 I was screaming, but I couldn’t hear myself over the paralyzing racket. I cautiously staggered my way towards my bedroom where I found the sphere sitting on my desk, glowing a brilliant orange. It seemed to be the source of the noise as the symbols flared in conjunction with the grinding report.
“I’ve HAD IT with this god damned thing!” I yelled once the sound paused. I picked it up and held it in my shaking palms, anxiously anticipating the next deafening round. I cringed right as I expected it to start up, but nothing happened. The puzzle was still glowing, but hardly as brightly as it previously was. Now that I had it in my hands, it seemed to be calming down. I stared at it with horrified fascination. It could sense when it was being handled or touched. I looked around my dark apartment, feeling more alone than I ever had in my life. Clutching the game to my chest, I made my way out of my bedroom. I felt an ugly presence in there, and it felt like the walls would begin closing in on me at any moment.
Back in the living room, I put on a late-night sitcom and settled in to appraise the enigma I held in my hands. I wondered if that grinding noise would start every time I left the game alone for too long.
I felt my heart surge as I wondered what this all meant. I had no idea how this thing worked, why I couldn’t get rid of it, or what that horrible sound was. I felt lost and confused. And so afraid. I didn’t know where Kyle was, and that unsettled me as well. I didn’t know what to do, so I leaned back and made sure to keep the game firmly in my grasp. I wouldn’t let it go, but I didn’t want to play tonight. I didn’t even want it in this apartment, but I wasn’t sure what would happen if I tried getting rid of it again. It didn’t take long before I felt my eyelids getting heavy. I allowed them to fall shut as I sank deep into a world of unaware slumber.
I was absolutely freezing when I woke up. I reached for a blanket, but quickly felt my blood drain when I found mud and grass beneath me. I opened my eyes to find that I was sitting against a tree in the middle of a park. Ominous, crooked trees lined my vision in every direction I looked. I looked down to find the puzzle sitting on my lap. I’d solved a few more moves. I wasn’t sure how I knew, but I just did. The puzzle never changed in appearance, save for the color of the glowing runic symbols. Instead of moving pieces like a Rubik’s Cube, it was like I was gaining knowledge and unlocking something forbidden within my own mind.
I felt a piercing ache rocket through my head and I cursed. I took a deep breath and tried not to panic, but it was a difficult task. I was more than halfway across the city without a jacket, shoes, or a cell phone. I had no idea what time it was or how long I’d been out here. An eerie chill shot through my body and I decided it was time to start finding my way home. I thought about finding a payphone or borrowing a stranger’s cell phone, but quickly resented modern technology and my lack of ability to remember anyone’s phone number. I wouldn’t know how to get in touch with anyone, and we certainly didn’t own a landline for me to leave a message on. I pushed myself to my feet and scanned my surroundings. It was morning, I assumed early, as a light frost painted the tips of each blade of grass, and the sky was a deep purple, slowly welcoming in shades of orange. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered, groaning at the long walk I had ahead of me.
I’d only been walking for about 20 minutes when I noticed a figure sitting at the edge of the park. I slowed my pace and kept my eyes trained on the person as I got closer. I realized it was a woman huddled with her knees to her chest. I felt my panic recede a bit as my stride picked back up. Once I got close enough, I recognized her to be the woman from the lecture hall, and from that gruesome video.
“I’ve been waiting for you for hours.” She spoke without looking up at me. Her face was hidden behind a tangle of mousy brown hair and the hood of her oversized sweatshirt was pulled up. She looked like she’d seen better days. My eyes drifted down and I realized one of the sleeves of her sweatshirt was especially baggy and loose. She tried hiding it with her other arm, but it was clear that her arm was gone from the elbow down. I gasped, unable to hide my shock.
“Who are you?” I asked through trembling lips.
My jaw fell slack. “You were the one who gave it to me? You’re the unknown user who started all of this…” I felt rage boiling inside me.
I reluctantly agreed. I was more than hesitant to get in a car with her, but I was otherwise stranded and she had the answers that I desperately craved. I followed her to the parking lot where she led me to a surprisingly nice car. I slid into the front seat and felt my body sigh at the warmth and comfort of her car. She soon got in next to me and gave me a wary look before awkwardly starting up the car with her one arm.
“I know what you must think.” She finally said.
“Why? So you could pass off the anxiety and torment to someone else?” I felt my skin getting hot.
“I’ve tried. I burned it. I ran it over with my car. Sank it in the ocean. It always comes back. There’s only one way, Glen, and I need your help.” She had desperation in her voice, and as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t say no to her.
I reluctantly agreed. I pushed the car door open and slid out into the cool autumn morning.
“Glen,” she called as I was turning towards my home.
“What?” I growled. I was exhausted, confused, and in need of a shower, food, and some decent sleep.
“Right.” I nodded and turned my back to her, trudging miserably up my walkway. I was grateful to see Kyle’s car parked in the driveway, but my relief faded the moment I walked into the house.
Kyle was in the kitchen with Rachel and Sarah sitting at the table. A stack of pancakes and coffee was spread out before them and the sweet scent was luxurious. Kyle was mid-story and the girls were laughing so hard they almost didn’t hear me enter the house. I shut the door a bit too hard and Kyle’s gaze snapped up to meet mine.
“What happened to you?” His voice was only a few decibels over a whisper.
I kept moving, scanning the room anxiously, meeting Kyle’s eyes all too often. I just wanted to go to bed. I met Sarah’s eyes and she had confusion written all over them. I ignored him and kept walking, intent on getting to my bedroom.
“Glen! Hey!” Kyle was on me in an instant, snapping his fingers in my face.
“WHAT?” I didn’t mean to scream at him, but I did. He stepped back a pace but didn’t waver from my sudden explosion. I could tell that the girls were uncomfortable, trying not to look at me in my ruined state. I pretended to ignore them, but I felt sick at the thought that I was scaring them. He stood there wordlessly. His face was written in shock, fear, and confusion. “I’ve had a long night and I just want to go to bed.” I stared at him with an intensity that I didn’t know I was capable of. When he didn’t respond, I turned my back on him and made my way down the hallway.
Behind the closed door, I felt a sudden urge to cry. The weight of everything seemed to finally sink in and I felt helpless against the pressure. I dove into the safety of my bed and let myself process everything. I allowed myself to cry, the gravity of my situation sinking in deeper with every passing second.
Sleep came like an absent parent; far too late, far too brief, and with much disappointment. In those brief moments of quiet and darkness, I experienced many wild and unsettling nightmares. The sun was still up when I peeled myself away from my bed. I checked my phone and found that it had only been a few hours. I rolled my eyes as I journeyed out into the apartment. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I had until 10 o’clock tonight and it was only 11 in the morning.
Upon entering the kitchen, I found that Kyle had written me a note explaining that he and the girls had gone out for a bit and would be back later. I wasn’t looking forward to that. I wanted to be alone in the worst way, but I would take what I could get.
Realizing I still hadn’t eaten anything, I made myself some eggs and coffee and sat down at the table to eat and try to take my mind off the situation. I shoveled the food in my face and quickly returned to the fridge for more. I was absolutely starving. After another round of eggs, some avocado toast, and three oranges, my stomach was still screaming for more, but I resisted. Instead,