The [Dragon] had given up.
It wasn’t because of what the [Tiger] had said, but because the voting screen before us had changed.
[https://i.imgur.com/jL50Ha6.png]
[https://i.imgur.com/03tQtm5.png]
A bright red X had slashed through any last hope for life. But even though the [Goat]’s time had run out, we still had thirty minutes left for ourselves, or rather two-nine and fifty-nine seconds… two-nine and fifty eight…
The [Dragon] holds his head in his hands, fingers laced through his hair.
[Dragon]: I’d usually take the lead in a situation like this.
[Dragon]: But I’d rather not discuss voting for someone to die at the moment. I’m sorry.
29:30
29:29
29:28
29:27
Eleven people in a room together and all of them silent. But the reason everyone fails to speak is different.
For the [Dragon], the [Rooster], the [Tiger], and [Lily]...
[https://i.imgur.com/tBYtNFh.png][https://i.imgur.com/vsoZ7kv.png][https://i.imgur.com/D1U6n3g.png][https://i.imgur.com/ohf9fGt.png]
…if their silence had voices - what a paradox that would be! - then it would be saying, “if someone else wants to guide the conversation, then this is your chance to jump in.”
Meanwhile the [Rabbit], [Ox], [Horse] and the [Pig]...
[https://i.imgur.com/8G8Vwly.png][https://i.imgur.com/alTuxaH.png][https://i.imgur.com/PwaOOFU.png][https://i.imgur.com/0qzSs4A.png]
all wear clueless expressions and hold between them a full spectrum of anxious energy. The [Rabbit] dozes off, while the [Pig] is trembling with her arms wrapped around herself.
The [Monkey] and the [Rat] are both reticent.
[https://i.imgur.com/u1xTX4G.png][https://i.imgur.com/9n2c2sQ.png]
When someone grins, their eyes crinkle and fold. The [Monkey] and the [Rat] are expressionless, and the [Rat] hunches, making himself seem small.
But though this pair show no outward sign of happiness their smiling eyes give them away. Even in this situation they’re confident; their quiet chosen rather than helpless.
Then there’s me.
[https://i.imgur.com/gE4TmNR.png]
I’m thinking about whether or not to speak.
[Yuri]: I don’t mind if you vote for me.
I would say something like that if I did. Or should I phrase it like this?
[Yuri]: If someone has to be voted to see if this death game is real, then that person should be me.
Yes, that might be a better way to put it.
If everyone votes for me, there are two things that could happen. Either
* I stay alive, and I can happily watch this mafia game unfold as a spectator
* I die, efficiently and hopefully painlessly at the hands of this organization’s ‘execution’
Since I’m happy with both it’s the perfect way to ‘win’ this game.
But I can’t bring myself to speak. Maybe it’s because [Lily]’s here too, tapping her pencil, twin-tails tumbling out of sight under the desk. In that moment, to me, she’s beautiful, because I can read her lips and ‘hear’ what she’s muttering under her breath.
How to keep hope? How to keep everyone safe?
We lock eyes.
Face flushing, I desperately flick my gaze to the next chair over, where the [Rooster]’s paging through her notebook. She folds her hands.
[Rooster]: Before the end of the day, each player must vote for someone other than themselves.
[Rooster]: The sole player who receives a plurality or majority of votes, is executed.
[Rooster]: But multiple players can die if they fail to submit their vote before time’s up.
[Rooster]: I’m opening the floor to suggestions. Any ideas on how to move forward?
Coughing. I force my mouth to open, but only chokes and coughs emerge. It’s the faces that make me halt my speech; the judgment that I know will color their expressions once I am understood. But finally, by staring at the cold marble ceiling and letting that image fill my mind I’m able to mumble out some words.
[Yuri]: I have an idea. What if one person asks everyone to vote for her? We don’t fully understand what ‘execution’ means, right?
[Tiger]: That’d be fan fucking tastic. But who would be crazy enough to risk offing themselves?
[Yuri]: I wouldn’t call myself ‘crazy’, but I think that I… I…
24:30
24:29
24:28
Before I finish, a clear voice cuts through mine. It’s diamond-like; sharp and filled with an unmatched clarity.
[Lily]: Before asking anyone to volunteer, there’s a way for everyone to survive today, isn’t there?
