Tej's days passed in a blur as he counted down to his 13th birthday. The game "ToD" sat on his desk, unopened, taunting him with its colorful, deceptive cover. He couldn't shake the strange feeling he had when he first tried to play it—the way the device had shut off and how his finger had been pricked by static electricity. It was unlike anything he had experienced before, but he brushed it off, attributing it to his imagination.
On the day of his birthday, the Ruths threw a small celebration. Close friends and family gathered, their cheerful voices filling the house. Tej went through the motions, smiling and laughing at the right moments, but his mind was elsewhere. His thoughts were consumed by the game, the secrets it held, and the unsettling sense of something lurking beneath the surface.
After the last guest left and the house had quieted down, Tej retreated to his room. He closed the door softly, locking it behind him. The box containing the game was still there, sitting innocently on his desk. Taking a deep breath, he approached it and carefully opened the lid.
The game's interface lit up, displaying the same two categories: Under 18 and 18+. Tej hesitated, recalling how the device had turned off last time he tried to select the 18+ option. Despite the warning in his gut, he felt a rebellious urge to try again. His finger hovered over the 18+ option, but as soon as he touched the screen, the game shut down once more. Frustrated, he tried to turn it back on, but this time, the screen remained dark.
"Great," Tej muttered under his breath, tossing the controller aside. He fell back onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. As he lay there, his mind wandered back to the moment his parents had told him the truth about his adoption. The memory brought a bitter taste to his mouth, and a familiar wave of distrust washed over him.
But as his eyelids grew heavy, and sleep began to take hold, a faint, almost imperceptible whisper echoed in the room. Tej jolted upright, his heart pounding in his chest. He glanced around, but the room was empty. Shaking his head, he lay back down, convincing himself that he was just hearing things.
As he drifted off, the game's interface flickered back to life, but this time, the screen was different. It no longer displayed the categories. Instead, a single sentence appeared in bold letters: "Welcome, Tej. The game has begun."
Tej woke with a start, beads of sweat dotting his forehead. He scrambled to grab the controller, but it was cold and lifeless in his hands. The screen was dark again, with no sign of the message he had just seen. Was it a dream? He couldn't be sure, but the feeling of dread in his stomach told him otherwise.
The next morning, Tej went through his usual routine, but something felt off. The world around him seemed different—sharper, more vivid. As he walked to school, he noticed things he hadn't before: the way people glanced at him, the whispers that seemed to follow him wherever he went. It was as if the game had awakened something in him, something that made him hyper-aware of the lies and truths around him.
During class, Tej found it hard to concentrate. His mind kept drifting back to the game, wondering what it meant when it said, "The game has begun." What game? And why did it feel like more than just a game? His unease grew as the day went on, reaching a peak when he walked into his bedroom after school.
The game was on, despite him never having turned it on that day. The screen displayed a new message: "Truth or Dare, Tej? Your move."
Tej stared at the screen, his pulse racing. He knew it wasn't just a game anymore. This was something far more sinister. Hesitantly, he reached out and selected the option for Truth.
Immediately, a question appeared on the screen: "Why do you lie?"
Tej froze. The question hit too close to home, stirring up emotions he had buried deep inside. His mind raced as he tried to come up with an answer, but before he could type anything, the screen flickered and changed: "Dare."
The words made his blood run cold. He hadn't chosen Dare, yet the game had decided for him. A new message appeared: "Tell a lie. Make them believe it."
Tej's heart pounded in his chest as the words sank in. He was being forced into a dare, and this was just the beginning. The game was no longer about making choices; it was about survival. The sinister undercurrent of the game had awakened a new reality for Tej—one where the lines between truth and lies were beginning to blur, and he wasn't sure he could tell the difference anymore.
Little did he know, this was only the first of many dares to come. And as he edged closer to his 18th birthday, the stakes would only get higher. The game had started, and there was no turning back now.