Elizabeth sighed, and slammed her Western Civ textbook shut. The noise echoed through the study carrels, and several students looked up in annoyance. Elizabeth coloured, and inched the book away from her slightly.
Nina Harper, her best friend, glanced up from her Russian Literature paper that she had been working on. "Given up already?" she murmured with a smile. She picked up a heavy book titled 18th Century Russian Poems and flicked it open.
Elizabeth managed a wry grin. "Normally I can go for about five hours until the fatigue sets in," she answered. "But I'm just shattered today. Jessica kept me awake all night trying to discuss strategies and battle plans for the Murder Game."
Nina groaned, slapping her hands over her ears. "If I hear the words 'Murder Game' one more time, I will scream," she warned. "We're university students, not children. I can't believe some of the so-called adults on this campus are competing in something so stupid."
"I totally agree," Elizabeth replied. "But Jess did captivate my attention when she mentioned that the winner could be walking away with around five hundred dollars."
"It's still ridiculous," Nina declared, placing her nose firmly back into her book. "And I wouldn't be caught dead playing it."
Elizabeth stared out at the students in the library. "Well, I think there are quite a few people who are interested. Jess said when she went to submit her name she could barely squash it into Randy Mason's mailbox. It was that full. That's a lot of money."
"How do they know Randy isn't just going to pocket all of that money?" Nina wondered. "That would be the smart thing to do. Pretend it got stolen and just keep it all for yourself."
Elizabeth acted shocked. "Nina Harper! How devilish of you to suggest such a thing. I didn't know you had such a villainous streak."
Nina looked down at her book moodily. "I think all of this drab poetry is getting to me."
"Do you want to have a quick break?" Elizabeth asked, checking her slim gold watch. "I could go for something to eat."
Nina stood, sighing. "I guess so. But not for long, okay? The moment I start to distract myself, I never get back on task."
They left their books in the carrels and headed for the snack bar outside the library. Elizabeth shook her head and thought about Nina's last comment. She was easily the most studious person Elizabeth had ever met, but she was incredibly hard on herself. She studied her friend, noting how tired and weary she looked. Nina probably hasn't had a good night's sleep for days, she thought.
As if on cue, Nina yawned. "I think I need a caffeine recharge," she said. "I was going to have this weekend off to spend with Bryan, but I changed my mind at the last minute. There's no way I could go watch a movie on a Saturday night, or spend my Sunday afternoon playing Frisbee in the park when I know there's a pile of homework on my desk, waiting for me."
They trudged up the steps towards Yum-Yums. "But you need some time off, Nina," Elizabeth argued. "Your GPA is fantastic, and you never score below an A. I think your last B- was in primary school."
"But I didn't get that way by having time off," Nina said simply, opening the glass door and letting Elizabeth step in front of her. "It's hard work, but it's what I have to do."
They continued to chat as they waited in line, mulling over the different culinary choices. Eventually when it got to their turn, Elizabeth ordered a warm chicken and salad wrap with a diet lemonade, whereas Nina chose a blueberry muffin, a slice of carrot cake and an extra-large cappuccino. They sat at the nearest table to wait for their order.
"I know you don't really want to talk about it," Elizabeth said. "But you must have some sort of interest in the Murder Game."
"I don't have the slightest interest," Nina disagreed. "I can think of a thousand different things I'd rather be discussing."
"Russian literature?" Elizabeth questioned, raising her eyebrow.
"I'd be happy to never hear those words again," Nina sighed. "Okay. What's got you so fascinated with this game?"
Elizabeth shrugged her slim shoulders. "I don't know," she admitted. "I just find it interesting. I mean, there's so much that Randy has left unanswered. Why did they stop playing it all those years ago? Why did Randy start it up again? It'd be really neat to research."
"Why don't you write an article on it?" Nina suggested. "That way you'll get it all out of your system."
Elizabeth bit her lip. "I don't know. I've only just cleared out my pigeon hole at the WSVU station. Do you think it's too early to start writing again?"
Nina stared at her. "Are you kidding? Liz, you left the television station for the print station. Eventually, you're going to have to write an article on something. Tom can just deal with the fact that you two aren't going to be star reporters together anymore. He knows that you're writing for the Gazette now. It won't be a surprise when he gets a copy, flicks it open and sees that little by-line Elizabeth Wakefield smiling up at him."
