Chapter 8: Bottoms Up

The platform finally arrives at the destination — the floor of the next game. They waited for the gate to opened up, with Channe holding Ryder's hand tightly in baited breath, while Larah was still giving him the glares. A moment passes, then the gate slowly made a way for them. The contestants in front of them were the first to step off, with Drew being the first of their group to exit. After Ryder and the others went out of the platform, it closes behind them; with Ryder looking behind to see it not there anymore — yet he remained calmed. All of the contestants looked around the room they were in: it looked like a saloon with red wallpaper and pictures of nature and horses; the floor was made of wood, perfectly covered by a brown furred mat; and of course, the bar at the end with drinks on its shelves, but there were on bar stools under them. Strangely, there were less furniture unlike the other bars that Ryder remembered, with only five tables situated on the middle; four tables near enough to make a square, and one that was in the middle of the said square; with more chairs as it was larger than the others. "What the hell are we supposed to here?" said a girl with the short hair, grabbing one of the drinks from the shelf as she goes over the bar. "Don't touch anything!" a man quickly walked over to the girl and grabbed the drink that she took, putting it back on the shelf, "What if something happens the moment you take a thing off of something?!" "Relax," said the girl nonchalantly, "It's not like the seeker is here." As Channe went over to Larah to talk to her, Ryder walked over to the table in the middle of the square, looking at its furnishings: the table had a red sheet with carvings and linings on it, and there were five chairs connected with the table; after looking over at it for a minute, Ryder noticed that there was a small square in the very middle of the table, going through the sheet and the wood of the table. Wanting to see where it connected, Ryder grabbed the chair below him and pulled. But it didn't budge. He tried again — this time he pulled harder — but it still didn't move an inch, "…What is this?" he said under his breath. After talking to some of the other contestants, Drew walked over to Ryder, seeing his confused face, "What' wrong?" he asked, looking at the table. "…The chairs can't be moved," said Ryder, placing his hand on his chin. "Really?" Drew grabbed the chair in front of Ryder, trying to pull as hard as he can; and just like Ryder's attempt, it was futile, "How in the…" Drew quickly went down to the legs of the chair, grabbing it as he tried to lift it off the ground; and still, not even the sound of the chair budging was heard. "It's either that they glued the chair onto the floor." Drew stood back up to face Ryder, "Or it's part of the game." "Hmmm," Ryder looked at the middle table, then turned his eyes on the others; wondering if they are the same as this, "What about the other tab—" "CRACK!" The noise of breaking glass shot throughout the room, making everyone jump on their toes trying to see who caused it, "Oh shoot, My bad!" The girl that was at the bar spoke up, with a broken bottle of gin beside her feet and another unbroken bottle in her hands. "I told you to be careful!" the man who was with her yelled, going down to see the damage of the broken bottle of gin. "Oh, come on, grow up will you." The girl jumped over the bar before walking over to one of the 4 tables, "It has been quite a time since I drank one as expensive as this, might as well enjoy it while we're still here!" Without a second thought, the girl grabbed one of the five chairs on the table then pulled it for her to sit on. And in Ryder and Drew's surprise, the chair actually moved unlike the one that they pulled. The girl quickly fell on the chair, opening the bottle of gin with her hands. "What are you doing?" Larah spoke up, walking over to the table the girl was at, "Are we even supposed to touch anything around here?" said Larah, giving the girl a piercing look. "Come on Lady, when does someone need a reason to have a free drink," said the girl, taking a sip from the bottle. "Yo—" "She is indeed correct," a deep voice out of nowhere spoke — a voice none of the contestants have heard before. All of them jerked back, with the girl that sipped choking on the gin; also surprised by the voice. Frantically looking around to search for who spoke, they even looked back at where the platform gate disappeared, but there was nothing. After looking behind them, there was only one place the voice could've spoke. Ryder and Drew slowly looked away from their behind, landing their