"Isn't it too late to play with your phone for a kid like you?"
Phone screen was covered with static snow. In the middle was a lone speech bubble. Great now even my phone is not a safe space of complete chaos that is my life today. I try to tap on the screen to answer something to this stupid text but nothing is working."
"I can't even respond to your stupid text. Now I can't even use my phone! Ughh…will anything go right today? "
You can imagine my surprise when a new message came on my screen with a loud ring.
"Oh, sorry. I disabled your keyboard by accident. I will fix that now."
My eyes bulged out and nearly fell out like toy marbles in shock.
"You can hear me!?"
My head just like a bobble head toy started flying in every direction scanning my room for suspicious tech devices.
"Did you bug my room to eavesdrop on me!?"
"Nooo! Why would I do that! I just met you for the first time today, pipsqueak. Ego much, huh?"
He sounded genuinely perplexed by my train of thoughts.
"Why are you talking through my phone Shadow!?"
"That's a dumb question. Telephones were invented for talking with each other. In fact Alexander Graham Bell would be proud of me right now. Duh."
Now I hope he can use his tech to also see me. So he can see just how unimpressed I am by his comeback.
"You know what I mean. Did you do something to my room or only my phone was corrupted by your dirty hands?"
"Rude. My hands are as clean as my heart and why would I bug your room? Are you hiding something illegal under your bed?"
Ashamed flush bloomed on my face. I sometimes like more classical paper materials for my alone times. Did he see that?
"Technically you did bug his room. His hacked phone counts as a listening device."
Unexpectedly, a third voice chimed in.
"Wow dude I see how is it? You see bambi eyes and immediately turn sides. Our friendship means only this much to you."
Fantastick. The more people are watching me, the merrier. Why not just sell tickets for the freak show?
"Who's this? And how many people are watching me now!? And how long?"
I started hyperventilating a little bit at the thought of someone seeing every weird thing I do when I am alone in the room.
"Hey easy kid, we didn't creep on you for months if this is what you think. We just now hacked you for the first time. And it's only me and my pall Conor. He's my hacker and loyal sidekick. Conor, say hi to Alex."
"I'm not your sidekick dumbass!Why do I even put up with you? Sigh…Hi Alex."
Voice of supposed Conor sounded put upon. But anyone with this kind of friend would be drained emotionally…I feel a little bad for him. I will send some cash to humanitarian organisations for unfairly treated employees later.
"Yeah, Hi Conor."
I greeted Connor first because mom taught me proper manners. Then I addressed with much nastier tone this nuisance of a person.
"Listen Shadow, do you have any reason to hack me or did you just hack me out of boredom?"
"Why? I'm glad you asked. I do indeed have a reason to talk to you. I was worried, are you alright after everything that happened to you today?"
To this I only raised my one brow in silent disbelief but he didn't comment on it. From what I gather about the Shadow from our few interactions he always comments…
So concluding from this, he probably has only access to sound feed and can't see me. Good to know. I flipped him off. Instantly I feel a bit better.
"Don't bullshit me. What's the real reason?"
"Ha ha ha…Can't you pretend at least with pleasantries? Welp, If you insist I can move on to the meat and potato of the conversation."
"Please do. I will not get any younger here."
"What a sassy little pipsqueak."
He tutted at me.
"Listen I had to hack you to contact you as quickly as I can. You see. When I was at this place where Goblins took you I uncovered something big. They had set up a whole production of some sort of drug."
That took me aback.
"Drug production? Wait. What do I have to do with it?
"Not much but It may be the case that they inject a dose of their concoction into your veins."
"What!? When!? What will happen to me? Am I an addict now?"
"Well, that's the problem, I don't have enough data about this drug to answer any of your questions? I kinda need to examine you and take samples to figure it out."
"Is this some experimental drug and I was their guinea pig?"
"Maybe?"
"What do you mean maybe? Didn't gangsters spill something about it when you were beating their asses?"
"I didn't exactly have the time to chit chat when they were actively trying to shoot me dead. Then I had to get you to safety and when I came back, someone cleaned the scene completely. They didn't leave anything. Nada."
"How could this even happen!? You didn't even drive me that long to get rid of the whole freaking lab!"
My vision is swimmed from excessive distress. What if I die from this drug? I didn't even watch the new season of Hima Hima. I can't die before I watch it.
"I know, kid. This whole situation probably is really sucky for you. But it happened all the same. Now we can only prevent any complication that may arise from this drug. That's why I wanna meet with you so I can see what they have done to you. Is this alright with you?"
What other choice do I have? I can't go to the doctor and say I was dosed with drugs. They probably call the police. As annoying as Shadow is, he is probably my only hope now. Shit.
"Okay"
"Oh, great. I have prepared a whole spiel about why you should let me do that, but this is much simpler if you agree right off the bat."
Relief is almost palpable in his tone of voice.
"Okay, listen kid. I will tomorrow around eight o'clock send you coordinates to where you should be heading and when you get there I will pick you up. Deal?"
This struck me as somewhat weird.
"Why can't you just pick me up from the house?"
"In the area you live you probably wouldn't want to be associated with the vigilant type like me."
He has a point but still I sense something off.
"But you already dropped me near my house. What's the difference"
"One time it can be coincidence but two any more and people start to see the pattern. So do we have a deal?"
Well I can" argue with this.
"Yeah, we have a deal."
Suddenly my phone screen changed to my usual Hime Hime background.
This interaction consumed any ounce of strength I had left so I decided to stop my research for today and go to sleep.
"I can't believe I have to set an alarm clock on my first day of vacation. What is my life?"
When my head touches the pillow I instantly fall asleep vaguely hoping I wake up alive.
Sadly I didn't get to have a restful sleep.