The Liar Game
755 Words
Locke, seated closest to the dead man, felt a piece of something sticky and warm cling to his cheek. His hand trembled as he wiped it away, revealing a chunk of brain matter, still pulsating faintly. Within seconds, it deflated like a balloon, lifeless. A woman sitting to the victim’s right stared for three long seconds before unleashing a piercing scream. The sound shattered the fragile resolve of the group. How could anyone possess the raw strength to crush a human skull with their bare hands? Was this masked figure even human? The Suspicious One’s voice cut through the panic, deep and calm. “The reason I brought ten of you here was simple—one must be made an example.” The scream died. The room fell into oppressive silence. The men who had earlier shouted curses now cowered, fear etched into their features. “This is no longer a matter of legality,” someone muttered under their breath. Satisfied with their terror, the Suspicious One nodded slowly. “Good. Nine of you remain, and now, you are quiet.” Adrian stared down at his trembling hands, his mind racing to grasp the reality of the situation. The sticky yellow fragment in his palm finally stilled, its faint warmth draining away. The Suspicious One wiped his bloodied hands on his suit and gestured to his mask. “Allow me to formally introduce myself,” he said. “I am the Fallen Mortals of Suspicion, and you are the participants.” “Participants?” someone whispered. “You’ve been gathered here,” the Suspicious One continued, his tone unnervingly even, “to partake in a game. The ultimate goal? To create a god.” The group exchanged uneasy glances, frowning at the implications. A god? The very idea was preposterous. Yet, the man spoke with such conviction that disbelief felt dangerous. “What kind of god?” a muscular man finally asked, his voice tinged with both skepticism and dread. “A god like Gaia,” the Suspicious One declared with a grotesque flourish, his voice rising with manic energy. “Magnificent, isn’t it? You will witness history in the making. Gaia created humanity but perished while mending the heavens. We cannot afford to lose her again. A great task lies ahead for the god we shall create!” The Suspicious One’s words tumbled out in frenzied waves, his arms flailing as the rancid smell of sweat and decay intensified. “Gaia?” the muscular man repeated, his brow furrowed. “Is this… some sort of cult?” “Cult?” The Suspicious One tilted his head, almost amused. “We are far grander than any cult. We have a world.” The room fell silent again. The muscular man’s probing questions exposed the absurdity of the situation, yet no one dared to laugh. The Suspicious One’s claim to creating a new Gaia veered into uncharted madness. “What do you want us to do?” the man pressed cautiously. “It’s simple,” the Suspicious One replied, dismissing the question with a wave of his hand. “You’re here to play a game. If one of you wins, they will ascend and become the god.” “And if we lose?” the tattooed man asked, his tone bitter but steady now. The Suspicious One regarded the blood on his fingers with faint disappointment. “Then you die.” The unspoken truth settled heavily over the room. No one was leaving alive unless they played his game—and won. “If you understand,” the Suspicious One said, his tone almost jovial, “then let us begin. The first game is called ‘The Liar.’” He reached into his jacket, producing a stack of papers, which he distributed one by one to each participant. Blood smeared the pages as they landed on the table, mingling with the crimson pools already there. Then, he handed out pens, their sleek design incongruous against the macabre scene. “Each of you will tell a story about the last thing you remember before arriving here,” the Suspicious One explained. “One among you will lie. After all nine stories have been told, you will vote. If eight of you correctly identify the liar, the liar will die, and the rest of you will survive. But if even one of you votes incorrectly…” He let the silence linger, savoring their dread. “…then the liar will live, and the rest of you will die.”
- Writer
