Chapter 1 - The Invitation

Nicole and Eric, two close lovers, aren't exactly well off. They've accrued more student debt than they can handle and they're basically living paycheck to paycheck. They don't have any of the newest devices or the nicest appliances, they've got just enough to get them by. A barely stocked fridge, a near empty medicine cabinet, and of course a small studio apartment that they got for as cheap as they could. Despite that, they're still by each others' side until the very end, and they both want the best for each other. Even when life is beating them down, they don't let themselves see each other as less, and make it known when they have fun in the bedroom.

It was a Saturday, and this was the one day of the week the couple could totally relax and not worry about having to go out and do anything. They were snuggling on the couch and watching a movie on their small 32 inch tv when something slipped in the mail slot. Nicole got up to get it. It was a letter. She sat back down, opened it up, and read it.

"Dear resident,

We know how hard times can get and you feel like you need a way out, to make a little extra just to take a step in the right direction. Fortunately for you, our apartment complex is partnering with an offshore scientific community known as H.G.I., and would love to invite your unit to the proposal they've given us.

You and your unit will spend 30 days on a remote island where you will enjoy luxury suites, exotic cuisine, and a grand payout of $500,000. All you need to do is participate in a social experiment meant to test the limits of human motivation and strong-willed individuals. More details will be given to you soon should you accept, but revealing more now will unfortunately harm the group's results.

If you wish to participate, please show up to the private dock at the address provided at 10 a.m. tomorrow. We can't wait to see you there.

Best wishes,
Your landlord"

H.G.I...Neither Nicole or Eric had heard the name before. They pulled out the laptop and did a bit of research, and could find absolutely nothing. No corporate office, no achievements list. If this was a trustworthy scientific organization, they must not be very good at publishing their work. Regardless, that promise of $500,000 seemed so enticing. It could resolve all their debt and finally get them out of the hole they were trapped in. It was going to take some thinking and it sounded very shady, but that prize seemed too good to pass up.

Later that night, Nicole and Eric felt like getting it on. They hopped into bed, stripped each other down, and enjoyed a wild night of playtime. As always, when Eric blew his load, he blew quite a lot. Nicole always felt extremely bloated afterwards and made that known by demanding that Eric rubbed her belly. When settling in for the night, Nicole said, "I think we should try that island thing out. Finally get out of this shitty place for a while, and possibly have enough to pay our debt and then some? I can't refuse that"

"Yeah, you're right," Eric responded. "We can start packing in the morning".

Morning came around and the two were excited to leave for the dock. They grabbed their suitcases and rushed out the door, not bothering to empty the fridge of perishables(not like there were many to begin with) or turn all the lights off.

By the time they got to the dock, there was a massive cruise ship sitting at it and a sea of people waiting in line to board. Just how many people got invited to this? After 3 grueling hours, Nicole and Eric finally got on board, and everyone was instructed to wait. The island was only about 40 minutes away.

The boat finally arrived, and everyone flooded out and into a large air conditioned facility. Staff members in lab coats led them to the dormitory section of the facility and assigned each group a room. Nicole and Erics' room was almost entirely white and looked like they had travelled to the future. A cozy living room, a spacious kitchen, and a king sized bed. Eric was most excited about that part. What the couple found odd was a large industrial sized scale in the center of the oversized bathroom. Nicole kept her concern about it at the back of her mind, but didn't let it bother her too much.

After unpacking and getting settled in, the intercom system came roaring in as the speaker tried to clear her throat, "Attention residents," she said in a bright cheerful tone, like she was speaking to a group of elementary school students about to go to recess. "We hope you're enjoying your stay so far, but we have an exciting announcement to make. Orientation begins in 30 minutes and starts with a nice dinner for each and every one of you. Please begin making your way to the dining hall and don't hesitate to ask our staff for directions."