Simon Says

[OmniChaos]

“11:20 PM. Only forty minutes until the game starts.” Hyde stared up at up at the remnant of what was once Kennedy High School, now nothing more than a eyesore among eyesores, lifting its decaying frame up over the barren and dead soil spread before it. It was such a shame. The halls of the school, in its prime, was filled with talented students full of hope and ambition. Now the halls only housed rats and roaches. Many years ago, something happened at the school—Hyde had heard about it on his local news, but could no longer remember what it was—which caused the school to gain a less than savory reputation. Fewer and fewer people attended the high school as time passed, with those attending being future drug dealers and prostitutes intent on dropping out of the school once they were old enough, and, eventually, people simply stopped coming. The school was shut down shortly after. The property it sat on was passed around and around, for every time someone planned to tear down the school to build something else, the plan, for some reason or another, went amiss and the owner sold the property off to someone else. And since the property was constantly being passed around with nothing done to it, the abandoned school began to rot and decay, becoming the slumpish, rotting behemoth that it was today, struggling to even stand before Hyde.

“Why on earth would he decide to hold the game at a place like this? Hell, forget the game, I’m worried to even step inside this thing. Who knows when it’ll give way?” Despite his comments of uncertainty, Hyde pressed on, walking along the path up to the front door. Empty. It would appear he was the first to arrive, unless they were inside. Hyde gave the glass door a strong tug. No good, it was locked tight. Therefore, he really was the first person to arrive. Hyde took a few steps back to look up at the abandoned school, the cogs in his mind turning. It was strange, to say the least, as he would have expected hundreds, if not thousands, of people to have already been there before him, but no. Not a one, at least from what he could tell. While Hyde tried to wrap his mind around this mystery presented to him, the echo of footsteps rang out, someone running, from the sound of it. “Guess that’d be another player,” Hyde mumbled to himself, admiring what was left of the intricate design on the glass door as he walked back to the door, most of which was covered up by several layers of thick, caked on dust that clouded the door like cataracts. “Hmph. Suppose it’s time to see just what I’m up against.”

[KNightof5orrow]

Jack climbed out of his window, careful not to burn himself with his cig. Dropping to the ground with a thud, he took another long draw and exhaled that smoke which he so thoroughly enjoyed. "11:30, that means I have thirty minuets before it starts." Jack said as he checked his watch. "I'll be there before 11:40, if I make a run for it. I need to get away from this place before my parents wake up and notice I'm gone anyways."

Jack put out his cig and started to run down the street twords the abandoned Kennedy High School, where this fateful game would take place. He reached the gate and came to a stop catching his breath. When he pushed the gate open, he noticed someone standing at the door, with some weird symbol on his shirt. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out a cig and his lighter, adjusted the backpack around his shoulder, lit the cig up, and walked up to the man he assumed to be another player.

Leaning against the wall next to the door, he took a drag and addressed the "other player". "Here for the game?"

[umazak]

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsely, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there.
He was once a true love of mine.

As the beautiful song, one of the few in English, plays through the headphones that block out all sound, Shane looks about the area that is to be the location of this game created by someone named Simon. Looking to the two that have already arrived, Shane gets the odd feeling that they were more local than himself and that the two must not have had as much trouble finding the location as he had. With that thought in his mind he slides his hands into the pockets of his jeans and walks forward until he stands where he would normally be able to hear the two. With that he takes off one of the speakers as the song still plays only to catch the sound of the evidently newest person asking if the first was here for the game. A stupid question to Shane because the place was obviously too rundown for a gang to use, but he was in a new area.

Shane decides to take the initiative with the question aimed at another person and says, "Yea. But with a prize that big, you'd think that he'd be able to find some other place the meet up with everyone." This was a bit of info that made sense to Shane but most people don't see things the way that he does. True it would be awsome if other thought like he did, but that would defeat the purpose of humanity if everyone thought the same. Once more his mind wanders to how he would see things if he thought like this Simon person and eventually leads to the game of Red Rover and how he was rarely called over until the last of the game. This memory brings a smile to his face only until he remembers that the game is no longer taught in schools because it has been deemed as being too violent. What is the world coming to these days?

[Akans]

"Tell her to find me an acre of land,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Between the salt water and the sea strand,
Then she'll be a true love of mine. "

Kenneth grinned at Shane as he got closer, having just arrived behind him. "Old song that is, I'm amazed to find a young man like you listening to it. Usually its all rap and what not... though I guess I shouldn't assume."

Being an ex-cop, Ken felt an annoying urge to follow up on suspicious and mysterious things, and this was really turning out to be suspicious - though the familiar song playing faintly from the other man's earphones put him a bit more at ease. Familiar things tend to make Ken let down his guard.

