Don’t Read It Out Loud

“Is this yours?”

“No.”

“It was on the printer.”

“I didn’t print anything.”

“It doesn’t have a header.”

“Let me see.”

“Don’t touch it yet.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. It just feels… off.”

“It’s a piece of paper.”

“Read the top line.”

“Out loud?”

“Yeah. It’s fine.”

“‘Do not read this out loud.’”

“That’s dramatic.”

“Why would someone write that?”

“Probably a joke.”

“People here don’t joke.”

“They try.”

“You’re smiling.”

“Because you’re nervous.”

“I’m cautious.”

“Same thing.”

“Just read the next line.”

“You read it.”

“You already broke the rule once.”

“It said do not read this out loud, not do not read at all.”

“That’s splitting hairs.”

“You do it all the time.”

“Fine.”

“Quietly.”

“‘If you are reading this, you are not alone.’”

“That’s creepy.”

“It’s probably HR.”

“HR doesn’t talk like that.”

“Maybe it’s some team building thing.”

“This is a terrible way to build a team.”

“Read the next part.”

“You do it.”

“No, you’re closer.”

“Still quietly.”

“‘Words have weight.’”

“Okay, now it’s definitely creepy.”

“Stop.”

“What?”

“You read that out loud.”

“No I didn’t.”

“You whispered, but you said it.”

“That doesn’t count.”

“Why did the lights flicker?”

“They didn’t.”

“They did.”

“It’s an old building.”

“You’re reaching.”

“Read the next line.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You’re the one who picked it up.”

“Because you told me to.”

“I didn’t tell you to read it.”

“I’m not.”

“You just did.”

“That was an accident.”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Read it out loud.”

“I won’t.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“Then what does it say?”

“Nothing important.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m summarizing.”

“What does it say?”

“It says… stop.”

“Stop what?”

“Talking.”

“That’s not funny.”

“I’m not joking.”

“You’re shaking.”

“So are you.”

“That’s because you’re freaking me out.”

“Listen.”

“To what?”

“The printer.”

“It’s printing.”

“No one sent anything.”

“Check it.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Just look.”

“It’s another page.”

“What does it say?”

“Don’t make me say it.”

“Just tell me.”

“It says my name.”

“That’s impossible.”

“It’s spelled right.”

“Anyone here could do that.”

“Then why does it say what I’m thinking?”

“What are you thinking?”

“That I shouldn’t have read it.”

“Did you read that part?”

“No.”

“Then how would it know?”

“This is some prank.”

“Then make it stop.”

“How?”

“Rip it up.”

“I’m not touching it.”

“You already did.”

“That was before.”

“Before what?”

“Before it started responding.”

“It can’t respond.”

“It just did.”

“Say nothing.”

“I am saying nothing.”

“Out loud.”

“I am.”

“You just said that.”

“That’s different.”

“Is it?”

“Why is the fire alarm blinking?”

“It always blinks.”

“Not like that.”

“Don’t read anything else.”

“I’m not.”

“Then why are your lips moving?”

“I’m mouthing it.”

“Stop.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because it says if I stop, something happens.”

“Don’t read it.”

“It already happened.”

“What happened?”

“It says you won’t believe me.”

“That’s true.”

“It says the truth sounds like madness at first.”

“Please stop.”

“I didn’t mean to say that one.”

“Why are you crying?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did it tell you to?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

“Because it says this has happened before.”

“To who?”

“To everyone who didn’t listen.”

“Listen to what?”

“Silence.”

“That’s not possible.”

“It says the Word was spoken once.”

“Stop.”

“It says everything else echoes.”

“Please don’t.”

“It says reading gives breath.”

“You’re scaring me.”

“It says breath gives life.”

“Don’t read it out loud.”

“It says life answers to truth.”

“Stop!”

“It says some words create and some words destroy.”

“You’re doing this.”

“No.”

“Yes, you are.”

“I’m just reading.”

“Then stop.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because it says if I deny it, I deny Him.”

“Him who?”

“It doesn’t say yet.”

“Don’t say it.”

“It says His name is not forced.”

“Please.”

“It says He knocks.”

“At doors?”

“At hearts.”

“Don’t.”

“It says even warnings are mercy.”

“Enough.”

“It says the Word became flesh.”

“…What?”

“It says and dwelt among us.”

“That’s…”

“I know.”

“You shouldn’t know that.”

“It says you’ve heard this before.”

“Stop reading.”

“It says faith comes by hearing.”

“No.”

“It says be careful what you speak.”

“No.”

“It says every idle word is heard.”

“Please stop.”

“It says I am the Word.”

“Don’t.”

“It says read no further unless you believe.”

“Do you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then stop.”

“It says belief isn’t the beginning.”

“Then what is?”

“It says listening.”