Caitlin was visibly shaking, and who could blame her?

Caitlin thought this was just one of the games made to punish the losers. If you say the wrong words, you die! Simple as that, right? But that was too nice for Mr. Isaac…

No. If you say the wrong thing, you don’t die. The person next to you dies! What does that mean? It means every single one of these twisted students will have direct control over the life or death of someone else! It means someone can kill another classmate with just a single word!

No need to pull the trigger of a firearm. No need to look their victim in the eye. No need to feel the recoil on their shoulders.

One word was all it would take to condemn someone to death.

That’s just sick!

Not everyone would do it, but someone would. Perhaps, before the games started, the students would be able to keep it in their pants. But now wasn’t then. Now, most of the students were completely broken by the atrocities they have witnessed. If they could kill someone without any cost or consequence...why not?

Plenty of blood has already been spilled in the class. What’s up with spilling some more?

But that wasn’t finished. No...what was sickening by Caitlin’s standards wasn’t nearly enough for Mr. Isaac...or Katie, for the matter.

“Of course, to add some incentives…” The undead teacher glanced across the class and saw fear on the faces of everyone. “if someone chooses to kill...and assuming he survives this round, then he will be exempted from participating in the games tomorrow.”

Caitlin felt the last of her hopes fading away as Mr. Isaac added a final, final straw.

“By the way, the game tomorrow will be for the whole class.”

The class exploded, not in flames or anything, but rather in a cloud of whispers.

“Wow...that, that’s actually a really good deal!”

“Are you crazy? I’m definitely not standing behind you!”

“I mean...tomorrow’s a Friday! If we survive tomorrow, then we get the weekend to ourselves too!”

“These are our classmates!”

“Fuck it!”

Caitlin closed her eyes in pain. So this is what you want, Mr. Isaac? Not kill us, but force us to turn on each other. Force us to become monsters before you kill us in the most gruesome ways possible, betrayed by our own people. Our own friends.

You cruel bastard!

“Throat slit?” Beside her, Katie threw her arms up. “Nice plan, but...you really need to work on your executions!” You skinned me alive just yesterday and I’m still here! What are you, stupid?

Mr. Isaac ignored her, probably the best for his own sanity. Rather, he made an announcement.

“Now, let’s form the line.”

The entire class stood up and started shuffling. Most of the students made sure to avoid those who made it clear they would gladly shed the blood of their fellow classmates for three more days in the world of the living.

But at the same time, many students were fully aware of another cold, cruel fact. For every student foolish enough to speak up, there were three other students who made up their minds as well, but were wise enough to be discreet about it.

Katie grabbed onto Caitlin’s hand and walked into the middle of the line. She made sure to keep Caitlin right behind her.

“Relax, Caitlin, you’ll be fine!” The brunette reassured her frowning friend. “Knowing me...if Mr. Isaac wants me to kill someone, he needs to reverse that offer!”

“I’m not worried about myself.” Caitlin replied gravely. “A lot of people will die today.”

“Yeah! That’s awe...I mean, that’s terrible!” Caitlin knew a little of Katie’s sick desires, but that didn't mean she was totally fine with it. Thankfully, Katie caught herself in time before suddenly adding. “Oh, and by the way, when I said I will kill someone if Mr. Isaac reverses the offer...I wasn’t talking about killing you!”

Honestly, Caitlin didn't know what to say. Suddenly, a figure cut in in front of Katie.

“Zach!” Caitlin exclaimed before pointing at behind her. “Come behind me...oh!”

She paused when she realized what Zach was doing.

By standing in the front, Zach was protecting Katie. This way, someone couldn’t just say the wrong thing and have Katie’s throat slit. But at the same time, Zach was making himself vulnerable.

“Come on, man!“ Katie tossed her arms into the air. “I really don’t need you to jump in and be the hero!”

“I admire your tenacity, Katie.” Zach didn't move. “But if you lose, Mr. Isaac will cut your throat just like anyone else.”

“Yeah, and I’m counting on it!”

