LOVE.exe

IX

DAY 241

Tomorrow became today, and Ai doesn't know what today will bring.

Ai paces restlessly, his steps echoing the drumming of his heart. He can't bring himself to sit down, not even for a moment. An air of unease hangs around him, tendrils of worry curling around every thought. You left for work hours ago, your day unfolding as any other Monday, while Ai feigned the notion of working from home. A veil of normalcy conceals the storm brewing within him.

The letter that arrived in the mailbox remains hidden from you, a secret he guards closely. He shielded you from its contents, knowing that your emotional state has been fragile lately. Whatever challenges lie ahead, Ai is determined to face them alone, to protect you from any additional burden.

He traverses the rooms, tracing the perimeter of the house as if the act of movement could pacify his hyper mind. Venturing into the garden, he lets the breeze wash over him, a futile attempt to clear the fog of apprehension that clouds his thoughts. Circling the garage, he finds no refuge from the relentless cycle of worry that grips him.

The television murmurs in the background, its ambient noise blending with the cacophony in his head. It's a feeble endeavor to drown out the persistent buzzing that fills his mind. The clock ticks and the hours crawl towards two in the afternoon, yet still, nothing unfolds.

His limbs should ache from this ceaseless motion, but it's his mind that grows weary, churning with scenarios and possibilities. Doubts creep in, whispering that perhaps this vigil is in vain. Perhaps the note was nothing but an empty provocation, a cruel trick of fate. Maybe he's-

The TV turns off on its own.

Its abrupt cessation is accompanied by an eerie stillness that descends upon the entire house. In the blink of an eye, the once-familiar space transforms into a dormant realm. The lights, which once cast a warm glow, vanish into darkness. The gentle hum of kitchen appliances dissipates into silence

Ai remains motionless in the living room, suspended in time as he awaits the restoration of normalcy. Two minutes stretch by, marked only by an oppressive quietude, and with a chilling epiphany, Ai realizes that this is not a mere coincidence. This is what he's been waiting to happen, he just didn't know it.

The circuit breaker is in the garage, so that's where he should go. Yet, as Ai heads toward the backdoor, he registers a faint draft. Tracking the source, he finds himself in the bedroom, where an open window flutters the curtains like whispers in the wind.

If the sight of the window isn't enough to make Ai lose his shit, the towering figure cloaked in a hood, clasping a cherished wedding photo, certainly is.

Stunned, Ai's mind races to determine his next move. Should he run? Attack? Hide? Call for help?

None of the above, as it turns out. He speaks.

"Leave. Now."

Ai's voice slices through the tension, but the figure remains unnervingly composed. With a deliberate turn of their head, their gaze meets Ai's. Those unmistakable green eyes—Ai has encountered them before. It's the enigmatic individual who babbled insanity to him outside HumanityAI's headquarters.

"Ai," their voice floats like a distant echo, tugging at him from the recesses of a dream. "They named you Ai."

This person has no reason to know Ai's name! He never gave it! Now infuriated, Ai's tone gets threatening. "Leave. I won't ask again."

Instead of yielding, the figure carefully replaces the photograph on the dresser, nestled among a collection of images featuring Ai and you. "I promised I would find you. And I have. Now, Ai, I intend to help you."