F-Father called me? I call him back and he picked up instantly.

          „Linda.“, he said.

          „S-Sorry, I couldn’t find my phone and I thought it was Janneth, since the games are being prepared and-“

          „Did you start searching for the scapegoat, or have you forgotten, like the last time?“

          „E-Even better, daddy, I already found the perfect person! I-I’m going to meet with her right now actually-“

          „Linda. I believe you, dear. But... BUT! If you are lying to me... I will have Mr. Gunter shut down you bank account.“

          „N-NOOOOO!! I-I’M NOT LYING THIS TIME, I SWEAR, DADDY!! P-PLEASE I-I SWEAR I WILL LURE HER TODAY!! I-I-“

          „Okay! I will have Mr. Gunter check if you’re telling the truth or not... And, for your sake, it’s better for you to be telling the truth... Goodbye, dear.“

          The line cut.

          FUCK! FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK!!!

          Now I have to lure her today no matter what!! Damn it!! It’s not like I can’t do that, but I wanted to make her connect to me more before I made the offer!!

          I shouldn’t have lied last time... Damn... I’m lucky daddy is forgiving... Otherwise...

          Anyways, I called Uncle G. and told him to be here in half an hour. This better go how I planned it to go...

          „Where are we going?“, Uncle G. asked me.

          „Bunto’s place <3“, I said and smiled.

          „You’re going there pretty often these last few months... Do you like that bartender?“

          „Don’t be silly, Uncle!“, he got me...

          „Then what is it?“

          „T-They have the best coffee of course!“, I said.

          „Their coffee is shit! And so is your lying.“, I still can’t trick Uncle... Darn...

          Anyways we got there in about 20 minutes. I arrived first. Perfect.

          Since I do have another 15 minutes or so...

          „Alexander!“, I called out to that cute bartender.

          „Oh, Linda! You again, huh? You alone or?“

          „Nah, I’m waiting for a... friend... But I could drink something while I wait for her...“

          „Okii, what will ya have?“

          „Surprise me“, I smiled and winked. He blushed and smiled back. He’s super cute.

          „Lindaa!“, I heard a female voice. I looked up and... yep... that’s her... Well, that’s as far as my flirting with Alexander goes for today I guess... I don’t want her to see me flirting with someone that has a lower status than me...

          Just as I predicted, she wore the same cheap clothes she had when we first met...

          „Hii! Come here, sit.“, I said.

          „Wow! Your dress is beautiful!“, she said, amazed by my dark pink-red dress. „T-Thank you for wanting to listen to me. It really means a lot.“, she looked so happy. Disgusting.

          „Sure, no problem-“, as I was finishing Alexander came back with my drink. A Margarita cocktail.

          „Oh, you’ve already ordered! Sorry, you must’ve been waiting for me for a while...“, Natalie said.

          „No, no, I came early on purpose. What will ya have?“

          „Umm, I’m not sure I can afford any of these...“, she said embarrassed looking at the menu. This reminded me how my bank account will be shut down if I don’t succeed.

          „No, don’t worry, I’m paying for the drinks today. Alexander, dear, bring her this one.“, I told him as I showed at one of the most expensive cocktails.

          „N-NO, DON’T-“

          „Don’t listen to her, Alexander.“

          „Haha, alright!“, he said and left.

          „Y-You really don’t have to-“

          „No, no, please, you deserve it.“

          „T-Thank you, Linda...“, she then proceeded to tell me about how her parents were originally from here, but moved to Poland. How her parents died just before she finished high school, and how she didn’t know what the hell to do. How she then moved here from Poland to study in the same university that her father did, but ultimately gave up because it was too expensive for her. How her ex cheated on her with some secretary, robbed her, and even tried to rape her, and she couldn’t do anything to him because he was a high-ranked police officer. How she had no money left, and nowhere to go. How she planned to kill herself the day after we met, but gave up because we met. How I saved her life and gave her hope. During all of this I acted like I cared and like I was sorry for all of that, but the truth is, I couldn’t give less of a fuck...

          „Tell me, Natalie, dear... Have you ever heard of... The Element Games? “

          When I told her how she could win the money she needed to pay her rent debts, and even come out of the games with a profit and 0 risk, ’cause I would be telling her the rules of each game in advance, she agreed instantly and started crying and thanking me.