[Lily]: The rules say the sole person with a majority of votes dies. So we’ll just make it so there’s no single person.
[Lily]: If we all vote for the player to our left, that would be a tie with no majority. One-one-one-one-one….
[Lily]: Then we’d end the day and survive to whatever they call night.
[Dragon]: I see. That’s brilliant! We can postpone any deaths, if there must be deaths, til later. As long as everyone agrees, we can work as a team and get through this crisis.
[Tiger]: What if someone lies and an extra person votes for me? Then I’d just fucking die!
[Rooster]: Votes are public. So if anyone strayed from this plan, we’d execute them tomorrow. We just need to follow this voting chart.
[https://i.imgur.com/K5dTpd1.png]
[Rooster]: The [Dragon] votes the [Snake], the [Snake] votes for the [Horse]. So on and so forth.
We’re in a tightly sealed room. Our door, heavy mahogany, is locked with its hinges on the other side. There are no windows and though the timer says it’s day the sun could have risen and set and we never would have known. But despite the chamber’s closed-off nature, something had snuck in, ghost-like that wasn’t there before. I can just barely make out the faint outline of Hope.
But with just a few words exorcise that spirit.
[https://i.imgur.com/u1xTX4G.png]
[Monkey]: Um actually, I object. I’ve played a lot of ‘mafia’ before and I don’t want to go along with this plan. We’re ignoring that there’s a huge penalty for having a tied vote.
[Dragon]: But nothing we’re doing is against the rules.
The [Dragon] peers at the Card in his hands.
I guess this would be a good time for me to also check the summary too. Though I could just skip over them too, if I want - I can always look at them later.
Werewolf Trial Extra Rules
1. The sole player with a majority or plurality of votes will be executed and removed from the game.
2. If all votes are submitted before the time is up, the Trial ends.
3. Curfew is enforced immediately after time expires.
Werewolf Conduct Extra Rules
1. Players may not show their Card to other players
2. Players may not tell their real name to other players
3. Players may not prevent other players from voting
4. Players must vote in all Trials before time expires.
5. Trials begin at Noon and last a variable length.
Violation of the conduct rules results in Death from the Gods.
[Dragon]: As written, a tie vote will just end the day and then the Wolves will choose to kill at night. So unless I’m reading a different set of rules, this plan is perfectly sound.
[Monkey]: What I’m referring to isn’t a penalty from the [Gods], the Gamemakers. Instead, it’s more of a penalty from the game itself.
[Tiger]: Spit it out. Tell these idiots why they’re wrong.
[Monkey]: You can’t rush a genius.
20:12
20:11
20:10
The [Tiger] claws at the table but doesn’t protest.
[Monkey]: Let’s say that the Town votes someone at every opportunity, killing someone every single time that they can. And let’s say that the Wolves kill someone every possible night.
[Monkey]: How many times can the town vote wrong before they lose?
The [Horse], the athletic girl in a ponytail, perks up unexpectedly.
[Horse]: Oh, I can do this one!
[Horse]: It’s just a counting problem! 11 players to 10 players during the first day… 10 to 9 on the first night… 9 to 8 during the second day… 8 to 7 during the second night. Then 7 to 6 during the third day and we would lose!
[Horse]: So we’d vote three times during the day in all.
[Monkey]: Yes, that’s right. We’d be able to vote wrong twice before losing, because after that there would be three wolves and three villagers.
[Monkey]: Now what happens if we decide to vote for no one today? How many times can we vote wrong afterwards?
[Horse]: 11 to 10, night one. 10 to 9, day two. 9 to 8, night two. 8 to 7, day two. 7 to 6, night three. Oh! That’s one less time!
[Monkey]: If we follow the tie plan, we’re effectively giving town one less execution and one less day. Voting now would give us more opportunities to kill wolves.
[Monkey]: It’s one hundred percent optimal to vote for someone when we have 11 people left.
[Horse]: We did it! We solved the problem.
The Horse claps. The smack resonates throughout the hall, bouncing off the ceilings and walls. But no one else joins her applause.
[Dragon]: Let’s say that we do follow your plan. There’s one thing you’ve left missing. Who do we vote for?
[Horse]: Oh… that’s right. Who are we going to vote for?
