Cael sat on the couch, posture firm, eyes fixed on the television with unwavering seriousness. His arms were crossed, fingers twitching slightly against his sleeves.
The screen glowed softly in the darkened room, casting faint reflections against the window. Then, suddenly, waves of flickering lights rippled through the house, pulsing in a rhythmic, almost unnatural sequence.
The television stuttered. The screen blinked violently… then died.
Static. Darkness.
Cael blinked and tilted his head, confused.
That's suspicious… Why did that happen? Never mind. I'm going to sleep.
He stood up, rubbing the side of his neck, and made his way toward the bathroom. The floor felt colder than usual beneath his bare feet.
Inside, he grabbed his toothbrush from the cup near the sink and twisted the cap off the toothpaste. He squeezed out a reasonable amount and began brushing his teeth in silence, his eyes locked onto the mirror.
The fluorescent bulb above buzzed softly.
Then it flickered.
Cael paused mid-brush. The light blinked erratically… then changed color, subtle, but wrong. Faint hues of violet, green, and pale blue pulsed like breathing shadows.
His brows drew closer, and he leaned slightly toward the mirror, brush still between his lips.
What was that? Why are the lights flickering like this? This is getting creepy… I'm getting out of here.
He turned toward the door and grabbed the knob.
It didn't move.
Cael twisted it again, harder.
It remained locked.
His heartbeat rose, pulse climbing up his throat.
Why is this locked? It only locks from the inside… then why can't I open it? It feels like the knob's inverted.
He looked back toward the mirror, and something shifted in the corner of his eye.
A face. Distorted, hazy, but unmistakable it was his own face.
His chest tightened. He whipped his head to the side.
There, reflected in the warped edge of the mirror—his face. His own body, but wrong. Like a shadow mimicking his every detail.
His breathing quickened. The brush slipped from his hand, clattering into the sink.
Then a second figure appeared. Then a third.
All three were versions of himself—expressionless, eyes locked on him. They moved forward, slowly, step by step, their forms flickering like corrupted video frames.
Cael's face twisted in horror. He backed away from the mirror, stumbling slightly, hands reaching for the sink behind him.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice unsteady. "Were you the ones who locked the door?!"
None of them responded.
The first stepped forward. The others followed in sync. Their limbs jerked unnaturally, like puppets with failing strings.
Cael's knees weakened. His ears rang sharply, and his vision blurred at the edges. The ground beneath his feet felt like it shifted, tilting, swaying, as if submerged.
His voice faltered.
"Wh-what's happening to m-"
His lips stopped moving. No sound came out.
The figures raised their arms. Their hands glowed faintly with a strange energy, weaving symbols midair in synchronized gestures, ritualistic, deliberate.
Then the light vanished.
Cael felt something pierce through him—three sharp points, digging deep. The pain bloomed in his chest, his temple, and his abdomen. He couldn't scream. He couldn't move.
His mind collapsed into a void.
「USER DETECTED — CAEL S. // SYNCHRONIZATION: 10%」
Time unraveled. Thought scattered.
Cael's limbs twisted involuntarily. His body contorted, his spine arched unnaturally. His mouth opened in a mental scream, one that echoed only inside his skull.
Then—white.
A sharp light blinded him.
The flickering bulb above the mirror came into view. He was on the bathroom floor, breath shallow, skin slick with sweat. His shirt clung to him. His body trembled.
He blinked, trying to remember. He sat up slowly, supporting himself on the cool tile.
Was that… a nightmare?
As he sat upright, something golden hovered in his peripheral vision. He turned his head.
A floating, translucent screen hovered just inches from the air. Its shape was minimalistic, clean, softly glowing with pale gold light.
「USER SYNCHRONIZATION: 10%」
Cael squinted.
"What is that? User synchronization? Ten percent? What does that even mean? Am I dreaming?"
He slapped his arm, it hurt, He bit down gently on his tongue, Pain.
Everything felt real.
He stood, wobbling slightly, and took a deep breath. His shoulders rose and fell as he shook out the ache in his limbs. He turned to the door and grabbed the handle.
It didn't budge.
He twisted it again, stuck. Something was blocking it from the other side.
His brow furrowed, expression tightening.
What the hell? Is something blocking the door? Should I scream for Lyra?
