You scan the bus, your heart pounding. Miraculously, there's one empty seat remaining. With a surge of relief, you claim it and settle in. Just as you sit down, the bus lurches forward, accelerating into motion.

At first, everything seems normal. Your fellow passengers appear to be ordinary people, each lost in their own thoughts. But as you glance around, you start to notice a disturbing shift. Some individuals remain unchanged, their human features steady. Others... others begin to contort and mutate. Skin turns scaly, eyes glow with an inhuman light, and razor-sharp claws extend from fingers. The bus seems to grow colder, the shadows deepening and twisting into grotesque forms that move of their own accord.

A voice, low and gravelly, speaks over the intercom. "Welcome to the bus game!" it growls. "Thank you for coming aboard. I'm sure you'll find your journey...enlightening."

The words are met with a chilling chorus of cheers and laughter from your fellow passengers. You spin around, trying to locate the source of the voice, and your gaze meets that of a boy across from you. Unlike the others, his face remains calm, almost serene. Their eyes lock onto yours, and you sense a flicker of understanding.