Tej sat frozen in front of the screen, his mind racing as the command flashed ominously: "Tell a lie. Make them believe it." The game had taken control, twisting his reality into something dark and unpredictable. For a moment, he considered turning it off, walking away, and pretending it had never happened. But something deep inside him, a mixture of curiosity and fear, compelled him to continue.
He hesitated, the weight of the dare pressing down on him. What kind of lie should he tell? Who should he tell it to? The questions swirled in his mind, and he could feel the cold grip of the game tightening around his thoughts. It was as if the game was daring him to push the boundaries of truth, to see just how far he could go before everything unraveled.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his bedroom door. Startled, Tej quickly turned off the screen and spun around to see his mother standing in the doorway, a warm smile on her face.
"Tej, dinner's ready. Come downstairs and eat," she said, her voice gentle and inviting.
Tej nodded, trying to steady his breathing. As he stood up to follow her, the dare echoed in his mind: "Tell a lie. Make them believe it." His heart pounded as he realized that the opportunity was right in front of him.
At the dinner table, the Ruths chatted about their day, their voices a comforting background noise. Tej pushed the food around on his plate, his appetite overshadowed by the looming task. His parents noticed his quiet demeanor.
"Is everything alright, Tej?" his father asked, concern lacing his voice.
Tej looked up, forcing a smile. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just thinking about school stuff."
His father nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer, but Tej's mother wasn't convinced. "Are you sure? You've been a bit off lately. You can always talk to us, you know."
The concern in her eyes made Tej's heart ache. They were good people, his parents. They had taken him in, loved him, and raised him as their own. And yet, here he was, contemplating a lie just because a twisted game told him to. But the game had issued its challenge, and the fear of what might happen if he didn't comply gnawed at him.
Tej swallowed hard and forced himself to speak. "Actually… there is something I need to tell you." His voice trembled slightly, and he hated how weak it sounded.
His parents exchanged a glance, their attention now fully on him. "What is it, son?" his father asked gently.
Tej took a deep breath, his mind racing to concoct a lie that was believable yet harmless. "I… I've been struggling with math. I haven't told you because I didn't want to disappoint you. I'm really sorry."
It was a small lie, a minor one in the grand scheme of things, but it was a lie nonetheless. The moment the words left his mouth, he felt a strange sensation—a mix of relief and guilt. His parents' reactions were exactly what he expected.
"Oh, Tej, you don't have to apologize for that," his mother said, reaching out to place a comforting hand on his arm. "We can get you a tutor or spend extra time helping you study. We're here for you."
His father nodded in agreement. "There's no need to worry about disappointing us. We know you're doing your best."
Tej forced a smile, playing the role of the remorseful son. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."
Inside, however, he felt a cold emptiness. The lie had come too easily, and the way his parents accepted it without question made him feel worse. He hated that he had deceived them, but at the same time, he couldn't shake the thrill that came with it. The game had wormed its way into his mind, and now, it was as if it had planted a seed of darkness within him.
After dinner, Tej retreated to his room, closing the door behind him. The game was waiting for him, the screen glowing faintly in the dim light. He hesitated before turning it on, but the curiosity was too strong to resist. The screen flickered to life, displaying a new message: "Well done. Your first dare is complete. But remember, Tej, the game has only just begun."
A shiver ran down his spine. He had completed the dare, but at what cost? The game wasn't just a game anymore—it was something much more sinister, something that was beginning to change him in ways he couldn't fully understand.
As the days passed, Tej found himself lying more frequently, testing the boundaries of truth and fiction. It started with small things—a homework assignment he didn't finish, a reason for being late to class—but it quickly escalated. The lies flowed easily now, each one giving him a strange sense of power and control. But with every lie he told, the line between reality and deception blurred further.
The game didn't give him another dare immediately. It let him simmer in his newfound habits, letting him wonder when the next challenge would come. But deep down, Tej knew that the game was watching, waiting for the right moment to strike again.
As his 13th birthday drew closer, Tej couldn't shake the feeling that the game was preparing him for something bigger, something that would push him to the edge. The once-innocent child who had been found on the Ruths' doorstep was slowly fading away, replaced by someone he didn't recognize—a boy who was becoming more comfortable with lies than with the truth.
But what Tej didn't know was that the game had a much bigger plan in store for him. It was grooming him, shaping him into something else. And when he turned 18, the stakes would be higher than ever before. The dare he would face then would be the ultimate test—one that would determine the course of his entire life.