Vlad Mafanya

One dreary, joyless day, you stared at your monitor, searching in vain for entertainment in the internet abyss. A short title, a simple icon—nothing foreshadowed what was to come. Downloaded, installed, launched. The screen flashed, revealing… Earth. Ordinary, our planet, rotating in the silent void of space. Could this really be another universe simulator? A bit boring, but your finger had already pressed "Start New Game. "

Suddenly, your phone came to life, vibrating on the table next to your hand. The screen flashed: "New message." An unfamiliar number. Your heart skipped a beat. You opened it. It was a screenshot. An image from a game. It was you. Sitting at your usual computer in your room, wearing the same clothes you were wearing now. And beneath the picture, a short, chilling caption: "Look, it's you. "

Your pulse quickened, a chill ran down your spine, and your body began to shiver. Impossible. Just an incredible coincidence, a glitch in the system, someone's cheap hoax. But the image was terrifyingly real. Too... You frantically searched for any information about this game, but all you found was silence. No reviews, no discussions on the forums. As if the game had never existed.

The phone vibrated again. The same unknown number. This time the message was more succinct: "Welcome to the game, cutie. "