Chapter 7 The Clock Is Ticking

• Carved into the walls were symbols strange, ancient runes. They glowed dimly, each time in a different sequence.
• “It’s a memory puzzle,” Theo breathed. “We’re supposed to repeat the sequence. One mistake and someone dies.”
• “I’m not doing this,” Zara said, her voice cracking. “I’m not. I’m not good with memory. I mess up even my own phone PIN.
• “It’s not optional,” Niko said quietly. “We all play, or someone gets eliminated.”
• Elijah scowled. “Who made you the leader?”
• “I didn’t say I was. I’m just not looking to die here.”
• They approached the podiums, each one lighting up as they stood behind it. As soon as the last person stepped into position, the pillar glowed and a sequence began three runes lit up in a pattern: red, green, blue.
• Easy enough.
• The lights faded.
• A beat of silence.
• Then Caleb reached forward and pressed the red rune. Green. Blue. The pillar pulsed approvingly.
• Then again: blue, yellow, green, red.
• Longer.
• Faster.
• Each round, the sequence grew.
• By the sixth round, sweat beaded on everyone’s faces. Ivy was visibly shaking. Marcus offered a reassuring nod to her, his fingers perfectly still over his panel. He hadn’t hesitated once.
• The ninth round.
• Too long. Twelve symbols.
• Theo hesitated.
• “Niko, what was the third?” he whispered.
• Niko didn’t look at him. “Orange.”
• Theo hit it.
• Correct.
• Liana’s hands trembled. “I can’t I forgot”
• “You have to guess,” Marcus said, calmly.
• She chose one.
• Wrong.
• An alarm blared.
• A trapdoor opened under her feet fast, final.
• She was gone.
• The group screamed.
• Elijah surged forward to the pillar. “Bring her back! You can’t do that!”
• “Failure has consequences,” the voice said. “You now have seven players remaining.”
• Silence descended like a curtain.
• No one moved.
• Ivy’s lips parted, but no words came out.
• Then Niko said, “We have to keep going.”
• “You didn’t even blink,” Zara snapped at him. “She just died, and you’re already ready to move on?”
• He turned toward her, something unreadable in his eyes. “Because if we stop, more of us will die.”
• For a moment, no one could argue with that.
• Then the room shifted again, the walls sliding back like a mechanical iris opening. A staircase appeared, spiraling downward.
• “Another level,” Theo whispered. “It never ends.”
• They descended together, one step at a time.
• Some still crying.
• Some silent.
• One of them smiling.
• But no one saw that.
• The hallway curved unnaturally, as if the house had shifted while they slept. Zara swore the stairway wasn’t there yesterday. Now it stretched into shadows, steps creaking under the weight of something invisible.
• “Is this even the same floor?” Theo asked, his voice low.
• “I don’t remember that door,” Leah murmured, pointing to a steel vault halfway down the corridor.
• They moved slowly, tense. Every sound echoed. Niko walked ahead without hesitation, his steps steady, eyes scanning the walls like he could see behind them.
• “Why are you so calm?” Zara finally snapped, her nerves fraying. “Do you know something we don’t?”
• Niko paused but didn’t turn around. “Panicking won’t change what’s coming.”