SOTF-TV: The Sixth Announcement

#1

This game had flown by. As Leonardo prepared for the sixth announcement, he pondered that. It had been seventy-two hours since the start of everything. Three days exactly. Barely enough time for the children to start feeling serious hunger pains, given their provided rations. That was a little disappointing. Games had been longer in the past, sometimes. Then again, this one had had all sorts of motivating factors added in. The ten kill rule had been something of a joke among the producers, a way to get kids into the right mood for fireworks. They added it mostly to see what happened. Of course, there had been a few notable players from past seasons that had surpassed that mark, but such kill counts were few and far between.

Then there had been the teams. It had been a wonderful idea, one Leonardo desperately wished he could take credit for. The teams, the mixed schools, it had all come together to create a perfect stew of anger and blame and paranoia. That the remaining six students were all opposed to each other was just one more piece of delicious perfection. Leonardo didn't like everyone to die. That removed the surprise. The vast majority, though, had to go, just to keep things special for those who made it.

Leonardo hated escape seasons, of course.

No such luck this time. He cleared his throat, smiled, checked his notes (he'd been bitched out by a snotty intern about some little issues last time. Little fuck had no idea how much went into the presentation of a show like this. Leonardo would make all the errors he damn well felt like), and spoke.

---

"Hello, everyone. It's been seventy-two hours now. How're you feeling?

"What's that you say? My math's wrong? Last time I told you you'd only been here for forty-eight? Well, I was wrong then. How careless of me. I guess we all need a little refresher now and then. Speaking of, here's a problem for you to work through:

"Last time, there were fifteen of you left. Nine have died since then. What's fifteen minus nine?"

A pause. Let them crunch the numbers.

"That's right: five too many.

"Before we go further down that road, though, lend me your ear whilst I regale you with the names of the fallen. Or, in the vernacular for our last little Detroiter, lemme tell you whose asses got capped.

"Timothy Walker made a run on a group with superior firepower, and was shot down in flames by Mason Ross—a member of his own team. Too bad for Mr. Walker; he actually had a bit of potential before that idiotic slip up.

"Madelyn Connor strangled Brennan O'Brian, adding to her activity last time. It's never too late to start playing, kids. You may not be able to get ten—not that I doubt your viciousness, just another little mathematical fact of life now—but you can still take out the competition. The sooner they're dead, the sooner you go home.

"Mae St. Clair showed her own true colors again when she gunned down Sterling Odair. Right around that time, one of our biggest motivators, Vincent Sullivan, succumbed to the various wounds he hadn't bothered to treat. I'd like to take a moment of silence for the potential lost with Mr. Sullivan."

A five second pause ensued.

"You've got medical kits for a reason. Don't let yourselves die in boring ways. Savvy families have made some pretty killer cash on past contestants. You may not get to do what you always wanted, but, hey, how 'bout sending kid sister to college?

"Amber Lyons chopped Daniel Renard with a machete, hitting his collar. She still gets the credit for the work, though.

"Madelyn Connor continued her rampage by putting a bullet in Mae St. Clair. Such a pity for the viewers. I don't think we've seen so many costume changes in at least ten seasons. At least she left a pretty corpse.

"Renée Carlson was shot by Natalie Chauncey, putting an end to her dreams of heroism and saving anyone. Too bad. Ms. Chauncey didn't exactly get what she wanted, either.

"Then, Odile Jones shot Amber Lyons. Friendship dies late, but I guess not last.

"Finally, Mikaela Warner died when she managed to trip and fatally stab herself with her own weapon. A smooth exit for the Red Team."

Leonardo paused here to take a sip of water. The next bit couldn't be rushed.

"So that's back to the six of you. As I'm sure you've surmised, none of you have any teammates left, at least on the island. You're at the end of the game, and you've got to go it alone. No time left for playing nice now. In the interests of fairness, I'll give you the skinny on who's left.

"From Black Team, Natalie Chauncey is our dark horse finalist. Quiet throughout the game, abused by all she met, she's now wounded and wanted. Can you do it, Nate? Can you come from behind and overcome the odds? Can you possibly turn this around? Or will you fall? Will you crumble under pressure? You've killed twice now, and you're running out of time. Take what opportunities you get, or else you're surely done for.

