The steel doors creaked open.
For a breathless second, none of the parents moved until the sound of laughter spilled into the hall. High-pitched, innocent, the laughter of children. Their children.
The parents surged forward instinctively, chains rattling as guards pushed them toward the adjoining chamber. And then they saw them Maya, Anya, Milo, Leo, and little Nisha playing freely with scattered toys under the watchful eye of an old man in a plain grey robe.
"Mommy!" Maya cried, running toward Jinni with arms outstretched. Jinni collapsed to her knees, tears streaming as she clutched her daughter so tightly it was as if she'd never let go.
One by one, parents embraced their children. Annie kissed Leo's hair again and again, whispering promises through trembling lips. Ethan held Milo close, his shoulders shaking silently. Even Rose's cold expression cracked as Anya wrapped her tiny arms around her.
For a moment, fear dissolved. For a moment, the world felt whole again.
The old man smiled gently, his hands folded behind his back. "See? They are safe. Happy. Not a scratch on them. You should thank us, not curse us."
Logan glared at him over his daughter's head. "Why are you doing this? What do you want with our kids?"
The old man tilted his head, as though amused by the question. "Me? Oh, I am no villain. I am simply… a caretaker. My job is to make sure they are well-fed, well-rested, and entertained." His smile widened, but there was something hollow in his eyes. "I love children. They are pure, unlike the parents who birthed them."
Kai's jaw clenched. "If you care about them so much, why drag us here?"
The old man's chuckle was soft, almost grandfatherly. "Because children cannot grow in the shadows of lies. They deserve to see their parents' true faces. And soon… they will."
The words settled like frost in the air.
The masked man appeared in the doorway again, his boots echoing across the room. He looked over the reunited families in silence, then let out a low laugh.
"How touching," he said, voice smooth and cutting. "Mothers weeping. Fathers swearing protection. Such beautiful illusions." He leaned closer, his demon mask catching the dim light. "Tonight, sleep in peace. Hold your children close. Dream your little dreams. Tomorrow…" His voice dropped into a chilling whisper. "…we begin."
He turned to leave, his footsteps echoing like a slow countdown. The guards followed him out, leaving behind a silence heavy enough to crush the air.
The parents were guided to separate rooms. For the first time since their nightmare began, they lay down beside their children, holding them through the night as if they could anchor them against what was coming.
But peace never truly came. Sleep was restless, haunted by dread.
In a room dimly lit by monitors, the masked man sat waiting. The old man entered quietly, bowing his head slightly before taking a seat across from him.
The masked man's distorted voice broke the silence.
"How was your day?"
The old man's lips curled into a soft smile. "Very nice. I loved playing with the children. They are innocent… trusting… so very easy to please. It almost makes me forget the filth of their parents."
The old man's eyes flickered toward the masked figure. "And what about you?"
The masked man leaned back slowly, the hollow eyes of his demon mask catching the glow of the monitors. His voice dropped to a chilling calm.
"Yeah… I also loved playing with their parents. And tomorrow…" A low laugh escaped him, sharp as a blade scraping metal. "…tomorrow the fun will grow even more."
The old man smiled faintly, as if that answer was exactly what he wanted to hear.
Morning came, but it did not bring peace.
Parents woke to the sound of heavy boots echoing down the corridor. The old man's calm voice soon followed.
"Rise and shine. Children, this way. Parents… follow me."
The children were guided gently back into the playroom, their laughter echoing once more, oblivious to the storm tightening around their families. The parents, however, were marched back into the vast hall where it all began. Chains clinked against the cold floor as they entered.
At the far end stood the masked man, waiting. Silent. Still. Like a predator that knew its prey could never escape.
When the last of them had entered, he finally spoke, his voice smooth and unnervingly calm.
"Good morning," he said. "I hope you all slept well… because you'll need your strength today."
No one answered. Only restless breathing filled the air.
The masked man tilted his head, savoring their fear.
"Now, listen carefully. From this moment forward, you will entertain our guests… by playing games."
A ripple of unease went through the group.
Rose's sharp voice cut the silence. "What is this? Some twisted imitation of Squid Game?"
The masked man chuckled, low and mocking.
"Squid Game? No, no, no. Don't insult me with copies. I have been planning this for years… long before such little spectacles ever reached your screens. Their game was fiction. Mine is reality."
His words fell like stones, heavy and merciless.
Logan's jaw tightened. "You're insane."
The masked man ignored him, turning his gaze to the center of the hall.
"You have no choice but to play. Refusal means death. Survival means possibility. Nothing more, nothing less."
The parents exchanged desperate looks. Fear. Rage. Despair. But none dared speak again.
The masked man raised a gloved hand.
"Let's prepare our main contestants."
The steel walls groaned, and a massive screen flickered to life above the hall. The parents gasped as the faces of their children appeared one by one smiling, laughing, completely unaware of the horror unfolding.
Sara's hand flew to her mouth. Jinni began trembling so violently she could barely stand. Ethan's eyes filled with tears, his pale face drained of all strength.
The masked man's voice deepened, carrying an edge sharp enough to cut.
"There they are. Your reason for obedience. Your reason for suffering. Every game you play, every choice you make, will be for them."
He let the silence stretch until it became unbearable. Then, softly, he whispered through the mask:
"So… let us begin."