Monster of Monsters #1 Part Two: Mortem's Contestant Read online

  Monster of Monsters

  #1

  Part Two

  Mortem's Contestant

  Text Copyright © 2017 by Kristie Lynn Higgins

  Cover Art Copyright © 2017

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  www.KristieLynnHiggins.com

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  Start One Of These Series

  by Kristie Lynn Higgins

  www.KristieLynnHiggins.com

  Chapter Three

  Stay Boy... Stay!

  Kein entered the Knecht Ruprecht Corporation to simply deliver five packages to Residents living on the Basement Level, but instead, she stumbled upon a deadly game called the Mortem in which she had become an unwilling contestant in. She currently stood, trapped in an elevator with a werewolf pup on the other side ravenously waiting to sink his teeth into her.

  Moments earlier...

  "No... I won't kill," Kein told Controller. "I won't pick up a weapon. There has to be another way. I can't stay down here seven days. Those creatures... fear will..." She worked on calming herself, but her anxiety muddled her thoughts so that her words flow incoherently as she said, "The monster will want to destroy... I'm afraid... and..."

  "So is the nature of monsters," Controller stated. "They want to kill and destroy that is why this Mortem is so much fun. Who can predict what anyone will do? Everyone, the Coaches, the Residents, even myself, we all have our own agendas, and we have to survive to make them come true."

  "I don't understand what you're saying, and I can't be here," Kein insisted. "It's not safe... You have to let me go."

  "Now I am the one who is afraid. I am afraid I can't let you go," Controller replied. "Think of it as you have no other choice but to survive, and it will make everything more..." he spoke, enjoying himself way too much, then paused as if trying to come up with something witty to say, and asked, "What is the word I am looking for?"

  "Clearer?" Kein said as she moved to the center of the cab to see if she could spot a camera, but she didn't see one.

  "No, fun was the word I was looking for or maybe entertaining. Now you can either survive or die, that is up to you."

  "And the creatures," Kein mumbled. "How do I stay down here and not..?"

  "Die?" he interrupted. "You will have to use whatever skills you possess. Now... enough chit-chat. You need to run if you are going to survive."

  "Run?" she repeated as if the word was foreign to her.

  "Correct, run," Controller spoke. "I am opening the elevator, and our guard dog is waiting outside. He hasn't been fed in a few days, and he is very upset he wasn't able to snag a contestant for himself."

  The cab doors opened before Kein could object, and the creature, who had chased her, turned at the sound. The creature was smaller than her and completely covered in brown fur. He looked at her as he greedily licked his drool covered chops. He was nearly at the other end of the hallway about three hundred feet away.

  "If you haven't figured it out yet," Controller said. "That's a werewolf pup. He's much smaller than an adult but still strong, and he's very very hungry."

  The werewolf pup howled, excited he could resume the hunt, and he charged after her, snarling and barking. Kein had nowhere to run but the hallway, so she backed up into the cab.

  "I need someplace to run to if you want me to survive past the next minute!" Kein yelled. "I can't run into one of the Residents' rooms. There has to be some place else."

  "Let me get a consensus from the Coaches," Controller spoke as if he would take his time in doing so.

  The werewolf pup snarled and howled as he passed the halfway mark.

  "Hurry!" Kein yelled. "Make this more of a contest than a slaughter!"

  "Majority says you can use the Black Arrow room for the time being. It is the first one you passed when you first left the elevator, and if you haven't figured it out by now, it is the one with the black arrow above it."

  She squatted down as the werewolf pup ran the last ten feet. Kein waited for him to leap for her, then she jumped up, and in a feat, no human should be able to do, she used the wall behind herself to kick off and catapult herself over him. Kein landed on the floor, rolled to a standing position, and then she took off running. The werewolf pup turned his body when he missed her, then immediately moved his arms and legs to change directions to give chase, but instead, he slid and slammed into the wall hard with a yelp. He whined a little more as if hurt, and then he slowly pursued her; it took him a while before he was back up to his top speed. Kein bolted for the Black Arrow room as fear urged her on in a frantic pace, she reached the door before the werewolf pup could overtake her, and she rushed in. She slammed the door behind her, and the werewolf pup swiped at it and barked as he clawed at it some more.

  "There's no way I can survive here," Kein yelled through depleted breath as she leaned against the door.

  Controller told her, "You just have to fight to survive."

  "I can't," she insisted as she peered into the pitch black room she entered, and it appeared to be empty. "I can't fight."

  "It is the way things are done here," Controller told her. "It is how the contestants have competed, but I guess skills are what they are, and if you don't have them... if you can't fight... well... you will be someone's food or decoration."

  "Fighting's not everything," Kein said. "I saw how that went for all of the other contestants. I can't fight. Make another way for me to compete or there won't be much of a contest."

