Oh, Xian...

[Cyco†]

Dan Johnson had been selected for the SOTF program. He couldn't believe it. It was like something out of the Twilight Zone. 'Am I dreaming?' he thought to himself, lying there on the wooden porch of the ranch house. He traced his fingers along the collar encircling his throat. 'Can't be...'

Last year, sometime during the long recuperation regarding his knee injury, Dan had come across the disturbing series on TV. It was all over the news, of course. Nothing like it had ever happened before. He thought it was all pretty twisted, but his curiousity got the better of him and he checked it out anyway; watching the game only made him restless.

Xian Chun, he remembered her name, had been featured on that particular broadcast he first saw. He watched her entire segment, considering how he'd always had a thing for cute, bubbley oriental girls, and before he knew it he'd developed a keen interest in her. He watched for her the next day, the day after that and so on, becoming more and more enthralled. And to think, he'd been skeptical as to how people could become so wrapped up in the series. He developed something of a crush, and routed vigorously for her. That is until she changed. The program did that to people. Dan stopped watching after that. He got word sometime later that she was killed, but he didn't care anymore.

Dan had taken some time to assess his situation, lying on the porch and fiddling around with his designated weapon: a syringe. That was seriously all he was given to defend himself with. He'd checked his bag for something to neccessitate said syringe--a canister of poison, maybe--but had come up with nothing other than water. Not that a mere injection of air wouldn't do the trick, but it was the principle of the damn thing. He'd also read Danya's 'survival guide.' It wasn't funny.

'Well,' he thought, taking a deep breath, 'I could just lie here and collect splinters in my ass all day, but I think I'll go take a look around.' Dan got to his feet and grabbed his bags. If this version of SOTF was anything like the previous one, there would be students who chose not to fight. As for him, he would play it by ear. There were a good couple students from other schools who would probably be looking to punch his ticket; he would try to avoid them, but if it came down to it, he would have to defend himself. Stay alive, that was the game plan.

"...and don't let it change you," he said under his breath, taking his leave of the eerily quiet ranch.

((continued in I'm Alive))