"Shawn Morrison, the last of Gold Team, has played the hero the whole game. Massively popular with our viewers, he's lost everything that matters. Shawn, can you keep both your morality and your life? If you have to choose, which will you take? You've lost your last, dearest teammate, and you've lost most of your friends. What's left that's worth fighting for? Well, I know there's hundreds of girls back in the States ready and willing to ease your pain and erase your sorrow.

"Our remaining member of the unloved Green Team, Alexis Allwell has flown under the radar. Hunted by killers, allied with those who died by the drove, she's slid through untouched. Coincidence or cunning, Alexis? Do you have the smarts to keep yourself alive a bit longer? Do you have the guts to pull the trigger when the time comes? You can't run and hide forever, but nobody's seen you with your back against the wall yet. Come on and surprise us.

"Madelyn Connor, of the infamous Purple Team, has stepped in to pick up the slack. Tied for top remaining killer, she's been ruthless in her murders. Can you make this a sweep for your team, Madelyn, or are you going to fall short? Is your new-found willingness to kill everyone enough, or are you missing that vital spark it takes to make a clean getaway? Your team has been a favorite to win since before the game even began. Make sure you at least make it a show.

"Mason Ross, from the White Team, has shown he can work with a group. He knows his sports, but it remains to be seen if he can last in the most important game. Well, Mason? You've lost people before, but will this prove too much? Is your future bright enough for you to chase after it? Can you step it up? Which way will it swing now that there's nobody around to lead you by the hand?

"Finally, Odile Jones, our representative of Yellow Team, has been quite the showwoman. She's got kills, appeal, style, and—no, it couldn't be pangs of remorse. What's the next act, Odile? What tricks have you got left up your sleeve? Have you finally run dry? You're different, no denying it, but does that make you tough enough to deal with the rest, especially given what you've done to their friends?

"We'll find out soon. The time for the thrilling conclusion is now. You are all to proceed to the Resort Hotel with all due haste. Effective immediately, The Dock, The Inland Lake, The Resort Beach, and The Cruise Ship are danger zones. Be quick. It'd be a shame to have the finals artificially deflated, especially after such a buildup.

"Remember, for one of you, fame, fortune, and riches await. You just have to step up and claim them.

"See you at the awards ceremony, winner. The rest of you, make this one interesting."

Shortly after the announcement, a voice emanates quietly from each surviving student's collar:

Nate: "Alright, kid. They wrote us off, both of us, and they're writing you off now, but you can try. Goddamn it, the least you can do is try. You're this far, final half dozen. You've shown that you can never count someone out too soon. Just a little further, and it'll be the best thing to ever happen to the two of us."

Shawn: "This is it, Shawn. Final hand. Time to call. I can't do anything to help you that I haven't already tried. Just keep your eyes open and your reflexes sharp. I know you've got the potential. Everyone's rooting for you. Just make sure you don't choke."

Lexi: "Alexis, I'm so very, very proud of you. You haven't hurt anyone. Whatever happens, I want you to know that I respect you so much for that. Keep showing the world that there is another way."

Madelyn: "Well... you've made it all this way. But remember, it's not over yet. It's not over until you've seen every last goddamn one of your opponents bleed out on the floor. Do not let your guard down. Do not take anything for granted. And Mad? Good luck."

Mason: "This is it. The final showdown. The climax of the story. Mason, you've been an excellent knight so far, and now the chance has come for you to shine. It's tragic that you've lost so many companions along the way, but persevere. A happy ending may be only a few hours of hardship away. I think you can do it. Good luck. Do what needs doing."

Odile: "See if you could put in a good word for Verizon, would you? If you play your cards right, I've got a really juicy ad contract whipped up for you when you finish here. You're close to a household name already. Your future's looking pretty bright if you stick with us."

And, that's the starting bell for Endgame, finally. Also, since TV has had a nice long run, we're doing more awards, which can be found here. Stay tuned, everyone, because this endgame should be explosive. Congrats to the finalists.