32 PaperClip Clippings

Zoe, Mina, and Snacks strolled through the automatic doors of PaperClip, a sprawling office supply store that seemed to stretch on forever.

Towers of bulk paper reams rose beside aisles cluttered with office chairs and strange gadgets, while the overly bright lights made everything seem sharper than it needed to be.

Mina was practically bouncing with excitement, chattering about about "finding something perfect for Zoe's new mage status." Zoe followed, her steps slower, her eyes scanning the aisles with her usual half-interested expression.

Something about the place felt weird.

Zoe couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Maybe it was the lights, glaring and artificial.

Or maybe it was that strange, lingering sense of energy in the air that made her fingers twitch.

Snacks, perched on her shoulder, seemed to sense it too.

He was more alert than usual, his his alert, human-like eyes darting around like he was on lookout duty.