YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO NOTICE
SCRATCH.
...
THE AUTHOR
was working.
Quietly.
For once.
...
No GAAFATAA.
No SEENEE.
No classroom.
No one screaming
PARADOX.
...
Peace.
...
The Author continued writing.
...
SCRATCH.
...
Then...
footsteps.
...
The Author stopped.
...
"No."
...
The footsteps
became louder.
...
"No."
...
Closer.
...
"I said no."
...
The door opened.
...
GAAFATAA walked in.
...
THE AUTHOR:
"Let me guess."
...
GAAFATAA:
"No."
...
"You saw the date."
...
GAAFATAA stopped.
...
Silence.
...
THE AUTHOR:
"SEENEE showed you
the year
Safsan Story
is currently taking place."
...
GAAFATAA stared at him.
...
"And then..."
...
The Author leaned back.
...
"...you connected it
to something else."
...
GAAFATAA said nothing.
...
"You didn't understand
the whole thing."
...
Silence.
...
"You didn't crack
the paradox."
...
GAAFATAA's eyes narrowed.
...
"But..."
...
"...you understood
one piece."
...
...
GAAFATAA slowly
closed the door
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
behind him.
...
"How do you know that?"
...
The Author stared.
...
GAAFATAA:
"Right."
...
"Stupid question."
...
THE AUTHOR:
"Very."
...
GAAFATAA walked
toward the desk.
...
"No."
...
The Author raised a hand.
...
"I know exactly
why you're here."
...
GAAFATAA:
"Good."
...
"Then this will be easy."
...
He placed both hands
on the desk.
...
"STOP."
...
The Author blinked.
...
GAAFATAA:
"SPREADING."
...
A pause.
...
"YOUR."
...
Another pause.
...
"MADNESS."
...
Silence.
...
"INTO."
...
GAAFATAA pointed
toward absolutely everything.
...
"SIRNA."
...
...
The Author stared at him.
...
GAAFATAA:
"I'M SERIOUS."
...
"I can see that."
...
"You were already crazy."
...
"Thank you."
...
"THAT WASN'T
A COMPLIMENT."
...
"I know."
...
GAAFATAA began pacing.
...
"Nafsan."
...
One finger.
...
"Safsan."
...
Second finger.
...
"JHARAA."
...
Third.
...
"Nollveil."
...
Fourth.
...
"Beyond Void."
...
Fifth.
...
"The Second Strongest."
...
He ran out of fingers
on one hand.
...
"Original Origin."
...
Another finger.
...
"Reality Books."
...
Another.
...
"THE Reality Book."
...
Another.
...
"The year."
...
Another.
...
"And now..."
...
He stopped.
...
"...THE PARADOX."
...
Silence.
...
GAAFATAA pointed
at the Author.
...
"Keep your madness
to yourself."
...
The Author almost smiled.
...
GAAFATAA:
"Don't smile."
...
THE AUTHOR:
"GAAFATAA."
...
"What?"
...
"Do you actually think..."
...
The Author placed
the pen down.
...
"...you discovered
that piece by accident?"
...
...
GAAFATAA stopped.
...
"What?"
...
THE AUTHOR:
"Think."
...
GAAFATAA didn't move.
...
"Who checked the year?"
...
"SEENEE."
...
"Who showed it to you?"
...
"SEENEE."
...
"And what did you do
after seeing it?"
...
GAAFATAA remained silent.
...
THE AUTHOR:
"You started connecting
things."
...
...
"You realized
one piece."
...
...
"You panicked."
...
GAAFATAA:
"I did not panic."
...
"You asked
for a replacement."
...
"That's called
professional planning."
...
"You asked
for a vacation."
...
"EMPLOYEE RIGHTS."
...
The Author stared at him.
...
GAAFATAA:
"Continue."
...
THE AUTHOR:
"And after
understanding that piece..."
...
"...where did you go?"
...
GAAFATAA looked
around the room.
...
Then at the Author.
...
...
His expression changed.
...
"No."
...
The Author smiled.
...
GAAFATAA:
"No."
...
"Yes."
...
"NO."
...
THE AUTHOR:
"You came here."
...
Silence.
...
GAAFATAA looked
genuinely offended.
...
"You..."
...
He pointed.
...
"You planned this?"
...
THE AUTHOR:
"Yes."
...
"You planned for SEENEE
to check the year?"
...
"Yes."
...
"You planned for him
to show me?"
...
"Yes."
...
"You planned for me
to understand that piece?"
...
"Yes."
...
"You planned for me
to come here
and complain
about your madness?"
...
The Author smiled.
...
"Yes."
...
...
GAAFATAA slowly
lowered his hand.
...
Silence.
...
Then:
"I hate this job."
...
THE AUTHOR:
"I know."
...
"I genuinely
hate this job."
...
"I know."
...
"Do we have
a union?"
...
"No."
...
"WE NEED ONE."
...
The Author picked up
the pen again.
...
GAAFATAA:
"Don't start writing."
...
"I have work."
...
"We are not finished."
...
"I am."
...
GAAFATAA stared.
