Time: 10:12 pm. Date: 2nd of April.

~~~

I stood as still as I could as the voice continued to ring out around the mountainside.

"This is a game of strength, deception and pure... evil." The voice said smugly. I wanted to punch whoever was speaking right in the nose.

"There will be two randomly selected participants to be... very much unlike the rest. Those two participant's minds will be altered so that they don't feel a speck of emotion. They will choose one person to strategically murder each night."

Several gasps could be heard as people inched closer together. Before we knew it, we were in a tight, scared huddle.

"You will be living in this mansion for as long as it takes you to hunt the evil side down by voting them out each night. If you fail to do so... let's just say the good side will deplenish very quickly. The evil side will be chosen shortly. You will know who you are. Let this day be known as... Tarnished Reputation Tuesday."

The voice stopped. The grounds were silent.

Suddenly everyone spoke at once.

"I don't want to die!" A witch yelled, hugging a man holding a small lute.

A small goblin man gripped a cat's hand tightly.

Next to me, Pix muttered, "This is utter chaos."

I said nothing. A very odd sensation was creeping through my mind. Slowly but surely, a realisation of something dawned on me, but of what was not yet clear.

Suddenly, I was over analysing everything, taking in things at triple speed. Pix looked at me, an odd expression crossing his face.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

No.

"Yes." I said calmly.

I took this new information in. I was evil. I would have to murder every last person in these grounds.

But I wasn't alone. Another being in this courtyard was stuck in the same boat as me.

I searched everyone's faces, trying to see who could possibly be on my side. I noticed that names had popped up over everyone's heads.

Sausage? No, he was too happy, laughing and joking with Oli.

Shelby? Possibly. She was over-exaggerating everything, but maybe that was just her personality.

Jimmy? Likely. He was staring off into space just like me, looking like he wanted to end his life.

I stopped myself, looking towards the floor. I had to act normal, otherwise I could be voted out.

I didn't like the sound of that.

What even happened? Did we get thrown into an abyss, sent back to our ordinary lives, or killed?

I didn't want to think about that just yet.

I turned to the others.

"We should probably get inside." I said, trying to inject fake friendliness into my tone.

They all nodded, making a beeline for the large wooden double doors. I hung back, smiling as Pix did the same.

"Wouldn't want to get squashed by all the oddities." He said, smirking as someone- 'Lizzie', walked past, fur in place of skin showing around her ankles, just above her socks.

"You're ever the gentleman." I said sarcastically, laughing.

We walked in through the doors, watching as the thirteen dispersed into all of the different rooms.

I poked my head into one room. In the far corner, an armour display was set up, which Joel was admiring. There were bookcases upon bookcases of all of the latest works, and many, many classics. I grinned and stepped inside.

"You're a book person, huh?" Pix asked.

I nodded as I ran my hand along the musty spines of the ancient classics. I pulled out 'The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy' and brought it over to Pix.

"You ever read it?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I don't read."

I shoved the book into his hands.

"Read it, you'll thank me. Ford is an icon."

He shrugged. "Fine. If I don't like it, I'll blame you."

I smiled sweetly, and he swatted at my arm with the book playfully.

Just like that, I knew. No matter what happened in this game, he would always be my best friend.

Perhaps this traitor thing wasn't so bad.

Suddenly, I felt eyes watching me from the corner of the room. I turned to see a group of people on the couches below the shelves, all looking at me intently. The witch... Shelby, was glaring daggers at me. I turned away.

"People are already suspicious of me." I said to Pix in a low voice. "What a great start."

His easy smile faltered.

I raised an eyebrow. "Got something to share?"

"You aren't... you aren't evil, are you?" He asked tentatively.

My brain began to work at a thousand miles per hour.

"Of course not. I would tell you if I was. Would... you?" I asked. Good deflection, False.

Pix nodded. "Always."

Shelby finally turned away, laughing at something Oli said. God, these name tags were coming in handy. And Sausage, number three in their trio, was...

Staring at me. With a pitying look.

What.

The.

Hell.

I tilted my head to the side, mouthing; yes?

He looked away, and suddenly I was sure that Jimmy was good.

I might have just met my fellow evil.

~~~

That night, all was still in the mansion. People had shown themselves to their allocated rooms, which had then been locked and sealed. Only the evil pair had keys to the hallways.

I opened the door to the adequately named Room Of The Dead, a hood over my eyes. I couldn't see the other evil as we sat opposite each other on the plush leather couches, and they couldn't see me.

"Three, two, one." They muttered.

We both lifted our hoods.

"You?!" I exclaimed, looking at Sausage. I was quite certain it was him considering the look he gave me in the library, but having my suspicions confirmed was something else entirely. Maybe this was how the good side would feel if they ever... voted out...

I shut off my brain, just in time to hear Sausage's next words.

"Dammit False. I knew it..." He breathed, trailing off. "You have to be more careful..."

I froze. He... knew it?! I wasn't that obvious... was I?

"Don't look so surprised." He continued. "Every single member of the good side is certain it's you."

I started to shake. This wasn't happening...

"What did I do wrong?!"

"You're so withdrawn..."

"Who initiated these rumours?" I demanded. He hesitated.

"...Shelby."

"We're murdering her tonight." I stated as if I was suggesting that it were very clearly night.

He didn't speak. He didn't move. I narrowed my eyes.

"Sausage, do you have my back?"

He still wouldn't speak. I nodded my head.

"Fine then. Murder whoever you believe benefits you. I'll be voted off next exilement."

I turned away, walking towards the door.

"Wait." He said as I reached for the handle.

"Yes?" I asked, unmoving.

"We'll kill her."

I slowly pivoted to face him. "Kill who."

He frowned. "Shelby."

I smiled slightly. "You don't have to do that..."

He held up a hand, silencing me. He had some nerve.

"It's not just for you. No one will expect me to backstab one of my trio. My... best friends. But I'll do what I have to do to see my son again."

I nodded.

"But..." He continued. "Shelby's already shared her suspicions with most people. This will only add fuel to the fire, People will suspect you even more. Why would an evil kill a good that was misleading everyone?"

I hadn't thought of that.

"But... what if..." I trailed off as he raised an eyebrow.

I shut up.

"Another option is Oli. It could still look like you did it, but if you're convincing enough it could also look a bit like a setup." He said, glancing at the time.

I was aware that he was gambling with my life for his benefit, but I didn't feel the need to call him up for it. Not yet at least.

"Another I was thinking about was fWhip." I said. "I just don't feel comfortable with his double act with Lizzie. They seem wittier that they're letting on."

He tilted his head, considering.

"I like your thinking. It will make people wonder, 'why fWhip?'. And if we're lucky, Lizzie's reaction tomorrow will seem extremely suspicious to the other goods."

I nodded, happy that we were finally working together. I still didn't trust him as far as I could throw him, but two heads were better than one.

"So to summarise, it's Shelby, Oli, or fWhip." I said, unable to contain my excitement. My first murder, how exciting!

He nodded.

"I think we've made our decision." I continued. "I'll let you do the honours?"

He nodded again, wishing me goodnight as I left the room.

I smirked.

I didn't know much for certain, but there was one thing I did know. Tomorrow, when someone didn't make it to brunch, there would be chaos.

I let the door click shut behind me and made my way back to my suite, the smirk still playing on my lips.

It was Tarnished Reputation Tuesday alright. I now had blood on my hands.

I just couldn't let anyone find out. Exilement sounded... sinister, to say the least.