It had begun.

Caius, the Game Moderator, set the games in motion. Out of the twelve players, Klara McClain and Frederick Lukas were the first ones selected. They left with the man out of the room and abandoned the others and me to wait in the lobby anxiously.

Despite the stress, everyone must’ve felt about the intensity of our situation, the uncomfortable silence in the room was far more unbearable. No one attempted to speak with one another.

How could they?

Regardless of our predicament, we were a bunch of strangers trapped in a survival game. We were all enemies aiming for the grand prize of one million dollars.

The silence soon vanished once Caius’ annoying voice came over the intercom above our heads, “Is everyone ready for the first game to begin?”

“This is gonna be fun,” Melanie eagerly approached the large, glass window and watched as Frederick and Klara entered the game room from opposite sides.

Upon their entry, the grid panels on the floor shined brightly, forcing the players to shield their eyes and look away. The light diminished, and the floor pattern on the ground dramatically changed. It appeared as if Klara and Frederick stood on a giant gameboard.

“Player number three, Klara McClain, and player number ten, Frederick Lukas have offered their GP! Now the first game of Ludo shall commence!” Caius joyous announced.

Klara and Frederick looked down at their hands. A die rested in their palms. Neither of them appeared shaken up about the game.

Frederick seemed all too eager, putting his life on the line as he casually tossed the die up and down in his hand. He caught the object one last time and showed it to Klara with a grin.

“Games with dice are my specialty. So, no hard feelings when I win, sweetcheeks.” He proudly said. “Since I’m a gentleman, I’ll let you go first.”

Klara shared no enthusiasm for the man’s remarks. However, she accepted the man’s offer and made the first roll of the game. It landed on a three.

“Oh! What a shame! Klara is unable to leave the player yard! The next turn goes to Frederick!” Caius announced.

“Better luck next time?” Frederick sneered and made his roll. The die landed on a six. He smirked at the sight of it and stepped into the yard.

“What tremendous luck! Frederick’s first roll lands him in the starting area! He earns himself another turn!” Caius revealed.

“I don’t understand,” said Elena from the couch. She looked around flummoxed over the turn of events. “How come Klara can’t leave from her spot?”

“Haven’t played Ludo before?” wondered Salomon as he lit up another cigar in the corner of the room. He proceeded to explain once the blonde-haired woman shook her head in response, “It’s a simple game. Players have to use dice to move around the board and reach the home goal in the center. The players start the game in their separate yards and can’t leave until they roll a six.”

“Luck must be on Frederick’s side to land a six on the first roll,” Elena noted.

“Rolling a six gets you on the board and earns you another turn?” Iris asked.

“That’s right,” Salomon confirmed with a nod of his head.

“That doesn’t sound very fair,” complained Darius. “What happens if someone only rolls sixes?”

“Impossible,” Wyatt declared with a stern shake of his head. “No one can continuously roll sixes for an entire game.”

“Not without cheating,” I pointed out.

“It’s fine. If on the third turn someone rolls a six, then that turn is skipped.” Salomon educated everyone.

“Lucky me.” Frederick shrugged his shoulders and then collected his die. Per the rules of the game, he earned himself another roll.

Frederick made it and smiled as he got another six. He picked up the die and proceeded six spaces on the board. Afterward, he went for the third time in a row.

Another six.

“That’s it for me,” Frederick shrugged his shoulders and remained in place.

“Well, shit, Stains did it,” Melanie said.

“Isn’t this game supposed to be luck and chance?” Darius looked around to the other players for assurance.

“It’s supposed to be,” Salomon took a drag from his cigar.

Once Klara’s turn came around, the woman made her roll. She didn’t leave the yard since it landed on a five.

Frederick scoffed at the sight and made his rolls. Like before, all three times, the die landed on a six. He moved further across the board.

That pattern continued twice.

“What’s wrong, sweetcheeks? I’m gonna win if you don’t pick up the pace,” Frederick taunted with a smug grin on his face.

To the surprise of no one, Klara remained silent and resumed with her turn despite the provocation. She stepped out from her yard once the die landed on a six.

“Okay, is anyone else suspicious about Frederick’s streak of luck?” Darius sarcastically asked.

“Ever since his second turn,” Henrika said.

“That fuckin’ piece of shit loaded his die! The game’s rigged!” Melanie groaned in frustration and stepped away from the glass window.

“That’s not fair! If he’s cheating like this, then we should tell Caius!” Iris adamantly suggested.

“Is there even a punishment for someone caught cheating in the games?” Elena wondered.

“I doubt Caius even cares,” Nicholas presumed.

“Would it be wise to inform Caius?” All eyes suddenly landed on Zoey once she raised the question.

“Klara could die if she loses thanks to Frederick’s cheating!” Iris pointed out.

