Evan Price repaired delivery drones for a living. They arrived broken, he fixed them, and they left again. He liked the routine. Machines were honest. They failed for clear reasons.

One morning, a drone arrived with no delivery record. Its casing was scratched, and its battery was warm, as if it had just flown a long way. When Evan connected his console, a single file appeared on the screen. It was a calendar entry dated tomorrow.

At first he laughed. Then he read it.

The entry described his day in exact detail. The coffee he would spill. The argument with his manager at 11:40. The train delay on his way home. At the bottom was a warning. Do not leave the workshop at 18:10.

Evan checked the system clock. The date was today.

He tried to delete the file. It locked itself. More entries appeared, each stamped a few minutes into the future. They updated as time passed, correcting small choices he had not yet made. When he ignored one entry and took a different route to lunch, the next update changed instantly.

At 11:40, the argument happened exactly as written.

By late afternoon, Evan was sweating. The final entry showed a blurred image of the workshop doors and a sharp sound level spike. No explanation. Just one line of text. This is where it ends if you leave.

At 18:05, the building alarm sounded. A chemical fault warning flashed across the walls. Workers rushed for the exits. Evan stood frozen, staring at the drone. If he stayed, he risked the leak. If he left, he followed the file.

He grabbed a tool and smashed the drones transmitter. The calendar froze. The alarm cut out. A supervisor announced it was a system test, triggered by a software error.

That night, Evan returned home shaken but alive. The next morning, the workshop was empty. The drones were gone. On his console sat a new file, dated today, with one final message.

You chose your own time. We will not borrow it again.

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Vocabulary Notes

Routine
Meaning: A regular way of doing things; the same actions repeated daily or often.
Example: “He liked the routine. Machines were honest.”
Explanation: Evan feels comfortable because his work follows a predictable pattern.
Similar words: habit, schedule, pattern, daily cycle

Console
Meaning: A computer or control screen used to operate or monitor a system.
Example: “When Evan connected his console, a single file appeared on the screen.”
Explanation: Evan uses the console to check and repair drones.
Similar words: control panel, terminal, interface, monitor

Locked (file locked itself)
Meaning: Unable to be changed, deleted, or accessed normally.
Example: “He tried to delete the file. It locked itself.”
Explanation: The file cannot be removed, showing that something is controlling it.
Similar words: secured, restricted, blocked, protected

Blurred
Meaning: Not clear or sharp; difficult to see details.
Example: “The final entry showed a blurred image of the workshop doors.”
Explanation: The unclear image increases tension and uncertainty about the future.
Similar words: unclear, fuzzy, out of focus, hazy

Triggered
Meaning: Caused something to start suddenly.
Example: “It was a system test, triggered by a software error.”
Explanation: The alarm began because of a technical problem, not a real emergency.
Similar words: activated, set off, initiated, caused

Story written by ChatGPT.

Image created by ChatGPT.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

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