10.

'Ninety-nine rooms ... you each get one room ... one to ninety-nine ... choose your number ...' speaks he who has addressed five friends.

'No' speaks Keith. 'We're not doing this ...'

The whole summer Keith spent with his grandfather, he didn't talk back once; he didn't question any task his grandfather put to him no matter how awful or cruel it appeared. He went about everything, talking it all as a challenge no matter how difficult or obscure any of it was. No child should have gone through anything like it and yeah, being put through it by his grandfather of all people, well ... such a summer should not exist.

Grandparents are supposed to dote on their grandchild and when a grandchild moves into their teens they still should be well looked out for and not put through the ringer. And now, just a few years on, not only Keith but his friends too, are at the mercy of his grandfather. This is not right.

Not on now and not on then, no newly crowned teenager should have to endure a night outside in a wooded are they previously knew nothing of let alone have it be a first night of a summer long camp so to speak. Anything could happen and that likely was at least half the point.

He remembers leaving the cabin after being told what it is he must do. It was warm and dry so in a way that was a positive start not that anything about it is, would have or had been positive. He had moved slowly out onto the outer cabin porch and turned as if to ask really; do I really need to do this?

Door closed right away, and the porch lights went out. Grandfather didn't wait long enough for Keith to get his bearings; in a way Keith had done such a thing on his way to the cabin, but it would have been nice for the porch light to stay on. Summertime stays brighter for longer though dusk had been in full swing by the time Keith had no other choice but acquaint himself with the darkened forest.

Spending the night on the porch was not an option. Minimal distance, to which he is tasked, had him move past the nearest tree line, a couple hundred meters or so away. Those red and white numbered ribbons he had strategically placed on his way to the cabin would not come into play on this night. He would be sure that there would be a time for more exploration where he could lay more markers, this night however, was not for exploration. It'd be for survival ... a test of metal and inner strength.

All he had to take with him was the clothing he wore, a sleeping bag and one small bottle of water. He had been offered no survival training, not from grandfather at least. This was to be for one night and one night only so he is not to worry about food or the likes, there will be a breakfast upon return to the cabin, still, a night alone out in an unfamiliar woods on your thirteenth birthday, not the ideal birthday present.

No torches, no aid to create fire, just as well perhaps, he doesn't want to attract anything that may otherwise not come close. ... The moon is full, as bright as it can be and hardly hindered by cloud. Getting to a spot shouldn't be any trouble, spending a full night there is another thing, yeah, a spot that blocks breeze would be welcome. The breeze is only ever so slight though that may change as the night goes on.

Zipping himself up in that sleeping bag, he figured the sooner the better that sleep finds him. The less time his mind has to work against him the less frightening this experience should be, easier said than done. Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind, that ever so slight breeze and a ruffle of dried leaves on the ground plus those still upon trees ... well that is distracting and then there are the hoots.

Owls, there are owls out here ... of course there are. He was completely unprepared for that. There should have been some expectation or some allowance of expectation that there would be wildlife out here. Oh hell ... wildlife. Alright, owls are safe enough. They'll hardly be of much trouble. What else is out here? Keith doesn't want to know or at least he doesn't want to think about it. Not wanting to think about it and actually not thinking about it are two completely separate things.

Are there rats? Foxes perhaps, squirrels, he can deal with squirrels if he has to. Wolves? Oh hell, grandfather wouldn't have him out here alone if there were wolves near, would he? Sleep is not going to be easy to come by.

Half past eight, morning has come, and night has been chased away more than a couple hours. Exhausted, Keith is out cold and out cold in more ways than one. Grandfather had to come find him and carry him back inside. Keith woke in bed just and grandfather is bringing him breakfast. Bacon, eggs, toast, and orange juice.

'Good, you are awake ...' speaks grandfather. 'You have done well ... eat up and rest some more. Your next task is right around the corner.'

Keith doesn't know how to respond to this, but he did survive, and he is hungry. When asked to choose a room some years later, Keith defies his grandfather for the first time.

'Fine, if you do not choose a room then one will be chosen for you ...'

Keith glances to each of his friends, one after the other then trains his look back to grandfather and nods. Just like that night out in the forest, he has to put his mind to a task at hand and get on with it. But exactly what is the task at hand? Ten hours in a room and that is the deal. Ten hours in a room where he can imagine quite the thing or two happening, Keith is going to survive it and go on to take his grandfather's money.

He makes his choice and is the first to be escourted to and then locked inside a room. Of course, that room will be completely unlike any other room Keith has ever been in. It's time to do this.

'You can do this ...' Trebor tells him as Keith makes a move, an accompanied move to his room.

There will be no blame put on Keith, he may have brought the invitations but was completely unaware of his grandfather's involvement. He did not purposely set his friends up and each of them know this. Expecting something simple or simpler than what will actually come is what Keith prepared for. Alex shivers and Alisha fights the back the tears as four watch one of their own move off. Will they see him again? Will any of them see one another again?

Keith's room is dark, obviously. Lighting is minimal. There is a chill in here and somewhat of a slight breeze too. He cannot see what may be creating a breeze or as to where it may be coming from. If there is an open window in here, then he cannot see it but there wouldn't be such a thing or if there is then it certainly is not big enough for him to get through and make an escape.

He is sure too that no one ever escapes The Flesh Factory, and that thought is a worrying one. On top of that, if he somehow were to make an escape from within a room once the door has been shut then what would that mean for his friends? Would they each receive a fair opportunity to survive the night either with or without an escape attempt being made by either themselves or Keith? Now there's a question.

This breeze, it is causing a bit of a stir. There are dead dried leaves in here and he know that not just by sound, but he can see them too, blowing up and over his shoes. So on into the darkness he goes and when owl hoots sound out Keith becomes sure that he will survive whatever else may come his way. Will he stay? Will he survive? He may as well do this since he is already here.