Silently berating himself for the sudden outburst of lyrics, Ken shut up and moved a bit further away from the others, far enough to hear any comments any of them made, but enough to discourage conversation. Observation preceded action. No need to take risks and let the others know who he was.

Fingering his phone, Ken decided to take it out and turn it on silent. Having it ring at an important moment was not something he was about to risk.

[IceBlueWings]

Haley closed the door of her room before heading towards Kennedy High School. She wasn't really sure where exactly that was, but if her memory was right, she had passed it before. She looked at the time. She had to rush, or else she wouldn't be able to participate. Before she locked her door, her phone rang. She picked it up, still walking as fast as she could. "Hello?" She answered.

It was her friend, asking her to join for a night out. "Um, sorry, I'll be kind of busy. Maybe next time?" Haley asked apologetically. "Yeah...thanks. Bye." Haley hung up. She looked at her phone. Deciding to keep it in her pocket, she switched off her phone, kept it in her pocket and locker her door. She jumped down the steps to the main street, breaking into a run.

If I'm not mistaken... She thought, turning to her left until she slowed down to a walk again. What was she doing? How sure could she be that this 'game' was real? She stopped, facing the old abandoned school. Right...I'm doubting this whole game. She thought as she walked towards the entrance. Going closer, she saw four guys waiting outside.

...Am I the only girl? There has to be others... She thought hopefully, feeling shy already. At this rate she didn't seem to be able to have a proper conversation with any of them. She saw one listening to his music, another using his phone, one standing right in front of the glass door and another taking a smoke as he leaned on the wall.

I haven't smoked one for a long time... She thought, looking at the guy smoke his own. She pushed the thought away, she didn't really need one right now. But these guys don't seem so surprised by the fact that they're in an abandoned building, which looked like it would collapse soon. Well, at least she wasn't really alone. Might as well stay and see what happens.

Meekly she stood somewhere away from the group, yet not too far in case something happens. Looking around the area, she wondered what kind of game could be played in such a dangerous place.

[AxelYoYo]

"Malina!" Her mother's voice shook her violently. The teen quickly shut the window and opened her math book. Her mother came waltzing in, wearing a red cocktail dress and pearl earrings. Her red lips were upside down. "What's up,mom? Aren't you leaving soon?" she asked, rolling her pencil her forefinger and thumb. "I just wanted to say good-bye and don't cause trouble." her mother replied, coming over and kissing her daughter on her head. She smiled and closed the door. Malina rushed up from her chair and opened the window again. She could hear her mother getting in the car...then it closed....She saw her parents' Toyota back up out of the drive-way and drive down the street,then turn. Out of sight.

"Finally! Jesus, I'm gonna be late!" she cried angrily, grabbing her jacket and slipping it on. She grabbed her ipod and jumped down out the window. She landed on the grass, wincing a little from the pain when she landed. Getting up, Malina hurried down the street, switching her ipod on. She went through the lists of songs and finally settled on Katy Perry. She did a quick time check.

"Huh, 11:35. Almost there...." Malina puffed. Thank god, Kennedy High School was nearby! Her father used to go there, way before the school's students started to fall apart. It was sad. But, that wasn't on Malina's mind. This game, which she heard of recently, was a little weird. Meeting at an abbandoned high school at almost midnight? Not a kind a thing you did everynight! But Malina was intruiged by this and she knew she would regret not going.

When she reached the school, she was relived to see five figures standing there. Four guys, and one girl. "At least I'm not alone." She told herself, and went towards them.

[icmasticc]

"11:40...." Luke mumbled as he Kennedy High School began to reveal itself in the distance. The bald, brown-skinned investigator owned a car but he had decided against making a scene and driving to the school. It was already lucky enough that the information he'd gathered turned out to be correct in leading him to the school, and he didn't want to ruin his chances of uncovering the mystery by making such a grand entrance. Hands in his pockets, Luke walked briskly towards the rotted structure. It wasn't too cold but Luke still had dressed in dark blue, straight leg jeans complimented by a fitting white tight shirt, white sneakers, and a black leather jacket. His signature black sunglasses were also apart of the ensemble.

Nearing the school, the private investigator counted six people. Four guys and two girls. "Those must be the other 'players' I'd heard about..." Luke muttered. Pulling out his right hand, Luke revealed a black Droid X cellular. The time read "11:45". He then shoved the phone back into his pocket after switching it to "silent" and adjusted his belt to accommodate an extra weight near his lower back, hidden by the black leather jacket which extended just past his pants pockets. Finally, Luke stopped near the group of people, examining each and every one of them. Luke Cage was a paranoid person like that. He learned from his younger days in Detroit that you couldn't trust anybody completely. He made mental notes about each one before he took a couple steps to make his own presence known.

