The Price of Life - A Novella

Chapter Seven :: Puzzle Pieces

"I think something is wrong with this game."

"Duh," her answer comes out with more attitude than initially intended. 

To her surprise, he chuckles lightly; letting the corner of his lips lift, ever so slightly, into a barely noticeable smile. "No, I mean, I think we've been playing the wrong game."

Simone lifts an inquisitive brow, waiting for him to continue. 

"Remember Orientation?"

She nods. 

"The woman at the end of the video said to 'find the door'. At first I thought it was just the objective of the first level but now.. I think I was wrong."

She stays silent, waiting for him to explain.

"The exit in the first level was easy, it exposed itself after the columns were solved. The second level had false exits with no locks, but the real exits also needed the same symbols used in the first level." He removes her arm from the water, flipping it around to check for bruising. 

False exits? So did that man die because the exit I found wasn't really an exit?

He wraps her wrist in a small towel before sitting on the counter and looking her in the eyes. His expression softer than before. "I think all the death is a distraction from the real game. I think it's pulling us into something that will end with no winners. I think the actual door is somewhere else, so I need to know about the trial."

Simone sits on the edge of the tub, confounded. 

It would make sense, but why put us through any of this? If there is some secret game within this, then there has to be a bigger reason. Giving those who have nothing a chance to get what they want most can't be the endgame. Dad would say I told you so.

"My bracelet opened the door. This... thing seemed to chase us, but it never attacked, it never approached. At first I thought it was just watching us, but now," she pauses, letting her thought wonder through options. "I think it was pushing us to the trial. It was almost circling us, making sure we knew it was there to we would steer away from it. Running from it is how we found the door."

"Dinner will begin in thirty minutes," Helen announces. 

"Was there a ladder or stairs," Emmerson asks, ignoring the dinner announcement. 

"Neither, it was an elevator."

His expression turns to confusion. "What kind of door what it? You said your bracelet opened it."

Simone explains the door, the elevator with a broken button, and the events of the trial. He listens without interruption, absorbing every word. Then he stops her.

"Wait, you said Hanning? As in Clover Hanning the woman on the news?"

Simone shrugs. "I guess it could be, Helen just said that Founder Hanning requested that we do a bracelet count."

He nods, pondering the additional information. "Okay." He stands, checking on her wrist again. "How does it feel?"

"Better," Simone answers honestly. 

He nods, letting her wrist go. "I'll come find you after dinner." 

She nods and they walk to the dinner table together. On the way they see a woman, covered in blood and tears streaming from her face as she holds her hand. When Simone attempts to approach, Emmerson stops her, shaking his head. 

"What happened," she asks in a whisper as he leads her into the diningroom. 

"When you pressed the button, she was exiting, and the hatch closed on her hand. He lost most of her fingers."

Her eyes widen as she peaks over her shoulder to glace at the woman. He presses her forward and they take their seats beside each other. A long, grand, dark wooden table sits in the center of the long room set with plates covered with sterling domes. The dark table is brightened with candles and various flowers, all within shades of red and orange. 

"How come no one is helping her? Helen would have reported it, right?"

He shrugs. "Likely because they're choosing not to."

The others slowly filter in. The large table that's normally seats 100 is now set for less than half that. Simone counts the seats and her heart drops.

There are only 18 contestants left..

Obbie takes the seat on the other side of her, squeezing her hand as she sits. She glances as Emmerson, then at Simone. "You okay?"

Simone nods as the bloody woman is helped to her seat by another contestant. 

Dinner starts and finishes in silence. Only sobs fill the empty space between the clinks of silverware, scratching against plates as everyone cut into large slices of meat. Simone relishes the taste; having only seen it in movies since it is more than her family has ever been able to afford. Emmerson eats quickly, leaving the table without a word. Obbie clears a majority of her plate, but she pushes it aside and leaves the table as Simone does. Obbie grabs her by the hand, leading her to an empty corner of the main room. 

"Are you sure your okay?"

Simone gives her a thin smile. "I'll be okay, I just need to sleep for a bit."

Obbie agrees, and they walk to their separate rooms. 

When she enters, Simone's eyes are taken by Emmerson's long frame laid across her bed on his back, throwing a bar of soap up and catching it as it comes back to him. He doesn't move, even as she closes the door and sits beside him, he continues to toss the soap. 

"How's your wrist", he asks, keeping his eyes on his tossing. 

"It's fine."

"Good." He catches the bar of soap one more time before sitting up and placing it on the side table. He stands, taking Simone's hand and walking to the bathroom, closing the door behind them. "I've been thinking about the bonus trial and I think it might be our way out."

"How? The room didn't have any doors, and it brought us back here."

"You said after the trial, the elevator took you to another floor before it brought you back. So far, it's the only elevator that stops anywhere other than on a level. And the access door here in the Safe Zone locked behind you, but the white room has open access."

"So, you think the real door is somewhere inside the bonus trial?"

He shakes his head. "No. I think its behind the door that locked and the only way to know for sure is to do the next trial."

--- Thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to comment and vote! All notes are welcome ---

Word Count :: 11350 of 20000