1676971801.002

Arthur stared at the digital timestamp blinking on his monitor: .

At 1676971801.002, the universe didn't just take her; it traded her. Arthur felt a violent, invisible vacuum pull at his chest. He realized his mistake too late. The law of conservation applied to time just as it did to energy. To pull someone out of a moment, someone else had to take their place. 1676971801.002

Arthur watched in horror as the air around Elena began to fracture like broken glass. The timestamp was executing itself. Arthur stared at the digital timestamp blinking on

Arthur tried to speak, but his voice was a silent vibration. He looked at the digital clock on the desk. 01:30:00 AM. He realized his mistake too late

That was the exact fraction of a second his sister had vanished from a locked room.