"Guess I got here just in time huh?" He addressed the group, his deep, gruff voice rising just enough for every individual to hear it.

[madammina]

Cecilia Marc tugged on a piece of her curly hair before walking into the large parking lot of the school. It was 11:43 and some of her... friends? Competition? Well, she would figure it out later. Whoever they are, they had arrived before her. Cecilia gnawed her lip. She wanted to be here first! She adjusted her lightly filled backpack and walked forward towards the other girls among the 5 other boys. Maybe she should have worn sneakers, she didn't know that this place would be so crumbling.

"Um... Hi?" Cecilia gave a small grin hoping to make a good impression. After all, the Game could start here and she was dying for something new to do.
---
"Coffee...." Emily reached out towards the cup her partner Jack was rotating in front of here. "You're still here?" Jack gave one of his sad smiles before sitting down next to her.

"Yep, we got assigned to that bomb task force. I guess it's a reward for that Abortion case we cracked." He pulled out his own cup of coffee. "And I thought you preferred tea?"

"Not now. I'm tired." She chugged down a good chunk of the coffee then started to gag.

"I never asked if you wanted sugar or cream" was Jack's response. "Where's Amir?"

"Working at his dad's store. Where's Samantha?" Emily asked, referring to Jack's wife.

"She's sleeping. Why did we get called out like this? Couldn't the task force wait until morning?"

"Captain says they've discovered some link between the bombings and something that's about to go down at a local abandoned school... and that's pretty much it. We're to wait here for further info." Emily had been holding her cup in her hands as she talked, but now put it down to reach into her lowest drawer for her most prized possession. "I have a feeling this night won't be easy."

[KNightof5orrow]

"Yeah I guess your right. I wonder what the hell he planned this here for. This shit hole looks like it's about to crumble anyways."

Jack took a look at this newcomer, and all the other ones that had shown up recently. A total of 5 boys and 3 girls. "Looks like a small crowd gathering. This ought to be fun, to say the least. Now 8 people, and some of them look pretty bad ass. Might have some problems with that dude who answered my question. Looks smart, but nothing I can't handle. I am a master of games, no matter what shape or form." He then turned to adress the one who had answered his question, and said, "What brings you here?"

He then addressed everyone else and said, "What brings everybody here tonight?"

[madammina]

Cecilia blinked at this sudden question, well it should have been asked at some point. I mean, the forum post, the teasing for a prize, the fact that no one- not even 4chan!- could track this guy down. What were their stories? Why were they competing? It couldn't all be for money... well money tended to make the world go around. That's why she was here instead of doing something like being a teacher, or being in law school, or maybe working for a newspaper...

"I'm bored, and I want to finish school. But, well, shouldn't we introduce ourselves?" She adjusted the backpack and looked at the seven other people who had arrived here. They ran the gamut of lives, but they had to be here. What did they want out of this?

"I'm Cecilia Marc." she proceeded to adjust her gloves slightly. "What about everyone else? Who are you?"

[Professor Ven]

As the taxi came to a stop near the curb, the driver mumbled the fare in a groggy, sleepy voice. "That'll be uh-nine twenty five." The aged scholar in the back peered out the rear passenger window with what seemed to be utter delight. "Top hole! Seems I'm a bit late, but that's to be expected-"

"Nine twenty-five." the cab driver interrupted, turning a grizzled, ugly face at his passenger, who gave the driver a look that seemed to scream 'Don't spoil the day for the rest of us just because you're forced to wake up earlier from your drunken stupor.' Grudgingly, Karldin went to his pocket, pulled out a five and four ones, all slightly wrinkled, and a shiny quarter. "Here you are." Ferrument barely smiled as he spoke, not attempting to hide his distaste of the cabbie.

Exiting the vehicle, after checking his belongings, and ignoring the cab driver's comment of "Bloody Englishman," Sir Karldin Ferrument, Esquire, walked along the sidewalk for a few paces or so, cane held to his side by the right arm, much akin to a newspaper. Keen grey eyes spotted a small group of people, and he noticed there to be around perhaps five boys and three girls, or perhaps age was finally catching up to him.

"Hullo! You all here for that fellow Simon's game, are you? The name's" he stopped his would-be speech with an -ahem-, his mustache puffing up,"Sir Karldin Ferrument, Esquire. Hopefully you young'ns won't get in the way with your silly fantasies, eh?" Karldin smiled a bright white grin at the onlookers.

Oh, a tad bit arrogant there, and perhaps a little boastful, but some of these children should just go back home and cling to their mothers' apron strings.

