[I don't own the characters….only my plot…and my original characters…blah blah blah….Enjoy this…demented chapter…/grins sharkishly/ No really…this chapter is actually just going to be a gore-tastic one (I hope?)…I'll be introducing Jigsaw and a game…of my own creation…I'm warning you…do NOT read if you are very sensitive…I guess…It might be safe to say SKIP THIS CHAPTER…but then…/grins/ You won't get an insight to my gore-tastic mind? (that isn't even a word) Wouldn't want to miss that now would we?…Review people? Even if anonymous?] [THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS PEOPLE!]

Chapter Five- "Lets play a game"

"You do realize we left Michael behind…right?" I said, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. We'd traded spots a bit after running from Jeepers Creepers. I glanced over at Miranda who was sipping her drink seeming worried about something. "Hey…what's eating you?"

"Oh just…" she shook her head as she spoke. She tapped her fingers on the cup before turning to look at me. "I don't know…not to be rude or mean…but you've officially weirded me out…" I glanced at her.

"Excuse me?" I demanded testily.

"oh no! Not like I'm planning on ditching you…well…isn't it kind of all weird to you?" She asked and continued to explain to me," Serial killer, really just well-known horror characters suddenly popping up in your life all of a sudden?"

"Yes Miranda…I'm still freaking out…That's kind of the point of having you around…Moral support as I go insane," I replied sarcastically and pulled over at another gas station. "This is stressing me out.." She patted my hand comfortingly before getting out. It seemed pretty dark out and vacant. I didn't even see the store clerk anywhere. Shrugging I followed Miranda in and she waited as I went to the bathroom. Then she went in and I wondered around the store.

A minor problem of mine is taking things-from stores. I don't steal from actual people. I've taken an arm/wrist band thing from Hot Topic once and even a Stitch pin from Disney World. I can't remember anything else but I'm pretty good at thieving. It's not a good habit though. I fingered some pretty looking key chains, fighting the urge for another minor theft. I decided against it, shaking my head. I needed to break this habit of mine and stay CLEAN. I turned and was startled to see a masked person standing watching my actions. They had a reddish robe-like thing on and a pig-headed mask. Oh…I know this one. I jerked backwards at the realization of who stood in front of me, only to have a hand clamp over my mouth. A white-cloth. NO! I struggled hard but stupidly inhaled, knowing I was about to be out for the count. Sure enough, I dimly registered the limpness my body began to acquire. My eyes slowly slid shut but not before the one guy in front of me removed his mask and I found myself looking at John…aka…Jigsaw. Lovely. A game.

/ / / (later) / / / ? /

I woke up with a start, heart jack-knifing in fear. We were in some kind of room, no windows and two doors. One had four locks on it, each a different color. Above this door was a frozen clock. It read '1, 00, 00'. A count-down maybe. In the middle of the room was a safe of some sort, with a 4 digit code lock on it. I hurried over to where Miranda laid unconscious. Two others were in the room with us. One looked like a part-time model. Slender with elegant expensive looking clothes. Her hair was a dark chest-nut brown and her skin had that acquired tan of perfection. The other one was some scrawny male guy, lots of acne and glasses. I shook Miranda, wondering why she had a dark blue dot on her forehead. Like someone had dotted her with a marker.

"Why is there a green dot on your forehead?" she asked sleepily and then jerked upwards looking around startled. "Where's the creep in the gorilla mask? Asshole BETTER not have tried anything…" She looked around a little confused.

"Miranda…It's Jigsaw…We're part of his game," I informed her and her pissed look changed to one of fear. I wondered briefly how they had gotten her, and kind of hoped she'd kicked gorilla face in the crotch.

"uh…don't people DIE in those?" she demanded, having never actually seen a Saw movie in her entire life. Not her type.

"um…if they don't learn their lesson?" I asked nervously, trying to remember the Saw movies. I actually respected John for what he did. Yes, I did mention I was weird and was in love with Freddy Krueger. I got up, helping her up and went over to wake up our other companions. I kind of wondered why I'd been the first one to wake up. Eh, no telling. "hey…Wake up…Person? Please?" I asked, shaking the brunette gently. I did NOT want her to freak out on me thinking I was the one who'd kidnapped her. She blinked, and seemed confused to see me. She scampered away from me, getting up quickly.

"keep away FROM me!" she screeched, looking around quickly.

