The stumping of a guitar and the baritone accompaniment could only be heard with the sound of a knife hitting a cutting board repeatedly. A small squeal, and laughter along with cussing followed, and then continued with the sound of running water on and off. The knife sounds intensity in tempo before cutting off and going slow again, repeating until another squeal or laughter is heard, and there is a pause. The knife game. One where a hand is placed on the cutting board, and one has the knife in the other hand, hitting the spaces between the fingers and outside the pinky and thumb, while either singing or having one sing for you. If you hit your fingers, you lose. The viral video had finally hit the Xavier Institute for Gifted Children. The X-Men, teachers, and students all hummed the hung when they thought the others were not looking or within ear shot.
However, only the teenagers were daring enough to try it. some were only watching, squeamish at the sight of blood or extreme violence while others played repeatedly, getting the others out and continuously going faster and faster until they too are out or have won.
"There is an old tradition, a game we all can play" one sang, the guitar matching the tempo.
They sang one person at a time, or the person playing with sing as well. So far, Bobby, Rogue and Kurt were winning, the others had bowed out or had gotten themselves. The need for bandages had gone up considerably since the video had come out,
"You start by getting liquored up and sharpening your blade." Another sang, watching as bobby very slowly began to move the knife around his fingers.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"You take a shot of whiskey and grab your knife and pray." Rogue sang, her voice echoing out in the kitchen where the players were around the island counter, everyone around them. The one playing the guitar was Kitty, who had only done this so that Rogue would do her science essay for her.
"And you spread apart your fingers and this is what you say." Kurt sang, the rest was up to bobby to sing for the chorus.
"Oh, I have all my fingers, the knife goes chop, chop, chop. If I miss the spaces between my fingers they will come off. And if I hit my fingers, blood will soon come out. But all the same I play this game because that is what it is all about." Kitty gave him a couple of seconds, letting everyone sing their part before he started up again, continuously doing the knife aginst the cutting board, to stop was to lose. It was going to speed up towards the end, that was the dangerous part.
What they didn't know is that they were being watched. Watched by their teachers from one doorway, other students from the other. Short whispered sentences were spoken when the speaker was sure they were not to be heard, mostly when bobby was singing.
"No you can't use a pencil, you cannot use a pen, the only way is with a knife when danger is your friend." Kitty sang, next was rogue, it went on like this until bobby sang, and then Kurt would sing a sentence, and then bobby would chorus until the short song was over.
"And some may find it stupid, some may find it dumb, But all the same we play this game because it is so damn fun!" rogue laughed and bobby took over, going slightly faster.
"Oh, I have all my fingers, the knife goes chop, chop, chop. If I miss the spaces between my fingers will come off. And if I hit my fingers will come off. But all the same I play this game, 'cause that's what its all about!"
Kitty gave him a split second warning before speeding up, Bobby easily keeping pace as they rushed the end of the sing like they were supposed to.
"Oh, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, I'm picking up the speed, and if I hit my finger, my hand will start to bleed!" bobby finished, the knife starting its last decent when Wolverine called out, causing everyone to freeze and look up at him in surprise, bobby's hand still in motion, and a sickening sound of knife going through flesh was heard, and the final slam of the knife.
"Ah!" bobby screamed out, unpinning his injured hand and curling it to his chest, his pinky bleeding from the gash he had inflicted on himself in surprise.
"Idiot!" Jean chastised, walking into the kitchen, grabbing a dish cloth to bind his finger until they could get into the infirmary to see Hank, and to stitch his fingers.
"I am very disappointed in all of you, for playing such a dangerous game." Xavier said, admonishing the remaining members of the game, who looked down in shame and disappointment.
"Double duties on the Danger Room for the next month, and no going out other than to school. You are also to clean the X-Jet, and help Storm prepare dinner, and clean the campus until July."
"But professor, that's like, four months away!" Kitty tried, but he would have none of it.
"August." He said, extending the time. Rogue hit kitty's arm with the back of her hand, warning her to shut her mouth as she moved to open it to complain.
"Clean this up, half pint. Crawler, Rogue, go start on the Jet." Wolverine ordered, and slowly the croud began to disperse, both the teachers, the students, and the ones in trouble.
"If you wanted danger, you should have asked, bub." Wolverine said once Xavier left, unsheathing his claws on his raised fist with a 'sknit' earning a squeak from kitty, and a yelp from rogue and Kurt as they were teleported away to the Jet.
Bobby had 10 stitches in his hand, and nobody played the game anymore, but they still hummed the song until they got tired of it, or it became unpopular.
Later that week, during the night, the song could be heard being played, and the sound of a knife being hit against wooden cutting boards as Hank, Scott, Wolverine, Gambit and Jean played. Only three of them would show up to class the next day with small scratches on their fingers.