FreezeTag Go!

Micah Ford had mastered the art of being invisible.

Not literally of course. It wasn’t a superpower, not in the comic book sense anyway. It was more like a survival adaptation. The result of years spent speaking in quiet tones, walking with his shoulders curved inward, eyes trained on the floor. He stepped aside before others even noticed he was there. He held doors open and was forgotten before they closed.

Senior year was nearly over, and no one at Milton C. Smith High noticed him—not really. He wasn’t bullied or mocked. Just invisible.

And that was fine. It gave him space to observe.

Specifically one of his favorite subjects, that being Leah Larkin.

Thin, with long blonde hair that caught the light and deep brown eyes that always seemed alive with curiosity. She was a star in the school’s theater program, always landing lead roles, always shining brighter than the rest. Micah loved to watch her. The way her face moved, the way her whole body responded to even the slightest direction. Leah had a gift, and it was beautiful.

He could also tell she was unhappy.

She tried to hide it, of course. Putting on a bright smile for anyone who watched, playing the part of the doting daughter, the perfect student, the happy theater kid. But there was a shadow beneath all of it. In her eyes, mostly. A sadness that no one else seemed to see.

Or maybe he was the only one looking.

That thought made his heart skip. If only he could take all that pain away from her.

Then, it happened.

It started as a throwaway moment.

He was washing his hands in the boys’ bathroom when he noticed a strange sticker above the mirror: a sleek QR code, black on silver foil. Under it:

FREEZE TIME — FREEZE LIFE

#FreezeTagGo

Micah blinked. Some weird meme? Marketing?

Curiosity got the better of him. He scanned it.

A strange install prompt popped up: FreezeTag Go

"Become the Master of Motion."

No developer name. No store listing. Just the button: Install

Micah hesitated—then tapped it.

The app launched in a swirl of icy blue visuals. A snowflake pulsed on the screen.

WELCOME TO FREEZETAG GO

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS NOW

Quick warnings scrolled past:

Frozen subjects remain visible to all. Stealth is advised.

Transport guidelines available in Gallery Mode.

Micah frowned. What kind of game was this?

The camera activated on its own. A pale blue targeting reticle hovered onscreen.

FREEZE READY

Tap to Engage

Micah snorted and closed the app. Stupid prank. Yet, he didn’t delete the app.

That afternoon, classes was over, and normally Micah would head straight home. But not today. Today he found himself drawn to the school auditorium. This wasn’t against the rules or anything.

Students were allowed to practice after hours. So, if anyone asked, that was his story.

He sat in the back row, hidden from sight. Then, he waited.

He didn't have to wait long.

Leah showed up not twenty minutes later, carrying a large tote bag filled with makeup and costume pieces. Micah watched, fascinated. What would she practice today? There was no one else in the audience, and he didn’t see any other theater students.

The answer soon came: Medea, by Euripides.

Micah had no idea what that was. But when Leah opened her mouth to recite the opening lines, it was like she became a different person.

He had seen her onstage, of course. He had watched her for the last three years, and every time she took his breath away. Slowly he raised his phone. He didn’t realize the FreezeTag Go app was still open. The targeting reticle hovered on Leah, a gentle blue glow.

“Freeze now?”

Micah tapped the reticle.

For a moment nothing happened. Then the screen flashed blue, and the world around him seemed to pause. Leah stood frozen, mouth half open, expression fixed. Micah could only stare. What was that? He tapped the reticle again.

“Subject already frozen, please select a different one.”

Micah’s eyes widened, as he looked between the App, the the frozen Leah. According to his watch, time itself was still moving, just not for Leah it seems.

Micah swallowed. What had he done?

Slowly, carefully, he slipped out of his seat, making his way down the steps to the stage. Leah still hadn't moved. Was she breathing? Her skin was a healthy color. She was just paused.

He approached her slowly, almost afraid.

His phone buzzed in his hand, and a notification appeared:

Subject: Leah Larkin — STATUS: CAPTURED

+50 points earned

Please transport subject to a discreet location. Stealth required. All freezes are permanent.

Micah stared at the message. Captured? Permanent?

Leah was still frozen, still standing there. Still...waiting.

He stepped closer. His hand trembled, but he **** himself to reach out and touch her face.

Warmth.

He sighed.

He ran his finger along her cheek. Soft. Perfect.

Her mouth was parted, slightly. As he pushed down on her chin, her mouth opened slightly more. Micah felt a flicker of panic, but the rest of her remained unmoved.

He had to admit: it was tempting.

To be able to pose her as he pleased. To look his fill, to touch her freely.

His hand lowered, down her neck, fingers trailing along her collarbone.

He paused.

Leah was wearing a simple white button-down blouse.

Micah shook his head. The school auditorium was no place to check Leah out, even if it was just the two of them. But his house? That was a different story.

Micah bit his lip. The idea was risky.

So wrong.

But the idea was also so...perfect. It just felt right.

The auditorium had a side exit door. A door that opened to a quiet alley, and then a shortcut through the neighborhood.

If he was fast, he could get her back to his room, unnoticed.

His pulse raced.

The idea was wrong, but so was freezing her in the first place.

Micah glanced at the message again. Transport.

So...that was how it was going to be.

"You know," he said, his voice echoing across the empty auditorium. "I've always wanted to do this."

Leah simply stared back with blank brown eyes.

Without saying another word, Micah lifted Leah up over his shoulder, her legs stiffly jutting forward. She was surprisingly light. Without saying another word, he left the auditorium with a frozen Leah in tow.