The Games are a yearly event where five randomly selected eighteen-year-olds are required to compete for survival. The theme varies from year to year, but the conclusion of the Games forever constant. One player remains alive, the others having failed to prove themselves worthy. The fate of this final contestant rests in the hands of the masses. If they acted with noble intent and provided worthy entertainment, they are crowned victor. If not, they are banished to the outerland, a fate far worse than death.

Prologue

My name is Kimberly Pink and today is my eighteenth birthday. In an ideal society it would be cause for celebration. But the world we live in is far from perfect. Becoming an adult means that my name will be entered in the drawing for the Games. If my name isn’t selected, life will go on as normal. If it is, odds are I will be dead within a few days. It may a depressing view of the future, but it is the only one I have. It is also the cause for the life-changing decision I made yesterday.

I don’t want to die a virgin. This simple concept was what drove me to take my boyfriend up on his long-standing offer. He was also in the drawing for the Games and neither of us wanted our lives to end before we could consummate our relationship. Yet there we sat, both struggling to step out of our comfort zone, yet both unable to do so. The looming uncertainty of our future was simply too much for us to bear.

“Do you want to watch the drawing?” I asked after the umpteenth failed escalation.

Karo nodded. He must have come to the same conclusion I had. Even if one of us was selected for the Games, we would have plenty of time to say our farewells before we were escorted to the Tower, the building where the Games are held.

My family wasn’t rich, yet I still had a television in my room. It was tiny and had no color, but it sufficed as the only time I ever used it was to watch the public service announcements. Still, it flicked on as soon as I pressed the power button. It took a few seconds, but the image finally appeared.

The drawing had already begun. The game master—the man that ran the Games—was halfway through picking the third name. Neither of them were familiar to me. One look at Karo told me he didn’t know them either. That was good. I knew how painful it was to lose someone close to you. Last year I had lost my best friend. But I try not to think about it because I usually end up crying.

I held my breath as the third name was selected. I was a boy. I didn’t recognize the name, but the image that soon appeared on screen looked familiar to me. We both went to the same school. We had never actually spoken, but I had seen him around school often enough. He seemed like the kind of person I could be friends with.

The fourth contestant was a woman. I didn’t know her, but I instantly felt sorry for her when her image appeared on the screen. She was so thin I feared she would die of starvation before the start of the Games. In a way, that would have been better.

There was only one name left to pick. This meant my boyfriend and I couldn’t both be selected. But that didn’t mean we were safe. One of us could still be chosen. We held hands as we waited for the final drawing.

It seemed to take forever, but the game master finally pulled his arm out of the drawing jar. Clenched between his fingers was a thin strip of paper. He slowly unfolded it and read the name that adorned it. After a few seconds, which I have no doubt were inserted for dramatic effect, he spoke.

“Our fifth and final player is—”

He never finished. Before he could, the lights went out, followed shortly by the television screen. It took a few seconds for me to understand what had happened. The power was out. Such occurrences weren’t unusual in this neighborhood, but never before had one unfolded during the drawing. And right before the final name was announced, no less.

Karo and I sat there in silence. Neither of us spoke. What was there to say? For all we knew, one of us had been selected for the Games. It would have made sense for us to proceed with our plan, just in case these were our final moments together, but neither of us was in the mood. We simply sat there in silence, waiting. For what? I don’t think either of us really knew.

Time lost all meaning. I felt a stiffness growing in my lower back. I was considering shifting positions to rectify my posture when I heard it. Barely perceptible at first, but then louder. Footsteps. Approaching footsteps. Someone was coming up the stairs. Moments after I figured this out, my bedroom door was kicked in and men in uniforms came pouring in. One look told me they were no ordinary sentries. Their black uniforms and crew cuts told me they were game sentries. Their presence could only mean one thing. One of us had been selected for the Games. But who? I glanced at Karo, and the sadness in his eyes told me all I needed to know. The fact that the sentries had come to my home and not his only confirmed it. They were here for me. I was the final player.

Round 1: Losing My Virginity

I sat on a white bed. Around it stood four white walls, two of which were interrupted by an equally pale door. One led to the bathroom, which was also white. The other led to the corridor, but it remained locked at all times. And even if it hadn’t, two heavily-armed sentries stood guard outside it. Above me lay a white ceiling. Below, a white floor. Aside from the bed and all this whiteness, the room was completely empty. It felt rather fitting this would be where I would be spending the last few hours of my life.

