10 hours saved me
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Create your own story with WhatIf!
Create your own story with WhatIf!
Story transcript
KAITO: The cursor blinks on the forum post. My finger hovers over delete.
KAITO: Thirty-seven unread messages. All from strangers. Except one.
KAITO: I was going to do it that night.
KAITO: Posted my goodbye on the support forum at 3:47 AM.
KAITO: 412Deathriderx: "Hey, I read your post. I'm 24, survived attempts. Can we talk?"
KAITO: We stayed on Discord for 10 hours straight.
KAITO: He kept talking while I held the pills in my hand.
KAITO: That was 200 days ago. Haven't missed our daily check-ins since.
KAITO: I owe everything to Tyler. without him, God knows where I would be at right now
KAITO: But... he's not supposed to visit until next month...
KAITO: You came early... the crane, it's...
KAITO: There's writing inside... hospital discharge papers?
KAITO: Tyler Moxley, Room 417... cardiac unit... this is dated yesterday...
KAITO: Straight to voicemail. He's never not answered before.
KAITO: But I saw him... I swear I saw him standing right there...
KAITO: The bracelet... it's real. But whose hand was holding the crane?
KAITO: New message: "Kaito, this is Tyler's sister. We need to talk. - Nicole"
KAITO: Nicole's text glows on screen. My thumb hovers. Tyler's sister never calls unless...
KAITO: Nicole's calling. Why is Nicole calling—
KAITO: Hello?
KAITO: Tyler...? But the papers said... how are you—
KAITO: The line crackles. His voice sounds wrong—like he's speaking through water.
KAITO: Hello? HELLO?!
KAITO: But I heard him. I swear I heard his voice...
KAITO: Nicole: "Kaito, Tyler passed this morning. His phone was with us the whole time. How did you get a call from his number?"
KAITO: The mirror... it's breathing. Like water catching sunlight.
KAITO: This can't be real. Mirrors don't ripple. People don't walk through them.
KAITO: I promised I'd come early, didn't I?
KAITO: His hand is ice, but solid. Real. The plastic bracelet reads Room 417.
KAITO: You're supposed to be— Nicole said you were—
KAITO: Every promise has a price, Kaito. Yours was living. Mine was visiting.
KAITO: The floor is wet. Not from snow. From the mirror. From me.
KAITO: The crane. He took it with him. The last piece of Tyler I'll ever hold.