  There was a long pause, and then Controller questioned, "What do you propose?"

  "There has to be a quicker way to win."

  "You could kill one of the Residents to secure your position," Controller told her. "Kill one of them, and you will immediately become a Resident."

  "I can't. I won't," Kein spoke, and then she said, "Contests have rules, so this one has to also. I would like to add some rules."

  "Adding rules... Now that's an interesting proposition. What sort of rules would you like to add?"

  Kein replied, "First tell me what the Residents are after."

  "Their freedom of course," Controller replied. "Each has a goal they must accomplish, and then they can move up to the next level or as I said before, they could kill one of the other Residents, and then they automatically move up."

  "How many levels are there?"

  "Quite a few," Controller answered, and then he added, "Only the Residents know."

  "What is Shukujo's goal?"

  "Who is this Shukujo?"

  "The Kumovon," Kein replied.

  "Did she tell you her name?"

  "No," Kein answered. "I just call her that."

  "I will use that name also," Controller stated. "As to your question, that information is Shukujo's, and it is hers to give or withhold. Now... Tell me your conditions or should I say rules you would like to add to remain as a contestant."

  "It's simple..." Kein began, and then she stated, "The other Residents can't kill me."

 
; "Other Residents? You sound like you are very confident that you will become one."

  "I can be if you make the contest a little less..."

  "Dangerous?"

  "Exactly. This place is a death trap. Any room that I walk into could kill me the instant I enter, not much of a contest."

  Controller laughed for a few moments, and then he said, "I imagine everyone would like to have that rule for themselves, but you must know that I can't do that. They can kill one another at any time they want to whether they are contestant or Resident."

  "That won't do," Kein mumbled to herself. "I'm afraid the monster..."

  "You should be afraid of the monsters," Controller told her. "I believe the contestants would be more afraid of them if they didn't think this was some televised reality game show. My fault, I am sure. I am inclined to tell people half-truths when it suits me."

  She asked, "How about they have to answer three of my questions before they can kill me for that day? It would give me some breathing room."

  "Questions would force the Residents to interact with you, and this level's Resident interplay with one another has become stagnate, so I think I like that rule. Let me see if the Coaches will agree," Controller said.

  "Coaches? Who are these coaches you keep referring to?" Kein asked, and when he didn't answer, she said, "Hello..? You still there?"

  Elsewhere, Controller's room...

  "I like the delivery woman's idea," Blue Wolf spoke first.

  "But to give her such leeway," Purple Rose stated. "Is it fair to the Residents?"

  "I do not believe it is fair," Red Phoenix said, and then she added, "But what rules are? I would like to see a change come to Basement Level, and maybe these questions are the key to one of us moving up."

  "Yellow Dragon, what about you?" Controller questioned.

  "I'm undecided. Do we need a sixth Resident? I would prefer to move on without her in play."

  "You would," Green Serpent told him. "You haven't been here that long, but as for one who is ready to move up at any cost, I'm for the questions. I have been here the longest of the Coaches present, and I believe the Mortem could use some new flavor."

  "A show of hands then," Controller said. "If at least three of you raise your hands, I will allow this new rule."

  Green Serpent, Red Phoenix, and Blue Wolf all raised their hands.

  "I will let the contestant know," Controller spoke.

  Basement Level, Black Arrow room...

  "I have the Coaches' answer," Controller called out over the intercom. "The majority have agreed. Most of them think it will make things more interesting, but what about your wager?"

  "What do you mean?" Kein asked.

  "What thing of value do you have to bet with? You wanted to add a rule, so now you have to pay for it by making a wager."

  "I don't know if it has any value, but it should be obvious what my wager is. You already forced me to bet it."

  "What is that?" Controller questioned.

  "I'll be betting my life."

  "I guess you have already wagered it, so for you to accomplish your goal you must survive seven days. Now... besides the questions you agree to ask each Resident each day, the Coaches have a question for you. You will need to answer each one before we proceed, and the answer will only be given to the Coach who submitted the question."

  "Who are these coaches?"

  "They are the ones you don't see. They are the ones who are either for or against you."

  "Kind of a cryptic answer," Kein said. "What are their questions?"

  "First question. Who do you work for?"

  "I work for Brown Deliveries."

  "I already looked into Brown Deliveries," Controller told her, and then he informed her, "The company doesn't exist."

  "Sure it does," Kein said. "I was just there before I came here."

  "I suppose you are going to tell me you just started working there today."

  Kein muttered as she put a hand to her pants' back pocket that held an invitation of sorts that she had read earlier, "Why do I feel like I've been set up for something?"

  "I guess you answered that question as best as you could unless you are lying to us."

  "I don't lie," Kein spoke and then added, "I try not to lie."

  "Moving on," Controller said. "The second question. Who are you? Terry isn't your real name."

