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.

standing just behind her. That slap was now headed

reach me, Nicholas caught Linda’s wrist,

all the way to the tips of

absolutely

said,

but never managed to form coherent words. Instead, she just stormed

out of the room.

made soft noises of excitement, and for good

she was, losing her

herteme

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

thank him for stopping

But he spoke

aware of your

gratitude shriveled on my tongue. Did he just imply being almost slapped was my own

snidely, making it clear I was

narrowed his eyes at

Julian cut in, stepping between us. “Piper, will you

looked at

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

me to move closer?

he motioned to the chair I would be moving to. My previous spot had put me

sight of the Luna

to move would give me two chairs as a buffer. And one of those chairs would be filled by Julian himself, who could easily deflect any

Nicholas. “You don’t have a problem with that,

at his

don’t know.” Julian

“9?” someone gasped.

so many people to be eliminated

your bags and immediately vacate the premises. There will be cars waiting to escort you home. There will be no arguments or

as the girls

of them turned to look

one

||

tried to ignore

stopped paying attention to me, and instead cast their

many ‘accidents‘ seemed

candidates.

“How

“You should really

notice that

with the quickly approaching elimination, the

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

masterminds were.

took me seriously, and they didn’t even bother

dress with an opened lipstick case, until she realized

Sorry, Piper.”

be considered unimportant enough to

Yet before we had even sat down, the fighting between Olivia and Linda had reached a boiling point.

turned lethal.

dress, Linda? I’m sure I saw

telling the decades