I just sat there, staring blankly ahead. I had not cried once, though I was desperate for tears. They would have been a nice distraction. But no matter how hard I tried or how terrified I became, they would not come. In the end it was the past that came back to haunt me. I pictured my friend, the one who had died last year, sitting in this very room, worrying if he would see another day. The thought was too painful, so I quickly moved on to the events that led me here.

The sentries grabbed me moments after entering the room. I thought Karo would try and protect me, but he just sat there, too stunned to move. I guess I shouldn’t really blame him. I didn’t exactly put up much of a fight. Still, I did start to panic when I was dragged from my room and carried down the stairs. I half-expected my parents to be kneeling in the living room with their hands cuffed behind their backs. But there they stood, waiting for me. My brother was there as well. He was tall and muscular. He could have survived the Games, but he was a year older than me, which meant he would never be a contestant. The same could not be said for me.

I was allowed to say goodbye to my family, but I was in such shock that I barely heard a word they said. All I remember is their faces. My father looked worried. My mother was crying. My brother gave me one of his huge smiles. It was his way of telling me he believed in me. At least one of us thought it was possible for me to survive.

Once the farewells were complete, the sentries escorted me outside, where an armored vehicle was waiting. Within seconds we were speeding off. I looked back to get a final glance of my old life, but we were already too far gone.

We reached the Tower in less than an hour. At least I think it was an hour, but I was still too shocked to know for sure. I only know we eventually slowed to a stop and we were walking again. I had often seen the Tower on television, but this was the first time I saw it in person. It was in the upper class part of town and people like me were not allowed here. Unless they were picked for the Games, that is.

The Tower was easily a dozen times bigger than my house. And that was only the first floor. Nine more stood above it, creating a short, but imposing Tower. I soon forgot all about the building when I noticed another player being escorted in by a team of guards. It was the skinny girl I remembered feeling sorry for. But now that I saw her in person, I pitied her even more. The looked even thinner. Her eyes were sunken and her limbs frail. Her entire body shook as she cried silently. Her escorts didn’t seem to care. They simply dragged here along, ignoring her pleas for help. I’m ashamed to admit this, but I actually felt relieved when she vanished into the building. There was just something about those shrill sobs that made it all seem real. And realism was the last thing I wanted right now.

I was also marched into the building, but the thin girl was gone by then. I had no doubt that would be the only time I ever saw her. Odds are she would be dead the next day. And I would follow the day after.

I was led down a series of corridors. We eventually came to a stop by a guarded door. The sentries stepped aside and I was unceremoniously shoved into the room. The heavy lock slid into place as soon as I was inside. I didn’t even bother trying to open it. I simply walked up to the bed and took a seat. I’m not sure how long I sat there, staring at the white nothingness that surrounded me. It must have been a while, because my back was starting to ache by the time I finally found the will to stand. The first thing I did was try the door. Of course, it was locked. I then headed for the second door, but found nothing in the adjoining room but a toilet and a sink. With nowhere to go and nothing to do, I returned to the bed and waited.

The Games would officially begin tomorrow, which meant I had what remained of the day and the entire night to get ready. But how was I supposed to prepare for something I knew nothing about? The theme of the Games was usually kept under wraps until the actual start of the competition. But now that I was part of the show, would I be allowed to know the theme in advance? Or would I discover it along with the rest of the population? Not that it really mattered. My odds of survival were slim. The best I could hope for was to survive an extra day. But once the thin girl was dead, I would be the easiest target.

Time had no meaning in that colorless room. Sometimes time seemed to speed by while others it appeared to have stopped altogether. I eventually fell asleep, though I don’t remember doing so. I only know it was the sound of the lock sliding across the latch that awoke me. I opened my eyes just in time to see two sentries step into the room. One held a stack of folded clothes. The other a tray filled with food. They both approached and placed their offering on the bed.

“Get ready,” said one of them. “The Games are about to begin.” Moments later the sentries were gone and I was once again alone. I glanced at the food, but I was too nervous to eat. Still, I forced myself to eat, knowing I would need my strength. But all I managed to ingest were a few fresh strawberries and half a mango. I hadn’t eaten fresh fruit in years, but the possibility of death that loomed over me kept me from enjoying them.

