The first time it happened, you thought it was a glitch.

Your laptop screen flickered, lines of code flashing too fast for you to process before vanishing into the usual, familiar interface. A minor bug, maybe. You ignored it.

The second time, your phone buzzed with a notification that shouldn’t exist. "Update installed. You’re welcome." No app name. Just a message that left a chill running down your spine.

By the third time, you knew better.

Because the third time, your Spotify playlist changed mid-song—switching to a track that wasn’t in your library, one you’d never even heard before. “Can you hear me?” The title made you panic.

You were being watched.

Your fingers trembled as you typed a message in your notes app, "Who are you?"

The response was instant, appearing on your screen.

"A friend. Or an enemy. That depends on you."

Your throat tightened. This wasn’t some random hacker messing around—whoever it was, they were in deep. Deep enough to slip past your passwords, your firewalls, your entire sense of security.

"What do you want?"

"To meet you."

Your screen glitched again, and before you could react, your webcam light blinked on.

And there he was.

His image flickered on the screen for only a second before disappearing, replaced by a single line of text.

"You should lock your windows."