— Magnolia Bakery, West District —
Outside a small cake shop nestled on the edge of the old city plaza, Deathmark was seated sideways on the railing of a sloped sidewalk with her legs crossed.
Her eyes were buried in her phone.
Her gloved fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard.
"Come on… answer…" she muttered.
She hit [send].
The message shot out, but the tick didn't turn blue.
Not even gray. Just that ominous little circle.
She sighed hard through her nose and let her head drop back like gravity finally got bored of being ignored. Her boot tapped against the asphalt like a ticking clock — irregular, restless.
Her message history was a collection of cringe:
[heyy. u alive or what?? lol. I stepped on a lizard today during recon, didn't even mean to but it made that squelch noise and now I can't stop hearing it?? anyway lol hope ur good.]
