My world went dark, and I felt like I was drowning in an endless ocean. The last thing I remembered was Alex's voice, his words echoing in my mind like a haunting melody. "Run." But run from what? Or who? The questions swirled in my head like a maelstrom, making my brain ache. I tried to move, but my body felt heavy, as if it was anchored to the ground. Slowly, I began to come to, my senses returning like a flickering flame. I was lying on a cold, hard floor, my head throbbing with a dull pain. I groggily sat up, looking around me. I was in a small, dimly lit room with concrete walls and a single, flickering light bulb hanging from the ceiling. There was a door, but it was locked, and I had no idea where I was or how I got there. Panic set in, my heart racing like a jackrabbit. I scrambled to my feet, stumbling towards the door. I pounded on it with my fists, screaming for help, but my voice was hoarse and barely audible. The door didn't budge, and I was met with an eerie silence. I spun around, my eyes scanning the room for any sign of Alex or Rachel. But I was alone. The memory of Alex's face flashed in my mind, his eyes filled with concern and guilt. What did he know? And why had he disappeared? I thought back to the coding competition, the tension between us, the spark of attraction that I couldn't ignore. But now, it all seemed like a distant dream. The only thing that mattered was survival. I had to get out of this place, no matter what. I began to search the room, looking for any weakness in the door or walls. But it was like a prison cell, designed to keep me trapped. I was starting to lose hope when I heard the sound of footsteps outside the door. Heavy, deliberate footsteps. My heart skipped a beat as I realized I wasn't alone. The door creaked open, and a figure loomed in the doorway. I tried to step back, but my feet felt rooted to the spot. The figure stepped forward, its features illuminated by the faint light. And that's when I saw him. A stranger with a twisted grin spreading across his face. "Welcome," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "You're just in time for the main event." And with that, he reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the door. I tried to resist, but he was too strong. As I was dragged out of the room, I caught a glimpse of something that made my blood run cold. A sign on the wall, with two words that made my heart stop. "Game Begins."