Cyrene at the scene. Microscopic Survival chapter 3 by Clocktus

Through your apartment, you could hear shuffling footsteps approach your front door, before suddenly stopping. While you couldn't know for sure, the shuffling did remind you of Cyrene, a self-proclaimed witch living in the same apartment building. Tall, slender, a few years older than you if you had to guess, with long and sleek black hair and a fittingly dark wardrobe. You had never really believed in the stuff she talked about, but neither of you pushed the other on it, so you still got along fine when you did interact with one another. She was always a bit timid and shy, but it felt like she appreciated you for not giving you any grief for her beliefs.

Nonetheless, you still had no idea why she would be at your apartment, since you had never intentionally met up before. Even weirder was the fact that you had heard nothing else since the shuffling approached, neither a knock, a word, or someone leaving.
Then, out of the blue, you heard the sound of your front door unlocking, followed by the person at the door shuffling inside and closing it behind them. While there were spare keys to your apartment, only your landlord, close friends and family, and your direct neighbours had them, and this didn't sound like any of them. Was someone breaking in, on this day out of all possible days? The definitely last day you would want an absolute stranger to rummage through your home?

Your panic was interrupted when the shuffling not only continued, but quickly grew louder. When the door to your bedroom swung open, your earlier suspicions were confirmed, as a gigantic Cyrene stood in the doorway, wearing a simple and short black dress, presumably a compromise between her "theme" and not overheating on a summer day. As she stepped further in, her dragged steps sending continues vibration through the room and the mattress below you, her gaze was wildly jumping through your room, as if she was looking for something. If she was looking for valuables, she had to be extraordinarily blind, as she had not grabbed any of the obvious valuables yet. She didn't strike you as that kind of person though, so what could she possibly want here?

Your question was answered almost immediately when her eyes wandered down to your bed, across the mattress, and then on you. And then they stopped on you. And she kept looking at you. She should not be looking at you.


"Um..." Cyrene's usually gentle voice suddenly burst into the room, while her gaze remained glued to you. "I- I know this must all be a huge shock, but I know what happened, and I'm here for you. I'll explain myself..."