no one moved
575 Words
No one moved.
Kaneki was still on the ground, breathing—but something about it felt off. Too slow. Too heavy.
“…Kaneki?” Maria said carefully.
His fingers twitched.
The notebook scratched loudly.
“It didn’t leave.”
Jeheak’s grip tightened. “…what do you mean it didn’t—”
Kaneki’s body jerked.
Hard.
Jenni stepped back. “No… no, no—”
Kaneki’s eyes snapped open.
Not fully human.
Not fully gone.
“…I can hear it,” he whispered.
Jay groaned. “Man we JUST saved you.”
Kaneki sat up slowly. “…it’s not outside anymore.”
Silence.
“…it’s in me.”
The notebook shook violently.
“One is changing.”
Kat grabbed Jeheak’s arm. “…that’s what it meant.”
Shadows crept along the floor again—but this time…they were coming from Kaneki.
“…back up,” Maria said quickly.
They did.
Kaneki looked at his hands like they didn’t belong to him. Black cracks spread across his skin, fading in and out.
“I don’t wanna hurt you,” he said.
Jenni shook her head. “…you won’t.”
The notebook burned brighter.
“He will break.”
“NO,” Jeheak snapped, flipping the page.
He grabbed the pen—but it fought him.
“…it’s stronger now,” he said through clenched teeth.
Kaneki suddenly screamed.
Not loud—
but deep.
Like two voices at once.
The shadows around him rose, forming a taller shape behind him.
Watching.
Smiling.
Jay pointed. “…yeah that’s NOT normal.”
Jewels whispered, “It’s using him…”
Kaneki dropped to one knee. “…I can’t hold it—”
Jenni ran forward. “YES YOU CAN!”
“GET BACK—!” Kat yelled.
Too late.
The shadow snapped forward—
Then stopped.
Frozen.
Jenni stood right in front of Kaneki, shaking—but not moving.
“…you’re not him,” she said.
The shadow twitched.
“…and he’s not yours.”
The notebook paused.
Like it was listening.
Jeheak saw it.
“…write,” he said.
Maria grabbed the pen.
Fast.
“Kaneki is stronger than it.”
The air slammed outward.
The shadow glitched.
Kaneki gasped.
Jewels grabbed the pen next.
“We don’t lose each other.”
The cracks on Kaneki’s skin slowed.
Jay stepped in. “…yeah alright, my turn.”
He wrote quick—
“He’s still our boy.”
Kaneki let out a breath.
The shadow behind him shrank slightly.
Kat took the pen.
Eyes sharp.
“We are not afraid.”
The glow returned—stronger.
The shadow flickered harder now.
Jenni reached out—placing her hand on Kaneki’s shoulder.
“…fight it.”
Kaneki clenched his fists.
“…I’m trying.”
Jeheak stepped forward last.
Everything went quiet again.
He looked at Kaneki—really looked at him.
Then wrote—
“He chooses himself.”
Silence.
Then—
The shadow shattered.
Gone.
Kaneki collapsed forward—caught by Jenni.
Breathing.
Normal.
For now.
No one spoke.
Until—
The notebook slowly turned the page.
New words appeared.
“Good.”
“He survived.”
“Now the rest won’t be so easy.”
Jay blinked. “…the REST?”
Jeheak stared at the page.
His voice dropped.
“…it’s not just Kaneki.”
The lights inside the house flickered on—
By themselves.
One by one.
Rooms lighting up deeper inside.
Like something…
was inviting them in.
- Writer
