Chapter Two

Hour Zero, 26 Students Remaining

"Haha, did you see the looks on their faces?" Cort Kensington asked as he leaned back on his desk, facing his compatriots. Cort wasn't terribly tall or bulky – he was only five-foot-seven and had no muscle to speak of – but he had a mouth that, at least he felt, made up for his lack of brawn. He wasn't an unattractive boy – he had emerald-green eyes, a brown crew cut, and a pleasant enough face – but he was brash and fairly obnoxious and thus had quickly made his way to the bottom of Sterling Park's social ladder – either that, or he had always been there and become so brash in response.

"Hah, yeah," agreed Friday Black as she twirled a finger through her ebony hair. She had a tendency to hang on to Cort's every word, something that could get a bit irritating for him – but at least she noticed him. Friday's best friend was Opal Day – they had bonded together in elementary school over their unusual names – and the two complimented each other well. Friday was tall and lean, while Opal was short and a bit plump. Both considered themselves goths and both spent every day wearing the same long black, now slightly falling-apart, trenchcoats.

The last two members of their group were Pacey Mitchell and Dark Myzee. Pacey had been Cort's best friend since middle school, and the two rarely parted ways (leading to many jabs from jocks about the two being gay). He was tall, very skinny, and had long dirty blonde hair. He was also quiet, tending to let Cort do most of the talking, and thus far more agreeable-seeming.

Dark was a bit of a outsider, even to this outsider's group. He was more an emo-kid than a goth, and was much less confrontational than anyone else in the group. The others had their suspicions that Dark really WAS gay, but as they felt beggars couldn't be choosers they hung around with him anyway.

The five were immersed in their conversation and did not even see the tall, broad-shoulder figure in the business suit walk into the room. They did not look up until they heard a ruler smack across the blackboard.

Twenty-six heads snapped up in unison.

"I'm sure you are all wondering why you are here," said the business-suited man. The class quickly recognized him as their principal, Mr. Stone.

"Um, to take a test?" volunteered Henrietta in a confused voice. "Where's Mr. Menle?"

Mr. Stone let out a soft snicker and then smiled.

"Children, have you ever read the novel Battle Royale?"

Everyone looked confused, before Opal slowly raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Day."

"Um, it's a Japanese book about a group of ninth graders who have to kill each other cause of some government program," she replied, looking up at him confused.

"That's quite right, Miss Day. I recently read this book and I must say…"

Cort rolled his eyes, waiting for the comment about the gratuitous violence or the…

"And I thought, what a splendid idea."

Mariana and Henrietta exchanged looks. Their principal could not be serious.

"Haha, funny joke," Mariana said nervously, "I'm gonna go home now." She began to rise from her seat as Mr. Stone reached in his pocket and pulled out a pistol. "What?" she whispered, gasping out.

"Get back in your seat, Miss Poloski. Or I will put you back in there in pieces."

She sat back down, trembling, as Mr. Stone smirked.

"Good. Glad we can be agreeable to one another. Here are the rules. Alas, I lack the resources for the collars that they had in the novel – instead, I have engineered all of the doors with bombs. So, you try to escape; you die."

The teenagers exchanged frightened looks as it suddenly dawned on them that this was for real. Shy Rei Khan, an Asian-American girl who worked on stage crew, began crying. Her boyfriend, Uri Yang, reached over to pull her close, whispering unheard words of comfort.

"How sweet," Mr. Stone commented sarcastically. "You will each receive a bag with a weapon – no maps or compasses needed as we're not leaving the school, and no water because I'd rather watch all you little shits suffer. I will spare the life of whomever lives at the end. All phones have been disconnected and, as you may know, cell phone service is nonexistent inside the school." He grinned evilly. "If no winner has been decided by the time it becomes Sunday, you all die. A little motive to play, there. And so, as I read your name, come get your bag. Let the game begin." He snickered and pulled out a class list. "Ginger al-Sakin?"

Ginger looked around, terrified, before darting up and taking her bag from Mr. Stone. She walked out the door to the hall and slipped through another door, collapsing into tears.

"Alaina Barski." Alaina looked at her friends, who gave her looks of complete confusion back, and took her bag before disappearing into the hall as well.

"Friday Black." Friday gave a pleading glimpse at Opal, who nodded, and got up to take her bag and walk through the door.

"Kenya Breene." Kenya strutted up, her mask of self-confidence at full force, angrily grabbed her bag and broke into a jog on her way out.

"Brandon Briggs." Brandon bounded up, grabbed his bag and disappeared as well. Langdon and Tyrell blinked, wondering why their friend hadn't even looked at them on the way out.

"Opal Day." Opal scrambled to her feet, walked over, grabbed the bag furiously and walked out.

"Ikurrina Escobar." Rina pushed herself up, shaking and blinking back tears, as she walked up and languidly received her bag before making her way through the door.

"Langdon Fikes." Langdon looked at Tyrell, then got up quickly, wanting to figure out what kind of plan Brandon must have to get out of this. Brandon always had a plan. He gripped his bag and walked out the door.

"Xavier Hart." Xavier slowly got up and made his way to Mr. Stone, giving him a questioning look as he took his bag and continued on.

"Cortman Kensington." Cort slowly got up, surreptitiously reaching his hand out to Pacey. He didn't care if it looked gay or whatever, they were probably all about to die due to this crazy ass game this psycho principal was instituting. But then again, maybe not. Maybe Pacey and he could win against this. If anyone could do it, the two of them could.

Pacey wordlessly reached out and squeezed Cort's hand. Cort nodded simply, then let go and walked up to take his bag and walk out the door, biting his lip to keep from screaming at the principal. He would have to play his cards right.

"Rei Khan." Rei got up, still sobbing, as she looked at Uri and gave him a wordless look. She got up and took her bag, continuing out the door.

"Queenie Martin." Queenie got to her feet and stumbled over to the principal, taking the bag from him and running out the door.

"Pacey Mitchell." Pacey got up, his tall frame hovering awkwardly as he walked up to take the bag and continue on.

"Yael Monroe." Yael rose to her feet, glaring at the principal. "Keep your bag. I'm not playing," she snapped and continued out the door.

"You'll be easy pickings!" Mr. Stone called after her. "Zakiya Moren."

Zakiya got up, blinking, as she grabbed her back, glared at Mr. Stone (feeling invigorated by Yael not getting shot when she had snapped at him) and slipped through the door.

"Dark Myzee." Dark rushed to his feet, looking around, shuddering as he took his bag and followed after Zakiya.

"Henrietta Parker." Henrietta slowly got up from her seat, shaking, grabbed her bag and walked out without a look.

"Samuel Pench." Sam ran up, grabbed his bag, and tried to follow after Henrietta.

"Mariana Poloski." "Victor Price." "Edward Ross." "Wendy Sanchez." "Nathan Steinberg." "Jarrell Thomas." "Tyrell Thomas." "Uri Yang."

As the names were called off, the students took their bags and made their way out the door… to whatever may lay ahead.