Chapter 7
The trio walked quietly along the roadside — Ethan, Evan, and Sally padding beside them.
The city buzzed faintly, cars moving, people talking, the air feeling too normal for what they were trying to do. Ethan scanned the streets, camera bag slung over his shoulder, looking for something — someone — worth recording.
Then, at the corner of his eye, he saw her.
The white-haired girl.
Ethan froze mid-step. "It's her…" he whispered.
He took one step forward, but Evan caught his wrist and shook his head. No words — just that steady look.
Ethan sighed and pulled his hand back. "Alright," he said softly. They kept walking.
They stopped in front of a small house — average size, the kind middle-income families owned. The kind that didn't stand out for anything. Perfect for what they needed.
Evan nodded once. "We'll start here."
They activated their stealth tech, becoming invisible
Inside, the house was quiet.
Evan set up the sound gear. Ethan adjusted his camera. Sally sniffed around curiously but stayed close.
They paused time. Everything froze mid-motion — dust caught in the air like tiny lights.
When they were ready, Evan tapped his wrist and time resumed.
The man in the house woke up, stretched, rubbed his eyes, and started his day.
---
Montage sequence
They followed him from morning to night.
Him dancing in front of the mirror to his own music.
Him jogging around the neighborhood with a wide grin.
Him eating breakfast while watching cartoons.
Then off to work — a small desk, piles of paper, but always smiling.
Sally occasionally wandered into the frame, doing something random — chasing her tail, tripping over a pillow, or stealing a sandwich when Ethan wasn't watching.
On one afternoon, while recording, the man suddenly turned and saw a flash in the sky — a villain tearing through the street. Without hesitation, he ran into an alley, ripped open his shirt, and the superhero costume appeared underneath.
"Supernova," Evan whispered.
The man fought the villain — powerful, determined, confident — and won.
Three days passed. They recorded everything — his life, his fights, his laughs.
---
On the third day, Evan opened a line to Natasha.
"Check our rating."
She looked off-screen for a second, then said, "You're at 2. Maybe 2.1. It's slowing down. At this rate, you won't reach five before the week ends."
Evan frowned. Ethan sat beside Sally, scratching her ears quietly. The mood dropped.
Later that afternoon, Ethan walked alone on the street. Time was normal again; they weren't in stealth mode. He kicked a small stone as he walked, thinking. Then he bumped into someone.
"Ouch," a soft voice said.
"Oh—sorry, I didn't—" Ethan started, then stopped when he saw her.
The white-haired girl.
She looked up from her book, smiling faintly. "You're fine. I wasn't watching where I was going either."
Ethan blinked. "You… always reading something, huh?"
She laughed lightly. "That's how I survive boredom."
He smiled. "I've seen you around. You always look like you're somewhere else."
She tilted her head. "Maybe I am."
They kept walking together, talking about random things — books, coffee, life. Neither of them noticed they had walked blocks away.
Back where they'd started, Evan turned and realized Ethan was gone. He sighed and looked around. "Not again," he muttered. Sally had followed Ethan, trotting happily behind, tail wagging.
When they reached the girl's house, she turned to Ethan.
"So, where do you live?"
Ethan hesitated. "I'm a cameraman. I… don't really have a place right now."
She blinked, surprised. "Oh—then take this." She took out some money and pressed it into his hand. "Get a room at least."
Ethan's eyes widened. "No, wait, I think you misunderstood—"
But she was already opening her door.
"My name's Sophia," she said before closing it.
Then she smiled, waved lightly, and disappeared inside.
Ethan stood there, staring at the money. "Great," he muttered. "Now I look homeless." He pocketed it and walked away.
But behind him, Sally had seen the door move.
She tilted her head, thought Ethan had gone inside, and trotted toward it. The small crack at the bottom was just enough for her to squeeze through.
---
Inside, Sophia was in her room, headphones on, humming quietly as she brushed her hair. She didn't hear the small thud of Sally jumping off the couch, sniffing around.
By the time Sophia finished and went to bed, the kitchen was a mess. Sally had opened a bag of chips, knocked down a pot, and was sleeping peacefully on the couch, chewing on a spoon like it was a toy bone.
---
Morning came.
Sophia yawned, brushed her teeth, and walked toward the living room. She stopped halfway, eyes narrowing.
The room was a disaster.
She stepped slowly toward the couch. The blanket on it moved slightly.
Then, from under it, Sally's head popped up — eyes wide, tail wagging.
Sophia blinked, frozen in surprise.
She tilted her head.
Sally tilted hers too.
Sophia whispered, "Who… are you?"
End of Chapter 7.