"Chill," Miranda snapped at her, bending to wake up the other guy. "We've all been abducted. Least we can do is work together…so…calm down…"

"Marcus?" the brunette asked and hurried over to Miranda's side to wake up the…Marcus? I presumed.

"Alice?" he asked getting up and looking at Miranda," Who are you?" He looked around. "Where's the guy in the pig-mask?"

"No idea," Alice replied and helped him up. So these two knew each other.

"Okay…Now what?" Miranda asked looking at me. A TV set came on before I could reply, revealing to us…that creepy doll thing.

"Hello my children," the twisted voice spoke out," Welcome to my game…"

"OH NO!" Alice wailed, putting hands to her face," We've been captured by some freak!" She ran over to the door, banging on it. "HELP HELP! LET ME OUT OF HERE! HELP ME! HELP!"

"Someone shut her up…I can't hear the instructions!" I snapped and Marcus went over to quiet Alice who collapsed crying.

"As it should be known…I do not tolerate the sickness of the world…you are all infected with it…But…since you are young…you still have a chance to change your ways…and help out society rather than hinder it…" the doll told us. I glanced at Miranda. This wasn't good, Jigsaw was about to teach us all a lesson. I just hoped it didn't resolve in losing a limb. "We must eradicate your…'problems' before they can grow to a serious level in which recovery is not capable…My game is designed in such a way that you will be required to work together…" Go figure. Why did this guy stress teamwork with complete strangers? "Before you…there is a door…as you will have already noticed there is a color on a lock that coincides with the mark upon your forehead…That is your lock…in which you have a task that will grant you access to your key…all four keys are necessary in order to unlock the door…Also note that there is a countdown located above said door…You have an hour to successfully complete each task before the door completely locks…forever."

"Oh great…I always do SO well on timed tests," Miranda muttered walking off, arms wrapped around herself. I could see she was panicking, which did nothing to boost my confidence. We were probably screwed on this one.

"The question might arise as to what is in the safe," the doll continued and we all glanced at the safe. A time-bomb? "Two of you have been poisoned…The antidote is located within the safe…Note that if someone were not poisoned and took the antidote…nothing would happen…the problem arises in which of you two is poisoned….life is a precious thing that one must cherish…The poison will successfully kill its occupant in 45 minutes…" Miranda's eyes met mine. Two of us were poisoned here? Alice was crying harder now. Damn. "But do not despair…the answers will all be revealed…if you play along with my game…and learn your lessons…I hope for your own sakes that you can look past each others differences…and make it out alive…a new and changed individual…Begin" The TV screen went blank and the clock started counting down. The other door slowly swung open to reveal the rest of a house of some sort.

"So…anyone know how to hack into a safe?" I asked and got headshakes. "Well…might as well carry on right?" Miranda took my hand and I headed out of the room with Alice and Marcus. Two new buddies. "So…Jigsaw usually punishes people for…bad things…I already know what I'm going to be punished for…"

"me too," Miranda replied sheepishly. Both Alice and Marcus seemed confused.

"I'm a shoplifter," I replied making a slight face," I'm really trying to stop…"

"I'm…a cutter…" Miranda said with a slight shrug. She showed off a scarred wrist to the others. I already knew about this, and it wasn't just her wrists that she cut. I stopped outside a room that had a green circle on it.

"Well…This must be my stop," I said with a false laugh. Miranda squeezed my hand tighter…My left one…and I got this odd feeling that I was about to get hurt. I pushed the door open and another TV came on. The doll slowly looked at us.

"Hello Lilith…You've been a bit of a bad girl haven't you…Who can blame you for your background…but…a person can change…I believe that deep down in your heart…you know what to do…but it will take a bit of motivation to help you along the way…" the doll said slowly. I noticed a strange looking device. There was a red button that looked like it activated this press thing that pressed down….like one for a hand…Ow? I also noticed a key hanging inside a glass box. Probably was also activated by the switch. "Before you is a simple answer to help eradicate your problems…It was once said…If your hand does you wrong…cut it off…A bit of an over exaggeration I believe…so here we have a simple device, it is pressure rigged…place one hand in the box…push the button…and be prepared to endure some pain…once it has pressed far enough down…the box will open and you will have obtained your first key…It is a simple choice on your part as to which hand you will do without…" The TV screen went dark again.

