GAME START!

The year 2094 dawned like any other, only it didn't for Alex. He woke to the soft hum of unfamiliar machinery and the distinct scent of sterile cleaning solution. Sunlight, filtered through a large, unfamiliar window, painted clean lines across a stark white room. He sat up, his head throbbing, trying to recall how he'd ended up here. His last memory was a quiet evening at home in Germany, reading an old paperback.

This wasn't his apartment. The bed was firm, the walls bare, save for a small, metallic panel that looked more like an emergency exit than a door. He swung his legs over the side, the smooth, cool floor a surprise beneath his bare feet. A quick pat-down confirmed his wallet and phone were gone, replaced by an empty pocket. Alarm bells began to ring in his mind.

He pushed the metallic panel, and it hissed open, revealing a short corridor. Other panels lined the hallway, some ajar, some closed. Hesitantly, Alex stepped out. The corridor led to a larger open space, a common area with sleek, futuristic furniture, most of it overturned. Scattered personal items – a child's worn teddy bear, a dropped eyeglasses case – spoke of sudden, urgent departures.

A low murmur of voices drew him further. He walked past more open doors, each revealing another identical, Spartan room. The air was cool, circulating from vents he couldn't see. No dust, no grime, just an unnerving cleanliness that felt unnatural. He found himself at the edge of a massive, circular plaza, its center dominated by something truly awe-inspiring, and terrifying.

A colossal holographic display shimmered, suspended in mid-air above a raised platform. Numbers, stark white against a deep blue background, ticked down relentlessly: 02:59:43. Below it, in glowing crimson text, floated two words that sent a shiver down his spine: SECTOR 12.

Dozens, maybe hundreds, of people milled about the plaza. Their faces mirrored his own confusion, fear, and a desperate search for answers. Some tried yelling, banging on the impossibly tall, transparent walls that seemed to stretch into the sky, enclosing the entire city. Others stared blankly at the countdown, their shoulders slumped in defeat. There was no sky, only a vast, shimmering dome. No wind, no birdsong, just the distant, unsettling hum of the city itself. Communication with the outside? Non-existent. An exit? Nowhere to be found.

"Anyone know what this is?" Alex called out, his voice hoarse. A few heads turned, but no one had an answer. Only bewildered shrugs and vacant stares.

The countdown continued its merciless descent. Two hours, fifty minutes, forty-five seconds...

As the timer reached ten minutes, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd. A faint, almost imperceptible chime echoed through the plaza, and then, a translucent screen flickered into existence directly in front of Alex's eyes, and presumably everyone else's.

It was simple, almost too simple.

[PLAYER STATUS]

Name: Alex Kuznetsov

Survival Points: 0

What the hell is this? Alex blinked, trying to wave the screen away, but it remained. He glanced at the person next to him, a tall, stern-faced woman with dark hair tied back. Her eyes were fixed on her own glowing screen, her lips moving silently as she read. She was just as confused as he was.

The chime sounded again, louder this time, and a new message flashed onto his screen, overriding his status display:

[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]

Game 1: Orientation Challenge

Objective: Collect 5 "Data Chips" located within the designated Green Zone.

Time Limit: 1 Hour

Reward: 10 Survival Points per chip collected.

Failure Penalty: Disqualification.

A map, rudimentary and glowing green, appeared on his screen, highlighting a section of the plaza and a few adjacent streets. Small, glowing markers indicated the "Data Chips."

"Disqualification? What does that even mean?" someone shouted from the crowd, a frantic edge to their voice.

The countdown hit zero. A booming voice, synthesized and devoid of emotion, echoed from nowhere and everywhere at once: "GAME START!"

Pandemonium erupted. Some people screamed and ran, bumping into each other aimlessly. Others, like Alex, stood frozen, trying to process the sudden, bizarre command.

"Don't just stand there, idiot!" A sharp voice cut through his daze. A young woman, petite but with eyes like chips of flint, was already striding purposefully towards the Green Zone marked on her own invisible screen. She had a mop of unruly brown hair and wore practical cargo pants and a faded t-shirt. "If we don't know what 'disqualification' means, we don't want to find out!"

She was right. Alex took a deep breath, forcing himself to move. He scanned his map, noting the nearest chip. It was near an overturned street vendor cart at the edge of the designated zone. He broke into a jog, following the green line on his display.

The Green Zone was eerily quiet despite the growing number of people moving within it. Most, like him, were cautiously searching, their eyes darting around. He spotted the glint of a small, metallic disc under the vendor cart. He knelt, snatching it up.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

Data Chip Collected!

Remaining: 4

Okay, this is real. A surge of adrenaline, cold and sharp, shot through him. He was actually playing some twisted, involuntary game. He pressed on, his eyes glued to the map, searching for the next chip.

He found another near a shattered display window of what looked like a boutique. As he reached for it, another hand shot out, grabbing it just before his.

"Hey!" Alex exclaimed, pulling back.

The woman with flint eyes from before held the chip triumphantly. "Finders keepers, buddy. You snooze, you lose." She gave him a fleeting, almost apologetic glance. "It's not personal. Just survival."

Alex sighed, irritated but understanding. This was the new reality. He needed to be faster, more decisive. He moved quickly to the next marker, finding it lodged in the branches of a decorative, synthetic tree.

He collected his fifth chip just as the synthesized voice boomed again: "TIME REMAINING: 5 MINUTES." Many people were still scrambling, some looking panicked.

He stood in the designated safe area as the countdown reached its final seconds. A digital clock on his screen flashed 00:00:00.

"GAME OVER!" the voice announced.

Then, silence. For a moment, nothing happened. The screens in front of everyone's eyes cleared, replaced by their status displays.

[PLAYER STATUS]

Name: Alex Kuznetsov

Survival Points: 50

Alex let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He had five chips, 50 points. He survived. But what about the others?

He scanned the plaza. The woman with the flint eyes, he saw her. She was checking her own screen, a slight nod of satisfaction on her face. Many others were also looking relieved. But then, he noticed something chilling.

A few spots in the plaza were now empty. Where panicked, scrambling figures had been just moments ago, there was now nothing. No bodies, no screams, just... empty space. It was as if they had simply vanished.

[SYSTEM UPDATE!]

Congratulations, players who completed Game 1!

Survival Points now dictate your eligibility for resources.

You are now eligible to access Level 1 Shelter.

A new countdown shimmered into existence above the platform, replacing the old one. This time, it was even shorter.

00:03:00:00

Three days. Three days until the next game. And the horrifying implication of "disqualification" hung heavy in the air. This wasn't just a game; it was a ruthless culling. Alex looked at the empty spaces, then at his own status screen. He had survival points, but for what? To play another game? To see more people disappear?