nobody wanted to
592 Words
Nobody wanted to touch the notebook again.
So of course…
Jay picked it up.
“Relax,” he said, forcing a grin. “It’s just a book. What’s it gonna do—bite me?”
Right on cue—
The pages flipped.
By themselves.
Fast.
FLIP FLIP FLIP FLIP—
“NOPE—” Jay threw it, but it didn’t hit the ground.
It stopped mid-air.
Just… floating.
“…okay,” Kat said slowly, backing up. “I officially hate this.”
“Same,” Maria whispered.
Jewels grabbed Jeheak’s arm. “Tell me you see that.”
“I see it,” Jeheak said. “I really wish I didn’t—but I do.”
The notebook snapped open.
One page.
Fresh ink, writing itself.
Right in front of them.
“They tried to laugh.”
“That didn’t last long.”
“Hey, nah,” Jay said. “Why’s it roasting us now?”
For a second—
Jewels laughed.
A quick, nervous laugh.
“…okay, that was kinda funny.”
Then the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then everything went dark.
Silence.
“…who touched the light switch?” Kat whispered.
“No one,” Maria said.
“Stop playing,” Jay added, but his voice wasn’t joking anymore.
Something moved.
Not in front of them.
Behind them.
A soft dragging sound.
Like something being pulled across the floor.
Slow.
Heavy.
Jeheak turned his head.
“Did you—”
SCRATCH.
Right behind him.
He spun around—
Nothing.
Just shadows.
Too many shadows.
“…why are there more of them?” Jenni said.
Everyone looked.
She was right.
There were more shadows than people.
One of them moved.
Not like a shadow should.
Not following anything.
Moving on its own.
“Yo—YO—” Jay backed up, almost tripping. “That one’s not mine!”
“None of them are!” Kat snapped.
The floating notebook slammed shut.
Then dropped.
Hard.
Silence again.
Jeheak slowly stepped forward.
“…don’t open it,” Maria said.
“Yeah bro, for once listen,” Jay added.
Jeheak hesitated.
Then opened it.
The page was already filled.
“The monsters don’t chase you.”
“They wait.”
“They watch.”
A pause.
New words carved themselves into the page.
Slower this time.
Like it wanted them to read every letter.
“Then…”
The shadow behind Kaneki stood up.
Not from the floor.
From him.
Kaneki didn’t move.
Didn’t react.
“…guys?” he said quietly.
“I feel… weird.”
The shadow stretched taller than him.
Twisting.
Smiling—
Even though it didn’t have a face.
“…they become you.”
“KANKEI MOVE—!” Jay shouted
Too late.
The shadow snapped back into him—
Kaneki dropped to his knees.
Gasping.
Everyone rushed back.
Except Jeheak.
He was staring at the notebook.
At the last line that just appeared.
“Now it’s his turn.”
Jeheak slowly looked up.
At his friends.
At the shadows.
At Kaneki trying to breathe.
“…we’re not safe,” he said.
Jay let out a shaky laugh.
“…wow. Really? That’s your big realization right now?”
For a second—
Everyone laughed.
Just a little.
Just enough to breathe.
Then the lights came back on.
Everything looked normal again.
Too normal.
Kaneki stood up slowly.
Head down.
Silent.
“Kaneki?” Jenni said.
“…you good?”
He looked up.
Smiled.
“…yeah,” he said.
But his shadow didn’t match.
And Jeheak knew.
That wasn’t Kaneki anymore.
- Writer
