Stella looked at Newton Not long Just enough Then she looked at the crowd who had stood against them

  Her jaw tightened

  “Do as they have requested,” she said softly The words did not sound like surrender They sounded like calculation

  Newton’s heart dropped into his stomach

  “What!” Samuel screamed. His voice echoed across the hall, cracked and wild “Are you out of your mind? That is the only resource we have to survive”

  Stella moved before anyone could react. Her hand shot forward Her fingers wrapped around Samuel’s throat.

  Hard, and heavy.

  Samuel’s words died instantly His hands grabbed her wrist. His legs kicked slightly off the ground. His eyes widened in disbelief.

  “Do you think I do not know that?” Stella’s voice came out low, cold, and controlled.

  “You give them those Ninja Coins, and you get to live today and die tomorrow”

  Her grip tightened

  Samuel’s face reddened

  “But if you refuse,” she whispered “You will die today”

  Silence fell

  Heavy, and violent.

  She let him go.

  Samuel dropped, and collapsed to his knees.

  Coughing, dragging air into his lungs like a drowning man.

  Newton stared at her. He understood Not with words, but with instinct. If Stella had chosen this, then there was no fight to win.

  Brian’s voice cut through the silence. “What is it going to be?” He stepped forward slowly. Each step confident, claiming the space. “Are you giving it, or you are dying?”

  Newton raised his hands slowly. His fingers trembled “Alright” His voice came out thin.

  Weak.

  “Alright” He swallowed “You can have it all.” The words tasted like ash.

  He turned, and walked to the food terminal.

  His wrist stretched forward. The screen flickered. His remaining Ninja Coins vanished

  Turning into zero.

  The glass opened. He grabbed the plates:

  Warm, and heavy.

  He turned back and dropped them in front of Brian. The sound echoed louder than it should.

  Phil followed.

  Silent.

  Empty eyes.

  He bought his own, then dropped them too. Like an offering.

  Total submission.

  Brian smiled” Wide, and satisfied.

  “Good boys”

  He bent down, and picked one plate. Held it like a trophy “As the initiator of this beautiful idea, I guess I deserve a plate for myself”

  Rebecca’s teeth clenched. Her fists curled “There is no superior here.” Her voice shook with anger.

  “We share the food equally.”

  Theo shook his head slowly. His lips dry, and cracked.

  “The food is not enough.” He looked at the plates, then at the faces.

  Hungry faces

  Desperate faces

  “I suggest we fight” His voice remained calm, and detached. “The loser doesn't get to eat.”

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  A murmur exploded.

  Fear.

  Shock.

  Hope

  Madness

  “We must not kill ourselves,” Andy said quickly. His hands raised in a defensive manner. “We can play games instead.”

  He swallowed.

  “Games to decide who wins and who loses.” Brian glanced at Theo. Their eyes met. Both understood.

  Games meant chance. Chance meant risk. Theo’s jaw tightened.

  “No”

  His voice hardened.

  “That is boring.”

  Andy stepped forward “If you do not like the idea then get out.” His voice cracked But he didn’t stop.

  “You don't get to eat.”

  Silence again

  Long, and painful.

  Brian exhaled slowly.

  His shoulders dropped slightly.

  “Alright.”

  His voice carried quiet defeat. “Let's have it your way”

  They used a shoe.

  Worn, dirty, Thrown into the center.

  Flip. Spin. Fall.

  Each turn decided survival, or hunger.

  Newton watched, his stomach twisted in anger. His heart pounded every time the shoe left someone’s hand.

  People prayed.

  Whispered.

  Begged.

  When it ended, thirty students ate. Thirty stomachs held food. The rest held nothing.

  Theo stared at the ground. Brian laughed bitterly “We cooked up a plan to feed ourselves.”

  His voice broke.

  “Yet ended up feeding others.”

  No one answered. Because no one could.

  Night came, but sleep did not.

