The Omniscrolls

I was catching up with my old friend Clarissa on social media after almost a decade when she asked whether I would like to meet her the following day, around noon. I said yes. We met at a mall with a marvellous marble floor and had some hot chocolate with marshmallows. There was a lot to catch up on, from our various jobs to her marrying a cop. Clarissa and I wrapped up our chat a couple of hours later and went our separate ways. However, my phone rang a few minutes later when I stopped at a market. To my surprise, it wasn’t even my phone that was in my pocket. The Caller ID said it was ‘Rob’; the only person that came to mind was Clarissa’s husband. ‘Wait, did I accidentally take her phone?’ I answered the call; Rob sounded furious. “Clarissa, where the hell are you?” “I’m sorry, but I’m Clarissa’s friend, Danielle. Our phones have gotten switched.” “Stop lying! You’re covering for her, aren’t you?” “What? I’m telling you the truth.” “Tell her she can’t hide from me.” Rob cut the call...

  I was heading home after a trip to the mountains when a hitchhiker waved me over. It was a boy who couldn’t have been over 20. He seemed genuine, so I offered him a ride. On our way, we struck a conversation. “Aren’t you afraid to pick up strangers?” “I am most of the time. Why, should I be scared of you?” “I could be a serial killer.”   “I doubt it. It would be rare for two serial killers to meet like this.” I was only joking, but he seemed to be scared of me after that comment. He asked whether I could drop him off right away and I obliged. I laughed as I drove off. He shouldn’t have joked about something like that if he couldn’t handle the subject in the first place. Three days later, I was sitting at my desk when I noticed a distraught woman pass by. My colleague Charles came over and watched her leave. He seemed tense. “What’s the matter?” “Her son has been missing for three days after going hiking with friends.” Charles showed me a photograph of the boy and I was speec...

“Three chips, seriously? I will have to put a magnetic field around my food to keep you people off it.” “Suspicious much? You need to keep your food away from the cat’s reach.” “I know you ate them.” Rhiannon stared at me and started speaking in her flowery language; I felt rather uncouth. I opened my mouth to tell her off, but I was cut off by Principal Michaels. “Stop arguing and pay attention! School is closed; you girls have to leave right away.” “What? School just reopened; how can you close it?” “Andrea, we have no choice.” “What do you mean?” “Zoldrahn and his demons are coming for us; I can't afford to have you here during the battle.” “But we can help.” The only way you can help is by staying safe. Now go, all of you! That’s an order!” I couldn't leave knowing the situation, so I snuck out from the line for the bus; but I wasn't the only one. Rhiannon had snuck out, too. We went back into the school while everyone was busy fueling up for the battle. We got to the l...