"Just because an account is closed doesn't mean the story is over."
— Chapter 3 —
Shadow: I'm glad you're okay.
What was that about? Did they mistake me for someone else?
I hesitated between replying and pulling my fingers away.
No matter how hard I tried to ignore it, an impatient suspicion was pacing around inside me. Could this message have anything to do with what I experienced today? No waaay. The app doesn't allow any personal information. There's no way anyone could recognize me. So I decided to ignore the message. If they really wanted to talk to me, they'd message again.
I clicked on the chat rooms. There were once again many rooms with different titles.
~ About Current Events (Only for users with 50+ stars)
19 users online
~ Girls, Gather Here!
9 users online
…
The second room's title caught my attention. I decided to join.
"You have joined the room 'Girls, Gather Here!'"
Dragon: Alright, we've reached 10 people. Just say it already, Teddy.
Batman: Yeah, this is getting suspenseful. Go on.
LoveCats: What are you doing here, Bat-boy? The room clearly says "girls" in the title. But somehow all the guys are here.
Batman: I came just out of curiosity, okay? Gossip has no gender.
Teddy: I had to work late yesterday, so it was already dark by the time I got home. When I arrived, I noticed a figure moving by my window. My friend and I sometimes play spooky pranks on each other, so I thought it was one of those.
Dragon: Don't tell me you went inside.
Teddy: I turned on my camera. Quietly opened the door and slipped in. My plan was to take a photo with a sudden flash and then tease them about it all night.
Moonlight: This is… not going in a good direction.
Teddy: The figure had its back turned. When the flash went off, it turned toward me.
In that brief moment, I knew it wasn't my friend. I literally screamed. I don't even remember how I got myself back outside.
LoveCats: Ahhh! Share the photo, now! I'm dying of curiosity!
"User 'Teddy' has shared a photo with you."
In the photo, there was a man looking directly at the camera. His face was hidden behind a black mask. His sharp gaze sent a shiver down my spine. His eyes -probably due to the flash- were bright red. I tried to zoom in, but the app didn't allow it. So I took a screenshot to examine it more closely later.
Teddy: That man must have escaped through the back garden door. I went back inside with some neighbors. The first thing I noticed was my shawl, which I'd left on the couch, lying crumpled on the floor. Some drawers in my closet were open. But the strange thing was... nothing seemed to be stolen. Even my laptop was still on the desk.
Batman: It's like the thief was looking for something very specific.
Moonlight: Did you call the police?
Teddy: I just heard a "crack" sound from the living room… Could he be back?
I'm seriously scared. Should I go check?
LoveCats: Uh, maybe… it was just a cute cat? You know, like one that jumped in through the window?
Batman: Call the police, call the police!
Dragon: Teddy, grab something heavy. Stand behind the door. If he comes in, hit him as hard as you can on the back of the neck.
"User 'Teddy' has been permanently banned from the app due to a violation of community guidelines."
After that notification, we were all kicked out with the message:
"This room no longer exists."