The Game of Sins

When Farrah opened her eyes, there was no pain…

There was no rain or coldness in her body. There was just the steady hum of something moving.

‘Thank you, lord… I’m still alive.’ This was her first thought as she was convinced that the road accident could’ve taken her life.

But she was taken aback as she tried to make sense of her surroundings...

'This...'

She was on a red velvet seat, and across from her, the faint reflection of her own face stared back in the fogged window.

She was… on a train?

The lights above flickered a couple of times with an amber glow, and everything was quiet, except for the rhythmic clack of wheels against tracks…

There was no doubt about it, this was a train.

Her heart pounded as she couldn't understand what was going on...

“What the…”

“Finally awake?”

The voice came from across the aisle before she was able to curse...

It was calm, familiar, and impossible!

Her head turned immediately as she looked at the source of the voice.

“Shane?” she whispered…

He looked different after weeks of not seeing each other. He looked tired, maybe, but it was unmistakably him.

His dark hair was damp, and his uniform shirt was also wrinkled. He was seated like it was normal to be in this train…

‘Wait… Is this hell? Why am I with him?’ Farrah was confused.

“Farrah.” He said her name carefully, as if afraid it might break. “You’re here too.”

She blinked. “Here where? What is this? Am I dreaming?”

At this point, she didn't even want to deal with the person in front of her. She was also unsure how she should react to him, who seemed really cautious while talking to her.

This time, Shane didn’t answer right away. He unfolded a newspaper in his lap, before he showed it to Farrah.

On the front page was a single headline:

“Seven Chosen for the Game of Sins.”

There was something off about this and even without reading the whole paper, she knew that she was involved in something she shouldn’t have…

“Game of what?” She repeated.

Shane met her eyes, and for the first time she noticed the faint glow beneath his wrist… It was an emblem shaped like a circle with seven petals.

Before she could speak, the intercom crackled overhead, followed by a voice so clear and mechanical it made her blood run cold…

[ Welcome to the Trial of Seven Sins, Cursed Ones. ]

[ You are passengers of the Avarra Line. ]

[ Destination: The First Trial. ]

[ Your estimated time of arrival is 15 minutes and 30 seconds. Survive all seven trials, and your curse shall be lifted. Fail, and your soul shall burn forever. ]

Farrah’s throat went dry. “This isn’t real.”

“Everyone says that…” Shane murmured. “Until the first one dies.”

Something in his tone made her skin crawl. “What are you talking about? First what?”

Before he could answer, she heard a cough from a few seats ahead.

Farrah turned and froze.

She realized that they weren’t just the passengers here.

Other passengers were sitting scattered across the train car.

She didn’t recognize them at all. There was a woman in a business suit clutching a rosary, probably an eighteen-year-old boy in a hoodie who was trembling uncontrollably, and a man in his thirties staring blankly at the floor.

There were also three others, one woman and two men, who had their backs turned to her, so she couldn’t guess their age or emotion.

But another seat was occupied by something else entirely.

A young woman, probably her age, was slumped forward with her long hair covering her face. At first, Farrah thought she was just unconscious.

Then she noticed what was blooming from her mouth!

There was a rose.

A perfect, blood-red rose, growing where her face should’ve been.

Farrah stumbled back with a cry escaping her throat. “What… what happened to her?!”

Shane’s voice was steady, though his hands clenched tightly.

“She looked out the window when the voice said not to. They don’t like it when you disobey.”

“The what?”

Shane didn’t answer her question right away. His eyes lingered on the girl with the rose blooming from her mouth, then slowly turned back to Farrah.

“The ones who run this… whatever it is… they call it a game,” he said quietly. “But it’s not a game anyone wants to play.”

Farrah’s hands clenched into a fist… “She’s dead, isn’t she?”

Shane nodded. “She was the seventh. But she broke the rule and was punished…”

Farrah then closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to calm her mind…

As she opened her eyes, her expression immediately changed.

Shane was familiar with this and knew that Farrah had already adjusted.

“So what happens now?” She asked.

“She’s gone. And you’re here… There always have to be seven players. No more, no less. When one dies, someone else is brought in.”

Farrah’s eyes widened. “You mean… I’m her replacement?”

Shane didn’t need to answer… Then, he handed the newspaper…

Farrah reached for it without hesitation.

“Read it… It’ll explain more than I can.” Shane muttered.

Just like that, she unfolded the paper carefully…

The words at the top of the page read: Seven Chosen for the Game of Sins.