The Lottery of Death

Every year, the city of Ashen ran the Death Lottery. Citizens were randomly selected, and the winners were never seen again.

Nina had spent her whole life praying she wouldn’t be chosen.

But today, her name flashed across the giant screens in the city square. Nina Vasquez—Winner.

She felt her mother’s hands tighten around her wrist. “You have to run.”

“But no one ever escapes—”

“Someone has to be first.”

The soldiers were already marching toward her. The crowd stood still, pretending they weren’t afraid.

Nina inhaled.

And then—she ran.

The first shot missed.

The second one didn’t.

Darkness swallowed her.

But she woke up somewhere else.

A sterile white room. A voice overhead.

“Welcome to Phase Two of the Experiment.”