  "No, Terry was just on the uniform they had me borrow. I am known as Kein."

  "Third question. What is your taste in men?"

  "Excuse me?"

  "Sorry, but one of the Coaches wanted to know what kind of man you like. Tall, short, fat, thin, handsome, rugged, filthy rich, etc."

  "Can I pass?"

  "Sorry, no. No one can pass unless the one who is asking the question allows them when a bargain has been struck," Controller answered.

  "I guess kind," Kein replied. "I like a kind man. What sort of question was that?"

  "I am not sure myself," Controller replied. "Fourth question. What sort of skills do you have? Do you know a martial art or maybe you are an experienced marksmen."

  "I don't think I have any skills," Kein answered. "I haven't found anything I'm good at yet that is worth mentioning."

  "Final question, and this one is a little odd..." Controller started.

  She inquired, "Odder than the third one?"

  "Afraid so, but what can I do but ask it," Controller answered, cleared his throat, and questioned, "Of all the monsters that are on the Basement Level, who is the most terrifying and dangerous monster? You can take your time. You must need to think about it. There are so many to pick from and..."

  "I don't need any time," Kein stated, and then she replied, "And the answer's easy. The most terrifying and dangerous monster is..."

  Elsewhere, Controller's room...

  "I never imagined she would answer the way she did," Controller muttered to himself, and then he questioned the Coaches, "Is everyone satisfied with her answers? Speak up now if you aren't. Good... well... You can always pay for one of the other Coaches question and answer if you are curious as to any, but for now... let us begin. We will proceed to normal play now that Opening is finished. Does anyone at this time wish to put up their Resident for trade?"

  "I actually would like to revisit something we already talked about," Yellow Dragon spoke up. "I think it would be interesting to have a sixth Coach join us. I like the wild card idea."

  "I think we should bring in another Coach," Green Serpent voiced. "It will add more money to possible wagers."

  "I am sorry, but five Coaches is part of the rules, and this rule can't be changed or amended," Controller stated.

  Blue Wolf questioned, "How will we determine who will possess this sixth Resident if she should survive the next seven days or kill one of the other Residents?"

  "The answer is easy if she should kill one of the other Residents," Controller replied. "She will belong to the Coach whose Resident was just killed."

  "And what if she survives the seven days?" Red Phoenix asked.

  Blue Wolf spoke up, "We could make it a contest."

  Controller asked, "What sort of contest should we have to determine her Coach?"

  "I know," Purple Rose stated. "Why don't we see who can earn the most off of her while wagering? We can all start with a thousand contestant points, and whoever has the most at the end, if she should survive the Probation Period, will acquire her as an additional Resident."

  "I don't like that idea," Green Serpent stated. "If she should die before the end of the Probation Period, we would have wasted a lot of wagering with no monetary gain."

  "How about this then?" Controller said. "All of you place a predetermined amount in the pot, and if the contestant should die, whoever has the most contestant points at her death not after, will gain the pot."

  "I like that idea," Green Serpent replied.

  "If no one objects, we will move forward with the Probation Period," Controller said. "Let us determine the pot amount,
and then we can take wagers on the contestant."

  Chapter Four

  And Let The Probation Period Begin

  Basement Level...

  Kein slowly opened the Black Arrow room's door and cautiously peered into the hallway after Controller told her the Probation Period had begun and that she needed to go to one of the Residents' room to begin. He also told her that the Black Arrow room would no longer be available to her. Kein looked around the empty hallways and didn't hear the werewolf pup, so she quietly made her way to the door with the pyramid above the doorframe. Kein stretched out her brown gloved hand to turn the knob when she thought she heard a ghostly wind. It wasn't coming from the Basement Level; it was more like it was coming from the pyramid symbol itself. Kein lifted her gaze, and the moaning wind became louder, drawing her into an ancient time across the desert sands when men worshiped other men as gods. She saw a great Egyptian kingdom that was rich and prosperous. A wise king ruled over them, and the people seemed to love him. The king had a daughter, and he loved her dearly, he loved her more than his own life, but something terrible happened, and...

  Kein slightly pulled from the vision and spoke out loud, "A father is..."

  She saw more images of this Egyptian king and his daughter. They were very close, and she got this sensation that tragedy and deception had separated them. A lot of pain came from the symbol of the pyramid, and as she was caught up in this world that wasn't her own, there was one emotion that was stronger than anything else.

  "A father loves his children more than himself," Kein spoke softly.

  The emotions from that time wanted to pull her farther in, but fear kept her grounded, and Kein shook her head, ridding herself of some of the images and sensations in her head. She had heard the sound of the werewolf pup clawing at something, so she needed to move. Kein closed her eyes and opened them again, and the last of the images and sensations were gone, and she was mentally back at the Basement Level. She turned the knob and proceeded in.