Once I was done eating I changed into the clothes I was given, which turned out to be nothing more than a beautiful, yet skimpy sundress. The note that came with the dress said not to wear my underwear. I considered ignoring the note, but knew they would never allow me to wear them if it wasn’t permitted. And the last thing I wanted was for a group of filthy sentries to pry them away from my nubile frame. So, although I felt more exposed than ever before, I wore nothing but the skimpy sundress.

I barely had time to finish changing before the sentries returned. “It’s time,” said one of them. The next thing I knew I was being escorted out of my room and down the hall. Less than a minute later we were entering a small room. Like the one I had spent the last few hours in, it was completely white. At its center stood a glass cylinder. I immediately recognized it as the elevator that would carry me up to the game room. Like all children, I had been taught at a very young age that the Games take place inside the Tower. The varied landscapes portrayed in the Games were ever changing. Created by an incredibly advanced computer, the decors were similar to 3D printings, only they appeared in the blink of an eye and could disappear just as fast. The game room wasn’t that big, yet once activated, it could appear to contain an entire world. It was quite ingenious. At least it would have been had it not been employed to send innocent people to their deaths.

I was escorted to the elevator and asked to enter. I knew there was no point in fighting, but that didn’t keep me from freaking out. It finally hit me that I was about to enter the Games with no idea of what to expect. I could be dead in minutes and yet none of the sentries present seemed to care. In fact, they tightened their grips when they sensed my hysteria starting to kick in. Moments later I was being forced into the elevator. The last sound I heard was the hissing of the door sliding shut.

I stood there for a few seconds, unable to accept what was happening to me. Then the screams came. I yelled and cursed, insulting the sentries and the game master. Everyone I could think of that was somehow involved with the Games got it. But no matter how loud I screamed of how fiercely I pounded the glass, the sentries remained emotionless.

It took a while, but I eventually tired myself out. Now silent, I took a seat and focused on my breathing. In and out. In and out. In and out. The more I focused, the better I felt. I was still terrified, but at least I was back in control. When the elevator finally started moving, I was ready. I had no idea what to expect, but I was determined to fight with all my heart. Wiping the tears of anger from my eyes, I stood up and put on my brave face. Players were judged on everything from simple posture to how well they performed in the Games. The last thing I wanted was to give the judges any reason to dislike me. So there I stood, perfectly still as the elevator rose up through a hole in the ceiling.

Confusion was my first reaction when I discovered the theme of this year’s game. It made no sense, yet every detail I saw was familiar to me. That only became truer when the door slid open and I stepped out. I barely even noticed the elevator sinking back into the floor. I was too busy studying my surroundings.

I stood in a kitchen. But not just any old kitchen. It was very same kitchen Karo and I had been sitting in just days earlier. Her mother had invited me over for dinner. It looked exactly as I remembered it. Only one thing was missing and that was the reason for its presence. Why would this year’s game take place in my boyfriend’s house? Unless this year the players were separated and each given a unique theme. But then how would they fight? Unless they weren’t judged on their fighting skills. But it not that, then what?

There was only one way to find out. I tiptoed to the doorway and peered out. There was no sign of the other players. But I did find someone sitting on the living room couch.

“Karo!” I called out as I rushed into the living room. My boyfriend tore his gaze away from the television and smiled at me. He even stood up and opened his arms to receive me. I was about to throw myself into them when I realized something.

This wasn’t Karo. Just like this wasn’t his real home. It was all a simulation, a replica created by the game room. But it all looked so real.

“What’s wrong?” asked Karo.

I hesitated, considering telling him the truth. But that would do no good. Whatever I did next could mean the difference between life and death. The best thing for me to do was play along.

“Nothing’s wrong,” I lied.

“Then come and join me,” suggested the young man as he took a seat. My hands were shaking, but I walked up to the couch and took a seat. Karo reached out and pulled me closer to him. He may have been a mere replica of the man I loved, he felt just as warm and powerful. Just sitting next to him helped give me strength. So I stopped fighting and gave in to the illusion. I rested my head on his shoulder and focused on the television. The screen was far bigger than the one in my bedroom and even displayed images in full color. There was a cartoon playing, and the longer I stared at the silly characters, the more relaxed I felt. Before long, I actually forgot about the game and the judges. This was a day like any other. Karo and I were just sitting in the living room, watching TV. Or so it seemed until he kissed me.

