It had been over an hour.
Dan sat alone in the old recreation room behind the school gym — their unofficial hangout spot, where time always seemed to warp. The room smelled faintly of mold and paint thinner. Yellowed walls curled at the edges. A tired ceiling fan rotated overhead, stirring up dust that never really left the air. The lights buzzed, casting long, shifting shadows that made the corners of the room feel farther than they were.
He tapped his foot. Checked his phone again. Thirty minutes had passed. Then forty-five. Then an hour.
No texts. No missed calls. Not even a joke.
He stood to leave, more annoyed than concerned, when the door creaked open behind him.
Anna walked in first, followed by Barbara, Zack, Nancy, and Ella. One by one. Slowly. Like something was off in their rhythm — each of them too careful with their movements, too practiced in their casual entrances.
Dan stared.
Their shirts hung oddly around their torsos, shapes subtly distorted, as if something was hidden beneath. Sweat beaded at their temples, glistening despite the cool air of the room.
"Why do you guys look… I don't know… bulkier?" Dan asked, eyebrows creased.
Anna blinked at him, then plastered on a grin that didn't reach her eyes. "We've always looked like this. You're just being weird." She stepped up, pinching his cheek like it was a joke. "Especially me. Rude."
Dan flinched at her touch. "S-Sorry…"
Barbara clapped once. "So? Ready to play?"
"I should be asking you that," he muttered, but he moved back to the center of the room anyway.
Zack looked at the ground. "Let's just start."
They formed a lopsided circle on the dusty tile floor. Nancy sat beside Ella, their knees almost touching.
"You mind if I sit next to you?" Nancy whispered.
Ella turned slightly. "It's fine."
Zack was first to spin the bottle. It clacked and slowed, landing on Dan.
Dan smirked. "You spin, I'll pass."
He flicked the bottle. It whirled and wobbled — then stopped on Nancy.
She visibly tensed. "Oh no…"
Ella leaned toward her. "Remember what we talked about," she whispered, not quietly enough.
Dan caught it. "What are you two whispering about?"
"Nothing," Ella replied too quickly.
Nancy straightened herself. "I'll pick dare."
Dan's smirk widened. "Perfect. Kiss a power pole."
Nancy blinked. "You know I can't do that."
"That's why it's fun."
"Pick something realistic."
Dan shrugged. "Dares aren't supposed to be realistic. New rule — you pick dare, you follow through. Or you pay."
Barbara rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Let's just keep going."
She spun. The bottle clacked again, and somehow landed on Dan.
Her smile twisted. "Let's change the rules. Dare or Double Dare."
Dan tilted his head. "Just for this round?"
"No. For the whole game."
The others nodded too quickly, their timing off.
Dan narrowed his eyes. "Fine. I'm game."
Barbara leaned forward. "Dare or double dare?"
"Double."
"I dare you to fall off your motorcycle."
Dan blinked. "What's the second dare?"
"I'll give it later."
He stared for a beat, then stood without another word and walked out.
A few seconds passed.
Then a loud thud echoed from outside.
He returned rubbing his elbow, looking irritated. "Done."
Everyone stared.
"My turn," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Barbara — fall into a vat of acid. Concentrated. The kind that burns."
Barbara stepped back. "That's psychotic."
Dan shrugged. "Anything goes now, right?"
"I'm not doing that."
"Then you pay."
She hesitated. No one knew what "pay" meant — not clearly. But nobody wanted to find out.
The game spun forward. Each round edged further into the absurd. They started off laughing, but it died quickly. No one was smiling anymore. Even Zack, usually calm, looked on edge. Nancy kept fiddling with her bracelet. Ella stared at the floor like she wanted it to open up.
Dan spun again. It landed on Zack.
"What is this? Lucky streak?" he muttered, leaning back.
Zack exhaled. "Truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"You people are unbelievable," Dan muttered. "You never do the dares. You just waste my time." He tapped his chin. "Dig a hole. Trap yourself in it."
Zack frowned. "How would I even do that?"
"Not my problem."
"I can't."
"Then pay."
Anna jumped in. "Come on, let him spin again. He earned it."
Dan studied her. "Weird, but okay."
He spun. This time it landed on Anna.
"Truth or dare?" he asked.
"Dare."
Dan stared at her. "Swim in a pool of piranhas."
Anna raised an eyebrow. "Try again."
Dan's eyes narrowed. "You're all pathetic. You pick dare, then cry about it."
He turned to Ella. "You're next."
She met his gaze, hard and cold. "And that affects you how?"
Dan went quiet.
Then, he smiled — a slow, bitter smile.
"I'm sorry for asking," he said softly. "Come here. Have sex with me. While everyone watches."
The room went still.
No breath. No words.
Ella's face didn't move. "You know I'm phallophobic."
Dan tilted his head. "That's your issue."
Zack stood so fast the chair behind him scraped loudly. "That's enough. Game's over."
Ella took a step back, hands clenched, breath stuttering.
"Dan," Zack said, louder. "Let her go."
Dan reached and grabbed Ella's wrist. "The dare."
"I'll do it," she said.
The others froze.
"What?" Zack's voice cracked.
"I'll do it," Ella repeated. Her eyes didn't meet his. "But only… for Anna."
Dan blinked. "So it's her payment?"
Ella nodded, barely. "Yes."
Dan grinned wider. "In that case, new dare, get hit by a car."
Ella blinked slowly. "What?"
"I thought about going darker," Dan said, his voice too calm, "but didn't want to get banned."
Zack moved. This time, he shoved Dan's hand off her wrist with force.
"We're done," he growled. "You've lost your mind."
No one argued.
They walked out in silence, one by one. No goodbyes. No backward glances.
Dan stood alone, still in the circle.
He ran to the door, calling after them. "Don't forget to pay me back!"
The street outside was dark, empty.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"…I don't think they heard me."
He turned, slowly. The door clicked shut behind him.
And there, at the center of the room, the bottle still sat on the floor — unmoving..."
To be continued…