MAT:
There's a sack over my head.
It smells disgusting.
I hear people's voices.
I'm not alone.
My heart is pounding like it's about to tear out of my chest.
I can't breathe.
My eye…
My eye burns.
A few seconds later, the sack is pulled aside.
Light stabs into my eyes.
I look to my right.
Kids my age.
CHILD: "What's happening?"
His voice is shaking.
MAN: "Shut your mouth. You'll be informed."
While the men talk among themselves, a whisper reaches my ear.
ONE OF THE MEN (whispering): "Their families sold them. Said they had magical power."
OTHER MAN: "Or else?"
ONE OF THE MEN: "Or else we kill them."
MAT:
Sold…?
Did my family sell me?
Why?
For what?
I look at my chest.
There's a number written there.
MAT — 666
MAN (loudly): "Stand up."
MAT:
No one moved right away.
My legs were numb.
My knees were shaking.
MAN: "As you can see, you all have numbers on you."
A pair of boots passed by my side.
Slow.
Careless.
MAN: "You no longer have names."
MAN: "Names are useless."
He stopped.
MAN: "From now on, you will be called by your numbers."
Silence.
MAN: "Did you hear me?"
No one answered.
Suddenly, a gunshot exploded.
MAT:
The kid on my left collapsed to the ground.
He didn't even scream.
He just fell.
MAN (calmly): "Now?"
All of us jumped to our feet at the same time.
My heart was pounding in my ears.
The man walked in front of us one by one.
He looked at my chest.
MAN: "Six… six… six…"
He paused.
Smiled.
MAN: "Interesting."
MAN: "666."
MAT:
I raised my head.
We locked eyes.
MAN (whispering): "You will either live a very long time…"
MAN: "Or you'll be the first to die."
He turned his back.
MAN (loudly): "Welcome…"
He paused.
MAN: "To the program."
…
MAN: "The test begins now."
MAT:
They led us through a long, narrow corridor.
The walls were gray.
Cold.
We stopped in front of a door.
MAN: "Listen carefully."
We all went silent.
MAN: "In this room, you will trust no one."
I looked at the door.
MAN: "No friendship…"
Short pause.
MAN: "No mercy."
My heart sped up.
MAN: "Everything is allowed."
I heard someone swallow.
MAN: "If you want to live."
The door opened.
They shoved us inside.
MAT:
The room…
Was empty.
Concrete walls.
No windows.
The door slammed shut behind us.
In the middle, there was only one thing.
A pillow.
Dirty.
Old.
No one spoke.
Everyone stared at the pillow.
Then we looked at each other.
No one approached.
No one moved.
That's when I understood.
This test wasn't about the pillow.
It was about us.
Who would make the first move?
Who would attack first?
My breath tightened.
My heart raced.
My head began to buzz.
MAT (inner voice): "Trust no one…"
I took a step back.
Someone stepped forward.
…
MAT:
The kid who stepped forward caught my eye.
I saw the number on his chest.
215
What's wrong with this guy?
Why is he so calm?
215 took another step.
He didn't even look at the pillow.
He looked at us.
One by one.
Then he spoke.
215: "Honestly, you should've figured it out by now."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
215: "First rule: Trust no one."
The room grew even quieter.
215: "Second warning: Everything is allowed."
He paused.
Smiled.
215: "So even if you kill someone here…"
He tilted his head slightly.
215: "That's not a problem."
MAT:
It felt like I'd been punched in the stomach.
Kill…?
Here?
We're… kids.
But no one objected.
No one spoke.
Everyone's gaze had changed.
No one saw anyone as human anymore.
I looked at the pillow.
Then at 215.
Then at the others.
One person's hand was shaking.
Another clenched their teeth.
My heart raced again.
My head throbbed.
MAT (inner voice):
"There's only one way to survive this…"
A step toward the pillow.
Two people—at the same time.
And that's when I understood…
The winner of this test wouldn't be the strongest.
It would be the one who attacked first.
…
MAT:
215 looked at me.
Smiled.
That smile…
Was wrong.
MAT (inner voice):
"He's going to kill me."
"Am I the target?"