eyes onto the bar; where a tall man stood. As Drew called out the rest of the contestants to look, they silently examined the man: the tall man wore a suit similar to a bartender, but his skin was different; it sleeves were rolled up but the skin couldn't be seen, for it was pure black like the skin of his face and its neck that was revealed by an unbuttoned hole; his hair couldn't be seen, for he wore a mask that covered his face; a mask that resembled a scarlet red face, with pure black eye sockets, and one of the face was smiling, while the other gave a deep frown. They didn't dare speak another word before the man spoke again, "Welcome… to your next game," the man said, waving his hands along the air, "I am what is called, the Brewmaster; and here you will be given one glass of my fine drink in each round, where you will be conversing with your fellow drinkers; trying to decide whether to drink, or be dry. The man called the Brewmaster walked slowly out of the bar, going to the middle of the room with his footsteps filling the silence of the room, "After all of you have chosen your seats, we will begin the exchanging of truths and lies." The Brewmaster gently walked towards the girl who had the gin in her hands, which was now slightly shaking as the Brewmaster rolled out his hand towards her. "May I? Miss," said the Brewmaster softly, urging her to give the bottle of gin to him. After the girl looked at the Brewmaster's hand — which he wore a black latex glove on them — the girl shakingly nodded, with her hands sweating and shaking as well as he places the bottle on the Brewmaster's gloved hand, "Thank you, Miss." The bartender walked away from the woman — letting her breath out a sigh of relief — then he went back to the middle, holding out the bottle of gin, "With every event, situation, or scenario that I tell — if it is something of a truth to you, then you will take a sip from the glass that the table provides." The man let out his empty hand, pointing to the tables as a glass of gin appeared from the bottom to the middle of the tables; situated on the square that Ryder noticed. "But…" said the Brewmaster deeper than before, "If you drink, and are caught in a lie; then you will be punished by right; and if you are the only one left without taking a sip, you will be turned into a crisp…" All of them lowered their heads in silence, hoping that what he said wouldn't come to them; and so, after a long pause of silence, they lifted their heads as the Brewmaster announced, "Now, all of you take your seats; for we must now begin." He placed the bottle of gin on the bar. As the other contestants — including Channe and Larah — walked over to pick their seats amongst the four tables, Ryder and Drew stood still, "Any ideas?" asked Drew, looking at the Brewmaster cleaning a cup of glass. "… I picked the wrong week to quit," said Ryder under his breath before looking at Drew, "We should split up; sit in different tables." "W-what? What do you mean by that?" said Drew confused. "What I mean is," explained Ryder, "This is just like that game never have I ever, where you drink if that event happened to you; and in this game, if you caught in a lie… something happens." "Um, what does that have to do with sitting in different tables?" asked Drew. "Because… I don't want to be faced with the decision to drink if it's only me and you left on the table; we would have a greater chance of surviving together if we sit in different tables." "… Fine, but what about that woman Larah, and Channe," he asked, worrying only for Channe. "…Larah is fine; its Channe that I'm worried about," said Ryder, looking at Channe sitting on a table with Larah and other contestants, "He's still a kid, I don't know if anything the Brewmaster says happened to Channe… But all we can do is hope that it did." After talking for a minute, Ryder and Drew said their quick goodbyes before they went on separate tables; with Ryder sitting on a table with the girl who had the bottle of gin. After his table was fully seated, he looked at the glass of gin in the middle, giving it a disgusted look, "…Why… Why does it have to be alcohol..." "Since everyone is seated," said the Brewmaster, looking over all the tables, "Let us begin!" He lifts his hand, revealing a piece of paper in his hands, slowly letting it down for him to read out loud. "Have all of you… killed a pet for your anger?" said The Brewmaster, making everyone jerk back and silently judge the question. But there were some who didn't flinch, one of them were seated on Ryder's table, silently looking at the glass of gin. Ryder looked at the glass, but he didn't plan to take it for he did no