Alex's legs burned.
The red crack loomed over him like a living, pulsating predator.
Its glow reflected in every surface around him.
Every object—streetlights, trash cans, even the cracks themselves—twisted unnaturally.
"…Okay… Alex," he muttered,
"…this is not a drill. This is Phase 3. Don't die."
The First Move
Alex grabbed a trash can lid and spun it like a frisbee.
This time, the lid slowed mid-air, flickered, then bounced off… and hit nothing.
"…Yep… that's… useless," Alex whispered.
"…But at least I didn't break a window."
He scanned the area—smaller cracks hovered nearby, pulsing softly.
"…Maybe I can use them. Maybe I can… distract it."
He focused on one small crack.
It pulsed brighter, then floated toward the red one.
The red crack shuddered violently, as if annoyed.
Alex grinned nervously. "…Yes! Annoyed is good! Annoyed is distraction!"
Comedy Amid Chaos
A pigeon landed on a nearby crack.
The crack pulsed.
The pigeon… vanished.
Alex jumped back. "…Sorry, buddy… really sorry!"
He muttered to himself,
"…Okay… I'm laughing while possibly dying. Typical Alex."
Then—he noticed a stray cat meandering near a lamppost.
It froze mid-step.
Its tail flicked slowly, as if judging Alex.
"…Even the animals are in on this," Alex muttered.
Clever Tricks
Alex realized: the cracks respond to focus and attention.
Objects closer to him are easier to manipulate.
The red crack… responds to fear and hesitation.
"…So… act calm," he muttered.
"…Don't freak out. Make it think you're confident. Or… confuse it."
He grabbed nearby trash, paper, and a stray skateboard.
He focused on the smaller cracks—pulled them toward the red one.
It pulsed violently, but didn't expand.
"…Okay, okay…" Alex whispered,
"…I can influence the cracks… distract the big one… maybe survive this."
Villain Interaction
The figure stepped closer, calm and deliberate.
"Impressive. Adaptive. But not enough."
Alex gulped. "…Not enough? Really? You're grading me like a final exam?!"
The figure tilted its head.
A faint mechanical chuckle escaped:
"Survival is only part of the test. Understanding is mandatory."
Alex blinked. "…Understanding? What am I supposed to understand? That time wants to kill me?"
"Time is a teacher. Chaos is a lesson. Your actions… are the answers."
The red crack pulsed violently.
Alex felt a pressure in his chest—like the air itself was folding around him.
"…Yep… this is insane. Totally insane," Alex muttered.
Phase 3 Tricks
Alex tried a new approach:
He grabbed a trash can.
Focused on the nearest small crack.
Pulled it between him and the red crack.
Then… ran in the opposite direction.
The red crack pulsed violently.
Objects began shooting toward the red crack instead of him.
Alex grinned nervously. "…Yes! Redirecting! That's my thing!"
A streetlight wobbled, then spun mid-air.
A car hovered sideways.
Even the wind twisted in impossible directions.
Alex laughed. "…Okay… chaos works for me. Chaos works!"
Cliffhanger – First Direct Hit
Then—without warning—the red crack split into two pulses.
One aimed directly at him.
One aimed at the street behind him, pulling everything into it.
Alex dove behind a dumpster.
Trash, debris, and street signs flew past him—time itself moving like a tsunami.
He peeked out.
The figure smiled faintly, almost proud.
"Phase 3: Engagement. Consider it a pop quiz."
Alex gulped. "…Pop quiz? Yeah… with death as a question mark. Sure."
The red crack pulsed again.
Alex felt the air sucking him toward it.
"…Oh no… I'm about to become a paperweight," he muttered.
"…Time to improvise. Fast."
End of Chapter 8