Kael wandered the silent city, blood dripping from his hand. The streets, once full of color, now shimmered in grayscale—like someone had drained the world of feeling.
He didn't know how long he walked. Time made no sense here.
Then he saw it.
A red string tied to a lamppost.
It pulsed.
Not like light—but like a heartbeat.
Curious, Kael followed it. It wrapped around corners, weaved through alleys, passed through crowds that didn't move. People frozen in place, their eyes blank. Their mouths stuck in silent screams.
The string led him to a building.
The sign above it was in broken code—letters glitched and rearranged. He blinked, and suddenly, it read:
**"YOU ARE HERE."**
Inside was a long hallway. The red string ran along the walls, the floor, the ceiling. And at the end of the hall… a door. It pulsed in sync with the watch on his wrist.
[9:03:14]
He stepped inside.
The room was empty—except for one thing.
A chair in the center. With someone sitting in it.
Kael's breath caught.
It was *himself*.
But older. Eyes darker. Skin paler. And on his lap…
The red notebook.
Kael moved slowly. "Who are you?"
The other Kael didn't look up. He flipped a page. Scribbled something in.
Then he whispered:
"I'm the version of you that remembered everything."
Kael felt like the floor dropped beneath him.
"What does that mean? What did I forget?!"
The older Kael finally looked up.
His face broke into a twisted grin.
"You forgot *why she was created*."
Before Kael could respond, the other Kael exploded into red strings, vanishing into the air like smoke. The notebook dropped to the floor, open.
Only one sentence was written in shaky handwriting:
**"She's the glitch. You're the experiment."**
Kael screamed.
But his voice made no sound.
Only *pulse*.