Curious

Lights out.

The man in the suspenders snaps his fingers, "It's time for you to leave. Go back to your room, I've left a plate of food for you there. This food here isn't safe to eat. "

I looked around the room, people began dropping to the floor and slouching into the tables. It's quiet, it's expected. 

Many people look afraid, those are the innocent people. They just realized what they've gotten themselves into.

They were too innocent to know not to trust it.

That was almost me.

I clear my throat and allow myself to stand.

"How does Stein choose who dines here?"

"Most of them got a letter in the mail. Stein black mails his workers by threatening to send their family an invitation to dinner. If they disobey or warn their family not to come....Well, lets just say that Stein has a nasty habit of wiping out entire families by burning down their houses or driving them off the road. Most of these people have no idea what's actually happening and they realize too late that there's no escape. Otherwise, the initiation is for more than just you. If anyone survives, They'll be allowed to live so long as they work for Stein."

"Unfortunately, all of his workers have to participate in this 'initiation process' when ever Stein finds a new toy, like you." He pauses, staring off towards the stage. 

"This isn't a good place to chat, I'll escort you out."

This mansion is huge, I honestly wasn't sure if I could find my way back.

We leave the room, this whole time I've had no shoes, and I'm not expecting to get any anytime soon.

My mind wanders to a thousand different things, I try to avoid thinking about it, about them.

Could they all really be dead?
Tyler, Chris, Jane,Clover?

All of them. In less than a year?

I have nothing left.

The man in the red suspenders stays at the bottom of the stairway as I ascend.

I make my way back to my hall,  vaguely remembering things like paintings and doorways. I see a Door that looks familiar and open it, it's a room like mine, except there's someone's suitcase in the center of it.

Now that I think about it, I don't own any thing anymore.

No belongings.

No home.

In trying to save everything, I've lost it.

I close the door quietly and open a door up the hallway, I recognize the window.

This is mine. This is my refuge for now.

There's a plate of food on the chair where my dress had been. My dirty pajamas were gone too.

I pick up the plate and smell it as though I'd know how to tell if it were poisoned. My stomach is begging for food, but my nausea isn't quite as thrilled. When the lights go out...? What does that mean? 

Why is Stein doing this? Why are they calling me Lucifer?

 Why do some of them know me? 

Something inside of me is aroused at the thought that I have nothing to lose. Nothing to gain but my freedom and revenge. I don't even know what I'm capable of yet. 

Wait... Is this a test?....They want to know if 'lucifer' is someone to be afraid of. Stein wants to know. 

If I win, I'll never be free of their pursuit.