GAME OVER

One rainy Friday night, they decided to stay in. Liam pulled out a strange game he claimed he'd found tucked away in a dusty corner of an old game store - a place he swore hadn't even been there the day before. The game was called "The Hollowed." No developer name. No publisher. Just a cracked jewel case with an eerie symbol burnt into the cover.

"What's the worst that could happen?" Ben said with a grin, cracking open a beer as Liam slid the disc into the console.

The game booted up with a scream so sharp it made the lights flicker. The opening screen was just a blank void, with four words flashing in blood-red font:

"YOU PLAY, YOU PAY."