Lucid Paradox

The Haven was quieter than usual.

Orion sat at the bar, fingers tapping lightly against the worn wooden counter. The soft hum of ambient chatter filled the room, but it wasn't the usual lively crowd. Most students had probably gone back to their dorms by now—after all, it was a weeknight.

The clock on the wall read 6:59 PM.

Orion had arrived on time. He wasn't the type to be late. But as the minutes passed and his mysterious contact failed to show, an uneasy feeling settled in his chest.

He glanced around.

A couple of students sat in booths at the far end, deep in their own conversations. The bartender, an older man with tired eyes, wiped down glasses lazily. A group near the entrance laughed over something, their voices fading into the background.

But no one looked like they were waiting for him.

Orion exhaled through his nose. Maybe this was a waste of time.

He hadn't even been given a name—just a vague, cryptic message telling him to be here at seven. And now, with each passing second, it seemed more and more like a setup.

He was just about to leave when a familiar voice called out.

"Orion? What are you doing here?"

He turned to see Seth standing near the entrance, hands in his pockets.

Seth was as unassuming as ever, dressed in his usual casual but well-put-together outfit. He didn't carry the air of someone particularly important, but Orion knew better. Seth came from money. Old money. The kind that made you influential before you even decided what you wanted to do with your life.

Orion leaned back against the bar, tilting his head slightly.

"Came for a drink."

Seth raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "Didn't take you for the type."

Orion shrugged. "Long day."

Seth stepped closer, leaning against the counter beside him. "Yeah? What happened?"

Orion considered giving a real answer but decided against it. "Nothing interesting."

Seth chuckled. "If you say so." He gestured toward the bartender. "One iced coffee."

Orion glanced at him. "That's your drink of choice?"

Seth gave a small shrug. "Keeps me awake."

They fell into a comfortable silence. For a moment, it felt like just another casual evening at The Haven. But Orion was still on edge.

He checked his phone. 7:10 PM.

Ten minutes late, and still no sign of whoever had texted him.

Seth took a sip of his drink. "You waiting for someone?"

Orion hesitated before shaking his head. "Nah. Just thought I'd relax for a bit."

Seth studied him for a second, but he didn't press. Instead, he downed the rest of his drink, set the glass down with a quiet clink, and stretched.

"Well, I won't disturb you. See you around."

Orion nodded. "Yeah."

And with that, Seth walked off, blending back into the world as if he had never been there in the first place.

Orion exhaled. He had been hoping for some kind of answer tonight, but instead, all he got was a conversation with an old acquaintance.

His gut told him to stay a little longer.

His mind told him to leave.

After another minute of hesitation, he stood up, adjusted his jacket, and walked out the door.

---

The night was quiet as Orion made his way back toward the Academy.

The air was cool, and the distant hum of the city blended with the occasional rustle of trees. The lamplights cast long shadows on the pavement, stretching and twisting with each step he took.

He checked his phone. No new messages.

The feeling of unease from earlier hadn't faded. If anything, it had only grown.

As he approached the turn that led back to campus, his phone buzzed.

He stopped.

A single text notification flashed across the screen.

> Unknown Number: Behind you.

A chill ran down his spine.

Slowly, he turned his head.

For a brief second, he saw nothing. Just the empty street and the faint flickering of a distant streetlamp.

Then, from directly behind him—

A distorted voice whispered in his ear.

"Peek-a-boo."

And then—darkness.

---

3:00 AM – The Aftermath

Orion woke up to the sound of soft, rhythmic beats.

His head pounded. His face hurt. His body felt…wrong.

He tried to sit up, but dizziness hit him like a wave, forcing him to stay still.

Something was in his ears.

Earphones?

The low hum of lofi music played through them, a stark contrast to the confusion in his mind.

His vision swam as he reached up, pulling them out.

Where was he?

Slowly, his surroundings came into focus.

He was lying on a bench near the outskirts of campus. The streetlights buzzed softly overhead, casting an eerie glow. The clock on his phone read 3:07 AM.

What the hell had happened?

He tried to remember.

The text. The voice. The lights going out.

And now…this.

His fingers brushed against his cheek, and he winced. Sore. Like he had been hit.

A million thoughts ran through his mind, but one stood out the most:

This wasn't just a prank.

Someone had lured him out. Someone had waited for him.

And whoever they were…they had made sure he wouldn't remember exactly what had happened.

Orion took a slow, shaky breath.

He didn't know what game he had just stepped into.

But it had officially begun.

And he was now a player.