such thing. But as a minute pass by, and no one sipped their glass; the Brewmaster spoke again, "Do remember," he began, "That it is a disadvantage of yours to not drink if it did happen… You would only lose a chance to live for another game; you may all judge, but it is I who will decide." After the Brewmaster said those words, a wave of whispers filled the room, and as Ryder looked at the glass again; somebody wrapped their fingers around it: a woman, one of the people who didn't flinch. She began to drink the glass of gin until it emptied, placing it back on the square while most of the contestants silently judged her; but she had little care. The Brewmaster walked over to the woman, and extended his hand as he lowered his head. The woman turned to him, looking at his gloved hand; and after a moment passes, she reluctantly placed her hand on his; the Brewmaster helped her stand up from the table, "You are now safe for this round, Madam." After the woman got on her feet, he pointed to the side of the room, asking her to stand there until the round ends, "Now, let us continue!" The contestants sat firmly now after they saw what happened when someone drinks, hoping that the next event the Brewmaster tells, happened to them. The Brewmaster lifts his hand again to reveal another piece of paper, slowly letting it down for him to read. "Have all of you… destroyed a family heirloom?" The question that was asked a little bit easier to reveal, with everyone in the room not judging as one contestant from each table drank their glass of gin. After the Brewmaster asked everyone who were safe to go and stand where the first woman stood. Then they all turned their attention back to him, sitting firmly again. The Brewmaster takes another piece of paper, reading aloud. Paper after paper, a few contestants were deemed safe; including Larah and Drew, and somehow Channe, who drank when the Brewmaster asked them if they ever stole a valuable car. Contestant after contestant, a lot were deemed safe from the first round, but in Ryder's dismay, he still hasn't heard an event that happened to him; making him reach the last drink of the round, where he was face to face with the last contestant with him on their table. "Now, since we have reached the last glass of the round; prepare yourselves and don't rush," said The Brewmaster as he takes out another paper to read out loud. Ryder — and the rest that still hadn't drink — sweated as the Brewmaster said the following event, "Have you all ever…" Ryder gulped as he continued to listen, "… Attempted to kill someone.' The tables stood quiet as they stayed their hands, trying to think whether it did happen or if they really want to see what happens to them if they did not drink. Ryder however, gulped and sighed at the question… because it did happen to him. He looked at the other contestant with him — the girl who broke a bottle, seeing her eyes lowering down to her knees, "…She hasn't done it…" After a long pause, seeing that the girl didn't grab the glass, Ryder thought that it was the time to drink it before it was too late. And so, he took a deep breath, and reached his hands to grab the glass of gin. But before his fingers touched the glass, it slipped away from him. He looked up and saw that the girl grabbed it instead, breathing heavily as she paces her eyes back and forth between Ryder and the glass. "NOO!" Ryder shouted, trying to grab it; but it was too late. The girl drank the glass until it was empty, and all Ryder could do was sit by and watch as she wipes her mouth with her hand. Ryder sat back on his chair, his face lowering as it bellowed in dismay; but something caught his ear — a choking sound. Ryder lifted his eyes and saw the girl gripping her own throat. Ryder saw the girl's veins emerging on her skin as she gripped her own neck tight; she fell off from her chair and onto the ground. Ryder stood up and quickly walked over to her — alerting the ones who were safe. Ryder looked down at the contestant's face as his eyes stared at her's, "Help…Me!" she said as the burning pain in her throat became more excruciating. The Brewmaster slowly walked over to them, looking at Ryder and then to the girl, "Hmmm, I see somebody finally volunteered to be an example," said the Brewmaster, grabbing the fallen empty glass beside his feet. "What's happening to her?!" asked Ryder, desperately helping the girl to breath. At first, the Brewmaster didn't reply, instead he slowly walked over to the bar and cleaned the glass; before finally giving Ryder an answer, "She lied," he said, refilling the glass with gin, "That is the reason for her pain… and her demise." After he said