diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d4fb281..544f547 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# VS Code settings
+.vscode/
+
 # Prerequisites
 *.d
 
@@ -38,4 +41,4 @@
 *.app
 
 # debug information files
-*.dwo
+*.dwo
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/snake.h b/snake.h
index ebe1192..df6f923 100644
--- a/snake.h
+++ b/snake.h
@@ -4,54 +4,82 @@
 #include <thread>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <termios.h>
-#include <unistd.h> // for system clear
+#include <unistd.h> 
 #include <map>
 #include <deque>
 #include <algorithm>
+#include <fstream>
+
 using namespace std;
 using std::chrono::system_clock;
 using namespace std::this_thread;
 char direction='r';
+vector<int> top_scores;
+bool paused = false;
+void load_top_scores() {
+    ifstream infile("top_scores.txt");
+    int s;
+    top_scores.clear();
+    while (infile >> s) {
+        top_scores.push_back(s);
+    }
+    infile.close();
+    sort(top_scores.rbegin(), top_scores.rend());
+    if (top_scores.size() > 10) top_scores.resize(10);
+}
 
+void save_top_scores() {
+    ofstream outfile("top_scores.txt");
+    for (int s : top_scores) {
+        outfile << s << endl;
+    }
+    outfile.close();
+}
 
 void input_handler(){
-    // change terminal settings
     struct termios oldt, newt;
     tcgetattr(STDIN_FILENO, &oldt);
     newt = oldt;
-    // turn off canonical mode and echo
     newt.c_lflag &= ~(ICANON | ECHO);
     tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &newt);
-    map<char, char> keymap = {{'d', 'r'}, {'a', 'l'}, {'w', 'u'}, {'s', 'd'}, {'q', 'q'}};
+    map<char, char> keymap = {{'d', 'r'}, {'a', 'l'}, {'w', 'u'}, {'s', 'd'}};
+
+
     while (true) {
         char input = getchar();
         if (keymap.find(input) != keymap.end()) {
-            // This now correctly modifies the single, shared 'direction' variable
             direction = keymap[input];
-        }else if (input == 'q'){
+        }else if(input == 'p') {
+            paused = !paused;
+        } 
+        else if (input == 'q'){
             exit(0);
         }
-        // You could add an exit condition here, e.g., if (input == 'q') break;
     }
     tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &oldt);
 }
 
 
-void render_game(int size, deque<pair<int, int>> &snake, pair<int, int> food){
-    for(size_t i=0;i<size;i++){
-        for(size_t j=0;j<size;j++){
-            if (i == food.first && j == food.second){
-                cout << "🍎";
-            }else if (find(snake.begin(), snake.end(), make_pair(int(i), int(j))) != snake.end()) {
+void render_game(int size, deque<pair<int, int>> &snake, pair<int, int> food, pair<int,int> poison) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < size; i++) {
+        for (size_t j = 0; j < size; j++) {
+            if (i == food.first && j == food.second) {
+                cout << "🍎";  
+            } else if (i == poison.first && j == poison.second) {
+                cout << "☠️";
+            } else if (find(snake.begin(), snake.end(), make_pair(int(i), int(j))) != snake.end()) {
                 cout << "🐍";
-            }else{
+            } else {
                 cout << "⬜";
             }
+        }
+        cout << endl;
     }
-    cout << endl;
-}
 }
 
+
+
+
 pair<int,int> get_next_head(pair<int,int> current, char direction){
     pair<int, int> next; 
     if(direction =='r'){
@@ -68,34 +96,111 @@ pair<int,int> get_next_head(pair<int,int> current, char direction){
     
 }
 
+pair<int,int> generate_food(int size, const deque<pair<int,int>> &snake) {
+    pair<int,int> food;
+    do {
+        food = make_pair(rand() % size, rand() % size);
+    } while (find(snake.begin(), snake.end(), food) != snake.end());
+    return food;
+}
 
