On the walk home, Kai unlatched the locket. Inside, there was indeed no photograph. Instead, a sliver of paper with a single line in cramped handwriting: "Install again. Tell story true."

Days later, back at his desk, CHAPTER_TWO_COMPLETE.txt had grown to fill several files. The program suggested a title: "opiumud045kuroinu — Chapter Two: The Install." It offered a final line. Kai read it aloud.

"Where—" Kai started.