Castaway: The Game of Death

Chapter 7

Amanda's eyes flickered open, a mixture of surprise and disbelief washing over her face. "You're alive," she breathed, her voice still weak.

Victor's brow furrowed. "What? You were on the boat. Were you trying to kill me?" His tone was sharp.

Amanda shook her head, a wry smile playing on her lips. "Of course not! I never anticipated the game would start like this. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late to save you." Her gaze shifted to Merrick, who stood beside them, a look of genuine surprise dawning on her face. "Wait! Mr. Scott?"

Merrick flashed a mischievous grin. "My dear, if you weren't dead, how could I bear to be anywhere else?"

Victor's anger flared instantly. He pulled out his knife, lunging at Merrick, who instinctively recoiled in fear.

"Wait! Don't hurt him!" Amanda cried out, her voice laced with urgency.

"What? Are you two really..." Victor demanded, turning to Amanda with a harsh edge to his tone.

Despite their past, the thought that Amanda could betray her brother for another man was unthinkable, and Victor felt a surge of betrayal.

Amanda struggled to sit up, her anger boiling over. "What nonsense are you talking about? Merrick was involved in planning the game, and for now, we need him."

"What?" Marina gasped, her mouth dropping open in disbelief.

Merrick shrugged nonchalantly, adjusting his collar. "So what? We all ended up in the same boat, didn't we?"

Amanda pressed on, her voice steady. "I know you're here for your brother. If you want the truth, you'll need Merrick's help."

Reluctantly, Victor lowered his knife, his expression still tense. "Since we have enough people in our group now, let's talk before the next round starts."

The crimson sunset slanted through the trees, casting a wild, almost feral aura over the island. Victor and the others sat around a crackling bonfire, the silence punctuated only by the crackle of the flames. Amanda hunched forward, her fingers tracing intricate patterns in the dirt, her brow furrowed in thought. Marina watched Victor's intense gaze fixed on Amanda, a gnawing unease settling deep in her stomach. She couldn't help but steal a glance at Amanda herself—the girl's delicate brows framed two captivating blue eyes, and her full lips, like ripe cherries, hinted at a sweetness, or perhaps a tartness, that made people long to taste.

"Let's each explain why we're here," Victor said gravely, his voice low and resonant.

"I'll go first," Marina began. "My agent got me into this."

"Did your agent know what kind of game this is?" Victor asked, his eyes unwavering.

"Maybe," Marina hesitated, her gaze dropping to the ground. "My career's been tanking. My ratings are down, and I haven't gotten a lead role in ages. My agent said this was my only shot at a comeback. A desperate last chance, really."

"So you were tricked," Victor stated, his tone flat.

Marina nodded.

"You're lying," Amanda said abruptly, her voice cutting through the night's stillness. Marina froze. She lowered her gaze, her heart pounding in her chest.

"What do you mean?" Marina asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Only the guilty are invited to play," Amanda replied, each word measured and deliberate.

Marina recoiled, waving her hands frantically. "I really was tricked by my agent! I swear! I didn't know anything about this game!"

"The organizers investigate each player's background thoroughly," Amanda said softly, her gaze unwavering. "They only send invitations to those who qualify... those who have something to hide."

"What does that mean?" Marina asked, her eyes darting nervously around the circle of faces.

"Marina," Merrick asked, his gaze penetrating, his voice low and serious, "did you do something you shouldn't have?"

A grotesque, twisted face—a woman hanging, her neck cruelly constricted by a rope—flashed into Marina's mind. Marina's stomach churned, but she fought back the nausea, waiting until the horrifying image of the woman's lifeless body faded before alerting the film crew. Later that day, news broke—an actress had died from accidental asphyxiation while improperly using a prop. The tragedy, however, catapulted Marina from second female lead to star, her career skyrocketing with the show's subsequent airing.

Seeing Marina break out in a cold sweat, Merrick gently waved a hand in front of her face. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Marina finally snapped out of it, her voice tight. "I'm fine," she said quickly. "My agent must have lied to me—somehow got me into this mess."

Amanda didn't press. Victor's gaze shifted to Patricia, who trembled beside them, her body visibly shaking. "And you, young lady?" he asked gently. "You look like a student. How did you end up in a game like this?"

Patricia hugged her knees, her head almost buried in her thighs. Tears welled in her eyes. "I... I'm here for someone else," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

"What do you mean?" Amanda asked, her tone softening with concern.

"My parents are sick," Patricia explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "And my grandmother... she's very ill. We need money for surgery, so I've been borrowing money from everywhere. Then a classmate told me... told me I could win prize money if I participated in this game... for her."

Amanda looked at Patricia's frail, innocent face and nodded slowly. Patricia seemed genuinely truthful; after all, Victor himself had entered under similar circumstances. It seemed the game's security system had some serious flaws.

But Victor noticed Patricia's tightly clenched fists and the way she avoided his gaze. She was lying, just as she had lied about Merrick not hurting her.

Patricia felt Victor's unwavering stare and looked away, unable to meet his eyes. A similar look flashed back—the chilling gaze directed at her after she'd been stripped naked. The words echoed in her mind, "If you kill her, I might consider letting you go and giving you some money." The speaker's eerie smile and chilling tone sent shivers down her spine. Patricia turned her head, catching sight of the girl beside her undergoing the same ordeal, and closed her eyes, trying to block out the memory.

"And you," Victor said, turning to Amanda, ignoring Patricia's carefully constructed story for the moment. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here for my husband," Amanda replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil within.

"My brother?" Victor's surprise was evident. 'Did I misjudge Amanda?'

"Yes," Amanda confirmed, her eyes locking with Victor's. "I want to know what he went through."

"Then you and Merrick..." Victor trailed off, remembering seeing Amanda and Merrick laughing as they entered her apartment, Merrick's hand lingering near her waist. "I saw you go into your apartment with him."

Amanda lowered her head, her voice barely a murmur. "I admit, Merrick was pursuing me. I wanted a new start. But I can't let go of your brother. I needed to find out the truth before moving on."

"Merrick," Marina interjected, her voice sharp with suspicion. "Were you here for Amanda?"

Merrick chuckled. "Of course not. I do like Amanda," he admitted, "but this game... it was designed by our company. I know how insane this game is. I wouldn't come here to die."