We all glanced around ourselves, curious as to where the heck that strange voice came from. There was silence for another moment, then a loud screeching noise which came from the intercoms. (I didn't even know this lodge had intercoms...)

"Hello? Can you hear me? Testing, testing! One, two."

"We can hear you," Brittany answered, giving the ceiling a thumbs up. She plastered a comically big smile across her face. She, like Sora, had dimples as well.

"Goodie! Now is everyone here? We can't get rolling until we're ALL gathered in this room, so everyone get a buddy! Groups of two, groups of two!" the voice chimed. 

Groups of two? But there was an odd number of us...

"Um, hello? Can you count, idiot?" Maikeru huffed, his expression as cold as ever.

Most of us looked around, confused as to what the heck was going on.

"We have fifteen," Yuuki said in a much more polite tone than Maikeru was likely even capable of. "Um, do you mean groups of three-"

"FIFTEEN?!" the voice over the intercoms gasped. "My, oh my, oh my, that's not right. We can't leave one poor student out. That would be so rude, so unfair! What kind of people go through the effort of leaving ONE student out?! So inconsiderate..."

"I'm sorry," I said, raising my voice slightly, unsure who it was we were even talking to. "We didn't know there was someone else..."

"Don't apologize, Suki," Yuuki breathed. "This is my fault. I can go find them-"

As if on cue, the main doors to the lodge were pushed open. Everyone slowly turned their attention to the front as the final student walked in.

He moved with a deliberate pace, his eyes fixed on the distance ahead. Not a single glance in our direction. No hint of confusion or fear. When he walked, he walked with purpose.

"Ah, there he is," the voice over the intercoms announced. "Now, now, would you like to explain why you are LATE?"

The student blinked once, then looked up with an empty expression in his eyes.

Silence.

"Ooooooh," Kichiro hummed, like a middle schooler reacting to a kid getting called down to the principal's office. 

"Oh, defiant, are we? I like you already," the voice over the intercoms laughed. "Puhuhuhuhu, we're going to have lots of fun. Lots of fun indeed. Now, why don't you introduce yourself?"

More silence.

Something in my gut told me that it wouldn't be a smart move to defy whoever was behind those intercoms. 

"Well, we can finish introductions later I guess," the voice laughed. "But you better learn your place soon, buddy. As much as I like you, we can't have this not-responding nonsense become a habit. Didn't your mother teach you not to make bad habits?"

Not a word escaped the boy's lips, his silence hanging in the air, thick with suspense.

"Anyway, now for the beginning of the rest of your lives..."

We all turned our attention away from the new student and to the back of the stairs. Out of nowhere, a teddy bear emerged, half white and half black, its face etched with a disturbing, split smile. And to make things even creepier, one of its eyes ominously glowed a deep red.

"What the heck is that?!" I gasped.

Tora's hold on my arm tightened as I instinctively positioned myself in front of her. I couldn't explain it, but I felt this overwhelming need to shield her from that stuffed bear. Was that weird? It sounds weird.

"I'm a Monokuma, of course!" it (he?) chimed. "And I am the headmaster of this outdoor school program of course!"

The teddy bear was talking now?! What the heck is this? Did I hit my head really hard or something? 

"Whoa, cute!" Brittany giggled. "You look squishy!"

"I am squishy," Monokuma laughed. "No hugs though, please, and thank you! Unless you'd like for me to claw your face off! Puhuhuhu!"

That wasn't exactly a good image to have in my head.

"Whoa there," Yuuki said, holding his arms up. "Let's just all calm down. There's no need for violence."

"Actually, there IS a need for violence!" Monokuma grinned, lowering his voice slightly. "Why, that's why you're all here!"

"Why are we all here...?" Ruji whispered, his brows furrowing in confusion. He trembled slightly as he spoke. "What's going on? Are you some kind of spirit inside this teddy bear? B-Because I'm a trained ghostbuster! I can-"

"Oh Ruji, Ruji, Ruji," Monokuma teased. "I'm no ghost. I'm like nothing you've ever seen before. And I'm sure you've seen a lot."

