File: High_school_master_0.195_win.zip ... < AUTHENTIC ✰ >

and try to rewrite the girl’s permissions to "User," giving her control of the game—and my computer.

I looked back at the screen. The "Master" avatar was no longer under my control. It was walking toward the girl, pulling out a digital eraser tool. I had two choices: File: High_School_Master_0.195_WIN.zip ...

A girl in a vintage 90s denim jacket was standing by locker 402. Every time I tried to click her to change her stats, a text box appeared: “You aren’t supposed to be in the admin settings.” and try to rewrite the girl’s permissions to

I checked the WIN.zip folder again. Hidden inside the Assets folder were hundreds of files named after real people from my town who had gone missing over the last decade. My heart hammered against my ribs. It was walking toward the girl, pulling out

When I unzipped the file and clicked the executable, the screen didn't show a typical anime-style menu. Instead, it was a grainy, photorealistic overhead view of a school I recognized: my own.

I reached for the keyboard. The denim-jacket girl pressed her hands against the inside of my monitor.

"Don't let him update the game," she whispered through my speakers. "Version 0.200 is coming for you next."