My first instinct was to pull away—Karo’s parents do not tolerate any public displays of intimacy—but my boyfriend’s soft lips and teasing tongue were impossible to resist. So I forgot about his parents and gave in to the magic of the moment. But then I remembered this wasn’t really my boyfriend. And those weren’t really his lips. Or his tongue.

I pulled away. Partly because the man sitting next to me wasn’t my boyfriend. Partly because I now remembered my every move was being broadcast across the entire colony. There was no doubt in my mind that my family was watching. Not to mention my boyfriend. It must have been weird for him seeing me kiss someone that looked exactly like him. Was he angry at me or did he understand it wasn’t my fault?

“What wrong?” asked Karo’s replica.

I knew the judges were watching, so I couldn’t afford to do anything rash.

“Nothing,” I lied. “Let’s just keep watching TV.”

Karo nodded and returned his attention to the screen. I did the same, though I no longer cared about those silly animated characters. I was far too busy worrying about what I would be forced to do in order to survive. I knew I could never win the Games, but I could at least survive another day. Perhaps even two. Or three. But for that to happen, I would have to give the judges what they wanted. That’s why I didn’t resist the next time Karo kissed me.

Our tongues danced around in each other’s mouths for what felt like hours. When our lips finally parted, my boyfriend’s pants were gone. I had no idea how he had managed such a feat, but every inch of his lower body was now exposed. My first thought when I noticed his erect member was, It’s so big. My second was, I wonder if it’s really that big in real life? But that all seemed inconsequential when the reality of the situation finally hit me.

The theme of the game had now become clear. If I wanted to survive another day, I would have to have sex with my boyfriend. Oddly, my first reaction was, Does it still count as losing my virginity if the man I’m with isn’t actually real? But, of course, that didn’t matter. None of it did. Only one thing mattered and that was impressing the judges. My survival depended on it.

“Suck it,” whispered Karo into my ear. I didn’t have to be told to know he was referring to his cock.

“I can’t,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. Realizing what I had done, I struggled to find a way to cover up my mistake. “But I can jerk it,” I eventually added. Doing my best to forget all about my friends and family, I slid off the couch. Taking a seat between Karo’s legs, I tentatively reached out and wrapped my fingers around his throbbing shaft.

I couldn’t suppress a soft gasp as an intense heat invaded my hand. I had never before touched a man’s cock, and I hadn’t expected it to be so hot. Nor so rigid. It felt like stone. Hot, throbbing stone.

I got to work, knowing the longer I waited, the worse it would be. I gripped the shaft with firm intensity and began moving my hand up and down. My lover’s member slid between my fingers, twitching ever so slightly when I reached the head. Realizing this, I focused on the tip. The sooner he came the sooner this nightmare would be over. So I worked relentlessly, not even bothering to move when his spear began to convulse. Karo’s grunts filled the air as squirt after squirt left his shaft. The cum flew through the air. It hung there for a second, then came crashing down upon me. The first few drops landed on my chin. The rest found their way to my chest. The dress I was wearing showed off most of my cleavage, so part of my breasts were exposed. The semen seemed drawn to them, because most of it ended up plastered across them. Only a few drops had made it onto the fabric.

The cum actually felt kind of good on my skin. It was warm and soothing. But the fact that the entire colony had seen my boyfriend shoot his load on me pretty much ruined the moment for me. But at least the judges would be happy. They got what they wanted.

A horrible thought suddenly occurred to me. What if they wanted more? What if they expected Karo’s double and me to actually have sex? Did I have it in me to allow my family and friends, not to mention the real Karo, to watch me lose my virginity? Then again, I didn’t really have a choice. What my lover said next only proved it.

“Remove your dress,” he instructed. He said it without emotion, without true meaning. Had this been the real Karo, he would have been so nervous he could hardly have gotten the words out. But this wasn’t Karo and this was not love. It was a game, plain and simple. And it was in my best interest not to lose it.

