CH2: In the Face of Evil

“As for you. I’m done messing around. I will give you two options. Join me, or be eliminated from the game. Five seconds.” Calliope says coldly and starts counting. The Retreaters are in shock. They look at each other and Kendall crawls to Calliope’s legs: “No! Please! Please don’t! My penis is the work of Satan, I have to get it off! I have to! I will go to hell if…”

There’s a flash of red and Kendall goes quiet. There is an announcement: “Kendall was eliminated by Calliope.” I see red on the short blonde’s back and hear Erika scream: “You bitch! You know nothing about kindness! You know nothing about suffering! You unempathetic bitch!” Erika is furious and Calliope aims at her with her rifle. “Tsk tsk. Empathy. In a game like this? Its only use is for the weak. For the ones who can’t take, but must beg.” Calliope continues: “This is no game about empathy. All they want is for the strongest to win, and look what that simple premise has lead to. You, the weakest, most stubborn on your knees.” Erika’s ponytail is like a whip as she turns her head: “You are fucking evil! Shoot her! Anyone! Lilah! Shoot her!” She screams out and I listen, holding my breath. Erika asked for me – does she know I’m watching?

“Lilah is not here. And when it comes to your survival…” Calliope takes a step and pushes the girl on her back and presses the rifle on her chest: “Beggers can’t be choosers.” There’s another red flash and I lose my breath. My skin crawls and I see Erika lying down motionless. The two other girls hug each other tightly as now Lucy is crying. “I think that’s enough, boss.” Hope comes behind Calliope and puts a hand on her shoulder and Calliope nods. The announcement confirms everything that happened again: “Erika was eliminated by Calliope.”

The concept is haunting. Erika, the great soldier who stood up to Calliope is gone? I hold my rifle and think back to her words. Her plead to shoot Calliope now. I just can’t do it. It’s not the smart thing to do. I won’t do it. I won’t do what she asked, and I have to just stare at the despair happening below me. Calliope’s people start taking supplies from the two eliminated members of the Retreaters. Their fortress looms behind them like a bitter reminder of an illusion of safety. I see Grace sitting down with her cap hiding her face and after a while I too snap out of it. It’s time to move on.

I retreat back to the cafeteria and wave my rifle in the air as a sign of neutrality. The girls notice me and I walk into the kitchen and sit down. “You were gone for so long! The night is almost over, Lilah.” Vinora comments and crosses her arms. I tell them all about the events that took place, how I got taken as a prisoner by the Retreaters and how they eventually got defeated. “Tina? Oh, she came by the bathroom once. She said she would join us but didn’t in the end… I thought she was a little weird.” Tatiana says and I hope she’ll be ok. Those trigger happy girls would shoot anyone who isn’t totally on their side. Again, I am still not sure what Tina is after. Only that she has a curious mind and wants to learn and understand the laser tag game and I can’t help but applaud that. I also see Tatiana thinking about something, but I really don’t want to ask. I’m afraid I have to explain to her something she will not like to hear.

The end of night two is very different as I and the rest of the rebels sit down in the pantry together and as Sofie leans her head on Vinora, I pass out. Still conflicted but a whole lot more confident and motivated to face tomorrow.