We Become Beasts

By Leon Andrews

Trigger warning to those sensitive to scenes depicting extreme violence and sexual assault and use of a racial slur. Read at your own discretion.

When Serena wakes up in a strange room with 9 unfamiliar faces, she learns they are in a high stakes game of death. They'll have to figure out which other two players

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leon Andrews
• Release date: Oct 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781087893686

Leon Andrews

The debut psychological thriller novella by Leon Andrews

Book preview

One

Forced to Play

A foggy cloud swirled inside Serena’s head as she woke up. Blinking and hoping that her blurry vision would clear up. She couldn’t distinguish anyone or anything except for the bright white lights of a room. She heard the faint and distorted voices around her. It was confusing where she was at all. The last thing she remembered was walking home and a vehicle passing by before—her head hurt.  

Hey! said one voice.  

She’s also waking up, too! said another voice just as distorted. 

Someone called her name.  

Although Serena’s vision was still blurry, she saw people were around her. People that she didn’t recognize right away. Her hearing started to clear up some. What’s going on, she asked, her voice groggy and strained as if something wrapped around her throat. Trying to speak became a challenge. She rubbed her face and eyes. The haziness weighed on her after regaining consciousness.   

Serena, repeated a feminine voice. Whoever it was sounded really concerned for her. Probably because she fell unconscious and didn’t know how it happened. The downward spiral of popping pills to improve her studying took its toll on Serena. But that dosing was necessary to help her focus on schoolwork. Someone called out to her. Serena, she felt the firm touch on her shoulder, Serena! It’s me, Jocelyn!   

Jocelyn? Serena knew that name from her class. But she wasn’t walking home with Jocelyn after her shift at the bookstore. Wait a minute. Come to think of it, no one was with her when she was walking home. Jocelyn, Serena responded finally. Regaining some of her strength to speak. What are you doing here? She looked around again in the brightly lit room. Except for Jocelyn, she didn’t recognize the others around her. Wait, where am I?  

Serena inhaled a sharp breath, struggling to find some calming air. Inhaling and exhaling faster and quicker with each breath. Hoping a dozen of them would calm her down, but something restricted her throat. What?! What?! She pawed at a rigid collar around her throat. She grew more frantic, demanding an answer. What is this?! Who put it there?! Why was it there?! What was happening?!  

Serena! Serena, Jocelyn reached out for Serena’s hands. Don’t mess with it!   

Shut her up already, yelled one worried guy with moptop hair.    

Yelling at her is not helping Rodrigo, said another guy wearing glasses.  

Fuck you! How’s that for helpful, douche, retorted Rodrigo.

Jocelyn gripped Serena’s wrist, but Serena still hyperventilated. Stop messing with it, said Jocelyn, her tone firmed. The guy said doing so would be bad.  

What guy?! Serena screamed, disregarding Jocelyn’s warnings to calm down. What guy was Jocelyn talking about?! Tears ran down her face as she sobbed aloud and grasped at Jocelyn for comfort. She felt Jocelyn stroke her hair and whisper an order to calm down. They would figure everything out when everyone else woke up. Serena buried herself into Jocelyn’s bosom like a child needing a mother’s love.  

Serena’s screams and sobbing woke up the few remaining people. There were others in the room, more than several people, but Serena could only recognize a few of them. Jocelyn, Esteban, and that asshole Rodrigo.  

Oh my god, complained one girl, her voice also groggy. Who the fuck shouting? She looked in Serena’s direction. Kindly shut the fuck up! She pawed at her neck, realizing she had an unfamiliar collar. What the fuck is this?! She started panicking, but a few people told her to calm down before trouble reared its ugly head into the fray.

Seriously, what’s happening here, asked another girl with a pixie haircut grasping at her collar. Looking around at people she did not recognize. Her head snapped left and right, searching for answers no one had. Someone tell me what’s going on?! She noticed a nearby door and darted for it. Struggling and grunting as the door didn’t budge. It kept her inside with everyone. Open! PLEASE!! 

Serena turned her head away from Jocelyn’s chest, watching the girl with the pixie-cut hair bang on the door. Someone locked them in this room and put collars around their necks. Jocelyn peeled away from her, but she assured Serena that she would return. Serena held herself and watched as Jocelyn walked to the other panicking girl. It wasn’t just Serena anymore, there were others in the room, and everyone had no idea why they were brought here. Tranquila, mija, dad’s voice said in her head. Inhaling one shaky deep breath and exhaled. It didn’t quite help. 

You think we’d all be here if that door was unlocked, said Rodrigo, using a condescending sarcastic tone to the girl. However, the girl ignored him and kept screaming for help while yanking at the door. Growing frustrated with this girl, Rodrigo stood up and snatched her arm. Hey, he said. Fuckin listen to me, bitch! He slapped her across the face.  

What the fuck is your problem! Jocelyn yelled. Pushing Rodrigo away and pulling the girl close to her. Jocelyn rubbed the panicking girl’s shoulder. Hey hey hey, she said. Her voice was much more soothing than Rodrigo’s dominant tone. It’s okay. We’re all trapped here, too. The girl looked into Jocelyn’s piercing hazel eyes, and her breathing calmed down. We’re all gonna figure this out together. Okay? The girl nodded her head. I’m Jocelyn, she introduced herself. 

