Chapter 5: The Group Chat Breaks Down

Did everyone else… just ignore 401’s warning?

It was the middle of the night. How could they let a kid wander the halls, calling out for help?

I pictured the flicker of the hallway lights, her tiny shadow moving past scuffed doors and stained carpet, calling out for someone—anyone—to answer.

I frantically tagged @701 in the group chat:

“Dude, why is your kid outside? I heard her yelling.”

“Hurry and get her inside—the not-human thing just headed your way!”

My hands shook so hard my messages came out garbled. My heart hammered, begging the group chat to explode with replies.

I waited, barely breathing.

701 finally replied with a few voice messages:

“What? Didn’t we agree that was just some AI photo?”

“Come on, you don’t really believe this, do you?”

“My kid’s asleep at home. My wife and I just went out for a snack—how could she be outside?”

“What’s with everyone tonight, losing it over nothing?”

I clenched my fists.

That little girl…

With how fast the not-human moved, she was probably doomed…

And now, I couldn’t hear her cries anymore.

My heart squeezed tight. I typed: “My condolences.”

Almost instantly, 701 sent a voice message over a minute long.

I didn’t bother listening.

Because I meant it. This wasn’t a joke.

As I mourned for the little girl, a friend request popped up in my DMs.

It was from 703.

The verification message read: “604, I believe you. Accept me, I have something important to show you.”