Don’t Trust Me

Chapter 3: Don’t Trust Me

The bodies didn’t disappear.

That was the worst part.

Ethan stood frozen, staring at them—at the players who hadn’t survived Mindbreaker. They lay scattered across the floor, unmoving, their faces twisted in silent terror.

His chest tightened.

“They’re… dead,” he said, his voice hollow.

Riven didn’t correct him.

Didn’t comfort him either.

“They lost,” Riven replied simply.

Ethan clenched his fists.

“That’s not the same thing.”

Riven’s gaze flickered toward him, unreadable.

“In here,” he said quietly, “it is.”

Ethan looked away.

He didn’t want to accept that. Didn’t want to believe this place could decide whether someone lived or died like it meant nothing.

But it already had.

The voice returned.

Cold. Unfeeling.

“Round Two will begin shortly.”

Ethan’s head snapped up.

“So soon?” he muttered.

No break. No time to process. No time to think.

Of course not.

That would be too kind.

The room shifted again.

The walls stretched higher, twisting into something like a corridor—long, dimly lit, with multiple paths splitting off into darkness.

Doors.

Dozens of them.

Each identical.

Each closed.

Ethan frowned.

“What now?”

Riven stepped forward, his eyes scanning the doors like he’d seen this before.

“Choice,” he said.

Ethan let out a dry laugh.

“That’s it? Just pick a door and hope we don’t die?”

Riven glanced at him.

“You’re learning.”

Before Ethan could respond—

“Round Two: False Paths.”

A pause.

Then—

“Only one path leads forward.”

“The rest… lead to elimination.”

A cold silence followed.

Ethan’s stomach dropped.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

He looked around.

Too many doors.

No clues.

No hints.

Just blind choice.

“This is insane,” he said. “It’s pure luck.”

Riven didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he stepped closer to one of the doors, placing his hand lightly against it.

Ethan watched him.

“What are you doing?”

“Listening.”

Ethan frowned.

“You can’t hear anything. They’re just doors.”

Riven’s lips curved slightly.

“Everything speaks,” he murmured. “You just don’t know how to listen yet.”

Ethan crossed his arms, frustrated.

“Well, I can’t read doors’ minds, so unless you’ve got a better idea—”

“Use your ability.”

Ethan blinked.

“What?”

Riven looked at him directly now.

“You’re not alone here,” he said. “Neither are they.”

Ethan hesitated.

“You mean… the others?”

Riven didn’t need to nod.

Ethan swallowed.

Right.

The players.

If this was a game… then someone else might know something.

Slowly, Ethan reached out with his mind.

The noise hit him instantly—but weaker this time. Manageable.

Fragments of thoughts.

Which one is it…?

I don’t want to die…

Think… think…

Then—

Something sharper.

Clearer.

Different.

Ethan focused.

A man near the far wall stood still, eyes locked on one specific door.

His thoughts—

Left side. Third door. It’s safe. It has to be.

Ethan’s eyes widened.

Got it.

He turned quickly toward Riven.

“I know which one—”

Riven grabbed his wrist.

Hard.

Ethan froze.

“…What?”

Riven’s grip tightened slightly, his gaze suddenly colder than before.

“Don’t,” he said.

Ethan frowned.

“What do you mean don’t? I found it—”

“No,” Riven cut in. “You found what he believes.”

Ethan hesitated.

“…Isn’t that the same thing?”

Riven’s expression darkened.

“In this place?” he said softly. “Belief gets people killed.”

Ethan’s confidence faltered.

He glanced back at the man.

Still staring at that door.

Certain.

Desperate.

“…So he could be wrong?”

Riven didn’t answer.

He didn’t need to.

Ethan exhaled shakily.

“Then what do we do? Just guess?”

Riven stepped closer.

Again.

That silence wrapped around Ethan, cutting off the others completely.

“You observe,” Riven said. “You think. And most importantly—”

He leaned in slightly.

“You don’t trust anyone.”

Ethan swallowed.

“…Not even you?”

A pause.

Then—

Riven smiled.

Slow.

Dangerous.

“Especially not me.”

Ethan’s heart skipped.

There it was again.

That feeling.

Like he was standing too close to something he didn’t understand… something he shouldn’t want to understand.

Before he could respond—

A scream.

Sharp. Sudden.

One of the players had moved.

A girl.

She rushed forward, panic written all over her face, and threw open a door.

For a second—

Nothing happened.

Hope flickered.

Then—

Darkness exploded outward.

Swallowing her whole.

Her scream cut off instantly.

The door slammed shut.

Silence.

Ethan staggered back.

“…Okay,” he whispered. “Okay, that’s definitely not the right one.”

Riven didn’t react.

His eyes moved across the doors, calculating.

Then—

He walked.

Straight toward one.

No hesitation.

Ethan blinked.

“Wait—how do you know—”

Riven stopped in front of the door, placing his hand on it.

“I don’t,” he said.

Ethan stared at him.

“…You’re just guessing?”

Riven glanced over his shoulder.

“No,” he said calmly.

“I’m choosing.”

Ethan’s chest tightened.

“That’s not better.”

Riven’s gaze held his.

“Stay,” he said. “Or follow.”

And then—

He opened the door.

Ethan’s breath caught.

For a moment—

Nothing.

Just darkness again.

But this time…

It didn’t move.

Didn’t attack.

Didn’t consume.

Riven stepped inside.

And disappeared.

Ethan stood there, frozen.

Heart racing.

Mind spinning.

Was it safe?

Or was he about to die?

He looked back at the other players.

Panic. Fear. Desperation.

Then back at the door.

At Riven.

At the silence that only existed when he was near.

Ethan clenched his jaw.

“…Damn it.”

And stepped forward.

Into the unknown.

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