I open my eyes and find myself in a dark room. I can barely see anything, but I hear voices.
Two people stand in front of me, talking.
"What should we do, GD? The Nexus ordered us to delete Timeline No. 30353," a young boy, around ten years old, asks while looking at me.
Beside him, a taller girl, about my age, speaks. "Why are you asking The GD? Timelines get deleted all the time. Why are you so attached to this one? Don't listen to him—just do what you want."
I don't know these people, all I see is their silhouettes in the dark room.
And… GD? What does that mean?
Then, my mouth moves on its own.
"You're both right. Timelines do get deleted… but not always. Instead, we can free up space by erasing some small objects randomly. It's not in critical condition."
My voice sounds old. Weak.
What's happening to me?
Then, I hear myself say something else—words that don't make sense.
"Just make sure not to delete any ███ ████ from 20██."
What did I just say? The words come out scrambled, like something is censoring them.
Before I can think, a robotic voice speaks.
"By the Great Dictator's final decision, the order given by The Nexus has been modified."
Great Dictator? The Nexus? What is this—
Suddenly, I feel like I'm falling.
I hit the floor with a thud and woke up.
My room. My bed.
I groan, rubbing my head. "Ouch… what was that?"
I try to remember the dream, but it slips away, fading fast.
Something about things being deleted…
But no matter how hard I think, the details are gone.
I sigh. "Must've hit my head too hard."
For now, I let it go.
Just another weird dream.
It's been five days since I got that huge lore dump from the so-called Wish Granter—who isn't even a wish granter at all.
And I still don't know her name.
I groan as I push myself up from the floor. My whole body aches, like I did an intense workout in my sleep.
"Ugh… why do I feel like I ran a marathon?"
Shaking off the stiffness, I reach for my phone on the table beside my bed—
But it's not there.
"Huh?"
I blink, checking the surface again. Still empty.
Weird. I never move my phone before sleeping.
I pat my pockets. Nothing.
Maybe I left it somewhere else?
Just as I'm about to start searching, a thought hits me—wait, I have my old phone. I can just call it.
I pull open my drawer, grab my old phone, and power it on.
Thankfully, I have two SIM cards.
I quickly dial my number and press call.
"The number you're calling is currently switched off. Please try again la—[call disconnected]"
I hung up.
Why is it switched off…? And more importantly, why is it missing?
Frowning, I head to my mother's room to ask if she's seen it.
Big mistake.
Not only does she have no idea where my phone is, but I get hit with a 20-minute lecture about being careless with my things.
By the time I drag myself back to my room, I feel mentally drained.
I collapse onto my bed, letting out a long sigh—
Then my old phone rings.
An unknown number.
I stare at the screen. "Oh, great. What now?"
Still, I pick up. "Hello? Who's this?"
A familiar voice replies. "It's me. You don't have my number saved?"
Ah. Speak of the devil.
"Oh, hi, Cosplaying Time-Traveler."
There's a brief silence.
"…What did you just call me?"
I smirk. "Nothing."
She clicks her tongue. "Whatever. Listen, you might wanna check the news. It's important."
The news?
I roll my eyes. "Yeah, sure. I'll get right on that."
Then something occurs to me.
We've been talking for days, yet—
"Wait… what do I even call you? I don't know your name."
She lets out a long sigh. "Fine. I was gonna tell you eventually anyway."
There's a pause. Then—
"My name is Arlie Solaris."
Arlie, huh… sounds nice
However,
I raise an eyebrow. "Sounds foreign."
"That's because I'm British."
I freeze.
Ah hell nah, British??
A thousand thoughts run through my mind, but all I can think of is her outfit.
Makes sense…
"Oh, I should probably introduce myself too. My name is Kiran—"
"I already know. Did you forget?" she interrupted.
"Right… Anyway, we're getting sidetracked. Check the news, dammit!"
"Okay, okay, I got it…" I replied, putting her on speaker as I walked to my room.
I sat at my desk, opened YouTube on my PC, and clicked on a live news broadcast. As I watched, my stomach twisted. Suddenly, everything that had been happening to me made sense.
Title: 'Everything is Disappearing—Living and Non-Living Objects Vanishing Worldwide'
The screen cut to a news anchor in his forties, his face tense.
"This isn't a hoax or some marketing stunt," he said. "We have with us today a scientist who first discovered this phenomenon. Can you explain what's happening?"
