chapter six
1066 Words
The Morning They Woke Up Married (and Nothing Made Sense Anymore)
Zara woke up screaming.
Not a dramatic scream.
Not a cute movie scream.
A real, confused, something-is-wrong-with-the-universe scream.
She shot upright in bed, breathing hard, clutching the blanket like it had personally betrayed her.
For three seconds, she didn’t understand anything.
Then she looked around.
And stopped breathing entirely.
This was not her bedroom.
The room was too large.
Too bright.
Too… expensive.
White sheets.
Golden light curtains.
A hotel-style lamp she definitely could not afford in any lifetime.
Zara slowly looked down.
She was wearing a silk robe.
Not hers.
“…No,” she whispered.
Then she heard a noise beside her.
A groan.
Male.
Deep.
Confused.
Zara turned her head slowly.
Very slowly.
And saw Noah.
Lying next to her.
Hair messy.
One arm over his face.
Looking like he had just lost a war with reality.
Zara stared.
Noah slowly removed his arm.
Looked at her.
Paused.
Looked around.
Paused again.
Then said:
“…Why are you in my bed?”
Zara blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at him.
Chaos Begins Immediately
“No!” Zara shouted. “Why am I in YOUR bed?!”
Noah sat up instantly. “This is not my bed!”
Zara looked around wildly. “Then whose bed is it?!”
Noah looked around too.
“…I don’t know.”
Silence.
A long, horrifying silence.
Then Zara noticed something on the bedside table.
A framed photo.
She reached for it slowly.
Noah watched her.
She turned it around.
And froze.
It was a wedding photo.
Zara.
Noah.
Standing together.
Smiling.
Wearing wedding clothes.
Holding hands.
Zara dropped the frame immediately.
It hit the bed instead of the floor, thankfully.
But she still screamed.
“NO.”
Noah snatched it up immediately.
Stared.
“…This is edited.”
“That is NOT edited!”
“It looks edited.”
“NOAH.”
He looked up at her.
She looked like she was about to collapse reality with her bare hands.
He slowly placed the frame down.
“…Okay,” he said carefully. “Let’s calm down.”
“I AM CALM.”
“You just screamed at a photo.”
“BECAUSE IT’S WRONG.”
Noah rubbed his face.
Then noticed something on his finger.
A ring.
He froze.
Slowly looked at it.
Then looked at Zara.
“…Tell me you don’t have one too.”
Zara stopped.
Slowly lifted her hand.
There was a ring.
Silence dropped again.
Heavier this time.
Zara whispered:
“…This is a prank.”
Noah shook his head slowly. “No prank goes this far.”
Zara pointed at him. “YOUR FRIEND DOES PRANKS.”
Noah snapped. “Mason does NOT commit federal-level confusion.”
Zara paced the room instantly. “Then explain this!”
Noah stood up.
Looked at the bed.
Looked at the room.
Looked at her.
Then said quietly:
“…We’re married.”
Zara stopped walking.
Turned slowly.
“Say that again.”
Noah hesitated.
“…We’re married.”
Zara blinked.
Then screamed again.
The Hallway Reality Check
Five minutes later, they were outside the room.
Still disoriented.
Still confused.
Still standing too close for two people who were allegedly strangers in a shared nightmare.
Zara was pulling at her hair.
Noah was trying to unlock his phone.
“It’s not working,” he muttered.
Zara turned sharply. “WHY is it not working?!”
“I don’t know! It’s showing yesterday’s date!”
Zara froze.
“…Yesterday’s date?”
Noah nodded slowly.
Zara looked up at the hallway clock.
It also showed yesterday’s date.
She whispered:
“…No.”
Noah looked around slowly.
Something felt wrong.
The building looked the same.
But not the same.
Like reality had been slightly rearranged overnight.
He turned to Zara.
“We need to find out what happened.”
Zara pointed at him immediately. “You first explain how I became your wife.”
“I did NOT choose this.”
“Neither did I!”
A pause.
Then Noah said:
“…We should probably go downstairs.”
Zara stared at him.
“…Why are you so calm?”
“I am not calm.”
“You look calm.”
“I am in denial.”
“Good. Me too.”
Lobby Disaster Incoming
They reached the lobby.
And everything got worse instantly.
The receptionist looked up.
Smiled.
“Oh! Good morning Mr. and Mrs. 9B!”
Silence.
Zara slowly turned her head toward Noah.
Noah slowly turned his head toward Zara.
Together:
“…Mrs. WHAT?”
The receptionist blinked.
“Oh,” she said casually. “You’re still adjusting? Congratulations again on the wedding.”
Zara’s soul briefly left her body.
Noah stepped forward. “We are not married.”
The receptionist frowned. “That’s not what your file says.”
Zara grabbed the counter. “FILE?!”
The receptionist turned the screen slightly.
It clearly showed:
Noah & Zara — Married Status: Registered
Zara stared at it.
Then whispered:
“…I want to uninstall reality.”
Noah leaned closer.
Very quietly:
“This is not normal.”
Zara nodded slowly.
“…I’m starting to agree with you.”
Behind them, the elevator dinged.
And for a second—
Just a second—
The lights flickered again.
Like something was watching.
Ending Beat
As they walked out of the lobby together, Zara spoke first.
“If this is your fault,” she said, “I will haunt you personally.”
Noah replied immediately:
“If this is my fault, I will haunt myself first.”
Zara glanced at him.
“…That was actually a good answer.”
“I’m full of surprises.”
“I don’t like surprises.”
“Neither do I anymore.”
They stopped outside the building.
Both staring at the street like it might explain itself.
Zara finally said:
“…So what now?”
Noah looked at her.
Then at the ring.
Then at the world that clearly broke overnight.
And said:
“…We figure out how we got married yesterday.”
Zara nodded slowly.
“…And fix it.”
A pause.
Then Noah added:
“…Preferably before anyone believes this is real.”
Zara looked at him.
Then muttered:
“…Too late for that.”
And somewhere in the background—
Time flickered again.
Just slightly.
Like laughing.
- Writer
