Spring was nearly over, and the second semester was finally winding down.To be honest, things were going smoother than I ever expected.
While most of my classmates were panicking and pulling all-nighters, I was reviewing for exams pretty calmly. I guess that's what happens when you don't procrastinate the whole semester like everyone else.
I got up from my desk and checked the time—14:24. Still early.
Glancing at my roommate, I saw him half-buried under a pile of books, his face looking like he'd been through a war.
Seriously, why do people cram if they know they can't handle the pressure?
"Hey, Alan. I'm heading to my parents' place," I said casually.
He looked up, revealing some impressive eye bags.Yep. He definitely stayed up gaming again. Classic Alan.
He blinked slowly. "Oh, leaving already? You sure you wanna go out in this heat?"
It was hot. That kind of heat where the sun felt like it wanted to kill someone.
"I'll be in the car. It's like ten minutes away. I'll survive."
"Lucky. Wish my parents lived in the same city."
"Don't act like you didn't pick this college just to escape from them."
"Touché. Still, if your parents were as clingy as mine, you'd get it."
He sighed heavily, probably regretting his life choices.
"Alright, crybaby. My taxi's here. Don't die from overstudying."
I checked my phone, grabbed my backpack, and started heading for the door.
"Are you worryi—"
"You still owe me money~" I shot back without missing a beat.
He didn't respond. Just stared at me like, 'What did I expect?'
"Good luck on the exams, pal," I added, stepping out of the dorm.
The black car was parked under a tree. I opened the door and got in.
"Good afternoon, sir. You know the address, right?"
The driver gave a small nod. "Yeah. You can pay by card, no problem."
The engine started, and we rolled out onto the road.
"You a student?" he asked, glancing at me in the mirror.
Better than sitting in silence, I figured. "Yeah. First year. Medical college. Pharmacology."
"Impressive. Tough getting used to it?"
"Honestly? Not really. It was easier than I expected."
Seniors made it sound like hell when I first got in, but maybe they were just trying to scare the newbies. Or maybe I just handled it better. Not to brag, but I was doing pretty well.
"Don't lie. First year was a nightmare for me. Social science, though. Still got the degree, and now I'm driving taxis."
He laughed a little at his own expense. Then he looked in the mirror again.
Only this time… there was nothing.
The back seat was empty.
His eyes widened. "…what the…"
He blinked. Thought maybe it was just fatigue messing with his head.Slowed the car. Rubbed his eyes. Took a deep breath.
"My wife told me I should've taken the day off…"
He looked again. Still nothing.No door opened. No sound. No sign of me. Just gone.
Freaking out now, he pulled over and opened the back door.
"…what the hell is happening…"
News spread fast.
Local platforms were buzzing about the sudden disappearance.His family was desperate, searching everywhere.People online accused the driver of kidnapping—until they saw the footage.
One second I was there, talking. The next? Gone.Poof. Mid-sentence.
Some said the video was fake, edited too cleanly.Others thought it was some creepy internet stunt.
The cops were confused, and the driver was under suspicion for a while.
But I wasn't the only one.
A boy in Brazil vanished right after his finals.A girl in Finland disappeared on her way to violin class.Twins in Seoul went missing while gaming at 3 a.m.Some American kid puffed out mid-TikTok, mid-sentence, mid-view.A boy in Tokyo got hit by a truck—and never made it to the hospital.
All in all, thirteen people—aged 18 to 22—vanished without a trace.
No one knew what to think.
Families grieved. Some clung to hope. Some gave up.
But the world? It just kept turning.Too big to care about thirteen missing kids.
Until day seven.
No warning. No countdown.
Across the world, screens flickered—phones, laptops, TVs, billboards.
Static.Then a symbol: golden, glowing, unfamiliar. Something between ancient and futuristic.
Then the faces.
Thirteen video feeds.Thirteen young adults.Each waking up in a strange new place.
They weren't together, but the land around them looked similar—like different edges of the same broken village.
At first, it looked peaceful.Medieval-style buildings. Dirt paths. Sunset glow.Then they noticed things.
Half-eaten meals still steaming.Footprints.Blood—but no bodies.
And then the screaming started.
This place didn't introduce itself.
No voice told them what to do.No rules.Just one objective, as if whispered through instinct:
[Objective: Survive until midnight]
Some kids ran.
Some hid.
Some fought—and almost died.
Aslan?He hid.Watched.Thought.
No one dared speak.No one knew what was happening.But every screen, every phone, every billboard around the world now displayed one thing:
"There are no truths here. No right. No mercy.""Outlive the rest — or vanish like them"
Every person saw it in their own language.
Then the timer began counting down:
[43,823 : 59 : 12]