A woman in her fifties with streaks of gray in her hair appeared on screen. "First off, there's no need to panic," she reassured. "Right now, only small, non-living objects are disappearing. Most of the cases involve electronic devices, though we're not yet sure if it's a pattern."
The anchor frowned. "So, you're saying there's nothing to worry about?"
"I mean… theoretically, no." She fidgeted with her hands.
"Theoretically?" The anchor leaned forward, his voice rising. "With all due respect, that's all you have to say while people are losing their belongings?"
I exhaled sharply and closed the stream. News channels were nothing but a breeding ground for toxicity.
"So," Arlie's voice came through the speaker, "do you see what's happening now?"
"Yeah…" I muttered. "But honestly, what can we even do about it?"
"There's only one way."
She paused before continuing, her tone more serious. "But first, let me ask you something."
I frowned. "What?"
"Would you be able to leave your present behind to save the future?"
I hesitated. "Leave my present? What does that mean?"
"To put it bluntly…" Her voice grew quieter, almost hesitant. "You'd have to let go of everything here and come with me to the future—to stop this crisis before it's too late."
"Let go of everything? No, I can't do that!" My voice shook. "Even if I know my existence doesn't matter much… I still have my mother."
There was silence on the other end. Then, I asked the question that had been on my mind.
"How are you so sure that me going to the future will solve this? I mean… things aren't that bad yet, right?"
Arlie sighed, but when she spoke again, her frustration was evident. "Look, this situation is beyond even my understanding—and I'm from the future too! Just because you have an absurd amount of temporal energy doesn't mean you can just rewind everything and fix it."
She took a sharp breath before continuing, her tone fierce. "Even if you pushed yourself to the absolute limit, you'd barely manage to go back three days. That's it."
I clenched my fists. My mind was a mess of conflicting thoughts.
"Alright… I'll think about it," I said, though I wasn't sure I meant it.
"You'd better make that decision quick," she shot back.
I exhaled slowly, then ended the call.
Can I really do this?
Can I just abandon everything—my whole life, my only family, my mother—just like that? Leave everything behind to follow someone I barely know into an uncertain future?
But… if I can go forward in time, then maybe I can come back too. Right?
Still, do I really want to trust someone whose name I just learned?
I exhaled, gripping the edge of my desk.
No matter how much I questioned it, the truth was that I was tired of this mediocre life. I wanted change. And this was my chance.
Screw it. I'm taking the risk.
"Alright, Kiran, you can do this." I muttered to myself.
My mind was made up. Now, all I had to do was wait for her call.
But waiting around wouldn't help. If I was really doing this, I needed to tie up loose ends—starting with my job.
"Time to quit my new job."
Wait… what am I even saying? I just got this job a few days ago.
But then, the image of my boss's tomato-red face flashed in my mind, his voice dripping with irritation every time I so much as breathed wrong.
Yeah. Probably better to quit.
Shaking off the doubt, I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, quickly scribbling out my resignation letter.
With a small exhale, I pushed back my chair, put on some proper clothes, and stepped outside. The crisp air bit at my skin as I made my way to work.
As I approached the shop, I spotted the owner outside, sweeping near the entrance.
Well, that's convenient.
"Hey, boss." I called out.
The shop owner looked up, irritation flashing in his eyes. "Oh, look who finally decided to show up—late as always." He huffed. "Save your excuses. Just get inside. You've already pissed me off enough today."
"No, you misunderstand," I said, standing firm. "I'm here to quit."
He finally turned to face me. "What? Without any prior notice?"
"Yeah… I'm sorry. But I do have my resignation letter."
I reached into my pocket—nothing.
Frowning, I checked another. Then another. Panic crept in as I patted down every pocket I had.
It's not there… What?
The owner let out a dry chuckle. "Seriously? You can't even keep track of a single piece of paper?"
He shook his head. "Yes, you're definitely better off quitting."
And then it all clicked.
"This is only happening to small non-living objects currently."
The scientist's words from the news broadcast echoed in my mind.
My phone. My resignation letter. Even my earbuds.
They didn't just get lost—they were erased.
My breath hitched. What happens when it's not just objects?
What if it gets worse?
What if it starts happening to peop—
I couldn't finish that thought. The sheer scale of the situation finally hit me like a train.
"Oh—oh no, I have to hurry!" Panic surged through me as I turned and ran away towards my home.
"Hey! Where the hell do you think you're going?" my boss shouted. "Damn Gen Z, no sense of responsibility!"
I barely heard him.
No, no, no, no—NO!
