The Warning

Cipher's fingers hovered over his phone screen, his mind racing. A minute had passed—just one. But in that time, he had seen something impossible. The city had vanished, reality had warped, and something inhuman had stared back at him from the other side of that distortion. And then, as if the universe itself had edited the event, everything had snapped back into place.

No one else noticed. No one else even paused. It was as if he had just imagined it.

But the time had changed. That was the only proof he had.

Swallowing hard, Cipher forced his legs to move. Standing in the middle of a busy sidewalk, frozen in place, would only draw attention. He pushed through the crowd, his body tense, his eyes scanning the streets. Everything looked normal again. The neon signs, the rushing cars, the dull hum of conversation—reality had resumed, pristine and unbroken.

But he knew better.

He ducked into a quiet alleyway, pressing his back against the cool brick wall. He took a shaky breath, trying to ground himself. His mind reeled with questions. What had he seen? What had caused the distortion? Was this something he had always missed, or was it something new?

No answers. Only fear.

He needed to test something. His phone was still in his hand, the screen reflecting his uneasy expression. The time: 12:01 AM.

He shut his eyes and counted in his head. One. Two. Three. A full minute passed before he looked again.

12:02 AM.

Normal. Just like it should be.

Cipher exhaled, letting out a humorless chuckle. "Losing my mind," he muttered under his breath.

But the laughter died quickly. He wasn't imagining things. The pain had been real. The figure had been real. He had seen the world flicker, and he had felt himself slip between something beyond his understanding.

A sudden buzz in his hand nearly made him drop his phone.

Unknown Number: Do not ignore this.

Cipher's breath caught in his throat. He stared at the message, his mind scrambling for an explanation. His fingers hesitated before typing back.

Cipher: Who is this?

No response.

His pulse hammered in his ears as he waited, the seconds stretching into eternity. Then, another buzz.

Unknown Number: You saw it, didn't you?

Cipher's stomach twisted. His grip on the phone tightened. Someone knew.

His mind flipped through possibilities. Was this some kind of elaborate prank? A coincidence? Or—

A chill ran down his spine.

What if he wasn't the only one who had seen it?

Cipher swallowed. He needed answers. He needed to know what the hell was happening to him. His fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard.

Cipher: What did I see?

The reply came almost instantly.

Unknown Number: Proof that reality isn't stable.

Cipher's mouth went dry. He didn't know what kind of response he had expected, but it wasn't that.

Cipher: Explain.

A pause. A long one.

Then—

Unknown Number: We don't have time. You need to get out of the city. They're already looking for you.

Cipher's body tensed. The alley suddenly felt smaller, the walls pressing in on him. He turned his head sharply, scanning the street beyond. Was someone watching him?

Cipher: Who's looking for me?

No answer.

Cipher cursed under his breath. His instincts screamed at him—something wasn't right. His first impulse was to ignore the warning. Run home. Pretend this night never happened. But something deeper, something primal, told him that would be the worst thing he could do.

He had seen the distortion. And now, someone—or something—knew that he had seen it.

His phone buzzed again. One final message.

Unknown Number: Run.

Cipher didn't hesitate. He bolted from the alley, shoving past a couple walking too slowly. His heart pounded as he moved, zigzagging through the streets, slipping into the shadows where he could.

He didn't know where he was going. He just knew he had to keep moving.

The city lights blurred around him, the sounds of the crowd fading into white noise. He turned a corner sharply, nearly colliding with a parked car. His breath was ragged, his thoughts a whirlwind.

Then—

A flicker.

Cipher's vision twisted. The world around him lagged, like a video glitching for a split second. The buildings wavered, the neon signs distorting into unreadable symbols. And in the distance, at the far end of the street—

A shadow stood beneath a flickering streetlamp.

Tall. Unmoving. Watching.

Cipher stumbled back, his breath hitching. The figure didn't move. It didn't advance. It only observed, its presence an oppressive weight against the fabric of reality itself.

Cipher blinked.

The figure was gone.

His pulse thundered in his ears. His mind screamed at him to keep running, but his legs refused to move.

Then, from behind him, a whisper.

Not in his ear. Not in his mind. But somewhere deep inside the fabric of reality itself.

"You shouldn't have seen."

Cipher turned sharply.

There was nothing there.

The city hummed around him, oblivious.

Cipher took a shaky step back, then another. His fingers clenched his phone so tightly his knuckles ached. He forced himself to breathe, to think.

But he already knew.

Everything had changed. And there was no going back.