"Wow, Nina. Tell me how you really feel," Elizabeth answered, smiling at her friend. "I guess you're right, though. I'm just being stupid. I think I might write an article on it. But I'll have to be careful. I don't want to land anyone in trouble. I don't even know if the faculty are aware of it yet."
A woman brought them their orders, and the girls stood to leave. As they stepped out of the snack bar, a tall, lanky boy almost barrelled them over. "Winston!" Nina exclaimed. "Do you always bruise people as a greeting?"
Winston adjusted his glasses, his mop of hair flopping in his eyes. "Sorry," he panted, bending over and breathing in heavily. "I'm trying to get to the student centre before my next lecture. I might just skip it all together, though. Love, Eros and Truth was a terrible elective to pick."
Elizabeth snorted a laugh. "That'll teach you for trying to pick classes based on which ones will help you meet girls," she teased.
Winston puffed out his chest. "I already got my dream girl," he bragged. "Denise couldn't help herself. I'm only doing this elective to try and figure out how to make the other girls keep their hands off me."
Nina eyed him sceptically and tossed her braids over her shoulder. "Whatever you say, Winston."
"Why are you heading for the Student Centre, anyway?" Elizabeth asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
Winston's eyes widened. "Haven't you heard? Randy posted up a list of the competitors in the Murder Game about an hour ago. If I could have left that lecture I was in, I would have, but the professor was already looking at me funny."
Nina rolled her eyes. "Not you as well, Winston!"
"Yep," Winston said. "I'm going to win all of that glorious prize money. I need a new set of roller blades. My old ones don't match my new spandex shorts."
"We'll come with you," Elizabeth volunteered, earning a dirty look from Nina. "I want to see who else signed up."
"I'll lead the way, Madams," Winston declared, breaking into some sort of half-jog towards the Centre. Elizabeth and Nina hurried to keep pace with him.
The Student Centre was almost completely empty. There were a couple of guys standing at the bulletin board, two girls taking advantage of the peace and quiet by setting up their study materials in an open room and an older woman sweeping the floor. Winston made a beeline for the bulletin board.
As Elizabeth and Nina followed him over, the two guys turned around. Elizabeth immediately recognized them as Joseph Goulbourne and Cameron Haze, Jessica's dud date. "Hi, Jessica," Cameron greeted her eagerly.
"I'm Elizabeth," she said politely. "Sorry, Cameron. Are you both checking out the Murder Game competitors?"
Cameron's face fell, and Joseph cut in. "Sure are," he said. "We plan on blitzing this thing, don't we, Cam?"
Cameron nodded, his eyes still trained on Elizabeth. "Say hi to Jessica for me, okay?" he said quietly, before inching past them and walking out of the centre. Joseph followed him.
"That was weird," Nina commented, staring after them. "Let me guess. Jessica turned him down?"
Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't know the full story." She turned her attention to Winston. "How many people, Winnie?"
Winston turned, his eyes bulging. "One hundred and forty-six," he answered. "That's almost fifteen hundred dollars!"
"Wow," Nina said. "That sure is a lot of money. Who are some of the people competing?"
Winston checked the list. "Quite a few familiar faces," he reported. "Jessica Wakefield, Winston Egbert, Alexandra Rollins, Alison Quinn, Todd Wilkins, Kimberley Schuyler, Bruce Patman..."
"How the hell did he manage to get his name in?" Nina demanded. "He's still in Prague!"
"Maybe one of his frat buddies did it," Winston mused, still staring at the list. "Nearly all of the fraternity brothers are on this. Wait till Lila hears that her boyfriend is playing some dirty, common game. She might even break up with him for me."
"Easy, boy," Elizabeth cautioned, laughing. "Anyone else?"
Winston scanned the rest of the names. "Denise Waters, Isabella Ricci, Danny Wyatt..." his voice faltered for a second, and he turned to look at Elizabeth. "Liz! You sly dog. You never told me you were competing."
"Me?" Elizabeth said. "Of course I'm not."
Winston stepped back. "Well, you're on there," he reported, jabbing a finger at a name near the bottom.
Elizabeth's forehead creased into a frown, and she moved forward to scrutinize the paper. It said in small, typed letters, right near the bottom:
ELIZABETH WAKEFIELD.
