The window's blue glow sharpened until it looked like a perfect neon circle—too clean, too precise to be normal Echo.
It wasn't the shadow doing it.
This was something else.
I swallowed. "What is that?"
The shadow pressed itself thin against the corner. Its voice trembled like static.
"An Echo Beacon. They marked your location."
"Who did?"
"A Collector."
My pulse spiked. "Collector? Of what?"
The shadow didn't answer immediately. Instead, it pointed—well, shifted—toward the window.
"Look."
I stepped forward gently, keeping one hand on the wall for balance. Slowly, I tilted my head to peek outside.
A tall figure stood in the alley five floors below.
Long coat.
Wire-like patterns running across its sleeves.
A mask shaped like a blank porcelain face—no eyes, no mouth, just a smooth surface pulsing with dim rings of blue light.
It wasn't a drone.
Not a guard.
Not a normal human.
A Collector.
The figure tilted its head up.
And even though the mask had no eyes, I felt it staring directly at me.
I stumbled back instantly.
The shadow hissed softly. "It saw you."
"What do I do?!"
"Not panic."
"Too late for that!"
Before the shadow could reply, a soft click echoed through the room. My door handle twitched.
Someone was trying to open it.
My breath froze.
The door turned slightly… paused… then began turning again with slow, unnatural precision.
"No, no, no—" I whispered under my breath.
The shadow moved closer to me, voice low and urgent.
"You must choose now. Trust me…"
The door latch slid halfway open.
"…or face them alone."
I stared at the shadow, my heart beating so loudly it felt like drums in my ears.
"Why should I trust you?"
The shadow's shape flickered, almost flicking between despair and frustration.
"Because I didn't call them. I came to warn you."
Click.
The door latch lifted fully.
The door cracked open by half an inch.
A cold line of air slipped through the gap.
My mind raced. If the thing outside the window was a Collector…
Then whoever was at my door—
"AREN?"
A familiar voice whispered harshly.
I exhaled shakily. "Mira?!"
"Open the door! Now!"
I pulled the door open just enough for her to slip inside, and she pushed it shut immediately behind her.
Her eyes were wide with fear. She grabbed my wrist.
"Aren, someone was standing outside your building. It wasn't human."
"I know," I whispered.
She blinked at me. "What do you mean you know?"
I glanced at the shadow.
Mira followed my gaze.
Her face paled. "A-Aren… what is that?"
The shadow flickered nervously, as if surprised she could sense it.
"She feels Echo," it murmured. "Rare, but not unheard of."
Mira backed into my desk. "Aren, what is happening?!"
Before I could answer, a heavy knock boomed through the hallway.
Not the gentle kind Mira used.
Not human.
Three slow, deep knocks.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
The shadow lowered its form.
"They are here."
Mira covered her mouth. "Who?!"
The shadow's voice grew cold.
"Collectors. They gather Echo-Readers. Once marked, you belong to them."
"I don't belong to anyone!" I whispered fiercely.
The shadow leaned closer, its form stretching like smoke.
"Then run."
The knocking stopped.
A mechanical voice spoke from outside:
"Citizen Aren Hale. You are required for immediate extraction."
Mira grabbed my arm. "Aren, we can't stay here."
The blue glow from the window intensified behind us—blazing now.
The shadow raised its voice in desperation:
"Choose! Window or door—both dangerous, but staying means capture!"
I looked at Mira.
She looked at me.
A choice.
The first real choice of my new life as an Echo-Reader.
---