THE CRYSTAL HOUSE

¶Let the Games Begin¶

"You're very direct Penny, I admire it. We'll see what happens after this."

October 19th

Mareike

Mareike sat in the hallway and ticked off yesterday's date on her calendar, adding another line at the bottom to mark the third day. She still found it hard to sleep without guards outside her door, and the fact that her mom would punish them distressed her. She gave them credit, her plan to escape had nearly backfired but her quick thinking put them in her mother's line of fire. If not for the wet floor that had conveniently appeared---

Someone walked towards her and hovered. "Can't sleep?"

She looked up into a guy's eyes and nodded her head. He sat beside her, and pointed to her calendar. "Me too, can I see that?"

"Three days, that long already huh?" He handed back the calendar and sighed. "Still feels unreal to me, I might wake up and see myself in Arizona preparing for another blistering heat wave."

"Like that is exactly how I feel. It seems like a dream, running here from another country. Thrilling, and scary, and exciting, and---" Mareike clamped her hands over her mouth and looked down at her chewed nails. She just plunged, headfirst, into revealing her life story to a stranger who currently gazed at her in amusement.

"Another country? Figures, with your name and looks. Let me guess, Austria, Germany, Belgium?" He looked at her, expecting an answer.

She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, what was wrong with her looks? She looked just like everyone here, apart from her light brown hair which changed colour depending on the season (now blonde to represent summer), her olive skin, her sapphire eyes, and wide jaws which became more pronounced when she added weight.

Mareike was sullen. "Germany. How do you know my name?" Stupid question. A consequence of thinking only after you spoke.

"We had introductions on the first day, and played the Question game yesterday, remember?" His eyes widened as he looked at her. "You don't know mine?"

Of course, she remembered him from the game yesterday. He brought up most of the questions but she could not remember hearing his name throughout, so she shook her head.

"Hi, I'm Marcello. It's nice to meet you, Mareike." He thrust out a hand,  offering her a handshake. "By the way, what's the meaning of your name?"

Mareike took his hand and fought hard to conceal her blush. No one had ever been intrigued enough about her name to ask what it meant, let alone attractive guys with strong hands. "Umm, like it's the German form of Maria, but literally it means Star of the sea." He nodded, and offered no further comment so she took a leap of faith. "What about yours? Italian right?"

"Perfecto. My parents thought it cute to name me little warrior, except now I'm not so little."

Mareike laughed. "Well, it is still a cute name and it would be a waste to change it now." She looked at the clock opposite where they sat. "I think it would be wise for us to get some sleep. It is nearly three am, the first game is at noon."

Marcello got up, and held out his hand. "Which door? I'll walk you there."

This time, she let the heat creep up to her cheeks. She took his hand for the second time in one night and stood. "Room A."

Femi

Someone tapped his shoulder. "Hey, wake up. It's nearly time for the first games." Femi peeped an eye open, and looked directly into his roommate's face, instantly he scooted back earning him a laugh.