No, it's not possible, not me...

I look around, that's not my place, it doesn't look like my house or my town.

I curl up in a ball, trying to keep calm. When I'm done, I walk confidently through the village.

There's a bunch of teenagers grouped around a woman, who's wearing a short leopard top, and a skirt, short as well. She's holding the well-known Ax, the one that's used to kill the players who die : she's the Monitor.

"You're here, finally ! she says, not even looking at me. Take a sit and be discreet."

I sit next to a girl who's looking away. When I see her face, I realise it's Eva.

I try not to look disturbed, with my head up. While the Monitor explains the rules, I look at the players. I don't know most of them, but except Eva, there are three other faces I recognise : Arslan's, Bryan's and Alice's.

"The first Night of Talk will take place in one week ! Until then, have fun !"

Smoke appears and the Monitor vanishes. Eva was about to say something but I don't let her : I go and see Arslan, who's taking me in his arms. I reject him.

"We can't stay friends, I coldly say. If you die, or if we're in different teams and i have to kill you, I won't withstand it."

Bryan looks at me in the eyes and Arslan says :

"What if we're in the same team ?

- No one knows who's in his own team except for the werewolves and the Traitors. And you might die anyways.

- We have one week to party and say goodbye. After that, no more sympathy between us," Bryan says.

Alice bursts into tears and takes Bryan in her arms. He hugs her tight and looks at me.

"You should apologise to Eva. If she dies, you'll have no regrets.

- You impress me. Yesterday you were just a shy boy and today..."

He looks away, blushing. I turn to Eva and notice everybody is around her, joking with her, and she's laughing.

Her eyes meet mine and I read hate in hers.

Music starts playing and tables full of food appear, coming from the floor, as well as a box filled with clothes.

Bryan and I are walking into the woods.

"Alice is my cousin.

- Why are you telling me this ?

- I-If you thought she was my girlfriend ... N-no, she's not my girlfriend... "

I turn to him, smiling.

"You're having a hard time talking again."

He blushes and looks away once more.

"I-I can't help it...

- Am I that scary ?

- No ! I bet you couldn't hurt anyone even if you wanted to !

- Ey !" I say, laughing.

Arslan is calling us, telling us to come back. Bryan scratches his head.

We run to the village.

Arslan is wearing a white suit with black tie and shoes that suit him very well.

"How do I look ?

- Amazing !" I laugh.

He winks at me and Alice shows up, wearing a silvery dress, white gloves and black high heels.

A table with products I don't know then appears, and some of the girls start screaming and go to that table. Bryan leaves to get changed.

"Are you not gonna change clothes ?asks Arslan.

- No, I look fine the way I am dressed."

He nods. Bryan comes back and shyly smiles at us. He chose a simple look : black pants, black shoes, white shirt, and it suits him perfectly.

"Darling you're so cute, kiss me !"says Arslan in a feminine voice, kissing Bryan on the cheek.

Bryan blushes and rejects him.

"We should try to meet new people, Arslan suggests. Not to make friends."

I follow him. We go talk to a group of girls, and he has a charming smile. He starts flirting with them, which makes them laugh. I notice Bryan didn't come with us but instead sat down, looking sad.

I sit next to him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Something's wrong ?

- I am afraid I'm gonna see my cousin die... She's the only family I got left... I'm gonna be alone if I survive without her, and it's the same for her if she survives without me..."

Not knowing what to say, I take him in my arms. At first, he's embarrassed, then I can feel him shaking, and he finally seems to enjoy it, and hold me tighter.

I can't say anything. I can't say it's gonna be alright, nor can I say the truth...

He weeps his tears away. I put my hand on his shoulder.

"I'm here, I kindly say. If anything is wrong, tell me, OK ?"

He turns to me, nodding.

"When the first Night of Talk happens and we know our cards I can't tell you anything. "

I bite my lips.

"Yeah but if something's wrong, something that hasn't much to do with the game, you can tell me, I promise I will listen and try to make you feel better."

I kiss him on the cheek and join Arslan, when a ringing starts.

"Milena has to go to the Red House."

I go to the big Red House, but before I knock at the door, the Monitor opens it, has a cruel smile, asks me to sit and gives me tea.

"Don't worry it's not poisoned," she jokes.

I put the cup of tea on the table before asking :

"Why am I here ? Players are not supposed to be allowed in the Red Hou...

- I asked you to come in to talk about something that matters to me. Your father's death, the police making you promise not to say anything about it ... To anyone... "

I sadly nod.

"Well it's the same here. Unless if you tell anyone, you get eliminated so...?

- I would die..."

She smiles at me, her lips colored in a blood-like shade.

She takes a deep breathe and put her long fingers on my shoulder.

"You're too young to understand, now drink your tea and ask me questions about the game, if you have any. Then leave. I hate having people at my place."

I smile at her.

"Are you allowed to kill me ?

- No, unfortunately. "

I slowly start drinking my tea while putting my disgusting shoes on her table. She grits her teeth.

"Drink your cup, quickly, and go away.

- One cannot drink a cup."

She rolls her eyes.

"I can't kill you but I can make your life a nightmare. So if you don't want this to happen, put your shoes elsewhere and go. "

I drink my tea and leave. I can't help but laugh.

Silence. Everyone is staring at me, wondering when I'm gonna die.

I take an apple and go to the forest, where I lay on a moss bed, wondering how mom is doing right now. Maybe she's crying, or perhaps she doesn't care, anyways, I'm gonna die. Only the most charismatic, the funniest and the cleverest are going to survive... And I'm none of that.

I can hear someone sitting down next to me.

"Do you think she's dead ?someone says.

- No, I can see she's breathing."answer somebody else.

