Saturday:

I’ve got a date with Tori today.

It’s not like I couldn’t sleep from the excitement—sleepless nights are just part of my routine now. Still, I did manage to get a few hours of rest last night, which was a massive improvement compared to last week.

For a while, I wondered if she’d forgotten about the whole thing. After getting my number, she didn’t text me even once. But around 1 P.M., she finally sent me a message with the details.

At one point, I started to wonder if she had forgotten she invited me. After getting my number, she didn’t text me even once. But around 1 P.M., she finally sent me a message with the meeting place.

Tori chose a downtown restaurant and wrote, "Be there at 5, don't be late!!!!:3"

Tori didn't strike me as the kind of girl who would use emojis in her messages, so it caught me by surprise.

I arrived at the restaurant three minutes early, but Tori was nowhere to be seen. I waited for about 15 minutes.

"I should have guessed Tori would be late," I thought. "Or maybe not show up at all."

Just as I was considering giving up and heading home, I spotted her distinctive red hair in the distance.

"Well, I see you even dressed up nicely!" she said, while grinning from ear to ear.

I had indeed dressed up a bit more elegantly, which I couldn’t say for her. Don’t get me wrong—Tori could look good in anything—but the only change in her outfit since our last meeting was that this time her shirt had a white "End Spoiler" print on it.

We entered the restaurant, and I was immediately reminded of those trendy cafés where the staff dresses up in maid costumes.

And it turned out this was actually a maid café—I realized this when a girl dressed as a maid, complete with cat ears—literally ran up to us.

I knew I should expect anything on a date with Tori, but I was still surprised she was into this kind of vibe.

Before the waitress could lead us to our table, Tori gestured toward a spot near the window, close to a couple enjoying their meal.

Huh, it’s the same couple I saw yesterday—the tall guy with blue hair and the short girl with purple hair.

I glanced around, and surprise, surprise—at the other end of the room sat the same three suspicious people from yesterday, still wearing brown coats, whispering to each other.

Clearly, they’re not bored of monitoring their friends yet. They stood out like sore thumbs in this setting, and it’s hard to imagine they hadn’t been noticed again. I mean, it was hard not to notice them yesterday too. Maybe they were spotted, but the high school couple decided to ignore them for some reason?

----------------------------------------

As my mind drifted back to the present, I realized we were already standing by our table. I wanted to show some gentlemanly manners by pulling out the chair for Tori, but before I could make a move, she had already taken her seat and gave me a strange look as I awkwardly hovered near her chair.

Once we were settled, Tori leaned her elbows on the table, rested her head in her hands, and started murmuring under her breath, "Dear lord, places like this give me a headache. Seeing these girls dressed as maids just makes me cringe."

I blinked, taken aback. So Tori didn't like places like this?

Then why did she invite me here?

"Wait a minute, if you don't like this kind of place, why did you invite me here?" I asked, genuinely confused.

Tori looked up and flashed a teasing smile. "I thought you would like it! Don’t boys your age like girls dressed as maids serving them cake? Of course, they do!" she laughed, her eyes glinting with amusement.

I didn’t find it quite as funny and frowned slightly. "Why did you invite me on a date, anyway? Last time we met, you had just learned my name," I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"Huh," she said, straightening up and locking eyes with me, her expression suddenly serious. "You seemed interesting, Jason, that's why."

"Joshua, my name is Joshua, not Jason. You don't even remember my name!" I replied, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.

"Tchk," she clicked her tongue.

"I knew it was something with a J. Anyway, I’m paying, so don’t worry about anything, Josh!" Tori said with a grin, waving off her mistake as if it didn’t matter.

Just then, the waitress approached with a cheerful smile and said, "Welcome to our maid café, nya," handing us two menus. "I’ll be back in a moment to take your orders, nya!"

She ended her sentences with a cat-like sound. At least, I think that’s what she was going for?

"For me, number 10 and water, and for him, number 5 with number 16," Tori said quickly after skimming the menu, not giving the waitress a chance to leave our table.

I noticed that the waitress didn’t ignore Tori. So it wasn’t everyone who ignored her?

What does it depend on?

I glanced at the menu again; number 5 was some kind of omelet, and number 16 was a strawberry shake. I didn’t really care what she ordered, but I didn’t appreciate how bossy she was being, so I spoke up:

"No, no, instead of the strawberry shake, I'll have a chocolate shake, if that’s possible. The omelet is fine."

The waitress gave us a slightly puzzled look, hesitating for a moment before replying, "Nya, right away, nya!" She then quickly headed toward the kitchen.

After a brief moment of satisfaction at asserting that I don't appreciate decisions being made for me, I decided to start the conversation:

"So, Tori..." I began.

"So, Josh..." Tori cut me off, her voice laced with a hint of mischief. "...am I right in thinking that the intriguing stories about me are still making their way around school?"

"Still?" I echoed, puzzled. "I first heard rumors about you the day you showed up this year, and they haven’t stopped since. If anything, the way you've been acting has only fueled the gossip even more." I continued, trying to gauge her reaction.

