"Ugh…"
I wake up in a daze, my head pounding like a war drum. The pain is unbearable—like my skull's about to crack open. I try to move, but everything around me is shrouded in pitch-black darkness. I reach out blindly, and all I can feel are cold, jagged rocks beneath my hands.
Suddenly, a sharper pain rips through my skull, worse than before—like someone took a bat to my head.
"Ah—Fuck!"
My voice echoes off unseen walls.
What the hell is going on? Why does this hurt so much?
It feels like I got hit in the head ten times, and someone decided to make it an even eleven just for fun.
- ???: "Ow…"
A voice—soft, pained—calls out a few feet behind me.
I freeze.
I'm not alone.
As the pounding in my head finally begins to fade, my eyes slowly adjust to the darkness. Shapes start to take form—blurry outlines of people scattered around me.
So I'm not just hallucinating.
- ???: "Yoooo… anyone there?"
A laid-back voice breaks the silence, echoing loudly through the cavern.
"You're loud," I mutter. "There's an echo in here. Try not to yell."
- ???: "Huh? My bad, man. Don't gotta be so rude about it."
"Yeah, sorry. Just… splitting headache."
"You too? Who are you, anyway?"
"Isn't it rude to ask for someone's name before giving your own?"
- Kai: "Kai," he says, a little annoyed. "What about you now, prick?"
I can almost hear the smirk in his voice. He sounds like the type to shrug things off, even in the face of confusion. I can't help but feel the need to match his energy.
"Ayden. Nice to meet you too."
A quiet pause follows—neither of us knows what to say next. The uncertainty hangs in the air like a thick fog.
Then, the same soft voice from earlier speaks again, though it's a bit closer this time.
- ???: "…Where are we?"
The girl's voice is gentle, scared—like someone trying to remain calm, but failing. It's almost… comforting? There's a sweetness to it, like a peony in a field of thorns. I glance toward the direction of her voice, but all I can make out is a shadow.
Is she alright?
-???: "I'm not sure. Does anyone know what's going on?"
As my thoughts trail off, a calmer, lower-pitched voice speaks out. It's so monotone that you'd think the person was half asleep on their feet. If I listen closely, I can hear the faint sound of rustling rocks as they approach.
I guess everyone is coming towards me then.
-???: "No clue, but I'd like for there to be some light. Anyone got a lighter or a flashlight on them?"
Another girl speaks. Her voice is smooth and confident, like velvet drifting on a cool wind—effortless, unbothered. Her flippant attitude is strangely calming, especially since we're stuck in the pitch dark in what seems to be some cave.
-???: "It's kinda cold, isn't it? Also why is it so damp and wet down here??? My butt is getting all soaked! Where are we?"
The last girl speaks, her voice higher pitched and more agitated than the others.
She sounds a little younger. Also, isn't there a weird ratio of men to women here?
"Okay, before we freak out, can we just get a head count on how many of us there are? Let's just take turns saying our names to each other."
- Kai: "OH, OH, I'll go first! I'm Kai. Kai Walker!"
"Dude, what did I say at about the yelling? Anyway, I'm Ayden Blackwood."
- Christy: "Christy Mable. Who's up next?"
Christy's tone is calm but firm, making it clear she's trying to take control of the situation.
- Lena: "I'm Lena Hart! Nice to meet y'all!"
The younger voice belongs to Lena. She sounds upbeat and optimistic, like she's trying to keep the mood light.
- Blair: "Blair Frost."
Blair's voice is flat, as it was before.
Is this girl capable of expressing anything?
- Christy: "Is that everyone?"
- Isabella: "Um… no, I'm Isabella Rose…" The shy girl speaks after a pause, hesitating just a bit.
I guess she's not great at talking to people… I can't blame her though. I don't even know what's going on here. Where the hell are we? Why us? Did something happen? Why is it that my head hurts so much when I try to think about how I got here?!
There's an ominous air looming over us. None of us are saying anything and everyone is probably expecting someone else to talk.
"…"
The silence stretches on, more oppressive now than ever. It's so quiet I can almost hear my heart beating in my ears. And then—suddenly, out of nowhere—a booming voice rips through the air.
- ???: "Ahh. You're all awake. Good. Now, we may begin the games."
The voice is loud, too loud, and it sends a chill straight down my spine. It feels like it's inside my skull, like it's part of me. I freeze again, and I can feel my heart race.
None of us say anything. The weight of the words settles into the pit of my stomach. This isn't just some accident. It's not just bad luck. This... this feels intentional.