The [Monkey] sighs.
[Monkey]: The long answer is that in a normal game of Mafia we’d want to avoid killing the Cop or the Doctor roles, which they’re calling the Seer and the Healer here. But unlike Mafia these roles are assigned at midnight to two survivors of the first day, so we don’t need to be cautious.
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[Monkey]: So the short answer is ‘anyone.’ We could decide to kill you-
He points at the Horse, whose expression changes from smug to shocked.
[Monkey]: Or you -
He points at the [Pig] who flinches even as her body trembles.
[Monkey]: Or you!
At the other end of his index finger is Lily.
[Yuri]: Kill Lily?
[Monkey]: What’s that? We have to kill a human, not a flower.
[Yuri]: Are you suggesting we kill the [Dog]?
[Monkey]: Mathematically it’s all the same, so yes, that is my suggestion.
Mathematically it might be the same, but personally it’s not. I can’t have Lily die in this mock courtroom; I have to think. Leading a vote on anyone but her should be easy, especially on that person, but if it’s all the same I could still sacrifice myself-
She interrupts.
[Lily]: You could say that my vote tying plan has ‘the numbers’ on its side too. Though rather than being supported by logic, it’s supported by a majority of people.
Lily glances at the eclectic group.
[Lily]: We’ll prove it to you. Raise your hand if you’re in favor of the tied-vote plan!
[https://i.imgur.com/otYoVzQ.png][https://i.imgur.com/PwaOOFU.png][https://i.imgur.com/tBYtNFh.png]
She raises hers high in the air. The [Horse] puts up hers, lowers it, and raises it again. Only the [Dragon] votes steadily the whole time.
[Lily]: There’s just three votes for it and eight votes against?
[Monkey]: It seems back in the world of reality you have neither the math nor the people on your side. Now, can we please start our discussion of who to kill?
[Lily]: But if we can all survive together, I think we should…
Lily trails off. She, of all people, looks like she’s almost in tears. And for what?
She already has all the skills she needs to survive this game. She’s smart, but not the smartest, she’s strong, but not the strongest, and that’s all she needs to lead this town and to avoid being killed by the Wolves at night.
And when she wins, she’ll return home - to family, a circle of friends she herself threaded, a bright future, and a path that she forged herself.
So why should she start sobbing? And even though her eyes are still dry, why am I the one that feels wounded most?
I’m sure that there are a few people you are close to in your life that you have never seen cry; can you imagine them now?
Then you’ll understand the anxious tension I have in my heart that forces me to speak, though I still think she’s dreaming nonsense about everyone staying alive.
[Yuri]: Wait. Please. Everyone, raise your hand if you strongly disagree with the tied-vote plan.
At the beginning of any vote where people raise their hands, all of them will start with their hands at their sides.
It’s silly, but this means that there’s huge peer pressure for a person to keep their hands down in a group setting where someone asks for people to ‘raise their hands.’ So whoever is asking the question will lose.
Sure enough, for this question…
[https://i.imgur.com/u1xTX4G.png]
Just the [Monkey] raises his hand.
[Yuri]: Shall we say then it’s 10 votes in favor and 1 vote against?
[Tiger]: Count me as against. But I’m not strongly against it. I just want to know who to vote for when the clock ticks down!
14:01
14:00
13:59
[Dragon]: Even though we called a vote, we’re not making any progress. If we’re not unanimous and we don’t have trust, then the tie plan always fails. The [Monkey] could just vote for someone like the [Tiger] in secret, and then she would perish.
At this the [Tiger] begins frothing.
[Lily]: Then, how about we compromise? What we can do is vote however we want, but we just tell one another who we’re voting for.
[Lily]: If the Monkey really does want to break our trust, he can do it right in front of us.
[Dragon]: But there’s nothing stopping someone from lying.
[Rooster]: Again, all we’d have to do is execute the person who breaks their word tomorrow.
The [Rat] had been mostly silent til now. But finally he speaks in a hoarse, smirking voice. Like a pest that scuttles across a rug, while his speech is quiet it cannot not be ignored.
[https://i.imgur.com/9n2c2sQ.png]
[Rat]: Going around in a circle, one by one, each player saying their vote. That’s a very clever plan.
