The chilling announcement echoed through the massive warehouse:

“As punishment for your recent disobedience, there will be no vote this time. The next game will begin immediately. Prepare yourselves.”

The remaining players, exhausted and filled with dread, exchanged anxious glances. The trust they had begun to rebuild among each other after the previous games had dissolved into silence. There was no time to process, no reprieve, just the next horror looming ahead.

The iron doors of the warehouse creaked open, revealing the game arena. It was an expansive, open hillside painted in bright colors. At the top of the hill there was a large bucket-like structure marked with lines that seemed to measure progress. At the base of the hill were wooden buckets for each pair of players.

Above the field was a towering animatronic figure of 2 dolls, their eerie eyes scanning the players like predators.

“Welcome to the next game,” the cold voice of some guard announced through the speakers. “This is ‘Jack and Jill.’ The objective is to fill the container at the top of the hill with water. Players must work in pairs to carry buckets of water up the hill and pour it in. But be warned: movement is only allowed on ‘Green Light.’ If you are caught moving during ‘Red Light,’ you will be eliminated.”

A wave of murmurs rippled through the players. The rules seemed simple enough, but they all knew the devil was in the details.

“You have 15 minutes. Fail to fill the container, and all remaining players will be eliminated. The game begins… now.”

☆☆☆☆☆

The Descent into Chaos

The players scrambled to find partners. Most paired quickly, while others hesitated, their eyes darting between potential allies. Player 222, pregnant and struggling to move quickly, was left without options. Player 149, frail and elderly, was reluctantly partnered with some young and weak man, because her son found a "better" partner. 456 paired with 388 , because after all he lost a lot of other, loyal people so 388 was a great choice.

The timer began to count down, and the animatronic Jack and Jill’s cheerful voices boomed:

“Green light!”

The players moved, carrying their buckets up the hill. The incline was steep, and the buckets, though deceptively small, were heavy when filled with water from the trough at the bottom.

“Red light!”

Everyone froze. The animatronic figures swiveled their heads, scanning for movement. A player at the middle of the hill lost their balance and stumbled. A gunshot rang out, and their lifeless body rolled down the hill, leaving a red streak behind.

Gasps filled the air, but no one dared to move.

“Green light!”

The players resumed, sweat dripping as they hurried up and down the hill. Player 222 lagged behind, her face pale and body trembling. She stopped to catch her breath but was shouted at by other players to keep moving. Her partner abandoned her, choosing self-preservation over loyalty.

Player 149 struggled too, the weight of the water and the steep incline proving too much for her frail frame.

☆☆☆☆☆

The Turning Point

By the halfway mark, the container at the top of the hill was barely a quarter full. Panic set in among the players. Some began to abandon strategy, focusing instead on filling their own buckets as quickly as possible, ignoring the pace of their partners.

Player 222 tripped on her way down, spilling her water and falling face-first onto the ground.

“Red light!”

Her partner froze, leaving her vulnerable. As she attempted to get back up, another gunshot echoed. Player 222’s lifeless body crumpled in the dirt.

Nearby, Player 149 collapsed to her knees, unable to continue. Her partner screamed at her, but the elderly woman could only shake her head weakly. She tried to stand during the next “Green light,” but her legs gave out.

“Red light!”

The animatronic’s gaze locked onto her small movements, and the inevitable followed.

The players who remained pushed on, their movements becoming increasingly frantic as the timer ticked down. Two more players were eliminated during the next “Red light,” their missteps costing them their lives.

☆☆☆☆☆

The Final Moments

With only two minutes remaining, the container was nearly full, but the players were exhausted. A team of three men abandoned their buckets and tried to carry the trough directly to the top.

“Red light!”

They froze, their arms trembling under the weight. One of them shaked, just enough for the animatronic to detect motion. A volley of gunshots ended their gamble.

The final moments were a blur. The remaining players, a mix of desperation and determination, surged forward. Some poured the last of their water into the container as the timer ticked down.

10… 9… 8…

The animatronic figures laughed gleefully, their singsong voices echoing:

“Jack fell down, and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after tralala!”

… 3… 2… 1.

A loud horn signaled the end of the game. The container was just barely full.

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I KNOW I KNOW Jack and Jill didn't look like that as the original game, but I wanted to modify the game because it just suited me better and the fact that if the container at the top wasn't filled and everyone would die gave some tension.