Play of Deception: Welcome to the Game

Falling Mistakes Part 2

“There can be only one.”

Yet all of them worked together, with some of them reluctantly doing so, like the angered Sine and the other three contestants. Ryder stood on the edge of the platform, trying to pick which one of the three to jump on next. And like the previous platforms, it looked all the same; with nothing differentiating them except for what happens when you pick the wrong one. With careful consideration, he decided to choose the left platform, preparing to leap towards it. He jumps on the platform, standing still waiting for something to happened; with his feet ready to jump out of the way or out of the platform just in case. And in his relief, nothing happened; quickly going back to the edge and waved Drew to jump next.

“It’s safe; jump now!” he called out to Drew.

Hearing Ryder’s voice, Drew prepared his legs to leap, jumping out of the ground and landing on the platform. But suddenly, the platform shook right after Drew’s feet touched the ground; making struggle for balance; with the others on the previous platform panic and prepared themselves to pull in case Ryder and Drew fall. But as fast as it came, the sudden shake disappeared; yet Ryder and Drew stood still, not moving a muscle until, they were sure.

“What… just happened?” asked Drew, taking a step forward to see if the ground would shake again; but it did not.

“… Maybe it only holds two people,” said Ryder unsure, but as far as he could see, it was the most possible case.

After they gained their courage to move again, he walked over to the edge to call out to the others, “Don’t jump here! I think it can only hold two people at a time!”

“Are you sure?!” shouted Trevor back for him to hear, “The platform shaking said the opposite, but I guess you’re right since you two are still standing!”

“What should we do!?” shouted Evelyn.

Ryder took a moment to pause and think, touching his chin as he looks at the other two platforms. Since each platform maybe hold two people at a time, he turns his eyes back to the others, “Jump on the other platforms!” he shouted for them to hear.

“Are you sure?!” asked Evelyn, pacing her eyes back and forth the platforms, “What if the rope gets tangled up?”

“We don’t have much of an option here, and the rope isn’t long enough if we go to the next platform.”

“… So, we have to jump at the other platforms…” said Larah, looking at the middle platform, “I hope it doesn’t shake like before.”

“Jump at the middle platform, and then to the left one; so that we can still maintain the line!” said Ryder, telling Drew not to stomp on their platform.

Without any other ideas, Evelyn hesitantly prepared herself to jump on the middle platform, followed by the contestant after her. And afterwards, the next two contestants jumped on the left platform; making the two platforms full, “Everything okay?” asked Ryder and Drew in unison.

“Yeah, we’re okay,” said the two contestants at the left.

“We’re okay too,” said Evelyn, examining the ground.

“Hey!” shouted Sine from back at the previous platform, “What about us?! Are you just going to leave us here?!”

Ryder quickly looked around, realizing that the flaw in his plan: thinking that two people were the limit of the platforms, and he forgot that there were ten of them. The one that had not yet jump was Sine, Larah, and Channe; which grew worried with each passing minute, “Where are we supposed to go?!” asked Larah, holding Channe’s hand.

After realizing it, he immediately started to think for another way; he looked at the other platforms and the next ones; he examined their rope, but it wasn’t long enough to reach the distance. His head started to frantically move as he looked for a solution, and as he turned his eye towards the ground; and his mind pointing back to where Drew first landed on the platform. He turned his eyes on Drew, hoping for it to work. Seeing Ryder turned his eyes towards him, Drew stared into with his, and realizes, “… You’re not thinking about it are you?”

“… Yes… what if the limit is three and not two,” said Ryder, turning around as he looked at Evelyn and the other contestants.

“But what if you’re wrong and we would all fall?!” said Drew, grabbing his shoulder to make Ryder face him.

“…Its either that or we stay here, because we cannot go anywhere without Larah and Channe.”

“I know that it’s just…” Drew drifted away from his words, but came back again, “If you’re wrong and we go beyond the limit, then no would survive.”

“I know Drew, but we have to take the chance,” said Ryder reassuringly as begins to walk over to the edge, “Or we remain stuck here.”

