Zxdz | 01

The floor crumbled behind me.

“ZX… DZ… come home.”

No going back now.

began to walk. Would you like the next log entry (ZXDZ-02)? zxdz 01

Inside, the air tasted of copper and old rain. ZXDZ-01—that was me, or at least what the stenciled label on my chest said—stood in the center of a circular room. No windows. One bare bulb swinging overhead, casting jittery shadows like frightened fish. The floor crumbled behind me

The light bulb popped. Darkness swallowed the room. all leading out

Last of what? I didn’t know. But the floor was dusted with fine gray ash, and in that ash—footprints. Dozens of them, all leading out , none leading in .