Suddenly, the streetlights outside didn't just turn off; they vanished. The horizon line of the city erased itself, leaving only the diner floating in a pressurized, ink-black void. The bell above the door chimed—a cold, metallic sound that didn't echo.
Elias let go. The sphere didn't fall; it expanded. The diner, Martha, and the neon sign were swallowed in an instant. There was no pain—only the feeling of a long-held breath finally being released into the infinite, velvet quiet of the Dark S.
"The shadows are longer tonight," Elias muttered, watching his own reflection in the window. It wasn't mimicking him anymore. His reflection stood perfectly still, staring back with an expression of profound hunger.
The figure leaned in, the violet 'S' burning bright. "The sun was just a dream you had in the dark, little spark. It’s time to wake up."
