Everyone continued to mix and mingle for about a half an hour more. Not a single soul noticing the lack of windows or got suspicious of the odd amount of cameras placed around the school's campus. Hell, they didn't even notice the click of the microphone until Mr. Sphinx began to speak. "I'm sorry I have taken so long to report back to you, What a hectic first day!" He chortled. "Please forgive me and report to the theater. We will be going over the handbook and reviewing the curriculum for this year. There shall be refreshments!" The speaker clicked off, squeaking afterwards. "Did I hear refreshments? Gasped Regina. "That's what I heard." Said Timothy with a smile. "Which one of you chumps know where to go?" He scanned the room. Tom, William, Ilvory, and Michelle raised their hands, Michelle's nose scrunched from having to deal with Tim's doughebaggyness. "Follow me, I'll get us there." Tom said loud and proud. A few people exchanged looks and shrugged. Eventually everyone was following Tom down the hallway.
Once they got there a few people was tempted to slap their hands against their foreheads in disgust at themselves. The library was literally right next to the theater. "Not sure how I missed this." Sighed Ray. "Hey, It's all good. No one's perfect." Celest gave him a pat on the back and smiled at him. He smiled back. "I guess you're right." Timothy interrupted the two "Aren't you going to get your asses in here sometime?" He said from the door, Which Tom was holding open. Ray rolled his eyes and sighed again and then entered the door behind Tim, With Celest following.
Once everyone was in and the door was closed a large screen on the stage started to rise from the ground. It had the words. "Please take a seat" in a blue, cursive, font against a red background, The school's colors. Ashley was the only one who rushed to the front row. "Movie time!" She whooped. Liam followed behind a bit slower. Everyone else sat in some kind of cluster split between the middle of four rows. The theater was the size of a larger movie theater, If they had wanted to they could've all had a few rows in between of them. The screen turned black and all the lights in the theater turned off. The screen went to static and then Mr. Sphinx's face begin to take form. "Hello hello hello. Once again, I am terribly sorry, taking so long to start the day off." He cleared his throat and chortled. "Refreshments anybody? I'm dearly sorry for offering after everyone had sat down. The seats are rigged to register when someone is sitting in them. Consider it a way for me to keep a headcount from a distance." A compartment on the front of the stage opened up to reveal plates full of food, from grapes to different kinds of cheeses. There was plenty more but the list would go on forever if it was all listed. Regina, Tim, Harrison, and Christian was the first ones to go rush over to the table. The other didn't seem too eager to eat and was more interested in starting the day. Sphinx laughed with glee at the students feasting. "Ah, Enjoy."
There was a click from the back of the room. "There will be plenty of more where that came from, I keep this place stocked!" He cleared his throat again. "Well, I must continue now, onto the reason you're really here." Some of the students leaned forward in their seats. "You're here to amuse me. There is no school. In fact, if there was a school here it'd be ironic, considering school is meant to teach you lessons for life, and most of you won't be leaving here with a pulse."
The entire place went quiet besides Regina's chewing. Harrison elbowed her. "You're kidding right?" Tom asked with a frog in his throat. "I'm dead serious." Mr. Sphinx laughed. "Tomorrow a contest starts. This contest will determine who graduates. The qualifications of graduation is as simple as getting away with the murder of one of your classmates." There was whispers amongst the students that were near each other. "What counts as "getting away with it" you might ask? After the body of your victim has been discovered by three students there will be an investigation. This investigation will as long as I feel it needs to be. Thirty minutes minimum, and maybe a full thirty extra if it's a real doozy. During this period you will collect evidence to find the killer. Next step is trial. During trial you guys will have another thirty minutes to discuss who might be the killer, or defend yourself. There must be a majority agreement on the killer before final statement is made. If you kids put an innocent up for execution, which is how all those proven guilty will be punished, then only the actual killer will walk out alive. Only in the event you choose the correct killer will you all survive. The full school is covered with cameras, my employes and I will keep a close eye open. That's all for now kids, I expect bloodshed quick once the game starts." The screen went to static and then cut off. All of the students were now chattering loudly.
Ashley's POV:
"This is crazy." I put my face into my hands. Liam rubbed my back. "Don't worry, hopefully the authorities will be contacted sooner or later about our disappearance. Our parents must know our location or somethin-... wait. I can't even remember life at home." I raised my head and wiped away my tears. "I don't either…" We both sat there, quiet for a bit, looking at each other.
Group Conversation:
It was a few minutes later when Liam shouted out the odd occurance to the rest of the students. Everyone noticed their lack of memories quickly. "How bizarre. Maybe this is a case of mass hysteria selective amnesia." William suggested. "I've never heard of a case of mass amnesia in general, let alone one caused by hysteria in such a short time. Something much odder is occurring, this whole scenario is odder than fiction." Said Ilvory. Everyone gathered around the two geniuses. "Very true. In all fairness memory is the least of our problem right now. I understand sentiment, but sentiment won't keep us alive." Said William. "It doesn't need to keep us alive if this is all bluff." Ben laughed. "No way the old fart would actually have us kill each other." Michelle looked at him. "Is Tim rubbing off on you?" Tim snarled at this. "He would've had to for you not to have heard the serious tone of Sphinx's voice." Michelle was clearly not happy at Ben's foolishness.
