The Cake

Two people stumbled into a room from opposite ends. As soon as they entered the doors behind them shut immediately. Both covered in dirt and dried blood with tears in their clothing. Both victims to the cruel maze that brought them here, to this moment. Both have done unspeakable things to get this far. But, right now, none of that matters. Right now they need to focus on escaping to the outside world after weeks trapped and forced to undergo barbaric challenges to get through the maze.

They both stared at each other with distrust obvious in their gazes. No one talked. No one moved. No one even blinked. The silence lingering heavy in the air; both people could feel it suffocating them. The only other thing in the room is a table between them and on it, a neatly folded note and a simple chocolate cake. It looked like a normal cake, chocolate frosting spread generously over it with a light dusting of powdered sugar to top it off. It was ignored by the two people in the room. One was a girl no older than sixteen with tears staining her cheeks. The other a man looking to be in his late forties, all emotion devoid from his face.

They looked down at the cake and examined it closely, trying to find something wrong with it. They both looked back up at each other completely still, until the man reached forward suddenly making the girl flinch. He grabbed the note from the table and unfolded it quickly. He looked over the note quickly before clearing his throat and reading it aloud in a cold tone. “Congratulations participants. You have made it through and proven that you deserve to live your life. Enjoy the cake while you wait to be let out into the world. I sincerely hope this has taught you to appreciate the life you were given.”

It was silent for a moment, then the girl burst into tears and fell to her knees, sobs racking through her body. The man looked at her for a moment and sighed. It was a sigh filled with relief. He stuffed the note into his pocket. He bit his lip and looked as if he was contemplating something. Finally he reached forward and cut a slice of cake before walking over to the girl and offering it to her. She looked up from the ground only to be met with a gentle smile from the man. She smiled softly back at him and took the cake. “I’m Bethany,” she said while extending her hand to the man. Her voice was hoarse and barely came out above a whisper. “Robert,” he said, shaking her hand and sitting beside her. His voice sounded tender and warm, it helped calm Bethany’s nerves. They talked about many things. They laughed and joked with one another. Until Bethany suddenly collapsed, gasping for air and dropping the now empty plate. Robert stood up and dusted himself off, not even sparing a glance to the girl’s body on the floor writhing in pain. The wall moved aside revealing a door. Above the door was a sign reading exit. As the man walked toward the door, he dropped the unfolded note next to Bethany’s head as she turned to read it. “The cake is poisoned. One of you will die, one of you will survive.” She looked in the direction the man walked only to see the wall sliding back into place locking her in the room. She felt tears fall down her cheek as flashes of the people she lost to get this far ran through her mind. “It was all pointless,” she thought as she finally closed her eyes, death consuming her.