The Arrow of Time

Shifting

"Nothing. He didn't say a single word." Daroach announced bitterly as he threw open the door to the dining room. "No one's here. I wasted that entrance on nothing."

--. .-. . .- - / .--- --- -... / ..-. ..- -- -... .-.. .. -. --. / - .... . / .-.. .. -. . / -.. ..- -- -... .- ... ...

At that moment, most of the group was down in the garden. Elfilin didn't quite feel like going with them at the moment. He'd seen enough of the garden. Now, he was looking around the rec room for clues. It didn't seem like anyone would show up any time soon. He looked around at the pool table, the dartboard, the kid's ride that rocks around when you put a coin in, the jukebox... the unidentifiable screen. What was up with the thing? It didn't have any discernible connection to anything, and it displayed nothing. While Elfilin was trying to figure out how a pool cue worked, he heard the sounds of static. It was coming from the weird screen. A voice broke through the static. "Ａｈａ．．．　ａｈａｈａｈａ．．．　ａｈｅｅｈｅｅｈｅｅｈｅｅ！　Ｏｈ，　ａｐｏｌｏｇｉｅｓ．　Ｉ　ｓｈｏｕｌｄ　ｐｒｏｂａｂｌｙ　ｔｕｒｎ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｖｉｄｅｏ　ｆｅｅｄ，　ｓｈｏｕｌｄｎ＇ｔ　Ｉ？"

The monitor displayed an image. It was someone wearing a white cloak over their head, with a voice changer to disguise their identity. The background was black. Elfilin tried to respond, voice wavering. "Who a-are you?"

"Ｉ　ｂｅｌｉｅｖｅ　ｙｏｕ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｍｅ　ａｓ　ｔｈｅ　ＯＳＯ．　Ｔｈｅ　ｏｎｅ　ｙｏｕ　ｃａｎ　ｃｒｅｄｉｔ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｋｅｅｐｉｎｇ　ｔｈｉｎｇｓ　ｕｐ　ａｎｄ　ｒｕｎｎｉｎｇ　ａｒｏｕｎｄ　ｈｅｒｅ．"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Ｄｏ　ｙｏｕ　ｍｅａｎ　ｗｈｙ　Ｉ＇ｍ　ｓｐｅａｋｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｙｏｕ？　Ｉｆ　ｙｏｕ　ｍｕｓｔ　ｋｎｏｗ，　Ｉ＇ｍ　ｂｏｒｅｄ．" Elfilin was frozen, unable to speak. "Ｉ　ｍｕｓｔ　ａｐｏｌｏｇｉｚｅ　ｉｆ　ｍｙ　ｓｏｃｉａｌ　ｓｋｉｌｌｓ　ｌｅａｖｅ　ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｂｅ　ｄｅｓｉｒｅｄ．　Ｉ＇ｖｅ　ｂｅｅｎ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｎｏ　ｏｎｅ　ｔｏ　ｔａｌｋ　ｔｏ　ｆｏｒ　ｍｏｎｔｈｓ．"

"Why me in particular?"

"Ｙｏｕ　ｓｅｅｍ　ｌｏｎｅｌｙ．　Ｐｅｒｈａｐｓ　ｙｏｕ＇ｄ　ｌｉｋｅ　ｍｅ　ｔｏ　ｊｏｉｎ　ｙｏｕ　ｆｏｒ　ａ　ｇａｍｅ　ｏｆ　ｄａｒｔｓ？　Ｏｒ　ｗｏｕｌｄ　ｉｔ　ｂｅ　ｂｅｓｔ　ｉｆ　Ｉ　ｓｔａｙｅｄ　ａｗａｙ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｙｏｕ？　Ｉ　ｃａｎ　ｇｅｔ　ｔｈａｔ　ｊｕｋｅｂｏｘ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｔｏ　ｐｌａｙ　ｗｈａｔｅｖｅｒ　ｍｕｓｉｃ　Ｉ　ｗａｎｔ，　ｙｏｕ　ｋｎｏｗ．" At that moment, music started blasting out of the jukebox. "Ｓｏｒｒｙ！　Ｔｏｏ　ｌｏｕｄ！" It turned down to a much more listenable volume.

Elfilin recognized it from one of those creepy escape room games that Magolor liked, but the music itself was fairly pleasant. "Do you mind if I ask you any questions about what's going on here?"

"Ａｈ，　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｉｔ　ｉｓ．　Ｙｏｕ　ｒｕｉｎｅｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｍｏｍｅｎｔ．　Ｉ＇ｍ　ｏｕｔｔａ　ｈｅｒｅ．" The monitor flicked off, leaving Elfilin alone with nothing but confusion and low quality music.

A minute later, the door opened and Magolor entered. "There you are. I wanted to ask you something." He moved closer to Elfilin. "...Why are you just staring at the dartboard? Do you wanna play?" Elfilin's body seized up, then he shot out of the room faster than he even knew was possible. Magolor tried to catch up with him, but he couldn't.