Trevor and Alvin strolled along the side of the quiet suburban road while Trevor once again explained his bewildering situation for what felt like the hundredth time. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the cracked pavement, and a gentle breeze carried the distant sound of traffic.
"Dude, for the hundredth time, you now possess Future abilities," Trevor said with a sigh of frustration. "You can increase your tiers just like everyone else by using Future Points. It's not that complicated."
Alvin simply smiled, glancing sideways at his friend's helpless expression. He found Trevor's repeated explanations both amusing and slightly endearing. "So, which group are you planning to join?" Alvin asked curiously. "Therapist, Scholar, or Warrior?"
Trevor shrugged, kicking a small pebble that skittered across the road. "I don't know yet. I just have to try them all and see for myself. Maybe one will feel right."
At that moment, the two friends were on their usual routine trip—just across the street to the local convenience store to pick up some groceries for the evening. They had already purchased everything they needed: bread, milk, eggs, and a few snacks. Bags in hand, they were heading back home along the familiar route.
Suddenly, for some inexplicable reason, Trevor stopped walking mid-step. Alvin, reacting instinctively, halted as well, nearly bumping into him.
"What's up?" Alvin asked, his brow furrowing with concern.
Trevor stood frozen, a sharp, piercing headache blooming behind his eyes. At the same time, an overwhelming urge surged through him—an almost magnetic pull directing him toward the store's parking lot instead of the usual exit door they always used. The feeling was so intense that it drowned out everything else. He had no idea why the compulsion was this strong; all he knew was that he couldn't ignore it.
"Dude, what's happening? Do you need help or something?" Alvin asked, his voice laced with genuine worry for his friend's well-being. He placed a hand on Trevor's shoulder, searching his face for any sign of distress.
"No… let's just go through the parking lot instead," Trevor replied, his voice steady despite the strange sensation.
Alvin didn't understand why they should take the longer route when the regular exit would get them home faster, but he decided not to argue. Shrugging lightly, he turned around and followed Trevor toward the parking lot.
**********
Once they stepped into the wide, open parking area lined with scattered vehicles, Trevor felt an immediate sense of relief. The throbbing headache vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving him feeling lighter and more at ease than he had all day. Still, he couldn't shake the lingering curiosity about why he had been drawn here in the first place.
"Hey, Omar," Trevor asked silently in his mind, "do you have any idea why I felt compelled to come this way?"
The calm, almost mysterious voice of Omar echoed back within his thoughts: "You will find out when the time is right to find out."
Trevor rolled his eyes in mild annoyance. If Omar didn't want to explain, that was fine—he was getting used to the cryptic responses by now.
The two friends continued walking across the parking lot, and at first, everything seemed perfectly ordinary. The asphalt was warm under their shoes, and the faint smell of gasoline mixed with the aroma of nearby food stalls. Trevor even began to wonder whether the earlier headache and urge had simply been the result of a random, passing discomfort—maybe dehydration or stress from his recent awakening.
But that theory was quickly disproven.
Just as they were about to exit the parking lot and return to the main sidewalk, a small gathering of people caught their attention on the left side. A modest crowd had formed around a makeshift booth set up between two parked cars. Normally, Trevor and Alvin would have ignored such a scene and continued on their way, but the same insistent pull that had led them here earlier surged again. Trevor felt certain this was the reason for the detour.
"Come on," Trevor said, grabbing Alvin's arm and dragging him toward the group.
"Dude, what are you doing?" Alvin protested, though he allowed himself to be pulled along.
"I just want to check it out," Trevor replied, his eyes fixed on the activity ahead.
When they reached the crowd, the two friends politely pushed their way through the onlookers until they stood at the front. There, they discovered two siblings—a teenage boy and a slightly older girl—running what appeared to be a simple giveaway game. A handmade sign propped on the booth read: "Win a Time Watch!"
"It's quite simple, actually," the girl announced with a bright, confident smile. "All you have to do is guess which box the Time Watch is hidden in, and it's yours to keep."
A young man from the crowd stepped forward eagerly and paid the required entry fee of five Future Points. The siblings then placed the watch inside one of three identical wooden boxes. The catch was a large black cloth that they draped over the boxes, completely blocking any view of their movements. After shuffling the boxes thoroughly beneath the cloth, they removed it and invited the player to choose.
Many spectators suspected the siblings might be using sleight of hand or some minor illusion trick behind the scenes, yet the allure of winning a Time Watch proved too tempting to resist. Time Watches represented the pinnacle of personal luxury in their world. These sophisticated devices served multiple purposes, but their primary function was the secure storage and management of Future Points. Beyond that, they were the only personal gadgets capable of displaying an individual's detailed stats without needing to visit a formal testing center.
The watch the siblings were offering, however, was far from new. It was a heavily rundown, older model—scratched, slightly dented, and clearly outdated. No one wealthy enough to buy a premium version would ever consider purchasing such a relic; they would rather invest their points elsewhere. That was precisely why the siblings had resorted to this street game. If they couldn't sell or trade the watch for decent value, it risked becoming nothing more than a useless artifact collecting dust.
Trevor found himself strangely captivated by the rundown device. Even in its worn condition, a Time Watch could unlock basic stat interfaces and provide valuable insights into one's abilities—something he desperately needed right now.
The previous contestant stared intently at the three boxes, his hand hovering dramatically as though deep in thought. In reality, everyone knew he was secretly activating his Future abilities. From the subtle energy aura surrounding him, he appeared to be at the Glimpser tier, which most people assumed would be more than enough to win such a simple game.
After a moment, the man pointed decisively at the leftmost box. "This one," he declared with confidence.
"Are you sure?" the girl asked, her tone playful.
The man nodded firmly.
With a flourish, the girl lifted the chosen box. It was completely empty.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Eyes widened in shock and disappointment as murmurs of disbelief spread. The man stood there stunned, his face flushing with embarrassment and frustration.
"Impossible," he muttered under his breath, clenching his fists. "I used Glimpser perception… it should have been obvious."
The girl offered a sympathetic smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Better luck next time. The watch is still available. Who's next?"
Alvin leaned close to Trevor and whispered urgently, "This feels like a total scam. They're probably swapping boxes or using some cheap misdirection trick under that cloth. Let's just head home before you get any ideas."
But Trevor remained rooted in place. The mysterious urge that had guided him to the parking lot had returned, even stronger than before. It pulsed gently in his chest, urging him forward.
Without fully realizing what he was doing, Trevor stepped toward the booth.
"Trevor, what the hell?" Alvin hissed, grabbing his sleeve.
"I have to try," Trevor replied quietly, his gaze locked on the three innocent-looking boxes.
The girl noticed the newcomer and raised an eyebrow, her smile turning curious. "New player? The entry fee is five Future Points. Got any?"