He cleared his throat and yelled, his voice hoarse.
"LYRAAAAAAA! HELP MEEE!"
Silence.
He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
Fuck… What do I do now? I'm seriously stuck in the bathroom? ...Hmm.
He glanced around the narrow space.
What if I charge through the door?
He backed up slowly, pressing himself against the tiled wall at the far end. His bare feet gripped the floor. He took a breath.
Then he ran.
With full momentum, he jumped and kicked toward the door.
It groaned under impact.
He stepped back, catching his breath.
"It worked," he muttered under his breath. "Now I just need to do that… multiple times."
After several harsh impacts, Cael finally burst through the bathroom door with a loud crash. The broken frame creaked as it gave way. He stumbled forward, heart pounding.
The hallway was in chaos.
Debris littered the floor. The ceiling above had partially collapsed, splintered beams and plaster dust scattered everywhere. Wires dangled from above, swaying gently. A section of the roof had fallen in, and faint wind pushed through, carrying the faint scent of smoke.
But Cael didn't pause to examine the damage. His eyes scanned only for one thing.
Lyra… Where is she? What time is it? I need to check my phone.
He pulled out his phone and pressed the power button. The screen lit up faintly before flashing red.
Low battery: 3%.
The screen blinked, then turned black again.
"Fuck! What now?" Cael shouted, voice cracking.
He shoved the phone into his pocket and sprinted up the stairs, sidestepping broken furniture and avoiding sharp debris. The steps groaned under his weight. Reaching the top, he quickly approached Lyra's bedroom door.
He raised his hand and knocked three times, then pressed his palm gently to the wood.
"Lyra? It's me."
There was no response, just silence.
Cael's throat tightened. He pressed his forehead against the door and spoke again, more desperately.
"Lyra… it's me. Your brother…"
His voice broke. He slumped to his knees, palms resting on the cracked floor. Tears welled in his eyes and began to fall quietly, streaking down his cheeks.
Then—click.
The doorknob turned.
The door opened slowly, and a familiar figure stood in the frame. It was Lyra.
Her eyes were red, on the verge of tears, and her voice cracked as she stepped forward.
"Brother… where were you?" she asked. "Something big happened… I tried looking for you in your room, but you weren't there…"
Cael looked up, breath hitching.
"I—I was in the bathroom," he said softly, still kneeling. "I think I passed out… maybe from overwork."
Lyra stepped forward, her feet bare, her hands trembling. She knelt beside him and wiped the tears from his face with her sleeve.
"I figured you were there…" she said quietly. "But when I went to check, the bathroom door was covered in debris. I couldn't get to it…"
Her eyes flicked up to his. There was a heavy silence before she continued, her voice low and shaken.
"Brother… listen. Something happened overnight. I—I don't know how to explain it. It felt like… like a meteorite hit. The whole world shook. When I looked out the window, the streets were full of fire…"
She stopped. Her mouth opened but no words came out.
Cael gently placed his hand on hers, his voice soft and calming.
"Relax. I'm here now. Take your time. Tell me what happened."
Lyra gripped his hand tightly, grounding herself. Her eyes shimmered.
"When I looked again, the people… they were acting strange. Some were biting others. They were screaming, bleeding. People were dying right outside. It was horrible… so I stayed here. I locked the door and waited for you."
She looked around her room, then pointed toward a corner near her bed.
"And then this popped up. It just… floated there. It says, 'User Synchronization: 10%.' I can still see it. Am I the only one seeing this?"
Cael followed her gaze, squinting toward the corner she pointed at.
There was nothing visible to him.
He frowned.
User synchronization… again. Same as mine. So she's seeing her own version too?
He turned his hand slightly and pointed toward the space just to the right of his shoulder.
"Can you see anything here?" he asked her gently.
Lyra tilted her head, brow furrowing. "No," she said, voice still soft. "There's nothing there. Is something supposed to be?"
He nodded slowly, then gave her a faint smile.
"Yes. It's like yours. We probably have the same thing… just that we can't see each other's screens."
Lyra's lips parted in realization. She looked down at her own fingers, as if confirming the golden interface was still there.
"So… it's not just me."
"No," Cael replied, voice steadier now. "We're in this together."