Chapter 1:

The Enigmatic Birthday Message

who I am is not who I want to be


In the year 2017, the world seemed a different place to Zack Erwin, a teenager on the brink of adulthood, his life poised for a shift into the unknown. Tomorrow, he would mark his 18th birthday, a milestone that should be drenched in joy and anticipation. Zack was a Leo, embracing the sunny disposition and charm his zodiac sign bestowed upon him, endearing him to friends and acquaintances alike. But there was a facet of his life that few knew—his unwavering passion for online gaming, a digital world where he roamed as a formidable force.

For Zack, the hours melted away into the glow of his computer screen as he battled virtual adversaries and forged alliances with strangers in the digital realm. Real-world interactions were eclipsed by school and the occasional football match with friends. His teenage years slipped by, marked by the pixelated landscapes of his games.

Romantic pursuits were relegated to the back burner as gaming claimed the throne in Zack's life. He saw himself as an ordinary teenager, void of any extraordinary talents or qualities. Yet, beneath the façade of ordinariness, an unsettling sensation had been gnawing at him for the past month, an invisible presence that seemed to trail his every step.

As the eve of his 18th birthday dawned, Zack's home buzzed with laughter and celebration. Friends and family had gathered to herald this special day, and the air was thick with the sweetness of children's laughter, vibrant balloons, and a towering birthday cake.

Amidst the jubilation, Zack's phone periodically lit up with birthday wishes from friends and well-wishers. Yet, amid the familiar names, an unfamiliar number grabbed his attention—a message from an enigmatic stranger.

"Happy 18th birthday, my favorite Leo."

A sense of intrigue overcame Zack. Who was this mysterious well-wisher? His fingers moved with curiosity as he responded, "Thank you for the birthday wishes."

The reply was swift, like the whisper of a hidden secret. "I've been waiting for your reply."

The sender, who identified herself as Karma, introduced herself as a 19-year-old girl. Zack's intrigue deepened as he exchanged messages with this stranger who had entered his life on the eve of his 18th birthday.

He asked the inevitable question, "Who are you?"

Karma's response was succinct, "I am Karma."

Zack's curiosity led him to dig deeper, "How did you know today is my birthday?"

Karma responded with a flurry of images, snapshots of moments from Zack's life. In one, he held a football engraved with his birth date—a chilling testament to the knowledge she possessed.

Undeterred, Zack probed further, "Can I have your Instagram profile?"

Karma acquiesced, and Zack sent a follow request to her private Instagram account. As he scrolled through her posts, he found images of her, albeit with her face shrouded by a mask and cap. Her posts were a tantalizing blend of food photography, interspersed with cryptic messages.

The pieces of the puzzle remained scattered, and Zack could not discern Karma's true identity from her enigmatic Instagram profile. Yet, a relentless hunger for answers and an ever-growing sense of intrigue tugged at the corners of his consciousness.

In the midst of this enigma, Zack turned to his diary, a repository for his innermost thoughts and reflections. There, he poured his soul onto the pages, wrestling with the profound changes that had washed over him since Karma's arrival. The person he once was, a beacon of kindness and joy, had transformed into something unrecognizable—a puppet manipulated by the whims of an enigmatic online friend.

In the pages of his diary, Zack confronted the unsettling truth—the person he used to be was fading, replaced by shadows of overthinking and imagination. Questions swirled in his mind, and he began to doubt his own existence.

With his inner world in turmoil and the enigma of Karma beckoning, Zack stood at the precipice of a journey that would plunge him into the labyrinthine depths of his own psyche. There, truth and deception danced a haunting waltz, and the boundaries between reality and illusion blurred into obscurity.