I walk into the light of a bigger chamber, lit by hundreds of candles that makes the room clear and bright. The walls are still stone, with no clear sign of an exit. In front of me are two giant glass cubes placed next to each other, with a small, wooden chair placed inside them. As I walk closer, I notice there are two names written in bold letters beneath the cube's doors.

"Eddie and Bethany," Lotan says from beside me, as he observes our surroundings too.

We walk around the platform, as the others follow us into the chamber, and we read the name of the tags below two singular chairs placed in front of the cubes.

The names read Amy and Lily.

At the side of the center, are rows of chairs, presumably for the rest of us to watch.

"Why is my name on the floor?" Bethany says, pointing at the cube with a trembling hand. "What is happening!"

"Welcome to the first round, this round is called 'who is smarter?'" the computerized voice says from the speakers. "Before you are two cubes with the names of two people. Those two people must now walk towards their cube and take a seat."

"No!" Bethany screams. "I'm not going in there, I'm not-"

Bethany's sentence is cut short with a startling scream as the device in her spine shocks her to her knees. I hold Lotan's hand tighter, gasping in small breaths.

"Bethany and Eddie are to approach their cubes immediately," the voice roars angrily. "Or their loved one's implants will be active."

Lily helps her sister up and hugs her, both of them crying at each other as Bethany eventually surrenders herself to the cube. The elderly man, Eddie, who I haven't heard speak since he woke up, squeezes Amy's shoulder and follows Bethany's direction. They both enter their cube, and they take a seat. Bethany shakes and cries, while Eddie keeps his head high, his old and gracious eyes look forwards with precision and wisdom.

"Their loved ones are to take the seats at the bottom of the platform immediately. The others must take a seat on the benches and you will be called 'the watchers'."

Lotan drags me backwards towards the bench, issuing me to sit down before I've even registered I've moved. When everyone is seated in their correct places, the voice returns.

"Amy and Lily, you are the first to face the loyalty test. This is a test of intelligence, and general knowledge. You will both be asked a series of questions, and the person with the most correct answers will be given the advantage of making the ultimate decision."

"You're sick!" Amy screams. "He's an old man!"

"Just let my sister go, please," Lily despairs. "I'll take her place!"

"The game will now begin," the voice says. "Be reminded that refusal to participate will result in consequences. You will both have five seconds to give an answer to each question. It will be in turn, starting with Amy. Are you ready?"

"Go to hell," Amy says.

"What is the capital of Mexico?"

Amy holds her head up, biting on her lip in bereft. "Mexico City."

"Correct. What is five times thirteen?"

"Is this me?" Lily shouts. "Is it my turn? I don't know! I need to think. . . uh. . . sixty-five!"

"Correct," the voice states. "How many ingredients are used to make Coca-Cola?"

"Seriously?" Amy mutters. "How is anyone meant to know that?"

"You need to give an answer," Lily says frantically.

"Nine?"

"Incorrect," the voice says.

There is a sudden silence that makes my heart drop. In the next moment, Bethany screams as a purple smoke begins to pour into her cube.

"She's the one that got the answer wrong!" Lily yells. "Why is Bethany suffering?"

"What continent contains the country Algeria?"

"America," Lily says.

"Incorrect."

Eddie's cube begins to fill in with the purple smoke too, whatever it is makes both of them hold their mouths as they break out into coughing fits.

"You bitch!" Amy says angrily, turning to Lily with a trembling body. "You answered wrong on purpose."

"I thought it was America," Lily responds, shrugging.

"He's an elderly man, he's got weak lungs, and you've just made him suffer to what. . . get back at me?"

"You're being paranoid."

"This is what it's going to do to us," Lotan whispers. "Turn us against each other."

"It's what they want," I say.

"How many legs do bearded dragons have?"

"Four," Amy responds, and then turns to Lily. "I won't make anyone suffer for the fun of it."

"Correct. How many months have twenty-eight days?"

"Twelve," Lily answers.

"Correct. What is the name given to a baby kangaroo?"

"Uh. . ." Amy scratches at her head, and then bites her nail, kicking her foot against the floor in anguish.

A claxon roars around the chamber, signalling Amy's five seconds has ended. She continues to kick the floor in anger, and then looks into her grandfather's still eyes with sadness.

"The question round has now ended," the voice says. "With four points, and proof of being smarter, Lily is the winner. And now has a very tough decision to make. Lily, your sister's cube has been filled with a powerful gas that kills slowly and painfully. It's not too late to save her from this fate. However, to save her, you will have to choose for Eddie's door to be locked forever. Will you condemn an old man to an agonizing painful death or will you look into your sister's eyes one last time? You have one minute to make your decision, if you do not give an answer, both doors will lock. Choose wisely. Your time starts now."

A projected clock appears on the wall in fluorescent green, counting down from sixty. I hold my breath. I'm not sure how long for. It's like watching a movie. The sickest most twisted and mind-screwing movie, only it's not on a screen. It's happening. I can feel Lily's love for her sister, and I can feel Amy's love for her grandfather. One of them won't be coming out of there. One of them will lose themselves to the coughing and the dizziness and they will die in there, as though they mean nothing.

"Please," Amy begs. "I know he's quiet but he has so much to say. He's just survived cancer and he's the nicest man you will ever meet. He raised me when my parents didn't give a damn. He would go out of his way to help someone, he doesn't deserve to die like this, please!"

Lily falls to her knees in tears, shaking her head furiously. She looks up to Eddie, taking a breath that releases so much guilt I already know what her answer will be.

"I'm sorry," Lily says. "I'm so sorry. She's my sister."

"No, please, please-"

"I choose Eddie's door to lock."

"No!" Amy screams, she runs towards the door of her grandfather's cube, attempting to pull it open, but it won't budge.

Tears run down my cheeks as Eddie holds her eyes, giving her a silent goodbye that was taken from them. Bethany stumbles out of her cube in a daze of coughing fits, greeting her sister in a moment of hysteria.

"Let him go, please!" Amy continues. "He doesn't deserve this. He can't die like this! Granddad! Open your eyes! No! No!"

While Eddie takes his very last breath, I lean my face into Lotan's shoulder. I can't bear to look anymore, I can't bear to have to process it.

Eddie isn't the only one that died in this room.

A part of all of us have.