I open my eyes and see a boy and two girls. They start laughing.

"Sorry we thought you were dead. My name's Pablo, here's Kenya and my sister, Amira."

I shake their hands while introducing.

"Why did the Monitor call you ?

- Just to lecture me for being late."

He and Kenya nod, but Amira looks at me wrong.

"Let's go, she says, still looking at me the same way.

- Why ?asks Pablo. I'm good here.

- She's right, Kenya says shyly. I hate spiders, and the forest's full of them.

- OK," Pablo answers.

He puts his arm over Kenya's shoulders and they leave. Amira stays and wait for them to be gone to tell me :

"No one approaches my brother, get it ? And if you're a werewolf and he dies, I cut your throat.

- Got it," I answer.

She goes with her brother. Arslan, Bryan and Alice arrive. Arslan smiles at me.

"I think Jekaterina likes me ! A beautiful tall brunet.

- What's the point, you'll probably see her die ?

- If you fall "madly in love", the audience will like you and you'll have less risks to die. I've gotta go, there are plenty of handsome men looking at her and I don't want anyone to still my food. "

He runs away and Alice and Bryan sit next to me.

"He's right. To survive, we need to be liked by the audience... I'm trying to fit in the "sad/crying girl" role, because there have been too many love stories in this game, so unless you make yours special, it fails."

She leaves. Everyone thought of analysing the game, but I didn't try to guess everybody's card yet. But they choose who's getting which card depending on the people's character. The strong willed ones will be Werewolves, the shy ones, Traitor or Villagers. I think I'll be one of them...

I roll on the side and bang into Bryan. I had forgotten he was there. He's so quiet. I put my head on his leg and he looks embarrassed.

Bob would have liked it.

I look at my hand. No ring. I know it was wrong to lie, but I don't get why she's still so angry at me, since they hang out as a couple anyways.

I don't understand her sometimes...

"Who did you choose ?" Bryan asks.

I look at him.

"What ?

- Who will you be to get the audience to like you ?

- No one. I'll be me. And if the audience doesn't like it well, too bad for them.

- So... I'll do the same," he says, smiling.

I take his hand.

"You're a great friend, I hope you won't die.

- That's the best friendship declaration I've ever heard," he laughs.

We're both laughing when a handsome muscular black guy comes to us. He smiles at me, a beautiful smile... Before saying :

"Enjoy the party, in a few days, there'll be no more."

I stand up and look at Bryan, who doesn't.

"I-I'll come after..."

I nod and go with the handsome guy, who takes my hand and kisses it. I laugh.

"Anil Zaouz, nice to meet you miss Milena.

- Pleased to meet you, sir.

- Will you dance with me ?

- I'd be delighted."

Still holding hands, we go to the village, and start dancing. He puts his and on my hips to bring me closer to him. I notice everybody is staring at us. That's not good... If I'm the center of attention, I'll die...

I wait until the the music stops and i sit on a bench. Anil follows me with a group of friends : three boys. Anil introduces them to me. One of them looks like he's Spanish, his name is Alejandro. The one who looks Algerian is Brieg. They all look great.

"Well, I'm in good company !"I say.

Anil and Brieg laugh but Alejandro stares weirdly at me.

" You remind me of someone, he says with a Spanish accent. What's your name ?

- Milena Steven. "

His eyes seem to brighten.

"You're Robert Steven's daughter ! You're so lucky !

- I'd like not to talk about my father...

- That's right, we only just left our parents, it would be better not to talk about them."

Anil smiles at me with that charming white smile of his. Alejandro clenches his fists.

"I don't feel well, could you come with me to the bathroom Anil ?"

Anil refuses but then accepts. Brieg sits next to me.

"Don't you think Alejandro seems attracted to Anil ?"

I turn to him.

"You mean Alejandro is in love with Anil ?

- Maybe."

I smile at him.

"It would be cute. More original then most love stories."

He nods in agreement.

"So try not to make him jealous. I've just known him for an hour but he seems sensitive."

I nod and watch Brieg join a group of boys.

The Monitor comes out of the Red House, and starts walking around dragging her ax with her. I smile at her when she looks at me.

I don't know why but I enjoy annoying her.

Someone sits next to me. I turn my head to see Eva, she also watches the Monitor, but with a dark sight.

"If I ever get a chance to kill her, I will,"she says.

Without looking at Eva I say :

"She's not the one we would need to kill. She's only just a pawn.

- But she's the one who kills !

- So what ? What do you want me to say ? Now that we're here, complaining is useless. If you came to me hoping I would apologise, well you're wrong."

I run away. I go to the forest. I run faster when I realise Eva is following me. But I'm obviously gonna lose, Eva is way better than me at running.

She jumps on me and we both fall. I try not to laugh and stand up.

"Milena I'm so sorry I told you all this, I didn't really mean it...

- Do you think I'm gonna forgive you now ? You've hurt me badly. Wanting you're best friend's death is impossible.

- But you lied to Bob !

- So what ?! You want me to die just because I lied to Bob ?!

- And you !! You left when the policemen saw us trying to still medicines for my brothers ! You also forgot about me when Brandon left me and I needed your help ! And you went on a trip instead of staying with me !

- And when Alfred died ?! Who was with me ?! Bob ! And where were you ?! Home !"

We stay silent, not knowing what to answer. I hold back my tears.

"Alfred" is my father's codename. I use it for everyone not to know he died.

Eva sits next to me.

"I'm sorry about Alfred. I'm sorry for hurting you yesterday.

- I'm sorry about what happened with Brandon. He's just stupid. I'm sorry I lied to Bob... "

She takes my hand in hers and smiles.

"I love you crazy girl, she gently says.

- I love you too psychopath."

@RealFrenchGirl15