"Good, that saves me a lot of time," she said, almost to herself, as if she had some grand plan that these whispers were actually helping.

"What? You want people to think you're dangerous and keep their distance from you?" I asked, genuinely taken aback.

She laughed softly. "It’s not very nice, but it's necessary if I want to keep doing what I’m doing."

"And what exactly is this 'thing' you're doing, if I may ask?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she replied with a sly smile. "How about we play a little game? Ask me the right question. The one that, if I've judged you correctly, has been gnawing at you for a while now." Her voice dropped, taking on a gravity that made the air around us feel heavier.

DOσ NσOττ ASςK.

A chill ran down my spine as those words echoed in my mind. Yes, I had a question, the same one I've been asking others, but for some reason, I hesitated.

DOσ NσOττ ASςK.

I decided to play dumb for now. "Huh, I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm just curious about what exactly you do in your free time."

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"No, no, no, that's not it, Josh. That's the wrong question. Ask the right one. You might not get the answer you expect, but you should still ask it," she said, her smile turning sinister.

ββεε AαFΓRAαIιD.

A cold sweat ran down my back. I was scared of where this conversation was heading, but after a moment of indecision, I asked myself: what exactly am I afraid of?

"Tori, why has everyone been acting so strange lately? Why do they completely ignore you, and why do they pretend not to hear me when I ask about you? And while we're at it, what were you trying to do in class? What was that all about?" I asked, my heart beating faster with every word, though I wasn't sure why.

SHATTER.

In that moment, the bustling noise of the restaurant seemed to fall away into silence. Tori's gaze locked onto mine, her smile unwavering as the atmosphere around us grew heavy, almost tangible. I looked around, and the change wasn’t just in my head; it was as if every eye in the place was fixed on us. The light dimmed, and the air turned icy cold, echoing the discomfort I had felt last time at the class, but now magnified tenfold. Again I felt like something really heavy tried to squash my insides.

FΓΓOσσRηGεT.

My head began to throb, a deep, pounding ache spreading through my skull. A sense of dread washed over me as my thoughts slowed, the urgency of my question slipping away, as if some unseen force was compelling me to forget it entirely.

LΓLΓEεεAαVΩE.

I tried to shake off the numbness creeping up on me, but it was as if an artificial fog was settling over my mind, smothering my will to resist. What was happening to me?

Tori's gaze remained fixed, her smile now nothing short of maddening, like she was reveling in the control she had over the situation.

LΓζζLζΓEεεAαVζΩξ.

And then, the world around me began to glitch. Faces of the people in the café started to blur, their features melting and distorting into grotesque, unrecognizable shapes. It was as if reality itself was breaking down. From somewhere far off, I could hear a strange, metallic screeching, like nails on a chalkboard, echoing through the walls of my mind.

I wanted to run, to forget I had ever come here. I wanted to be as far away from this place as possible.

I wanted to leave.

FORGET.

My vision flickered, as if the world was struggling to maintain its form. The room seemed to twist and warp, objects bending at impossible angles, the colors bleeding together. The once cheerful maids were now distorted, their eyes hollow, their mouths twisting into unnatural grins that stretched far too wide.

I wanted to forget I had ever spoken to this girl. I wanted to forget all this madness.

Where am I? What am I doing here? Who is this girl sitting in front of me?

I needed to get out of here, as quickly as possible. I needed to go home, I needed to...

And then, something in my brain clicked.

Instead of fleeing, forgetting, or just letting it go, I felt a pulsating, cold fury ignite within me. I didn’t want to forget, I didn’t want to let this go, and I definitely didn’t want to leave. I realized that something—no, someone—was trying to manipulate me, to force me into submission.

I really hate it when something tries to manipulate me.

Fuck it.

With that thought, I clenched my fists, grounding myself in the reality that was slipping away. I wasn’t going to let whatever this was control me.

I screamed with all my strength, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME, YOU FREAK? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" I shouted, standing abruptly. My outburst seemed to shock Tori out of her eerie composure, breaking whatever strange spell the room had on me.

Suddenly, as if someone had snapped their fingers, the ambient noise of the restaurant returned to normal. The lighting brightened as though someone had turned up the dimmer, and the atmosphere shifted back to that of a regular dining establishment.

Tori recoiled, her chair scraping against the floor as she threw her hands up defensively. "Hey, hey, calm down! I didn't do anything to you! It's not me, I swear! It's not me! Please, Josh, calm down."

Feeling a wave of embarrassment over my outburst, I couldn't help but wonder what the others in the restaurant must be thinking. A silly thought, really, considering just a few seconds ago, everyone looked like some kind of otherworldly monster ready to devour us.

Or maybe that was some sort of schizophrenic episode? Maybe I really am losing my mind because of this insomnia?

Though the pressure and anger were fading, I knew this was the moment to press Tori for an answers.

"So? I'm listening," I said, more quietly now, but with a firm edge that showed I expected a real explanation this time.