As he arrived at the edge, Ryder shouted to make the Larah and the others with her hear, “Larah! Continue what the others did before!”

Hearing those words, Evelyn’s head quickly turned towards Ryder, quickly walking over to the edge of her platform as well, “Ryder! What are you planning to do?!”

“We don’t have much of a choice Evelyn, it’s either we fall when they jump on the platforms or stay in this place forever; and I will choose to try the former.”

Evelyn wanted to argue, but he was right; Without trying, she knew they would die either way if they don’t attempt it. And so, he stayed her mouth, but seeing her face; Ryder thought she was hoping. Ryder extended his hand as he urged Trevor to jump, “Are you really sure about this Ryder?!” shouted Trevor, hesitating to jump.

“Well… not really but we have to try; if the platform begins to shake again, prepare to keep your balance!”

Hearing Ryder’s unsure tone, he was more than ever reluctant to jump; but he had no choice, they needed to try. And so, he prepared to leap, jumping on the platform on the right where Ryder and Drew stood; and as expected, the platform began to shake again, this time more violently. Ryder and Trevor quickly went down on the ground with their hands plastered on the platform, trying to hold on in case it tipped. Drew followed suit, but unlike them, he stumbled and fell on his hands, which remained there as they waited for the platform shake to stop. After the platform stopped shaking, they could hear their own breaths inhaling and exhaling tirelessly on the floor; struggling to stand up as their legs felt like it had no more bones. And at their realization, Ryder was right: three was the limit. Ryder quickly walked over to the edge and shouted for Larah to jump on the middle platform.

“I know how patterns work, Ryder!” exclaimed Larah as her heart began to race; she finally jumped on the middle platform. And just like how Trevor landed, their platform began to shake. Evelyn holding down the contestant with her as he was about to stumble and fall. Larah quickly went down on the ground from the sudden shake, deciding to just stay and plant her hands and feet on the surface; trying not to move to one side or another. And then a minute later, the platform stooped shaking, with relief waving through them as they carefully stood back up.

“You forgot about me by the way!” shouted Sine, preparing himself to jump on the left platform.

“Yeah, yeah, just jump already!” shouted Drew, making his eyes follow Sine’s movements as he let out a silent chuckle when he leaped. Sine’s feet touched the ground, and then the platform began to shake; the two contestants immediately grabbed his shirt before he could stumble back, but when they pulled him toward them; they all fell on the middle of the platform, deciding to stay while the platform continued to shake. After it stopped, they slowly got back up, with Sine frantically trying to pull away the hands of the two contestants that grabbed him, “Get you hands of me!” he complained, quickly making them back up.

Ryder breathed out a sigh of relief, thinking that they can finally proceed. But a voice immediately made him turn his head back to the previous platform.

“M-mr. Ryder!” It was Channe’s shriveled voice — he forgot that Channe was the very last in the line.

“Channe!” shouted Larah, walking over to the edge, “Don’t worry Channe, we are going to get you out of there!” She turned to Ryder on the side edge, “Ryder! Think of something!”

What she did not know that he already began to frantically think after he heard Channe’s voice; his eyes darting back and forth on the platforms and to Channe. But as he confirmed before, the limit of each platform was three people; adding one more would possibly ruin everyone, and even if it was the case of body weight, he did not want to take the risk. He had no choice but to turn his head towards the next platform, trying to think of something; but it would mean taking another big risk — but it was Channe.

“… I think I know how to get Channe here.” He suddenly walked over to the edge, looking over the next platforms which were now two, “Drew, I need you here!”

“Got it!” said Drew, and without a second thought he immediately walked over to the edge beside Ryder.

And as Evelyn saw Ryder’s body preparing to jump, she quickly walked over to the side edge, “Ryder! What are you doing?!”

“…Something stupid,” said Ryder, who was now ready to leap, “Everyone! Go to the very edge of the platform and hold tight!” And just like that, he jumped.

And just right before his feet left the ground, Drew realizes what he was about to do; his eyes widen and his mouth tried to let out a show, but as Ryder’s feet touched the ground of the right platform; Drew instantly felt a tight tug on his waist, making grab the roap and pull himself just enough to not move closer to the edge, “You should have told me that this was your plan!” complained Drew, but Ryder had his attention elsewhere.