  Morning came, but hope did not. It came with aggressive hunger.

  They lay across the corridor floor. Bodies scattered, and broken.

  Stomachs growled endlessly.

  Newton pressed his forehead against the cold ground. His teeth sank into his lip..The pain distracted him.

  Barely.

  Beside him, someone whimpered. Someone prayed. Someone cursed. Someone cried.

  No notification came. No task No Ninja coin.

  Nothing.

  Time stretched.

  Cruel, and slow.

  On the second day The smell came:

  Urine

  Sweat

  Rot

  Andy lay in the corner. Too weak to move. A dark stain spread beneath him

  No one mocked him. No one cared. They were all becoming him.

  Rebecca leaned against the wall, ger lips pale. Her eyes sunken.

  Samuel sucked on his own finger. Desperate for moisture.

  Theo stared at nothing. Brian’s chest rose and fell heavily. His strength was fading.

  Newton tried to stand once. His legs collapsed immediately.

  His strength was gone.

  The number on his wrist flickered weakly. He stopped looking at it. It only reminded him.

  Zero.

  The third day came, and with it, came desperation.

  Rebecca slammed her fist weakly against the wall. “What do these people take us for?” Her voice cracked.

  Anger burned behind it. “It will be stupid of us to sit here and die.”

  Newton lay on his side. His face pressed to the ground. Pain crawled through his body. He forced himself up.

  His arms trembled violently. “What can we do about it?” His voice barely existed.

  Rebecca’s jaw tightened. Her eyes hardened. “I don't know about you guys.”

  She pushed herself up. Her legs shook.

  But she remained standing. “I am leaving here.”

  Fear shot through Newton.

  Cold, sharp, and immediate.

  She turned. And began to walk away. Each step was slow. Unstable.. But determined.

  Newton watched her go. And for the first time since arriving here, he realized that desperation might be the fastest way to die.

  “Wait for me,” Theo said. His voice cracked halfway.

  He forced himself up. His legs shook violently beneath him.

  For a second it looked like they would give up on him. Then he stumbled forward. One step, then another.

  He began to run. If that broken movement could even be called running.

  Chasing Rebecca. Chasing hope of survival.

  Other students watched. Eyes hollow. Faces drawn.

  Brandom swallowed. His throat moved slowly, and painfully.

  “I guess it is better to join them,” he said. His voice barely existed.

  Low, weak, and defeated.

  He pushed his palms against the floor. His arms trembled violently. His body refused. He forced it anyway. Standing inch by inch.

  A few others followed. Nobody spoke. Nobody encouraged anyone. They simply moved.

  Together.

  Dragging themselves toward the entrance door.

  Each step was heavy. Each breath was loud.

  Behind them, Stella rose: Slow, and careful.

  Her hands pressed against her waist, trying to hold herself together. “I guess,” she said. Her voice was thin, and fragile. “I do not want to be left out.”

  She took one step, Her vision spun. Her knees buckled. Her body tilted backward. Newton moved instantly.

  His arms caught her before she hit the ground. Her weight collapsed against him.

  Light. Too light.

  “You should save your strength,” Newton said quietly. His chest hurt with every word. “There will be no exit from this place”

  Stella’s eyebrows furrowed. Her breathing was uneven. “How can you be so sure?”

  Newton forced a smile. It stretched across his lips painfully. He gestured weakly around them.

  “Look around.” His voice almost disappeared. “Does this look like somewhere not monitored?”

  The white walls. The smooth floors. The silent ceilings.

  Watching.

  Always watching.

  “Everything is well structured,” he continued “They won't let us go that easily.”

  Stella followed his gaze. Her eyes moved slowly.

  Taking it in.

  Understanding.

  The truth settled inside her. She nodded faintly. “You are right,” she muttered.

  Her strength vanished completely. Her body collapsed from his arms. Newton lowered her gently.

  She did not resist. She did not speak

  Meanwhile, Rebecca reached the entrance door. Her fingers slammed against its surface.

