Read gently… because this chapter is careful, clever, and very nearly busted.
At school the next day, everything looked normal.
Almost.
A teacher paused mid-sentence.
“Did anyone else just see—”
She blinked.
“Never mind.”
Alfie saw it.
The shimmer hovered near the whiteboard, copying chalk lines…
but spelling words slightly wrong.
SKOOL
PLEYGRUND
“It’s trying,” Alfie whispered.
During recess, Alfie sat quietly on a bench and spoke—
not out loud, but softly, calmly.
“Hola,” he said.
“I’m Alfie.”
The shimmer stopped.
It wobbled… then shaped itself into a wiggly outline of Alfie.
“Al… fee,” it echoed.
Backwards.
Then forwards.
Alfie smiled.
“That’s right.”
The shimmer brightened.
From Base Alfie, Mixie’s voice crackled in Alfie’s head.
“IS THIS THE PART WHERE WE TALK NICELY?”
“Yes,” Alfie thought back. “No rushing.”
The shimmer copied Alfie sitting still.
This time—almost perfect.
Nearby, two grown-ups walked past.
One frowned.
“Is that a reflection?”
“Probably the sun,” the other said.
Almost noticed. 😮💨
Alfie took a breath and pointed to the soccer field.
“Kick,” he said gently.
The shimmer copied the kick—
the ball rolled straight this time.
“Good,” Alfie said.
The shimmer glowed happily.
Then—
💨 PFFFFFFT! 💨
Mixie had tried to be quiet.
He was not quiet.
A tiny green cloud drifted from behind the fence…
and the shimmer copied it.
💨✨ SHIMMER-FART! ✨💨
The air wobbled.
The shimmer puffed…
and suddenly made a perfect copy of itself.
Two shimmers.
“Oh no,” Mixie whispered.
“I HAVE TAUGHT IT TOO MUCH.”
The two shimmers looked at each other.
They copied each other.
Instant loop.
Nearby, a teacher stopped again.
Her glasses slid down her nose.
“Why does it smell like… science?” she said.
Another blink.
“Strange.”
Almost noticed. Again.
On the wall near the playground gate, the flaming skull symbol appeared—faint, warm, reassuring.
A message only Alfie could feel:
“Communication creates mirrors.
Guide the reflection.”
A secret sign from
entity["fictional_character","Captain Skullfire","children's book character"].
Alfie stood up calmly.
“Hey,” he said to the shimmers.
“One at a time.”
He held up one finger.
The first shimmer copied him.
The second hesitated… then faded slightly.
Progress.
Mixie covered his mouth.
“NO MORE HELPING.”
Chimichanga whispered bravely from the base,
“You’re doing great. I am proud and upright.”
The bell rang.
Kids lined up.
The shimmer copied the line—
and stopped at the end this time.
Alfie smiled.
Not fixed.
Not finished.
But understood.
As Alfie walked back to class, the shimmer followed—quiet, careful—like a new friend learning the rules.
And far away… unseen…
Captain Skullfire watched.
Waiting.
⭐ To Be Continued…
Buenas noches, campeón 🌙
Tomorrow night… the reflection decides.