Chapter 1: Chaos Ensues

  "Jacob, it’s getting late! You’ll miss school at this rate!"

  Mom’s voice floated from downstairs, gentle but firm. Normally, I would have ignored it a little longer, maybe stayed in bed, pretending I was still asleep. But today was different. Today, I had a plan—a plan that should have already been in motion.

  I gritted my teeth, gripping the edge of the sink as I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. My heart pounded, my stomach twisted. Everything was set. Everything was ready. Except for one thing.

  Moler, my father, should have already left for work. He usually did by six a.m., yet for some reason, he was still here. My mother, too, was lingering longer than usual. My plan depended on them both being gone. My fingers curled into a fist, nails digging into my palm.

  "I have a stomachache," I yelled back, my voice tight with frustration. "What am I supposed to do?"

  I could hear my mother moving downstairs, talking to one of the housekeepers. I clenched my jaw. Do I have to wait another day? My hands trembled at the thought. No. I had already resolved myself. I had already committed. Today is the day. No more suffering. No more humiliation. No more being their plaything.

  My breathing grew ragged as I imagined their faces—smug, laughing, eyes full of mockery. I pictured them contorting in terror, drowning in the pain they so casually inflicted on me. My heart pounded wildly. The anger inside me felt like fire, consuming, endless.

  "Jacob, are you okay?"

  My mother’s voice broke through my haze, soft and full of concern. A lump rose in my throat. Oh, Mom… If only I could tell you. If only I could let you hold me, comfort me, tell me it would be okay. But deep down, I knew the truth. There was no going back.

  I swallowed hard, forcing my voice into something weak and sickly. "I’m okay, Mom. Just a little stomach pain. I’ll be fine in a few minutes and head to school."

  She hesitated. "Jacob, you sound really sick. Your father already left, but should I call him? Maybe he can help."

  "No need, Mom. I think I’m feeling better. Don’t worry about me, you’re already late for work."

  There was a pause, then a sigh. "Alright, my precious Jacob. But call me if you need anything."

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  I didn’t answer. I just stood there, gripping the edge of the sink, staring at myself. This is it. My parents were finally leaving. I let out a slow breath, shaking off the moment of hesitation that had crept into my mind.

  Like a pre-programmed robot, I walked out of the bathroom, up the stairs, and into my room. Grabbing my bag, I slung it over my shoulder before quietly making my way down the hall. I stopped at my parents’ bedroom door, glancing left and right. The housekeeper, Mesaya, was probably in the kitchen. No one should see me.

  Slipping inside, I went straight to my father’s dresser. I opened the drawer and found the safe hidden inside. My fingers hovered over the keypad as a memory surfaced—the day my father had urgently asked me to fetch a document from the safe and given me the code.

  I entered the numbers. A soft beep, then a click. The door swung open.

  There it was.

  A Glock 35. Fully loaded.

  My fingers curled around the grip as I pulled it out. It felt heavy, real. Powerful. My breath quickened. No turning back. I secured it inside my bag, making sure it wouldn’t shift or be seen, then locked the safe and left the room.

  As I descended the stairs, Mesaya greeted me. "Jacob, are you okay? Do you need anything?"

  I ignored her. I couldn’t speak. If I did, I might break. Instead, I walked straight out the door.

  Outside, the driver, Bernir, was already waiting by the car. "Morning, Jacob," he greeted cheerfully. I climbed in without a word, my hands clenched into fists in my lap.

  I wasn’t in the mood to talk. Not when my mind was set on something irreversible.

  The school building loomed ahead as I stepped out of the car. My stomach twisted, but not with fear—with rage. I walked through the halls, passing students who barely acknowledged my existence. Not yet. They would soon.

  I reached my classroom, gripping the strap of my bag so tightly my knuckles turned white. I pushed open the door and stepped inside.

  Laughter erupted immediately.

  "Look who finally decided to show up!" One of them sneered. "Did you piss your pants and have to go home and change?"

  The others chuckled, their eyes gleaming with amusement. My suffering was their entertainment.

  "Hey, Jacob!" Another voice called. "Did you bring your mommy to hold your hand?"

  My vision blurred with fury. No more.

  My hand moved to my bag, fingers brushing against the cold metal inside. This was it. The moment I had been waiting for.

  I unzipped my bag. One motion. One pull of the trigger. That was all it would take.

  But before I could move, a sharp vibration erupted from my phone.

  Not just mine.

  Every phone in the classroom.

  A chime, a single sound, cut through the room. Everyone instinctively reached for their devices. Confused murmurs filled the air.

  I pulled my phone out with a shaky hand. The screen was lit up, a notification glowing at the center, which shouldn't have been possible because I had put my phone in airplane mode.

  [Link successfully established. Fate successfully entwined. Each Player is linked to a single character. If the character dies, the Player dies.]

  My heart stopped. My breath caught in my throat.

  The classroom was silent.

  For the first time ever, my classmates weren’t laughing.

  A slow, creeping smile spread across my lips as I tilted my head slightly, my grip loosening on my bag.

  "Guess I’ll be the first to see if this Link connection is really established or not."