14-Simple

                    From this position, I could not see Josh’s numbers on the floor, since he was unconscious and could not move out of the way. That did not matter. For the first time since Boris found out about Linda and me, I had a plan!

          It was a simple plan.

          I will stand still for an hour and a half. That was the best possible scenario at these circumstances.

          How did I come up with this conclusion? Well simple. I used my brain for the first time in my life! We had an hour and a half left. Both Josh and I have 78 percent Oxygen, and we are sharing the cabin. The difference is, he is unconscious, while I am conscious, which means that, even if I am standing still doing nothing for an hour and a half, I would still, on my own, use more Oxygen than the unconscious Josh. That is because, while conscious, humans use Oxygen while doing pretty much anything, even thinking and looking around! It is not a lot more Oxygen, compared to an unconscious person, but it’s still more. BUT! Because we are sharing the cabins, that means that Oxygen usage for the two of us individually is irrelevant. How much Oxygen the cabins use, however, is very relevant! Since the two of us are still, that means we minimized our Oxygen usage, but we cannot change how much the cabins use, which, according to my calculations, is about 1 percent every 110 seconds[1] or so, give or take a few seconds... This would mean that in the next one and a half hour, the cabins will use 45 percent[2] of Oxygen, at least!! Maybe even more, if I miscalculated, which is probable. But 45 percent is what I will be going for. So if the cabin needs 45 percent, and in a few seconds we will have exactly 77 percent of Oxygen each, so that will leave 32 percent of Oxygen for us! This should be barely enough for us to keep still for 1 and a half hours! After the time runs out, all the doors will open, and everyone will be declared a winner!

          This change of strategy is the only chance we got left!

          No... This may even be the intended way for beating this game!! Yes... That would make perfect sense!! Giving the players a hard way that is the obvious way, and a hard to notice, easy way to win, which is for the players to discover on their own! If I were to make some games such as these, I would make the rules this way! So that there are multiple ways to win: the obvious, harder ways, and the easier, but hidden and often more boring ways to win!

          I smiled.

          I found an exploit! No... rather I found out a secret! A cheat to this game! I’m sure many, if not all the players will realize this was an option, but it will be too late for them, since they are constantly trying to unlock the front door on the 5-digit lock, therefor using more Oxygen then me and Josh, who are standing still.

          And if we, who are still, will barely have enough Oxygen to survive 1 and a half hours, they will certainly not have enough, and will be forced to keep trying to unlock the front door. Some will be lucky, but most will give up when their Oxygen level is at 5 percent or less.

          Yes... Yes, I could see it. I could see the future!!

          Most people will realize too late that the right way to win is to stand still and wait, some lucky players will unlock the front door and win, but most will give up, meaning that this game will eliminate at least 15 or more people!!

          Yes... this was the perfect game to eliminate a bunch of players by making them give up or by making them lose their mind due to both lack of Oxygen and the claustrophobic space!

          This was the devil’s game...

          50 minutes have passed.

          I just stood still. Nothing’s changed. It all went according to my plan! Actually even better, turns out we were using even less Oxygen than I originally thought, which meant the rest of this game will be easy.

          The only thing I have to worry about now is to explain everything to Josh, once he regains consciousness.

          Tho... my legs hurt...

          I should probably start exercising more once these wicked games are over...

          1 hour and 5 minutes have passed.

          Less than 25 minutes to go. I kept a close look on Josh all this time. He started opening his eyes slowly a minute ago.

          „A-a-SHIT!!“, yelled and put his hands on his head.

          „Josh, it’s alright! Just stand still and I’ll explain everything!“, I said as soon as I saw he started panicking.

                    JOSH’S POV:

          The last thing I remember hearing was that girl saying something about her ex-boyfriend or something. After that I blacked out. But prior to that... yes... I remember trying to call for Ken, but he didn’t seem to notice me, so I opened the side door in hope that he will hear me if I did, but... I collapsed right after I opening them...

          I’m claustrophobic, and I could barely stand being in this small cabin for 20 minutes. I’m sure Ken realized that, since he was standing there ready to calm me down.