[AxelYoYo]

Malina stood next to the other girl. She didn't know what to say. Hi? The girl felt...awkward. She didn't exactly know why. But Malina kept her mouth closed until she saw another girl come up to them. Yay! Another. Malina smiled a little at the girl, but didn't say hello. Then one of the guys spoke. What brings everyone here tonight? He asked all of them. The teenager thought about it for a while, putting a finger underneath her chin. She was here because of the money, that was a first. I mean, who isn't?, she thought. But...That probably wasn't the only reason.

"Well, I came here cause of the money. Y'know, to pay for stuff in the future. College and stuff like that." Malina started. She was going to finish it off, but stopped herself. She didn't know what to say after that. There was no other reason, except money. Wow. Apparently, money meant a lot to her. The new girl suggested that they all introduce themselves. She introduced herself as Cecillia Marc.

"Nice to meet you Cecillia. Malina Kaligari, pleasure to meet you all," she said, bowing. She grinned and pushed her hair out of her eyes.

[KNightof5orrow]

Grinning slightly to himself, Jack bowed before the two girls and made his introductions. "My name is Jack Karkorov, my dear ladies. As for me, I am here to hopefully win the money, and to get out of this godforsaken town and pay for college to become a video game maker." As Jack straightened himself back out, he smoothed his hair out and put out his smoke.

As he was looking around at all the players, he noticed an old man enter the grounds with a cocky grin on his face. "You call wanting to get out of this hell hole and make a better life for myself a silly fantasy?" Jack said with a scour on his face.

[Keyblader!]

Snoring away on a bed in a hotel King was awakened by the loud chime of his alarm clock. Getting up with a start he literally jumped out of bed, and in a quick five minutes he was out the front lobby door. Running down the dimly lit streets he opened up his second can of red bull. It was safe to say he was nearly addicted to the energy drink. As the caffeine coursed through his body the drowsiness left, replaced with hype. "Alright mystery game here I come!" He yelled, increasing his pace.

A few minutes later he approached the run down high school. He noticed the crowd and got just a bit more excited. However before that he took a good look at their meeting place. It was odd for sure, but then again so was the way he heard about the game in the first place. He had just so happened to pick up on when some of the people introduced themselves, he figured he might as well do the same. "What's up everyone? The names Kingsly Smith, but you can just call me King." He announced to the crowd in a prideful tone. Not the most subtle way to introduce yourself, but then again he didn't really care..

[OmniChaos]

Hyde silently stood there, back leaned against the crumbling wall with his mind a million miles away. Though he hadn't realized it quite yet, the little group that had been there had grown quite a bit, roughly three times as big as it was before. He really hadn't been paying attention and all of the other player's conversations and introductions echoed in his mind, melting together into one, inaudible roar. Eventually, he broke from his silent trance and, slowly, pulled out a single cigarette, placing it gently between his lips. Everyone still rattled on, polluting the air with a sickly, drowning noise. Still, Hyde annoyed it the best he could and pulled out his silver lighter from one of his many pockets and proceeded to light the cigarette held firmly in his mouth. That's when he heard one of the girls ask a question.

"What about everyone else? Who are you?"

A sigh escaped Hyde's lips, which was accompanied by the light gray smoke of his cigarette, which flowed upward, dancing in a stream of air. Wonderful. Now Hyde was pretty much obligated to share his name as well. It wasn't because he didn't want to appear rude, he could care less of what others thought about him. Their opinions were garbage anyways. No, it was because, if he didn't share his name, he could bet that the others would continuously pester him on the subject, which Hyde would rather avoid. The less he had to speak with these other idiots, the better. So, Hyde cleared his throat, making it known he was planning on speaking, but, before he could even pull his lips apart, someone else interrupted. Another player. Great.

"Hullo! You all here for that fellow Simon's game, are you? The name's Sir Karldin Ferrument, Esquire. Hopefully you young'ns won't get in the way with your silly fantasies, eh?"

Condescending, confident, and somewhat snobby. Hyde felt he was looking into a mirror of his future. Regardless, Hyde was not about to let this old-timer out stage him. He'd make it clear that he was the biggest asshole among them. "What's wrong, old-timer? You get lost looking for the old folks home? You see, you were supposed to take a left, which is the opposite, or the other way, of right. You get all that? I could speak slower if you need me to." With that, Hyde fell silent again, forgetting that he was about to share his name with the others. It wasn't until another boy, calling himself King—Hyde couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing it—for some reason, Hyde supposed it was a nickname of some sort, since he hadn't caught the boy's real name, introduced himself to the group, that Hyde remembered he was going to introduce himself. "Guess I might as well introduce myself as well. My name—" The words flowed from Hyde's mouth coldly "—is Hyde Forsythe."