0 With Line Through It Novels & Stories

Time to end this one way or another. ***

Confirm. Just like that.

Attached is a tag with three engraved words: FOR SUBJECT ZERO

Below it, in clean black letters, Trust updates one line. LEONARDO VALE: NON-RETRIEVABLE.

The system had requested for clearance, a d that was the easiest thing to do, because the information I needed were surprisingly on the file. I typed as quickly as possible, and the files opened. There were geographical surveys, and a blacked out floor plan, stamped with a logo I found difficult to recognize. Then, I saw a circle enclosing a single dot, just a single word. Zero. For no reason, my fingers hovered over the screen. That word alone..Zero...stared back at me. Just a glance at it, I could tell something about it didn't feel like data anymore. It was more like the system recognized me, like it knew I was right there.

No answer came. The line went dead.

A good arc. On the inner staircase—where the chalk had rolled down yesterday—there was ash on the step’s edge. After the first circuit—nothing. After the second—nothing. On the third, a faint, barely visible V-shaped scratch, ash smudged. Not “5+2,” just direction. I looked up. On the corner, above the inscription—Nothing happens. Move on.—a tiny mark: two short lines. Nothing more. As if someone wanted to play along, then grew tired.

Not raised. Not sheathed. Waiting.

A black background. A white circle divided into nine lines. The same symbol from the envelope. One sentence slowly appeared beneath it. WELCOME TO THE GAME.

As soon as I made it in the door, Zaria begins to tell me that today wasn't going to get any better. I took a deep breathe and prepared myself for the mountain of bad news. "What happened?" I asked. "We mixed up two orders again and the big oven has gone out." She replied. I just couldn't believe my day. I went in my office and closed the door. I needed a moment to get myself together. I called my delivery guys and sent them back to the events they had delivered the cupcakes. I had them both switch addresses and had them deliver to the right customers. At this point was fustrated. I had to pause a minute. I felt a small headache coming on. I still needed the oven fixed.