The warehouse door creaked as I pushed it open.
Morning air slipped in.
I stepped out.
The light stung at first. My eyes hadn't adjusted. Or maybe they had—something just wasn't syncing right. I blinked. The street warped—blurry at the edges, like my vision had split for a second, the world overlapping with something else.
It passed.
But it kept happening.
Brief flashes. An alley that wasn't there. A window from the wrong angle. Blurry, like watching through water.
I walked.
Vendors rolled carts down the sidewalk. Kids sprinted across intersections without looking. A woman cursed at a cab. No one looked at me.
That was fine.
I kept to side roads. Kept moving.
Another flicker.
A blur of movement—blue sky, metal railing, voices I couldn't place. It wasn't here. It wasn't mine. I stumbled mid-step, caught myself.
What the hell was that?
My head throbbed. Faded. I bit the inside of my cheek to ground myself.
Just then, I heard the system.
> [Return Function: Now Available]
> Return: [Y/N].
I can go back, that's good to know.
But why so late?
I ignored it for now, might as well check this place out.
---
I stopped at a crosswalk. Watched a group of teens run past, laughing, their bags bouncing behind them.
They were heading somewhere.
I followed.
Turned a few corners. Crossed a street. The crowd grew.
Voices. Energy. Noise.
I slipped into the flow. Let it carry me down a broad street lined with posters. One word caught my eye.
Expo.
People crowded toward a tall building. Something about an institute. Science. Technology. A public event, judging by the mix of suits, students, and tired parents.
I didn't know why I was here.
But I kept walking.
My vision blurred again—this time longer. Another place. A hallway? Who's that girl?
I rubbed my eyes.
The expo entrance loomed ahead.
I walked toward it.
---
To be continued.