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The darkness reeked of blood, death, and the sweat of fear. Only a few had survived the second round from over a hundred, now only twenty-one remained. Each bore wounds some on their bodies, others buried deep in their hearts.
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Jayden Crowe walked at the front of the group like a man seasoned by war. His hands were wrapped in makeshift bandages strips of a shirt scavenged from the last chamber of death. All of them moved silently toward the opening in the final wall a long, dark tunnel filled with rusted stairs. No one spoke. Every breath was a testament to struggle.
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At the bottom, they emerged into a large hall, dimly lit by flickering bulbs hanging from the high ceiling. Written in bold letters painted in blood on the main wall was:
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"CONFESSION HALL - Where the Truth Begins to Hurt"
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They glanced at one another. Suddenly, the lights blazed on white, harsh, blinding. A familiar electronic voice echoed, this time laced with a chilling amusement:
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"Welcome to the Hall of Confessions. You must understand no one dies without guilt. Each of you is here because of something you hid... or something you forgot."
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"For every person who confesses their true sin-they will live. But whoever lies... or stays silent will die."
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The front wall slid open to reveal 21 seats arranged like a courtroom. Each person sat in the chair labeled with their name. Jayden took the center seat, with Rhea Morgan beside him. Others still breathing included:
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Dr. Sienna Volk, a psychologist linked to the deaths of five patients each declared "suicides."
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Connor Black, an arms dealer involved in third-world conflicts.
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Luisa Delvane, a former art student who vanished five years ago after three of her friends died at a festival.
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Father Malcom, a disgraced priest stripped of his title due to child abuse allegations yet never charged.
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Silence hung in the air until a spotlight flickered on landing squarely on Jayden. The voice spoke again:
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"Jayden Crowe. Tell us the truth about the death of Evelyn Mayfield or bleed it."
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Jayden said nothing. Evelyn's voice echoed in his head. Rhea's eyes locked on his. Jayden knew this was the end of denial.
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"I killed..." Jayden began, his voice rough. "But not with my hands. Evelyn was murdered by someone who had been following her... and I knew. I didn't tell her. I saw the messages on her phone but I was angry with her that day. I knew she was in danger, but I ignored it. She told me someone from my past was stalking her... I thought she was being dramatic. I refused to listen. She looked at me one last time... before she disappeared. I left her. I killed her with indifference."
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The light dimmed. Silence.
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The voice calmly declared:
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"Truth accepted. Jayden will remain alive."
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Then the light swung onto Rhea Morgan. She trembled. Jayden gave her a reassuring glance.
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"Rhea Morgan. Your confession, please. Regarding the case of Randall Voss."
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Rhea's face drained of color. Her lips quivered. "I didn't defend him because he was innocent. I knew Randall had been arrested on false evidence, but I was paid two million to get him cleared with a fabricated legal loophole. He walked free. And after that... he killed two women. I knew. I knew, but I wanted the money."
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Jayden stared at her, taking in a slow breath.
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The light dimmed. The voice announced:
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"Rhea Morgan will remain alive."
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Time moved on. One by one, they were called. Some spoke the truth. Others refused. Like Father Malcom. He only prayed. When the spotlight hit him, he remained silent. The voice spoke:
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"Confession rejected. Sentence: Death."
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A loud hum of electricity buzzed through the room. Malcom's chair trembled violently. Bolts of electricity ripped through him until his body crumbled into a smoldering heap. The others couldn't even scream. They simply watched. And remembered.
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By the end, only eleven remained. A large door opened before them. Ahead was a single elevator. Above it, written in blood, were the words:
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"IF YOU KNOW YOUR BLOOD, YOU KNOW YOUR FUTURE."
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Jayden looked at the remaining survivors. Sienna was shaking. Connor Black sat on the floor, sobbing. Luisa stepped beside Jayden and whispered:
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"Do you think this is punishment... or cleansing?"
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Jayden replied, "It's war. And it hasn't even started."
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As they entered the elevator, the lights of the Confession Hall suddenly illuminated behind them revealing every empty chair. Inside the elevator, there was a large mirror. But when they looked into it... they saw no reflections.
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Each saw someone they knew someone who hated them. One by one, they looked away. But Jayden held his gaze. He saw Det. Charles Hume the friend who betrayed him four years ago.
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The final voice echoed before the elevator doors shut:
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"Next round: The Chamber of Truth. Please prepare to lose something precious."
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The elevator began to descend and showed no sign of ever stopping.
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Author's notes 👑
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Before You Go
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Your thoughts matter more than you know.
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If this story left you breathless, angry, in love or questioning everything...
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