*present:*

          „She had no idea that I planned to use her as this year’s games’s scapegoat. The role of the scapegoat is to be the player who will basically act as the main loser of the games... The player that I would help by giving him the rules of upcoming games. Except... Only the first one or two sets of rules would be the real rules! All of the rules for all other games would be fake!! All of the other rules would be made so that the scapegoat goes into despair and fear because suddenly none of the rules are real! The mental breakdown the scapegoat goes trough is the real appeal of those who watch the games!! And Natalie was the perfect person... or so I thought, until I met you in the casino, Ken... I also heard about you from Uncle G., since you’re one of the only ones who refused to participate in the games after Uncle offered them the chance to play. Then I hired a few guys I know to look into your history, and I immediately changed my mind about who was the perfect for the role of the scapegoat... Both of you had noone left, and were in debt, except... You weren’t suicidal, but instead a gambling addict, which was even better! And besides, as I already lured Natalie into participating in these games, knowing her character I knew that it wouldn’t take long after the games start for her to have a mental breakdown after she found out that I was never going to help her in the first place! The ’guests’ are more then happy for how this year’s games are going!! There has never been a suicide during these games. There have been a ton after the games ended, by participants who were now in enormous debt, but never during the games! SO you can imagine how happy not only they were, but also my father! He said that this year’s games will probably be the highest rated Element Games ever!!

          And to make things even better, the two of you met! And you made her kill herself even faster, Ken!! I doubt you wanted it, but that is the reality! And I know you won’t do the same thing she did, that is killing yourself during the games, but the mental torture you will have in these games will sure leave you scarred forever!! Who knows, maybe a few months after the games, if your debt is big enough, you may even kill yourself... AHAHAHAHA I MEAN LOOK AT YOU!! CRYING OVER THAT BITCH, EVEN THO YOU WERE THE ONE WHO PUSHED HER OVER THE EDGE!! EVEN THO IT’S YOUR FAULT!! AHAAHHAAHAH--“

          „SHUT UP!!!!!“, Ken screamed as loud as he could...

                    KEN’S POV:

          „SHUT UP!!!!!!“, I screamed as loud as I could. I was shaking. I felt dead inside. I felt rage, fury, sorrow and sadness that I had never felt before...

          But most of all I felt guilt.

          As much as I don’t want it to be truth, Linda is right... I... I was the one who pushed her over the edge... I was the one... who...

          Now, after hearing the whole truth, and after Linda opened my eyes... I can’t even look Natalie in her eyes anymore...

          I close my eyes and start shaking even more. I let go of Natalie’s hand... I... I’m sorry, Natalie-I-

          I didn’t... know...

          I couldn’t... know...

          But that does not excuse my actions... I should’ve been more careful... If I was then... Natalie would still have colour in her eyes... Natalie would still be breathing...

          If I had been more careful with my actions... Natalie would still be alive...

          I barely lift my eyes and look at Linda. She’s still laughing at me with that evil look in her eyes. She has won. Her goal from the start was to find someone like Natalie and I so that she could make these sick games as big of a show as it can be, for all those heretics who enjoy this...

          I can’t stand her.

          It’s not only my fault... it’s her fault too... „AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA“, I start screaming, standing up and putting my hand inside my pocket. I pull out the knife Axel gave me.

          „H-Hey~“, Linda flinched, as I rushed towards her.

          I will kill her.

          I WILL KILL THIS DEVIL!!!

          I’m running towards her, knife pointed at her chest. She looks shocked, which is not surprising, since we shouldn’t have any weapons. Just as the knife is about to stab through her I feel huge pain in my left wrist.

          „AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!“, I yell in pain. She twisted my left hand, breaking my wrist. I instinctively grab my left hand with my right, dropping the knife.

          She picks it up and says: „What the hell did you just try to do to me? HUH!?!“

          She proceeds to stab my right leg. I scream from both the pain in my wrist and leg. „YOU FILTHY PIECE OF SHIT!! YOU TRIED TO STAB ME, HUH?! JUST BECAUSE I OPENED YOUR EYES, AND YOU HATE THE SITUATION YOU PUT YOURSELF INTO?! IT’S YOUR FAULT FOR FALLING FOR MY LIES!! AS WELL AS FOR YOUR GAMBLING ADDICTION!! YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SHITTY LIFE, YOU TRASH!!

          And just so you know... for this... You will pay.“

          She left me there. My leg was bleeding, tho it didn’t look too bad. Still it hurt. But my wrist hurt twice as much...

          And I don’t even blame her...

          She’s completely right... I-I deserve all of this...

          It is my fault... I am responsible for my addiction and my shitty life...

          And this... I will never forgive myself for this... Not only did Natalie die because of me... But-B-But I-I...

          I tried to kill her... I tried to kill Linda... And not just Linda, but I also had the same thoughts for Axel and Boris... I am such a shitty human being... I deserve every bit of bad thing that had ever happened to me...

          No...

          I deserve worse...

          The bathroom door opens. Two guards come inside.“Get up. The third game is about to start.“, one of the guards says.

          „R-Right...“, I say as I try to get up. It hurts like hell but I manage to do it... Tho, me getting up worsens the bleeding.

          As we exit the bathroom and head to the room where the third game will take place, I take 1 last look at Natalie...

          „I’m sorry, Natalie...“, I say to myself, and as I do I think: „I may have not been able to save you... But I swear... I will at least save Josh...

          I will save my only friend...“