I stood up and slowly slipped out of my dress. I finally understood why the sentries had insisted I wear no underwear. It would only have gotten in the way. As I undressed, Karo removed what remained of his clothing. But unlike me, the most private parts of his anatomy had already been revealed.

I could feel millions of eyes on me as my dress fell to the ground, leaving me completely exposed. I could imagine the shocked gasps of grandmothers as the young ones stared at my perky breasts. Of the crude hollers of drunken men as they studied my tight, virgin pussy. I suddenly regretted my aversion to pubic hair. It would have helped cover me up, even if only slightly. Yet there I stood, perfectly naked for all eyes to see.

Then something unexpected happened. A tingle of excitement ran up my spine. It took a moment before I understood what it meant. As odd, and perhaps a little perverse, as it was, I actually enjoyed exposing myself to all those people. It was oddly freeing. For the first time in my life, I now felt like nothing bad could happen to me. For what could be worse than being naked in front of millions of people?

“Sit down,” instructed Karo, nodding to the couch. Determined to prove to the judges how truly sexual I was capable of being, I quickly obliged. In fact, I spread my legs wide, welcoming my lover. At least that’s what I appeared to be doing, but deep down I was terrified. I may have felt free, I was still a virgin.

Karo kneeled between my legs and pulled me in for a quick kiss. It was fiercely passionate, unlike any of the kisses the real Karo and I had shared. When our lips parted, my lover turned his attention to my breasts. He began kissing and licking them. He even bit them teasingly. This brought shivers to my body. A few soft moans even fell from my lips. But it’s not until he dropped down to my pussy that things truly got interesting.

“Fuck!” I moaned as Karo’s tongue slid across the length of my labia. It wasn’t until that very moment that I realized how aroused I was. My labia was engorged and my slit was soaking wet.

Karo gave my lower lips a few licks, then pulled away. “Do you want me to insert a finger?” he asked.

“Do it!” The words left my lips before I could stop them. Part of me regretted the eagerness with which they had been spoken, but the rest of me knew it could only aid me in winning over the judges. So I gave in to the arousal that filled me and began moaning the second Karo’s finger slid into me.

“Add another,” I begged, moments after the first finger had begun sliding in and out of me. A second was soon added and the fingering began in earnest.

“Oh god!” I moaned as my lover furiously propelled his fingers in and out of me. My powerful moans filled the air for a while before Karo pulled me in for another kiss. Our tongues twirled around each other’s mouths as his fingers repeatedly dove into me. It felt so good that I forgot all about the cameras that were hidden throughout the game room. I even managed to forget about the judges, though I think that had more to do with the intense orgasm growing within me than actual willpower.

The kiss ended moments before I climaxed. The most powerful moan to date shot past my lips as my body burst into flames. At least that’s how it felt. Waves of heat wafted from my body as it writhed around in ecstasy. My slit felt wetter than it ever had. I believe it actually started leaking at some point, but I was far too busy moaning at the top of my lungs to care. I only know that it was the most intense orgasm of my entire life. By the time the final shudder shook my frame, I was barely conscious. I just sat there, slumped over on the couch as my boyfriend’s fingers slipped out of me for the final time.

I’m not sure how long I was trapped in that state of extreme exhaustion, but Karo was standing by the time I found the strength to open my eyes. His cock was once again erect, but he didn’t seem to care. He gestured for me to follow him and walked off. It wasn’t until he vanished from sight that I had regained enough strength to stand. I was still weak, but I managed to follow my boyfriend upstairs. Moments later we entered his bedroom.

I knew exactly what was about to happen. Part of me was afraid, yet another part was excited. And seeing how my performance would dictate whether or not I lived to see another day, it was in my best interest to play along. So, although I was incredibly nervous, I hopped up onto the bed before even being asked to do so. Karo soon came to join me and we kissed for a while. But then he gently pushed me onto my back and the real fun began.

My boyfriend’s cock brushed against me a few times as he positioned himself. Then it came into contact with my labia and the entire world seemed to fade away. For the second time that day, I forgot all about the audience and the judges. It was almost as if the entire world has vanished, leaving only Karo and me alive to enjoy each other’s bodies. And that was exactly as we did.