  Searching. Feeling desperate.

  She found no handle.

  She hit it hard. “Open this God damn door!” Her scream echoed violently. “I need to go back to my mother."

  Her voice broke. Her fist slammed again.

  Tak! Tak! Tak!

  Again, and again.

  Her skin reddened. Split. But she did not stop..She hit until her strength died. Until her arm fell. Until her knees gave out.

  She collapsed against the door, sliding down. Her head was hanging behind her..

  The others stood frozen. Watching. Nobody moved. Nobody helped. Because they already knew.

  Brandom’s voice trembled. “We didn't even get to the gate”

  Phil broke. His sobs tore through the silence. “We are stuck here.” The word stuck echoed.

  Stuck.

  Trapped.

  Owned.

  They rested, not by choice, but by force..Their bodies refused to move.

  After a while, they rose again.

  Slow, and broken. Dragging themselves back to the corridor.

  No one spoke. No one asked. They simply stared at the returnees. Because deep down, they already knew. There was nowhere else to go.

  Hunger continued, worse now. Sharper, and crueler.

  Samuel peeled the dry skin from his lips. He chewed it slowly, in desperation.

  Others watched. Some followed. The taste of their own flesh was better than nothing. Newton closed his eyes, listening to the sounds.

  Chewing. Crying. Breathing. Dying.

  Then, Stella stood. Her movement was sudden, and violent. “Damn it.”

  Her voice echoed. Anger burned inside it. “If we can leave here,” She swallowed, her chest rising sharply, “They should at least give us food.”

  Her hands clenched. “And if they won't.” Her eyes hardened. “Then we have to do something about it.”

  Newton looked up at her, fear creeping in. “What can we do about it?”

  Stella smiled.

  But there was no warmth in it. Only resolve. “We take the food by force.”

  Newton’s heart slammed violently. His stomach dropped. “No.”

  He shook his head. His voice trembled. “No! Don't tell me, it is what I am thinking.”

  Stella nodded “Yes.” Her voice was steady, and cold.

  “Violence”

  The word settled heavily. “It is either we get the food.”

  She paused. Her breathing was sharp. “Or we die trying.”

  Newton grabbed her hand. His grip was weak, and desperate. “Please.” His voice cracked.

  “Don't do anything stupid.”

  His fingers tightened. “The robots won't think twice before they kill you.”

  Stella looked down at his hand. Then at his face. Something hardened inside her. She pulled free. And pushed him.

  Newton fell.

  His body hit the floor hard. Pain shot through him. “It is better than sitting here.”

  Her voice rose.

  “And watching my life slip away.” She turned, facing the others. Her shoulders were straight.

  Her chin raised. “Who is with me?”

  Silence

  Heavy, and terrible.

  They looked at each other. Fear reflected in every eye.

  Then, a whisper. “I am with you”

  Cole stepped forward. His legs were shaking but his eyes were firm.

  Everyone turned to him. Then another voice said “I am with you.”

  Then another. “Me too.”

  One by one, they stood. Choosing risk, madness, survival.

  “I am with you”

  “I am with you”

  Until only Newton remained sitting.

  Alone.

  They turned to him, waiting. He shook his head slowly. His chest tight “No” His voice soft, and broken. “I would never support violence.”

  Stella stared at him. No anger, just disappointment. Just distance. “Fine,” she said. Her voice was empty.

  “You may remain”

  She turned away. “And die with your morality.” The words cut deeper than any blade.

  They rose together. A broken army, marching toward death. Toward hope.

  Newton stayed on the floor, watching them leave. Unable to stop them. Yet unable to follow them.

  They reached the restaurant. The doors stood silent, and waiting.

  Some picked up chairs. Their hands trembled. Others clenched their fists. Their knuckles white.

  Their breathing heavy Their faces no longer looked like children They looked like survivors. Or monsters.

  Ready to either die, or eat.