Oliver stood by the door for a few moments, unmoving, as though time itself had slowed just for him. His eyes were locked onto his shadow, stretched thin across the polished floor by the dim lighting behind him. He didn't blink—not once. Seconds dragged into something heavier, something suffocating, until it felt like minutes had passed in absolute stillness.
Then, abruptly, he moved.
Breaking his stance, Oliver turned and walked toward a section of the living room wall where a row of switches sat neatly aligned. His footsteps were soft, yet deliberate, each one echoing faintly in the quiet space. Reaching out, he tapped the switches one after another.
The lighting shifted.
From a dull, lifeless white… to a deep, oceanic blue that cast eerie shadows along the furniture… then finally to a blinding, radiant white that flooded the entire room in brilliance.
The transformation was instant.
