Lucas POV
We were standing in the room, the tension so thick it was hard to breathe. Her words kept ringing in my ears—‘15 minutes to prepare.’ But what the hell were we supposed to prepare for? It’s not like we had any idea what was about to happen. I could see the same worry in Nathalie, Abigail, and Finn’s faces. No one knew what to say, what to do. 
Nathalie kept asking, "Can one of you tell me what are we supposed to prepare, huh? How do you prepare for something like this?"
Abigail didn’t say a word. She just stood there, frozen, her eyes wide like she wasn’t even seeing anything anymore. Finn kept looking at all of us, trying to stay calm, but it was obvious he didn’t know what to do either. 
I glanced at Abigail. She looked so lost, so scared. It hurt me to see her like that. I took a step forward and reached out, touching her arm gently. “Hey... are you alright?”
She didn’t even look at me. It was like she was somewhere else, far away from this nightmare we were all stuck in. I could see it in her eyes—she was traumatized, terrified of whatever was coming next. Her body was here, but her mind? It was already gone.
Finn spoke up, trying to reassure all of us. "Listen, we have to play her game. If we think like Emery, we can survive this. It’s all about skills and thinking. Emery is smart, but she’s not unbeatable. We just need to do what she always does—use our heads."
I glanced around the room, scanning the faces of the others. There were 14 participants left besides the four of us. I counted three Black Elites, five Blue, and five Red. Adding Emery’s family and us, that made 21 people in total. Twenty-one lives hanging in the balance of her twisted game.
Then, I spotted someone—Alex Yomoto. A Blue Elite. I knew him, half-Japanese, tough guy, but he always kept to himself. He noticed me staring, and I nodded. “Guys... I’ll be back,” I told the others, before walking toward him.
“Alex,” I said, extending my hand. He gave me a quick handshake, a small smirk on his face. “You alright?”
“I’m good... for now,” he replied, his voice steady. But I could tell he was just as scared as the rest of us.
“We should stick together,” I told him. “Come with me. I’ve got Finn, Nathalie, and Abigail with me. We need to think this through, and we’ll have a better chance if we all work together.”
Alex looked at me for a second before letting out a short laugh, brushing a hand through my hair like we were old friends. “Didn’t expect you to come up with that idea, but... alright. Let’s do it.”
We walked back to the others, and I introduced Alex to Finn, Nathalie, and Abigail. Nathalie, always trying to make light of things, decided to crack a joke. “If I die,” she said, “I swear, Emery better not show up at my funeral. I’ll wake up just to drag her down with me.”
The five of us laughed, even though it was weak and nervous. But it was enough to ease the tension, even if just for a second. 
Finn chuckled, and I found myself smiling, too. It was the only way to keep our heads on straight, to stop thinking about the madness we were about to face. 
But the laughter died quickly when we were interrupted by ‘her’ voice. Emery’s voice, cold and commanding. "Time's up," she said. "The first round begins now."
I felt my stomach drop. This was it. The games were about to begin, and I knew there was no turning back now.
The five of us exchanged looks, a silent understanding passing between us. We had to survive. That was all that mattered. I didn’t care if I made it out alive as long as Abigail did. I’d make sure she survived, no matter what.
Emery’s voice echoed in my head. The first round was a test of endurance. We would be tied up in chains, and the key to free ourselves was hidden somewhere in the room. If we didn’t find it in time, the chains would tighten... around our necks, choking the life out of us.
I could already feel the pressure building in my chest as we rushed toward the area, along with the others. Mr. Aurorium, Noah, everyone. The air was thick with fear and desperation. 
Before I stepped into my room, I turned back to Abigail, Nathalie, Finn, and Alex. “Make sure you all survive this round. If you don’t, I’ll be the one scolding you once we’re out of here.”
They all nodded, trying to smile, but the fear in their eyes was clear. We were all scared, but there was no time for that now.
“Let’s get this over with,” I muttered, stepping into the room.
The door slammed shut behind me. The sound echoed in the small, dark space. My breathing quickened as I felt the cold, heavy chains wrap around my neck. They weren’t tight yet, but I knew it was only a matter of time.
I touched the chain with my fingers, feeling the rough metal digging slightly into my skin. My pulse raced. I knew the key was hidden somewhere in the room, but how was I supposed to find it with my neck on the line, literally? The seconds felt like they were slipping through my hands, and with each tick, I knew the chains would get tighter.
I had to move. Had to think fast.
My hands were shaking as I started feeling around, hoping to find something—anything—that could give me a clue to where the key was. Every moment felt longer, heavier, as if time itself was pressing down on me. My breath hitched. The thought of those chains tightening sent waves of panic through me. If I didn't find the key soon... it was over.
I won’t die like this, I told myself. Not here, not now.
I kept searching, my fingers grazing the walls, the floor, anything in the room. The chains started to tighten, just a little, but enough to make me gasp. The pressure on my throat increased, making it harder to breathe. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my ears. I tried to focus, but it was getting harder to stay calm.
The chains tightened more around my neck. I could feel the cold metal digging into my skin now, squeezing. My breath hitched, short and panicked, like someone had just punched me in the chest. I had to find the key, but the room was dark, and my fingers were already trembling. 
I staggered, my vision blurring as the pressure on my throat grew heavier. My hands fumbled across the cold floor, desperate, trying to find anything that could lead me to the key. Nothing. No sharp edges, no sounds. Just silence and the tightening of the chains.
