Snip. She cut the tablecloth. The illusion shattered.
"One cut," Kiko whispered. "For a new life."
Beautiful. Peaceful. A trap. The zone offered her a deal: abandon the run, and she could stay here forever, a perfect digital ghost, no pain, no memories. She saw a version of herself drinking tea, smiling. She lifted her scissors.
Outside, a new version was already being written. But that was a story for another Gauntlet.