          It’s all good now. Thanks to Ken... Again... Once again he was here to help me... He was my last hope to survive this! „T-Thanks Ken.“, I was able to spit out.

          „No problem, friend.“, he said as he smiled. He was such a kind person, I-I can never thank him enough for all the help he’s been! He explained what happened and I listened to him very carefully.

          Holy shit.

          To say I was in shock would be an understatement. This... This was beyond what I could even imagine would be able to happen in these games! That poor girl... I hope she’s stable now...

          Anyways Ken explained the plan to me and... I have to say it is brilliant! I would’ve never even think that that could be a possibility, let alone the best strategy to win this!! We can do this! We can win!

                    KEN’S POV:

          I left out the details about Linda, Boris and Axel. I didn’t want Josh to know all of those, since I still don’t fully trust him, tho he is the most trustworthy person so far...

          And so we waited...

          1 hour and 26 minutes passed.

          This is it... Less than 4 minutes left!

          Josh was in a bit of a panic state, since his phobia, but he was holding up pretty well, and our Oxygen level was at a whopping 7 percent!! We basically won this game.

          „We can relax now, Josh. We’re safe.“, I said calmly.

          „I can’t relax until I exit this damn cabin!“, he said as he bit on his nails. Less than 3 minutes left...

          We stood there in silence mostly, during the time we waited. 2 minutes left...

          „Hey Ken.“, Josh suddenly said.

          „Yes?“, I replied.

          „...I just wanted to say... You’re my first real friend...“

          „...Oh... I-“, well that was... sad...

          „I never really had any friends as I grew up. Most people who I thought were my friends were just using me or were making fun of me in one way or another... I know for a fact that none of they would go as far to help me as you have in these games... And for that... I thank you with all my heart-“, before I could even process what Josh just told me, we heard the announcer.

          „CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL PLAYERS WHO MADE IT THIS FAR!! YOU HAVE 50 SECONDS REMAINING, AFTER WHICH YOU WIN THE SECOND OF THE EIGHT GAMES AT THIS YEAR’S ELEMENT GAMES!!“

          This was great! In a few minutes I will rush to see how Natalie is doing, if they let me. If not, I will go straight to the bathroom to talk with Linda and find out the truth at last!!

          Yes... I will find out what the hell was going on...

          *BEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTT*    

          We heard along with a loud *click* as all of the front doors opened. THIS WAS IT!! WE WON THE SECOND GAME!!

          „CONGRATULATIONS, WINNERS!!“, we heard the announcer say. I didn’t care about any of this, all I cared about right now was to see how Natalie is, and to find out the truth about Linda!

          „Josh... Once we get back to the ’waiting room’, as I call it... I will have to leave you, since I have some things to check. But I promise I will meet you before the third game starts, ok?“, I told Josh. He looked at me for a moment and then said: „Of course, Ken. I know I may be in your way... Sorry...“

          „No, that’s not what I mea-look... I’m going to explain everything to you as soon as I get the chance, ok?“

          „Okay, Ken... Thanks.“, Josh said. After what he told me about me being his only friend, this only made me trust him a bit more. Of course, he could’ve made all of this up, but-

          „Attention, players!!“, we heard Michael, the guard, call us. „All 36 of you, come with me upstairs to the room you were in before this game began. You will wait in that room between each of the games.“, he explained. 36... Interesting... I thought less people would make it, but I guess I was wrong...

          We followed the guard upstairs, and made it to ’the waiting room’. „E-Excuse me, mister guard-“, I started. „What is it, loser?“, Michael responded, stopping me in the middle of my question.

          „The girl who... cut her wrist... Can I see how she’s doing?“, I finally asked.

          „...“, the guard seemed to think for a moment before finally saying „No... You can not exit the room you will be waiting in, except to go to the bathroom, so you can’t go to the doc’ to see how she’s doing.“, he said, then added an unenthusiastic ’sorry’. God, I hate this guy...

          So I was right. I mean it made sense for such an organized... ’festival’, you may call it, for the lack of words I can use to describe this event...

          Anyhow it was time.

          I’m going to go meet Linda, and settle this...