Stacey, she said, wiping away her tears.  

Serena related to Stacey’s panicking because it was a natural reaction when a person was forced into this kind of situation—being kidnapped and trapped. All the unknowns. 

Come on. Let’s go sit down. Jocelyn led Stacey back and sat her down by her seat. Stacey and Serena exchanged tearful looks, sniffling at one another. Jocelyn sat between them and gave them each a smiling countenance.  

Everyone was awake and anxious to know what was going on. What was going on?! Serena tried to stay calm but couldn’t have been more worried than ever. Tranquila mija, her dad’s voice spoke to her in that calming voice that kept her in check. She channeled the voice to calm her behavior.

Alright, I guess this is all of us now, said the guy with glasses. Everyone exchanged nervous glances with one another. Does anybody remember how they got here? 

Everyone shook their heads.

Fuck man, said Rodrigo. The last thing I remember was hanging out with my boy. Was on my way home, and then the next thing I know, I’m here. 

That was almost similar to Serena’s story. She and Harry closed up the bookstore, and she walked home. Even though her house was half a mile away, she never minded the walk home and never felt her neighborhood was unsafe. Ever.

Was that all of it? The guy asked, pushing up his glasses. Was there anything else that could have happened? Maybe someone knocking you out? The scent of chloroform. Serena saw that he rubbed his face trying to think of all the possibilities.

I can’t remember anything else, dude, Rodrigo seemed annoyed with such a dumb obvious question. If I did, then I’d tell you guys.

I remember walking home, said Serena, Then it gets foggy. It felt like eyes were all on her, but she looked down at the desk. She took another shaky deep breath and recalled her walk home from the bookstore. She recalled the sound of the van passing. Her eyes widened, and she looked up, realizing what had happened next. A group of masked guys overwhelmed her, followed by the sensation of being shocked and knocked out. She told everyone what she remembered. 

I’d say that concludes that we’ve been kidnapped, said the guy with the glasses.

No duh, said Rodrigo. But like...why? Or who?

If I had that answer, then I’d tell you, said the guy with glasses. He ignored Rodrigo, who was giving him the finger. 

Everyone clamored among each other, panicking over their frightening and dire predicament. As far as they knew, none of them deserved to be kidnapped. Taken away from their everyday lives, friends, family, and jobs. Who would have been devious enough to kidnap 10 people and stick them in the room? Was it even one person?!

Guys! Guys! Guys! Guys, the guy with glasses spoke up over everyone, trying to keep order.

Yeah guys. Jocelyn chimed in. Let’s chill out! And figure this out. Everyone gradually quieted down. Since we can’t remember how we g-- 

A booming distorted voice interrupted her. Now that everyone is awake, we can begin, said the voice, coming through speakers mounted on the ceiling. First, you all have been taken here against your will. Do not dwell on the reason why and focus on your present situation. Everyone remained silent and petrified. The tension and anxiety grew within all of them. All of you were chosen to play a game.   

Everyone talked among themselves about this game. What game?! Sicko! 

The voice spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. The game is simple: Werewolf. To be played in one night. In this game, everyone plays the role of villagers, but among you are two werewolves. The role of the villagers is to discover one of the werewolves’ identities. Everyone will be given a role in this game: Villager, Seer, Gunner, Troublemaker, and Werewolf. Under each of your desks is an envelope taped underneath. You may retrieve and open it up to learn your role. Do not reveal your roles!

 Serena and everyone did as instructed, reaching under their desks and finding their envelopes. Opening it up, she pulled out a card with an illustration of a woman with a crystal ball. A text at the bottom of the image read Seer. What does that even mean? She looked at Jocelyn, who was glaring at her card, as did everyone else. Some looked upset over their given roles, but it was too difficult to tell who was a werewolf already.

After a moment past, the voice spoke up again. Everyone has their roles, and I’ll explain them. Villager: you have no special abilities. The Seer can learn one person’s true role during the night phase. The Gunner, you’ll receive a gun with one bullet. You have the choice to use it or not, but you better make it count because killing the werewolf wins the game. The Troublemaker, your job is to choose two people during the night and switch their roles. However, you won’t know either persons’ role. For the werewolves, your job is to choose one person to kill.

Everyone paid close attention to better know their roles. Being a villager left a target on your back. Knowing there was a chance the werewolves could kill someone as important as a Seer or a Gunner puts the villagers at a disadvantage. Serena felt the target on her back widen. The pressure mounted and weighed on top of her, and her breathing started speeding up.

After everyone wakes up, then you’ll have until 12 o’clock to figure out who the werewolf is and vote. When voting commences, the person with the most votes is lynched. If voting ends with a tie between two people, then another vote takes place to decide which of those two people will be lynched.

Everyone sat still, waiting for the next instruction. Serena didn’t like this situation. She was sure nobody else did either. This was total bullshit! Forcing people to play a child’s game. And for what. Tranquila mija, dad’s voice popped into her head. She balled her fists on her lap and sat still, lips shut tight.

If the chosen person is a werewolf, then the other werewolf will die with them. This includes any werewolf switched by the Troublemaker. However... if a villager is lynched, then all the villagers will die. The stakes were high and grim, with a chance for many people to die. "We’ll be back in a moment and allow you time to get