................................................................................................................................................................

RULES OF THE GAME

Both players get five cards of each element; Life, Death, and Creation. They also get five Energy Cards. 

Both players place a card face down on the table, and then flip the cards up to see who played the winning card. 

Life beats Death, Death beats Creation, and Creation beats Life.

The loser removes one one Energy Card, and the process is repeated until one person runs out of Energy Cards.

In the case of a tie, both players take back their cards and play again.

................................................................................................................................................................

       "One..." I have to win.

       "Two..." I have to survive.

       "Three..." I won't lose.

       "Go!" We both put down our cards and flipped them over. 

       "Death." I put the card in the discard pile. 

       "Life. You lose." Keep it together, you still have four cards. 

       He'll never expect me to put down another of the same card.

       "Death."

       "Creation."

       I just have to win four more times. 

A week of mental torture later, I stood alone in the huge gymnasium, the last one standing, surrounded by the corpses of my former enemies. I had won. I beat the game.

The voice in the loudspeaker directed me on how to get out of the school, and led me to a limo outside. A few hours later, I woke in my apartment with a briefcase full of money. And a note.

       "                         Dear Fox Hall,

         Congratulations on winning the contest. I warn not to tell anyone, or to go to the media, or to even think of crossing me in any way. You can not find me, so don't even bother trying. 

                                                                                                                                                James Brailey."