Execution:it starts with you

the smell of rust, blood, and freshly made popcorn?

Ringing ears and vision blurry I tried to settle, how long was I out? Where even am I? I slowly got up from the comfortable neat bed ironic for my circumstances. I slowly stood catching my fall while trying to stand up by grabbing a nightstand. The room I awoke to was bright flashing lights and a candy cane striped wallpaper. I shuffled across the room and admidst my confusion stumbled through the closest door while trying to recollect my thoughts. I was working on my newest report, something about government doing unethical business with a powerful company, shady stuff. I couldn't even care about the God awful blaring carnival music, who the hell decided that? I walked down a long narrow hall doors aligning themselves across each side perfectly symmetrical to each other, combined with the music the raging headache as well. It's almost like this hellhole was whispering in your ear an inch closer to absolute insanity. I mumbled to myself "let's see I was working on a article about that company right? It was called-" I fell silent when I realized I couldn't remember, impossible I spent months I it I can't just forget that easily? After a endless amount of walking I and a sense of dread, I opened a giant metal heavy double door the other side blinding me with lights, I pushed through and was met with a circus themed giant room a spiral pattern of red and white on the floor, the same candy cane striped walls, and a group of people. I watched from afar not knowing if this was some prank or a setup, regardless I was pointed out immediately by a chubby old fellow in priest robes. The man shouted to the others "my friends we have another unlikely soul to be here" he turned to look at me, his Hazelnut sleek hair and short beard well groomed yet aged. He spoke gently "my dear child, it seems unfortunately we have all been gathered here for some unknown reason, I am Abel, please come closer to the group so we can grasp a idea on our situation." I stared at him reluctantly before deciding the best course of action was to comply. I couldn't speak rather that be out of fear, confusion, who knows. I walked with Abel joining the wave of people in the center of the room. I observed the people around, a tall athletic thin tan guy with fluffy pink hair wearing a green tank top and brown jeans was conversating with a clean shaved average guy in a military uniform, wait no that couldn't be right military? They have military here? I shook my head as I jolted, someone placed a hand on my back it scared me half to death, I turned to see a white man couldn't be older than his twenties. The man spoke "you seem pretty out of it, relax everything is going to be fine, with this many people missing including people like mister military over there, and this awesome detective also known as me, theyll find us in no time, names Parker by the way, what's yours?" I collected my thoughts and composed myself before speaking "I am Ken, Ken Edwards, but Ken is fine sir, I mean Parker, thank you, I am pretty out of it" Parker chuckled and put one of his hands on his hip while fixing the tie to his tuxedo. Parker responded "relax no need to he formal, Ken that's a nice name, I suppose I should try to gather some sense of organization here, so we aren't so scattered." I nodded as I watched Parker walk up to the military guy interrupting the conversation between him and the tank top dude, I guess in chaos those with authority would be the best to lead. Parker spoke loudly to get everyone's attention and said "listen up I know we're all confused here, hell even I am but let's think for a second, we don't know how many of us are here, each others names, or if we're here for a reason." Parker stopped for a second and turned to look at the guy in the military uniform, Parker continued speaking "Tito and me are going to be leading this for now on." I watched as the others spoke to eachother mumbling and muttering, before one voice spoke up, it was the pink haired dude he loudly shouted "and who are you to make the shots, why should we trust you?" Parker sighed and put his hand to his face, it was clear Parker didn't have the time or patience for this. I for the first time in forever, even though I was never the type to make a noise, to make myself known or aruge, I spoke up countering what was said "what do you think you could do a better job pinkie pie?" The pink haired dude scoffed and started angrily coming towards me while saying "pinkie pie my ass I'll shove my hand so far down your throat you'll have to eat through an IV tube the rest of your life" I started backing away as the dude got closer. Abel stepped between me and the pink haired dude and said "this is no time for violence children. We are in a dire situation, how about we state our names, you first?" Abel pointed to the pink haired fellow, the guy yanked at his tank top fixing it before saying "Rodriguez,that's all you need to know me by" Parker butted into to the conversation "you too good for your peers?" Rodriguez responded "shut it I'm not talking to any sort of pig" the group grew uneasy. The guy in the military uniform Tito decided to speak up "this ain't getting us nowhere with this violence we need to help and see each other out" Tito was about to speak more when everyone's focus shifted to the platform on the ceiling descending down like a elevator. The platform went down half away, it was circular and had rails it was a mini platform lift. I stared up joining the majority. A woman was on it she had long straight white hair and she was wearing a clown mask and a colorful suit she spoke "hello, hello, welcome truly one and all, we got a wonderful cast today don't we, unfortunately you are just a small pack of the whole group, my sister got the other few of you, needless to say, I am cherry, your admin this floor, welcome to the circus of madness" Rodriguez spoke up "what the fuck, fuck you, this isn't some humorous game get us out of here" Cherry cocked her head to the side and said "how rude I don't like you already, disqualified" she began pulling something out of her pocket. I stared frozen I think everyone was, we heard a bang but when I turned to look, Tito was in front of Rodriguez, tightly guarding him from any harm. Tito's grasp loosened as he fell to his knees, a large hole through his back barely through the body. Bleeding profusely. Cherry giggled as Tito gasped for air, Rodriguez fell to the floor scuttering backwards out of fear, a few people ran over to Tito to help specifically Abel and Parker. But I was too frozen in fear to even breathe, this had to be a dream I thought, theres no way. Cherry spoke "the way this works is you will be given thirty minutes before the main three minigames start you will be put through hell to see if you can survive. After those three minigames the main voting trial starts, we will explain more then, and for the poor soul who just got saved, remember that face for the rest of your life if you escape here, and take it as a sign" I stared in fear the others were a mix of fear, noises, the air was thick and heavy as the platform that cherry was on left. I stared in terror, I didn't know what to think or what to do, are we going to die here? Main voting and minigames, none of this made sense, why me? I was taken out of my trance when I heard crying from a little girl. I turned to my right to see a girl a teen couldn't be older than twelve or thirteen. I approached her gently, a kid must be terrified seeing this. She had light blue hair and brown eyes, soft delicate hair it seemed like cotton candy. I walked up and crouched in front of her and said "hey kid it's alright" Parker noticed us and walked over he stared at me and said "look at you taking the big boy role, want to be my partner in crime?" I stared at him somewhat angrily I guess he could sense my mood because he quickly said "sorry, not the time to joke I see, i guess Im too desensitized to this" Parker looked at the kid and softly said "who puts a kid in this shit, more importantly that woman said there were other's? Are there more kids?" I responded "I don't know but our best move is to play along this sick game, I'm going to go investigate perhaps there's a way out" Parker nodded and sighed putting his hand on his neck, I didn't realize it til now but everyone's hands had these metal plates bolted to them with a tube in between with some liquid, I guess that's another thing that will be explained at a later time. I marched off determined yet afraid, yet no one here knew what would happen or what was to come, the only way was forward. I walked to a door on the far right side of the room. Rodriguez noticed me and walked over he was shaky yet trying to stay composed he said "mind if I come, ain't better staying with these losers such a buzz kill" I hesitated for a second, but nodded. I could tell something was troubling him plus going alone was more dangerous, so we walked through the door into the unknown.