You watch the screen, your stomach churning as the same scene loops over and over—dozens of people slapped, humiliated, and manipulated by a man with a calm, almost amused expression. His name? You don’t know. Maybe he never gave it. All you remember is the sick satisfaction in his eyes.

Your gaze shifts from the screen to the blank void that has settled deep inside you. The void feels heavy, gnawing at your resolve, but you remind yourself why you’re here. The red-clad guard's voice cuts through your thoughts:

“The first game: Red Light, Green Light.”

It sounds simple enough. Beat all the games, survive, and win the money you desperately need—for the surgery that might give you a chance to live a little longer. For Cameron, your brother. You promised him you wouldn’t leave him alone in this world, not after losing Mom and Dad. This isn’t just about you. It’s about him.

The players around you, all clad in identical teal tracksuits, murmur nervously. Some look determined, others terrified. You’re not sure who to trust—or if trust even matters here. Everyone is here for their own reasons, their own desperation. You take your place at the starting line, heart pounding as you focus on the massive doll ahead, its lifeless eyes scanning the field.

You tell yourself it’s easy. Run when she says "Green Light," stop when she says "Red Light." Simple. But a small voice in your head whispers that you can cheat. Just jog a little more when she calls “Red Light.” No one will notice, right?

“Green Light!”

The crowd surges forward. Hundreds of feet pound against the ground as the game begins. Your legs move before you even realize it, adrenaline drowning out every thought.

“Red Light!”

You’re mid-step, thinking you can push just a bit further, when a hand yanks your collar back with surprising force. You stumble but freeze, startled by the stranger's rough grab your collar

"If you run. You're dead" he says, soon, the shots fired, blood everywhere...on your face

It's not just a game