The Kill Factor
Ben Oliver
Extract
Emerson Ness had not been scared in a very long time. Now she was terrified. The room was grey, not only in colour but in character too: perfectly square, perfectly dull. No windows. The only light came from two fluorescent headache bulbs that flickered overhead. The table was off-centre in a very purposeful way. Emerson sat at that table, trying not to think. They want you to think, she told herself, they want you to replay the events over and over until you’re not sure what happened and what didn’t happen. That’s why everything is so grey and dull; so that you’ve got nothing to focus on other than your thoughts. She tried then to clear her mind, but it was impossible.
She was shaking. She saw it in her hands as she nervously pulled at her fingertips, and then noticed a thrumming throughout her entire body. Stop that, she commanded herself, but no amount of trying would slow down the tremor that ran through her like a current, and as she stared at her earthquake hands, her mind drifted back to the reason she was in this room.
About the book
Squid Game meets Black Mirror in an electrifying new YA story from the author of acclaimed The Loop series.
In a world where social media is everything and followers equal money, Emerson is facing a prison sentence.
Then, she’s offered a way out: a brand new gameshow for young felons that combines social media and reality TV.
The first prize? Freedom – and a comfortable life for Emerson’s little brother.
But if she loses? Incarceration for life.
The games kick off on a remote island with the prison at its heart. Little do the viewers or contestants know the prison is empty – and the truth about why is even more brutal than the games themselves …
- A truly edge-of-your-seat sci-fi dystopia with a fresh, reality TV twist
- Perfect for fans of The Maze Runner and The Hunger Games
- A sure-fire TikTok hit!
PRAISE FOR THE LOOP:
‘Your next YA obsession.’ ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
‘A terrifying and sinister look into the future that will leave your jaw on the floor.’ KASS MORGAN, author of THE 100
‘Fans of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner should look no further … Thrilling and terrifying in equal measure.’ OBSERVER
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Rights
UK / Commonwealth
