When the train arrived at the Saint-Anna Hospital station, it was as if the devil himself urged me to step off. It was around the time when Joe and Clara would likely finish watching their movie, and I felt the need to catch another glimpse of them to confirm their connection and seek further evidence. My mind struggled to accept the reality of the situation. Were they truly together? Was Joe truly capable of such actions toward me?

Despite the looming risk of arriving too late, missing them entirely, or the possibility of being discovered first and having to confront them, I pushed aside these reservations and ventured forth from the train station, yearning for undeniable proof to believe what was unfolding before me.

As I reached the front of the theater and found that the film was not finished yet, I crossed over to the other side, where a charming café was situated across from the theater's exit, and made my way inside. I had enough remaining money from Mrs. Cutler's contribution for the train tickets to treat myself to a cup of coffee.

Sitting there, gently sipping my coffee, I found myself deep in contemplation, fixated on the darkened exit doors. It was getting dark, and the late evening had brought a haunting ambiance, with clouds veiling the sky and a few raindrops tenderly washing away the dust of the streets. Outside, the café window became a canvas for the droplets, engaged in a captivating game of sliding down in a zigzag pattern and collecting other droplets, even as the rain had subsided.

Overwhelmed with emotion, lonely tears ran down my face as I silently wept. For about twenty minutes, I remained in that state, lost in my own world of melancholy. Gradually, people began to exit the theater, and among the last to emerge were Joe and Clara. They appeared genuinely happy and stopped to share a tender kiss. Seeing them together, it was evident that they were a blissful couple.

And there I was, a foolish and solitary onlooker, observing them with a mix of sorrow and resignation. How could I have ever believed that Joe would be interested in someone like me when there were undoubtedly more attractive girls in his midst?

When they stopped again in front of the entry, a wave of anxiety washed over me as I worried that they might enter the café. My heart raced with anticipation of the impending and painfully awkward encounter. Fear rooted me in place, even though I knew they would spot me the moment they walked in. However, to my relief, they simply continued on, walking past the café without a second glance.

Oh, well, yes, this was my life. I was a loser. A fucking loser.

I lingered there for another ten minutes, wallowing in my misery, and then, in the end, I decided that it was enough. Enough of self-pity; I should face it, Joe had never been in love with me. I was nothing more than a trophy, a name that he had just added to his list of conquests. And now, undoubtedly, he was already pursuing his next prize.

I stood up and made my way back to the train station, briskly walking through the cold and splashy streets to avoid being caught by another rain shower.

I was relieved to reach the shelter of the station, but my relief was short-lived as I encountered a pair of ticket inspectors right away.

They requested to see my ticket, only to declare that it was no longer valid because it was only meant for a single journey. Oh, fucking fuck!

I tried to explain to them that I didn't actually need a ticket as I had a valid student allowance. However, due to losing my identification documents, I had purchased a ticket to avoid any trouble. But it seemed like my explanation fell on deaf ears. My mind went blank as they asked for my papers, and a couple of neurons committed suicide instantly. Did I not just tell them that I lost my papers?

In the end, they insisted that I follow them to the central station, where they could verify my student allowance.

I hesitated whether to make a quick escape. I believed I could have easily outrun the two idiots, but I decided to stick with them. I was still far away from home, and the train was the fastest way to get there.

They simply needed to verify my story.

Unfortunately, I wasted a considerable amount of time following the two individuals, and then we ventured into the labyrinthine corridors and deep basements of the main station, which started to instill a sense of fear in me. I had never imagined that the station had such intricate passageways. However, upon encountering some policemen, a glimmer of courage stirred within me.

I was instructed to find a seat among the four chairs arranged in an empty corridor directly facing a room. The atmosphere carried an unsettling undertone as the bustling noises from the station above reverberated and intertwined, forming a disconcerting symphony of sound. It was as if the original sounds were being transformed and molded by an artificial intelligence, creating an abstract composition.

I didn't have to wait for too long before I was summoned inside. Upon entering, I found myself in the presence of a technician dressed in white, accompanied by a policeman who seemed to be playing the role of muscle. I couldn't help but wonder why they needed someone to exert force and why I found myself in what seemed like a police station or a similar establishment.

"Miss, please have a seat," the technician said, gesturing towards a peculiar chair.

Despite the chair's odd appearance, a single glance at the policemen was enough to compel me to comply. I sat down reluctantly, my apprehension mounting.

Just then, another technician emerged, and to my astonishment, I realized it was a goblin-like figure with a hologram masking its face.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

A startled cry involuntarily escaped my lips.

"What's the matter?" the goblin-like figure inquired.

Oh, dear. Am I losing my mind again? I thought, panic gripping me.

"I... I... I..." I stammered, struggling to find the right words.

"Yes, go on," the figure prompted.

