The Adaptive Game

"CRANK IT UP"

- Conner

"Player 420. Respond or you will be executed."

This is really serious. This is something she WILL not say.

"-Shaun follows me on FansOnly."

Nevermind. She will talk.

"Continue, player 420."

"Shaun gives me requests."

"..."

"A-And he pays me to show me pictures."

Is this... real?

"Of me hurting myself."

"That's enough player 420."

What was that?

Do I believe that?

Can I trust anything at this point?

"Player 690."

It's my turn.

"Player 690, Truth or Dare?"

This is actually tough. What if I get something really bad?

What if I have to reveal something really personal?

Or worse?

"I choose Truth."

"Player 690, how long have you been harassing other women on the internet?"

"What? WHAT?"

"Do you need me to repeat that?"

Do I need him to repeat that? DO I?

HOW DO THEY KNOW ALL OF THIS?

I'm not a pedophile. I'm no bad guy.

I made the wrong decision. Now it's back to ask me again.

I need to get this off my back quick. How long have I been doing this?...

"10 months." I answer truthfully.

"Player 141. Truth or Dare?"

That'd be Gavin.

"Dare."

"Choose either the person to your left or to your right to play 'Five Finger Fillet' with. The first player to stop playing will be executed."

He's shooken up, but he looks confident. He looks at me, then the person to the right of him.

"I'll go with player 503."

Thank god.

"Good. Both of you know how to play?" He places two steak knives on the table.

"Yes sir. Hit the spaces between your fingers. All of that."

"Take one each. You may begin in 3, 2, 1."

Gavin gets a good lead immediately, while the other 503 is much behind.

"Player 503, speed up."

503 tries to go faster but starts cutting himself. Even though he's bleeding all over the table, it doesn't make him stop chopping.

Gavin is sweating up a storm. He still hasn't cut himself yet, but he seems to be losing it by the second.

"Both players speed up."

Gavin makes a mistake and chops the blade down on his middle finger. It bleeds a lot more violently than the other cuts I've seen, but he won't stop.

Meanwhile, the other player is deteriorating. He can't keep up and cuts it on his finger one last time before falling to the floor.

Gavin drops his knife as soon as the other player hits the ground. The Square Guard promptly shoots the other player in the head.

"Continue."

After a few rounds, it comes to Shaun again. We're only a few dares short.

"Player 010, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

He's choosing Dare a lot. Does he not want to tell a secret?

Whatever...

"Player 010, stab anyone in the circle with this screwdriver, anywhere below the waist."

THAT'S A DARE? WE GET ALL OF THIS TORTURE AND HE GETS A FREE ATTACK?

"Yes, sir."

He looks at all of us in the room carefully.

Walking around the table, he continues looking at the back of our heads. With what intent, I don't know.

Is he going to stab the most dangerous one here?

Or is he going to take the misery out of someone who's suffering?

"Hey, Conner."

"...Shaun?"

"How do you feel?"

"Um... fine?"

Without warning, he squats down and slams the screwdriver through my thigh.

"AAAH! THE FUCK!"

"You okay?"

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT?!"

"Yes?"

"NO!"

"Alright, I'll leave it in. It hit no vital arteries."

What the hell is he doing?

The wound doesn't hurt so much at this point. Everything is okay.

The only thing worrying me is Shaun.

It comes to David.

"Player 555, Truth or Dare?"

"Easily, Truth."

"How much have you earned by illegally taking out organs from people to sell?"

David would do that?

On top of that, HOW DOES HE GET AWAY WITH IT?!

"That uh... yeah! $60,000 dollars."

WHAT IN THE HELL?!

I almost said it out loud. But there is nothing more jaw-dropping than that. I get that everyone came here to earn money, but as a surgeon he needs this much help?

And to go to that length?

I don't know anything about surgeons. Still, in David's place it wouldn't ever be a supporting option for me.

Emilia goes next.

"Player 420, two more dares are required."

"I choose Dare."

"You may..."

The Square Guard pauses.

"Sir?- Yes? Oh. Okay. Yes, sir."

Everyone is silent for a while until the Square Guard resumes.

"Player 420, you can electrocute yourself with a high voltage battery or do the same to the person to your right."

The person to her right is me.

He pauses again.

"Yes, sir? Alright. Ahem, do the same to the person to your right - in the groin."

I look at Emilia. She wouldn't do that.

Would she?

The guard charges up this large, chunky car battery.

Connecting the cables together, he then passes it to Emilia and she grabs both cables.

I really don't want to be shocked down there.

What if it gets paralyzed?

And I can never use it again?!

Oh forget that. I need to focus on the present.

Emilia opens both clamps and puts them on her fingers.

I can see Emilia mouth something to me before she secures the second clamp.

"Good luck."

The Square Guard goes over to the machine. Emilia sweats vigorously as the Square Guard begins to crank it up.