Author's Note:

Welcome back. And now, without further ado...let's get a body on the kill count.


The IDphones, as Gwen found out, contained a map of the building—including where the dorms were. What it didn't contain was any clue as to where a way out was.

"What's the damn point of a map if it doesn't tell you where the exits are?" Leshawna complained as she scrolled angrily through the phone.

"I think that would be against the point," Noah told her dryly. "Whoever this person is, he doesn't want us going anywhere."

"This person?" Trent repeated. "How do we know that it isn't Chris?"

"Doesn't seem likely," Noah theorized. "Chris is all about trying to get us killed through his challenges. Monokuma wants us to kill each other."

"Chris probably thought that letting everyone kill each other is more entertaining," Gwen guessed.

"But it's not like we're suddenly going to turn into killers," Trent pointed out. "None of us are murderers."

"Give them the right incentive, and Heather and Alejandro will do anything," Leshawna reminded him.

"Why are we even talking about this?" Gwen asked. "We're supposed to be trying to find a way out through the dorms." The four of them were standing in another long hallway, this one being the home of the dorm rooms. Twenty-four doors led to twenty-four different rooms. The names of each of the Total Drama contestants were on each door.

Gwen found her door next to Trent's. She turned the knob, but it wouldn't budge. "It's locked," she reported.

"I believe that's what these IDphones are for," Noah reminded her. He held his up to his door, which was across the hall, and the door beeped. He turned the knob and the door swung open. Gwen followed his example and opened up her door as well.

Inside, she found a simple bed, a desk, a dresser, and another door that presumably led to a bathroom. On the desk was a lamp, a clock, and a notepad and pencil. Just like in the classroom, any potential windows were bolted over by metal plates.

A note was taped to the bathroom door. Gwen walked over and took it off to read.


Dear students,

Each dorm room is equipped with its own bathroom. However, only the doors in the girls' rooms lock.

Your principal,

Monokuma


"At least the rooms are nice." Gwen turned around to see Trent leaning against the door.

"You make it sound like it's not a bad thing that we're being held prisoner here," Gwen told him.

He shrugged. "I mean, it sucks that we can't leave, but it could be worse."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. We could be trapped without each other."

Gwen blushed slightly despite herself. "You know we're not together anymore, Trent."

"It doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"Eeesh! Back off on the flirts!" Gwen yelped and swung around. Monokuma had appeared out of nowhere and was now sitting on the dresser, his legs dangling off the edge.

"Dude, not cool," Trent lectured the bear.

Monokuma chortled. "Yak, yak, yak. Just coming to see how everyone is settling in."

"We don't need your help," Gwen snapped.

Monkuma dramatically put his paws to his face. "Oh dear! You wound me, Goth Girl."

"What do you want?" Trent asked him.

Monkuma hopped down off the dresser. "Just came by to tell Noah about the trick to his bathroom door. It's all wonky. Poor craftsmanship." He waddled for the door to the hallway. "Oh, and the rest of your friends are gathering in the dining room."

Gwen and Trent exchanged looks. "Something tells me that this is a meeting that we don't want to miss," Trent guessed.


When the two of them, accompanied by Leshawna and Noah, arrived at the dining room, the rest of the cast were waiting for them. "Finally," Heather said, "Now can we get started?"

"Now that everyone's here, we can," Courtney replied. "Come on, people. Did anyone find a way out?"

"How come you're in charge here?" Leshawna asked.

"Well, as the only one here with CIT experience—"

"Oh, hell no!" Leshawna interrupted. "Don't even think about pulling that CIT shit again!"

Geoff cleared his throat. "Me and Bridge found the front door. But it's completely bolted shut. No getting out that way, dudes."

"No way out in the dorms either," Trent added. "All the windows are sealed."

"I found a staircase," Duncan spoke up. "But it was closed off too. We're stuck on this floor."

"And there's no hole in the ceiling to climb out of either," Izzy added.

"Well, I guess the bear was right," Justin commented, still looking at himself in his mirror. "I guess we're stuck here for now."

"At least we're stuck in here with you," Katie sighed as she and Sadie stared into Justin's eyes.