I inhaled sharply as my lover’s muscles constricted. Moments later, he pushed forward and his cock slid into me. And just like that I was no longer a virgin. But the fun was only beginning. Deeper and deeper the rigid member travelled until every last inch was inside me. It felt hotter than ever before. And bigger. My tight pussy was barely able to contain it. But as Karo began slowly making love to me, I started to relax and my slit grew accustomed to the invading member.

Part of me felt ashamed for enjoying this incredible feeling. My boyfriend was the one who was supposed to take my virginity, not his replica. But the choice had been taken from me and nothing I did now could return my innocence to me. All I could do was give the best possible performance I could and hope the judges were impressed.

“Faster,” I begged, though in reality I was still getting used to my lover’s current speed. But this wasn’t about what I wanted.

Karo increased the force of his thrusts, which in turn quickened the pace. But still I begged for more. At first it was simply done for the performance aspect of things, but as the thrusts intensified and my arousal increased, the lines between desire to impress and desire to climax became blurred. Before long only one thing mattered, and that was the intense orgasm growing within me.

“I’m gonna come!” I yelled. This was done for the benefit of the judges. The climax that followed was all for me. My body shook with even more intensity than before. So did my lover’s cock as it thrashed around my slit. He was also nearing climax. The explosion of ecstasy that filled me was incredible, but the hot semen that soon began spilling into me was somehow better. Perhaps it was the incredible warmth. Or the way it swirled about my slit as the pounding continued. Or that fact that, no matter how much of it entered my body, I wouldn’t get pregnant. Then again, perhaps it was a combination of all these things. All I know for sure is that I never came so hard.

It ended as abruptly as it had begun. One second I was moaning as my handsome boyfriend made passionate love to me. The next his cock left my slit for the final time and her rolled off of me. I lay there for a while, catching my breath. I’m not sure what it was that eventually convinced me to open my eyes, but when I finally did, my surroundings had changed.

The bed was still there, but the rest of the room was gone. So was my boyfriend. In fact, I could see nothing but white all around. Then I spotted the glass elevator. Its presence could only mean one thing. The first challenge was over. This realization hit me harder than I ever could have imagined. Not only had I just lost my virginity to a replica of my boyfriend, but I had done so in front of the entire colony. My family. My Friends. Even my boyfriend had watched me moan in delight as a computer-generated clone had pounded me to climax. My cheeks burned bright with shame, and I felt an uncontrollable desire to escape. Leaping off the bed, I hurried to the elevator. On my way there I came across my dress. I barely took the time to scoop it up before diving into the elevator.

The door hissed shut and the tube began to sink into the floor. I slipped into my dress as soon as I was out of sight. By the time I finished arranging the garment, the elevator had slowed to a stop and the door was sliding open. Two sentries stepped forward and took hold of me. I didn’t fight them. I simply let them lead me back to my room and took a seat on the white bed.

It wasn’t until I was alone that the tears finally came. I’m not sure if they were tears of shame or anger. Perhaps both. I only know that I cried until there was not a drop left in my body. Just as the final tear rolled down my cheek, one of the walls came to life. What had once been a blank wall was now a giant television screen. Being broadcast on it were highlights from the game. Flashes of the other contestants appeared on screen, telling me I had been the final player to perform. This meant the judges were about to announce the scores. It also meant that in a couple of minutes I could be sentenced to death.

I waited, breathless as the game master gave a speech. Every so often a few seconds of footage was shown, each time depicting a different sexual encounter. I could hardly believe it when my image appeared on screen. I had been so focused on pretending to enjoy myself that I had failed to notice how truly convincing my performance had been. Had I not known any better, I would have sworn I had enjoyed every second of it. But then the time came for the judges to announce the scores, and I forgot all about my performance.

I don’t remember who was first. In fact, I don’t remember much at all. All I know for sure is that I wasn’t last, which meant I would get to live for at least another day. The only other detail I remember is that the skinny girl I had encountered upon my arrival at the Tower had placed fifth. She had apparently lost it and refused to perform. I felt proud of her for that, but all the pride vanished the second they brought her up on stage for her execution. She was a complete mess, crying and begging anyone who would listen for mercy. But no one would listen. No one seemed to care about this poor girl dying. That’s not true. I cared. I don’t even remember her name, but I cared. I also cared that at this very time tomorrow, I could be the one being executed.

To be continued…