Maid

The four of you who still hold your phones see the pop-up cross your screen.

Maid

You must clean the household daily for the full 75 points while wearing the uniform provided. Bonus points are given for cooking and handling other needs of the household members. Your uniform is provided in the chest in the center. Failure to reach 75 points prior to curfew will lead to punishments given in the dark of night. We hope you become a contributing member of our little society.

Erica doesn't read this, still just looking at the phone floating in front of her with hatred. Still, she can't help but see a black glass box rise from the floor, the box that contains her uniform, though she doesn't know it. Olivia tries to break the news to her. "Uhm, well, uh, apparently you were assigned the role of maid? I chose Dancer, but it was the best option I had..." Erica doesn't let her finish, her voice cold with anger. "I'm not assigned anything. I'm not going to play some sick game that seems purpose built to humiliate me. I'd rather die."

Our phones ping, and each of us except Erica, who has turned to face her corner, look down at them.

The other rule is rather self-explanatory. A curfew of 9 PM will be imposed, all members must be in their room by that time. You must be in your room at the time of your curfew, or else you will be punished. Do not test the rules, lest you be willing to accept the punishment.

Now, let us deduct your rent for the day. You shall return here every morning, regardless of whether you want to or not. Control is no longer yours, and soon you shall see it quite vividly.

The numbers behind you drop, removing the 75 points.

Rex: 263

Rebecca: 84

Olivia: 657

Erica:0

Sephora:174

With that, the phone dims. Erica's phone clatters to the ground, the clattering loud in the quiet room. You try to open your phone again, just to see your normal phone with the app's icon still on your screen. Testing, you wave your hand through the edge of the circle and find the forcefield is gone.

Before you can say anything, you all see Erica run from the room, not bothering to pick up the phone or examine the box. You look at the other three in confusion. "Uh, did that just happen?" This breaks the others from their shellshock, as all three look away from their phones. You guess this would be rather traumatic for them. It would be traumatic for you, if you couldn't see this coming.

Rebecca runs to you, hugging you. You rub her back, whispering that it's going to be ok as she shudders against you in fear. Sephora soon comes up, in easy talking distance but keeping her distance. Her eyes are on the box in the center, and part of you is curious about that too. As you try to help Rebecca calm down, Sephora speaks, "So, what... what should we do next?"

She sighs as her shoulders lower. "Shit man, I don't know what to make of that. Part of me just wants to go to my room and hide under the covers. I mean, it has to be a dream right? I just, it just doesn't make sense otherwise. But if this is a dream, I must have had a 12 course meal immediately before falling asleep. This isn't your average waking up naked in the classroom dream, that's for sure."

You reply stiffly over Rebecca's shoulder. "I don't think this is a dream. I think some cursed app is on our phones now and is making us play some sick game. Still, it almost feels odd. Only Erica really has something to do now. It doesn't feel like a game really." That is your legitimate thought. After dealing with the app for almost a full day yesterday, you'd gotten used to a level of collateral damage. Now, it only seems to be targeting Erica. It also seems... merciful? Maid wasn't some super bad role. You had chosen it because it seemed like the best option, but it almost seems... too tame?

You sigh. "I guess we should try to get in contact with the outside world. The windows seemed to still be showing outside when I woke up. Maybe we can call the fire department and we can open them and go down a ladder or something." This is true enough, you did see the dawn through your window. But something just doesn't feel right. It can't be that easy to escape. You feel the hand of the app is far too tight to let that happen.