Interworld Equilibrium Service
Interworld Equilibrium Service
A yellow marker flashes on the central map. The duty officer calls out briefly:
— Sector twelve. A seam. Not a rift yet, but the dynamics are concerning.
Sam is already waiting by the exit—a field Reaper, his bat swaying habitually in his hand. He hands over a folder containing a brief report. On the cover is a stamp: "Urgent. Assessment: seam, rupture probable."
Inside, the lines are clinical:
"Location: The abandoned 'Mirage' cinema.
Anomaly: The same film is playing on all screens despite the electricity being completely cut off.
Witness: A janitor who claimed to see himself on the screen as a child."
He shrugs, as if this were just another routine task:
— Nothing complicated. We'll scout the site, mark the perimeter, and sort it out. If everything goes according to plan, we'll be back by lunch.
The elevator begins its descent. At some point, the folder itself begins to feel warm. On the last page, where there was nothing before, a line of text begins to emerge, as if written in invisible ink:
"Do not enter Hall No. 4."
Sam notices the writing; his brows knit slightly, and his voice drops, losing its previous confidence:
— Curious. There are only three halls in the building.
The elevator doors slide open. Beyond them lies the street, a slant of rain, and the old cinema. The sign glows with an unnatural brightness, as if the electricity here operates by its own laws. On the poster, the film title clings to the paper in faded letters—as if someone is intentionally preventing it from being erased.
Sam looks at you, his voice regaining its professional focus:
— Well, do we check the report first or head straight to the cinema? Just make a decision quickly, before a rift opens.
A scream echoes from the direction of the cinema.
— Did you hear that? We don't have time. Are you coming, or are you afraid?