[Lily]: It’s an honest one.
[Rat]: Is that all? Well, I’ll go ahead and help you. I’ll say my vote first and then we’ll go clockwise from there.
[Rat]: If we’re really voting no one today, and the plan is that we all vote to our left, then I’ll vote for the [Ox]. Next?
The [Ox] flicks his fingers so one was shaped in an ‘L’ and the other a ‘⅃’
[Ox]: I guess I’ll vote… the [Tiger].
[Tiger]: Huh??? I guess if it’s the tied vote plan, I won’t take any votes personally.
She smiles, baring her teeth.
[Tiger]: I’ll vote the [Rabbit] then.
[Rabbit]: [Dragon].
[Dragon]: [Snake].
[Yuri]: [Horse]...
The [Horse]’s ponytail flips as she whips her head towards an empty chair.
[Horse]: There’s no one to my left?
[Rat]: It would have been the [Goat]. He’s in the corner now.
[Horse]: In the corner? Oh!
The [Horse]’s eyes widen and the blood drains from her face. [The Goat], or his corpse, had been dragged to the shadows of the room. While his eyes are shut, his neck skews at an unnatural angle that conveys everything but peaceful sleep.
She speaks again brightly, a voice, sun-like, that will never lose its lustre. But her words decay into nonsense.
[Horse]: Right! That! I’ll- I’ll vote the way I’m supposed to instead! The way- the vote- the tie, yes, we’ll do that! It’ll be great, yes, by that I will- I said, I’m say ng that-
The [Monkey] stands.
[Monkey]: Shut up.
If the Horse’s tone was like the sun, the Monkey’s was like the sea. Corrosive, salty, eroding at the edges of people’s patience.
[Monkey]: I understand what you’re trying to say. You’ll be voting for me, right?
[Monkey]: Then the [Rooster] votes [Dog], [Dog] votes [Pig]. And so on and so on in the chain. That’s what you’d want me to think.
[Lily]: What do you mean, want you think?
[Rat]: Hahaha. Guess he got us [Dog]. We might have to kill someone today after all.
[Lily]: But there’s nothing to 'get us' for in the first place! Could you please tell me what you’re talking about?
[Monkey]: Don’t play stupid with me. I bet you were thinking something like “if we just know who the [Monkey] is voting, we can force a tie no matter what he does.”
[Monkey]: All you’d need to do is change your votes depending on what I do.
[Monkey]: For example, if I put a second vote on the [Tiger], then you could just put a second vote on the [Pig]. That’d be a 2-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 tie, ‘saving the day’!
[Monkey]: Too bad. I’m going to do what’s best for town even if it’s full of morons.
[Monkey]: I’ll give you my honest vote. [Dog], [Horse], [Pig], I’ll be voting at random for one of those three. So. Feel free to join me.
[Monkey]: Oh, but if you collude openly to try to put two votes on someone to stop me, then I might vote for that person instead.
[Monkey]: We will be killing someone today. It’s what’s best for Town.
8:46
8:45
8:44
The countdown continues its relentless path. Deep breath, Yuri. I look up again at the ceiling, this time at a dome that's been painted with angels.
[Yuri]: If someone has to be voted, then everyone should vote for me. I’m fine with that.
[Monkey]: But [Snake], would a Wolf ever volunteer to be killed? No. It’s better to vote for someone who resists.
Why is it that no matter the situation, I end up like this? Without control over how the future unfolds, without even an ability to decide where it ends? I talk and talk but it’s as if when I open my mouth I’m not making a sound.
6:56
6:55
6:54
[Monkey]: The [Dog]’s plan would favor the Wolves so it’s best that we vote for her. If we want to come to an agreement.
[Tiger]: Then let’s vote for [Dog]! Again, don’t take it personally, it’s just I want to survive.
[Lily]: Hold it! We shouldn’t give up on the tie plan so easily…
[Monkey]: Then feel free to say if you have any other thoughts on who to kill. This is an open forum, after all. If by the time night falls someone is dead, this start will be magnificent.
Lily believes that all lives are equally valuable. The [Monkey] believes that all lives are equally worthless.
But what I’ve learned, what I believe right now, is that all lives are not the same,
that some lives are as precious as stardust and others as common as sand. How can the [Monkey] be so arrogant, to throw away stardust and keep the sand?
