But the most concerning news came next:

The city’s three main jails were requesting immediate backup. Convicts had somehow found a way to open their cells. The sap of a newly discovered plant appeared to interfere with electronics, causing doors to unlock. Two of the jails saw most inmates escape within minutes, while the third erupted into a bloodbath.

Heroic guards managed to delay the riot for a few minutes, but the prisoners were relentless. Finally, the order to use lethal weapons was issued. By 3 PM, over 120 inmates and nine guards were reported dead. Human rights activists flooded social media, demanding the warden’s imprisonment. Police urged people in the area to remain indoors, and car circulation was banned again. Those with IDs ending in 9 and 0 lost their turns to shop.

Alex heard Ellie mumble something and looked at her. She was wide-eyed, staring as if she’d seen a ghost.

Alex: Babe?
Ellie: Close.
Alex: What?
Ellie: You’re going to love this.

Ellie handed him her phone. A girl on social media was demonstrating something new: if you put your hand in front of you and said, “Status,” a blue window that only you can see appears and shows your stats.

Alex tried it, and just as Ellie said, a glowing window popped up.

Level: 5
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 10
Speed: 9
Stamina: 6
Constitution: 7

Alex said, “Close,” and the window disappeared.

Ellie: What level are you?
Alex: Five. You?
Ellie: Same. My stats are 5 in Strength, 8 in Dexterity, 6 in Speed, 10 in Stamina, and 6 in Constitution. How about you?
Alex: 8 Strength, 10 Dexterity, 9 Speed, 6 Stamina, and—
Ellie (laughing): God’s saying you’re out of shape, mister. You need to start training ASAP.
Alex: And 7 Constitution. It’s just like an RPG game, although it doesn’t mention Intelligence or Magic. That’s actually good news… I think.
Ellie: Oh, I would’ve loved to have magic.
Alex: Send me the link so I can share it with everyone. Oh, no need—Luger already sent it.

Ellie asked about his friends’ stats. They ranged between 5 and 12, with Willy having 14 in Strength and Ricky 13 in Dexterity. Ellie’s group was similar, though her friend Erika had the highest overall stats.

Alex: Figures.
Alex raised his arm and said, “Inventory.”
Ellie: Really?
Alex: Nope, but it was worth a try.

He went to his room and grabbed some dumbbells but immediately winced as the pain in his shoulder flared up again.

Ellie: It still hurts? I’ll get the anti-inflammatories. And lay down—I’ll do some Reiki.
Alex: Later. I’m going to the gym to improve that shitty stamina. I'm the second worst among the guys. Wanna come?
Ellie: Yeah, I’ll work on my strength. Five is kind of pathetic.

Having a number tied to their abilities made them acutely aware of their weaknesses. Both competitive by nature, their bad stats hurt their pride.

The building gym was occupied, so they decided to exercise at home. After a short workout, they sat down to watch the news.

The police and army were slowly capturing the escaped convicts, and people everywhere were obsessed with stats. Websites dedicated to analyzing people's stats were already emerging. On average, the population had a level of 5, with men scoring about 2 total points higher than women in every stat. The world 100-meter champion, currently at level 9 with 20 in Speed, held the highest known stat so far.

16:52:

The sky began to brighten, glowing like a blue neon sign that intensified with each passing second. When it reached its peak, it emitted a blinding flash, then quickly returned to normal.

Ellie and Alex looked at each other, blinking. We’re okay, they figured. The TV, which had been running all day, immediately switched to coverage of "The Great Flash." New programs dedicated to recent events were popping up: 24-hour global news, best clips of new plants and creatures, political analysis, and even religious shows.

They checked their social media accounts but found no new updates. The phone signal was still intermittent, and internet access was down most of the time.

In the last few hours, things had escalated further. Creatures the size of cats had started appearing. A war in the Middle East had devolved into hand-to-hand combat with sticks, bayonets, clubs, and even old swords, as modern weapons were failing more often than they worked.

And then, magic was “unlocked.”

Alex: Stats.