Morning light filters through the small cracks of the ceiling, faint and sterile. The atmosphere in the house remains oppressive, heavy with an unspoken tension. Lynne wakes early, the faint hum of the house her only companion as she pads into the kitchen. Her long black hair is pulled into a low ponytail, and her athletic tank top and leggings cling to her frame as though she's ready for a morning run. But there's no escaping here—no runs, no fresh air, only the artificiality of this place.

She opens the fridge, letting the cool air brush her face as she surveys the contents. Eggs, milk, and a small package of bacon. She grabs them and spots a loaf of white bread on the top of the fridge. Her lips curve into a faint smile. French toast, eggs, and bacon might not fix anything, but it's a start. Maybe having a shared breakfast could bring them together—make them feel a little less like strangers and more like... allies.

As she pulls the items onto the counter, she hears soft footsteps. Turning, she spots Sam leaning against the doorway, her arms crossed, her blonde hair still mussed from sleep. Sam's expression is guarded, as usual, but there's a flicker of curiosity in her blue eyes.

"You're up early," Sam remarks, her tone neutral.

"I thought I'd make breakfast for everyone," Lynne replies, cracking an egg into a bowl. "French toast, eggs, and bacon."

Sam raises an eyebrow. "After the past few days, you actually think we're going to eat together? With Keith?!"

"It's worth a shot. Nonetheless." Lynne says with a shrug. "If we're stuck here especially with him, we might as well try to get along."

Sam hesitates, then steps into the kitchen. "Fine. I'll help. But don't expect me to sing kumbaya."

Lynne smirks. "Deal."

***

By the time Henry wanders in, still bleary-eyed and wearing yesterday's rumpled clothes, the smell of sizzling bacon fills the kitchen. He gravitates immediately to the laptop on the small desk in the corner, his fingers already poised to type.

"Morning, Henry," Lynne calls out, flipping a piece of French toast. "Hungry?"

Henry mumbles something unintelligible, his focus glued to the screen. Lynne exchanges a glance with Sam, who shakes her head.

"Ignore him," Sam says. "He's probably trying to hack into Mother's system."

"Good luck with that," Lynne mutters, plating the bacon.

Maddie appears next, slipping silently into the kitchen. Her dark hair hangs limp around her pale face, and she clutches the sleeves of her oversized sweater. She nods at Lynne and Sam but says nothing, her movements hesitant as she takes a seat at the small dining table.

"There's juice, milk, and water," Lynne offers.

Maddie shakes her head, her eyes fixed on the table. However, she slowly treks her way back into the kitchen. She searches through the many sleek modern cabinets, trying to find something, but doesn't know where it is. As she checks around, Maddie hears Lynne asking if she needs help. Maddie ignores her help for now.

Soon, Austin saunters in, running a hand through his messy reddish-blonde hair, wearing a clean white t-shirt and pajama-like pants, he looks around the room with a mix of boredom and irritation.

"What's this? A family breakfast?" He quips, grabbing a strip of bacon from the plate.

"Something like that," Lynne replies as she spots how pretentious he looks. "Sit down."

"Sure," Austin says, biting into the bacon playfully in front of her as he flops onto a chair. "Let me guess, you're hoping this meal will make us all best friends."

Sam sitting down, glares at him. "Just eat and shut up."

Before Austin could retort, a sharp thud and loud yell cut through the room.

"Ahhhh!" Maddie screams horrifyingly.

Everyone turns to Maddie, who is standing in front of the wide pantry closet, her face white as a sheet. Her hands are frozen mid-air, shaking, as the large slender cabinet door swings open to reveal Keith's lifeless body. As if in slow motion, his body slumps out of the cabinet and crashes onto the floor, limbs splayed awkwardly, blood still dripping at the corner of his mouth. Maddie stumbles back, her breaths coming in short, shallow gasps.

Sam moves first, stepping around the counter. Her heart pounds as she glances at Keith's body lying sprawled on the tile, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles. Lynne rushes to check on Maddie and then notices Keith's body. His eyes are wide open, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Oh my God!" Lynne whispers, her hands flying to her mouth.

Henry stumbles backward, nearly tripping over a chair. "Is he... is he dead?"

