Astrophe

I felt the color drain from my face for the second time today. I stayed frozen, fear rooting me in place. I didn't dare move.

The knock had been ominous enough, but before I could decide what to do, the door swung open with a sharp creak.

A man stepped inside—chubby, middle-aged, dressed in stark white. The air around him felt heavy, like his presence alone was pressing against my skin. A small black seal embroidered on his chest caught my eye. A symbol of status? Authority?

His lips curled into a smirk.

"Ohhh, what do we have here? Never thought I'd see you of all people here. Finally got you, huh? You scumbag Drifter. Oh, this is gonna be fun."

My stomach dropped.

What the hell is he talking about?

Drifter?

The word rattled around my skull like a loose bullet, the confusion mixing with the dread of my latest discovery. It felt wrong—like I should know what it meant, but the memory had been scraped out of my mind, leaving only an empty, aching space behind.

Does he know me?

"Where—" I started, but I didn't get to finish.

A sharp, biting pain lashed across my arm.

I barely had time to register the thick leather whip in his hand before another strike followed, searing across my chest.

I gasped, stumbling backward onto the bed, my mind reeling.

What did I do?!

The next lash burned into my skin, but the pain was secondary to the horror clawing its way through my chest. My breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as I pressed a trembling hand to the welt on my arm. It throbbed beneath my fingers, skin raw and burning.

Then, just as suddenly as it started—it stopped.

The man tapped something in his ear and sighed, like he was disappointed.

"Alright, fine, kid. You're in R-001X. Better known by you scum as 'R1X.'" His voice dripped with contempt. "Lucky for you, you just so happened to end up in the X variant of the R1 Sequences."

He smirked again.

"The most unstable one for Drifters like you." His grin stretched wider, like he was enjoying the confusion plastered across my face.

"Anywho. Looks like the R-Sequences will finally be safe without their beloved Alex destroying everything."

R-Sequences? X variant? What the hell is he talking about?

And my name.

He said it like it was a joke.

The words scraped against my brain, something deep inside me twisting at the sound of them. It felt wrong. Like my name didn't belong in his mouth. Like he had no right to say it.

"Bye now."

He turned on his heel and slammed the door shut behind him. The sound echoed through the small, sterile room.

I didn't move.

I couldn't.

The air felt suffocating, thick with something I couldn't name. My skin still burned where the whip had struck me, but my mind was too tangled to process the pain properly.

Drifter? R1 Sequences? Beloved Alex?

What the hell was that about?

Who am I to this guy?

Why did he treat me like I've done something wrong?

What are the R-Sequences?

And… how did he know my name?

My thoughts spiraled, looping back on themselves, desperately trying to make sense of something that had no logic. I clenched my jaw and forced myself to move, fingers shaking as I lifted my shirt to check the damage.

Three swollen welts—one on my arm, one across my chest, and the last along my back. Angry red streaks against my skin.

I sucked in a breath through my teeth.

"Gah, that hurts."

The sound of my own voice barely grounded me. I pressed my palm to my forehead, squeezing my eyes shut. The room felt wrong. The walls were too smooth. The air was too still. The silence was too absolute, like I'd been in this exact room before.

Something akin to déjà vu but more…

Real.

I opened my eyes, heart still hammering in my chest.

No. I'm not staying here.

I needed answers. And I wasn't going to get them sitting around waiting for that guy to come back.

I forced myself to my feet, every muscle in my body aching in protest. The floor was cold against my bare feet as I approached the door. My breath steadied. My fingers curled around the handle.

I turned it and peered into the hallway.

Empty.

A sigh of relief slipped past my lips as I stepped forward.

The hallway was colder than my room, raising goosebumps along my arms. Each step I took felt louder than it should have, and the creak of my door closing behind me sent a chill down my spine.

Then, my eyes landed on the numbers painted in bold across my door.

0998

The sight alone sent a jolt through my body. That feeling of familiarity hit me again—stronger than before. A sharp, searing pain flashed behind my eyes. I winced, pressing my fingers against my temples.

And then—just like that—it was gone.

The pain faded, but something lingered. A whisper at the edge of my thoughts, just out of reach.

I swallowed hard and forced myself forward.

0997.

0996.

0995.

0994.

0993.

0992.

0991.

0990.

0989.

0988.

0987.

0986.

I stopped.

0986.

I had seen this number before.

The déjà vu hit me hard this time, but without the pain. Just… a strange, unsettling certainty.

I stepped toward the door.

It felt important.

It felt familiar.

Hand shaking, I reached for the handle and pushed it open.

The room was nearly identical to mine.

Nearly.

Something small glimmered on the floor, catching my eye. A tiny, baby-blue gem—about the size of a penny.

I bent down to pick it up, but before my fingers could even brush against it—

A voice resounded through my head. It sounded like a young girl possibly around my age.

The voice was bright. Playful. Familiar.

But somehow, it sent a shiver down my spine.

"OH. MY. GOD.

Alex! Is that you?!"