The ghostbuster drew back, paling slightly at the face. The ultimate security guard rolled his eyes, pushing Ruji behind him and glaring at the bear with eyes like icy daggers.

"Okay, cut it out. What's really going on?" Maikeru demanded. "Enough with the games."

"Oh, but the game hasn't started yet," Monokuma said, tilting his head slightly. 

Game? What game? What was he talking about?

"Now, shall we begin our quick orientation ceremony? After all, you were each selected to participate in this wonderful outdoor school program! I'm sure you're wondering what's going on."

We were. Or at least I was. I didn't remember signing up for an outdoor school program. Or any special programs.

"Now, first let's discuss the basic rules. Each of you is to live peacefully in your outdoor environment. Bedtime is from ten at night to eight in the morning, no showering at night, breakfast will be served in the lodge, you each have your own cabins to share with an assigned roommate, and you are to all live in harmony with one another until the program is complete, blah blah blah."

"Until the program is complete?" I asked. "What is this program exactly? How long will this last?"

"Yeesh Ms. Daydream, I was just getting to that! Have some patience," Monokuma hissed, making me flinch slightly. "Now, where was I...? Ah right, when will the program be complete? Well, how does NEVER sound?"

"Never?!" Tora gasped.

"Never," Monokuma confirmed. "But don't worry, you'll have food, water, shelter, everything you could ever want! All provided by ME! You're welcome, kiddos."

What the heck?! I didn't care about any of those. What about my parents? I didn't want to be stuck in the woods forever! I just wanted to go back home!

"Yeah, I'm not doing that," Maikeru spat. "I have a family. A life. Thanks, but no thanks."

"You should have thought about that before you signed up," Monokuma chuckled. "Why, it's far too late for all of that now. There are walls around these woods, so you're trapped. Forever!"

Signed up? Did we sign up for this?! 

No, I would never, and I doubt anyone else would either. 

I shook my head and reached into my pockets in search of my phone. I had to call someone. My parents, the police, anyone! Surely with this many people missing, someone would be looking for us, right?

My phone wasn't in my pockets though. Instead, I found a small tablet.

"I bet you're wondering what that is, Suki," Monokuma grinned. "That's your monopad! In it, you can find information on each of the students as well as all the rules and regulations! The monopad even serves as the key to your cute little cabins, so you best not lose it! It's also got a map of the forest and all the areas you can and cannot go to! Fancy, right?"

I didn't agree or disagree. To be honest, I tuned the bear's annoying voice out and placed my focus on the rules and restrictions.

Rule number six, specifically.

"This says that a student may leave by completing the outdoor school program," Tora read, holding up her own monopad and tapping the screen. She was reading the same rule as I was. "And a student can complete the program by 'disturbing the harmony and getting away with it'...? What does that even mean?"

"We have to kill," Ahmya said, her voice low and quiet. "We have to kill and not be caught. Correct?"

"You're one smart cookie!" Monokuma laughed.

We exchanged uneasy glances, the tension in the air thickening with every word the bear spoke.

I could sense the growing suspicion among the students. It was becoming clear to me that the idea of murder had crept into at least one of their minds. Perhaps Ahmya, or maybe Maikeru. Heck, it might even be crossing Tora's mind! I didn't actually know any of them well enough to trust them! 

All I knew was that I didn't want to die. Not like this. I know everyone dies, but this isn't fair. I didn't want any of this. All I wanted was to go home. 

"You can't be serious," Keiko breathed. Her bright and cheery aura had vanished and turned into outright terror. It was strange to see such a shift in attitude come so quickly from her, especially since she seemed so confident and excited before.

"Oh, but I am," Monokuma replied. "Stabbing, crushing, blowing up, hanging, I don't care how you do it. If you want to leave, you gotta kill!"

My heart froze in my chest as Tora's grip tightened around me, her fingers digging into my arm. She was shaking. Or maybe I was shaking. We were probably both shaking. 

"Anyway, it's getting late. You can check the rules on your own time. Violators will be punished accordingly, blah blah blah. I suggest you get to your cabins. Curfews are strict, so GET GOING!" Monokuma yelled, before disappearing.