“Now Channe! Jump!” Without even stopping to feel if the platform was the correct one, he urged Channe to jump on the platform he was on; and as Channe leaped from the ground, a spark of relief ignited his heart, but his mind remembered something — a crucial detail that he forgot to take note of while he as panicking over Channe — that the platform would shake.

“Wait! Do—” but it was too late, Channe’s feet already landed on the ground; and the platform began to shake. Ryder immediately grabbed the rope on his waist in case Drew fell down; Channe quickly went over to Drew and held his waist, helping him keep balance and not fall.

“AHHHH!” Drew shouted, his hands gripping on his rope tight, turning them bright red. He held out his best and did not let go of the line; the others on the platform also grabbed their ropes. After a minute, the platform began to stop shaking; but Drew still grunted in pain as he slowly loses grip of the rope. But luckily, the platform completely stopped, which Drew instantly realized and quickly let’s go of the rope, his hands turned tomato red, and some parts were bruised. He panted tirelessly as he rested his hand son his knee and his waist being hold on by Channe, preventing him for falling.

“Drew! Are you okay?!” shouted Ryder.

Drew did not reply, he was busy trying to regain the air he once had; and his hands being completely tired by the grip. But Ryder saw his head turned towards him as Drew kept breathing tirelessly, he lifted his hand and somehow managed to form a thumbs up as best as he can do. Ryder let out his worry, seeing Evelyn and the others let out relief as well — except for Sine, who instead chuckled at the sight of Drew’s hands. After Drew recovered most of his strength, he jumped over to Ryder’s platform, where he instantly grabbed him the second he landed, “I’m… sorry, for not telling you beforehand, Drew,” said Ryder apologetically.

“Hehe, do not worry about it,” said Drew, trying his best to widen his smile.

After Drew, Evelyn followed soon after; landing and quickly walked over to Ryder and Drew, “That was reckless!” she complained, looking at Ryder, “You could’ve gotten him and us killed!”

“Do not sweat about, Evelyn; we survived anyway,” said Drew, trying to give him a reassuring look.

Evelyn tried her best to glare at them both, but their stare prevented her from doing so; instead, she gave Ryder’s arm a quick slap, “Next time, tell me!” She walked away back to the edge to catch the others as they landed. After Channe jumped on their platform, everyone gathered up in the middle, “I guess we picked the right one, nothing happened,” said Trevor, looking at the next platforms and the supposed way-out room on the other side.

“Let’s make it stay that way, shall we?” said Ryder, preparing to jump on to the last platform.

He landed on the platform, expecting another trap or a shake; but surprisingly, nothing happened. He waited for a minute to be sure, and still, nothing out of the ordinary occurred, “I… guess it is safe,” he said to himself, before turning around and calling the rest to jump afterwards. As they all finally landed on the platform, Ryder was now ready to move on; preparing himself to jump inside the way-out room.

“Be careful — I mean, more careful,” said Larah, trying to reassure Ryder.

Ryder gave her a quick nod as he leaped towards the entrance of the room, where his feet were meet with metal tiles and his eyes with metal walls: it was the exit room as the other previous. Relief waved through Ryder’s heart as he realizes, and just before he was about to turn around and tell the others; something on the ground caught his attention. He went down to look at it more clearly: it was a large scissor. He slowly moved his hand to touch it, but when he did, he suddenly pulled his hand back; for he touched the sharp edges, giving his hand a small wound and a slow bleed; but now he knew. He gently grabbed the scissors on its handle, pacing his eyes back and forth between the scissors and the rope tied on his waist. Hoping for it to be true, he carefully placed the rope between the sharp edges of the scissors; then snap! The rope gets cut off, with its part falling down to the ground; Ryder was finally free from its shackled. Happiness took over his smile, making him turn around to face the others with his hand lifting the scissors.

“We can cut the ropes off here!” he shouted for them to hear, “Jump now! We can end the game!”