"Well…that's going to…hurt…" I said softly, tapping my fingers nervously on my legs. Miranda looked like she was going to start crying. "Okay…I can do this…I can do this…I will NEVER steal again after this…"

"Good news is…it's probably not going to COMPLETELY destroy your hand…only…maim you for a bit…and hurt…a lot," Miranda said starting to cry. She was scared. We all were.

"okay…I can do this…" I slid my left hand under the crusher-thing and took a deep steadying breath. I hit the button before I could chicken out. The thing slammed into my hand and I screamed loudly in pain. It actually reminded me of a different movie of Saw…where the guy had to decide who got to live and who got to die…but he was an actor. This was real life. Real life hurt like a bitch. I slammed my other hand against the box trying to get it to stop as the thing pressed down even harder and I heard something's snapping. It stopped. It slowly lifted back up and I removed my hand slowly from the box. I was pretty sure some valuable things had just been broken in my hand. It hurt so bad. Blood dripped off my hand from the ripped skin. I was trembling. Miranda was crying silently. Marcus looked like he was going to throw up and Alice was really throwing up. They hadn't seen nothing yet. "Got the key…" I said through clenched teeth, sucking in air as I had to move my left hand. I grabbed the key with my right hand and kissed it. The TV set came back on.

"Congratulations Lilith on a lesson well-learned…proceed on to the next task…and remember you're being timed," the doll told me before the screen turned black again.

"I hate dolls," I muttered as we left the room. Miranda ripped part of her sleeve off to wrap around my hand. Really wouldn't do any good but I knew it'd make her feel better. So, Jigsaw said he'd give us clues along the way…he hadn't said anything about being poisoned? But the guy wasn't ever very direct with things. We reached another door with a dark blue square on it. I might want to mention that Alice's was red and Marcus's was orange. We went in. I spotted the key instantly on a hook that was way too high to reach and attached to another strange contraption. Something with a blade on it and then some kind of bucket thing attached to a scale or…something? No…a bag…with a ball in it that was attached to something else…and…Another TV came on. Dude…this guy and TV.

"Hello Miranda…You already know of your repulsive habit of self-inflicting pain…Truthfully…I distaste people like that…Attention seekers…who want to feel needed…Well…here's your chance to finally get the attention you need and to help others out…Hopefully this will eradicate any other thoughts of needing attention by pain…" The doll told us," Before you is a special contraption of mine…As you know…people donate blood all the time for a good cause…others…waste their blood in an attempt to earn some attention…Now it is your time to donate blood for a good cause…The blade will begin to spin and all you have to do is supply an arm for it…Your blood will fill up the scale…when enough has been donated…the saw will cease motion and the key will be released…Simple enough…begin." The TV went black just as the saw began to spin. Miranda whimpered.

"You can do this…" I said taking her left hand with my right. Miranda was left-handed. I knew she'd allow the right one to be massacred by the blade. She squeezed tightly and thrust her arm into the contraption. She bit her lip, trying not to scream as the blade tore through her hand-not cleanly though. Jigsaw had left enough room above the blade to allow her only to graze her hand with a deep cut and then down her arm. I can honestly say I've never in real life seen that much blood spray out of a person. The scale slowly started to fill up. All the while Miranda lost blood. Still the key wasn't released. Miranda was turning an even paler shade of white then she already was. When she started to sway I made her pull her arm out. She almost collapsed and Marcus caught her. I ripped my shirt to tie very tightly on her arm. The saw blade was still whirling and the key hadn't fallen.

"It's glitches…We're doomed!" Alice cried a loud.

"Not if I can help it!" I told her fiercely. Miranda's eyelids were fluttering as if she was trying to stay focused on me. I'd never seen so much blood before…and I'd been through blood drives before. I swallowed hard and thrust my left arm into the contraption. The saw tore relentlessly through my already damaged hand, causing me to cry out in pain. I wanted to pull my hand back and scream that I'd given up, then I remembered Miranda. Her smiling face as she tried to help me through all of this. Miranda, who'd stayed by my side this entire time. Miranda who backed me up in everything. I kept my arm in there, pushing down a bit to get more blood out. My blood joined hers in the scale-and suddenly the key was released. I pulled my arm out. Alice ripped her jacket open, knowing to replicate what I'd done to Miranda's arm. We had to stop the blood flow…or else we'd just end up bleeding to death. "Screw you Jigsaw…" I muttered. I knew he'd meant for only Miranda to do this…for her to learn her lesson…but I also knew that Miranda had some other problems. Like not eating enough food…I was more healthy than she was. I shook my head, gritting my teeth against the wave of pain and nausea. "Next room…" I muttered, leaving the room. I helped prop Miranda up in between me and Marcus. We dropped her off in the main room by the safe.