“Possibly, but then we could also get Frederick killed if we call him out,” Zoey countered.

It was a sound argument.

From what I knew about Caius, the man was a stickler for the rules. Any violation of his laws deserved punishment, which meant death to the perpetrators. If we warned the moderator of Frederick’s underhanded tactics, then execution awaited the man.

“What should we do then?” Darius wondered.

“Wait and see what happens,” Zoey coldly instructed as she moved her attention to the television screen. “Everyone’s aware that Frederick’s cheating, but Caius hasn’t stopped the game. Something’s up.”

“Frederick’s already made it halfway across the board. A few more turns and he’ll lap Klara,” Salomon warned.

“Is that bad?” I asked.

“Klara will get sent back to her yard if that happens, so, maybe.” He replied.

“Klara has finally made it to the starting area! It’s her turn again!” Caius announced.

Klara retrieved her die and went again. She proceeded four spaces after she made her roll.

“Nice, I thought you’d never make it on the board,” Frederick commented. With that, he made his rolls. To the surprise of no one, all of them fell on sixes. He maneuvered through the board, and as Salomon warned, the man lapped Klara and sent her back to the yard. “My bad, Klara.”

Klara ignored him and went about her turn. She stayed in her spot since it didn’t land on a six.

Frederick went and proceeded twelve spaces after his rolls. When he reached the last spot, the floor panel glowed red and electrocuted him. He convulsed violently, only to drop to his knees afterward.

“Holy shit! What happened?!” Darius exclaimed and jumped from his seat on the couch.

“Electrocution traps? Fuckin’ sweet!” Melanie smiled.

“Is Frederick still alive?!” Iris ensured Elena’s eyes got covered as she waited for a response from anyone.

“Yeah, he’s gettin’ up,” Melanie dully said.

Frederick shook off the effects of the shocks and angrily shouted at the intercoms on the ceiling, “What the fuck was that, Caius?!”

“What a shocking turn of events! You activated one of the secret traps, Frederick!” Caius cruelly joked. The man spared no expense to humiliate and torture the other players — a true sadist at work. “Be careful when moving across the board!”

Frederick mumbled a few swears while Klara went ahead with her turn. The first roll landed her out of the yard, and the second roll helped her progress five spaces. The moment her foot hit the last spot, the panel sunk into the floor, throwing the woman off balance.

A section in the wall opened up, allowing a pendulum ax to swing out at her. Thankfully, Klara dodged. The ax swung back and forth a few times before returning to the wall.

“First electrocution traps and now a pendulum ax?” Nicholas grimaced at the sight of the traps. If that’s how the games progressed, then I could only imagine what other horrors awaited the rest of us in the future.

“I thought no one was supposed to get hurt,” Elena said.

“That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore,” Darius said begrudgingly.

Salomon exhaled his last puff of smoke and dropped his cigar on the floor. “I don’t remember a game of Ludo being this dangerous.”

Zoey frowned and gripped onto her left arm. “That’s because it’s Caius’ own sick and twisted version of it.”

“Fuck this game! Let’s end this!” Frederick went through his turns, as usual. He managed to get himself to the last space before the home goal.

Klara rolled her die and advanced four spaces. And with that, Frederick’s turn came once again. The disgusting smile on his face said it all—that the one million dollar prize was all his for the taking.

“It’s been fun, sweetcheeks. But I gotta get my money,” Frederick rolled the die and stepped into the home goal.

“I am sorry, Frederick. But, you cannot reach the goal yet. Move back,” Caius suddenly ordered. Frederick’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor as he reluctantly moved back one space.

“What?! Why?!” The man desperately exclaimed.

“You cannot make it into the home goal until you make a precise roll. You are one step away from winning.” Caius informed.

“So, I hafta roll a one to win?”

“Correct.”

“But I can’t! That’s…” Frederick stopped and stared at the die in his hand.

Melanie clutched her sides and laughed hysterically at Frederick’s predicament. From everyone’s understanding, the bastard had a loaded die in the game—it wouldn’t land on anything than a six.

Frederick got himself trapped in that one spot.

“Stains is so fucked! Look at his face!” Melanie sneered at the sight of Frederick’s shocked face.

“He looks frightened,” Elena noted.

“It doesn’t surprise me. Frederick won’t win no matter how hard he tries,” I said.

“So, Klara will win, eventually,” Wyatt added.

“Good. Maybe then Frederick will learn that cheaters never win,” Darius said.

Frederick hunched over and scratched his head frantically. It must’ve been frustrating, being one step away from victory.

The game proceeded. Klara slowly circumnavigated the board while Frederick stayed in place. Soon enough, the woman reached the final space before the home goal.

They locked eyes—both players only one step away from absolute victory. The moment Klara raised her arm to make the final roll, Frederick dropped down to his knees in desperation.

