The Stranger’s Invitation

The golden hallway dimmed as the remaining six players stepped forward, their footsteps hesitant on the smooth, tiled floor. Above them, the familiar mechanical voice echoed once more.

> "You've chosen to continue. The next trial awaits."

A slow rumble followed. Before their eyes, the floor split open into a wide chasm, stretching farther than they could see. From the darkness, a bridge began to emerge—no, not a bridge. A path made of shifting tiles. The tiles were suspended midair, some wide enough for a footstep, others barely big enough for a toe. They shimmered under the cold, overhead lights.

The players gathered at the edge, silent.

Lina stepped closer to the edge and squinted. "What… is this?"

Before anyone could answer, the voice returned, calm and emotionless.

> "Welcome to the Shifting Bridge. A path of chance and consequence. Only one step per player. Choose wisely."

They all looked at each other.

> "Each of you will step forward once. One tile per person. One of the tiles will break."

A pause. Then the final line, sharp as a blade.

> "One of you will fall."

The air grew heavy. The rules were cruel in their simplicity. Six players. Six tiles. Only five would survive.

Zayan muttered, "So this is it... just chance?"

Haider clenched his fists. "We've made it through logic, pain, fear—now this is just luck?"

No one replied. The bridge shimmered, and the tiles began to glow faintly, pulsing with a slow rhythm. They seemed to move, rotating positions slightly. The bridge was alive.

> "You may not test the tile before stepping. There is no turning back. One move. One chance."

A countdown appeared in the air above them: 60 seconds to choose the order.

Lina took a breath. "I'll go first."

Areeba looked at her, alarmed. "Are you sure?"

Lina nodded. "It's just one step. I'm tired of waiting."

The others began murmuring. One by one, the order was chosen:

1. Lina

2. Haider

3. Saira

4. Areeba

5. Zayan

6. Tariq

The countdown hit zero.

Lina stepped forward slowly. Her eyes scanned the six available tiles ahead. Her heartbeat hammered in her ears. She chose the second from the left. It shimmered, waiting.

She stepped on it.

It held.

A soft chime rang out. Safe.

Lina exhaled and moved to the far end of her tile, waiting.

Next was Haider. He walked forward, choosing a tile two spaces away from Lina's. He hesitated. Then stepped.

It held.

Another chime.

Saira's hands trembled as she walked to the edge. She paused longer than the others. Her gaze flicked between two tiles—left or right?

She stepped to the right.

Safe.

Three across.

Areeba swallowed hard. She rubbed her palms on her skirt and stepped toward the fourth tile.

She was shaking. Her toe touched the surface. She froze.

Then she stepped.

Safe.

Zayan muttered something under his breath—some quiet prayer, maybe. He stepped quickly, without overthinking.

Safe.

Only one player remained: Tariq.

Five tiles taken. One left.

Only one step. No backup. No choice.

Tariq stood still at the edge, staring at the final glowing tile—the one untouched. It flickered slightly.

"No," he whispered. "This isn't fair."

But the countdown had restarted. Ten seconds.

9…

8…

He looked at the others. Lina, Haider, Saira, Areeba, and Zayan stood frozen, helpless. Their eyes wide. No one could help.

5…

4…

He screamed.

"I don't want to die—!"

And stepped.

Crack.

A sound like breaking ice echoed through the chamber. The tile beneath Tariq gave way.

He fell.

No scream, no second chance. Just silence as the tile shattered and Tariq vanished into the darkness below.

The bridge glowed once more, then began pulling itself back into the wall, retracting. The players stood in silence, unable to speak.

The voice returned.

> "One has been eliminated. The path has chosen. Five remain."

A soft metallic door opened behind them.

Still stunned, they walked through it—one by one—into a softly lit room filled with cushions, water bottles, and a long black wall that reflected nothing.

But no one spoke. No one celebrated.

Zayan dropped into a corner, head in hands. Areeba sat cross-legged, staring into nothing. Lina wiped her cheek but said nothing.

Only Haider whispered, almost to himself: "It was just luck."

> Luck. And loss.

The room's light dimmed.

The next trial was waiting.