Karyn, meanwhile, was almost home when she receive another message from the mysterious : number. With a feeling of acute dread, she opened her phone and checked the response.
???: The rules were very simple Karyn. 'Neither' is just not an option.
Karyn fidgeted as she read the message. She had be hesitant to defy the game, but after what Jonatha said happened to him she knew that it had very real consequences. Frantically, she shot back a hasty response.
Karyn: Well both those choices suck! I don't want to be someone my best friend hates, and you of all people must know what terrible taste he has in men!
The response was slow in coming, and took so long Karyn worried the source of the text might somehow be enacting both the promised options, or some other sort of strange penalty. She didn't feel any different, at least, but that wasn't any real indication, was it? Finally, her phone buzzed again.
???: Maybe you're right. I should give you a sporting chance.
Karyn gave a sigh of relief at that, but that passed as soon as she read the rest of the text.
???: Before the day ends, five people you know will play my game. Your friend Jonatha is the first. Find the other four, and text me what changed, and you'll be spared a question. Fail, and you'll have options that make the last choice seem wonderful. Good luck.
And that was it. Karyn felt panic rise in her throat. She had not realized anything was wrong with Jonatha-- to her memory he had always been that pampered, fashionable, and flirty. How was she going to tell when other people were changing due to the game, much less before day was up?
Back at Jonatha's house, his younger sister, Zoe, was under the vague impression that something was wrong. Her room-- once a normal if rather dramatically gothic bedroom-- felt cramped today (perhaps because it had recently ceded space for Jonatha's walk in closet). What was worse, Jonatha had put on some bubble gum pop song, loud enough that it practically vibrated the wall they shared. With a huff Zoe snatched up her phone and fled out of the room downstairs. In the living room below she saw Mikey, the youngest brother, busy playing some video game.
"Hey Zoe," her brother said absently, not looking up from his game.
"Heya, twerp," she replied, collapsing on the couch and pulling out her phone to text her friends. Before she was halfway finished, however, a text from an unknown number came in, with a cryptic set of instructions. Confused, Zoe read through the rules. "What the hell?"
"What?" asked Mikey. When Zoe glanced up, she found her brother had paused his game, and was looking down at his own cell phone, which was open to an identical text message. Before she could ask him about it, however, both phones received a new text, with the question the previous instructions had promised:
???: Jonatha has two live in maids. Are they alike or unlike each other?
More baffled than ever, Zoe exchanged another look with Mikey. What was this talking about? Since when did their snooty older brother have maids.
"Weird kinda prank," said Mikey, who had received the same message again.
"Maybe..." Zoe murmured, as she went to give a reply.