I couldn't let this happen. I wouldn't let this happen.
"Shit, why… Why do I have to deal with this alone? Why?!" I screamed, pushing myself faster, desperate to get home.
I don't want to lose everything.
I thought I had made my decision—but never in my life have I panicked this much. Never have I sweat so furiously. Never have I been this terrified.
Never has my heart pounded this hard.
I ran. As fast as my legs could carry me.
People on the street turned to stare, but I didn't care. I couldn't care.
Save the world? Yeah, right.
I can't even save myself.
I rushed home, barely registering my mother's voice as she called out, "I just wiped the floors—be careful!"
Didn't slow down. Didn't even acknowledge her.
I kicked open my bedroom door, slammed it shut behind me, and leaned against it.
"I've been so calm my entire life… even after deciding to go, I never once thought of turning back."
"But now I feel like… " I sighed, rubbing my forehead as tears built up.
Then, my phone rang.
Slowly, I wiped my eyes and glanced at the screen.
"Oh god… why now?" I muttered, swallowing hard before answering.
"Have you made your decision?" Her voice was steady, almost indifferent.
I hesitated, gripping the phone tighter. "I… I can't take this responsibility," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I just can't."
Then, in a shaky breath, I continued, "To be honest… I'm scared. What if I mess up? What if I make things worse?"
I forced out a bitter chuckle. "You were right—I can't do anything. I can't even go back three days into the past without exhausting myself. What good are these powers if I'm this useless?"
"You're wrong."
Her words were quiet but firm.
"You'll realize it soon."
She sounded… disappointed? No. angry? No, not that either.
I couldn't tell
she continued. "You can call me anytime if you change your mind. I'll wait."
The call ends.
The room falls silent. The weight of everything presses down on me, suffocating.
I drop my phone onto the bedside table and collapse onto the bed, staring at the ceiling fan.
Did I make the right choice?
My eyelids grow weaker with each passing second. Maybe if I sleep, I can escape this overwhelming pressure— even if it's just for a while.
I close my eyes.
Then, suddenly—
I woke up, But something felt off.
I sit up with a start, my breath shaky. My room is still here… but it's off. The colors seem muted, drained, like a lifeless painting. The air feels heavier, suffocating in an entirely different way.
I push myself up and stumble toward the window. My hands grip the shutters as I pull them open—
A chill wind rushes in, sending a shiver down my spine.
There's nothing outside.
No streets. No buildings. No sky. Just an endless void stretching beyond where the horizon should be.
"What… what is this?" I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper.
I rub my eyes. Blink hard. Maybe I'm still dreaming. Maybe my vision is failing me.
But nothing changes.
Panic swells in my chest. I spin around, desperate for something real. Anything.
I rush downstairs, fling the front door open, and step outside—
Only to be met with a world that isn't mine.
Everything is black and white. The sky, the ground—frozen in some eerie, lifeless state, as if the very concept of color has been erased.
My breath catches. I turn, searching for something familiar.
Then I look back at the entrance—
My house is gone.
"Wh–what the!?" My voice cracks as a sharp wave of fear grips me.
I spin in circles, searching for proof that I still exist.
Then—
A new horror.
The world itself begins to fall apart.
Electric poles. Roads. Buildings. One by one, they shatter into tiny, triangular fragments and vanish—like reality itself is breaking apart.
"No, no, no, NO!" My chest tightens. "Please!! Someone!! Anyone!!"
My voice echoes into emptiness.
Then—
I stumble. My body tilts forward, and before I can react, I hit the ground.
But there's no impact. No pain. Just… nothing.
A cold chill spreads through me. Something is wrong.
I was so focused on the world crumbling that I didn't notice something important.
I can't feel my legs.
My breath catches as I glance down.
They're gone.
Not injured. Not bleeding. Just… gone.
My hands tremble as I reach for them. But all I find is empty space.
"No… no, no, no…" My voice cracks. Panic hits my chest. I try to move, but my arms are flickering now—turning into tiny shards, vanishing one by one.
I try to hold onto something—anything—but there's nothing left.
The numbness creeps up my torso, swallowing me whole.
"I… I can't… die like this…" My voice is barely a whisper.
A hollow stillness settles over me. My body feels lighter, fading into nothing. My thoughts grow distant, slipping away like sand through my fingers.
There's no pain. No struggle. Just an overwhelming silence.
My eyelids grow heavy. I stop fighting.
Everything goes black.
That's what death feels like.
Slow. Merciless. Cruel.