The Paradox Challenge

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

“How do the Games work?” I asked the tall boy with the warm brown eyes, “What are we supposed to do?”

“Each puzzle has twenty five 'puzzle-parts',” he explained, shrugging, “The puzzle-parts usually consist of rooms you have to escape, people you have to meet, places you have to go, and in the end, you have to piece together all the information you've gathered to answer a question. If you are tackling a part alone, usually it's timed. But that's kind of rare because in the majority of the twenty five parts, you are with other people in explorable places. Anyways, you keep doing the puzzles until you figure out how to escape the entire game. Some people spend years and years with no results. And then they just die. Others are disintegrated on their first part because they either can't solve a solitary timed room, or don't answer the riddle at the end.”

I wrinkled my nose in confusion. “So what happens when you escape?”

The boy shrugged again, brushing aside dark hair from his face. “No one really knows. We just understand we're supposed to do it.”

“Why am I in the Games?”

“Because you were chosen.”

“Do I have to do it?”

“Yep. You don't really have a choice.”

I frowned, crossing my arms over my chest. “Why do the Games exist?”

“To better humanity,” he frowned, like he didn't believe it at all, “We are monitored to see how well we comprehend logistics. All that data is built up in the main server where they can calculate your brain power.”

“How long have you been doing the Paradox Challenge?”

“Twenty four puzzles, two years,” he replied, “And I'm still alive.”

“Do you have any idea how to escape?”

“I think so.”

“Why don't you?”

“I'm not 100% sure of exactly how though,” he replied, “I think I need to do a few more puzzles before I understand.”

“How many--”

“You ask too many questions,” the boy interrupted, his eyes flashing, “I only asked one when I first came here.”

“But you were fourteen,” I frowned, “How could you not be curious?”

“I figure things out pretty quick.”

“But it's still so young...”

“You're fifteen.”

“I know--”

“Are you going to keep pestering me or shall we move on?”

Blushing, I looked down, staring at the flaps of my brown, muddied shoes. I always asked too many questions. I always had to know. Always.

“I'm Sierra,” I finally mustered.

“Ren,” he replied and smiled.

“Part two; initiated,” the female voice blared again, “Solve the tiles or explode.”

“Thank's a lot,” Sierra muttered, rolling her eyes. The system must have been lazy with details today.

The rapidly decreasing ten, re-spurred panic in her chest. But how was she supposed to solve the task if the task was on the ceiling? Glancing around, Sierra rushed back to her coffin. Struggling, she pushed it directly under the bulk of the tile pieces before propping it up for her to stand on. Her legs shook, but she managed a stable balance where her hands could easily reach the puzzle.