The large screen popped back on. "There was a detail I forgot to add in earlier on." Sphinx's voice rang through the theater. Everyone report to the office directly after this. There will be a tablet for each of you. On this tablet you will find other rules for the school that I have yet to mentioned already. Along with this you can keep track of the status of your fellow classmates, and any bits of initial evidence found during trial. You'll also be able to see evidence posted by other students and post your own. Enjoy! I believe there is also an app on there for the room service robot." The screen popped off again. It lit up one last time, this time with an image of the schools map.
"Did he sound serious enough there?" Michelle asked. She stomped her foot and stormed off to the office. Tom followed behind like a love sick puppy. The remaining students continued to talk about their current situation, horrified and sick to their stomach, besides one ill-minded individual amongst them all. After a few more minutes the rest of the crowd dispersed in groups to the office.
Inside of the office there was a box with rows, and little cubbies. Each cubby contained a tablet with the name of it's owner embossed on the back, and a charger for said tablet. After the students obtained their tablets they headed to each other's dorms to further discuss.
Ben's POV:
"Turns out me suggesting the alliance was one of smartest things I've ever done." Ben jumped in faux excitement trying to cover his fear. "Did you not hear him? If it comes down to it, I don't have the heart to kill." Ilvory sighed. "No mortal should lose his life for the benefit of another. No mortal shall lose their life to another in general. Let alone a youthful life lost to another youthful life." I scratched my head. "I didn't catch half of what you said, yada, yada, yada, moral stuff. Simplify please?" Ilvory stopped walking to his dorm and looked me in my the eyes. "Well, I'm either going to have to kill someone, or hope this last till the end and then solve the last case. Rather wise I'll die young." He took a deep breath. "Now let's get going." We walked onward to his room.
Liam's POV:
If it wasn't under these circumstances I'd be pretty happy. My dorm fit me well, with an easel and plenty of sketch books. Along with that there were more hues of any color available than I knew existed spread throughout multiple paint brands. I'd be in heaven, if I wasn't threatened with the thought of being in heaven. Along with all the supplies I was surprised to have already made two friends, or at least it seemed so. I feel one might even have a crush on me, and I vice versa. Ashley! Yep. She's just so beautiful and energetic, hopefully stress don't change that, if I do die in here I want to die with her upbeat personality at the front of my mind. We had another light hearted individual follow us into my dorm. Well, he didn't seem to light at heart now. He was trembling in fear and crying. Ashley had already collected herself. "OK guys, nice to meet you both but I don't think there will be much time for short talk. I've been reading over the rules on the tablet, it's impossible to win a game without knowing the rules. It's like trying to play a hard video game without a tutorial. You'll die a few times. Problem is we have no extra lives. So I'm going to help as much as I can to keep you two alive for now." Her voice was so soft and sweet I could barely catch onto what she was saying.
"I'm only going to go over the big stuff, you guys have your own, hopefully you know how to use it." I didn't. In fact I don't know how to turn my own, but I'm not embarrassing myself by saying that. "It seems bed time is after eight PM. School starts again at seven AM. If you don't want your hides tanned by me personally, I suggest you follow that one like it's the light at the end of the tunnel. It's not like murders won't happen during the day but they're way less likely. According to the tablet all doors have locking mechanisms."
"It also says sleeping outside your own dorm is considered sleeping in class, and will be punished as so, whatever that means. Rule two, you may not kill more than two people at once. I don't take the two of you as killers, but if it comes down to it I don't want you two disqualified. Those seem to be the big two. Now I have three of my own. We will always be in a pair or group if possible. This includes during each meal, which seems to be breakfast at seven AM, lunch twelve PM, and dinner at six PM. Obviously we can not sleep in each other's dorms but I will be sure to check that both of your doors are locked before eight-ten. That means you should both be in your room at eight on the dot. That's rule two. Rule three is we're not allowed to kill each other. This should be obvious. Now it's seven thirty, I suggest we all get back to our own room. Have your doors locked by twelve tonight, he did say the contest starts tomorrow. I need sleep, I will not be by to check on you tonight." She closed off her tablet and walked out the door. I feel she might be the only aforementioned light at the end of the tunnel I'll be following. Tyler left almost directly behind her. After that for me it was lock the door and then lights out.
Michelle's POV:
I'll give this sick bastard one thing, my room was very nice, It had a computer for me to write on, and plenty of note books. Tom attempted to follow me in here but the last thing I wanted was that. Sue I blushed at him but that was mainly from embarrassment of being caught off guard so easy. I had no feelings for him, and even less when I figured out he might kill me. Or I might kill him. Either way, It's hard to get feelings for someone at a time like this. I take a bit of time to lock my door, noticing it was eight, which I heard someone mumble in the hall as bedtime. I take off my shoes and jump into bed, trying to get my mind off this whole thing. I'm going to have to kill someone, but who? That's too much to think about right now. Good news is my dorm looks just as good from my bed. It's probably the only thing keeping my mind even remotely distracted right now. I fell asleep to a metronome like ticks of a clock behind me. Apparently that small distraction was enough.