SEEK

The body fell out right on top of his brand new Italian leather shoes. I did my best to not show my smug satisfaction as they grimaced and kicked the stinking rotting corpse to the side. “Where is the rest?” asked Julius , slowly walking towards me with his patent entitled stride.

“You know that’s not how this game works Julius,” this time I laughed, blood and spit dripping from my mouth. “I can take a hefty beating and I still won't tell you, and you know that if you kill me you’ll become part of the game yourself.”

Julius sighed and squatted to my eye level, and roughly grabbed my chin.”Sweetheart, I am just trying to make this easier for you, I know that having to play this game with your twin sister must be hard enough already. If you give up I can make your turn quick and painless.”

“You know that’s not going to happen, darling,” I snarled. He threw my chin to the side and left the room, but that wouldn’t be the last time I saw him.

My twin sister and I never actually intended on joining the game; we just happened to peak the interest of the ancient billionaire thrill seeker Mr.Henrickson as he liked us to call him. As he put it, “ I need two gorgeous sweet young things to keep up with me,” and the money was good so we obliged. We were 19 and homeless when we met him so we were happy to keep him in good spirits in exchange for a lavish lifestyle full of travel, exclusive restaurants, and secret clubs. It wasn’t long before Mr. Henricks introduced us to SEEK, though it would be a while before we learned its name.

SEEK is an ultra secret society that rarely adds more than one member at time, and we were lucky enough to be introduced by Mr. Herickson at the conclusion of a game that was particularly long, and ended from the grand rule being broken. At first the club was amazing, we traveled to the most exoctic locations for meetings and events as they planned and prepared their next game; though my sister and I didn’t bother with the details, thinking we were just along for the ride. Our 21st birthday, and the start of the new game started on the same day, and the club members decided it would be our turn to choose the new pawn, and keeper.

Names were put into a hat, and we were to draw two names, the first being the Keeper, in charge of the pawn; and the Pawn, who was essentially our playing piece. The Keeper that game was Julius, I hadn’t had much of a chance to get to know him yet. He was heavily devoted to the group, and would often spearhead meetings and take charge in planning events despite being one of the youngest members aside from my sister and I. To say I was smitten was an understatement. All of the women in the group had something to say about his good looks and commanding energy. If it hadn’t been for the pawn that game, I am not sure I would be in the position I am now, married to Julius, and Keeper during our latest game.

“And the pawn is…” I smiled and laughed as I struggled to open the folded paper with one hand and hold my champagne with the other. My smile faded and my voice dropped as I read the name, “Mr Henrickson,” Both Keeper and Pawn joined my sister and I in the center of the room, graciously accepting their positions as if they had a choice, shaking hands and smiling the whole way. Mr Henrickson put a hand around my waist, as he smiled and whispered in my ear “Do your best to find me dear,” before hugging my sister and I and being whisked off to the Pawns suite for one last night before the game began.

This is where Julius approached me for the first time, as my sister smiled and mingled with the other group members. She never actually cared for Mr. Henrickson, so it didn’t bother her that he was the new pawn. “Don’t tell me you’re actually fond of the old geezer?” Juluis asked, disbelief twisting his handsome features.

“He treats me well and he's become a dear friend over the years, I will be sad to see him go. Despite the honor of being this game’s Pawn has given him” I snapped back at Julius.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize the old man was capable of treating anyone other than himself with respect.” he took my hand and looked me in the eyes. I could tell this feeling was genuine, and that this was just the beginning.

My first game had been particularly hard, I never paid attention when initially joining the group and Mr. Henrickson had to explain the rules the night before the meeting to choose the Pawn and Keeper. He simply wrote the rules on a piece of paper, handed it to me and left the room. Saying simply “Don’t bother with questions, what if’s or any of that. It won’t do you any good”

For you my dear, the rules of the game.

There are 3 roles in each game, the Pawn and the Keeper are each played by one, the Seeker by many.

The Keeper is in charge of the Pawn, where they are placed, how they are initiated, and keeping the Pawn’s location a secret. They may choose multiple locations for the Pawn and can move them freely as they see fit over the course of the game at their own risk. They have two rules:

The pawn must be initiated within 24 hours.

Don’t get caught with the Pawn after the game has commenced.

The Seeker or Seekers are group members searching for the Pawn. They may interrogate the Keeper if they find them by whatever means suit them, they may form alliances, and they may use their own resources at their disposal. The Seekers have several rules:

No lethal force is to be used whatsoever

No outside involvement, the game is not to be exposed to anyone outside the group.

If the Keeper dies at the hand of the Seekers, those Seekers automatically become Breaker Pawns to be handed over to the group and not have the honor of participating as a game Pawn.

Seekers who run from the game or break any other rules will become BreakerPawns.

Pawns have the simplest, and most honorable role in the game: once selected they enter the Pawns suite, for one last night of their most lavish dreams being fulfilled. Once the night is over, their Keeper decides how they die, and what to do with their body, or pieces of their body.

This game is the darkest and most exciting, I think you might compare it to hide and seek.