Everyone was overjoyed, with some holding their chest as they let out the last of their worry; with Drew preparing himself to jump. But… something was off. Ryder heard something from the distance, despite the happy bickers of the others; the sound he has heard before — a familiar noise. It was the sound of something falling down, crumbling into the ground — like the trees in the forests. He looked over the others to see the previous platforms; and his fear came into light. One by one, the platforms were crumbling down, Ryder’s heart jumped, “Drew, Hurry up!” he shouted, urging them to move faster.

“What’s the hurry Ryder?” said Drew, his eyebrows confused; but then he saw it through his widen eyes and gaped mouth. He looked behind and saw what Ryder had seen, the platforms falling down into the abyss, coming towards them. Without wasting anymore time, he leaped into the room; urging Evelyn to jump quickly. And just like Drew, Evelyn lifted her brows to their sudden haste; and just like Drew, she turned her head around to see the crumbling platforms.

“The platforms!” she shouted, “they are crumbling!” she told everyone, then continued the jump into the room.

With Trevor seeing the platforms too, he immediately jumped into the room as soon as Evelyn landed; then the three contestants followed suit. Followed by Larah who tripped after she landed. As they landed, Ryder quickly gave them the scissors, urging them to cut their piece of the rope. Sine followed next after Larah, but he stumbled down, and his face landed on the ground. But now, it was Channe’s turn; and his platform was already beginning to shake. Ryder quickly went to the edge, looking at Channe.

“M-mr. Ryder, I-I’m scared!” Channe said, hugging his plushie tightly as his foot almost slipped on the edge.

“Channe — Channe look at me!” said Ryder, trying to get Channe’s eyes distracted, “Do not worry about the platform… focus on me, and when you jump, I will catch you!”

Channe stared into his eyes, trying not to think about the very ground that he stood upon, “Now… Jump!” urged Ryder, extending his hand.

Without time to waste, Channe prepared to jump into the room; backing up a little bit until it gave him enough of a star to jump… But as his legs were about to leap; the platform crumbled and fell. Channe managed to jump, but not with the same strength that he hoped to have. Ryder laid down on his chest, trying to catch Channe’s hand. And as their hands moved close, he grabbed it; but it wasn’t his hand, it was the plushie that he grabbed. Channe was still holding the plushie as he dangled by it, Ryder placed every ounce of strength into his hand, trying pull Channe up; but he couldn’t. He wanted to call the other for help, but he couldn’t leave Channe without letting go of the plushie; but there something flinting on the side of his eye. Channe was still attached to the rope, connected to somebody. He though for what given time he had, then looked down at Channe, “Channe, listen to me… you need to let go of you plushie… and as soon as you do that, grab your rope; do you understand?!”

Channe could only give him a nod, and as he let go of the plushie; he immediately grabbed the rope attached to him. Ryder quickly placed the plushie down and grabbed the rope beside him that was connected Channe; He gripped it as best as he can as he turned his head to call the other, “Hey! I need help ov—” he stopped, something suddenly striked his heart. The one who Channe was connected to… was Sine; who looked at Ryder and saw his face — Sine knew that he was holding Channe, and the scissors were in the palm of his hand. With the rope connected to him, he was being pulled; not wanting to fall. Ryder could only watch, as Sine inched the his rope between the sharp edges of the scissors; Ryder screamed, but it did nothing.

“SNAP!”

The sound of the scissor being used, and the noise of the rope snapping; gave Ryder an attack. He held his ground and gripped the rope as tightly as he can as the part that was cut off moved towards him. It forced Ryder to move and go down on the ground, where he could see fully. Channe was dangling on the remains of the rope, looking up at Ryder as he hope he was going to save him. But all Ryder could give him, was forced look; his veins seen on his forehead as he gripped the rope. Then… it slipped from his hands.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!” Ryder could only stare at the sight; Channe slowly fell into the dark abyss below; nothing saved him; there was nothing he could do. Channe’s screams echoed through his ears, as the last remains of his face faded into the darkness. The ringing kept going inside his ear as he slowly stood back up, turning slowly to face… Sine.

“…What…have you done…”