The majority of the contestants had already gone to their rooms; I assumed, as only a few remained in the common area. Abel, two other men, and the plump woman Alice sat in the common room. Each had a place on the plush, velvet sectional. A crackling fire roared in the fire place. The four of them were having a quiet conversation, hearty laughter spewed from that side of the room. I noticed the crystal glasses in each of their hands, wondering if it were alcohol or a potion they were drinking. Abel's dark eyes met my own, the touch of a smile playing on his full lips. He gave me a brief nod before turning back to the man with salt and pepper hair, who laughed at something Alice had said.Something about Abel didn't sit right with me. Whether it be the confident swagger he always held, or the constant look of amusement on his face. I carefully returned his nod with one of my own before following Camille and Helena up the large, winding staircase. Our footsteps echoed into the

Night's words had the entire room speaking, murmuring heatedly about what that might mean. Even Helena, Camille and I were stunned by his words. I knew that anything could happen in the game, but I at least expected some basic rules that kept the contestants from offing each other. It seemed everyone else was thinking the same thing. If there were no rules, there was nothing stopping us from eliminating each other. I couldn't imagine it, that someone might take matters into their own hands and remove some of the contestants from the game. One of the men leaning against the wall raised his hand, and the room fell into silence as Night nodded his way. The man leaning against the wall was only a few years older than Camille and I, thin but held faint traces of muscle. His shaggy hair was a washed-out shade of brown and hung down to his shoulders in limp strands. What set me on edge the most, was the downright excite

I was certain the sign had read Open when I first entered, and there was no way the shop keeper could have made it to the door that fast. He hadn't followed behind me as I left, yet the door was locked. For a second, I contemplated setting the basket down and walking away, but I needed Grandpa Kent's box.Letting out a small sigh, I turned back towards the street. The sun was still shining in abundance. It heated my skin, and I hadn't realized how cold I felt. While the sun was blistering, the cool breeze that wafted by prevented sweat from forming behind my neck. It was the perfect balance; one my home town did not have.The warm sound of chattering filled the air, and I inhaled at the various scents deeply. There were many vendors on the streets, selling a wide number of products. One man had a machine, with something oddly similar to popcorn crackling away. A petite woman with golden hair was selling a wide array of body products. Two of the contestants, both female

After my strange encounter with the shop keeper, I ran into Helena and Camille. I tucked the wrapped box in my bag and gave both of them a friendly smile. Helena looked her usual happy self, but Camille’s shoulders seemed slumped in defeat. Her neat ponytail had been taken down, replaced by a poor attempt at a messy bun.Camille had visited nearly every fountain in town, but hadn't found a single clue. Helena knew her clue was in the library, but after searching all day, she hadn't found a single thing. Helena wasn't too concerned with winning, and planned to make another trip to the library tomorrow. Camille on the other hand, seemed a little put out.I had told her about the lake I visited today and how her clue could be anywhere near the large body of water. While winning wasn’t my goal, I was determined to give this competition everything I had. I refused to let myself turn into some of the other competitors, those who guarded everything they learned wi

The moment my head hit the velvet pillow, the world around me faded from view. I was left with the solace of the darkness, and the tune of that haunting song. It followed me into my dreams, filling me with melancholy and dread. I briefly wondered who had written the song, and what they had endured to create a piece so magically beautiful.Since coming to the Iridescence Pack, I hadn’t had a single dream. Back at home, I savored each ridiculous and crazy dream. My dreams had been my own personal escape from my pack. I could be anything, anyone in my dreams. Since my arrival, all trace of my own dreams had vanished. Apart from the time I had met the Game Master, I had dreamt of nothing but darkness.This time had started out as no different, until the bright flashes of color stained my vision. The darkness gave way to images, millions of flashing pictures behind my eyelids. The first image was of me, falling through the sky like a comet of pure fire. It was right a