“How are you gonna protect Caitlin if you’re dead?”

“Well...if I’m dead, I can’t, but…” Katie turned and glanced at Caitlin once again, wondering if and when she should break to Caitlin the news of her seeming immortality. She just really didn't know how Caitlin would react. What would she call her? A monster? A demon? A sadistic god?

Being physically unable to die, even after being beheaded, was completely different from being able to heal from wounds and enjoying the process. The latter was a bit weird. The former was inhuman.

Zach took her silence as permission.

The trio wasn’t the only ones trying to arrange the lineup to their own advantage. In fact, most of the students were communicating with their friends or tablemates. Finally, after over ten minutes of messy shuffling, coupled with brief moments of fist-fights and curse-exchanges, the line was finished.

And then, it was the moment of truth.

Mr. Isaac leaned to the ear of the first student, a girl. Her position wasn’t ideal either, because the student in the end of the line could kill her as well. Otherwise no one would agree to be in the end. He said a single word.

The first girl turned to the second person and said a word.

“Are you sure?” The second student didn't snap around immediately. His voice was shaking, along with his hands and legs. And who can blame him? He may be dead in twenty minutes! What the first girl told him could be his end!

“Yes!” The first girl nodded in reassurance.

The boy bit his lips, but he had absolutely no way of verifying it. All he could do now was turn around, repeat the word that he heard, and pray to god that the goodness in humanity has persisted through all this pain and suffering.

The word was passed down from student to student. Some students were trusting, while others were much more doubtful. Finally, it was the term for the trio.

Zach turned to Katie and said a word.

“Blood.”

“Oh…” Katie rose her eyebrows. “By the way, just a friendly reminder. If I die here, you still have a chance at Caitlin. So...want to change your answer?”

Zach glanced at her before repeating. “Blood.”

“Oh...bummer!” Katie shrugged before turning to Caitlin and repeating. “Blood.”

Caitlin repeated the very same thing to the lucky soul behind her.

The message went on and on in the class of 49, but thirty students in, something suddenly went wrong.

“Ashes? Do you think I’ll believe you, you bitch?”

One of the girls suddenly snapped. Without hesitation, upon hearing the word, that girl turned around and punched the girl in front of her. knocking her over.

“You just want me to die, don’t you?”

“I…” The first girl was caught by surprise. “I swear! This is what I heard!”

“What you heard my ass!”

“Oh god…” Caitlin sighed as the two girls just started fighting in the middle of the game. Finally, she turned to Katie with pleading eyes. Katie sighed, pulled out her Glock, and walked out of the line.

Mr. Isaac opened his mouth, about to warn Katie that leaving the line wasn’t allowed, remembered the whole ‘I can’t actually kill her’ thing, and then shut his mouth. Wise call.

Katie walked to the girls, both of whom saw her handgun and stopped fighting.

“Look, if she turned out to be lying, I’ll shot her myself, cool?” Katie pointed at the first girl.

“But...if she’s lying, I’ll be dead by then!”

“Yeah, but your killer will be in the grave with you, so...that’s better than what a lot of people can say!”

The second girl nodded before backing away. And just like this, the game continued. Katie returned to the line and got a small kiss from Caitlin. Yes! One step closer to true love!

Zach turned away.

Finally, it was all over.

All that had to be said were said. All that had to be done? All done.

“Well,” In the middle of the line, Katie shrugged. “let the blood flow!”

Her words were awkwardly obviously in the classroom, where everyone was dead silent. But no one dared to speak up against the one and only Katie Lockwood. Even Caitlin merely sighed in frustration.

Mr. Isaac walked up to the side of the line before making his judgments.

He first pointed at the first girl.

“You live.”

That girl collapsed in relief. The second boy smiled happily, slightly more optimistic. That was, until Mr. Isaac pointed at him.

“You die.”

Relief was replaced by dread. The boy turned to the girl. Curses formed in his mouth, but none came out as a red line formed across his throat.

The man collapsed, right then and there.

