Elena didn't go home.
She couldn't.
Not after what just happened.
Her legs moved on their own, carrying her through empty streets, far from people, far from noise.
Far from safety.
Or maybe—
There was no such thing anymore.
Her breath was still uneven.
Her hands still trembling.
But her mind…
Her mind was finally thinking.
"This isn't random…"
She whispered it to herself.
Because now she knew.
There was a pattern.
A system.
Something controlling everything.
Something that decided whether she lived or died.
Her chest tightened.
"…and something helping me."
That message.
[Tip: Avoid crowded places.]
It wasn't from the man.
That meant—
There were two sides.
One trying to kill her.
One trying to save her.
"Why me…?"
Her voice broke slightly.
Out of all the people in the world—
Why her?
She wasn't special.
She wasn't strong.
She wasn't anything.
Just a normal girl who wanted to live a normal life.
Tears gathered in her eyes again.
"I didn't ask for this…"
Her fingers curled into fists.
"I didn't choose this…"
Silence answered her.
Cold.
Empty.
But then—
A flicker.
Her phone lit up again.
Elena froze.
Slowly—
She lifted it.
Another message.
No number.
No name.
Just words.
[Do you want to know the truth?]
Her heart skipped.
The truth.
Her fingers trembled.
"Who are you…?"
No answer.
Only another message.
[Go to the place where your story began.]
Her breath caught.
"…My story?"
What did that even mean?
Her mind raced.
Where did it begin?
Her home?
The street where she almost died?
No—
Something deeper.
Something older.
Then—
It hit her.
Her eyes widened.
"The hospital…"
The place she was born.
The place where everything started.
Her chest tightened.
"Why there…?"
Was this a trap?
Or a chance?
Her grip on the phone tightened.
"…I have no choice."
Because doing nothing meant death.
And she wasn't ready to die.
Not yet.
—
The hospital stood tall in the distance.
Cold.
Silent.
Almost empty at night.
The lights flickered faintly inside.
Elena hesitated at the entrance.
Her heart pounded loudly in her chest.
"This feels like a bad idea…"
Every instinct told her to turn around.
To run.
To hide.
But the timer—
[18:27:44]
Didn't care about her fear.
"…I'm going in."
Her voice was quiet.
But firm.
She stepped inside.
The air felt different.
Heavier.
Like something unseen was watching her.
Her footsteps echoed softly through the hallway.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Every sound felt too loud.
Too real.
"Elena…"
She froze.
Her blood ran cold.
That voice—
She turned sharply.
No one.
The hallway was empty.
"…Hello?"
No answer.
Only silence.
Her breathing quickened.
"This place… isn't normal…"
Then—
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
And went out.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Elena gasped.
"I can't see—!"
Her heart raced wildly.
Her hands reached out blindly.
Then—
A soft glow appeared.
Right in front of her.
A screen.
Floating.
Brighter than before.
[Hidden Data Unlocked]
[Subject: Elena Hart]
Her breath stopped.
"Subject…?"
The screen continued.
[Original Status: Deceased at Birth]
Everything went silent.
Completely silent.
Elena's mind went blank.
"…What?"
Her voice barely existed.
"Deceased… at birth…?"
Her hands started shaking violently.
"No… that's not true…"
But the screen didn't disappear.
It didn't change.
It didn't lie.
[Correction Applied: Life Granted]
Her knees weakened.
She staggered back.
"This… this doesn't make sense…"
If she died at birth—
Then what was she now?
Who was she?
Her chest hurt.
Her thoughts spiraled.
"I've been alive my whole life… I remember… I—"
Her memories.
Suddenly—
They felt… fragile.
Like they could break at any moment.
Like they weren't real.
"Am I… even supposed to exist…?"
Her voice cracked.
For the first time—
Elena wasn't just afraid of dying.
She was afraid of herself.
Of her existence.
Of the truth.
Then—
A new line appeared.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
[You were never meant to live.]
Tears fell instantly.
"…Then why am I here…?"
Silence.
Heavy.
Unforgiving.
Until—
A whisper.
Right behind her.
"Because someone wanted you to."
Elena froze.
Her heart stopped.
That voice—
Different.
Not the man in black.
Softer.
Warmer.
She turned slowly.
And in the darkness—
She saw a figure.
Blurred.
Unclear.
But there.
Watching her.
"I've been waiting for you, Elena."
Her breath trembled.
"Who… are you…?"
The figure stepped closer.
Light flickered faintly across their face.
Almost visible.
Almost—
"I'm the one who saved you."