How can he throw [Lily] away to keep me?
Anger, snake-like, swallows my sadness and coils over my heart.
[Yuri]: If we’re going to vote for the most suspicious person… isn’t that person you?
[Monkey]: Surely you must be jesting.
My eyes burn into his.
[Yuri]: If anyone dying on the first day is good for Town, it should be fine too if it’s you.
[Monkey]: That’s fair. But since I came up with the best plan for Town it’s obvious that I’m a part of it. If I were a Wolf, then I’d just stay silent the first day.
But some of those who had been silent soon spoke.
[Pig]: I-I don’t want to vote for anyone, but he is kind of aggressive…
[Horse]: I’m fine with voting for [Monkey]! I-If he's not really going to die...
[Ox]: I don’t like how you keep pointing fingers at people.
Even though the [Monkey] might understand how to play mafia with veteran players, he doesn’t understand how to play well here.
Rather than a theory or a math problem, every name that passes his lips is seen as a violent personal attack, a dagger flung at someone else - an attempted murder. And if this is what it takes to protect Lily, I’ll throw the final knife at him.
3:56
3:55
3:54
[Yuri]: We’re almost out of time. Let’s make this a vote between me and you.
[Lily]: NO! We have enough time to work out a plan. 3 minutes is enough!
[Monkey]: I’ll agree to what the [Snake] says. If you must insist on acting so erratically, then you’re just a liability.
[Monkey]: Between me and her, please choose. The answer should be obvious.
[Lily]: Well if we’re voting between the two of you, we can just split the vote evenly!
[Yuri]: Lily, that’s just not possible. Not everyone can survive.
1:32
1:31
1:30
[Rooster]: Remember to submit your votes. You’ll be penalized if you forget.
My hand shakes so much I almost press the wrong button. But I guide it carefully to the [Monkey], a strange fire burning within me.
[https://i.imgur.com/03tQtm5.png]
0:00
The screen flickers and changes.
Votes processing… done!
Receiving 0 votes each…
The Rat, The Ox, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Horse, the Rooster, the Dog and the Pig.
Receiving 1 vote…
The [Tiger].
Nominators: The Pig.
[Tiger]: What the hell?? Why’d you fucking vote for me?
[Pig]: I-I don’t want to cross someone… and you said you don’t take things personally…
The [Tiger] flashes her middle finger, but everyone’s else’s eyes are still glued to the screen.
Three votes…
The [Snake].
Nominators: The Monkey, Tiger, and Dog.
[Monkey]: It can’t be…
Seven votes…
The [Monkey].
Nominators: Dragon, Snake, Horse, Rooster, Rat, Ox, Rabbit.
The Monkey is silent. He takes off his glasses and blinks at the screen.
[Monkey]: Seriously? This is game throwing. Game throwing! If you guys don’t respect the game, then I won’t either!
He moves to pull something from his pocket, eyes filled with righteous rage.
[Dragon]: Wait, [Monkey] - someone pull him down!
I tense. What’s that shadow in his palm? A knife? A gun? No…
[Monkey]: You see?
It’s his Card, showing a symbol that matches mine.
[https://i.imgur.com/7vmvnxW.png]
[Monkey]: My role is TOWN!
The [Dragon] closes his eyes. For one shuddering moment, nothing happens.
Then the [Monkey] explodes.
How many colors does a human being hold inside them? Putrid grays, repugnant reds and greens, sprayed out all over the floor.
[Rooster]: Rule number 1. Never, ever show someone your card.
While her voice is calm, her breathing comes fast and quick.
[Horse]: Bombs… when did they… where did they…how...?
The Horse shudders, her arms clutching at her chest, stomach, and thighs.
But I step carefully past the putty and walk to another person’s chair. She turns towards me, questioning, and again almost sobbing.
[https://i.imgur.com/EcrpuFn.png]
[Lily]: I didn’t mean anything by voting for you Yuri. I just hoped the votes would tie.
[Lily]: I didn’t want this to happen to you. I didn’t want this to happen to anyone.
[Yuri]: It’s okay, Lily. I understand. Everything will be okay.
I’ll protect you.
I look at the morass.
I’ll protect you, whatever it takes.