"You appeared out of nowhere, and it frightened me... I... I'm sorry," I managed to utter, my voice trembling with unease.

The goblin-like figure let out a sigh, exchanging a glance with the other technician while my mind raced, grappling with the impossibility of what I was witnessing. Was I hallucinating, or was this actually real? How could it be real?

No, it was most likely just my imagination playing tricks on me. I must have been hallucinating. I mustered a feeble smile towards the goblin-like technician.

"Have you checked my ID? Can I go now?" I asked, hoping for a swift resolution.

Instead of responding to my inquiry, the technician instructed me, "Place your hands here and remain still," gesturing towards the armrests of the chair.

Anxiety crept over me, and I felt my nerves intensifying. "What are you doing?" I questioned, feeling the urge to stand up.

Without hesitation, the technician called for assistance from the muscle-like figure, even though he, too, appeared to be a hobgoblin. "Henry, please help!"

Henry obliged, swiftly moving to aid the technician. To my dismay, I noticed that the chair had retractable restraints, which swiftly enclosed my hands, securing them to the armrests. Within seconds, the same restraints clamped around my ankles, leaving me immobilized.

I started to scream for help.

In the next moment, my mouth was tightly strapped shut, rendering me unable to produce anything more than muffled noises through my nose. The hobgoblin technician firmly clasped my nose shut,

“I'll keep it shut for as long as needed until you'll quiet down, understood?”

My eyes went wide in fear, and I nodded in agreement.

Reluctantly, the hobgoblin released his grip on my nose, allowing me to avidly gasp for air.

He then pressed a button on the side of the wall, triggering a sequence of movements. The chair I was restrained in began to tilt and retract into the wall, transporting me into an unknown space.

Inside, it was pitch-black, and I couldn't discern anything in the darkness. Despite the lack of visibility, I was able to breathe freely.

Hyperventilation took hold of me, and perspiration trickled down my temples. Trembling with fear, I whimpered and moaned, doing my best to stifle any excessive noise, though nothing seemed to occur.

After what felt like an eternity of complete darkness, the chair balanced itself and reemerged back into the room, bringing me back to where I started.

I frantically scanned the room, my eyes wide with fear, but to my dismay, everything appeared unchanged.

The hobgoblin technician, engrossed in his instruments, made a comment that pierced through the air.

"This chick possesses less magic than a stale potato forgotten in your basement," he remarked.

The other technician chuckled in response. "Onzi, you always have such vivid expressions! So, what do we do now? Should we release her?" he inquired.

The hobgoblin emitted a contemptuous snort. "Well, perhaps I could include her in my experiments first," he sneered.

The technician laughed, seemingly entertained by the hobgoblin's suggestion. Suddenly, the hobgoblin approached a table and retrieved a spoon from a vial, a sinister grin stretching across his face.

"I will release your restraints, and you will boldly consume this substance without wasting a drop, understood?" he commanded, his tone laced with malice.

My eyes went wide in fear, and I shook my head in negation. There was no way how I was going to swallow that. He chuckled and watched me with a pitied glance.

“Look, there are many ways how I could put this content inside your body. Do you opt for the fun way, or will you bravely swallow?”

With a mix of fear and resignation, I swallowed the mysterious substance, feeling a wave of unease wash over me. The hobgoblin technician's words lingered in the air.

"No one ever chooses the fun part," the other technician remarked, his tone tinged with amusement.

The hobgoblin shrugged nonchalantly. "No fun for us, just work. Alright, bring forth that spell, and remember to avert your gaze before I cast it unless you want to ask me for instructions again!" he exclaimed, a burst of twisted laughter escaping his lips.

He received a spell scroll from the technician, and my eyes fixated on it, unable to tear away. How could I be witnessing goblins and spell scrolls once more? It had to be my mind playing tricks on me. This couldn't be real. It never happened.

"Now, look here!" he exclaimed, unrolling the scroll before my eyes.

The room seemed to be engulfed in the ethereal glow of the spell.

"Miss, miss! What are you doing here?" a voice called out, snapping me out of my dazed state.

I turned to face the goblin, confusion evident on my face. What did he want from me? Did I forget anything? I do remember everything, but how could I know if I forgot anything?

"I... I was just heading home and..." I stammered, my words trailing off. He chuckled, his laughter ringing in the air.

"You're free to go home. Take the left and keep following the left corridor. You'll find your way back to the station," he replied a hint of amusement in his voice.

I slowly rose from the chair, my gaze still lingering on the peculiar scene before me.

"Can I go now?" I asked.

He nodded, gesturing towards the door.

"That way and to the left," he directed.

I wasted no time and hurriedly left the room, my heart pounding in my chest, beads of cold sweat forming on my temples, and my blouse clinging uncomfortably to my back.