When Fran asked Julian to stay over, he made a huge mistake.
He didn't realise the game had already fused with the real world. If normal. The NPCs wouldn't have desires. Instead, they would follow a digital script apart from basic needs like food and water.
He should have paid more attention when Fran's gaze lingered too long or when her hand stayed on his shoulder a few seconds longer than it needed to.
But he brushed it all off with the same convenient logic.
"Oh, she's just coded like that."
He thought this was still a game.
And that was his mistake.
***
The room became dark. There was no light—only a shining pair of pink spheres remained in Julian's sight before his eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"Fran, what're you doing?" He asked, noticing her strange action.