Breaking into their high school was supposed to be a stupid, harmless adventure—just something to laugh about later. No one was around this late, and with a doorstop wedged in place, there was no risk of getting trapped. Or so they thought.

Miles was the first to notice the basement door, its chipped paint and rusted hinges practically begging to be explored. “We’ve come this far,” he grinned, pushing it open. Inside, the basement was disappointingly empty—just a few stacked desks, forgotten textbooks, and a musty smell that clung to the air.

They turned back—only to find the door shut.

Theo yanked at the handle. Locked. No signal, no internet. Their phones might as well have been bricks.

“Well,” Liv sighed, stuffing her hands into her hoodie. “Guess we’re stuck.”

With no choice but to wait until morning, they wandered deeper into the basement. That’s when Amara spotted the old, two-sided chalkboard. She gave it a lazy spin, and the room fell silent.

𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙤. 𝙇𝙞𝙫. 𝘼𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙖. 𝙅𝙪𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣.

All five of their names were written in neat, smudged chalk. Beneath them, a message:

Each of you is hiding a secret from the others. If you fail to tell the truth by morning, your secrets will be posted to your social media accounts.

The air grew thick.

“What kind of sick joke is this?” Julian muttered.

No one answered. Because deep down, they all knew—this wasn’t just a prank. It was real. And someone knew exactly what they were hiding.