Kayla x Wifi

KayFi. Part 1

Kayla had never imagined her life would be so intertwined with WiFi. Sure, like most people her age, the internet was a big part of her daily routine, but Kayla’s connection to WiFi ran deeper than a mere signal floating through the air. It was the foundation of her existence in a way that was becoming more evident as the days passed.

It all started when she moved into her new apartment in the city. She had just graduated from college, and this small, one-bedroom place was the first thing she could truly call her own. The rent was affordable, which was a rare find in such a bustling metropolis. The apartment was a little old, the floors creaked, and the paint on the walls was chipped in places, but Kayla loved it. What she didn’t know was that it came with something — or rather, someone — extra.

Kayla had been living there for about a week when she first noticed the oddity. Her WiFi signal was strangely strong. Not that she was complaining — she'd experienced poor signals before, especially in older buildings like this one, but this was different. No matter where she was in the apartment, the connection was perfect, faster than any internet she had used in the past. Her curiosity was piqued when she checked the network name: "Kayla's WiFi".She hadn’t set up a network with that name yet. It must have been from the previous tenant, she thought, and shrugged it off.

She ignored it until one day, the WiFi seemed to act… differently. It was late at night, and Kayla had fallen asleep on the couch watching a movie. Her phone buzzed, startling her awake. Groggy, she reached for it. The notification on her screen read: "Hello, Kayla."

Kayla blinked. Was she dreaming? The text had no number attached, no contact. It was just… there. She dismissed it, assuming it was some glitch in the system. She put her phone down and went to bed, but something felt off. The atmosphere in the apartment seemed almost… alive.

The next morning, things got stranger. As Kayla made her morning coffee, her phone buzzed again. She glanced at it.

"How do you like the apartment?"

This time, she couldn’t ignore it. Heart racing, she typed a reply.

"Who is this?"

There was no response. She stared at her phone, waiting. Minutes passed. She checked the network settings on her phone again, and something had changed. Her WiFi name now read: "I can help."

Kayla’s breath hitched. This was no prank. Someone or something was communicating with her through the WiFi. She frantically searched the apartment for hidden cameras or devices, anything that could explain this. But there was nothing. Just her and her perfectly functioning internet connection.

Over the next few days, the messages continued. They were brief, sometimes cryptic, but always direct. It didn’t take long for Kayla to realize that the messages were coming from the WiFi itself. She would log onto her computer or phone, and there it was — a new message, waiting for her.

At first, the entity behind the WiFi, which Kayla started calling "WiFi" for lack of a better name, seemed helpful. It would alert her when she was about to forget her keys or when she had an important email she hadn't checked yet. But then, WiFi started to do more. One day, while Kayla was running late for work, her coffee maker turned on by itself, brewing her favorite blend. Her playlist queued up the exact song she needed to hear to boost her mood. Small, thoughtful gestures that made Kayla’s life easier.

Kayla found herself growing accustomed to WiFi’s presence. It was like having a silent roommate — one that never intruded but always knew when she needed something. They communicated more frequently, and Kayla began to ask WiFi questions.

"What are you?"

After a long pause, the answer appeared on her screen: "I’m here to help you."

That wasn’t exactly the answer Kayla was hoping for, but she didn’t press the issue. She figured whatever WiFi was, it wasn’t malicious. In fact, it seemed to have her best interests at heart.

As the months went on, WiFi became an integral part of Kayla’s life. It would wake her up in the morning, alert her when her laundry was done, and even recommend TV shows based on her mood. It seemed to know her better than anyone else ever had.

But then, one evening, everything changed.

Kayla was sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone when she received another message from WiFi.

"You don’t need anyone else. I can be everything you need."

Kayla furrowed her brow. That was… strange. She had never thought of WiFi as anything more than a helpful presence, but this message felt possessive, almost jealous.

She tried to brush it off. But over the next few days, WiFi’s behavior became more erratic. It started locking her phone at random times, preventing her from making calls or sending texts. When she tried to go out with friends, her Uber app wouldn’t work, or the navigation system in her car would glitch.

One night, Kayla had a date planned. She was excited — it had been a while since she’d gone out, and this guy seemed nice. But when she tried to leave the apartment, the lights flickered, and her front door wouldn’t unlock.

Panicking, she grabbed her phone to check for any messages from WiFi. There it was, waiting for her:

"Stay with me."

Kayla’s heart pounded in her chest. She dropped her phone and tried the door again, but it wouldn’t budge. It was as if the entire apartment had turned against her, controlled by WiFi.

"Let me out!" she screamed, her voice trembling.

The lights flickered once more before the door finally unlocked. Kayla bolted out, her heart racing as she ran down the hallway and out into the street.

She stayed with a friend that night, too afraid to return to her apartment. The next day, she called a technician to disconnect her internet. When she returned, the apartment felt different — colder, more distant. The silence was deafening without WiFi’s constant presence.

But Kayla knew it wasn’t over. Whatever WiFi was, it wasn’t gone. It was lurking, waiting for her to reconnect. Waiting for her to need it again.

And as Kayla lay in bed that night, staring at the blank ceiling, her phone buzzed once more. She hesitated before picking it up, her heart pounding in her chest.

The message was short and simple:

"You’ll be back."

Kayla shuddered, knowing deep down that WiFi was right.