And just like that, the game that would claim the rest of our lives had begun.

We all fell into a hushed silence as if time itself had paused. Even my mind, which was usually filled with thoughts and daydreams, felt strangely empty. Usually, I could find comfort in my own mind, but not anymore.

"Don't worry," Yuuki assured us all, though his voice was slightly shakier than before. "Nothing bad is going to happen. No one is going to die. I'll get us out of this, I promise."

Was that a promise he could even make, though? The unease in his voice wasn't exactly comforting. 

He was met with an eerie silence, followed by soft laughter.

We all turned our attention to Kichiro, who was holding his stomach and giggling like a madman to the point where tears were forming. His laughter took a strange turn, morphing into a maniacal giggle that almost resembled crying, growing more and more hysterical with each passing moment.

"Of COURSE this would happen," he cried out between fits of giggles. "My bad, guys. Bad luck follows wherever I go. Like shadows, heeheehee!"

"Please stop," I begged, hoping to shut him up. His laughter was unsettling me, so I could only imagine what it was doing to people like Tora and Ruji. "This is no one's fault. And Yuuki's right. As long as we all work together, nothing bad can happen. No one can make us kill anyone. Right? Not even Monokuma. We just need to stay calm."

We weren't calm, though. There was no way to tell what anyone else was thinking. The very idea of murder created a sense of suspicion in each of us. Including me. I didn't really know any of these people. What they were capable of, who they were, it was all a mystery. I didn't even know the new student's name.

I turned my gaze to the new student as he stood still, a sense of mystery surrounding him. His eyes fixated on the spot where Monokuma had recently vanished. After a moment, he reached for his monopad, briefly scanning the rules before closing it shut. Then, he turned away and silently departed

"Where are you going?" I asked as he walked past me. I was tempted to reach out and grab his arm but hesitated and missed my chance.

"To my cabin," he stated. His voice was smooth and oddly calm.

"Wait, you're actually doing what he wants us to do?" Nori asked, somewhat appalled. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "What happened to the guy who was all rebel-like just a few seconds ago?"

"I need to think," he said. "For now, I think this is the best way to move forward. It's late, we're all tired and scared and suspicious. We need to sleep and reconvene in the morning."

"He's right," Yuuki agreed, stepping up and clearing his throat to call attention to himself. "We should all get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day. We'll figure a way out of this guys. Together! I promise."

I wished his positivity was still contagious, but it wasn't. Not after everything we just learned. 

I was waiting for someone to jump out and say it was all a prank - but if it was, it was a really stupid one. 

Everyone did as the ultimate hero said and walked out to their cabins. The walk was down a small trail and past a few creeks. It would have been pretty if I wasn't so terrified. Throughout the journey, Tora remained by my side, trembling slightly from both the chill in the air and the overwhelming terror that enveloped us.

There were eight cabins all in a row. The first one had a sign on the front saying it was for Nori Ishioka and Seiko Okazaki. The second was for Ahmya Furukawa and Bashira Gato. I breathed a sigh of relief when the next one had my name listed next to Tora Aikawa's. 

Tora went inside to gather herself as I briefly checked the other cabins. 

Next to our cabin was one for Keiko Yamada and Brittany Smith. After that, Maikeru Afuton and Ruji Sasaki. A small part of me felt bad for Ruji. The idea of rooming with Maikeru seemed less than ideal. Especially for someone as timid and anxious as the ultimate ghostbuster. 

After that was a cabin for Kichiro Yoshikawa and Daiki Daitokuji. Again, I felt bad for Daiki. It was rude of me to make such quick judgments, but Kichiro didn't seem to be the most... stable roommate. Then again, I knew nothing about Daiki. Maybe the ultimate spy was used to these kinds of people.

Next was a cabin for Sora Tachi and Yuuki Kikumoto, which seemed a good fit. I didn't know Sora as well as Yuuki, but he seemed fairly nice. The two of them would probably get along.

Then lastly, there was a cabin for  Saikoro Bushida...

And Rantaro Amami.