Neo looked at the watch.
He examined it carefully. It seemed far too ordinary for something so absurd.
Turning it over, he noticed an inscription on the back:
ADVANCE.
Neo swallowed hard.
— This is insane…
Still, he turned the dial slightly.
23:00 → 23:01
Nothing happened.
He relaxed for a moment.
Then, a strange sound echoed behind him.
The air warped.
A portal opened in the room behind him.
— Wha…?!
Before he could react, a violent force pulled him. Neo tried to hold on, to scream, to resist.
The world disappeared.
Silence.
The bed was empty.
DAY 11 — 23:01
A portal appeared in Neo's room. It placed him back on the bed and then vanished. Neo regained consciousness.
His whole body ached.
— I… I'm still here?
Confused, he left the house.
On the street, he ran into Júlio.
— Neo?! Man, where have you been?!
— What do you mean?
— What do you mean?
Júlio frowned.
— You disappeared for ten days, man. I was worried.
Neo didn't answer. Before Júlio could ask anything else, he dodged the question and went back home.
Reality hit him like a crushing weight.
Back in his room, sitting on the bed, Neo stared at the watch in silence.
One minute.
Ten days.
He raised his wrist slowly.
The display reflected his tired eyes.
Neo stayed there, motionless, staring at the watch.