The city hadn't changed.
That was the first thing Tony noticed.
Traffic still moved.
People still talked.
Lights still flickered across windows like nothing had ever gone wrong.
Tony stood on the sidewalk, watching it all like he was waiting for something to break.
Nothing did.
"…weird," he muttered.
The voice didn't respond.
That, more than anything, bothered him.
Usually it was there.
Quiet.
Observing.
Now—
nothing.
Tony stepped forward, blending into the flow of people.
Or at least, he tried to.
A man brushed past him without apology.
A woman cut in front of him, eyes locked on her phone.
Normal.
All of it.
Too normal.
Tony slowed slightly.
Something felt… off.
Not outside.
Inside.
He couldn't place it.
Not yet.
The café on the corner was open.
Same as always.
Tony pushed the door open.
The bell chimed softly overhead.
For a second—
everyone inside looked at him.
Then just as quickly—
they looked away.
Tony noticed.
Of course he did.
"…yeah," he said under his breath.
"Nothing strange about that at all."
He walked to the counter.
"Black coffee."
The barista nodded.
Didn't speak.
Didn't smile.
Just moved.
Tony leaned slightly against the counter, watching her.
"You always this quiet?" he asked.
A pause.
"…just busy," she replied.
The café wasn't busy.
Tony didn't call it out.
He took the cup when she handed it to him.
Their fingers didn't touch.
Not even close.
Tony glanced down at the cup.
Steam curled upward.
Normal.
He turned, scanning the room.
Everyone was doing something.
Talking.
Typing.
Looking at screens.
But no one—
looked at him again.
Like that first glance was all he was allowed.
Tony walked to the window and sat down.
Outside, the street moved like a loop.
Same rhythm.
Same flow.
Predictable.
Tony lifted the cup.
Paused.
Something in the reflection caught his attention.
The glass.
The faint mirror of the street behind him.
And his own reflection.
Tony stared at it.
Still.
Unmoving.
Then—
for a fraction of a second—
it lagged.
Barely noticeable.
But enough.
Tony lowered the cup slowly.
"…okay."
He leaned forward slightly.
The reflection followed.
Perfect.
He leaned back.
Still matched.
Normal again.
Tony exhaled.
"Just my imagination."
The voice should have answered.
It didn't.
That made it worse.
Outside—
a sudden noise.
A car slammed its brakes.
Someone shouted.
Tony's attention snapped to the street.
Two men arguing.
Pushing.
Tension rising fast.
Tony watched.
Didn't move.
One of them swung.
The other went down hard.
People gathered.
Some stepped in.
Some stepped back.
Chaos.
Short.
Contained.
Then it settled.
Like nothing had happened.
Tony frowned slightly.
"…that was fast."
No response.
Tony looked down at his hands.
They were steady.
Too steady.
No reaction.
No adrenaline.
Nothing.
"…that's not right."
A pause.
Then—
finally—
the voice returned.
You're noticing it.
Tony stilled.
"…noticing what?"
Another pause.
The world hasn't changed.
Tony's eyes narrowed.
"Yeah. I got that part."
A beat.
Then:
You have.
Silence.
Tony didn't answer.
Didn't argue.
Because something about that felt…
true.
Outside, the street continued like nothing had shifted.
Inside, the café hummed quietly.
Everything normal.
Everything steady.
Except—
Tony placed the cup down.
Untouched.
"…so what now?"
No answer.
The voice faded again.
Tony stood.
Walked toward the door.
The bell chimed.
This time
no one looked up.
Not one.
Tony paused.
Hand on the door.
"…right."
He stepped outside.
The city carried on.
Unaware.
Tony walked forward slowly.
Behind him
his shadow hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then caught up.