Chapter 21 A Game Within A Game

• The night was inky, Room 305’s lamplight casting a cold white halo on the misted window. On the whiteboard, marker strokes outlined a plan under bold letters: [Reverse Trap]—steps listed: fake disbandment → spread “misunderstanding” narrative → wait for the prey → close the net.
• “I didn’t sign up for drama school!” Ryan wailed from the top bunk, his messy hair like lightning-struck straw, fingers gripping the railing. “This plan’s too…”
• “Your mopey face was made for brooding youth roles,” Kevin said, not looking up, his keyboard clacking as five code windows glowed on his screen, blue light dancing on his glasses. “Role assignments: one rage-quits the group, one’s a gaming addict, one denies all things supernatural, and the last…” He hit Enter. “…plays brooding scholar in the library.”