Chapter 3: The Sacrifice Dilemma

"Now, let’s reveal the correct answer. Those who answered correctly, please come up front to collect your prize."

The driver’s voice was cheerful, almost sing-song. It made my skin crawl.

The group chat showed the correct answer: A/B/C/D, as long as you didn’t add anything extra. I let out a long breath of relief.

My whole body sagged. I felt like I’d just run a marathon.

Exhaustion.

The passengers with red lights above their heads were now huddled in their seats, terrified, unwilling to move forward.

They clung to the armrests, shaking their heads, eyes wide with terror. No one wanted to be next.

But their resistance was pointless. The driver just waved his hand, and they were yanked forward as if by some invisible force.

It was like watching marionettes on invisible strings. They slid down the aisle, screaming.

Thud.

The bus door flew open, and the passengers dropped to the ground.

Their bodies hit the pavement with sickening thuds. The night air was thick with fear.

The air was thick with the smell of blood.

It clung to the back of my throat, metallic and sharp. I fought the urge to gag again.

Autumn grabbed my hand in fear.

Her grip was desperate, her nails biting into my skin. She pressed herself against my side, shaking.

I turned to look at her, expressionless.

My face felt numb, my emotions dulled by shock. I didn’t know what to say.

Autumn shrank back.

She let go of my hand, staring at me with wide, uncertain eyes.

"I was just too scared before. I lost my head. You’re not mad at me, are you?"

Her voice was small, pleading. I could see tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.

Having just clawed my way back from the edge of death, I actually felt strangely calm.

It was as if my fear had burned itself out. All that was left was exhaustion.

Third date.

We’d only known each other for a few months, and had only started dating about a week ago.

The thought felt distant, almost absurd. Was this really happening on what was basically our third date?

Survival.

In a life-or-death moment, that kind of move wasn’t surprising.

I couldn’t blame her. In that moment, anyone would’ve done the same.

Seeing me shake my head, Autumn breathed a sigh of relief.

She wiped her eyes, managing a shaky smile. The tension in her shoulders eased, just a little.

She threw her arms around me.

Her hug was fierce, almost desperate. I hugged her back, feeling her heartbeat racing against my chest.

Alive.

"We just passed the city park. We’ll be home soon."

She tried to sound upbeat, but her voice wobbled. I glanced out the window—there was the familiar swing set, blurred by the night.

He knew.

The driver glanced at us, his smile dark and chilling.

His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. For a second, I felt like he could see straight through me.

"That’s right. We’re almost at the last stop. Let’s finish the final question and then everyone can get off."

His tone was almost fatherly, as if he was offering us a treat. The effect was anything but comforting.

Seeing the grim faces around him, the driver tried to sound reassuring.

He spread his hands, palms up, as if to say, "What’s the worst that could happen?"

"There’s no right answer to this last question. Who survives depends on your collective attitude."

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. The other passengers exchanged nervous glances.

I picked up my phone. The group chat had already posted the question:

The screen glowed in the dim light. My hands trembled as I read the words.

Suspense.

"If you could choose between dying so everyone else survives, or everyone else dying so you alone survive, which would you pick?"

The question hit like a punch to the gut. I stared at it, unable to look away.

The driver grinned slyly.

His teeth flashed in the mirror. He looked like the Cheshire Cat, all secrets and menace.

"Here’s the rule for this one: majority rules. Whichever option is chosen by the fewest people, that becomes the correct answer."

He let the words sink in, savoring our confusion.

He was enjoying this.

Based on the previous logic, anyone who picked the correct answer would die.

The realization dawned slowly, horror creeping in. The stakes had never been higher.

In other words, if everyone chose to die so others could live, and I picked to live while others die, then my answer would be correct—I’d trade my life for everyone else’s survival.

It was a twisted version of the trolley problem, and the bus was barreling down the tracks.

On the flip side, if everyone picked to live while others die, and I picked to die so others live, then my answer would be correct, but I’d die, and the others wouldn’t survive either.

No matter what, someone had to pay the price. The logic was a trap.

So the optimal solution was for one person to pick to die, and everyone else to pick to live. That way, only one person would die and everyone else would survive.

I could see the gears turning in everyone’s heads. The answer was simple, but the sacrifice was real.