Why did I tell them I’d scold them if they didn’t survive? I couldn’t even be sure I’d make it out myself. My thoughts felt like they were spiraling, slipping away from me. My mind was racing, but my body felt frozen, like every second was weighing me down.
“Breathe,” I whispered to myself, but it didn’t help. I was losing air.
A sharp pain shot through my throat as the chains tightened even more, cutting off my breath. My heart was pounding now, fast and loud, and the room felt like it was spinning. I reached out, blindly, and my hand brushed against something. Something small. A key.
I grabbed it, my fingers shaking so bad I almost dropped it. This had to be it. This was my only shot. The chains were squeezing harder now, every second feeling like it could be my last. I tried to shove the key into the lock, but my vision was fading, my grip too weak. 
Come on. I need to get out. I need to survive.
I forced the key into the lock, twisting it with all the strength I had left. There was a click. The chains loosened, just barely, but enough for me to gasp for air. My body collapsed onto the floor, breathless, the chains falling away from my neck. My hand still clutched the key as I lay there, trying to gather my strength.
I’m alive. Wow. I made it... for now.
But this was only the beginning. The others... what about the others? I had to make sure they were okay. Pushing myself up, I forced my legs to stand, my breathing ragged. The door creaked open, signaling the end of the first round, but I wasn’t feeling any relief.
I stumbled out into the hallway, blinking against the sudden light. My throat still burned, and every breath felt like fire, but I had to find them. Abigail, Finn, Nathalie, Alex—where were they? Were they safe?
I looked around, waiting, hoping to see their faces come through their own doors. 
This was just round one. I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could take.
Seconds ticked by, each one like a punch to my gut. The room was too quiet, except for the faint sound of chains loosening from the others' rooms. Mr. Aurorium was the first to step out, calm, like he hadn’t just been choking on metal a minute ago. Then Noah and a few Black and Blue Elites stumbled out. But still… no sign of the people I cared about the most. 
I kept my eyes locked on Finn’s door, barely breathing. When it finally opened, he came out, rubbing his neck, gasping like he hadn’t tasted air in hours. He looked pale, shaky, and before he could fall, I was there, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him up. 
“Breathe, Finn,” I muttered, my own voice trembling, trying to keep it together. But Finn wasn’t even steady on his feet, he was barely holding on. “Come on, just breathe.”
Then, Nathalie’s door swung open. She stumbled out, her neck turned a deep red, and she was gasping hard, her breaths sharp and quick. Alex followed, pale and rubbing his neck too. He looked like he’d almost given up in there, like he didn’t have anything left to fight with. I rushed to them, helping them to the corner, trying to keep them steady.
Nathalie let out a wheezing breath, her voice barely a whisper. "Abigail…"
My heart stopped. I spun around, my eyes darting to Abigail’s door. The display above it still showed she was inside, still playing. The clock was ticking. My blood boiled, and I locked my gaze on Emery, sitting so casually, sipping tea like this was some kind of joke. Damnit. How could she just sit there? Doesn’t she care?
I rushed toward her, fury burning in my chest. “Let Abigail out!” I shouted, my voice cracking with desperation. But before I could get close, James stepped in front of me, blocking my way. 
“Move!” I yelled, pushing his arm aside, trying to get past him. But James was strong, shoving me back with ease.
“She’s going to die in there!” I screamed, my throat raw from the panic. I wasn’t thinking straight. I just knew I had to get her out, I had to do something.
I dodged James' grip and pushed him back, hard. For a second, I thought I had a clear shot, but then I felt cold steel against my skin. The barrel of James' gun was pointed straight at me, and I froze. 
Emery’s voice cut through the tension, calm, almost mocking. “Isn’t this the answer you’ve been looking for?” she asked, her eyes cold. “Isn’t this what you wanted to see?”
Her words sliced through me, but she didn’t stop there. “If Abigail hasn’t come out by now, it’s just a reflection of how weak she is.”
I snapped. Without thinking, I shoved the gun away from my face and charged toward Abigail’s door. I kicked at it, slammed my fists into it, anything to get it open. “Abigail!” I yelled, my voice breaking. “Come out! Please, come out!”
I kept kicking, my legs growing weaker with every hit. Finn and Alex grabbed my arms, pulling me back, telling me it was no use. I wanted to believe them, but I couldn’t. Not when she was still in there. Not when she could be dying.
Then, the door creaked open. Just a little. And then I heard it—a faint whisper. “Help…”
I didn’t think. I just moved. I rushed inside and saw her, lying on the floor, gasping for air. Abigail looked so small, so fragile. Her neck was deep red, almost violet, like she’d been on the edge of… no, I couldn’t think about that.
I lifted her up, my arms shaking as I carried her out. Her body was limp against me, and I laid her down next to Nathalie. She wasn’t breathing right. Her eyes were half-closed, her breaths too shallow. 
"Please, Abigail... not now," I muttered, panic gripping my chest. I couldn't lose her. Not like this.
Just then, Emery’s voice echoed through the room again, announcing a ten-minute break. A damn break, as if we had time to relax. But I couldn’t focus on that. I couldn’t focus on anything except the fact that Abigail was barely hanging on.
My heart was pounding in my chest as I knelt beside her, watching the seconds slip away. Ten minutes. That’s all we had. And it wasn’t enough.