"Well, the kitchen's stocked," DJ pointed out. "Enough food to last us a while. I whipped up some sandwiches for you all." He set a large plate filled with sandwiches on the table.

"Mmmmm." Owen licked his lips. "Tasty sandwiches."

"How'd you know where everything was?" Harold asked as everyone began to chow down on the food DJ had prepared for them all.

"Monokuma told me. He just popped up out of nowhere to show me where the stuff was," DJ explained

"He showed up at the dorms too," Trent added. "What kind of a bear is he?"

"He's not a real bear," Courtney told him. "He's obviously some sort of robot."

"If he's a robot, then someone must be controlling him, ey," Ezekiel realized.

"And that someone's gotta be Chris," Heather insisted.

A rough guffaw came from the other end of the table. "You still think I'm that washed up host?" Monokuma was sitting in a chair. "Sorry, kiddos, but you're barking up the wrong tree."

"We all know it's you, McLean," Duncan told the bear. "Why don't you end this little charade and tell us what the challenge is."

"I already told you your challenge," Monokuma said. "Boy, you kids have short memories. All you have to do is either stay here for the rest of your lives or murder one of your fellow reality stars."

"Do you really think any of us are going to turn into killers?" Trent asked the bear. "We may not all like each other, but we'd never kill each other."

"Though some of us have certainly dreamed about it," Heather muttered, glaring at Leshawna, who glared right back at her.

Monokuma laughed again, the slashed red eye on his left side gleaming. "Oh ho ho, you think you guys won't kill, eh? We'll see about that. Everyone follow me." Monokuma hopped off the chair and started walking for the door. The cast hesitated, but eventually started to follow him, one by one.

Monokuma led them to what appeared to be a computer lab. "Everyone, find the computer that has the CD with your name on it," he instructed.

"What the hell is this?" Heather asked.

Monkuma's eye gleamed again. "Call it some…motivation to get the murdering juices flowing."

Gwen found the CD with her name on it and sat down at the computer. Hesitating briefly, she soon inserted the CD into the computer and put the headphones in. A few seconds later, the screen lit up, revealing a video of her mother and brother on the couch at her home.

"Hi, Gwen!" her mother waved. "Good luck on your next season of Total Drama!"

"I'll make sure that Mom doesn't hire someone to pretend to be you again," her brother added, giving her a look.

"When was this?" Gwen wondered. "I don't remember them ever making a video like this."

Suddenly, the video filled with static. When it cleared, Gwen's eyes widened in shock. The couch was now in tatters as if someone (or something) had torn it to shreds. And there was blood everywhere. It coated the couch, the walls, the floor—everywhere.

Gwen was no stranger to horror; she knew all the tropes of horror movies and how to get through them (hell, it was thanks to that knowledge that she won a challenge years ago). But even this shook her to the core. She threw the headphones off and slid back from the computer, panting. Around her, the others were doing the exact same thing, many of them crying out in fear or shock. Even the more serious ones, like Duncan, Heather, and Alejandro, looked stunned at what they were seeing.

"Wh—what the hell?" Geoff croaked.

"What is this?!" Sierra cried.

Lindsay whimpered, tears falling from her eyes. "Why would you show us these things?"

Monokuma only let out a ragged, sinister laugh in response.


Gwen laid on her bed, unsure of what to do next.

After what Monokuma had shown them in the computer lab, everyone had quickly left without a word. No one was saying anything, but it was clear that whatever Monokuma had shown each of them, it had been just as horrifying as Gwen's video had been. She hadn't heard too much noise coming from outside after that. Clearly, everyone had retreated into their rooms to process whatever it was they had seen.

"Was…what I saw true?" she wondered. "Is my family okay?"

A hesitant knock came from the door. Gwen slowly picked herself up and headed over. When she opened the door, she found Trent outside.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey, yourself," Gwen said back.

He shuffled his feet. "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Uh…no?" Gwen stepped aside, allowing Trent to enter the room. She closed the door behind her.

"You doing okay?" Trent asked. "You were pretty shaken after that video."

Gwen slipped her hands into her pockets. "Yeah…I'm fine…"

"It's okay to admit it," Trent told her. "It freaked me out too."

"What was yours?" Gwen asked.

Trent shuddered, shifting his hands uncomfortably. "It was my parents wishing me luck…and then it cut to an empty table covered in blood."