“Wait! Klara! Please!” He cried out. Klara froze her arm and looked down at the pathetic man. “You can’t win this game! You can’t! If you do, I’ll die!”

“Look at him, cryin’ like a bitch,” Melanie scoffed at the sight.

“What does he mean by that?” Elena asked.

“That idiot must’ve bet all his points!” Iris declared.

“It appears that way,” Nicholas lifted his shades to his forehead.

“Is there anything anyone can do to save him?” Darius asked.

“No.” Wyatt shook his head.

“Please don’t make your roll! Give me some time to think of a way out of this! I don’t wanna die! Not like this!” Frederick pathetically begged to the woman.

Klara callously completed her turn. She rolled the die and watched it land on the specified number—one. With that move made, the woman stepped into the home goal and won the game.

Sections of the ceiling split apart, allowing confetti to rain down all over the room with fanfare blaring. It signaled the end of the event.

“This marks the end of the game! Player number three, Klara McClain, is the winner!” Caius joyously declared.

Frederick’s face contorted into pure despair. His arms fell limp to his sides as he muttered, “Son of a bitch…”

The door behind Klara opened up, providing her an escape route from the game room. She wasted no time heading toward the exit.

“Where do you think you’re going, bitch?!” Frederick stood to his feet and shouted.

Klara paid him no mind and continued with her advancement toward the door. Frederick roared as he charged at the woman. In a surprise show of athleticism, Klara used the man’s momentum against him and flipped the bastard over her shoulder.

He hit the floor hard and stayed down as Klara stepped over him and left the room. The door closed and locked behind her.

“What the hell are you doing, Caius! She just used physical violence against me! Kill her! Kill her now!” Frederick shouted like a deranged man. He didn’t care how. He just wanted someone to go down with him.

“What?! No! He can’t do that! Klara was only defending herself!” Elena came to Klara’s defense.

“Frederick! That scumbag!” Iris exclaimed.

“Don’t worry,” Zoey assured, suddenly easing the worries of the other players.

“Have you forgotten the rules, Frederick? Physical violence is allowed inside of the game room,” Caius reiterated. “Therefore, I will not kill Klara. You, however, will not be so fortunate.”

“What?!” Frederick shouted.

“You are out of GP, so you are no longer considered a player and must suffer the consequences. It is time for the punishment round!”

Upon Caius’ announcement, a section in the wall split apart, revealing a large screen tv within the game room. An image of a wheel similar to the game wheel appeared on the screen.

“This is the execution wheel! It will decide your fate!”

“You’re shittin’ me!” Frederick yelled.

Without missing a beat, the dreadful wheel spun. It eventually stopped and landed on the panel that featured an image of someone getting shot by multiple guns.

“I don’t like the looks of that one,” Wyatt said.

“A fantastic first choice! I sentence Frederick Lukas to death by firing squad!” Caius declared.

“Firing squad?!” Henrika exclaimed.

“Oh yeah, baby! That’s what I’m talkin’ about! Shoot him up!” Melanie pressed her face against the glass window. She had a front-row view of a public execution.

“This is ridiculous,” Nicholas claimed. “Caius cannot be serious about this.”

“He didn’t kill Ambrose earlier. Maybe this is all a joke?” Iris asked nervously.

“I doubt that,” Zoey said solemnly—as if she knew what to expect from the turn of events.

“Firing squad?! No! This game’s rigged!” Frederick ran over to the nearest door and desperately banged on it with his fists. “This wasn’t supposed to happen! It should’ve been a sure win! He lied to me! The bastard lied to me!”

“Let the execution begin!” Caius demanded.

Several panels from the walls came off, and many gun barrels poked out from them. Frederick looked around and continued with his meaningless struggle. One of the guns fired off round and hit Frederick in the shoulder. He exclaimed loudly in pain but continued to struggle.

He hobbled away from the door, trying to find a spot in the room to hide from the guns. During his desperate attempt, two more bullets found their ways into his arms. It wasn't until the fourth shot went through his leg did the man finally collapse to the floor.

"God damn it! Stop! Fucking stop! It hurts! It fucking hurts!" He desperately bellowed in excruciating pain.

He slowly crawled towards the large glass window. He saw us, watching down on him. He reached his arm out towards us, his face pleading for us to save him from the execution. “Someone…anyone…I don’t wanna die…”

Eventually, the poor bastard got overwhelmed in a hailstorm of bullets. After about a minute of constant gunfire, it all finally stopped. Everyone looked at the television screen in complete silence, waiting for the smoke to clear, wanting verification of Frederick's status. Once the smoke had cleared, Frederick was gone.

All that was left was an unrecognizable, grotesque figure hollowed out and riddled with bullet holes. Blood pooled from every open wound, drenching him and the floor in a deep shade of crimson.

And just like that, only eleven players remained in the competition.