those words, Ryder looked at the girl; which slowly began to stop struggling. He saw her eyes getting bloodshot before a drop of blood entered the whites. Then after a minute, the girl completely stopped moving; her hands that were on his neck slowly slid onto the floor; Ryder hesitantly placed his hand on her chest. And felt that her heart was no longer beating. He couldn't anything, except closing the girl's eyes as she finally drifts into eternal sleep. Without noticing, the Brewmaster walked over to Ryder, standing behind him, "This is your lucky day Mr. Zean; you get to live another round." He walked past Ryder to place the glass of gin back on the middle of the table, "Now, let us wait for the others to finish… shall we?" He looked at the others who still haven't drunk their glass. And because of what happened to the contestant, the others who haven't drunk quickly grabbed the glass of gin on their table, drinking it until it is empty; but only the ones who had the truth, and the ones who were the last of their table were left to the hands of the Brewmaster. After the newly saved ones went to join the others — including Ryder — they were forced to watch as the Brewmaster walked over to the ones left, "The three of you are the only ones left I see," he said calmly, "A pity… I would've chosen to drink." The contestants left didn't know what he meant as they began to sweat and gulp, "Now… Place both of your hands on the table gently," he said, standing in front of the bar. The contestants reluctantly placed their hands on the table, standing firm as one of them prayed. They laid their hands on the red sheet of the table, waiting for the next words of the Brewmaster; but he paused and carefully took out a piece of lime, taking out a small knife as well to cut it in half. Even after he was done cutting, the contestants were left unharmed; with the three of them calming down and about to take their hands off the table. But a noise digressed. "AHHHHHH!" a contestant screamed, alerting the attention of all towards him. Ryder and Drew squinted their eyes to look at what was happening, but all they could see was the contestant crying in pain. And after the Brewmaster walked out of the bar, all three screamed in unison. Ryder tried so hard to look at what's causing it, and he saw it — everyone saw it. The hands of the contestants began to lit aflame, the fire slowly burning up form their hands and to their head and body. "AHHHHHH," the first contestant screamed, "MAKE IT STOP!! PLEASEE!" The second begged. And the third, was already dead. While they burned, the Brewmaster calmly walked towards each table they burned at, squeezing lime on each glass of gin — it was like he didn't even notice them. Ryder and others could only watch as they screamed until the fire completely devoured every inch of life in their body, with their mouths still open after they all stopped breathing. After the fire finally went out, all they could see was the tethered and burned skin of the contestants; all were still emitting smoke and ash. Many of them vomited — Drew almost vomited; And Larah shielded Channe's eyes from the very sight. All happened in a spark of a flame, while the Brewmaster acted like it was just cleaning space. "How could you do this?!" shouted one of the contestants, "How can you be so inhumane and cruel to just… burn those people alive!" The Brewmaster didn't reply and continued to cut pieces of lime, and it only angered the man more, "We have seen things like this and hoped that it wouldn't get worse, but with every game, you take a life in a more gruesome way!" complained the man angrily, but it still didn't usher a reply from the Brewmaster. "You people are cruelest and the most scum that the world has ever known! This isn't a game, this is just slaughte— AHHHHHH!" The man was cut off by a sudden pain in his knee, making him fall down on the ground grunting. Ryder and Drew quickly looked at the knee, and saw that there was a small knife embedded into his skin; recognizing the knife, they looked back at the Brewmaster — who's hand was extended towards the man. He threw the knife he used to cut lime into the man's knee, making him bleed and limp. While the man laid down still crying with no one helping, the Brewmaster finally spoke. "May I remind all of you, that you chose this…" He slowly walked over to the laying man, going down as he pulls out the knife from his knee, making him cry louder and more; then he walks back to the bar, "You all chose to sign that contract, and in doing so, you chose to do whatever it takes to win the prize." He placed the knife on the bar, cleaning it with a clean towel while