My legs grew weaker and weaker. My lungs felt like they were on fire. No matter how much or how fast I ran, the footsteps behind me never seemed to fade away. I didn't know where I was running to or from who, but the adrenaline kept my legs from collapsing. Then, I reached a wall. It was a dead end.
Before I could turn around, a loud knocking matched with the shouting of a cranky, old woman woke me from my bizarre dream. My eyes shot wide open, and I sat up gasping. The sound of my impetuous heartbeat almost drowned out the yelling from outside.
"Apisa! Apisa, open the door!"
It's Affiza.
I grumbled as I struggled to get out of bed and open the creaky door.
My landlord, Elisabeth, asked angrily, "Apisa, where's your pay for this month?"
"I don't have it yet," I managed to utter with my dry throat.
"You've been saying that for the past two months!" she scolded. "If you don't have my money by the end of the week, pack your things and leave!" Her v's sounded more like b's.
I slammed the door shut, not wanting to hear her stomp across the hall, and got ready for the day.
I was a college freshman living in a boarding house owned by an elderly, Asian woman. Aside from her collecting rent, the house was typically boisterous in the morning due to other girls getting ready and leaving. It's not the most comfortable place to stay in, but it's only a 20-minute commute away from my university.
Long hours passed, and it was time for lunch. As I ate my cold turkey sandwich, I stared at one of the monitors and watched as the screen turned from an action movie to a masked man in front of a black background.
The infamous Guy Fawkes mask spoke with a robotic male voice:
"Hello, players.
"Soon, there'll be another season of the best and the biggest game show in the world, Dice of Life!
"Players will compete for one billion dollars until all but one player is bankrupt... or dead!
"If you're one of the millions that want to join, audition via our website, www.diceoflife.com.
"We'll see you soon."
Dice of Life is a real-life monopoly game where instead of cities, players pass through different challenges. It's a competition where people gamble not just money but also their lives. Desperate and reckless people care more about making a resume for it than a stable career.
As the announcement came to an end, the chatter in the cafeteria grew louder. I overheard the girls sitting at the table next to me talking.
The blonde said to her friend, "Hey, are you going to audition?"
"No way!" her friend denied. "I heard one of the contestants got their leg mutilated."
"I'm totally joining. I heard two of the players from the last season became a couple," the blonde said. "What if I win 1 billion and fall in love?"
"You're crazy!" her friend exclaimed. "Advanced rest in peace, girl."
I finished my sandwich in time for work. I worked as a waitress at a diner that's a 15-minute walk away from the university. As I was about to stand up, a girl slid into the seat in front of me.
"Hey, I'm Callie," she introduced herself. "You probably don't know me—"
I don't.
"—But I've seen you a few times in class. Anyway, I'm part of the newspaper club—"
There's a newspaper club?
"—And I was hoping to recruit you." She beamed at me and gushed, "We'll be taking pictures and writing cool articles!"
"I don't have a camera," I said before grabbing my tray and walking towards the trash bin.
She followed behind me and spoke, "You can borrow from the other members."
"I don't have time." I continued walking away in hopes she'll leave, but she just had to crush them.
"Schedules will be rotational. You don't have to be present all the time," she reasoned. "And if all goes well, we might be able to earn some cash."
I turned my head towards her so quickly that I nearly got whiplash. I leaned my head forward and asked, "When can I start?"
"Our first meeting is tomorrow at 5 pm," she informed. "We'll be using the old music room on the third floor."
"I'll be—"
"Great!" she exclaimed with a smile that didn't seem as innocent as before.
She walked off with a slight bounce in her steps. Her strawberry blonde hair swayed as she did.
I looked at the time on my phone and rushed out of the building. I was late for work!
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