Amelia hugged her knees to her chest, chewing her lip as her gaze flickered between the board and the dice resting in Clarissa’s palm. The anticipation gnawed at her, a mix of curiosity and nervous energy buzzing beneath her skin. “Okay, fine. I’ll go first,” she said, reaching out and snatching the dice before she could overthink it.
Clarissa grinned, leaning back on her bed. “Brave choice,” she teased, nudging Stacey with her elbow. “Let’s see if the game’s actually as weird as it looks.”
Ethan smirked from his chair, arms crossed over his chest. “Just don’t break it with your overanalyzing, Amelia.”
Rolling her eyes but unable to suppress a small smile, Amelia gave the dice a quick shake in her palm. The plastic cubes clattered against the board, tumbling across the brightly colored surface. They bounced off the edge before finally settling, the number seven facing up.
Clarissa’s eyes widened with excitement.
“Ooooh, space seven!” she said, practically bouncing in her seat. “That’s a blue one—mental change!”
Amelia leaned forward, staring at the small crystal ball in the center of the board. A faint glow shimmered across its surface before words began to appear in swirling blue script:
‘Draw a Blue Card. Embrace your new state of mind.’
Stacey snorted. “Okay, that’s… a little extra.”
Amelia rolled her eyes and reached for the corresponding blue deck, flipping over the top card. “Alright, let’s see what the gimmick is.” She cleared her throat and read aloud, “‘Your speech patterns will reflect a more, like, carefree and bubbly persona. Enjoy your new outlook on life!’”
Clarissa clapped her hands together. “Oh my God, Amelia, you have to commit to it!”
Stacey chuckled, grabbing a handful of chips. “Yeah, this game is basically improv at this point.”
Amelia sighed, shaking her head. “You guys, this is so—” She paused, her eyes widening slightly as an odd sensation tickled the back of her throat. “—like, totally bizarre, you know?”
A stunned silence fell over the room. Amelia blinked, feeling her face flush. “Wait, what did I just—” She clamped a hand over her mouth.
Clarissa burst into laughter. “Oh my God, Amelia, you’re really playing this up!”
Stacey grinned. “Okay, that voice is kind of terrifying. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Amelia shook her head vigorously. “No, you guys, I’m not doing this! This is, like, so weird!” The exaggerated inflection flowed effortlessly from her lips, the drawn-out vowels and peppy lilt making every word sound ridiculous.
Ethan leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. “Come on, you’re totally messing with us. There’s no way you’re actually stuck talking like that.”
“I’m so not messing with you!” Amelia’s hands flailed slightly, emphasizing her every word. “Like, why would I even do that?”
Clarissa was nearly doubled over laughing. “Okay, wait, wait. Let’s see how long you can keep this going.”
Amelia groaned dramatically, flopping back onto the bed. “Ugh, you guys are, like, so not listening. I am literally not doing this on purpose!”
Ethan waved a hand in front of her face. “Alright, so you really can’t stop?”
Amelia sat up, frustration creasing her brows. “Like, duh! I open my mouth, and it just—happens!”
Stacey looked at Clarissa, grinning. “Well, this game just got a whole lot better.”
Clarissa tapped the board thoughtfully. “I mean, it’s probably psychological. The game says it’ll change your state of mind, and now you’re just running with it.”
Amelia groaned again, burying her face in her hands. “This is, like, so embarrassing.”
Clarissa grinned wickedly. “Oh, it’s also hilarious.”
“Can we just keep playing?” Amelia huffed, reluctantly picking up her game piece. “I am, like, so over this.”
Clarissa wiped a tear from her eye. “Fine, fine. It looks like im up next.”
Amelia shot a glare at Clarissa, though it was hard to look menacing when every syllable out of her mouth sounded like it belonged to a teenage mall rat. As Stacey reached for the dice, Amelia couldn’t help but glance down at the crystal ball again. The words were gone now, but a lingering unease prickled at the back of her mind.
What if it wasn’t just a silly party trick?
Clarissa reached for the dice, still chuckling under her breath. “Alright, here goes nothing,” she said, giving it a roll. As the dice bounced across the board, Amelia let out an exaggerated sigh, twirling a strand of hair around her finger absentmindedly.
But just as the dice came to a stop, Stacey suddenly leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “Uh… guys?” she said, her voice carrying a note of uncertainty.
“What?” Amelia asked, following Stacey’s gaze.
The game pieces, which had previously been simple, generic figurines—a bland pawn, a knight, a small abstract figure—were now different. Very different. Amelia blinked, leaning in closer.
“No way,” Clarissa muttered, picking up what was unmistakably her piece. The tiny figure looked exactly like her—down to the messy hair piled on top of its head, the loose hoodie, even the tiny logo of her favorite animation software imprinted across the chest. “Did… did this thing just change?”
Stacey’s fingers hovered over her own game piece, which now bore an eerie resemblance to her, complete with the carefully braided hair draping over the figure’s shoulder and the glasses perched on its tiny nose. “Okay, that’s freaky,” she murmured. “I didn’t see them change, did you?”
Amelia swallowed, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach. She grabbed her piece and held it up for closer inspection. It was her. The figure had long, straight blonde hair cascading down its back, the tiny hoodie and sweatpants nearly identical to what she was wearing. Even the faintest details, like the slightly longer nose and the way she tended to hold herself with one shoulder slightly raised, were captured perfectly.
“I swear these looked totally normal a second ago,” Ethan said, picking up his piece, which now sported his usual hoodie-and-jeans combo, right down to the creases in the fabric. “I didn’t touch it, I didn’t do anything.”
Clarissa’s mouth hung open for a moment before she laughed nervously. “Okay, it’s gotta be some kind of gimmick, right? Like, maybe heat-sensitive paint or something?” She tapped her piece against the table, as if expecting it to revert to its original form. It didn’t.
Amelia wasn’t convinced. She set her figure back down, her fingers lingering a little too long. “It’s too detailed,” she said, voice quieter than usual. “I mean, even the little stuff—like the shading under the eyes? I don’t think anyone could make it that precise without… I dunno, actually knowing us.”
Stacey nodded slowly, rubbing her thumb along the base of her game piece. “And you’re telling me the creepy shop owner didn’t explain this part?”
Clarissa shook her head. “Nope. He just said the game ‘plays you,’ which, in hindsight, is a little unsettling.”
Ethan grinned, though there was an edge of unease behind it. “Alright, so it’s a little weird. But it’s still just a game, right?” He glanced at Amelia.
Amelia bit her lip—anxiously, though it came out in a way that felt almost theatrical, like her “valley girl” persona had already sunk deeper into her mannerisms. She shook it off and forced a smile. “Right. Just a game,” she echoed, though the words felt hollow.
Clarissa cleared her throat and nudged the dice forward. “Well, I guess the only way to figure it out is to keep playing.”
Amelia exhaled slowly and nodded. “Yeah... let’s, like, totally get this over with.”
The pieces sat eerily still on the board, as if waiting.