Red Rum.

Sixteen.

After around 7 minutes the gym doors were open and students poured into the bleachers, all of who I knew sat in a scattered crowd in the corner or at the oposite end of the doors with the exception of Kyle who sat at the seat closest to the door in a defeated manner. Victoria and Alex sat ground level, Adam, Cayman, Luke, Brennan, and Charlie sat at the top of the bleachers. Katelyn sat by herself in the middle of the bleachers, sketching in her book. Andy, Levi, and Kate sat ground level near the corner, and Ash and I sat off center with some really chatty group of girls under us, "Oh. My. God. Stacey, have you seen Kyle Winter yet? I really want to sit by him, he is SO cute!"

"I haven't seen him, yet. Maybe you can ask him to homecoming?"

"I haven't even spoken to him yet!"

"Try to run into him or something? Maybe you'll have a few classes with him."

"Are you kidding? I heard he's one of those extremely smart future Harvard students."

"Maybe he won't have such high standards if you're pretty enough. You're like totally the prettiest girl, Bella! Besides, he's almost too smart; he cannot find someone to match that."

Bella flips her hair almost too absorbed in the 'prettiest' compliment. Well, I know who's going to be a pain in the ass all year. I don't think I can make it that far even with the people I'm around; I could die around them. Seconds later I hear a scream, "AHHH, Stacey is that him over there by the door?!"

"OH EM GEE, Bella, I think it is! We should totally go over there!"

"At least let me look at him for a bit, he is SO cute I can't even! He is just so adorable. What should I say to him?"

"Ice breakers maybe, he is wearing a NASA shirt, so maybe talk about space, that's what they do right?" 

"I think they are into space, but what should I say?"

"What's your favorite planet?"

"Earth, obviously! That's the only planet I know of that I can talk about."

"That's not sciencey enough, Bella! Talk about a constellation or something!" 

"I've heard about Orion before in like, the 5th grade or something! Maybe I could possibly talk about how amazing it looks in the summer!"

I hope they know that you can only see Orion the Hunter during the Sagitarrius period, which is the end of November until end of December...but that is none of my business.

"Alright, Stacey, let's move over there!"

Just as they stood up, a microphone screeched and they both sat back down, groaning. A woman with long blonde hair wearing a black and white pantsuit walks down the gym floor, "Good Afternoon students of Hope's Peak Academy. I am so glad you are attending this fine establishment to relish in education. Now, I'm going to get off the mic and let you be introduced by the one and only school mascot, Monokuma!" The walks off the gym floor and into the set of chair where, what I assume the administration is seated. Suddenly, a very very small black and white half-and-half bear walks into the center of the gym floors into a podium. He is so tiny, he must be at least 2'6. His shrill voice echos through the gym, "Welcome, welcome! I am Monokuma your headmaster. Believe it or not, I am not an animatronic, nor am I a costume, I'm a real bear." 

Ash and I give each other a puzzled glance and revert our attention back to Monokuma. "Anyways, it is unfortunate that I will not get to know you all for long for I am only looking for fifteen gifted students." The gym breaks off into mumbles about why they were even here.

I know for a fact I am not going to last at this school, so now I'm mentally packing my items.

Monokuma continues, "I must tell you, only freshmen will be the fifteen students." The gym erupts with yelling and groaning, "Settle down! The students are chosen for their gifts which they excel, they will be perfect for future projects within the academy." He lets out a long pause.

"The following students are to come down to the center of the gym to fill these fifteen seats: Charlie Graham, Kyle Winter, Brennan Parr, Victoria Ross, Anastasia Meyer," I give Ash a confused glance and make my way toward the gym floor, "Alexander Pope, Luke Marshall, Cayman Fisher, Levi Spence, Andy Wells, Kate Moss, Ashes Dawn, Avery Mitchell and Adam Mill." 

We all filled the seats around a dark wood table with paper and pens for every seat. Every one of were frozen with a confused expression on what is to come. Monokuma steps off of his podium, bringing the mic with him, "Now there is only one way for you to successfully graduate Hope's Peak academy. I would tell you straight up, but since you're gifted I'll kick this off with one single word: Red Rum." We all glance at each other, some raising a brow, "For the rest of you, there will be an alternative." He mumbles to himself, "As long as it doesn't malfunction." 

He goes to us, "The paper and pen is used to figure out the meaning of Red Rum, you will transition to the next part of the graduation process once you figure this out, go!" We all take the pen, clicking it rapidly and mumbling. I inhale and exhale heavily, "Okay Red Rum, Red Rum, Red Rum, what the hell could that even mean?" Kyle says through the silence, "Spell it out, guys, we need ideas. Think of anyting associated with it."

We all say in unison, "R.......E.........D........R......U.........M.....Red Rum." 

I spell it again without the space: RedRum. 

Okay, okay...RedRum is maybe one word? Maybe take the capital letter out? Redrum. Okay, now spell it with no capitals at all redrum. God, why does this sound so ridiculous? Everyone at the table is clicking pens and tapping fingers against the desk trying to make sense of this. Avery, "I know rum is liquor, maybe Monokuma is trying to tell us something that has to do with alcohol?" 

Monokuma mumbles once again, "I really hope this thing doesn't malfunction."

Kate pushes her glasses off her nose, "With alcohol, you can die with over intoxication."

Cayman, now serious for the first time, "Alcohol is also a poison."

Adam chimes in, "Maybe this has to do with death."

Kyle smacks the table and points to Adam, "I think you're on to something!"

Red Rum. REDRUM, RedRum, redrum...oh my god why is this so symbolic.

"WAIT!" 

Everyone glances to me; I look at the lettering of RedRum and decide to spell it backwards.

"M....U....R..D....E....R.........Murder."

RedRum is Murder backwards.

Just as I said that the world moved in slow motion, the walls opened up to darkened areas. We all scream and duck down, covered our bodies from the spears that emerged from the walls, skewering every student in the bleachers.

That's how we were the only fifteen left.