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The nameless door was fully open now.

No one remembered it opening.

It just… was.

The thing inside didn’t step out this time.

It waited.

Like it knew they would come to it eventually.

—

No one spoke at first.

Frank was still on his knees, breathing hard, staring at his hands like they didn’t belong to him.

Melissa kept glancing at the doors—counting them, recounting them, like the number might stabilize if she tried hard enough.

It didn’t.

Sebastian finally broke the silence.

…We’re missing more people.

Jake scoffed, but it came out weaker than before.

Yeah? Then name them.

Sebastian opened his mouth—

And froze.

Because he couldn’t.

Not a single name.

Just a feeling.

Like a word on the tip of his tongue that refused to exist.

Nommanic spoke quietly.

…That’s the point. It doesn’t just remove them. It removes the space they occupied.

Neptuno looked at his DSi again.

PLAYER COUNT: 10

He swallowed.

What happens when it hits zero?

No one answered.

—

A new sound filled the hallway.

Footsteps.

Not theirs.

Coming from behind them.

Slow.

Uneven.

Dragging.

They all turned at once.

At the far end of the hallway—

Something stood there.

A figure.

Familiar.

Too familiar.

It was… one of them.

But wrong.

Its proportions stretched slightly too long. Its head tilted at an impossible angle. Its smile didn’t move with the rest of its face.

And the worst part—

No one could agree on who it looked like.

Jake took a step back.

…Who is that?

Melissa shook her head rapidly.

I don’t know—I don’t—I feel like I should—

Koroshi’s hands tightened around his sticker printer.

It’s not copying one of us. It’s copying all of us.

The figure took a step forward.

Then another.

Each step slightly out of sync with the sound it made.

Sebastian raised his flashlight.

Don’t move.

The figure stopped.

Then—

It spoke.

Not in one voice.

In many.

“YOU FORGOT ME.”

The lights flickered.

Gordo growled, backing away.

Grrrr…

Frank staggered to his feet.

We didn’t forget anyone!

The figure’s head snapped toward him.

“YOU DID.”

—

Neptuno’s DSi glitched violently.

NEW OBJECTIVE:

IDENTIFY THE LIAR.

—

Jake blinked.

…Excuse me?

Nommanic’s expression darkened.

That’s new.

Koroshi looked at his latest sticker.

…One of us isn’t just “extra.” One of us is wrong.

Melissa’s voice shook.

What’s the difference?

No one answered.

Because they all knew.

—

The distorted figure in the hallway started walking again.

Faster now.

“YOU LIED.”

“YOU LEFT.”

“YOU CHOSE WRONG.”

Sebastian stepped forward.

Stop!

It paused.

Nommanic spoke again.

A lie creates a contradiction. Something this place can’t stabilize.

Jake frowned.

So what, we just… confess stuff now?!

Neptuno looked down.

00:59
00:58
00:57

We don’t have time!

Frank clenched his fists.

Fine. I said I didn’t leave the stove on… but I wasn’t sure.

00:41

Koroshi stepped forward.

I said the logo didn’t exist… but I recognized it.

00:32

Melissa shut her eyes.

I said my room was safe… but I knew it wasn’t.

00:25

The figure twitched.

“STILL WRONG.”

—

Sebastian’s voice lowered.

It’s not small lies.

Nommanic nodded.

Something bigger.

Jake crossed his arms.

…Okay. This is dumb.

The timer continued.

00:14

Koroshi stared.

…You haven’t said anything.

Jake shrugged.

Yeah, because I didn’t lie.

Silence.

Heavy.

Wrong.

Nommanic stepped closer.

Jake. Say something.

Jake snapped.

I already did!

00:08

Neptuno’s screen flickered.

WARNING: CONTRADICTION DETECTED.

—

Sebastian stepped forward slowly.

…You grabbed the gun first.

Jake glared.

So?

You said it was yours. But you hesitated.

Jake’s expression flickered.

No I didn’t.

00:03

Koroshi raised the sticker.

The distorted figure—

Was Jake.

—

00:02

…No.

00:01

The figure lunged—

—

00:00

—

Everything stopped.

Neptuno’s screen:

LIAR IDENTIFIED.

—

Jake screamed.

I DIDN’T— I DIDN’T— I DIDN’T—

His body flickered.

Versions overlapping.

One holding the gun.

One hesitating.

One smiling.

One terrified.

Sebastian reached out.

Jake!

Jake looked at him.

For one moment—

Normal.

…It wasn’t mine.

The hallway breathed in.

Jake—

Vanished.

—

Silence.

—

PLAYER COUNT: 9

—

This time—

They remembered.

—

A low sound broke it.

Ruh…?

They turned.

Gordo stood frozen.

Staring at the nameless door.

—

From inside—

Something moved.

Low to the ground.

Same size.

Same shape.

—

Another dog stepped forward.

Identical to Gordo.

—

Melissa gasped.

…Gordo?

The real Gordo whimpered.

Ruh…

The copy tilted its head.

Roo…?

Sebastian stepped forward slightly.

Don’t go near it.

—

The copy moved closer.

Its motion lagged unnaturally.

Koroshi whispered—

It’s not copying him… it’s replacing him.

—

Gordo backed away.

Closer to the door.

Rrr… no…

—

Something shifted behind the copy.

Massive.

Watching.

—

Nommanic spoke immediately.

That’s the real threat.

Neptuno trembled.

It wants us to choose…

—

“THEN HE STAYS.”

—

Gordo looked at them.

Desperate.

Ruh… help…

—

Both dogs moved at the same time.

Mirroring.

Perfectly.

—

Melissa panicked.

We can’t leave him!

Koroshi shook.

We don’t know which one he is!

—

For one second—

One dog glitched.

Its jaw stretched too far—

—

Too late.

—

The thing surged forward.

One of the Gordos was yanked back—

Dragged into darkness—

RUH—!

—

The other collapsed.

Shaking.

Alive.

—

The door slammed shut.

—

Silence.

—

No one spoke.

Because no one knew—

Which one remained.

—

Neptuno’s screen flickered.

ENTITY HAS TAKEN ONE.

—

Sebastian stepped forward slowly.

…Gordo?

—

The dog looked up.

—

For a split second—

His eyes didn’t match.

—

Then they blinked.

Normal.

—

The nameless door was gone.

Only a wall remained.

—

Carved deep into it:

YOU ARE STILL LATE.

—

End of Episode 3


How do ya like it? 2 more episodes to go and the series will be over.