+pair<int,int> generate_poison(int size, const deque<pair<int,int>> &snake, pair<int,int> food) {
+    pair<int,int> poison;
+    do {
+        poison = make_pair(rand() % size, rand() % size);
+    } while (
+        find(snake.begin(), snake.end(), poison) != snake.end() || poison == food
+    );
+    return poison;
+}
+
+void game_play() {
+    load_top_scores();
 
-void game_play(){
     system("clear");
     deque<pair<int, int>> snake;
-    snake.push_back(make_pair(0,0));
-
-    pair<int, int> food = make_pair(rand() % 10, rand() % 10);
-    for(pair<int, int> head=make_pair(0,1);; head = get_next_head(head, direction)){
-        // send the cursor to the top
-        cout << "\033[H";
-        // check self collision
-        if (find(snake.begin(), snake.end(), head) != snake.end()) {
-            system("clear");
-            cout << "Game Over" << endl;
-            exit(0);
-        }else if (head.first == food.first && head.second == food.second) {
-            // grow snake
-            food = make_pair(rand() % 10, rand() % 10);
-            snake.push_back(head);            
-        }else{
-            // move snake
-            snake.push_back(head);
-            snake.pop_front();
+    snake.push_back(make_pair(0, 0));
+
+    pair<int, int> food = generate_food(10, snake);
+    pair<int, int> poison = generate_poison(10, snake, food);
+
+
+    int food_eaten = 0;
+    int speed = 500;
+    int score = 0;
+    int poison_timer = 0;
+
+pair<int,int> head = make_pair(0, 1);
+while (true) {
+    cout << "\033[H";
+
+    while (paused) {
+        system("clear");
+        render_game(10, snake, food, poison);
+        cout << "=== PAUSED ===" << endl;
+        cout << "Press 'p' to resume..." << endl;
+        sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(200));
+        system("clear");
+    }
+
+    head = get_next_head(head, direction);
+
+ if (find(snake.begin(), snake.end(), head) != snake.end()) {
+    system("clear");
+
+    top_scores.push_back(score);
+    sort(top_scores.rbegin(), top_scores.rend());
+    if (top_scores.size() > 10) top_scores.resize(10);
+    save_top_scores();
+
+    cout << "Game Over! Snake hit itself." << endl;
+    cout << "Top 10 Scores:" << endl;
+    for (int s : top_scores) cout << s << endl;
+
+    exit(0);
+} 
+else if (head == poison) {
+    system("clear");
+
+    // Update top scores and save
+    top_scores.push_back(score);
+    sort(top_scores.rbegin(), top_scores.rend());
+    if (top_scores.size() > 10) top_scores.resize(10);
+    save_top_scores();
+
+    cout << "Game Over! Snake ate poison ☠️." << endl;
+    cout << "Top 10 Scores:" << endl;
+    for (int s : top_scores) cout << s << endl;
+
+    exit(0);
+}
+
+
+    else if (head.first == food.first && head.second == food.second) {
+        food = generate_food(10, snake);
+        snake.push_back(head);
+        food_eaten++;
+        score += 10;
+
+        if (food_eaten % 10 == 0 && speed > 100) {
+            speed += 50;  
         }
-        render_game(10, snake, food);
-        cout << "length of snake: " << snake.size() << endl;
-    
-        sleep_for(500ms);
+    } else {
+        snake.push_back(head);
+        snake.pop_front();
+    }
+
+    poison_timer += speed; // add time passed in this loop
+    if (poison_timer >= 5000) {
+        poison = generate_poison(10, snake, food);
+        poison_timer = 0;
     }
+
+    render_game(10, snake, food, poison);
+    cout << "length of snake: " << snake.size() << endl;
+    cout << "Score: " << score << endl;
+    cout << "food eaten: " << food_eaten << " | current speed: " << speed << "ms" << endl;
+
+    sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(speed));
 }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/top_scores.txt b/top_scores.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf8ba84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/top_scores.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+20
+20
+0
\ No newline at end of file