Free Greta's Game by K.C. Silkwood Page B

is no head-shaving, no tattoos…once the
game is over, no physical alterations are visible. In other words,
you wouldn’t look different to anyone who saw you. And I also avoid
the more… distasteful choices. I wouldn’t ask anyone to eat a
raw egg, a bug, a spoonful of dirt, or anything else unhealthy or
unsavory.”
    “Well, then…” Jennifer began. “I guess it could be fun.” She looked to the other women for confirmation.
Jan and Lacy shrugged, and Rosa let out a deep sigh. “I don’t
know,” the Latin beauty said. “It sounds lame to me.”
    “What’s the matter?” Jennifer asked.
“Scared?”
    Rosa sat up straight. “Are you joking? No
way. Fine, I’ll play your stupid game.”
    “Excellent!” Greta said. “But I need to
finish explaining the rules. My game has one more variation from
the original. In my game, you’re given two options. Both are bad,
but one is worse than the other. You may choose to perform the
first action yourself, or you can force another player in the game
to perform the second option—the worse one.”
    Jennifer frowned. “I don’t get it. Wouldn’t everybody choose to let the other person do the gross
thing?”
    “Not necessarily, Jennifer. This game not
only reveals your own tolerances, it also reveals your true
feelings for family members,”—she looked at Jan—“and friends”—she
looked at Lacy—“and…others,” she finished, her eyes skimming over
Rosa.
    “So let’s do it,” Rosa said, glaring at
Jennifer. Lacy drained her wine glass and nodded. Jan took another
sip of her own wine and said “Okay, sure.”
    “Let me get the materials,” Greta said,
standing up. She left the room and came back a few minutes later
with a stack of pink index cards, a spinner, and a fresh bottle of
wine. She also fetched the two black duffle bags filled with sample
products and set them on the floor at her feet. Once everyone’s
wine glasses had been refilled, Greta announced the start of the
game.
    “Here’s how it works,” she explained, placing
the spinner in the middle of the table. It was a round piece of
cardboard the size of a small plate, divided into four equal
sections numbered 1 through 4. In the center was a small plastic
arrow that could be spun with a finger, like in a child’s game.
“We’ll start with Jennifer and go clockwise from there. When it’s
your turn, spin the arrow to see who will be your co-player in that
round. I’ll assign the numbers; Jennifer is one, Jan is two, Lacy
is three, and Rosa is four.”
    “What about you?” Rosa asked. “Don’t you
play, too?”
    “No, I only run the game.” She chuckled and
smoothed her dark hair away from her face. “I’m afraid I’m a little
too old for this much excitement.”
    “Are you kidding?” Jennifer asked. “You don’t
look a day over forty. That’s not old.”
    “That’s sweet of you to say, but I’ll turn 48
next month. Regardless, I’ve found it’s helpful to have one person
in charge of the game.” She reached into one of the black duffle
bags and pulled out a large empty envelope. “And the first order of
business is to collect your offerings. Ladies, please hand me your
wedding rings.”
    “What?” Rosa gasped. “Why?”
    “That’s how players buy into the game. Once
the game starts, no player is allowed to quit before the game is
over. If you do, you forfeit your offering. Otherwise, you get it
back at the end of the game. I’ve found wedding rings to be the
perfect object.” After a little frowning and complaining, Jennifer,
Lacy, and Rosa pulled off their wedding rings and placed them in
the envelope. “But I’m not married,” said Jan. “So what do I
use?”
    Greta scanned the young girl up and down.
“That gold necklace and locket looks valuable. Is it important to
you?”
    “Well…yes. It belonged to my
great-grandmother.”
    “That’s perfect, then! Please take it off and
give it to me.”
    Greta left the room with the envelope full