Karel stood still for a moment after hanging up the phone.
The screen was dark, but his mind wasn't. The smell of blood still burned in his nose. Riven's empty eyes. Boran's torn body. It was all there.
"This time will be different," he whispered.
"No one will die this time."
Or at least…
that's what he wanted to believe.
He needed to be alone.
He walked into the kitchen. His eyes locked onto the glass on the table. He focused.
The glass vanished.
"…That was easy."
He didn't even move his hand. Just thinking was enough.
He walked to the hallway, placed the glass at the far end, then turned his back and focused again.
The glass disappeared.
"No distance limit," he muttered.
"That's… way too good."
He stepped closer to the window. People were walking outside. Everything looked normal. No one knew what was coming.
Across the street, a soda bottle lay near the sidewalk.
"No way…"
"But let's try."
The bottle vanished instantly.
Karel's lips parted.
"Damn…"
"This is worse than the novel."
He grabbed a lighter, burned a piece of paper, and threw it into the void. Then he pulled it back.
The flame was still burning.
"So time stops there."
His vision darkened.
"This isn't a manga," he said quietly.
"This is real."
The doorbell rang.
"Who is it?"
"Riven. Open up."
Karel opened the door. They nodded at each other and stepped inside.
"You okay?" Riven asked.
"You look off."
"I'm fine," Karel said.
"Sit."
They moved to the living room. Silence lingered.
Then Karel spoke.
"Hey… remember that novel you recommended last year?"
"The one where the main character dies in the future and comes back?"
Riven leaned back.
"Yeah?"
Karel continued.
"Do you remember its name?"
Riven smirked.
"So? Was it good?"
"Did it hook you?"
Karel nodded.
"More than that."
He took a deep breath.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said.
"So I'll show you."
He raised his hand.
The burning paper appeared in midair.
Riven flinched.
"What the hell…"
"What did you just do?"
"What was that?"
"It's not magic," Karel said seriously.
"It's my ability."
Riven frowned.
"Ability?"
"What kind of ability?"
"In four months," Karel said,
"there will be a zombie apocalypse."
Riven went silent.
"So…" he said slowly,
"You died in the future?"
"Yes."
Riven glanced around, then his eyes fell on the couch.
"Wait," he said.
"I want to ask something."
"What?" Karel asked.
"Do you feel…" Riven said,
"different right now?"
Karel thought.
"I don't know."
"I feel normal."
Riven paused.
"Try something for me."
Karel looked at the couch.
"What?"
"Lift it," Riven said.
"I'm curious."
Karel blinked.
"Why?"
"What does that prove?"
"I'm testing something," Riven replied.
Karel sighed.
"…Fine."
The couch was heavy. At least a hundred kilos. Karel bent down, bracing himself.
"I'm gonna wreck my back…"
He used all his strength.
And—
The couch shot up.
Karel lost his balance, nearly falling backward.
"Shit!"
The couch…
felt weightless.
Riven's eyes widened.
"I thought so," he said calmly.
"So the side effects of returning to the past are real."
Karel stared at the couch, then at his hands.
"No way…"
"This thing was never this light."
"It wasn't," Riven said.
"But you're not the same anymore."