The logic was simple; everyone understood it.

The silence was suffocating. No one wanted to be the one to step forward.

People eyed each other warily. No one wanted to be the one to die.

Enemies.

Suspicion flickered from face to face. We were all strangers, but now we were competitors in a deadly game.

Autumn, pale-faced, tugged at my sleeve.

Her hand was shaking. She looked at me, eyes pleading.

"How about this? I’ll pick to live, you pick to die. That way, at least one of us will survive."

Hope, or desperation?

Her voice was brittle, but there was a strange kind of hope in it.

The other passengers’ eyes lit up.

Murmurs rippled through the bus. People nodded, some even smiled. The mood shifted, just a little.

"She’s got a point. You should listen to her."

A man near the front called out, his voice eager. Others chimed in, their desperation thinly veiled.

"It’s the best solution for everyone."

Another woman, clutching her purse, nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, and even if you choose to die, you might not actually die. Take a chance, kid."

The man in the Yankees cap winked at me, as if he thought this was all a game.

All eyes on me.

I felt the weight of their stares. My chest tightened.

No one wanted to die, but no one knew how to convince someone else to willingly sacrifice themselves.

The tension was a living thing, pressing in from all sides. I felt trapped.

Now that Autumn had volunteered me, the others immediately chimed in.

They urged me on, voices rising. I could see the relief in their faces, hoping someone else would take the fall.

Under their expectant gazes, I looked at the man with glasses—the one who’d helped me on the second question.

He sat quietly, hands folded in his lap. His expression was unreadable.

Untouchable.

He gazed out the window, looking completely unconcerned about what was happening inside the bus, as if he wasn’t worried about dying at all.

The city lights reflected in his lenses, hiding his eyes. He seemed far away.

"What did you pick?" I licked my lips, hoping for some guidance.

My voice was barely audible. I felt like a child, begging for answers.

He seemed surprised that I’d ask him now. He paused, then silently turned back to the window.

He didn’t answer, just stared into the night. The silence was deafening.

I pressed on: "Do you really think their plan will let everyone survive?"

Desperation crept into my voice. I needed him to tell me what to do.

He stayed silent, as if he hadn’t heard me at all.

The distance between us felt insurmountable. I realized I was on my own.

The other passengers couldn’t hold back anymore, urging me to hurry up and choose.

Their voices grew louder, more frantic. The pressure was unbearable.

Autumn even tried to snatch my phone.

She lunged for it, eyes wild. I pulled it away, holding it out of reach.

Enough.

I raised my hand, my voice turning cold.

My voice was icy, harder than I intended. I’d had enough.

"If you don’t follow the rules, and someone else picks for me, I bet the consequences will be even worse. Do you really dare?"

I stared them down, daring anyone to challenge me. The threat hung in the air.

The people who’d been about to act hesitated.

They shrank back, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. No one wanted to test the rules.

I stared at the group.

I met each person’s gaze, one by one. My resolve hardened.

Resolve.

"I refuse to answer this question. I won’t pick anything. Go find another scapegoat."

My voice was steady, unwavering. I meant every word.

Everyone looked at each other in confusion.

They muttered among themselves, unsure what to do next. The plan was falling apart.

Chaos.

"What do you mean?"

A woman near the back called out, her voice trembling.

I shoved my phone in my pocket, shaking off Autumn’s hand.

She tried to grab my arm, but I pulled away. I was done playing their game.

"Exactly what I said. Even if I die, I’m not going alone."

The words tasted bitter, but I meant them. I wouldn’t be their sacrifice.

Anger flashed across their faces.

Their eyes narrowed. Some muttered curses under their breath.

But there was nothing they could do. They went back to arguing—sometimes even fighting—over who should choose the self-sacrifice option.

Trapped.

Shouts and accusations filled the air. The bus felt smaller, the walls closing in.

There were four camps now: the driver, calm at the wheel; the man with glasses, staring out the window; the rest, fighting for their lives; and me, watching the chaos.

Spectator.

It was like a scene from a twisted reality show. I felt detached, almost amused by the absurdity.

As they argued, time ticked by.

The seconds dragged on, each one heavier than the last.

When the bus finally reached the stop, the five-minute countdown ended.

The brakes hissed, the engine idled. My phone vibrated, the timer flashing zero.