"You…didn't have…to do that…" Miranda mumbled weakly out. I laughed nervously.

"That's what friends are for…Besides…I owe you," I told her and kissed her forehead. "Stay awake for me…Promise me that…"

"Psh…I don't….want…to see Krueger…right now," she reminded me. I didn't like how weak her voice sounded right then. I was scared she was going to die now. I glanced at the countdown. We had reached the 20 minute marker. That had taken only 20 minutes? It'd seemed like it had stretched on forever to me. That meant 25 minutes before some one's poison kicked in. I still didn't know who was poisoned.

"Come on…You two still have to do something," I said and we headed for the last door. It had both red and orange colors on it. "So…do you guys do something together?" Alice shook her head in total denial. Marcus looked away sheepishly. I pushed the door open and gasped. There was a set of blades much like the first thing Jigsaw had done to that one guy with his face. Then there was this strange looking device that looked like it hooked up to your head.

"Welcome Alice. Welcome Marcus," the TV set said as it came on. "You know of your crimes…but I know you do not believe you are in the wrong…Let me make it clear to you…Selling yourself for prostitution…is wrong…making videos of it…and selling those…are just as wrong…Alice…You attract those around you with your 'looks'…You should know that in a world like today that looks alone will not get you very far…That is why I have prepared a simple task for you…There are some blades in diagonal patterns before your key…Press your face into these blades to activate the release on the key…You will have to press hard though…" The doll turned its head to Marcus. Creepy. "Marcus…As the saying goes…if your hand does you wrong, cut it off…if your eye does you wrong…pluck it out…Your task is simple…Before you is a contraption…You will give up one of your eyes…this is the price you have decided to pay for your actions…" The TV set went off.

"Fuck this…I'm not doing this…" Alice said shaking her head.

"What? You want to be stuck in here forever?" I demanded angrily. She glared at me.

"You don't know me. My father's very rich and very powerful. He'll get me out of here," she said.

"NO ONE IS GOING TO FIND YOU!" I shouted at her," JIGSAW DESIGNS THESE GAMESTHAT WAY! THEY TEACH YOU A FUCKING LESSON!"

"…you're just jealous because I'm prettier than you," Alice said flatly, and dangerously. "Why don't you press your face into it?…You already helped out your other friend…Why not help us out?" She indicated the things before us. My eyes widened slightly.

"n-no Alice," Marcus said with a shake of his head," S-she's right…we need to be taught a-a…lesson…So…I'm going to…g-get that key…and you'd better get yours too…Alice…we can't live our lives like this…not for the rest of it…o-okay?" He went bravely over to his contraption and strapped his head in. A soft whirring sound was heard and then he was screaming loudly. I noticed blood dripping off from him, his screaming didn't stop and he started trashing in place. Then the device let him go and he fell down. One of his eyes was still hanging onto it. Blood and other fluids oozed off of it. Marcus was screaming in pain on the ground. "MY EYE! MY EYE! IT'S GONE! MY EYE!" Alice screamed and ran out of the room. I grabbed Marcus's key feeling sick and hurried out. I raced over to where I'd left Miranda. There wasn't any sight of Alice though.

"What's…wrong?" Miranda asked, slowly opening her eyes.

"Uh…Jigsaw just…had someone…pluck his eye out," I said and then threw up beside her.

"Thanks," she muttered and sighed," Wish I could've seen it…Wait…Where's the other girl?" I took the three keys and placed them in the locks turning them. Three locks slid out, but that left one to go. Then there was that damn safe.

"She…ran out screaming…She's suppose to press her face into these blade things…but…" I said and shook my head, kneeling in front of the safe. Four digits. Four kids. Numbers…numbers…

"And she won't do it?" Miranda asked with a light laugh. I noticed blood had started to pool around her, she was still losing it. Then I noticed I was dripping blood all over the ground to. A wave of dizziness washed over me and the room flashed red warningly before me.

"oh…I don't feel good," I said resting my flushed face against the cool metal. I was tired too. "damnit…I will not…be taken out…by a dumb SAW movie…" I forced myself to stand up and glanced at the clock. We'd reached the 30 minute marker. 15 minutes before someone's poison took effect. "My lucky number is 3...one's too lonely…two seems like a couple…but three breaks the akwardness and starts a rave party…"

"Mine's 5..." Miranda murmured as her eyes slid closed. Her chin touched her chest as her head feel forward against her.