continued to speak. "And yet," he said in a deeper voice, "You whine like an animal, blaming others for your poor decisions and intuition." He turns around to face all of them, "I don't enjoy this task of mine, but when scum like you decides to turn to blame, then I will gladly escort you to your death, as painful as I can make it to be…" Ryder looked back at the crying man, wanting to help; but somehow, something prevented to do so — something in his heart that he desired. After a quiet pause, The Brewmaster began to clean the tables; removing the bodies as he kicked them to the side, making them fall on the ground. He cleaned the chairs from dust and ash, sweeping away the remains off the ground. After that, he sweeps the bodies to the side to make sure no one is disturbed during the next round. And even then, he still had a lot to clean — so a lot that he turned back to face them all, "Enjoy this rest while you can, for we will be continuing immediately to the third round after the second one ends," he said calmly, continuing to clean. The contestants tried to feel relieved, but they couldn't, not after what they just saw and what the Brewmaster said. Larah and a few contestants were helping the injured man get up and sit down against the wall, while Ryder and Drew were talking as they examined the Brewmaster. "He's scary; you know, for a fancy man," said Drew. "… But he's no different from the seeker," added Ryder, feeling somebody hugging his hand. He looks down only to see Channe holding his hand tightly as he looked at burned bodies, "… Mr. Ryder…" he said softly. "Yes Channe?" "… I'm scared…" Ryder reassures Channe by ruffling his hair, "Don't worry Channe, everything is going to be fine after we're done." "…I really hope so," said Channe in a quieter voice. After patching up the man's injured leg as much as they can, Larah looked around for Channe; seeing him beside Ryder and Drew. She told the man to take it easy before standing up to walk over to them. Ryder turns his head to look at Larah walking towards him, expecting another yell or a complaint, "Hello, Larah…" And after she exchanged looks with Channe, instead she gives Ryder a nod, "… The man is okay if you're wondering, the bleeding has stopped but he needs a little bit more than a ripped shirt." She turns her eye towards the Brewmaster, giving him the same glare, she gave Ryder a while ago, "… What do you think of him?" Ryder raised an eyebrow on why she didn't just yell at his ear, but he quickly shrugs it off, looking at the Brewmaster, "… He's dangerous, no different from the others before." They kept looking until the Brewmaster almost caught them staring, making them turn around, "I guess he doesn't want to be stared at," said Drew, looking behind. "… How can we even think when he can see right through us, even if we just silently lie?" asked Larah, not expecting a true answer. "… I don't know," said Ryder looking down, "I guess we just have to do what the rules tell us to do: Don't lie." After half an hour passes, the Brewmaster tapped an empty cup of glass with a knife, alerting everyone to pay attention to him. Then when all of them was facing him, he placed the cup down and walked out of the bar, "I have finished cleaning the mess of the first round, now let us proceed to the second." "May I ask all of you to take your seats so we may begin," said the Brewmaster calmly, like nothing happened. After everyone else began to walk over to the tables, Drew moved his head beside Ryder, "Are we still splitting up?" he asked. "Hmmm..." Ryder touched his chin, looking at the glass bottles and the contestants; then beside him to Larah and Channe, "… Yes, we'll split up for the second round; I bet that we won't be when the third round is here." "Okay, good luck." Drew gives him an assuring nod before walking away over to one of the tables. After Drew left him behind, Ryder was about to go to another table; but something tugged his hand before he could do so, "And what about us? Mr. Ryder," asked Channe, with Larah behind him. Ryder went down on his knees to speak with Channe, "Stay with Miss Larah; you'll be safe with her when you two drink your glasses." "… Okay, be careful Mr. Ryder," said Channe before he steps towards Larah, holding her hand. And before they walked away, Larah turned her head to face Ryder, "… Good luck, Ryder," "… You too, Larah; And…" said Ryder, trying to muster enough words to say, "I'm… really sorry… about what happened to William; I really wished that I could've done more…" Larah looked him in the eye, then gave him a smile, "…Thank you," said Larah, giving him a nod. "Now, let us focus on surviving this game."