Chapter 5 A Whisper In The Walls

• The ladder led them into a narrow corridor bare concrete walls, dim emergency lights flickering overhead. It felt like descending into a bunker, or a forgotten tomb. The silence pressed in on them from all sides, so thick it seemed to swallow even the sound of their breathing.
• Theo whispered, “We shouldn’t be down here.”
• No one disagreed.
• At the end of the hallway was a steel door. A red handprint stained the handle.
• “I’m not touching that,” Zara muttered.
• Niko stepped forward without hesitation. “We’re already in. No use pretending we have control anymore.”
• He opened the door.
• Inside, the space was strange. Too clean. Fluorescent lights buzzed from the ceiling. Desks lined the walls, each with a folder, a pen, and a small mounted camera pointing down from the ceiling.
• Liana narrowed her eyes. “This looks like an observation room.”
• There were eight chairs. One for each of them.
• Another screen blinked on.
• GAME THREE: CONFESS OR SUFFER
• Sit. Read what’s in front of you. Speak your truth.
• No one moved.
• Then the folders started shaking. One snapped open on its own.
• Zara jumped. “Did you see that?”
• Marcus walked to the nearest folder and picked it up. His expression didn’t change, but something in his jaw tightened. “It knows about us.”
• Elijah scoffed. “Yeah, no kidding.”
• “No,” Marcus said. “I mean everything. Things I’ve never told anyone.”
• Theo grabbed his own folder and tore it open. “This is insane”
• He stopped. Color drained from his face.
• Liana watched him, her eyes scanning every twitch. “What does yours say?”
• Theo didn’t answer.
• The screen blinked again.
• Begin. Player One: Theo. Confess.
• You have 60 seconds.
• A digital clock appeared beside the screen, counting down from 60.
• Theo froze. “I I don’t even know what I’m supposed to say.”
• “Just tell the truth,” Niko said evenly. “Say whatever’s in the folder.”
• Theo’s eyes filled with panic. “I can’t. I can’t say it.”
• The timer hit 20.
• “I didn’t mean for it to happen,” Theo said suddenly, his voice cracking. “It was my brother’s fault. He told me to do it I didn’t know the pills would kill her. I just”
• 00:00.
• The lights snapped off.
• A high pitched ringing filled the air. Theo screamed.
• When the lights flicked back on, he was curled on the floor, clutching his head, nose bleeding.
• “What the hell was that?” Zara cried out.
• The screen changed again.
• LIE DETECTED.
• PAIN ADMINISTERED.
• No one dared move.
• Next: Player Two. Marcus. Confess.
• Marcus looked calm, but Niko noticed the smallest flicker in his expression.
• He stood, picked up his folder, and spoke clearly.
• “I was a paramedic. Four years. Once, I let someone die. On purpose. He was a monster, but no one knew. I did. I watched the light leave his eyes, and I didn’t save him. And I never told anyone. Until now.”
• Silence.
• The lights stayed on. The screen flashed:
• TRUTH ACCEPTED.
• Marcus sat down again, calm as ever.
• Liana whispered to herself, “This isn’t just about escape. It’s watching how we break.”
• And behind her, Niko stayed still. too still.
• Because unlike the others, his folder hadn’t opened.
• Because the game already knew his secret.
• And it wasn’t time… yet.