My heart pounded harder.
My chest started to hurt.
ONE OF THE MEN: "The first night has begun."
A voice came from beside the door.
MAN: "Lie down."
The lights went out.
MAT:
The room sank into darkness.
Everyone lay down on their pillows.
But I could feel it.
No one was sleeping.
Breathing…
Silent, but alert.
I closed my eyes.
MAT (inner voice):
"Why am I getting sleepy?"
"My head feels heavy…"
"No…"
"Don't…"
215 (to himself, quietly):
"Hmm… being able to see even without light is nice."
I heard his footsteps.
Silent.
Light.
215: "I wonder who I should kill first…"
He paused.
215: "666…"
A faint laugh.
215: "Scared little cat."
215: "Better kill him now."
215: "Silent steps…"
215: "Alright, going to finish the job."
MEN (behind the cameras):
MAN 1: "215 is heading toward number 666."
MAN 1: "Think he'll kill him?"
MAN 1: "Let's bet."
Laughter.
MAN 2: "He'll kill him."
MAN 2: "Two gold."
MAN 3: "I'm in. He'll kill him."
MAN 3: "Four gold."
Brief silence.
MAN 4: "I say 666 kills."
MAN 4: "Ten gold."
Laughter erupted.
MAN 1: "Are you insane?"
MAN 1: "666 is sleeping."
MAN 1: "How would he kill anyone?"
MAN 4: "Let me say just one thing."
Silence.
MAN 4: "Do you know what 666 means?"
No one answered.
MAN 4: "The devil's number."
MAN 4: "This can't be a coincidence."
The laughter stopped.
Faces turned serious.
MAT:
I felt a breath.
Very close.
Before I opened my eyes…
215: "Number…"
Almost a whisper.
215: "Sorry."
A cold hand reached for my throat.
215: "You're dying just because you're weak."
215: "In this world, the strong win."
And at that moment…
Something snapped.
MAT:
Ah…
Yes.
The weak die.
Right?
I grabbed his hand.
Tightly.
Took a deep breath.
Smiled.
MAT: "Ahahahaha…"
MAT: "Yes…"
MAT: "Come on."
That voice wasn't mine.
MAT: "Let the blood fountain begin, baby."
215: "What the hell?!"
He couldn't pull his hand away.
215: "Those eyes…"
215: "Red—"
215: "Why are they red?!"
…
MAT:
I grabbed 215's head.
Very hard.
My fingers tightened on their own.
I felt something crack beneath the bone.
MAT (smiling):
"Your only crime…"
My breath was hot.
MAT:
"…was that I was weak."
I grinned.
215: "You bastard—"
He didn't finish.
A sound came out.
Wet.
Short.
Horrifying.
320: "What's happening?!"
320: "What was that sound?!"
320: "Did someone die?!"
MAT:
There was something warm in my hand.
Shining in the dark.
Blood.
It slid down my fingers.
I brought my hand to my mouth.
Licked it.
MAT (whispering):
"Oh…"
It spread across my tongue.
MAT:
"Perfect taste…"
I paused.
MAT:
"I missed this taste."
MAN 1 (behind the camera): "WHAT?!"
MAN 1: "WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!"
MAN 2: "WHAT WAS THAT?!"
MAN 2: "HOW WAS HE SLEEPING?!"
MAN 2: "WHAT DID HE DO?!"
He leaned closer to the screen.
MAN 2:
"Look at those eyes…"
"Like he's about to eat someone."
MAN 3:
Swallowed.
After a long silence, he spoke.
MAN 3:
"We…"
"I think…"
"We brought a monster."
MAN 4 (laughing): "HAHAHAHA."
He stood up.
MAN 4: "I'll take the money."
MAT:
My head started spinning.
The heat in my eyes intensified.
My heart…
Was no longer racing.
It was calming down.
That was worse.
Suddenly everything…
Went dark.
BLACKOUT
MAT:
When I opened my eyes…
The room was silent.
There was a metallic taste in my mouth.
My hands…
Were wet.
Red.
But I remembered nothing.
Only one thought remained:
MAT (inner voice):
"What did I do…?"