The First Game

"If you follow the red chalk on the ground, you should be able to find a warehouse full of cars. Pick a car and prepare to go on a fun ride!"

Everyone put their wetsuits back on which had mostly dried off overnight. Jiana passed one life pack per person, handed each of them a bar and headed off. The life packs they grabbed supplied each of them with a small amount of food and water. They would have to carefully ration, who knew when their next chance for obtaining food would be.

The night before, Jiana had already deduced that the red chalk would guide them to their next location. She made sure that their resting spot was close enough to the red chalk but far enough that people wouldn't be able to find them easily.

Walking along the chalk, there were a few others who slowly began to join them on this rocky dirt road. Some were covered in sand and still soaked in sea water, Jiana glanced at them and shook her head silently. They were likely to catch a cold, or worst, hypothermia, before they made it up to the top.

After yesterday's experience, everyone was wary of each other. No one spoke as she made their way up the mountain.

Soon, a large roller coaster type contraption appeared before them. Next to it was a parking lot full of cars. There were a number of different types of cars there from luxury cars to pick up trucks to golf carts.

The roller coaster was large and intimidating. It seemed to rise up 20 stories high and then seemed to be a straight drop down on the other side of the hill. No one could see what was on the other side. There was a large golden frame with bright shining lights and a giant arrow pointing to the entrance of the roller coaster.

They were the first group to arrive on scene. Jiana assessed the various cars and ran to the black SUV. Turning around, she realized none of her family had followed her. Instead, they were gaping at the sight of the tall roller coaster before them.

"Over here! Get in!!" Jiana called out with urgency. They never knew when Tio would decide to start the next game or if there was a time limit. They had to be prepared at all times. The cars were also the safest place to be regardless.

Her parents and sister quietly shuffled towards the car as she began to inspect the inside of the car. The first place she looked was within the compartments. Much to her disappointment, they were empty and the radio had been removed. Sighing, Jiana turned on the engine and saw that there was half a tank left.

Seeing this, she immediately took out a tube and unscrewed the cap on another car. She knew time was of the essence.

Her goal was to siphon off gas from other cars and fill their tank. She did this very stealthily to avoid the ire of the other people in the area. Jiana's parents and sister were clearly overwhelmed by this sudden change in lifestyle and were unable to adapt, so Jiana decided to face everything on her own for now. She inwardly hoped that they would wake up from their stupor soon.

Soon, the second wave of people had arrived, alerting the initial group that had arrived at the same time as Jiana and her family. Those people finally noticed the activity and began to walk towards the cars. Seeing the people approach, Jiana cursed and quickly removed the tube she was using to siphon gas, running back into their car. If they caught her stealing gas, that would surely paint a red target on their backs.

Little did she know, there was a camera directly pointed at her, watching her every move. In a room a few miles away, a handsome young man around 23 years old dressed in a casual t-shirt and jeans was watching the camera feed with a slight smile. He commented, "What an interesting young lady."

Jiana, who had re-entered the car, turned on the engine again. She saw that their tank was now three quarters full. It would have to do.

Wiping her sweat off, she leaned back and watched as people made their selection of cars. She reminded her parents and sisters to help keep a look out and make sure no one slashed their tires as she rested for a short period of time. Neither her parents nor sister protested nor did they respond. She was simply too tired to argue and chose to take their silence as agreement.

After another 30 minutes, Tio's voice sounded again, "Welcome to your first game. This game is really simple. All you have to do is drive your car up to the entrance and let the roller coaster take you on a ride of your life!"

Jiana narrowed her eyes when she heard this. It was obviously not going to be very simple. She sat there and watched as the cars began to queue up at the entrance. Lauren kicked Jiana's chair and asked, "What are you waiting for Ji? Let's go!"

Jiana lurched forward slightly from the kick but continued to sit there without turning on the engine and replied, "Not yet. Let's see what this roller coaster is first."

Her mother patted Lauren's knee and told her to be patient. Lauren rolled her eyes in discontent, but wisely chose to remain silent.

Soon, the first car bravely drove up to the entrance. As it drove onto the tracks, a set of clamps seemed to grip the car's wheels and began pulling it up the ramp. It used a system similar to the conveyor belts that car washes sometimes had.

Everyone watched as the car continued to rise higher and higher on the ramp. Jiana gripped the steering wheel tightly, the bad feeling in her heart began to rise again as she saw the car go up.

As it reached the peak, everyone held their breath. The rails suddenly detached and the car fell straight into the ground. It was completely totalled.