Young Writers Society

Sadie looked at them in surprise. How could they possibly be out at a time like this? They'd just gotten that money; why wouldn't they both go on to get more? They were clearly winning this twisted game.

"You sure you wanna keep going?" Meyer asked. "Stakes are higher."

"I'm in," she repeated.

He nodded and started the game again. It got progressively worse. And worse. And worse.

The lights were going too fast for them to possibly register in her mind before they vanished again -- and she didn't have enough time to even punch in the ones she did remember before she was getting shocked.

She got angrier and angrier each time. It hurt so bad and she was getting so frustrated at having lost her winning streak. And yet. The money kept piling higher and higher in front of her, whispering for her to try one more time.

She lost the next three games -- won one, which enticed her to keep playing -- and then lost the next five... six... seven...

Her entire body was trembling by the time they got to the end of that round. Her eyes felt grainy and her eyelids were heavy. Body drenched in sweat. And yet she kept being in and in and in until she finally couldn't take it anymore.

There were probably several thousand dollars piled up in front of her at that point, but her brain felt like it was moving through molasses at this point and she wouldn't be able to remember the pattern even if it was slow.

And yet.

"In."

This game was the final straw.

She was still angry but too exhausted to do anything about it anymore; her rage more of a hot ember than it was a burning flame. She felt so bad. And even though the money looked so tempting. "... out."

"You throwing in the towel so soon?" Meyer asked evenly. Even though he was impressed and horrified that she'd kept pushing as long as she had. It was clear that this game was destroying her.

She glanced at the money again. She wanted so very badly to get it. But she couldn't. She rubbed her face, talking into her hands. "I'm out."

Alex smiled. “Good choice, Sadie. They don’t want you to win.”

Emily started shutting down the program. “If neither of you want to go again, the we can progress.”

Sadie didn’t respond. She was shutting down. She didn’t have the energy to maintain her rage, so there was nothing left but emptiness and exhaustion. And shame.

Meyer walked around the table and freed them both from their bracelets. “We’ll keep this safe for you—“ he reached for the trays of money.

“Don’t you dare!” That made her spring into life and she lunged forward to snatch her money.

“Daaaaang, okay.” Meyer put his hands up. “Don’t hurt yourself. You can take it if you wish.”

Sadie grabbed the fistful of her money and shoved it into her pocket, maintaining her glare on Meyer until it was safely out of sight. Then she looked at Alex, hoping they wouldn’t be naive enough to let Meyer take the money away. “Don’t trust them.”

Alex had already pocketed the money, and gave her a questioning look. “Of course not.”

“Are you two ready to progress?” Emily picked up the now empty trays and the money that hadn’t been won, and put them away.

“What’s in it for me if I do?” Sadie swayed slightly, feeling weak. She may be out for good if they didn’t have a decent incentive.

“You will be roomed at an all-expense paid hotel until your room and board here at the facility is taken care of. While we ask that you do not leave the premise, there will be plenty of activities to take part in there.”

Alex shook their head. “Wait. Why can’t we leave the hotel?”

Emily stepped back from cleaning, seemingly satisfied with her work. “The press is known to be a particularly shade of aggressive with new subjects.”

“Just gotta out-aggressive the aggressors,” Sadie said, but she didn’t have the energy to make the delivery believable.

“Or, consider, you could stretch out on a California king and watch Netflix on the big screen.”

That did sound nicer. “I want my laptop.”

“Fine.” Meyer shrugged. “You do you.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “And I’m eating my body weight in room service.”

“Hah!” He smirked at her. “Done.”

“Only if I’m allowed to join you.” Alex smiled, glad to see Sadie coming back to herself. Not to say they didn’t like Sadie when she was angry, xe still did, but she just seemed to hold this heavy pain when she was. And it hurt to see her like that.

Emily handed them two key cards. “You two will be sharing a room, due to your continued partnership.”

“Then I’m eating both of our body weights in room service.” Sadie smirked, looking back at Alex. She wasn’t sure how she felt about sharing a room with a complete and total stranger. But they seemed harmless enough. And she was pretty sure she’d have the physical advantage even if something were to happen. She softened her sarcasm a bit, deciding a gentler approach would make it easier to make friends with them. “Hope you can keep up.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised.” Alex pocketed the key card. “Just you wait.”

“Perfect.” Sadie looked back at Meyer and Emily, getting her attitude back. Alex didn’t deserve it. The two of them did. “I’m hungry, are—“

“That explains what you’re so grumpy, then,” Meyer cut in. “We’ll mark down hanger in the charts.”

Sadie glared at him. “I’ll give you a whole heck of a lot more to mark down. Keep talking.”

“We’re counting on it. Approximately 75% of people have five pages of notes, charts, and anecdotes dedicated to their flaws. Sadie Lovett currently has two and a half pages, correct, Meyer?” Emily thumbed through her own notes on Alex, which appeared to be on page three.

“Yep. We just keep doubling down on ‘hostility’ and ‘trust issues’ but I’m sure we’ll finish filling up this page before long.”

“Wonderful,” she said flatly. “While you’re at it may as well mark down ‘dislikes olives’ or did you already know that one?”

Meyer smirked at her. “You want me to order you a pizza, then?”

“I want to go to my room.”

“Meyer, take care of that while I start on facilities here.” Emily walked away, quietly closing the door behind her.

“She’s not really on for choice, huh?” Alex rolled their eyes. “She had four pages on me. What did it say? Is being non-binary on there? Possibly autistic? Is-“ Xer breath caught in their throat, as a sharp gasp crawled its way out.

“Being non-binary isn’t a flaw, Alex,” Meyer said firmly, giving him a stern look, then he looked at Sadie with the same expression. “Neither is being queer. You’ve both got plenty of baggage but none of it has to do with being LGBTQ.”

He hesitated a long moment.

“Okay. Fine. Some of it stems from your experience as existing as LGBTQ individuals. Your hostility, for example.” Meyer looked at Sadie, then back at Alex. “And your self-doubt. But your identities aren’t anything that need to be changed. Don’t ever think that they are.”