CHAPTER SEVEN ⚜ CHECK-OUT

[Illustration 12] The colours suddenly change to the cold white light of reality. In his small rented bedroom, Ryan sits on the edge of his messy bed with the phone still pressed to his ear. A black leather shoe that does not belong to him is on his left foot, while his bare right foot is partly covered by the blanket. The digital clock clearly reads 2026/08/23 07:26. At the foot of the bed, an orange cat sits with his back towards Ryan, tapping his tail impatiently against the blanket. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYR4t0VlR2

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────────────────────── ⚜ ───────────────────── 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkPPgLgdmv

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“—Ryan! Are you dead? I've called you seven times!”

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Oliver’s voice exploded from the phone, mixed with the sound of a train announcement in the background. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAwod0bmKp

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“You have a proposal meeting at nine! You were the one who asked me to wake you up! If you don’t get out of bed now, I’ll have to come home after work and collect your remains!” 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvM5ZeH7iS

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Ryan’s eyes flew open. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlEFF515r6

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He sat up sharply, the phone still pressed against his ear. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrYMOakS2g

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He was breathing hard. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtd2jMfSazw

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His heart felt as if it had just fallen all the way back into reality inside an old elevator—from a floor that did not exist. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZkJMzKDM3

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A narrow gap showed between the curtains. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7I7pP5ux1

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Morning sunlight slipped through it and fell across the messy floor in a pale, ordinary patch. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd07ODXCehs

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The digital clock beside his bed showed: 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCagFotMe6t

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2026/08/23 07:26 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoNtaWnYQ6

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There was no dark red corridor. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jADCPyoaA

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No brass lattice gate. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYke1xLgX5

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No pairs of pale eyes staring at him from the darkness. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LrQeRmL0U

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There was only the soft hum of the air conditioner, the distant sound of traffic outside, and Garfield—the orange cat sitting at the foot of the bed with his round, fluffy backside facing Ryan. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4iZjy23Fe

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His tail tapped against the blanket again and again, as if he were trying to hurry along an incompetent human who had already delayed breakfast for far too long. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqkwGidsYc

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On the desk, Ryan’s laptop was still open on the final page of his proposal. Half a cup of cold coffee sat beside it. A shirt hung over the back of the chair, and a sock lay half-hidden under the bed. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwC381q2U3I

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Everything was messy. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TvMBy66Ay

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Yet so… normal. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1AZT0w2PJ

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Real enough to be comforting. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQXrkx6LBw

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Ryan’s breathing slowly returned to normal.

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“…Thanks for calling.” 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3DfReBoeG

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The other end of the line went silent for a moment.

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“What?”

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“…I said thanks.” 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9XpAe5nji

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“Ryan Glenz is actually thanking me for waking him up instead of whining and complaining? Am I hallucinating, or are you really the Ryan I know?” 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMiN6ACJDp

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Oliver asked suspiciously. “You’re not dead or possessed by a ghost, are you?” 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIIrK1tlVw

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Oliver paused, then added, “Please tell me I don’t need to call a priest.” 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoxJv4Th2M

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Ryan did not answer. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgFjzzw8fM

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He pulled back the blanket and was about to get out of bed when he suddenly froze. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHFMkN3Szf

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His right foot was bare, still partly hidden under the blanket. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCgfE2cjOV

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But on his left foot— 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGVMdrAsH8

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He was wearing a black leather shoe. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgUTE1gRyI

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It looked almost new. The laces had been tied tightly, just as the elevator boy had told him. 78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9gVociVjB

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“Tie them properly. You may need to run later.”

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