When they woke up, they were a small room, with a single door, no windows except for the small one on the door. Feeling cold steel on their wrists, they discovered that they were bound to a stranger with high quality handcuffs. A timer was on the door, ten minutes remaining. However, the timer didn't seem attached to a bomb or anything dangerous, in fact it was on the door, symbolizing that the door would open once the timer hit zero. A speaker from outside the room crackled to life, startling the guests.



Disguised by a voice manipulator, a friendly, yet dark toned voice spoke.



The speaker shut up, leaving a heavy silence.

River looked at her wrist and followed the chain with her eyes to her partner. She was conscious and alert, but she was frightened and her nerves felt shot. What kind of game was this? People were going to die? Why was her location unimportant. River had so many questions but she calmed herself and looked at the person that would be her partner. Please don't die on me was her first thought but River shook her head and glanced around looking at their surroundings. Then she looked back at her partner.

"So, guess we should get acquainted. Might as well with the free time we have. I have a feeling it wont be like this often." River shot a slight smile at them, trying to seem friendly. The silence would only make her anxious, so she tried to fill the silence and star up conversation. "Seems like a lovely place. Wonder what the outside looks like." River added as she looked around again.

Lee opens his eyes and looks in shock around. Where was he, how did he get here, what was happening? His vision getting in and out of focus in rhythm with his heart bit. No way, WHY WAS HE HERE? Then he heard the speakers crackle and a voice coming from them. A GAME he says? He was IN A "GAME" with HIS LIFE on the line??? This must be some hallucination, but it feels so real. This insane bastard must be a figment of his imagination. Didn't Lee marathon all the Hunger Games books and movies just a week ago? He looks down and notices a shackle connecting him to another human beside him. It was a girl with shoulder length brown hair and a petit frame. He slowly raised a hand before her then quickly withdrew it once he felt her breath on his palm. IT FELT SO REAL. He had managed to awaken himself from many dreams , as long as he knew he was dreaming he could wake himself up. He closed his eyes and concentrated hard but to no avail! He could feel with his skin and feel his heart bit which was now a deafening pulse ringing through his ears. He even slamed his head to the wall behind him but just pain followed it. THIS WAS REAL! He took a moment to calm down, it would be pathetic to die of a heart attack when this turns out to be a huge elaborate prank. He slowed his breathing making it deeper and more even in pace. Lee tried focusing on the last thing he remembered but it was all blurry, he couldn't even tell if he was last awake or sleeping! He took a moment to look around studying the room he was in then looked at the shackles connecting him to the other girl. No point in trying to get them off as even if he did, there was a high chance he was would break some rule in this game and die.
Lee thinks about his family, looks up and whispers:"I'm sorry I left you behind".
In all this panick, his hand had gotten a grip of the girl's one.

Kayla blinked groggily as she tried to shake off her sleepiness. What's going on? Her body felt stiff. Did she fall asleep on her desk again? She stretched her arms upwards only to find out that one of her wrists was handcuffed. Her eyes widened, the shock removing the remaining vestiges of sleep in her systems. What in the world was going on? Seeing as only one of her wrists were handcuffed, she turned to the side to see where the other cuff was chained to. It was another person, a male. Could he have any connection to why he was here? It didn't seem likely as he also looked quite worn out as how she probably looked. She looked around the room. It was empty and bare, except for the door. It had something attached to it and she could that it was counting down. Was it a bomb?

Her thoughts were interrupted when a loud voice sounded over them. Looking up, she didn't see any speakers so she figured that it must be coming from outside their room. As she listened, she grew angry. A game? Was this some kind of a sick joke? And she'd have to work with this guy beside him? Kayla took a deep breath to try to calm down and listen closely to everything that was said. Partners? She didn't like the idea that she'd have to put her life in his hands and rely on him. She didn't even know him. At least, as far as she can remember, she didn't. But maybe he might know something useful so it might be alright.

She sharply looked at her partner when he held his hand. She wanted to reprimand him, but seeing the look on his face, She figured that he needed some comfort, from whatever was troubling him. Just this once, though. "So... hi," she started. "Since we only have 7 minutes, we better make the most out of it. My name is Kayla. I work in a company that manufactures cell phones. Or at least, I did work there. Nice to meet you and maybe we'll get to know more about each other." If we make it out alive, she silently added.

Lee abruptly looks to the girl when she speaks and listens, then his gaze lowers to her hand that he is currently gripping. In a flash he quickly withdraws it, lifting both hands up as a sign of apology only to drag her hand in the air.

M..my na..(he starts speaking as he stutters, still not believing his current predicament, THIS IS ALL TOO CRAZY TO BE REAL)-*cough*- My name is Lee and I work..(he hesitates for a moment)..worked in a Pawn Shop. (He tries to force a smile but all that appears is a bitter-sad smirk)-*ahem*-So I guess we're stuck together.(he says as he turns to face the timer) But I'm positive that we will live through this, w..we'll find a way somehow..(he adds as he turns his head further away from the girl. That was complete bullshit and he can't believe he just said that! What if she died!? How could he live with himself after saying that? What if HE died? Well, if he died he wouldn't be in a condition to care about anything anymore so that's that.)

So..hmmm..(he turns to the girl trying to start a conversation but is at a loss of words)..hhhh..(he focuses harder, getting more and more flustered by the second. He never had a problem talking to a girl before. Maybe if he wasn't in a DEATH GAME..)

So are you single? (The words came out of his lips before he even knew they were open) *Mentally Facepalms*

She gaped slightly at him, not knowing what to make of it. Was he seriously flirting with her in this kind of situation? Is he not taking this seriously? He definitely looked like he was, so she wasn't sure how to reply to that. "I'm not sure if you're just trying to break the ice, or you're being serious in asking me that." She gave him a glare. "You shouldn't panic so much. Don't focus so much on the possibility of us dying, because then, you'd lose hope and that's a thing we don't want to happen here," she advised him. She was being a hypocrite, but she wasn't the one being so tense. After giving it a thought, she added, "And I'm single by the way, to answer your question."

She sighed. She was going to pretend that he never asked that as it's kind of awkward for her. "So what can you do? Like, any talents or skills that you have? I do archery, and I'd like to say that I have a pretty good aim." But of course, she did archery as more of a hobby and for recreation than anything. She never used it before as a weapon and made her wonder if she'll be able to apply her skill efficiently in this place if she would ever need to use it. "Practiced a little martial arts too when I was a kid, but quit after a few years or so." Having nothing else to say, she asked him again. "So what about you?"

Looking at the timer, she saw that a few minutes had already passed. Truthfully, she didn't see the point in the 7 minutes. It's not as if they were going to meet again after they left this compound of sorts. They just need to know each other's names and abilities, and off they go. Trivial things like age and occupation aren't going to help them succeed in this crazy man's "games."