The air in Lena's lab felt colder than usual, as though the QFD was leeching warmth from the room. Her hand hovered over the console, hesitant, as a wave of dizziness swept through her. She closed her eyes, steadying herself, trying to shake off the fatigue that had plagued her since yesterday. The strange memory gaps and feelings of disorientation hadn't faded; if anything, they had deepened.
As she began setting up for the day's work, her phone chimed. Instinctively, she felt a flicker of dread as she glanced at the screen.
*You're changing us in ways you can't control. STOP.*
The capital letters made her stomach clench, and something inside her bristled at the word "us." It was as though her past, present, and future selves had become separate entities, each pushing and pulling at her consciousness. She shook her head, dismissing the thought as absurd.