The Luna Choosing Game

“9?” someone gasped.

I agreed, that seemed like so many people to be eliminated all at once!

“9,” Nathan confirmed. “When you are eliminated, you are to pack your bags and immediately vacate the premises. There will be cars waiting to escort you home. There will be no arguments or reconsiderations.”

A rising mumble roused again, as the girls whispered to one another.

Many of them turned to look at me.

“The first one to go…”

||

I tried to ignore them.

Soon, they stopped paying attention to me, and instead cast their dagger eyes at each other.

After Nathan’s announcement, many ‘accidents‘ seemed to consistently happen amongst the

candidates.

Spilled drinks. “How clumsy of me.”

Tripping. “You should really watch your step.”

Torn dresses. “Didn’t you notice that nail sticking out there?”

It seemed that with the quickly approaching elimination, the girls had begun to turn on one another.

Olivia and Linda were the most vicious, though neither seemed to take any action themselves. Rather, they relied on their alliances to defend them and carry out acts of subterfuge. Yet it was clear who the

masterminds were.

Fortunately for me, no one took me seriously, and they didn’t even bother hiding it.

One girl had been ready to ruin my dress with an opened lipstick case, until she realized it was me.

Sorry, Piper.”

“It’s fine.” I was happy to be considered unimportant enough to be left alone.

The next night, a banquet was held. Yet before we had even sat down, the fighting between Olivia and Linda had reached a boiling point. Though they never raised their voices, their sniping at each other had

turned lethal.

“Is that a new dress, Linda? I’m sure I saw it on sale last season.

“Oh, Olivia, you must have trouble telling the decades apart, which would explain your hairstyle.”

Olivia and Linda smiled tightly at each other.

Then, Olivia ‘tripped‘ and spilled her red wine all down the front of Linda’s mauve gown.

“Oops. How terribly clumsy of me.” Olivia held out a tissue. “This might help.

Linda’s face turned red. “Why, you!” She moved to slap Olivia, but Olivia ducked out of the way just in

time.

just behind her. That slap was now

it could reach me, Nicholas caught Linda’s wrist, stilling her. Her eyes

all the way to the tips of

absolutely

yourself,” he said, and threw

moment, but never managed to

out of the room.

few of the girls made soft noises of excitement, and

front–runner, but here she was, losing her

herteme

With this poor showing, she might drop far enough to be considered

about to thank him for stopping that slap.

But he spoke

aware of your

shriveled on my tongue. Did he just

it clear I was

narrowed his eyes at

was exactly when Julian cut in, stepping between us. “Piper, will you sit beside

at me, he looked at Julian

1. uh. The sudden question made my head spin. I already sat across from Julian. Why would he ask

me to move closer?

I would be moving to. My previous spot had put me in

sight of the Luna

buffer. And one of those chairs would be filled by Julian himself, who

don’t have a problem with that, do

tugged at his cuffs. “Why would

don’t know.”

“9?” someone gasped.

many people to be

pack your bags and immediately vacate the premises. There will be cars waiting to

mumble roused again, as the girls whispered

of them turned to

first one to

||

tried to

they stopped paying attention to me, and instead

seemed to consistently happen amongst

candidates.

drinks. “How clumsy

“You should really

notice that

the girls

most vicious, though neither seemed to take any action themselves. Rather, they relied

masterminds were.

me seriously, and they didn’t even bother

with an opened lipstick case, until she realized

Sorry, Piper.”

be considered unimportant enough

even sat down, the fighting between Olivia and

turned lethal.

that a new dress, Linda? I’m sure I saw it on

you must have trouble telling the decades apart, which would explain