The sound came in faintly—like whispers on the edge of a dream. At first, I thought it was part of the nightmare: blood on my hands, voices screaming in reverse, a countdown that never hit zero. But when I jolted awake, the whispers stopped. I got out of my bed and looked at the time on the wall. It was dawn, barely morning. I grabbed my watch and strapped it to my wrist. I needed to go for a job to clear my head before I get ready for school. I walked out of my room and decided to check on Mrs Tracy. I pushed the door a little and I saw she was still fast asleep cuddled up in her bed. I walked in and kissed her on her head. " Morning mother." I spoke softly into her ears. " Morning son." Mrs Tracy spoke softly rolling on the bed before I walked out. A part of me wished I lived a normal life. A life without the system, a life where I don't have to look over my shoulders all the time. But I guess it was too late now. I need to keep playing until I win. If I win.

I stayed by the sink for a long time, gripping its edge, my chest rising and falling like I’d just escaped something—only I hadn’t. Nothing was chasing me. Nothing was here. The hallway outside my room was silent, save for the ticking clock in the living room and the distant hum of the fridge. Still, I felt it. That presence. Like someone—or something—was watching me from behind the mirror. “Snap out of it,” I muttered to myself, running a towel over my face. I tried to steady my breathing and tried to convince myself that it was just my subconscious acting up. After all, I had been involved in more death and chaos than any regular teenager should have been. Maybe this was trauma. Or PTSD. Or maybe… the system wasn't done with me.No. I shook the thought from my head violently. It was done. The app was gone. The missions had stopped. My account wasn’t refilling. No new mission. No late-night texts telling me someone needed to die before dawn or else I’d be the one gone. I was