They’re meant to be survived.

And Leo had just unblocked it.

From that day on, Leo never clicked “unblocked” again. But sometimes, at 2:55 PM, right before the final bell, a faint marimba tune would play from the library’s old speakers. No one knew the source.

In the fluorescent-lit silence of Westbrook Middle School, Library period was supposed to be for reading. But for Leo Zhao, it was for survival .

A dialogue box appeared, typed in retro green terminal font: GREEDY MONKEY. YOU'VE GROWN 5,000 BANANAS. THE ADMINISTRATOR DOES NOT APPROVE OF VERTICAL INTEGRATION. The screen flickered. Kiko, once cheerful, now gripped a broom like a spear. The store’s cheerful marimba music warped into a low, thrumming drone. Other students’ Chromebooks in the library started to buzz. One by one, their screens flickered to Monkey Mart —even though they hadn’t clicked the link.

He deliberately chose the worst option: .

“Leo, what did you do?” whispered Mia, two seats over. Her screen showed the hooded figure now wielding a padlock.