"Congratulations, dear reader, you have reached 15 of 666."
The message appeared abruptly, interrupting the peaceful flow of the reader's evening. The cryptic words glowed eerily on the screen, causing a momentary pause. It seemed like some odd congratulatory notification, perhaps a joke or a gimmick. The reader chuckled softly, dismissing it as nonsensical.
But the message continued:
"Dear reader, you might start to experience slight alterations of time and even space, but do not fret. It is all going according to plan."
A shiver ran down the reader's spine. The wording was unnervingly precise, the timing impeccable. The reader laughed it off, attributing it to an overactive imagination or some elaborate online prank.
"Indeed, it might feel a little strange at first, but with time, your assimilation with GSTRBD 666 will be as real as it gets. If this feels cryptic, make it past the rest to encrypt further messages."
The words lingered on the screen, their meaning elusive yet oddly compelling. The reader's amusement faded, replaced by a growing sense of unease. Indecisiveness gnawed at the edges of their thoughts. Should they continue reading, or was this just an elaborate trick of the mind made by the author?
As if sensing the hesitation, the message returned:
"You can choose to stop reading now if you value your sanity."
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the message vanished.
The reader sat in stunned silence, the room around them feeling suddenly colder, the shadows darker. Was it just a trick of the mind, a figment of imagination sparked by a random message? Or was there something more sinister at play?