Preface

"Are we sure this is the right choice?" I murmur, staring at the sheet of paper in front of me. In a moment, a name will be written and a fate will be sealed.

"Once we sign this, there's no going back", I continue, casting my eyes around the room. In the faces of my companions, I see the same nervous energy that has held me captive ever since a hand tapped my shoulder this afternoon.

Almost imperceptibly, my two co-conspirators nod their acquiescence. A dashingly handsome young man, and a motherly older woman. And me. Nobody would ever suspect us. And that, I suppose, is the name of the game.

My shaking hand picks up a pen and spells out the name of our first victim. The writing is barely legible, but good enough, I suppose. Though I can't afford to appear weak, even among those who have become my closest confidantes.

An innocent is sentenced to death, and a heavy weight settles on my shoulders. I suspect it will take some time for me to shake this feeling off.

I have committed my first murder. I have drunk from the poisoned chalice. But how the hell did I get here?