AT THE SAME TIME
ISBAELLA
Morning came like an ambush. I knew it was morning because sunlight stabbed me directly in the eyes, as if it had a personal grudge. My alarm failed to go off, apparently having been silenced in my sleep. My brain immediately replayed the sentence. 'Xavier Stoneheart has changed the route.' I lay there, staring at the ceiling, refusing to move.
"If I don't open my eyes." I muttered. "The narrative can't see me."
The narrative, unfortunately, had other plans.
"SYSTEM INITIALIZING."System said.
I sat bolt upright so fast my soul lagged.
"No." I said immediately. "Nope, absolutely not."
The blue screen hovered above my chest like a judgmental ghost, too clean, too crisp, too not something I wrote.
"ROUTE: HOW TO ESCAPE MY OBSESSED CEO -ACTIVE. PLAYER STATUS: UNSTABLE VARIABLE DETECTED."The system said.
"I am the AUTHOR." I hissed. "You don't get to call me a variable."
"CORRECTION: Author status - disputed."The system said.