Seeing that I had calmed down, Tori moved back toward the table. "Alright, alright. First, sit down if you can. We don’t want to draw any more attention right now."

Considering we’d probably attracted enough attention already, her request seemed reasonable, maybe even necessary. But to my amazement, as I looked around, everyone else had returned to their conversations and meals. Nobody seemed to be paying us any attention, as if my yelling had gone completely unnoticed

I took a deep breath and sat down, ready to listen.

"Alright, I think I know what you're going to say, but just as a formality, you need to tell me exactly what you felt when you yelled at me," Tori said, attempting to regain control of the conversation.

"You were supposed to answer my question first," I countered, not ready to let her deflect.

"Listen, really, I would love to, but first, we need to get through formalities," she insisted, then emphasized, "You MUST tell me what you felt, exactly, and how you managed to break free."

Break free? I think I know what she's talking about.

"Rage. I felt enraged by the whole situation and the idea that something was playing with me. At first, I was scared—I felt like something was trying to crush me. I was confused, unable to understand what was going on. But then, I heard, or maybe I imagined it, something pop like a balloon, and I got really pissed off at the entire situation," I confessed.

"Just as I thought, that's how it seemed. Josh, what I'm about to say is very important. Remember this feeling, remember where it came from—you'll need it later if you want to understand what's happening around us," Tori instructed, her tone carrying a weight of urgency I hadn't heard before.

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling that same creeping, constricting sensation beginning to make its presence known again.

"Actually, I invited you here today because... because I need your help, or perhaps I can offer you my help. We can help each other, but I can't answer more questions—not the ones... the ones you want to ask right now."

"Why not?"

"That feeling you had before you broke free? What happened in the restaurant? Those weren’t just your imagination, Josh. My answers, or even the slightest hint, might bring something even worse upon us. I'll tell you what I can and what I know—which, mind you, isn’t that much—but not today. First, we need to prepare you. And not just you—I wasn't lying when I said I've been through a tough time myself."

Clear answers could bring... that thing?

So, I hadn't lost my mind, and people really were acting weird around me?

Perhaps it made sense. If my questions could awake that thing, maybe the answers were even more dangerous.

I'm really lost right now.

"I know we haven't known each other long, Josh, but you have to trust me," Tori said, her tone softening slightly. "I've confirmed what I needed to know; you're one of the people I've been looking for." She paused, studying my face as if searching for something. "Though, honestly, I have no idea how I could have missed you before. It should have been obvious that you’re one of us. Do you remember what I did at the start of school last year?”

Last year?

“To be honest I have no idea what you’re talking about, Tori," I replied, shaking my head in confusion. "Last year, you were completely different, and nothing out of the ordinary was happening. It’s only since the beginning of this semester that strange things have started happening around me.” My voice wavered slightly, betraying my uncertainty.

“Huh, so you don’t remember,” she murmured, more to herself than to me, her eyes narrowing in thought.

“What exactly has been unusual around you lately?” she asked, her tone more serious now.

For a moment, I wasn’t sure what to say, but as I thought about it, I began recalling quite a few things that didn’t seem right.

“There are a few things, actually. It feels like everyone’s been acting a bit strange. Sometimes their gestures or facial expressions don’t match what they’re saying, or they keep repeating the same thing over and over. I’ve even had moments where it feels like a conversation has already happened. Other times, people don’t react at all to what’s happening around them. Like, at the start of September, I saw two cars racing down the street, but no one seemed to notice, like it was completely normal. I’ve also had trouble sleeping since the school year began, but I’m not sure if that really counts as something weird happening around me. And most importantly, why do people around you act like they don’t even see you?” I wondered aloud.

“Anything else?” she asked, leaning forward slightly, clearly interested.

“You know what? Yeah, I think so," I said, hesitating as I tried to put my thoughts into words. "It feels like something’s been talking to me, like a voice in my head that sounds like my own thoughts, but... I get the sense it’s not entirely mine. Ugh, it sounds like I’m going crazy.”

“Huh, so you’re hearing voices?” she said with a teasing tone, raising an eyebrow as if she were joking.

“Maybe you imagined me too? Maybe I’m just a figment of your imagination? What do you think about that, Joshua?” she asked, clearly amused, her smile widening. But the thought sent a chill down my spine, and I felt a wave of panic rising.

“That’s not funny,” I snapped, my voice tense. “You know what, just forget I said anything.”

“No, no, it’s completely normal, what you’re describing," she said, her tone shifting to something more serious as she leaned in closer, her eyes locking onto mine. "At least, it is for people like us. I told you before—you’re not crazy, and it’s definitely not just your imagination.”

After her response, a brief silence fell between us. I hesitated, trying to process everything she had just told me. What does this all mean?

“So, what now?” I asked, feeling a bit resigned but determined to learn more.

“You want answers, right? Then we need to"—she paused there, probably for dramatic effect—"train you a bit. You asked earlier why I chose this restaurant. I lied before. I chose this place and this day for a very specific reason. You'll soon receive a task from me."

And there it was again, that ominous smile on Tori's face.

What have I gotten myself into?