"No."
"No?"
"No! Why would they want you to play an extreme Would You Rather game?"
"Entertainment! Think about it. Those multimillionaires—no, billionaires—they don't even run their own companies anymore. Their income streams are automatic. Can you imagine how boring that must be?"
"I can't imagine Would You Rather being the cure for that boredom."
Jason had already pulled out a whiteboard. At this point, he'd run through the basics and was now diagramming his theories with wild energy.
"They kidnapped us after we answered their question—"
"Hold on, hold on. Where did you say you answered the question?"
"From Liam."
"Liam Dye?" Jim blinked in disbelief.
Jason nodded.
"You're saying Liam is part of this?"
"He's probably like a uh...a recruiter. He found me, Lydia, and Caitlyn. Lydia's gone now. That's on him. Caitlyn's in it too, and that's why I've been trying to find her."
"Okay… have you thought about going to the police?"
"What would they do? The game is too powerful. They kidnapped me without a trace. Not a sound."
Jim leaned back, arms crossed, trying to process everything.
"Just stay away from Liam. I'm telling you, if I see him again, I'll crack his skull open."
Jim opened his mouth, hesitated. Jason caught the look.
"What?"
"Man, I still think you need to see someone. This is trauma talking."
Jason was about to object, but then—
The storm returned. Thunder. Screaming. Monstrous roars of the beast emerging from the ocean.
"ARGHHH!" Jason screamed, loud and raw.
Jim froze, stunned.
Jason gripped his temples, eyes wild.
"You need help."
"No! I just need you to believe me. Just... pretend it's real, okay? It's already too late." Jason collapsed onto the bed, hair tangled between his fingers.
Jim knelt next to him, more serious now.
"Fine. One question for you, then."
"Yeah?"
"Would you rather spend a night in Antarctica or an afternoon in the Sahara?"
—
"Where are we going tonight?" Caitlyn asked, walking beside Liam.
"To an officer's house. We're investigating the game."
"What?"
"Didn't I tell you? I was forced to bring you in. There's no escape. The only way out is ending the game itself."
Caitlyn's voice softened. "Who is she, really?"
Liam stared forward. "An old friend."
"Isn't she also the one who caught you… in the act?"
"Yeah."
"Is she why the police arrested you?"
"No. That was my doing."
"What does that mean?"
"You'll understand tonight."
—
"They all died..." Jason whispered to no one. His roommate was gone. Whoever stood there now wasn't Jim.
Visions of the ship. The monsters. The blood. The carnage.
"Jason? You hearing me?"
Jason slid to the floor, curling into himself, hands tangled in his hair.
"The devil..." he muttered. "The devil's come for me..." repeating after the man back on the ship.
Jim's figure approached.
"What's your answer, Jason?" Jim asked calmly.
Jason looked up, dead-eyed.
Not Jim. Physically it is. Everything else, no.
"...Antarctica."
"Cool. I'm getting a drink," the not-Jim said with casual indifference. "Oh, and really, talk to someone. It'll help."
Jason was left alone, shaking, weeping.
"Why is this happening..." he gasped. "Liam… you're the devil."
Then he was reminded,
Caitlyn.
He bolted up, wiped his tears, and sprinted out of the dorm.
[Where are you?] he texted her, again, he had already texted her mutiple times before but received no responses.
—
[Walking back to campus. Sorry I didn't see your earlier messages.] Caitlyn replied.
"Caitlyn." Liam's voice cut through the air.
"Yes?" Her heart raced just hearing him say her name.
"Would you rather spend a night in Antarctica or an afternoon in the Sahara?"
She froze.
Liam had warned her this would happen. That eventually, he'd be controlled. She knew what to answer—but fear still lingered.
"Caitlyn!" Jason's voice rang out from ahead, panting, desperate.
Relief. Then fury.
"Liam!" Jason roared, charging forward, fists raised. "Get away from him!"
"Wait—!" Caitlyn jumped between them just in time.
"Caitlyn..."
"He was controlled! He didn't want this. He didn't want to bring us in!"
"Yes," Liam added simply.
Jason's fists clenched, then slowly dropped. The truth made sense, he had saw it happen to his very own roommate—but the anger remained.
"You both answered the question already?"
"We're stalling," Caitlyn said. "You can answer latest by 9, so..."
"Jason, what did you choose?" Liam asked quietly.
"Antarctica."
Caitlyn opened her mouth, but Liam squeezed her hand, silencing her.
Her cheeks flushed. So did Jason's—for opposite reasons.
"Let's go," Liam said, turning away.
"Wait!" Jason called. "You two should pick Antarctica too—so we're together in it."
"We will," Liam replied over his shoulder. "We will." He pulled Caitlyn gently away.
Jason watched, jaw clenched. He wanted to trust Liam. But he couldn't. Not yet.
Still, he let them go—and returned alone to his dorm.