"Miranda! Miranda! Wake up!" I shouted, worriedly. I felt for a pulse and got a very weak one. "Damn IT!" I jumped up and almost smacked into Alice.

"Sorry…about your friend…" she said and handed me her key. She didn't have any scars though. My stomach flipped repeatedly as I realized what she'd done. "My lucky number is 9...Marcus's is 7..." she indicated the box and I realized she had a very sharp item in her hand. "Figure out how to open it…" I swallowed nervously and went over to the safe-box. Okay. I had numbers. Now I needed an order. I glanced at the door and back at the safe. Maybe they went in order like…I quickly dialed in the numbers. With a soft click the box swung open. Something hard smashed into the side of my head and I crashed into the floor, surrounded by darkness. I opened my eyes a little while later to find myself in a very dark room. Miranda still was leaning against the safe-box that was open. The door was unlocked as well. I peeked into the safe box and saw two syringes. One had a red label with Alice's name…the other had an orange label with Marcus's name on it. Alice's was empty and used. Marcus's was still full. My head throbbed as I went over to Miranda to make sure she was still alive. I hoisted her up, and propped her up as I decided it was time to leave.

((Later in a hospital))

To say our parents didn't freak out was an understatement. To convince the police that someone was taking the Jigsaw movies to an extreme wasn't that hard actually. I'd had my hand all bandaged up and so was my arm. Apparently Miranda was right and my hand would heal. It was just going to hurt a bit. Miranda was fine as well. We shared a hospital room after all. We'd both needed blood transfusions though, to make up for our apparent loss in the stuff. Did I mention I hated hospitals? We had to wear those stupid hospital gowns…and Miranda had an IV drip attached to her arm. Sucked for her. That's also how they got certain nutrients to her.

"I hate hospital food," Miranda complained once more from her bed across the room from mine. She was eating chocolate pudding though and I knew she wasn't being serious. I sighed, rubbing my aching temple. "Hey~ We survived a horror movie!"

"It ain't over yet," I reminded her and she sighed. Her smile faded slightly. Then the nurse came in.

"Time for your sedatives sweetie," she told Miranda. Miranda made a face behind the nurses back and I giggled slightly. "These will help you fall right asleep…" Miranda rolled her eyes as the nurse left us alone again.

"Like I seriously need sleep…" Miranda said looking sleepy already. Soon her eyes slipped close and she was asleep.

"They said you could have visitors," a voice said from the door. One I recognized. My heart jack-knifed as I glanced over at the door. John, aka…Jigsaw. He smiled just slightly at me as he made his way over to me.

"What do you want?" I managed to ask quietly. My throat was threatening to tighten up from fear.

"Relax…You already survived my test…and you did exceptionally well today," he told me with a knowing nod. He pulled up a chair and sat himself down in it. I got a visitor in a hospital…and it had to be the man who'd almost gotten us killed. Joy oh joy. "You see…I see great things happening in your life…you show exceptional promise…I could have uses for someone like you-" My face must've looked alarmed because he pressed onwards quickly"-but you have enough of your life to live out for now…Life is a precious thing to cherish…What you did for your friend…speaks wonders about you…" he shook his head slightly," Not many would think of helping each other out in the way that you did today…" He trailed off silently.

"What about Alice?" I asked and he looked up at me slowly. He simply watched me as if waiting for me to come to a conclusion on my own. "She got away…but she didn't learn her lesson…Aren't you going to do something about it? I mean, what she did was monstrous!" He was nodding his head slightly at my words," She needs to learn her lesson somehow and-" I stopped, realizing that I had just stated that I completely agreed with what Jigsaw had done to us…did I?…yes…I did.

"And that is where I need one more thing from you," he said standing up and taking my hand in his. He felt old…but powerful. I looked up at him confused as he slipped something into my hand for me. "You'll know what to do when the time comes…I expect you to make a good decision…" He left the hospital room slowly, giving me time to think about something.

"John?" I called out and he turned slowly to look at me,"…Thank you…for everything…" He merely nodded and then left us. Alive at the least…tired…and a little bit confused.

[end note: Okay…maybe it wasn't that gorey….ugh…I just wasn't in the mood for it I guess…hmm…hmm…hmmm…What did John give her? What will happen next? Is it time for some…'psychological' help? …..hinthint]