"Yeah…that was what mine was, more or less," Gwen agreed. She collapsed back down on her bed. After a few moments, Trent laid down next to her.

"Well…I guess it's safe to say that this isn't Chris," Trent admitted. "He's a psycho, but even he's not cruel enough to kidnap our families and torture them."

"Yeah, no kidding," Gwen agreed.

The two were silent for a long few minutes. "Gwen?" Trent asked suddenly, "Do you really think someone's going to start killing?"

Gwen thought about it for a moment. "I really don't know," she admitted. "There's a few that would certainly try with the right motivation. But…I don't know if they'd actually go for it."

"That's the thing though," Trent went on. "If we have to kill someone to get out of here—"

"—then that means that only half the people in this school are going to be able to leave," Gwen finished.

"That's…not what I was going to say. But you're right."

"And if we've figured that out, then it won't be long before the others do too. And once they do, there's going to be alliances forming."

"What do we do, then?" Trent asked.

"How should I know?" Gwen snapped, sitting back up. "Why are you even in here, Trent?"

Trent sighed. "I was just…checking in on a friend." He got up and started to leave.

"No—wait." Gwen caught his arm. "I'm sorry. This whole thing…it's just weird."

Trent's face softened. "Which part? The part where we have to kill each other to leave, or the part where the one holding us prisoner is a robot bear?"

"The part where I don't remember how we got here in the first place," Gwen answered. "I mean, the video that I got seemed to be about me taking part in another Total Drama season…but I don't remember ever signing up. Everything since after they released that weird season on the robot island is a blank."

"You too?" Trent asked. "I'm the same way."

Gwen thought about it. "Someone apparently doesn't want us to remember anything since then. But why?"

"Maybe it's all part of this sick game that Monokuma has us playing," Trent guessed.

Gwen smirked slightly. "Figured that out all by yourself, did you?"

A hint of a smile passed Trent's lips. "Glad to see your mood's improved." He headed for the door. "It's getting late. I'd better get going."

Gwen followed him to the door. "Trent?"

He paused. "Yeah?"

"…Thanks for coming."

"Hey…no matter what…I'll always be there for you."

Gwen put her hand on the doorknob. "Right back at you, Trent." She opened the door. "I guess I'll see you—"

Something clocked her in the side of the head. All became black.


Knock knock knock.

The knocking slowly brought Gwen back to consciousness. She groaned, finding herself in a strange bed.

"Mph…where…" she groaned, slowly starting to remember the situation. She was in…some place called Hope's Peak with the other Total Drama contestants. They were all being held prisoner there by…Chris? No, it was…Monokuma. And the only way out was—

The knocking came again as the door opened. "Gwen, are you okay?" It opened, revealing Cody and Owen. "You're missing breakfast."

"Yeah," Owen added, munching on an entire ham. "DJ's made pancakes—"

Both of them stopped short, eyes widening in horror. Cody was the first one to scream.

That got Gwen out of bed. "Guys? What's wrong—" That was when she realized her hands were stained red. Her eyes widened in horror as her eyes fixated on the wall. Or, rather, who was lying against the wall.

Trent was slumped against the wall, a knife lodged in his neck. Blood had pooled out from his body to form a puddle on the ground. His eyes were open, but blankly, lifelessly staring at nothing.

"Trent…" Gwen breathed, sinking to her knees in shock and horror.

His corpse gave no response.


Alive: Owen, Gwen, Heather, Duncan, Leshawna, Geoff, Izzy, DJ, Lindsay, Bridgette, Eva, Harold, Courtney, Sadie, Beth, Cody, Tyler, Katie, Justin, Noah, Ezekiel, Sierra, Alejandro

Dead: Trent

And we have our first casualty, folks! Bet none of you guessed that Trent would be the first to go. The real question is this: who's going to be his killer? The clues are going to come in the next chapter, but if y'all have any guesses as to who did it, feel free to take a crack at it.

But anywho, that's all from me. Make sure you hit that favorite/follow button to stay informed on future updates, and don't forget to drop a review to let me know how I'm doing. Until next time, this is Guest 1138, reminding you to always believe in hope over despair. Ciao!