Kai's eyes snapped open. Darkness. Cold concrete pressed against his cheek. He tried to move — and froze. His hands were tied behind his back, heavy ropes biting into his wrists. The faint scent of mildew mixed with something metallic. Blood?
A drip. Drip… drip… drip…
The sound echoed through the empty space. And then came another sound: breathing. Not his own. Shallow. Hesitant.
"Hello?" His voice trembled.
No answer.
A faint light flickered above, revealing more than just the walls. Letters — glowing, carved into the concrete — formed a single sentence:
"WELCOME TO THE DEATH GAME. SURVIVE, OR DIE."
Kai's heart slammed against his chest.
From the shadows, a movement. A figure stumbled forward — Mei. Her calm face was gone, replaced by panic. Her hands trembled, clutching the ropes around her wrists.
"Kai… where… what is this?" she whispered. Her eyes darted around the room.
He tried to think. How had they gotten here? Yesterday, they were walking home from school. Now… this.
Another figure appeared: Luca, laughing nervously. "Well… this is… terrifying, huh?" His charm faltered; sweat dripped down his forehead. Fear was hard to hide.
Kai took a deep breath, forcing his mind to focus. "We need to stay calm," he said. "Someone put us here. And… someone is watching."
From above, the lights flickered again. Then, a cold, metallic voice echoed through hidden speakers:
"EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE IS YOUR LAST. CHOOSE CAREFULLY."
A shiver ran down their spines. Mateo swallowed hard, his eyes wide. "This… this isn't a joke. People… people die in this game."
The room seemed to shrink. Shadows stretched along the walls, twisting and coiling like living things. Each character felt it — their worst fears creeping closer.
Kai's mind raced. Think. Analyze. Survive.
In the corner, a trap door slowly creaked open. A cold gust of air blew across their faces. Something low and wet growled from below. Freya gasped. "It's… alive."
No one moved. The silence pressed down like a weight. Then another sound: a soft whisper, almost inside their heads.
"The game begins…"
Kai swallowed. His stomach churned. Somewhere deep inside, he felt it — a strange mixture of terror and determination. If they didn't find a way out…
They would die.
And so, the Death Game had begun.