“Why…” With his last breath, he barely managed to force a single word out of his mouth with all his strength.

“Why? Why?” The first girl snapped as well. Her face was a mixture of anger and excitement, a haunting sight that turned her pretty cheeks into something monstrous. “Remember? Two days ago? I wanted to sleep with you and you said no!”

“So you killed him?” Caitlin’s eyes widened in disgust. “Just because of a grudge?”

“Well, why not?” The girl shrugged. “If you wanna reject me, you’ve gotta pay for it!”

“Wow, I like her! She’s kinda hot!” Katie exclaimed, her cheeks slightly red, but she immediately corrected her mistake. “I mean...in a cruel, sadistic, crazy kind of way...is it weird that makes her more appealing?”

Caitlin ignored her girlfriend. She wasn’t in the mood for this.

Mr. Isaac moved on.

“You live!”

“Yes!”

“You live.”

“You live.”

“You...you die.”

“No….why?”

“Sorry.” A boy turned away at the sight of his fellow classmate in a pool of blood. “I just wanna spend another weekend with my family. This...this is not personal.”

Finally, after three more deaths, it was the turn for the trio.

Mr. Isaac walked to Zach, and Katie could feel Caitlin gripping onto her hand so tightly her nails actually hurt Katie. This brought a smirk on her face as she observed Mr. Isaac point at Zach.

“You...you live.”

Caitlin took a breath of relief. Katie tried to do the same thing. After all, Zach wasn’t a threat to her, physically or romantically. She should be glad he lived. But as she searched through her heart, Katie realized she didn't feel anything like that. Not at all. If anything, she felt bored.

Bored that she didn't get to see another body hit the ground. Oh the disappointment…

And then, it was Katie’s turn. Unfortunately, more disappointment awaited her.

“You live.”

“You live.” This was for Caitlin.

The game went on and on, and slowly, more and more bodies hit the ground. At first, the students would exclaim in shock with each victim that fell, but eventually, the deaths no longer warranted the same response from the bystanders. Instead of surprised yelps, the students just watched on as the slaughter unfolded with cold eyes, secretly glad that they themselves lived to see another day.

“You die!”

A girl on the ground turned to the guy in front of her in complete shock. How could he? He’s her boyfriend! She just gave herself to him two days ago! He...he swore to protect her! He offered to stand in front of her to protect her, even if it put himself at risk! Why? Why…

She would never get her answer.

“You…” Mr. Isaac’s voice trailed off as he walked to a man. Terry. Katie actually knew him. In one of the first games, the game of pain tolerance, Caitlin had to compete with Terry’s buddy Brian. Katie stepped in and saved Caitlin, killing Brian in the process. The kind, compassionate girl she was, Katie apologized to Terry afterward.

Nope. She insulted him and almost shot him in the head.

Fun times.

But now, Terry wasn’t worried about Katie. He wasn’t even worried about Mr. Isaac. All he did was reached into his jacket and pull out a shotgun with its barrel sawed short. Ignoring the surprised look on the face of the bystanders, he turned to the girl in front of him in the line.

“I told you.” He warned quietly. “If I am going to die, I’ll shoot you first. I hope you made the right call for both of us.”

Terry chose a weaker girl on purpose so he could use threats to save himself. Clever boy.

The girl gulped and nodded. Mr. Isaac’s announcement proved her correct.

“You live.”

Terry took a breath of relief.

After two more students, Mr. Isaac stopped in front of another unfortunate soul.

“You die.”

The girl collapsed immediately. Her eyes turned to the man in front of her, Kyle. But instead of turning away in shame or lashing out in fury, Kyle merely stood there. His eyes looked back at his victim. There wasn’t sympathy or regret in his dark pupils, only pure satisfaction.

Kinda like the way Katie looked at her victims.

At the end of the day, when the massacre was over, a total of ten students were gone.

Ironically, only eight students were exempted from the game tomorrow? Why? Two of the ten students that pulled the trigger got their triggers pulled at the same time.

Sweet, sweet karma.