By the time I got to school, my head already hurt.
Not from the noise.
From thinking.
Too much information, not enough answers. Kai. The messages. Kunle in the hospital. And now this—11:20. A "test" I didn't understand, with stakes I couldn't see.
The moment I stepped through the gate, the thoughts hit me again.
Loud. Chaotic. Endless.
Did you hear what happened yesterday?
Someone said it was an accident…
No way, there was too much blood…
I hope he doesn't die…
I flinched.
Kunle.
Even when I tried not to think about it, everyone else did.
I tightened my grip on my bag and kept walking.
Focus.
Just get through this.
11:20.
That was all that mattered.
Classes started. I sat through the first one without hearing a single word the teacher said. Not because of my ability—but because I couldn't concentrate. My eyes kept drifting to the clock.
9:05.
Too early.
My phone stayed silent.
That bothered me more than the messages.
Second class. More noise. More thoughts.
He looks different today…
Is he okay?
Should I ask him?
I ignored all of it.
9:58.
Still nothing.
By the time break came, my patience was gone.
I pulled out my phone.
No new messages.
"That's not like you," I muttered under my breath.
"You talking to yourself now?"
I stiffened.
I turned.
Kai stood there.
Of course she did.
No footsteps. No warning. Just silence.
"You keep doing that," I said.
"Doing what?" she asked.
"Showing up out of nowhere."
"You notice me," she replied calmly. "So I exist to you."
"That's not how existence works."
"For you," she said.
I exhaled sharply. "Why are you here?"
"To watch," she said.
My chest tightened. "Watch what?"
"You," she answered.
That didn't help.
I checked the time.
10:34.
"Thirty-six minutes," I muttered.
Kai's gaze followed mine to the clock, then back to me. "You're still going through with it."
"Yes."
"You don't even know what 'it' is."
"That's the point," I said. "I'm done being led around without understanding anything."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "And you think this will give you understanding?"
"I think it'll give me something," I replied.
A pause.
Then she said quietly, "It'll give you consequences."
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed.
Both of us looked at it.
Unknown: Good. You made it this far.
My jaw tightened.
Me: Stop acting like you're watching me.
Unknown: I am.
A chill ran down my spine.
Unknown: 11:20 is close.
I checked the time.
10:41.
My pulse quickened.
Me: What happens at 11:20?
There was a delay.
Then
Unknown: A choice.
I frowned.
Me: You already said that.
Unknown: And you still don't understand.
I clenched my jaw.
Me: Then explain it properly.
Unknown: No.
I almost laughed in frustration.
Unknown: Because if I tell you… you'll choose wrong.
My chest tightened.
"What does that even mean?" I whispered.
Kai watched me carefully. "He's doing it again."
"Narrowing my choices," I said.
"Yes."
I looked at her. "Then help me widen them."
Silence.
That was answer enough.
My phone buzzed again.
Unknown: Go to the main staircase.
My head snapped up.
Kai's expression darkened immediately.
"No," she said.
I ignored her.
Unknown: Stay at the top.
My heart started beating faster.
Unknown: And wait.
I looked at the time.
11:12.
Eight minutes.
"This is it," I said.
Kai stepped closer. "Don't."
"I need to know," I replied.
"You already do," she said. "You just don't like the answer."
I shook my head. "That's not enough."
"It has to be."
"No," I said firmly.
And I turned.
I walked out before she could stop me.
The hallway felt longer than usual.
Every step heavier.
Every thought louder.
Why is he heading that way?
Isn't that where
Wait, isn't that the staircase where
I froze for half a second.
Then kept walking.
Don't think.
Just move.
I reached the staircase.
It was quieter here.
Less crowded.
Less noise.
But not silent.
Never silent.
Except—
I turned slightly.
Kai stood a few steps behind me.
Of course she did.
"You're still here," I said.
"I told you," she replied. "I'm watching."
I looked away.
I climbed the stairs.
One step.
Two.
Three.
Until I reached the top.
I stopped.
My heart was pounding now.
Loud enough to drown out everything else.
I checked the time.
11:18.
Two minutes.
My hands felt cold.
"This is your last chance," Kai said behind me.
"To what?" I asked.
"To walk away."
I shook my head.
Too late for that.
My phone buzzed again.
Unknown: Stay where you are.
I didn't move.
Unknown: And whatever happens…
A pause.
Then—
Unknown: Don't interfere.
My chest tightened.
Don't interfere?
With what?
I looked down the staircase.
Students were moving below.
Talking.
Laughing.
Normal.
Everything looked normal.
11:19.
One minute.
My breathing became uneven.
"This is wrong," Kai said.
I didn't respond.
My eyes stayed locked on the stairs.
Something was coming.
I could feel it.
Not through thoughts.
Through instinct.
11:20.
And then
It happened.
A girl near the middle of the stairs slipped.
Her foot missed a step.
Her body tilted forward
Too fast.
Too sudden.
Gasps filled the air.
She's going to fall
Someone grab her
Wait
Time slowed.
I saw it clearly.
If she fell from that height
She wouldn't just get hurt.
It would be worse.
Much worse.
My body moved before my mind could catch up.
I stepped forward
"Don't."
Kai's voice cut through everything.
Sharp.
Urgent.
"Don't interfere."
My phone buzzed violently in my hand.
Unknown: DO NOT MOVE.
My heart slammed against my chest.
Two commands.
Same words.
Same warning.
Don't interfere.
But
If I didn't
She would fall.
She would get hurt.
Maybe worse.
My chest tightened.
This was the choice.
This was the test.
Save her
Or don't.
My mind screamed at me to think.
To analyze.
To understand.
But there was no time.
There was never any time.
So I did the only thing I could
I chose.
I moved.
I ran down the steps
Reached out
And grabbed her arm just before she fell.
The impact hit hard.
Her weight slammed into me.
We both stumbled
But didn't fall.
Silence.
Then—
Noise exploded.
"Oh my God
"Are you okay?!"
"He caught her
"That was close
I let go of her slowly.
My heart was racing.
My breathing uneven.
She looked at me, shaken but unharmed.
"Th-thank you…" she whispered.
I nodded, unable to speak.
I did it.
I changed it.
I stopped it.
Relief flooded my chest
For exactly one second.
Then my phone buzzed.
Slowly
I looked down.
Unknown: …You did it again.
My stomach dropped.
Again?
Unknown: You just proved it.
My fingers trembled.
Me: Proved what?
The reply came instantly.
Unknown: That you'll always choose the worst option.
My chest tightened.
That didn't make sense.
I saved her.
I stopped something bad.
How was that wrong?
My grip tightened around the phone.
Me: I helped her.
There was a pause.
Then—
Unknown: Exactly.
A cold chill ran down my spine.
Before I could respond
Kai's voice came from behind me.
Low.
Tense.
"You shouldn't have done that."
I turned slowly.
Her expression
For the first time
Wasn't calm.
It wasn't neutral.
It was serious.
Almost… worried.
"Why?" I demanded. "I saved her."
Kai stared at me.
Then said quietly,
"And now you've started something you can't stop."
My heart skipped.
"What does that mean?"
But I already knew.
Because my phone buzzed again.
And this time
The message was different.
Unknown: The second loss is coming.
My breath caught.
Second?
Slowly
I looked up.
And for the first time since this all began
I felt it clearly.
Not confusion.
Not fear.
But something worse.
The feeling that no matter what I chose
I was already too late.