I couldn't move for a second. My eyes were still trying to understand what just happened. The sky was a lie. The sun was a lie. Everything we trusted was fake.
I took a slow breath."So… that's it?" I said quietly. "We were walking under a screen."
"A whole city," Omar said. "A fake sky. Fake sun. Fake distance. Only the fear is real,"
I looked at the sky again. It looked like a cage.
"So, there's no outside," I said. "Just this."
Omar nodded slowly."Which means," he said, "someone built this. And someone is watching."
"Then we're not lost," I said. "We're kept."
Omar looked at me."Yeah," he said. "And that's worse."
Losing all hope, we sat down on the road. The truth had drained us. My legs burned. I wanted to rest, even for one minute. But they didn't let me.
The sky above us became dark. The sun faded.
I knew what that meant.
"It's starting," I said.
Omar looked up. "Another game?"
I stood and scanned the distance. "The arena, where could it be?"
My eyes caught the frozen plane far away. Over a tall building. Cold. Silent.
"There," I said. "That's it."
Omar followed my stare. His face dropped."That's far."
"Too far," I said. "We're almost a mile away."
Before we could think, the voice came.
SYSTEM:"Next arena selected: Residential Tower. All players have five minutes to reach the arena."
My heart sank. I closed my eyes for a second. I already knew what would come next.
"We're dead," I whispered.
Omar stood up fast. "We have to run."
"Fast as possible," I said. "Now."
We ran.
The road felt endless. This time Omar didn't pull ahead. He stayed beside me. Not because he wanted to. Because he couldn't. He was tired.
Then the system spoke again.
SYSTEM:"This round will be played solo."
My stomach dropped.
I looked at Omar while running."They're separating us."
He didn't answer. His jaw was tight.
We didn't stop. We couldn't.
At last, the building rose in front of us.
We crossed the line with barely any strength left.
SYSTEM:"Time remaining: One minute and twenty-five seconds."
Inside the entrance, two buckets were placed on the floor.
For us, maybe.
I grabbed one. Omar grabbed another.
He looked around."Where are the others? There should be five players, right?"
Before I could answer the voice came again.
SYSTEM:"Time is up. Each player must take one bucket. Proceed to the floor number written on your bucket."
"Objective: Collect as many cute little pandas as possible.
"Only the highest score will advance."
I looked at Omar."Does this mean only one of us will survive?" I asked quietly.
"Only one way to find out," he said.
My bucket had the number 4.His had 1.
We were far from each other.
"Don't worry," Omar said. "There are five floors. There must be other players too. And like before, three of us will win. Just stay positive. Do what they say."
I nodded. I didn't really believe it, but I had no choice.
In front of us were two ways — a lift and a staircase.
"I'll take the stairs," I said. "You're too tired."
He agreed."Good luck," he said."You too," I replied.
I reached the fourth floor.The door had my name on it.
They planned this. Every part of it.
I went inside. It was dark. Only a little light.The walls were black, like they were eating the light.
It was someone's home.A small family. A father. A mother. A son.Their photo was on the table.
I shook my head. No time.
There was a panda beside the photo. I took it.One on the bed.Three in another room.Two in the kitchen.
Still not enough. The bucket was not even half full. I started to panic.
The clock said 2 minutes left.
I searched again. Under the bed. Under the table. In drawers. In corners.
More pandas.
Then I checked the top shelves in the kitchen.I jumped. Missed.Jumped again. This time I hit it.
The shelf opened. I fell into the trash can. Three pandas were on the shelf.
But then I saw something crazy. There were four more pandas in the trash can.
I almost laughed.Luck helped me. For once.
I grabbed everything and filled the bucket.
"Time up," the system said."Leave the arena. Place your bucket where you found it."
The door unlocked.
I ran back down the stairs.Put my bucket back.
Then I looked at the place where Omar's bucket should be.
It was empty. My heart dropped. Where is he? I waited.
Then a blast. I didn't move. Another blast. Still no sign of Omar.
I shouted his name.Again. And again.
Fire. Noise. The fifth floor was gone.
I had to run. My body moved, but my heart stayed there.
Back at the Stall I ran to our little home. I opened the door hard. Sat down.
No words. No tears. Just silence. Inside, I knew something was gone.
Not just a player. Not just a teammate.
I lost my friend. My brother.
FOREVER.