Death's Games

The classroom was a scene of utter devastation. Students were still reeling from the gruesome deaths of their classmates, Hina and the four others. Some were crying uncontrollably, while others were praying fervently, seeking solace in a higher power. The rest were silent, their faces frozen in shock and horror.

The voice, cold and detached, cut through the silence like a knife. "Congratulations, students, on forming your groups. Now that you have done so, it is time for you to play a game."

Kaito, one of the bullies who had tormented Shin relentlessly, sprang to his feet. "You expect us to play a game after what you just did?" he shouted, his face red with rage. "You killed five of our classmates, and now you want us to play along like nothing's wrong? You're insane!"

The voice took on a menacing tone, its patience wearing thin. "You are not allowed to interrupt me, boy. Do you want to be eliminated alongside your friends?"

Ryota, another bully, quickly silenced Kaito, dragging him to the side and apologizing profusely to the voice. The classroom fell silent once more, the students cowed by the voice's warning.

The voice continued, its tone dripping with malice. "Is there anyone else who would like to disturb me before I continue? No? Good. Then let us proceed."

The voice paused, letting the silence hang in the air like a challenge. "You have all been selected to play a game. Those who win will be rewarded with anything that is humanly possible. Those who lose... will be eliminated."

A shivering boy in the back of the classroom raised his hand, his voice trembling. "W-what if we don't want to play?"

The voice replied, its tone cold and unforgiving. "Then you will be eliminated."

The boy fell to his knees, holding his head in despair. The voice continued, its words dripping with malice. "The game you will play is rock-paper-scissors. There are no rules, except for the normal rules of the game. You may play it in any manner you see fit."

One of the bullies, Taro, spoke up, his voice laced with a hint of greed. "S-sorry to disturb you, Mr... or is it Mrs...?" He glanced around nervously, unsure of how to address the voice. "But if we win, you'll give us anything we want, right?"

The voice repeated its earlier promise, its tone dripping with malice. "Yes, as long as it is humanly possible."

Some of the students began to grin, a hint of plans sparking in their heads. The voice continued, its words dripping with anticipation. "You will play only one round of rock-paper-scissors, with the group you are in. Let us begin. You have 10 minutes to play the game, starting now."

Kaida, the class representative, stepped forward, her eyes scanning the room as she began to speak. "Guys, I think we need to talk about this. We can't just rush into the game without thinking it through."

The classroom fell silent, the students looking at each other uncertainly. Taro, one of the bullies, snorted in derision. "What's there to think about? We just need to win."

Kaida's expression remained calm, but her voice took on a slightly firmer tone. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. We can't just focus on winning. We need to think about the consequences."

The classroom erupted into a cacophony of voices, students arguing and debating Kaida's words. Shin watched the scene unfold, his mind racing with thoughts of his own.

As the debate continued, Death appeared beside Shin, its eyes gleaming with amusement. "This is going to be fun," it whispered.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Kaida raised her voice above the din. "Wait, guys, listen! If we all agree to do scissors, it'll be a draw, and no one will get eliminated."

The classroom fell silent once more, the students looking at each other uncertainly. Taro sneered at Kaida. "Do you really think that voice will let us get away with that? It's just trying to torture us."

But to everyone's surprise, the voice responded, its tone dripping with amusement. "Like I said, you can play the game in any manner you want. So, if you all want to cheat and force a draw, feel free to do that. Rest assured, you will not get eliminated... but then, no one in your group will receive the rewards."

The classroom erupted into cheers and celebration, but it was short-lived. The reality of their situation soon set in, and the students began to discuss the voice's announcement in hushed tones.

As the debate continued, the first group, a tight-knit clique of loner students, stepped forward, their eyes shining with determination. "Let's do it! We'll all do paper!"

As they gathered around, singing "Rock, paper, scissors" in unison, the tension in the classroom grew. Shin's heart was racing, his mind screaming at him to do something, anything, to stop the game.

But it was too late. The singing stopped, signaling the reveal of their choices. Shin's heart sank as he saw that four of the boys had indeed chosen paper... but the fifth, Cole, had chosen scissors.

The group's celebratory mood instantly turned sour. "Why could you do that, Cole?" one of the boys shouted, his face twisted in anger.

The voice boomed through the classroom once more, its tone cold and unforgiving. "The first group has completed its game. Four students have been eliminated... and one has won."

As the voice spoke, the four boys who had chosen paper began to contort and twist, their bodies elongating like rubber. Their skin turned a sickly shade of green, and their eyes bulged out of their sockets. They screamed in agony as their bodies began to melt like wax, their faces stretching into grotesque, inhuman visages.

Death watched the scene unfold, its grin growing wider with each passing moment. "This is priceless," it whispered.

The classroom was silent, the only sound the sickening crunch of bone and flesh as the four boys dissolved into puddles of gore.

Cole, the boy who had chosen scissors, stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the carnage before him. The voice spoke again, its tone dripping with malice. "Now, Cole, what is your wish?"

Cole's voice was barely above a whisper. "I wish for my father, who has cancer, to be healed."

The voice responded, its tone cold and detached. "Your wish is not humanly possible... but it shall be done."

As the voice spoke, a faint glow began to emanate from the steel beams that covered the classroom. The glow grew brighter, illuminating Cole's face, and for a moment, it seemed like his father's image appeared before him, a look of relief and gratitude on his face.

But the image vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving Cole staring at the empty space before him. The classroom erupted into chaos, students shouting and screaming at Cole, their faces twisted in anger and betrayal.

Cole, overcome with emotion, stumbled to the corner of the classroom and sat down, his head in his hands. The classroom continued to erupt in chaos around him.

Shin, meanwhile, stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the carnage before him. Death appeared beside him, its grin still plaster, as it whispered to Shin "Didn't l tell you, nothing ever goes as planned in this world".