...
THE AUTHOR:
"Listen."
...
The Questioner
became quiet.
...
"Everything
you're going through..."
...
A pause.
...
"...will be worth it."
...
GAAFATAA:
"For what?"
...
The Author looked
directly at him.
...
"For the..."
...
?????
...
"...waiting
at the end."
...
GAAFATAA stared.
...
"That's supposed
to make me feel better?"
...
"No."
...
"THEN WHY SAY IT?"
...
"Because it's true."
...
Silence.
...
GAAFATAA pulled
the chair out.
...
"I'm taking
that vacation."
...
THE AUTHOR:
"I know."
...
GAAFATAA froze.
...
"What?"
...
"I already planned it."
...
...
GAAFATAA slowly sat down.
...
"You..."
...
"...planned my vacation?"
...
"Yes."
...
GAAFATAA looked suspicious.
...
"I'm not doing it
without vacation pay."
...
The Author stopped writing.
...
Then looked at him.
...
"Where did you even
learn those words?"
...
GAAFATAA:
"I have rights."
...
"Apparently."
...
"Vacation pay."
...
"Yes."
...
GAAFATAA blinked.
...
"Wait."
...
THE AUTHOR:
"You'll get
vacation pay."
...
GAAFATAA stared.
...
"You'll actually
pay me?"
...
"Don't make me
change my mind."
...
GAAFATAA immediately
became quiet.
...
Then...
another realization.
...
"Wait."
...
THE AUTHOR:
"What now?"
...
"If I'm going
on vacation..."
...
A pause.
...
"...who asks
the questions?"
...
The Author continued writing.
...
"Someone else."
...
...
GAAFATAA froze.
...
"WHAT?"
...
"I've already thought
about replacing you."
...
GAAFATAA stood.
...
"REPLACING ME?!"
...
"Temporarily."
...
"WITH WHO?!"
...
The Author kept writing.
...
"Wait until then."
...
"WHO?!"
...
"Wait."
...
"IS IT SEENEE?"
...
"No."
...
"IS IT SOMEONE
WE KNOW?!"
...
The Author said nothing.
...
GAAFATAA leaned closer.
...
"Is it someone
from the future?"
...
Nothing.
...
"From SIRNA?"
...
Nothing.
...
"From outside SIRNA?"
...
Nothing.
...
"Is it—"
...
THE AUTHOR:
"GAAFATAA."
...
The room became quiet.
...
"I have work to do."
...
GAAFATAA crossed his arms.
...
"What work?"
...
The Author pointed
at the pages.
...
"BAAČ."
...
GAAFATAA:
"What about BAAČ?"
...
"I need to focus
on the story."
...
The Author looked at him.
...
"And you..."
...
"...need to stop
interfering."
...
GAAFATAA:
"Interfering?"
...
"Yes."
...
"WITH WHAT?"
...
THE AUTHOR:
"The readers."
...
...
GAAFATAA stopped.
...
"What did I do
to the readers?"
...
The Author stared.
...
GAAFATAA thought
about it.
...
The questions.
...
The timelines.
...
The paradox.
...
The theories.
...
The unanswered answers.
...
The answers
without questions.
...
The questions
without answers.
...
GAAFATAA:
"...Oh."
...
THE AUTHOR:
"Exactly."
...
The Author pointed
toward the door.
...
"Go."
...
GAAFATAA:
"But—"
...
"BAAČ."
...
"I have one question."
...
"No."
...
"ONE."
...
"No."
...
"What did you mean
when you said—"
...
"GAAFATAA."
...
The Questioner stopped.
...
THE AUTHOR:
"Go."
...
Silence.
...
GAAFATAA walked
toward the door.
...
Opened it.
...
Stopped.
...
Turned around.
...
"So..."
...
The Author looked up.
...
"...vacation pay
is confirmed?"
...
...
THE AUTHOR:
"GET OUT."
...
The door slammed.
...
Silence.
...
Finally.
...
The Author looked
back at the pages.
...
BAAČ.
...
Safsan.
Halkan.
Jalatta.
...
The story
was waiting.
...
The Author picked up
the pen.
...
SCRATCH.
...
Then...
from behind the door:
GAAFATAA:
"I STILL WANT TO KNOW
WHO'S REPLACING ME!"
...
The Author closed
his eyes.
...
...
CHAPTER 42
YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO NOTICE
...
SEENEE CHECKED THE YEAR.
...
GAAFATAA
CONNECTED ONE PIECE.
...
HE THOUGHT
HE DISCOVERED IT.
...
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO.
...
THE AUTHOR
PLANNED THE QUESTION.
...
THE AUTHOR
PLANNED THE COMPLAINT.
...
AND APPARENTLY...
THE AUTHOR
PLANNED THE VACATION TOO.
...
GAAFATAA
WILL BE REPLACED.
TEMPORARILY.
...
BY WHO?
...
?????
...
BUT FOR NOW...
ENOUGH QUESTIONS.
...
THE AUTHOR
HAS WORK TO DO.
...
BAAČ
CONTINUES.
...
SCRATCH.
END.