Chapter 4 : irregular pulse

The next day, Asahi Kurosawa was not well.
He had woken up late, that alone was enough to feel wrong, his routine had been disrupted, something small, insignificant.
And yet—

It lingered.

His heart was beating too fast.

Not from fear.
Not from adrenaline.
Just… fast.

As if his body had started something without informing him.

His head was hurting on top of everything , a dull, persistent pressure behind his eyes, like something pressing outward, or inward.
He couldn’t tell.

He noticed something strange, the longer he stared at the ceiling the slower his heart beats, he was calming down, but not for long, his heartbeat spiked when the doorbell rang.

His eyes start looking everywhere.

"Maybe it's the delivery meal". He thought 

His heart calmed down.

He got out of bed, his clothes clung to his skin, wet, cold.

He frowned slightly.

His pajamas would smell.

The distance from the bed to the door felt… wrong, too long, too unstable, his legs trembled.

He stopped, waited, counted.

Then opened the door.

Nobody...

He lowered his gaze.

A package.

His meal to be precise, with a small note rested on top.

|We apologize for the delay.

Two pieces of cake will be provided for dinner.|

Asahi picked it up,Then—he smelled it, from the door to his right.

His neighbor.

Asahi was curious, he then heard a movement, a camera, he froze then enter his place, and close the door , all without saying anything.

He sighed loudly
He opened the package took out his meal, one plate of salade, one still hot plate of beacon and "flat" eggs, two breads, and a bottle of orange juice.

Normal, everything looked normal.

He was about to throw the box away—when he noticed it, the inside, the surface wasn’t cardboard, it was reflective, he never noticed that before.

He stared at it for a second longer than necessary.

Then threw it away, sat down and ate.

He left for work, he could use the late delivery situation to excuse his own late arrival. 

His routine was back, predictable, stable, controlled.

He passed by his neighbor’s door.

The packages were still there, three, exactly three.

He almost pressed the doorbell.

He doesn't even know why.

Then remembered the camera, he kept walking.

Work was normal.

Meeting citizens, happy citizens.
Erasing people, listening to their last words.
Talking to clones, making sure everything was fine.

Asahi went home.

The packages were still there, the smell was stronger now, no one else seemed to notice.

Dinner arrived, and as promised two pieces of strawberry cake.

He finished eating.

Then—

The lights went out.

Instantly.

Asahi looked toward the window, only his building was in the darkness 

Then noises, screams, running, something falling, breaking.

Multiple voices.

Then Silence.

The lights came back.

"Did this light thing happened last time ? " He murmured to himself.

A soft sound came from the door, something sliding.

He walked slowly, it was a note, colorful.

“Cleaning services apologize for the inconvenience."

Asahi stared at it, too long.

Something felt wrong.

And for a brief moment, Asahi thought he heard a breathing.

On the other side of the door.