9:00 PM already! It’s going to start at 9:30. Time to prepare for the show.

  Now, you might think it’s strange, but I have a habit: I need my favorite snacks before watching my favorite show. It’s not just any episode—it’s the episode I’ve been waiting for all week. And to enjoy it properly, I need full preparation.

  So, I grabbed my wallet, pulled on my jacket, and headed out.

  The moment I stepped outside, the world felt… different. The street I walk on every day suddenly seemed unfamiliar, almost magical. I don’t usually venture out at night, but when I do, I’m always struck by how beautiful it looks—the warm glow of the streetlamps, the kaleidoscope of colors from the shop windows, and the streams of people moving like rivers toward their destinations.

  It’s funny, though. Most people don’t seem to notice the beauty of the night. They’re glued to their phones, rushing from one place to another, or wrapped up in their own little worlds. I used to be the same, but tonight felt… different. For once, I had nothing pressing to do, and maybe that’s why I could appreciate it all.

  Walking with the flow of the crowd, I felt like a tiny ant in a massive colony. My eyes wandered, drawn to the glint of expensive watches, the vibrant fabrics in shop windows, and the tempting aroma of food.

  And then I saw her.

  Amid the sea of bustling people, a small figure stood out—a little girl, crying. She faced away from me, her frail body trembling under the flickering streetlights. Her dark brown hair shimmered faintly, cutting through the blur of the crowd.

  How could everyone just walk past her? Didn’t they see her? Didn’t they hear her?

  Before I even realized it, I was pushing through the crowd toward her. The closer I got, the clearer her sobs became, soft but strangely familiar, like an echo of something I couldn’t quite place. My pulse quickened. Why did her cries feel like they belonged to someone I knew?

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  My hands started trembling as I reached her. I stood behind her, my voice caught in my throat. Slowly, I placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle shake.

  “Hey… are you okay?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

  She didn’t respond. Her sobs continued, a low, rhythmic wail that sent chills down my spine. I shook her shoulder again, harder this time. Still nothing. Panic began to rise in my chest.

  The sound of her crying grew sharper, almost piercing. It stung my ears, making my head pound. Desperate, I bent down, moving to face her. My heart raced like it was about to burst as I leaned closer.

  And then—light.

  A blinding flash exploded before my eyes, so bright it burned. I stumbled back, clutching my face.

  “It hurts! It hurts!” I screamed, the pain searing through my head like fire.

  When the pain subsided, I blinked, slowly adjusting to the dim glow around me. But something was wrong. Very wrong.

  The street was empty.

  Gone were the crowds, the chatter, the laughter. The lights still flickered, the shops still stood, but I was utterly alone.

  “Hello?” I called out, my voice echoing strangely in the silence. “Is anyone there? Where did everyone go?”

  No response. Just an eerie stillness that seemed to press down on me. My feet trembled, but when I tried to move, they wouldn’t budge.

  I looked down in horror. My legs felt glued to the ground, trapped as though in cement. I tugged and twisted, but it was no use.

  “Help! Somebody, please!” I yelled, my voice cracking with panic.

  Then I felt it—that presence.

  Behind me.

  “Who’s there?” I croaked, barely able to force the words out.

  A glowing orb floated into view.

  It was just a ball of light, faint and flickering like a candle’s flame. For a moment, it hovered in front of me, pulsing gently. Then, without warning, beams of light shot from it, passing through my body like I wasn’t even there.

  “Initiation complete. Body scan acquired. Required individual found. Beginning transfer process.”

  “What?” I stammered, my voice shaking. “What are you talking about? What process?”

  The orb’s glow intensified, surrounding me in a blinding white light. My body began to fade, turning translucent as if I were becoming part of the light itself.

  “No! No, no, no!” I screamed, my voice growing faint. “I don’t want to die!”

  I reached out, grasping for anything to hold on to, but there was nothing. My hands passed through empty air as my legs gave way.

  “Somebody help me! Please!” I cried, my words barely a whisper.

  And then everything went dark.