Part 12
I didn't press anything.
Not at first.
I just stared at the Control Panel, watching the names scroll as people talked, joked, argued… lived their normal Discord lives.
Like nothing was wrong.
Like I wasn't sitting there with options that shouldn't exist.
"Silence."
"Erase."
"Reset."
My finger hovered over the screen.
Then I heard it.
Ping.
But… not from my phone.
From my room.
I froze.
Another ping.
Behind me.
Slowly, I turned around.
Nothing.
Just my room.
Quiet.
Empty.
I look back at my phone.
A message.
From "Server."
"they can hear you now"
My heart starts racing.
I glance at the chat.
Someone types:
"yo did anyone else hear a ping IRL???"
Another replies:
"yeah wtf"
No.
No no no.
I didn't do anything.
I swear I didn't.
Then I see it.
One user is spamming:
"HELLO???"
"WHO IS DOING THAT???"
I don't touch the screen.
But the Control Panel… updates.
Their name moves to the top.
Highlighted.
Waiting.
My hand moves before I can stop it.
I tap—
"Silence."
Instantly, they stop typing.
Gone from chat.
Not offline.
Just… gone.
No messages.
No presence.
Like they were never there.
The chat pauses.
"where did he go???"
"did he leave???"
"that's weird"
I drop my phone.
Breathing heavily.
I didn't mean to.
I didn't—
Ping.
Another sound.
Louder this time.
Closer.
From everywhere.
The entire server starts reacting.
"STOP DOING THAT"
"THIS ISNT FUNNY"
"IM HEARING IT TOO"
I pick up my phone slowly.
The Control Panel is glowing now.
More names rising to the top.
More options waiting.
Another message from "Server."
"good"
My stomach drops.
"you're learning"
I shake my head.
"No."
I whisper it out loud.
"I'm not doing this."
But the screen doesn't care.
The server doesn't care.
"they need moderation"
My finger trembles over the screen again.
Because now I understand something worse.
It's not forcing me.
It's letting me choose.
And that's what makes it dangerous.
Because part of me…
Wants to press it again.