Sam kneels beside Keith, pressing her fingers to his neck. The skin is cold, the pulse nonexistent. She swallows hard and looks up.

"Yeah..." She pauses, "He's dead."

Panic erupts. Maddie starts to cry, her quiet sobs filling the room. Austin swears loudly, pacing back and forth. Henry sinks into a chair, his face pale as he stares at the body. Lynne leans against the counter, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief.

"How?" Austin demands, his voice rising. "How the hell did this happen?"

"I don't know," Sam says. "I just found him like this!"

"Maybe you did it," Austin accuses, pointing a finger at her. "You were always butting heads with him. Maybe you finally snapped."

Sam shoots to her feet, her eyes blazing. "Watch it, Austin. I didn't kill him. I know you also butted heads before."

"Yeah!" He counters. "Any one of us could've done it!"

"Enough!" Lynne shouts, stepping between them. "This isn't helping."

Before anyone can respond, Mother's voice cuts through the chaos. "My dear roommates, please gather in front of the screen."

All eyes snap to the red light glowing brightly in the center lens, above the large screen. Sam's stomach twists, dread pooling in her chest. Slowly, reluctantly, they move to the central room and sit on the large round couch. The camera lens shifts slightly, focusing on them like a predator sizing up its prey.

"What's going on?" Lynne asks, her voice shaking.

Mother's tone is deceptively cheerful. "Oh, my poor dears. Such a tragic turn of events. Such a shame, what happened to Keith. But don't worry, I'm here to help."

"Help?" Austin growls. "You call this help?"

"Why, of course," Mother replies, her voice lilting. "You see, there's been a murder. And it's my job to find out who among you is the killer."

Maddie's breath hitches. "Kill-killer?"

"Oh, yes," Mother says. "One of you ended poor Keith's life. And the rest of you... well, let's just say you'll be tested in ways you can't imagine."

Sam's fists clench. "What do you mean, tested?"

Mother chuckles, the sound cold and mechanical. "You'll see soon enough. But first, let me explain. You are all part of a nationwide social experiment. The world is watching, and they want answers."

The teens look at each other flummoxed and with almost stunned reactions. They initially can't process what they just heard. They are still paralyzed after seeing one of their fellow roommates lying on the kitchen floor dead.

"What kind of experiment?" Henry demands, his voice breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"An experiment in fear," Mother replies. "The audience will vote on challenges designed to uncover the truth. And I... well, I will do whatever it takes to find out who among you is guilty."

The teens exchange horrified glances. Sam's mind races, the pieces falling into place with terrifying clarity. They're not just prisoners. They're pawns in some twisted game.

"You're insane," Austin says. "This is insane!"

Mother's tone hardens. "Careful, Austin. You wouldn't want to draw suspicion to yourself, would you?"

Austin's mouth snaps shut, his face flushing with anger. Maddie curls into herself, her small frame trembling. Lynne places a reassuring hand on her shoulder, though her own face is pale.

"Prepare yourselves, my dears," Mother says. "Your first challenge will begin soon. Until then, I suggest you get your stories straight. The world is watching."

The red light blinks off, leaving the teens in stunned silence. For a moment, no one speaks. Then Austin explodes.

"This is crazy!" He shouts, pacing the room. "She's trying to what, paint one of us as Keith's killer!"

"She's not wrong though." Sam mutters, her gaze fixed on the floor.

Henry rubs his temples. "We need to think. Who would have wanted Keith dead?"

"All of us," Lynne says quietly. "Let's not pretend he didn't make enemies."

The truth hangs heavy in the air. Each of them had clashed with Keith at some point. Each of them had a reason to want him gone.

"We're being watched," Sam says suddenly. "Every move we make, every word we say... it's all being recorded."

As if on cue, the large screen flickers to life. Static fills the room, the crackling sound grating against their nerves. The teens stare at the screen, their faces pale, their hearts pounding. There is an unusual noise coming out of the weird static feed.

"What is this..." Sam asks.

Before anyone has a chance to respond, they are soon numbed by the disturbing jangle. They didn't want to hear it. But the echoes in their ears, a haunting reminder of the horror they're trapped in.

Slowly, the static fades, as the chilling sound gets clearer.

A scream.

Keith's scream.