If both fail, both die."
The murmurs turned to outright protests.
"This is insane!" a middle-aged woman exclaimed, her voice trembling. "You're forcing us to turn on each other!"
"Not forcing," the Dealer corrected smoothly. "You always have a choice."
Alex's stomach churned. He glanced at Sofia and Noah, who were exchanging tense looks.
The Dealer continued. "You have two minutes to choose your partners. If you fail to pair up, you will be assigned randomly."
The group broke into frantic discussions, each participant scrambling to find someone they could trust or manipulate.
Alex turned to Sofia and Noah. "The three of us… we need to stick together. But there are only two spots per team."
Noah nodded grimly. "I'll pair with someone else. You two stay together. I can handle myself."
"Are you sure?" Sofia asked, her voice laced with concern.
"I'll be fine," Noah said, giving a small, reassuring smile.
They nodded, splitting off. Alex and Sofia quickly claimed a spot near the tank, while Noah approached a tall, muscular man who had been watching the room silently.
"I'm Noah," he said, extending a hand. "Want to team up?"
The man hesitated, then nodded. "Jack. Fine."
Elsewhere in the room, Marcus sauntered up to Evelyn, a grin plastered across his face.
"Well, sweetheart? Want to roll the dice with me?"
Evelyn's eyes narrowed. "You think I trust you?"
"No," Marcus said with a shrug. "But I don't trust anyone here, so we're even."
She sighed, clearly unimpressed, but after a quick scan of the room, she realized her options were limited. "Fine. But if you screw me over, I'll make sure you regret it."
Marcus chuckled. "Noted."
The Dealer's voice cut through the commotion. "Time is up. If you have not chosen a partner, one has been assigned to you."
The remaining players shuffled into position, some glaring at their last-minute teammates.
"Decide now who will be the leader and who will be the follower," the Dealer instructed.
Alex and Sofia exchanged a glance.
"You should lead," Alex said. "You're calmer under pressure."
Sofia hesitated. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'll guide you."
She nodded, taking her place beside the tank.
Evelyn smirked at Marcus. "You're the muscle. Guess that makes you the leader."
Marcus laughed. "Fine by me. You just keep your finger off that button."
Jack glanced at Noah. "I'll lead."
Noah nodded, stepping toward the control panel.
The Dealer raised his hands. "The game begins now. Leaders, reach into the tank."
The room erupted into chaos as the leaders plunged their arms into the murky liquid, immediately recoiling as the chemical burned their skin. Sofia gasped, her hand jerking back.
"Keep going!" Alex urged. "Straight ahead, about six inches deeper!"
She gritted her teeth, pushing her arm back into the tank. The liquid stung like fire, and her vision blurred almost instantly.
"I can't see," she said, panic creeping into her voice.
"Trust me," Alex said, his tone firm. "Move your hand to the left. A little more… there!"
Sofia's fingers brushed against something cold and hard. She grasped it, pulling it free just as the timer neared its halfway mark.
"Got it!" she gasped, collapsing to her knees as Alex helped her back.
Elsewhere, the scene was far less controlled.
"You're useless!" Evelyn snapped as Marcus fumbled in the tank. "Go deeper!"
"I'm trying!" Marcus shot back, his teeth clenched in frustration.
Evelyn's eyes flicked to the red button on her control panel. Her finger hovered over it for a moment, but she hesitated.
"Ten seconds remaining," the Dealer announced.
Marcus let out a triumphant yell as he pulled an object from the tank, holding it aloft like a trophy.
"See? Told you I had it under control," he said, grinning.
Evelyn rolled her eyes.
On the far side of the room, Jack was struggling, his massive frame trembling as the chemical burned his skin.
"Move to the right!" Noah called out. "Lower! You're almost there!"
Jack growled, his frustration mounting. The timer ticked down, and Noah's gaze flicked to the red button.
He hesitated, his hand hovering over it.
"Five seconds remaining," the Dealer said.
Noah clenched his jaw and pressed the button. Jack froze mid-movement, his muscles locking as the paralyzing agent took effect.
Noah darted forward, plunging his arm into the tank. The chemical burned like acid, but he forced himself to push deeper, his fingers closing around an object just as the timer hit zero.
He collapsed to the floor, gasping in pain.
The Dealer's voice rang out. "Congratulations to those who succeeded. For the rest…"
The few pairs who failed stood frozen, their faces pale as the enforcers appeared once again. No screams echoed this time just the dull thuds of bodies hitting the floor.
"Rest while you can," the Dealer said. "Your next game will not be so forgiving."
The survivors left the room, their ranks thinner, their nerves frayed. And still, the shadow of The House loomed over them all.